Your Top 5 Best & Worst Sonic Games?

That's exactly how I've felt ever since I've bought the game. You're not alone. The PS2 version is very inferior though (choppiness, framerate issues, graphic hiccups, longer loads, and some really sensitive controls thanks to the PS2 analog stick.). Every player should stick to the GC version.

The only thing that truly bothers me is that the texture quality in some of the levels are prety pathetic, considering it was made my the same studio that brought us SA2 & Heroes.
And of course no 2P race mode.

 

I'm not into naming the worst -- I try to be an inherently positive guy. So, here we go with the best.

• 5; Sonic Adventure
  Alright, remove the 'adventure' hub, and the terrible storyline.... and Big the Cat's Wanky Fishing Game, and you have a pretty darned solid game. It's glitchy in places, could do with a more robust control system; I see it as a bold experiment, and an approach that unfortunately got watered-down with every iteration.
• 4; Sonic R
  It's Jay; you had to expect an unpopular choice somewhere. Sonic is fast, so a racing game is a no-brainer really. Okay, so it's not as fast as it could be, probably needs a few more stages... whatever. Awesomely naff 90's dance music soundtrack, pretty stages... and awesome Metal Knuckles!
• 3; Sonic 2 (Master System version)
  This is to the 8-bit what the original was to the 16-bit. Incorporating the loops from the Megadrive games, plus an instantly-memorable soundtrack (Green Hills Zone? Yes please!), this is a great alternative to the MegaDrive version of the same name.
• 2; Sonic the Hedgehog (MegaDrive version)
  The original and (Almost) the best. Very coherent design, almost-universal appeal. This is the reason we're all here.
• 1; Sonic CD
  A super-surreal delight, a triumph in replayability when time-attacking levels. Amazing JP soundtrack, great animated intro/ending. The whole package was more of an audiovisual thrill-ride at the time than Sonic 2 was. It has it's detractors, but these are people who have yet to find a glitch-free Sonic anyway.

Honorary mention: Ristar - because in terms of design, it's more of a Sonic game than half the Sonic games.

 

Best:

Sonic CD
Sonic Rush
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic Triple Trouble
Sonic Adventure

Worst:

Sonic 1 GBA
Sonic Blast for Sega Master System, yuck!
Sonic Jam for Tiger.com
Sonic 1 for mobiles
Sonic Advance 2

 

-Best-

1. Sonic CD (I REALLY like this game)
2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
3. Sonic 2
4. Sonic Adventure
5. Sonic Rush

I also like Sonic 1, Sonic Rush Adventure, and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.


-Worst-

1. Sonic '06
2. Shadow The Hedgehog
3. Sonic Chronicles
4. Sonic Spinball (GameGear version, the Genesis version's alright)
5. Sonic Blast

 

Best:

1.Sonic 2
2.Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
3.Sonic 1
4.Sonic 3 & Knuckles
5.Sonic Advance

Honorary Mentions:

Tails Adventures
Sonic R
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Advance 2
Sonic Battle

Worst:

1.Sonic Spinball - Too much damn pinball for my tastes.
2.Sonic Labyrinth - Walking>Running.
3.Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis - Total Disgrace.
4.Sonic 3D Blast - Slow, Combines the boring exploration aspect with the boring 'collecting' aspect.
5.Sonic Next Gen - Controls, Voices, Story, Loading Times, Camera, Bugs, Town Missions, and Plotholes.

Dishonorary Mentions:

Mean Bean Machine - Tetris with beans. nuff said.
Tails Skypatrol - Just, just no.
Sonic Advance 3 - Constant need for team actions becomes a chore.
Shadow the Hedgehog - TOP NOTCH development guys, seriously good fuckin work!
Sonic Riders - Air Boards just aren't Sonic.

Haven't played Riders ZG, Rush or RA, Rivals 1 or 2, SaTSR, or Unleashed, guess I'm not missing much though.

 

Best:
Sonic 3 and Knuckles - new sprites, bigger levels, more powerups and Super and Hyper forms for everyone, not to mention more zones than any previous Sonic games make this game my first choice.
Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic 2 - it's got Knuckles, making it better than it's Knuckles-less counterpart.
Sonic 2 Beta (Simon Wai) - the different background music for boss fights is just that cool.
Sonic CD - kickass background music.
Sonic 2 - do I really need to explain this one?

Worst:
Every other Sonic game...though I haven't played Chaotix yet, considering that it's basically Sonic Crackers with different characters and levels...

 

I'm only including the main console series.

