So, what's your favorite Sonic game?

[Pike]

Mine is Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Partially because I think it pulled off the mixture of fun and challenge in just the right amounts, but mostly because of Chemical Plant Zone. :kakapo:

[Sephex]

Sonic 3. Though I enjoyed the "full version" that is Sonic 3 locked on to Sonic&Knuckles, Sonic 3 as a stand alone title is the best. I love the level design, the themes, and especially the music. I am totally not interested in that debate if Michael Jackson did the music or not. Who cares? The soundtrack is one of the best on the Genesis/Megadrive! Hell, even the competitive mode is fun despite how it doesn't really hold up to today's standards. Great tunes in that section of the game as well!

[NorthernChaosGod]

Sonic 3 hands down. The levels ruled, I really liked Sonic's special shield, and the element shields were dope.

[edczxcvbnm]

Clearly the answer is Sonic 2. It had the chemical plant zone which has the greatest sonic music of all time!

[DMKA]

Sonic and Knuckles

Dunno why. Just something about the design of the levels with the music. It just seemed perfect.

Too bad it was so unforgivingly difficult!

[VeloZer0]

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)


In all seriousness though it is really hard for me to pick between S2 & S3. I just like each of them so much in their own ways. I'll kick in the saving feature of S3 to put it over the top.

[G13]

I wonder if we're ever going to get past the Genesis titles. xD

Sonic the Hedgehog (1) for me. First one I ever played, first one I ever beat, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Though when I was a kid it was all about Sonic and Knuckles. Knuckles was my favorite character from that universe, despite not knowing what an echidna was or even how to pronounce the word!

[Sylvie]

So let me get this straight. Nintendo releases the Super Mario Brothers, which is one red guy and one green guy and they can turn into adults and shoot fireballs and collect coins for money, and this pink girl, and a bunch of monsters and then one big commanding King monster.

Sega comes up with one blue brother who can run really fast (and has a pet cat) and one red brother who can punch really hard and one pink chick who is their friend, a bunch of monsters, and one big commanding King monster, only they're hedgehogs?!!??

[VeloZer0]

And get this, they both only move in two dimensions!

[Sylvie]

This is all very strange to me.

[Jessweeee♪]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was my very first video game, so I think that one is my favorite. I also really liked Sonic and Knuckles 'cause Knuckles could fly and also I could put Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on it and make two really neat games one super neat game!

[Slothy]

Gotta go with Sonic 2 I think. After that the level design slowly deteriorated and they also started gradually adding more game mechanics which worked against what Sonic is fundamentally about; going fast. Now there were some things even in Sonic 2 that obviously slowed you down, but I think they managed to hit a decent number and it helped keep the pacing solid. After that things were kind of downhill.

I do have to say that I think Sonic Adventure is my second favourite. There, I said it, a 3D game that wasn't horrible. When it came to playing as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles it was a pretty good adaptation of the Genesis gameplay with some nice exploration thrown in. The robot guy was also pretty fun to play as with Big and Amy really being the only low points for the game (and even then, at least Amy's levels were somewhat playable).

[Sephex]

I agree with your second paragraph. I also enjoyed Sonic Adventure. The negative points people usually bring up about that game aren't as bad as they are made out to be. Plus, the game just had a very soothing atmosphere, and aside from cheesy hair metal, a good soundtrack.

[Slothy]

Plus, the game just had a very soothing atmosphere, and because of cheesy hair metal, a good soundtrack.

Had to fix that for you.

[Pike]

Gotta go with Sonic 2 I think. After that the level design slowly deteriorated and they also started gradually adding more game mechanics which worked against what Sonic is fundamentally about; going fast. Now there were some things even in Sonic 2 that obviously slowed you down, but I think they managed to hit a decent number and it helped keep the pacing solid. After that things were kind of downhill.

You just summed things up better than I ever could have!

Which is not to say I don't love Sonic 3 or think it's brilliant, but Sonic 2 really hit just the right spot.

[Madame Adequate]

Knuckles' Chaotix

[VeloZer0]

.After that things were kind of downhill.

Interestingly enough in every Sonic level you get excited about the parts that let you go downhill frequently :D


After that the level design slowly deteriorated and they also started gradually adding more game mechanics which worked against what Sonic is fundamentally about; going fast.
I always find this is somewhat of a dangerous statement. I have found a lot of post 16-bit interpretations of Sonic seem to go with the 'Sonic is all about speed' philosophy. While sonic isn't sonic without the speed I also think it too may people make the connection between this and level design that just has you holding right while Sonic blasts through ridiculously fast and beats the level himself. IMO speed is a reward in a sonic game, not a right.

[Sephex]

Plus, the game just had a very soothing atmosphere, and because of cheesy hair metal, a good soundtrack.

Had to fix that for you.

Well, to be fair, I don't mind it because the hair metal is so bad it becomes funny to me. Especially when used inappropriately.

Cut Star Wars Blu-ray Change - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3rgDJHB8ts)

[Rostum]

I love Sonic 1 through to Sonic and Knuckles. Sonic 2 would probably be the most standout one for me though.

[Carl the Llama]

Its got to be Sonic 2, for me its just pure nostalgia, my brother got it for Christmas back when it was first released and we went over to my grandparents house and sat around all day playing it then had Christmas dinner, it was one of the most memorable days of my childhood, that is to say I can remember the day, I cant seem to recall any other days like that from back then lol.

Sonic 3 while it was good, cant touch the nostalgia of that day.

[Carl the Llama]

Its got to be Sonic 2, for me its just pure nostalgia, my brother got it for Christmas back when it was first released and we went over to my grandparents house and sat around all day playing it then had Christmas dinner, it was one of the most memorable days of my childhood, that is to say I can remember the day, I cant seem to recall any other days like that from back then lol.

