Sonic the Hedgehog has been a mainstay franchise in gaming since its debut in the ‘90s, with fans staying on through the good times and the bad. The Sonic fanbase is one of the most passionate and devoted in all of gaming, but what about newcomers to the series? If only four games could be recommended, which four would be chosen?
Ideally, two 2D and two 3D games should be chosen to represent the series and when it comes to 3D games, two immediately come to mind. Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations are the 3D games in the franchise most beloved by fans, and there is a good reason for that. To go into things a bit deeper, lets take a look into Sonic Colors first.
Sonic Colors is considered to be the first 3D Sonic game that managed to have gameplay that holds up well years later. Sonic Colors managed to find the right formula for how Sonic’s modern games should work and also introduced some new ideas at the same time. The Wisp mechanics were something unique and offered a very distinct style of gameplay that controlled well and felt natural to Sonic. The game is receiving a new HD remake with some alterations this year, and this will be the best way to play it. There were accusations that the game borrowed too much from Super Mario Galaxy, but these are shallow criticisms as the game not only innovated on Sonic’s 3D gameplay but also expanded in new ways.
Sonic Generations was a celebration of all things Sonic for the 20th anniversary and blended the classic 2D Sonic gameplay with the modern 3D Sonic style. The game had classic and modern versions of the same stage, classic Sonic playable alongside modern Sonic, and a story that was a treat for fans. The game still holds up on the 30th anniversary and checking it out is highly recommended as one of the best games in the franchise. With likeable writing and gameplay that reminds players why they became fans, Sonic Generations was an ideal anniversary title.
But what about the 2D games in the franchise? Well, there are two that perfectly showcase the best of the franchise and they are Sonic 3 and Knuckles and Sonic Mania. Sonic 3 & Knuckles was released as two games that could lock on to each other for a complete experience, with the result being a game that advanced the gameplay of the series. Sonic 3 & Knuckles changed Sonic’s look and had a soundtrack that Michael Jackson contributed to, giving it a step up in presentation quality. The gameplay, meanwhile, was refined so that exploration was now encouraged more, rather than just speeding through levels and managed to feel true to Sonic the Hedgehog’s roots. This was the culmination of the Genesis/Mega Drive era and a fitting end to the 16-bit games.
Sonic Mania emerged as a result of the mobile ports of Sonic 1, 2 and CD that were developed by Taxman and Stealth, which were renowned for their improvements and modifications. Sega tasked them with making a new 2D game to be a throwback to the series roots after a run of lackluster games, and the result was perfection. The developers made a game to show what an original 2D Sonic game could have been like on the Sega Saturn, but with all the refinements of a modern game and the mobile ports, along with many returning fan favourite elements. Sonic Mania looks great for a Sonic the Hedgehog game and has some truly incredible level design that stands above the result of the series. With great music and responsive controls. Sonic Mania became a tribute to everything 2D Sonic and a reminder of why the franchise became beloved. As if all of that wasn’t enough though, DLC was later added with new modes and more characters, making Sonic Mania Plus the ideal 2D Sonic game for any fan.
Sonic the Hedgehog has some amazing games and some that are horrible, but these four stand out as must play entries. For those looking to get into the Sonic franchise but were unsure where to begin, these four are the ideal place to start. Happy 30th to Sonic the Hedgehog and here is to many more.