Highlights
- Sonic Dream Team is an exclusive game on Apple Arcade, which may limit accessibility for fans without Apple devices.
- The cost to play Sonic Dream Team varies depending on whether players already own Apple devices or need to purchase them.
- While Sonic Dream Team is a shorter game compared to mainline Sonic titles, it offers a fun and enjoyable experience for Sonic fans on Apple Arcade.
Sonic the Hedgehog fans have had quite an exciting year in 2023. After 2022 brought Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Origins, and the start of Sonic Prime, 2023 has certainly lived up to its status as being an "encore" of the year before it for fans of the blue blur. On top of it all, this practically non-stop stream of Sonic content has gone out with a bang with the announcement and launch of Sonic Dream Team, a new mobile game that may serve as Sega Hardlight's biggest endeavor yet.
Sonic Dream Team isn't a live service game like the other side projects the series usually offers, such as Sonic Speed Simulator or Sonic Forces: Speed Battle. Dream Team is instead a complete experience consisting of a short but rounded playtime with level design that almost any fan of the franchise is bound to love. However, it does have a catch associated with it in that it is exclusive to Apple Arcade, needing not only an Apple device, but a subscription fee to play.
Sonic Unleashed Still Remains a Shining Example of the Franchise 15 Years Later
Sonic Unleashed is an important game to many fans of the franchise after 15 years for good reason as many other titles don't do what it did prior.
Sonic Dream Team's Apple Arcade Exclusivity is a Double-Edged Sword
Sonic Dream Team May Cost More For Some Than Others
As surprising as Sonic Dream Team's sudden announcement was, it was met with a considerable amount of backlash from fans, as not everyone owns an Apple device. Apple's iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, iMacs, and Apple TVs are known to be on the expensive side of technology, and while mobile games have been a strong supporting pillar for the conglomerate company, it's not always the first choice when it comes to gaming.
However, Apple seems to be looking towards creating titles that are sizable enough to warrant a subscription to the service, and one of the partners it decided to team up with was Sega. Sega Hardlight was given funds to create a full Sonic game of its own for the price of being exclusive to Apple Arcade for a time, and Apple got a prominent gaming icon to attract people to the service. As Sonic Dream Team speaks for itself on how beneficial the partnership was, its exclusive status is a big hurdle for a lot of potential players.
For those who already have an Apple device, the cost to play Sonic Dream Team is a steal at $6.99 a month, and could even be free for their first month depending on how new their MacBook Pro, iPhone, and other devices of choice are. However, for those who need to find something to play Dream Team on, they may end up paying at least $40 for an Apple TV, a compatible controller, and the subscription itself at the very least. The situation behind how players might get their hands on Sonic Dream Team certainly changes the price tag of the game itself.
Apple Arcade Sonic Fans Will Love Sonic Dream Team
Before players spend money on buying an iPad or even an iPhone or computer to play the latest Sonic game, the size of Sonic Dream Team needs to be taken into account as well. While it's true that Sonic Dream Team is a full game with no add-ons beyond the subscription needed to pay for it, it also doesn't have a very long playtime. Dream Team consists of four stages made of three acts with a boss to finish it off, and the acts are split up into smaller levels that see fans tackling missions to gather Dream Orbs to progress. The story of Dream Team is also rather simplistic compared to Sonic Frontiers, so its gameplay is its most important aspect.
However, playing Sonic Dream Team is nothing but pure Sonic fun from start to finish. The game and its controls are simplistic yet snappy and responsive, which makes running through its world a blast. While its size makes it a far cry from a mainline Sonic experience, Sonic fans that are willing to give Apple and its Arcade subscription service a chance are most certainly going to have a good time with what they get in return.
Sonic Dream Team is available now on Apple Arcade.
