Discussing the nature of Sonic Frontiers in an interview with Sector.SK, Head of Sonic Team, Takashi Iizuka, stated that their goal for the game was to bring a new approach to the franchise.
"Just like Sonic Adventure, our goal for Sonic Frontiers was to create a game that would be the cornerstone of future Sonic games. It is a brand-new approach for the franchise, but we have been conscious to honor Sonic’s roots as well - the game still needs to feel like a Sonic game." Takashi lizuka said. "We had big ambitions to evolve Sonic’s established gameplay into a more modern experience while ensuring the game feels familiar to long-time fans."
For an example of a different approach to the Sonic franchise, the development team added a greater sense of tension and strategy to the combat. Takashi claimed that in previous Sonic games combat was dependent on high-speed action, however, the new battle system introduced in Sonic Frontiers takes players into fluid and exhilarating battles. To clarify, the way that players approach enemies has changed based on momentum and freedom.
When asked how the team adapts Sonic's abilities to the open world, Takashi Iizuka said: "Sonic’s speed is central to his character, and Sonic Frontiers’ open-zone gameplay removes any barriers to freedom, giving the player a fast, action-packed experience with more room to run. We have also introduced a Skill Tree for the first time in the history of the franchise, so players grow stronger the more they explore the island." As the statement implies, Sonic Frontiers' open world is designed for players to differentiate their playstyle, allowing them to increase Sonic's strength and defense by engaging with the surrounding environment.
Lastly, Takashi claimed that the biggest change the Sonic franchise has seen over the last 30 years is the jump from 2D to 3D in 1998 with Sonic Adventure. "Bringing Sonic fully into the 3D world with Sonic Adventure was one of the most challenging yet rewarding moments", Takashi said.
Sonic Frontiers is now available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.