Sonic the Hedgehogcelebrated his 30 year anniversary in 2021; a tremendous accomplishment.
And not just the ones Sega would prefer you to forget.
Even so, the actual quality of Sonic’s mainline games has, shall we say, varied.
Some are bonafide classics, while others are perhaps best left in the Blue Blur bargain bin.
Want to know which of his many, many adventures are worth a spin?
Let’s find out!
This excludes spinoffs like Team Sonic Racing and handheld titles like the Rush duology.
21Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)
Well, What Else Did You Expect?
Yep, it was inevitable.
Sonic 2006, or ‘06 as it’s most commonly known, represents the nadir of the Sonic timeline.
It would be quicker to number ‘06’s positives than its laundry list of faults.
A motion control-centric experience, it’s a grueling nightmare to suffer through.
Aladdin never had to deal with this.
Whatwassurprising, however, was that it took the form of a clunky third-person shooter.
Get to know the Ultimate Life Form!
Lethargic and creatively derivative, it was a colossal disappointment.
Released episodically, we would see two chapters before the project was axed.
It’s astonishingly brief, rocking a meager six zones, and often has a pace akin to molasses.
With no spindash at your disposal, much of Sonic 1 is spent doing sluggish, single-block platforming.
Four out of the six worlds are duds (can anyone in good conscience defend Marble or Labyrinth?)
and even the Chaos Emeralds serve no significant purpose.
Gotta go fast, for hours on end!
14Sonic Heroes
Four Times The Length Means Four Times The Fun, Surely?
Heroes is, at its core, a perfectly acceptable endeavour.
The controls are workable, the soundtrack slaps, and there’s no extra fluff or hubs between stages.
You simply pick your preferred team, and you’re off to enjoy that high-octane Sonic action.
