What I Want From Sonic Frontiers DLC

Sonic as a franchise has always been…strangely averse to DLC. In an era where a lot of single-player games can get loads of post-launch content, SEGA has remained rather stingy when it comes to Sonic. Maybe we get some level packs reusing in-game assets, or cosmetics, or if we’re really lucky, some new characters or a couple brand new levels, but we’ve never really gotten anything substantial, even when you’d think a game was built for it. I mean, who wouldn’t have wanted more classic levels re-imagined in Sonic Generations or Sonic Mania?

With Sonic Frontiers, that needs to change. Frontiers needs - nay, deserves - some proper, substantial downloadable content. Especially if we’re going to be waiting five years for the next one.

Of course, it’s one thing to just like the idea of DLC. But what should SEGA & Sonic Team actually do? I think there are some clear directions where Frontiers DLC could go:

Quality of Life Improvements

Depending on the nature of this, this probably shouldn’t be paid DLC, but there are definitely some smaller areas where Frontiers could improve. Like, how about a proper Boss Rush mode? There’s currently no way to replay the Titan bosses, which is a shame. A mode that lets you play all four back to back would solve this and introduce a new post-game challenge ala the game’s Arcade Mode. Heck, maybe go all in and also include the sub bosses in a separate part of that mode?

Speaking of Arcade Mode, I was a little surprised there was no way to go straight from one cyberspace stage to another in that. Adding a button to lets me move on to the next stage like Sonic 4 would be nice. Though a marathon mode that will grade me on how many red rings I collect, and how much time I take to get through each of the 30 cyberspace stages would be even better.

A cutscene viewer would also be nice, as would a way to look at the animated and comic tie-ins in-game. There are surely other QoL improvements people want to. Do it, SEGA!

Post-Game Content Mode

As things stand, Sonic Frontiers has no post-game content. While I don’t think the game needs it, as there is plenty to do in it already, I do think Frontiers is structured in a way that makes such a mode viable.

Imagine a brief cutscene where Sonic returns to the islands, and something happens that causes all of the artificial structures to change. The landscape is unchanged, but the platforming challenges all change, the puzzles are made more difficult, and enemies are replaced with substantially more powerful variants. As things stand, Sonic begins to overpower the game’s toughest enemies long before his stats are maxed out. A mode like this could give those people with overpowered Sonics something to do, and a reason to pursue maxed out stats. On top of that, this DLC would do all this while recycling existing assets and areas!

And heck…maybe this mode could even have some additional story content, that further elaborates on the lives of the Ancients!

More Cyberspace Stages (and Themes)

You know what would be cool? Having more than four cyberspace environments. You know what would be even cooler? New cyberspace stages built around some new themes, based either on original locations or locations that haven’t been realized in a boost stage before.

Of everything I suggest here, this seems like the most likely thing to happen, if only because Sonic has already gotten downloadable level packs, and cyberspace stages can be played outside of the open zone areas. But something like this would only be worthwhile if the assets are genuinely new, and not built in the four existing themes we already have.

Give me Studiopolis! Mystic Cave! Stardust Speedway! Or something completely original! Just please, something new! I will give you money for this, SEGA, I promise!

Brand New Story DLC - With A New Character

Alright, this is the big one, and the main reason I wanted to write this article: I want a brand new campaign, with a new island, new enemies, new final boss, new cyberspace stages, and most importantly… a new character. Truth is, there really isn’t much story to be mined from Sonic-centric DLC. So why not build a new, shorter campaign around another character? Like, say, Shadow the Hedgehog, or… maybe even Blaze the Cat?

Sonic Frontiers is already perfectly built for this kind of DLC. Each island is disconnected, so adding a new one wouldn’t be difficult structurally. And there is certainly some interesting story potential to be mined from other characters! Like, maybe Professor Gerald investigated one of the outlying islands Sonic never visited, which could give us more insights into Shadow’s past!

As it stands, Shadow as a character feels directionless in Sonic, with no clear motivations or interesting character traits beyond “stop Eggman” and “be edgy.” Some Shadow-centered DLC would give Flynn a chance to finally sort the character’s messy game canon out.

Though heck, even more interesting than Shadow DLC would be Blaze DLC. She is easily the most criminally under appreciated Sonic character from the new millennium. She’s already had a character arc that’s dying for a follow up, and getting some insight into the past of the Sol Emeralds is a story that’s just begging to be mined.

Putting aside the story potential, this sort of DLC would also give Sonic Team a chance to build a new biome, and cyberspace stages based around games Blaze and Shadow were in. Not to mention, both Shadow and Blaze could have significantly different combat from Sonic, using their own unique fire and chaos-based abilities.

Look, SEGA: Sonic Frontiers is the best 3D Sonic has been in years. You guys are already doing some cosmetic DLC! Now is the time to finally give us a proper, sizable amount of DLC for a Sonic game. Frontiers has loads of potential for this sort of thing, please take advantage of it!