Top 5 Sonic Games of the Decade

5) Sonic 2006
The reason this is here is, to be entirely honest, I like it more than Heroes. Sure, it's glitchy and broken, but I'd much rather wrestle with a broken game (which can sometimes be fun, in a cynical way) than deal with the goddamn Egg Fleet and that robot that takes a million hits from Knuckles' long-charge-time attack one more time. Also, I've always felt that if it was actually FINISHED, it could've been incredible; and Silver's part, even now, is pretty fun.

4) Shadow The Hedgehog
Despite the premise of the game being pretty stupid, it's actually playable... and fun. I can't think of any other games that can incorporate speed with relatively good shooting (the auto-aim works nicely), and the controls (at least on the Gamecube) are pretty smooth. It's barely a Sonic game, but it was original.

3) Sonic Advance
The first Sonic game on the Game Boy, and the beginning of SEGA's time as a third-party company. It's also the last "classic" Sonic game; it feels and plays like a later Game Gear or Neo Geo Pocket game, and (perhaps as a result) it's amazing. The little Chao garden was great too.

2) Sonic Unleashed (360)
Beats the hell out of anything after SA2. It feels less like a string of obstacles and more like a video game; even the incredibly hard parts keep beckoning you back, giving this Sonic game some amount of Nintendo Hard. It's conservative and expansive at the same time, and finally settles on a good style of play that isn't a failed attempt to re-create...

1) Sonic Adventure 2
As far as I'm concerned, this is the definitive 3D Sonic game gameplay-wise. It plays and looks better than SA1, and although the vibe here has shifted, the gameplay of all three characters is perfect. I played this for years afterwards; getting emblems, messing with Chao, and the like. Until Unleashed, every game afterwards (except Shadow the Hedgehog and Silver's 06) has tried to be this and failed.

 

5) Sonic Rush
The boost function and slowing the game down gave Sonic the perfect balance between his old self and the twitch based speed gameplay of Sonic Advance 2. The gameplay mechanic works really well to create a craving for speed. I just wish this game offered something besides the main story.
4) Sonic Advance 2
This was quite possibly the most challenging Sonic game I've ever played, and it made it all the more rewarding when you mastered its twitch reflex controls. I actually unlocked everything on this one, which was quite a feat. Unlocking Amy was one of my greatest accomplishments I've had with the series.
3) Sonic Unleashed
<3 f the naysayers, this game was a blast. (in the day anyways lol)
2) Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
Come on, tell me you didn't waste over 9000 hours on this game. Between the satisfying multiplayer, the chao system alone, and the games addictive unlocking mechanism. SA2:B is the most solid 3D Sonic game ever made.
1) Sonic Battle
Coolest game ever. I still play it on occasion just because the combat is so addictive. From customizing Emerl to the sheer technical beauty of the game to the extra modes to the story mode, everything about it was just really polished.

 

Out of curiosity, what problems does the wii version have that the other versions do not have? I plan on getting unleashed soon and since the only systems I have owned since the genesis have been made by Nintendo, I quite obviously will not be getting the PS3/360 version of the game.

 

5) Sonic Unleashed
4) Sonic Rush
3) Sonic Heroes
2) Sonic Rush Adventure
1) Sonic Adventure 2 [Battle]

 

Yeah, I only played the 360 version and I thought it was a pile of goat shit. I've yet to play the Wii version, but all I know is that it has a lot more of what I hate about the 360 version.

 

Well the Wii version features: Unskippable cutscenes, more Werehog levels, and a lack of Mazuri and Empire City. Oh, and I'm pretty sure the levels are a lot more empty in the Wii version. I don't consider graphical differences a problem at all, though some may.

 

I don't see why unskippable cutscenes would really be a problem... A minor annoyance at most, I would imagine.
I believe I remember hearing that the wii version has more Werehog levels... Well... Hopefully I'll be one of the few that end up enjoyinging the Werehog... How many more Werehog levels are there?
I'm guessing that Mazuri and Empire City are your favorite levels in the game?
By empty, do you mean less enemies, or what?

And, I couldn't care less about graphics. I still play Atari 2600 games from time to time XD

 

Well I personally couldn't STAND the irrelevance and length of much of the dialog that drug out many of the cutscenes (the very first one being a prime example). Not to mention I couldn't stand Chip, or a fucking word he said, from the start of the game; but hey that's just me.

