It follows Sonic's quest to stop his nemesis Doctor Eggman from enslaving an alien race and taking over the world.

Examining criticisms of past games, the developers made Sonic the only playable character and worked to balance speed and platforming; the Wisps were introduced to diversify the gameplay without slowing it down.

Sonic Colors received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, audio, soundtrack, gameplay and replay value, with many considering it a return to form for the series.

Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, whose goal is to save the Wisps, an alien race that has been enslaved by Doctor Eggman.

In certain levels, players are sent at high speeds and must perform a quick step maneuver to dodge walls and other hazards;[11] others see Sonic using a drift mechanic in order to make sharp turns.

[3] Like previous games, Sonic collects golden rings,[3] which protect him from a single hit by an enemy or obstacle, though they will scatter and blink before disappearing.

Sonic starts the game with a limited number of lives; if he is hit with no rings in his possession, he will lose a life.

[7] The game also features online leaderboards, allowing players to upload their scores via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

[13][15] Exclusive to the DS version are touchscreen-controlled special stages similar to the ones seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 2,[13] missions featuring various characters from throughout the franchise, a competitive multiplayer mode,[15] and an extra final boss.

[7] The game features two new Wisp types in exchange for the Frenzy, Hover, Spikes, and Cube: "Red Burst", which allows Sonic to burst in midair and can activate certain objects such as a hot air balloon, Ferris wheel, and popcorn cannons;[7] and "Violet Void", which gives Sonic the ability to float and to suck up nearby objects, growing bigger in the process.

After Tails invents a translator to communicate with him, they learn that other Wisps have been enslaved by Eggman, who plans to harness their energy for a mind-control laser that will allow him to take over Earth.

Sonic proceeds to visit the planets, liberating the Wisps and shutting down the generators linked to the amusement park.

[d] After Sonic frees the Wisps, Eggman tries to fire the cannon at the world, but a piece of wreckage from an earlier boss fight causes it to malfunction.

Thus, the Wisps were added to the game to expand and strengthen the gameplay without forcing the player to switch to other playable characters.

[8] According to producer Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Colors was designed to appeal to a casual audience, particularly children and fans of the Super Mario series.

[16][18][23] Iizuka's statement that it was impossible to please all Sonic fans initially alienated those who had enjoyed prior entries such as Unleashed and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I,[24] though Sega brand manager Judy Gilbertson later clarified that "we’re also looking to create a game that is accessible to younger gamers as well as our ‘core’ fans.

"[23] The script was written by MadWorld and Happy Tree Friends contributors Ken Pontac and Warren Graff.

[31] On November 4, 2010, Sega held a Sonic Colors-themed ice-skating event at Bryant Park in New York City.

Jean Paul Makhlouf from the American electronic band Cash Cash performed the game's opening song, "Reach for the Stars" (remixed as "Reach for the Stars (Re-Colors)"), and his brother Alex joined him in singing the ending song, "Speak With Your Heart" (remixed as "Speak With Your Heart (Rainbow Mix)").

Al Bickham of Eurogamer considered the game's intertwining of platforming and speed to be successful, and also praised its use of the Wii Remote.

[5] Matthew Keast of GamesRadar called the Wisps the game's best feature, describing the element of backtracking to previously completed levels after unlocking more types as clever.

[3] Empire considered Colors a return to form for the series,[44] whose popularity had declined in recent years following a number of poorly received games such as the 2006 reboot.

[58] Sonic Generations was released in commemoration of the series' twentieth anniversary, and remade various aspects from past entries.

[60] In May 2021, a remastered version, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, was announced for release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows (via the Epic Games Store), and Xbox One.

[65] Along with enhanced visuals, an improved frame rate, and a newly recorded soundtrack, the remaster, which is based on the Wii version, features new additions including assistance by Tails, which replaces the traditional lives mechanic from the original game, allowing Tails to rescue Sonic from dangerous falls for a limited amount of uses, the "Jade Ghost" Wisp power-up from Team Sonic Racing, which lets Sonic pass through solid objects and access new routes; a Rival Rush mode in which players race against Metal Sonic; unlockable cosmetic options with a new currency called "Park Tokens", including some based on the 2020 film; new voice lines from Kate Higgins, who reprises her role as the voice of Tails from the original game in English (Ryō Hirohashi in Japanese); and voiceovers in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

[66] Shortly after its early access on September 3, several Twitter users started reporting several bugs and glitches not present in the original,[82] with the Switch version in particular being derided due to having far more technical issues than the other releases, such as an inferior frame-rate compared to the other versions, significantly longer load times and flashing lights that could induce a potential photosensitive epileptic seizure.

[85] In addition, people data mining through the PC version found that it had used Godot Engine without proper credit, which Blind Squirrel stated would be addressed in a patch.