Sonic The Hedgehog

[Spark Of Spirit]

Quite the controversial series, but undeniably one of the most important in gaming today, Sonic started out as Mario's rival and was the exact opposite of him in every way.

However, Sega's campaigning was just a smokescreen. Sonic was FAST; Sonic was actually a fast paced platformer that used pinball-style physics in order to balance between BOTH speed and careful platforming. Sonic was cool; Sonic didn't real have a personality outside of Sega's marketing and Sonic's poses in game which helped both the game and character. Sonic was all about speed; The only game even remotely about speed was Sonic 2 which had less platforming and more straightforward running and even that wasn't much faster than Sonic 1.

Unfortunately, after the Genesis and Sonic & Knuckles closed off the original series, Sega had no idea what to do with the series. We never got a proper Sonic game on the Sega Saturn which could have saved the system, and in the interim before the Dreamcast Sonic was relegated to side games and passing mentions.

When it came back, Sonic was no longer the same. Launching with the Dreamcast, the series went full 3D, featured multiple game play styles, and was the first line in a series of games that would eventually bring the series into it's worst years and installments. I won't mention them in this post, I don't want to affect the tone of the thread that badly.

The most recent game, Sonic Colors, is a fast paced platformer that used BOTH classic 2D platforming and fast paced 3D in order to balance between BOTH speed and careful platforming altering the classic formula that made the series endearing in the first place without spitting on it. It's not a perfect game, but a huge step back in the right direction in saving one of gaming's icons.

So let's talk about this series here. Favorite games and moments? Best stage theme? Best game? Go for it.

[Avaitor]

I love the original Genesis games so much. I can play any level from them and go through them in no time, but they still feel fresh to me like a new experience.

Once I get more money, I'm buying another copy of the Mega Collection through GameStop and playing through them all again. Nothing can make me ever dislike those games.

[Spark Of Spirit]

If you can find it, I recommend the Gem Collection purely for Sonic CD. It might be the PC port, but it's still a great game and one of the best in the series.

[Avaitor]

I can't find it, but I've been meaning to get it for a while.

Man, remember when Sega used to do solid collections? That Dreamcast one they just announced left a lot to be desired.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The Genesis Collection on the PS360 is fantastic and has a ton of classic Sega games. Everyone who owns those systems should own it.

The Dreamcast one is a joke. The Genesis is the only system Sega ever shows respect for that they made.

[Avaitor]

Now that I have internet access, I'd love to buy some Saturn games, but low and behold, not a damn thing from the system is up yet.

And they'll never release a collection just for those games.

As for the Mega Collection, the only game I don't think I'd play would be Spinball. Never really got into it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I've tried so many times to get into Spinball. It just doesn't work for me, even as a Pinball game.

The only Sonic spin off I've actually really enjoyed was All Star Racing. Even if it was very Mario Kart, it was a really well made game with a lot of heart put into it. The other Sonic spin offs are usually just third rate games made by people who just don't care.

Except the portable Sonic platformers. Other than Advance 2, those are some class games.

[Avaitor]

Yeah, Spinball has always felt like a half-assed pinball game to me. From what I can recall, the physics were always wonky as well, so that's another reason.

I don't think I even played All Star Racing, but I'll take your word for it.

And yeah, I love what I've played of the platformers. I burned the hell out of my copy of the first Advance.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, the portable games kept me a fan when the consoles were getting games like Heroes, Sonic 06, and Shadow The Hedgehog. Not to mention the the unbalanced as hell Unleashed, and those Wii gimmick games...

Sonic advance 1 and 3, and the Sonic Rush games deserve kudos for simply not letting the franchise die.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Since nobody ever wants to mention it, the irony is that in its debut in 3D, Sonic was initially headed in the right direction. Sonic Adventure wasn't a perfect game, but it got things off to a decent start, as the game didn't have a plethora of problems that made it unplayable, and in fact had many really fun moments. Some horrible level design was apparent, but the bottom line is that for the first fully 3D Sonic game ever, it wasn't bad at all. Sonic Adventure 2 made some improvements but also brought along a lot of its own flaws, but that was also still a step in the right direction. Then after that Sega just forgot everything that actually worked about the Adventure games and just had the series fall into the shit-pile, trying to make each new game based off of a gimmick and not actually trying to make the games fun or even playable. Apparently Sonic Colors is the game that finally brought it back out from that shit-pile, but I haven't had the opportunity to play it yet, unfortunately, since I don't have a Wii. It gets pretty mixed opinions, though. Some people say its a step in the right direction and is a great game, and not just by Sonic's current standards. At the same time, some people say that people are only fooling themselves out of desperation in wanting a good Sonic game and that this game isn't that much better than anything before among 3D Sonic games.

As for me, I'll have to play the game to find out for myself.

I'd talk more about 2D Sonic games but their appeal and praise is obvious, so I won't bother.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Let me also add, that Sonic has some of the best music you'll find in any video game.

Listen to this:

Labyrinth Zone
Spring Yard Zone
Bridge Zone
Chemical Plant Zone
Metropolis Zone
Palmtree Panic Zone (Japanese)
Collision Chaos Zone (Japanese)
Wacky Workbench Zone [US]
Tidal Tempest Zone[US]
Hydrocity Zone
Marble Garden Zone
Lava Reef Zone
Death Egg Zone
Emerald Coast
Windy Valley
The Air
Twinkle Park
Right There, Ride On
Back 2 Back
Ska Cha Cha

After that it kinda goes hit or miss to me until:

Tropical Resort Zone
Sweet Mountain Zone
Planet Wisp Zone
Aquarium Park Zone
Asteroid Coaster Zone
Terminal Velocity Zone
First Boss Music (Best boss music since Sonic 3)

Yes, I love the Colors soundtrack.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I don't get the hate Colors receives from some. I could see not liking it, but there's nothing bad about it at all unless you stretch for a fault.

If you don't like it, that's possible... but as a game, it's the most fun Sonic has been in a long time.

It obliterated that stupid cycle idiocy, for sure.

[talonmalon333]

Sonic didn't real have a personality outside of Sega's marketing and Sonic's poses in game which helped both the game and character.

Sure he did. Sonic was cocky!

[Commode]

Sure he did. Sonic was cocky!

Cocky, you say?

[Spark Of Spirit]

Sonic never did one cocky thing in the old games.

Thank you, SNES, for posting that.