I have yet to play the 360/PS3 version yet, but I certainly want to be able to also play those levels after watching playthroughs of them.

Again, I've only played the Wii version, so I may not have the best insight here, but from what I could pick up in the videos it appeared that the HD version levels just had overall more substance to them. More difficulty, more branching paths, more enemies (possibly). Oh, and the midair sections where you have to put in the right code of buttons to take the high road, on the Wii, features non-difficult combinations of the two same buttons every time, whereas the HD versions' actually get more difficult over time, using more than just A and B in varying patterns.

I'm not sure on the number of Werehog levels, but it is A FUCKING LOT. It was enough to make me periodically too sick of them to continue with the game.

 

5) Sonic 2006
WHY??!?!?! Well, because for all its flaws, of which there are many, there is an element of fun in there if you're sad and love Sonic enough to try and find it. I enjoyed playing it.

4) Sonic Adventure 2
Self explanatory. I didnt like the way it kept pulling you out of Sonic levels to play as tails and knuckles though, otherwise it'd have been somewhat higher on my list.

3) Sonic Heroes.
Yes. I liked this game. I thought it worked, it had some really cool elements, not too much story filler, the game kept going in a level and stage old school way, the graphics where good, the environments felt very Sonic. The gimmicky gameplay is okay once you get used to it but, it does hinder sometimes. Otherwise, a great effort IMO.

2) Sonic Advance.
This game sticks so true to the classic Sonic games while keeping elements of the Adventure series. It just works for me, the levels are great, the music is great, I forget I am not playing a Mega Drive game. This was the first time in decades I felt I was playing "Sonic" properly.

1) Sonic Unleashed 360/PS3.
I honestly thought it was a good game. I enjoyed the daytime stages immensely, once you get used to the controls its fantastic and very pretty to look at. I also found the werehog stages fun, but not so good for replay value (it gets boring....) - however overall I consider this game to be the biggest leap forward for Sonic this decade. Lots of fun.

 

The Wii version also features much stiffer controls during the day, a even more dumbed down Warehog (Levelling up is linear, less combos) and a less controllable boost system.

 

Well, I don't particularly care for difficulty, just as long as the game is playable and fun... and that it isn't "Rip your hair out" difficult. So if the game is a bit simpler, that's fine.

From what I understand, more than half of the game is were-hog levels anyways, so...

 

From this decade.... bah, the order changes with my mood but not the games:

Sonic Rush for the awesome soundtrack and speed;
Sonic Rush Adventure for the enhanced 2D/3D interaction (that 3D parts of each zone are priceless to me :3);
Sonic Adventure (DX) for being an awesome 3D game;
Sonic Unleashed for the GFX and platforming sections (but I didn't play it yet D;
Sonic Advance 3, for having the best engine/soundtrack of the advance series.

 

The Wii version's still a decent game, better than Heroes in my book (as far as playing as Sonic goes, and honestly, thats how I judge most 3D Sonic games), but it's definitely not worth $50, which is the price I payed for it. Its most definitely cheaper now, though.

 

5. Sonic Rush - Sure, it has cheap deaths and BOOST BOOST BOOST, but I think it's a fun game.
4. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games - Okay, it's a mix of Mario and Sonic, but I'm still including this. I really enjoyed this game while I played it, and it has a ton of replay value. I think it's put down more often than not because Sonic is in it.
3. Sonic Unleashed - Despite what people say, I like this game, both the day and night levels. To each their own.
2. Sonic Adventure: DX - What's not to like?
1. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle - Thoroughly enjoy it, and the Chao Garden makes it even more enjoyable.

I have yet to play Sonic Advance, but from what I heard about it, if I had played it prior to make this post, it would likely be on the list. Despite what people have said about it, and the poor sound/music on it, Sonic Chronicles would make sixth on my list. The story saves the value of the game.

