Verdict
Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition offers the same fun open-world story that you all know, though it still has too many empty spaces and lacks variety in activities. Furthermore, the game's performance isn't quite where it should be, especially when you consider how well Sonic x Shadow Generations runs on Switch 2. I appreciate the birthday celebrations, though.
I love Sonic the Hedgehog, and 2026 is a huge year for the Blue Blur, with last week being his 35th birthday. While I was admittedly a bit disappointed not to see a new game or a remake (Unleashed or Heroes), Sega did mark the occasion by releasing Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, something we all knew was coming for weeks thanks to early physical copies popping up in the wild.
Being the lucky bean I am, Sega gave me a review copy of the game, so I can share my thoughts with you all and let you know whether it's worth picking up, either for the first or second time. As Sonic Frontiers is nearly four years old at this point, I'm mostly going to focus on how the game performs on the Nintendo Switch 2, but I'll briefly touch on the gameplay and story first.
Like most Sonic games, Robotnik is up to no good once again, leaving Sonic with little choice but to embark on an adventure to stop him, while also rescuing his friends Amy, Knuckles, and Tails. In a first for the franchise, you get to explore an open world as you journey around the Starfall Islands, embarking on epic boss battles with giant beings known as Titans.
While I love a good open world, and I think Sonic Team laid some good groundwork, there's a lot of empty space here. For Sonic's first foray into this sort of gameplay, it's not bad - far from it - but there's room for improvement. All of the typical platforming and rail grinding is present, along with access to typical Sonic levels, but the islands could stand to offer more things to do or explore. However, I do enjoy the story in this one; it's a fun time.
Anyway, onto how well the game runs. I have to say, I'm somewhat disappointed. While the game looks pretty good in docked mode, particularly if you opt for it to focus more on graphics than performance, there are some serious rendering issues, particularly when it comes to any trees you encounter. It doesn't put me off playing the game, but it should be better. However, I absolutely don't recommend playing the game in handheld mode, as it looks a lot worse.
I could draw a comparison to high-demand games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Resident Evil Requiem, both of which look great on the Nintendo Switch 2, but I think the most apt comparison is to put Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition up against Sonic x Shadows Generations on NS2. That game runs flawlessly and looks absolutely fantastic, so we know that Sonic Team can bring a game from the Switch to the Switch 2 and near-enough perfect it, so it's a shame that Frontiers didn't get the same fine-tuning.
There are also a couple of instances where the button inputs don't work - I've mashed the button repeatedly only for Sonic to still not attack a Titan, despite being locked on, and tumble to the ground below. It doesn't happen too often, but it's certainly a pain when it does, and it's an issue I don't recall ever experiencing on the PS5 version.
Still, beyond the negatives, I have to admit that I'm still playing Sonic Frontiers with a smile on my face because I always have a good time with the Blue Blur (except in Sonic 06, but we won't talk about that). I also have a fondness for the birthday celebrations you can turn on in-game, giving the characters party hats, plotting birthday balloons around the islands, turning the rails pink, and even playing a snazzy version of 'Happy Birthday.' You also have access to various outfits for Sonic, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't love running around at high speeds listening to my favorite tracks.
Overall, do I recommend picking up Sonic Frontiers Definitive Edition? If you don't already have the game and no other consoles, then, despite the rendering issues and not being as pretty as other Switch 2 games, I'd say it's worth a go - though it's hardly the 'definitive' way to play. However, if you already have the game elsewhere, maybe give this one a skip, as the handheld performance is more than a little lackluster.