Sonic fans are a specific breed. We remember the rough years. We remember the glitches and the weird experimental phases that didn't quite land. But then 2010 happened, and Sonic Colors basically saved the franchise's reputation by being, well, actually good. Fast forward to 2021, and SEGA decided to bring that magic back with Sonic Colors Ultimate. To hype it up, they gave us Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps, a two-part animated short that did a lot more heavy lifting for the brand than people realize.
It wasn't just a commercial.
Honestly, it felt like a peace offering. After some hit-or-miss years, seeing Roger Craig Smith return as the voice of Sonic—especially after that brief, terrifying period where everyone thought he was done with the role—was a massive relief. The animation was handled by Tyson Hesse and the team at Noodlekin. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Hesse is the guy who basically fixed the Sonic movie design. He understands how Sonic should move. He knows the "squash and stretch" that makes a cartoon feel alive rather than just a 3D model sliding across a background.
The Story Behind Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps
The plot is simple, but it works because it stays true to the game's vibe. Sonic and Tails are hanging out on Sweet Mountain—which, let’s be real, is everyone’s favorite zone because of the giant hamburgers and cake—when they run into a Jade Wisp. This was a specific tie-in to the Ultimate remaster, as the Jade Ghost Wisp was the "new" power-up added to the game.
Eggman is doing Eggman things. He’s kidnapping Wisps to power his theme park. Metal Sonic shows up. It’s classic.
But what makes Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps stand out is the character work. Orbot and Cubot are actually funny here. Their bickering doesn't feel forced like it sometimes did in the Sonic Boom era. Dr. Eggman, voiced by the legendary Mike Pollock, is in peak form. There's a specific energy to Pollock’s performance that manages to be threatening and pathetic at the same time. It’s a hard line to walk.
Why the Animation Style Matters
We need to talk about the visuals.
The industry has moved so far toward hyper-realistic 3D that we sometimes forget how expressive 2D can be. This short used a "limited animation" style that felt like a high-budget moving comic book. The colors are incredibly saturated. It mimics the neon-soaked aesthetic of the Terminal Showdown and Starlight Carnival stages.
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When you watch Sonic go into a boost, the screen doesn't just blur. It explodes.
The team utilized a lot of the same DNA found in Sonic Mania Adventures. It’s that wordless storytelling (mostly) that relies on physical comedy. Even though Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps has full voice acting, you could probably watch it on mute and still understand every single emotion on Tails’ face. That’s the mark of good character design.
Breaking Down the Metal Sonic Rivalry
The highlight for most fans was the showdown with Metal Sonic.
Metal has always been the "silent but deadly" rival. In this short, he’s a beast. He’s fast, he’s cold, and he uses the Wisps’ power against Sonic. This was a clever way to show, rather than tell, how the Wisp energy works. When Metal Sonic absorbs the Jade Wisp energy to phase through attacks, it’s a direct nod to the gameplay mechanics players would experience in the Ultimate release.
It wasn't just fan service. It was a tutorial disguised as an action sequence.
Actually, the fight choreography is better than most of what we saw in the early 3D games. Sonic doesn't just homing attack his way to victory. He has to use his environment. He has to coordinate with the Wisps. It reinforced the central theme of the Colors era: Sonic is fast, but he’s stronger when he’s working with the environment around him.
The Impact on Sonic Colors Ultimate
Let’s be honest: Sonic Colors Ultimate had a rocky launch. There were some pretty nasty graphical glitches on the Switch version that went viral for all the wrong reasons. But Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps acted as a sort of shield for the brand. It kept the "hype train" moving even when the technical side of the game was stumbling.
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It proved that the Sonic "universe" was bigger than just the code on a disc.
People weren't just buying a remaster; they were buying back into a world they loved. SEGA has since leaned heavily into this "multimedia" approach. We saw it later with Sonic Frontiers and the Prologue: Ian Flynn comic and animation. It started here. This short was the blueprint for how SEGA handles modern game marketing. They don't just drop a trailer; they drop a piece of culture.
Acknowledging the Limitations
Is it perfect? No.
It’s short. Really short. You can watch the whole thing in under 12 minutes. Some fans felt it played it a bit too safe by sticking strictly to the Colors cast. Imagine if we had seen a cameo from Shadow or Knuckles, even just in the background. But that likely would have muddied the waters. The goal was to sell the specific atmosphere of the Interstellar Amusement Park, and in that regard, it succeeded.
The voice mixing in the first episode was also a bit loud compared to the music, a minor gripe that was mostly fixed by the time the second part dropped.
What This Means for Future Sonic Media
If you look at the trajectory of Sonic from 2021 to now, you can see the fingerprints of Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps everywhere.
The success of these shorts directly influenced the production of Sonic Prime on Netflix. It showed the executives that there is a massive appetite for 2D-inspired, high-energy Sonic content that isn't just for toddlers. They realized that the "millennial" and "Gen Z" fans who grew up with the GameCube and Wii titles are now the ones with the spending power.
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- Production Quality: It set a high bar for web-series animation.
- Voice Acting: It solidified the current cast after a period of uncertainty.
- Narrative: It proved you can have a "light" Sonic story that still feels stakes-heavy.
Basically, it was the bridge between the "old" SEGA and the "New Era" they keep talking about in their shareholder meetings.
How to Experience the Story Today
If you haven't seen it, you don't need to buy anything. It’s available for free on the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel.
But if you want the "full" experience, you should play the Starlight Carnival levels in Sonic Colors Ultimate immediately after watching. The music transition is seamless. The game features a remixed soundtrack that some people hate, but if you go into it with the mindset of the animated short, it actually fits the "modernized" vibe quite well.
You should also check out the "Making Of" clips if they're still floating around. Seeing the rough sketches by Tyson Hesse gives you a real appreciation for how much work goes into a ten-minute cartoon. It’s not just computers doing the work; it’s artists who genuinely love the Blue Blur.
Actionable Steps for Sonic Fans
Don't just watch the short and move on. To really get the most out of this era of Sonic, follow these steps:
- Watch the "Full Version": Most people watched the two parts separately. There is a "Complete Edition" edit online that flows much better as a single narrative.
- Compare the Jade Wisp: Notice how the Jade Wisp behaves in the animation versus the game. The animation gives it much more personality, which actually makes using the power-up in-game more satisfying.
- Explore the Prequels: If you liked the vibe of Rise of the Wisps, go back and watch Sonic Mania Adventures and Team Sonic Racing Overdrive. They are made by many of the same talented people.
- Check the Comics: Read the IDW Sonic series, specifically the issues written by Ian Flynn around 2021. The tone matches perfectly, and it fills in some of the gaps regarding what the Wisps do when they aren't being used as power-ups.
The legacy of Sonic Colors isn't just about a Wii game from over a decade ago. It’s about a specific feeling of optimism and speed. Sonic Colors Rise of the Wisps captured that feeling and bottled it. It reminded everyone that even when the games have bugs, the heart of the character is still beating fast. It’s a small piece of media that had a massive ripple effect on how we see Sonic today.