 

5.Sonic Heroes
4.Sonic Rush Adventure
3.Sonic Unleashed (360)
2.Sonic Adventure 2
1.Sonic Adventure DX

 

I've only been into Sonic franchise for about a decade, so my expectations of what a Sonic game should be might be a bit different. Like Master Emerald, my order changes occasionally, but they generally tend to be:

No Contest:
The major games of the decade I cannot judge because I have not played them at all/enough:

Sonic Advance 2
Sonic Unleashed (360/PS3)
Sonic and the Black Knight
Either of the Sonic Rivals games
Either of the Olympic games

Honorable Mention: Sonic Heroes

The first Sonic game I was around to anticipate. Though it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, there were quite a few good moments to be had. The team system itself was somewhat of a chore, and the dialogue was corny to the highest degree, but I liked the environments and somewhat simple plotline. The real reason this is on the list is due to the stages and the music in them, but it's a tolerable experience anyway. Repetitive and sometimes annoying, but tolerable. I wouldn't mind some of the visual and narrative themes from Heroes being developed for future games, as long as they stop reusing them wholesale.

5. Sonic Advance

My first 2D Sonic game. Though a bit more refined and SA1-like than the classic games, I found it didn't flow quite as well. A handful of stages were interesting, such as Egg Rocket Zone, but for the most part they stuck to the tried-and-true themes laid down by the series. I also developed a propsensity with Amy's lack of ball mode, which would a fairly good introduction for Amy's story of SADX. Overall, I felt the game was solid, but fairly run-of-the-mill.

4. Sonic Rush

With the new Nintendo portable came a new Sonic game: one that, in terms of narrative, felt most like a continuation of the classic Sonic series. It introduced an interesting new character (Blaze), and a new twist on the villian (Eggman-Nega). The game mechanics were far removed from the classic paradigm, but while I feel they were still a lot more twitch-based and led to less interesting stage design, they were still enjoyable runs. And, of course, the music was extremely addicting.

3. Sonic Riders & Zero Gravity

Hands down some of the most underrated games I've known. See my topic for more detail, but I felt that both Riders games were able to overcome the shortcomings of 3D Sonic level design, provide new and unique settings, a well-characterized story (in the first) and an interesting gravity mechanic (in the second). I would not mind a third game for this sub-franchise one bit as long as I can skip any cutscene containing Jet's voice.

2. Sonic Rush Adventure

SRA built upon its predecessor and though the pirate setting was unusual, it provided a great backdrop for a wide variety of stages and 3D racing. A lot of the stages seemed to be alternate reality versions of other Sonic locations (particularly Coral Cave's similarity to Sonic 2's Hidden Palace and Sonic CD's Quartz Quadrant). Despite the annoyingness of the majority of the characters, the plot was well-spun, the stages had more paths than Rush, and there was a lot of extra content (hidden stages, missions, online rankings), though there were some interface issues (such as not being able to restart a mission from pause, having to talk to Marine again after a mission ends...). Plus, the ending was great. I'd like to see more of Blaze's world (particularly her homeland), as there seems to be a bit of a Myth Arc developing around the sub-series.

1. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle

Yes, this was my first Sonic game. Yes, I've never owned a Sonic game on a Sega-made system. I don't care. Even after evaluating SA1 and all the other Sonic games, classic or not, I still feel that I enjoy SA2B the most.

The game is absolutely massive, and I feel that by designating each level as being for a specific character, it can focus each stage's design for that character's abilities and attitude - the consistent music stylings help. (Speaking of music, it's kickass, with each character's stage musics being similar in style, but at the same time each stage music being appropriate for the locale. The variety of musical styles still amazes me.) By splitting the elements of speed, combat, and exploration into explicitly separated stages, the game can have each character use their talents to their advantage. The areas covered are diverse and even the repeated thematics have subtle differences to distinguish them.

The story, though badly translated and acted, is engaging and succeeds at the Hero/Dark dichotomy - you're enemy is the other side, not a common threat (as in Heroes) or yourself (as in Shadow). While this setup has its drawbacks, such as the character vs. character boss fights and merging all three playstyles into both stories, it succeeds at making a tale that is uncertain for both parties. Even with the characters grouped into the two sets, each has their own motivation and their own moments in the plot.

The replay value is phenomenal, with not only five missions for each of the 31 stages, but ranking for each as well. Add to this the Chao mode (which I still haven't got much into) and the multiplayer, and this is probably the game that has the most time logged for me.

All in all, SA2 was a remarkable streamlining of the series' main points, and though in the process it loses a lot of the unique "Sonic-ness", it's extremely enjoyable and easy to pick up and play. If there's any game I'd love to hack, it would be this one.