Shadow Generations is a platform game that shifts between side-scrolling and 3D gameplay. Being included in Sonic X Shadow Generations, players can switch between Shadow Generations and a remaster of Sonic Generations (2011) at will.[3] As Shadow the Hedgehog, the player character of the single-player game, the player must complete a series of levels and bosses to defeat the alien warlord Black Doom. Similar to previous Sonic games, the player traverses environments filled with springs, slopes, boost pads, bottomless pits, and vertical loops, and collects rings as a form of health. Upon completing a stage, the player receives a letter grade based on their performance, "S" being the best and "D" being the worst.
Shadow controls similarly to how Modern Sonic does in Sonic Generations: he can boost to smash through enemies and obstacles, home in on enemies to attack, and stomp to destroy objects and enemies below him. Unlike Sonic, Shadow can use power-ups that grant him new abilities. By defeating enemies, the player fills a meter that allows Shadow to activate "Chaos Control", which stops time, freezes objects, and allows access to alternate paths.[4] As the player progresses, they unlock transformations enabling new methods of attack and traversal. These include attacking enemies with energy spears, teleport-launching enemies to reach higher ground, transforming into a monster to traverse over terrain, gliding, and surfing on water.[5]
Unlike Sonic Generations' side-scrolling hub world, the hub world in Shadow Generations is 3D and features open-world gameplay similar to that of Sonic Frontiers (2022).[6] Players use it to become accustomed to transformations and to access levels and bosses.[7] Each level has two acts; the first features 3D gameplay, while the second features side-scrolling gameplay.[8] Two challenges are available for each act, which require Shadow to complete a specific objective, such as destroying a certain number of enemies or reaching the goal with only one ring.[9][10] Completing both challenges grants the player a key to unlock boss battles, where the player must deplete the health of a larger enemy to proceed. Every challenge must be completed to finish the game.[11][10]
Each level and challenge features three collectible keys, which can be used to unlock chests scattered around the hub world; these chests contain artwork, music, and backstory that can be viewed in a collection room.[11] Additional art and music can be earned by completing missions scattered around the hub world or retrieving rocket parts for Orbot and Cubot.[12] A set of more difficult challenges and boss variations are unlocked after completing the game.[10] Players can also equip alternate skins for Shadow, such as his prototype "Terios" design and his appearance in the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), which are available as downloadable content (DLC).[13]
