Sonic the Hedgehog (Series)

[Ayen]

Sonic is a game I was introduced to through 2, although recently I've come to suspect it might have been 3. *looks at screenshots of 3* Yeah, it was 3.

Ironically as much as I played Sega Genesis as a kid, I only played Sonic 3 on it. I wouldn't be exposed to Sonic again until the Sega Dreamcast when I watched my brother play Sonic Adventure. I also got to play a couple of other Sonic games on the GameCube. I think one was a Sonic Adventure re-release and the other was a race game I played with my cousins. I wouldn't play the original Sonic, Sonic 2 and others until I got Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360.

Talk about Sonic the Hedgehog here! ^_^

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Sonic was one of my favorite series as a kid. As much as I loved Mario, I would consistently play Sonic 1 and 2 more often (though Donkey Kong Country was probably my most played platformer). It blew my mind when I figured out that you could play as Knuckles in 2 by sticking that cartridge into the Sonic and Knuckles cartridge. I remember sitting down one day and trying to stick all of my Genesis cartridges into that one just to see if something cool would happen in those as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't play as Knuckles in my Thomas the Tank Engine game I had or in Quackshot starring Donald Duck.

[maybee]

Yes I love these games, well more the Genesis/ Mega Drive ones, the after Adventure ones not so much, though they are starting to improve with Colours and Generations.



The newest Sonic was really disappointing imo, but not completely awful.


Sonic 2 will always be the best one imo.

[Edge7]

Ah yes, Sonic the Hedgehog. I remember the first game I got was Sonic CD for my PC. I was so saddened when I lost the disc. I didn't really get into Sonic until the Adventure games were ported to the Gamecube. Even though I didn't like the games that followed, they still remain an integral part of my childhood. I didn't stop buying the games until 2006, and even then, it was more because I was jaded by Shadow the Hedgehog than the knowledge that Sonic 06 wasn't even a finished product. (Got back into the series with Generations, Lost World looks like fun, despite reviews). I played the old-school games in high school, and a couple months ago, I even bought a genesis with Sonic 2, 3 and Knuckles (still haven't played the first one).

While the originals are classics, what I really like about Adventure 2 was the fact that you could replay levels and use upgrades you found in later levels to take alternate routes/shortcuts that would lead to better rankings. Gave the game INSANE replay value. One of my favorite memories in SA2 was when I was racing my brother in Metal Harbor and used the light dash to get ahead for the first time; we didn't know we could do that in multiplayer mode.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I wasn't even thinking about the post-Genesis/Mega Drive games.

I have a very unpopular opinion of the Sonic Adventure games, I feel. I don't think, as a whole, they are very good. The Sonic areas (and Shadow in 2) are very masterfully designed and fun to play. Other than that, though, I just can't stand playing as the other characters. I find their sections badly designed in some cases, or just boring to play in general. Adventure 2 was a bit better in this regard, but I still feel largely the same about it. I will also concede that Adventure 2 had some interesting things in its story by the end of the game.

I'll add insult to injury here and say that I prefer Sonic '06 to the Adventure games. Yes, Sonic '06 was unfinished when it was released and is glitchy to all hell, but I found the gameplay with the non Sonic/Shadow characters to be a lot more fun. Blaze is probably my favorite of the bunch. The Sonic/Shadow levels in the Adventure games are a lot better than any of the levels in Sonic '06, but I like the overall package of '06 better.

Generations is my favorite of the more modern games, though. I also really like the Sonic Unleashed mod for Generations. Sonic 4 episodes 1 and 2 are garbage I think. Lost World actually looks to be a lot of fun despite the reviews it has gotten. I'm wanting to try to work my way through all of the series, though. I own Heroes which will probably be the next one I try to play eventually.

[Rostum]

I still remember everything about the morning I got a Sega Mega Drive with Sonic 1; it was my birthday, and I got to play a little before going to school. I really liked Sonic 1, 2, 3 and Knuckles when I was a kid.

[Calliope]

I've played the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog so many times I can probably play through it simply relying on muscle memory. Being a Sega owner and not a Nintendo one, I have many thrilling memories of playing through various parts of this franchise - Sonic 2, Sonic Chaos, Doctor Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Sonic Spinball - and that was before moving on to anything on the Mega Drive. I vividly remember the first time a friend and I rented Sonic 2 from our local video shop, and the fear wielded over us by that spindly-mustached villain who was turning all the cute animals into robots; as well as the awe of successfully capturing each emerald, unsure of what its impact would be.

I still enjoy this franchise, whether it's Sonic & Knuckles, or Sonic All Stars Racing, and from time to time I think about how fun it would be to start a Sonic music cover band.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Sonic Chaos is one I've never gotten to play. I've been interested in that one as of late. How does it rank with the others for you, Calliope?