Sonic 3 while it was good, cant touch the nostalgia of that day.

[Del Murder]

Sonic 2 no question at all. I feel like the other 2D Sonic games are only trying to live up to Sonic 2.

[Bolivar]

IMO speed is a reward in a sonic game, not a right.

I couldn't have put this better myself. So many newer gamers who simply have not endured earlier eras of entertianment and buy into the modern mainstream reviewer hype about the legacy of Nintendo and Halo and the invulnerability of Mario's throne atop the pantheon of platformers constantly claim that all Sonic was ever about was going right. It wasn't. So many levels had verticality as just as big of an element as the horizontal movement, and although it was slightly clunky, there was a lot of precise platforming in so many areas.

I can't decide if my favorite is Sonic 3 or Sonic & Knuckles, or if I can vote for both of them locked on, since they really are "Part 1" and "Part 2" of the same game. Yes, Sonic 2 is the ultimate, "classic" Sonic experience, but the level and art design just got so insane and ridiculous in the sequels that I have to put them leagues beyond Sonic 2 as far as "gamer's games" go.

This won't get mentioned, but I actually liked the first 3D Sonic game on Genesis/Mega Drive. Obviously it's a generation separated from Mario 64 and not a perfect game, but I enjoyed it immensely because it was very different at the time.

[VeloZer0]

The vertical movement was of vital importance! If you were good you could keep to the high track and blow through the level, if you messed up you had to accept one of the slower lower paths.

[Flying Arrow]

I'll go with Sonic 2 probably. The only ones I really played were 1 and 2 on my old Genesis as a kid, so most of the 3D stuff is out of my element. I've tried 3, but then I traded in my Gen for a SNES and that was that.

[Sephex]

A lot more people answering Sonic 2 than I expected. Not to say that there is anything wrong with that. Behind Sonic 3, Sonic 2 is a VERY close second (no pun intended).

[Rianoa]

I have sonic lounge pants they're awesome, just throwing that out there :love:

[Sephex]

I have sonic lounge pants they're awesome, just throwing that out there :love:

Sonic Lounge Pants was also an amazing game for the 32X attachment. In a departure from usual running platform based gameplay, Sonic Lounge Pants was about what Sonic does on his time off. The goal of the game was to see how fast you can make Sonic lounge around. This is actually a lot harder than it sounds because all Sonic wants to do is run at things. Robotnick appears at the end of each level to tempt Sonic into going on an adventure, but as long as you upgraded his pants to Super Lounge Sonic (if you managed to find the 7 beer bottles in the Watch Reruns of Family Matters Special Stages), you'd easily pass those challenges.

[Bolivar]

lol

[bogert]

My favorite one is Sonic Vista.

[Shiny]

Sonic & Knuckles because Knuckles is in my top five favorite video game characters list that I just made up. I also own and love Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3.

[Agent Proto]

Sonic 3 is my favorite of the Sonic games. And like Sephex, Sonic 2 would be a very close second favorite. Really, the two games are so close, either game could be my favorite, but the edge goes to Sonic 3.

[KentaRawr!]

Sonic 3 and Knuckles, if we're going to count that as one title. If not, then I'd say Sonic and Knuckles. It was my preferred half of the game.

If we're going by soundtracks alone, though...


http://youtu.be/x9FcTTBh-oI

Edit: Well that got smurfed! http://youtu.be/x9FcTTBh-oI

[starlet]

Sonic 3 and knuckles! Sonic 2 is only behind because..... lightning shields.

[Edge7]

I used to own Sonic CD on the PC, so my bias is probably for that one. Besides, I felt like there was a lot more to the game when you have to go into the past and find the robot generators, for me it certainly added replay value. Plus, it's the only game in the series where I completely rock at the special stages :p.

Otherwise, I got to go with Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Even when I was a Nintendo Boy, I would occasionally read the Archie comics at a local pharmacy. They made Knuckles friggin' awesome. To this day, the Echidna is my favorite character, and I enjoy playing through his story in S3&K.

[Vyk]

Finally someone said Sonic CD. Which is widely regarded as the best Sonic game by most Sonic fans who've managed to play it. Though I don't know that it aged as well as 2 and 3 did. But it definitely had a lot more memorable substance to it. The past and future mechanic was awesome, where there was consequences and rewards for traveling back and forth. And it was the game that introduced Metal Sonic~ And the animated music video intro was pretty neat. Really fun playing it on emulator on my PSP. But I played it when it was first released and was thoroughly enthralled

[ReloadPsi]

3 & Knuckles, which is ironic considering how much I hate the DLC-ridden moneyfaggery that plagues the gaming market today and 3 & Knuckles essentially IS that due to time issues the developers were having.

I don't get the people who complain about the levels being too long. OH NO NOT MORE CONTENT.

I'm also extremely fond of Sonic 1 & 2, both their Mega Drive and Master System versions. Everything after those for me ranged between meh and I want to murder the guys who killed off the original Sonic Team and took their name.

I finally got to play Sonic CD recently, and I estimate I got about two thirds of the way through the game before I had to go home (I was playing a friend's copy) and had decided it was decent but nothing special.

[Kossage]

I'd probably end up choosing Sonic&Knuckles although Sonic 2 comes really close. Sonic 2 was the first Mega Drive game I ever played, after all, and I enjoyed its breezy, fun atmosphere and nice level design and memorable music quite a bit.

S&K, however, takes everything a bit further with more polished gameplay and graphics, each level having its own distinctive gimmick (yes, I dreaded those ghosts in the pyramid level, brr!), two different stories which affect the levels themselves and offer a cohesive narrative arc, and the music which is at least on par (perhaps even surpassing) S2's OST. And we finally get to explore Death Egg in detail! The final and penultimate bosses were quite satisfying in both games, too. :)