Gaming enthusiasts, take note: there's been an unexpected twist in the 2D platformer showdown between Sonic Superstars and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Despite high hopes, Sonic Superstars struggled at launch, with Sega acknowledging that competing titles significantly impacted its debut. Super Mario Bros. Wonder, in contrast, set new records as the fastest-selling Mario game ever, reaching 4.3 million sales in two weeks.

Sega's leadership cited the release of major competitive games around the same time, including Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and anticipated titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Starfield, which probably drew attention away from Sonic. Sega plans to boost promotional efforts, especially internationally, during the holiday season to ramp up sales akin to those for Sonic Frontiers. Additionally, the upcoming third Sonic movie could give the game a boost similar to how The Super Mario Bros. Movie did for Mario sales.

Despite initial setbacks, Sonic Superstars received decent reviews for its entertaining if imperfect gameplay. With marketing primed for a holiday push and the potential of a new movie release coupling, Sega remains hopeful that Sonic can sprint to better performances in the upcoming months.