The Master System/Game Gear Sonic is excellent, though. I played that one almost as much as I played Sonic 2.

[Calliope]

The main draw for me is that you can actually play as Tails, so you can fly! It was super fun, and I'm going to see if I can emulate it soon.

[Vyk]

Almost everything after the Genesis/SegaCD was pretty garbage. But due to my fond memories of the majesty of the original series I'm still a fan, of only of the older games. Never got into the GameGear/Master System ones, but was very glad they were available. I did own a GameGear, so it was nice to have that option on the small road trips once in a while. I had 2 or 3 games for it. But Sonic Adventure onward, the company lost sight and just kept making more and more terrible games. Sonic '06 and Sonic Adventure are basically the same game to me. Lots of open space and humans to talk to and very slow mechanics. Boring and bland. I'm glad Generations tried to recapture an older feel. I also have episode 4 on Steam that's not half bad. Funny how BioWare also made a mediocre Sonic games to throw into the mix. Wasted potential

[Ayen]

Sonic Adventure was slow? Man, no wonder I suck at the older games. I can barely keep up on that one.

[Vyk]

Well, I meant more about walking around towns talking to people, rather than the on-rails guided enemy dodge/attack segments

[Edge7]

To be fair, Sonic Adventure is significantly better once you know where to go/have beaten the game and are just collecting Emblems (have only 20 left). Unfortunately, yeah, the Adventure games are admittedly a mish-mash of quality (though I actually really like Treasure Hunting, I could just be crazy).

Still, I gotta say that my favorite Sonic Game overall would be 3 and Knuckles (though I completely suck at it). Just so people knew which one was actually my favorite.

[Rostum]

Sonic Chaos is one I've never gotten to play. I've been interested in that one as of late. How does it rank with the others for you, Calliope?

The Master System/Game Gear Sonic is excellent, though. I played that one almost as much as I played Sonic 2.

Ah yeah, Sonic 1 and 2 for Master System was also amazing. I loved how the Mega Drive ones were basically different games.

[maybee]

I have a very unpopular opinion of the Sonic Adventure games, I feel. I don't think, as a whole, they are very good. The Sonic areas (and Shadow in 2) are very masterfully designed and fun to play. Other than that, though, I just can't stand playing as the other characters. I find their sections badly designed in some cases, or just boring to play in general. Adventure 2 was a bit better in this regard, but I still feel largely the same about it. I will also concede that Adventure 2 had some interesting things in its story by the end of the game.

I'll add insult to injury here and say that I prefer Sonic '06 to the Adventure games.



Same here ! I think that the Adventure games are average at best, and are clunky.

I prefer Sonic R over the Adventure games, lol.

Can you feel the sunshine ? ♫
As it brightens up your day ? ♫

[Bubba]

I was always a Nintendo kid so my access to Sonic was always limited. I've got the Megadrive collection for PS3 though and the games still hold up pretty well. I remember not being a huge fan of the controls when I was younger and opinion hasn't changed all that much. Flying through the levels is fun though and they are brilliantly designed. I'm probably a little biased towards Mario but the controls were always tighter, even if it didn't have the raw speed that Sonic had.

[Pike]

I was definitely a Nintendo Kid but these were the good old days where if you had one system your friend was almost guaranteed to have a different one so I would go to my neighbor's house and play his Genesis for hours, or alternatively go to my cousin's house and play her Game Gear for hours.

Sonic 2 is my favorite; something about it hits the sweet spot between "pure speed" and "platforming" juuuuuust right.

I haven't spent a lot of time with many Sonic games post-Sonic CD, but Sonic Generations was a great deal of fun and the Sonic 4 games, while not nearly as good as the original classic Sonics, have certainly got their moments.

And then there's Sonic After The Sequel (https://sites.google.com/site/sonicbtsbooth/), a fanmade game which actually IS as good as the originals. :3: Everyone should go play it.

[Mercen-X]

I played the original Sonic on one of my cousin's systems. I later got my own Genesis complete with Sonic 2. I originally had to use a cheat code to beat it (allows you to edit the map so I could add an infinite number of rings and become invincible while fighting Robotnik. Later, I developed skill enough to beat him without the tricks. I played a lot of Sonic & Knuckles (Knuckles quickly became my favorite character partially because I hate how Sonic has been characterized as a snarky arrogant punk ever since). I still own Sonic Spinball, the only other Sonic game that I've beaten (and imo the best iteration of an adventure-themed pinball game... well best iteration of a pinball game ever because I hate pinball). I have played no other Sonic games since.