Best
1) Sonic Unleashed (360)
-It's simply fast, with both incredible gameplay, and an incredible new character-

2) Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)
-The thing that first caught my eye about this was the fact that it was in 3D, which I hadn't played a 3D Sonic game before this one. Then, it came out on the Gamecube, which was great for me, as I didn't own a Dreamcast, and I couldn't find one in stores.-

3) Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (360)
-There wasn't anything wrong with it. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on to me. It's the reason I bought my 360. If you complained about the load times, you obviously didn't have anything better to do during that time.-

4) Sonic 3 and Knuckles (MegaDrive)
-I personally favor the 3D generation over the 2D generation, however, that's not to say I dislike the 2D generation. When I owned both Sonic and Knuckles, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the lock-on never worked, while both of the games worked individually. The first time I got to play Sonic 3 and Knuckles, was on Sonic Mega Collection.-

5) Sonic the Hedgehog (MegaDrive)
-My first video game ever. My dad bought me a Genesis and this when I was only a few months old (Which was kind of silly, since I wouldn't be able to use it until a few years after anyway) but I do remember playing it at a young age, I just don't remember when.-

Worst
1) Shadow the Hedgehog (Gamecube)
-It's only a bad game gameplay-wise. Story-wise, I think it's better than most games. Why? Shadow was probably one of the only characters in videogame history to start normal, and then get amnesia. Most start with it, and have a backstory that's just too boring to get into. What's better than that, he even gets over his past, which a lot of characters don't do so easily.-

2) Sonic Unleashed (Wii)
-Both horrible controls, and slow gameplay. I bought this before I got the 360 version, and I was under the impression that it was the hugest disappointment in Sonic history. I thought the Werehog let me down. But it was just lazy development, and the hardware limitations of the Wii-
---

I don't have a problem with the rest.

 

BEST:
1) Sonic 3 & Knuckles [it's just pure awesome]
2) Sonic the Hedgehog (Megadrive) [also pure awesome, but a little short]
3) Sonic Adventure/DX [best attempt at 3D Sonic]
4) Sonic 3D Blast (Megadrive) [take that S3D haters]
5) Sonic Heroes [something about it appealing and fun]

WORST:
1) Sonic Genesis [WE FANS have done better than you Sega, honestly, fuck you Sega]
2) Sonic the Hedgehog (360/PS3) [bugs and glitches up the ass]
3) Shadow the Hedgehog [weird and unfitting]
4) Sonic Labyrinth [wtf]
5) Sonic Blast [boring]

 

I'm only going to list main Sonic games here, no Spinball or 3D Blast or Labyrinth or anything. Also no Gamegear or whatever obscure games because I haven't played them.

Best:

1. Sonic Adventure - it's the game that got me into Sonic again after not playing since the Mega-Drive, I tried it on the DC at a friends house and had to have it. It's the best translation of the old gameplay to 3D that we got and has a good balance between platforming and speed. It's dogged down by less frustrating bullshit than Adventure 2 introduced and that the following games added to, even with the Big storyline, and I replay the Sonic and Tails levels regularly.

2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles - the best 2D Sonic game, I don't think I need to say anything about this because it's such a classic.

3. Sonic CD - I think it's tragic how few people have actually played this game. Obviously plenty of people here have, but I've never known anyone IRL who played it, including other Sonic fans. Of course, it's down to it being for an add-on nobody bought, which is a shame because the game is up there with the best of them. I hate the special stages and time-travelling nonsense though, and will never ever get the best ending.

4. Sonic Unleashed - this was difficult, because I like Adventure 2 so much and Unleashed only just came out. I might change my mind in the future but for now Unleashed is better. The Sonic levels are so much fun to play, even if they get assholish towards the end (Adabat is bullshit, and not in a good way like Eggmanland was).

5. Sonic Adventure 2 - added a lot of wanky stuff but the Sonic levels were as good as the first. Also introduced Knuckles rap to the world.

Worst:

5. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - just because this is in the worst part doesn't mean it's bad, because I'm not including spinoffs or any games I haven't played. And I like it, a lot! I can't even name anything I really dislike about it, but it doesn't compare to CD or S3&K. Shameful admission: I never beat the last boss as a kid. That thing was brutal.

4. Sonic the Hedgehog - the original, that is. My least favourite 2D game, it wasn't quite as fast as later games and had way too many annoying levels. Marble Zone puts me off every time I try to play this, I think it's my least favourite level of all time. I still like the game though.

3. Sonic Heroes - pretty damn good, really. The team gimmick didn't work well and the levels were too long and took place over vast bottomless pits, but it was fun. Introduced enemies that take multiple hits to kill, as well as melee combat, two of the worst things a Sonic game could have. I still like it though!

2. Shadow the Hedgehog - I actually didn't mind this game that much, the guns were okay because they let you kill the bigger enemies more easily. The story was actually so bad it was good, with Shadow taking a mission from alien terrorists to plant bombs around the city. If anything, this has the best story of any Sonic game. The gameplay itself is like the Sonic levels from Adventure 2 but not as good (but okay).

1. Sonic 2006 - what can I possibly say?

 

From worst to best and only including games I've played:

1. Sonic Pinball Party (GBA)
2. Sonic Heroes (GameCube)
3. Sonic Adventure (GameCube)
4. Sonic Spinball (Genesis)
5. Sonic Advance 2 (GBA)
Knuckles' Chaotix (Genesis/32x)
Sonic 1 (Genesis)
Sonic Advance 3 (GBA)
Shadow the Hedgehog (GameCube)
Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii)
Sonic CD (Genesis/SCD)
Sonic Chronicles (DS)
Sonic 3D (Genesis)
Sonic Battle (GBA)
Sonic 2 (Genesis)
Sonic Advance 1 (GBA)
Sonic Megamix (Genesis, NOT CD) (that's where it'd go =P)
5. Sonic Rush (DS)
4. Sonic Adventure 2 (GameCube)
3. Sonic Rush Adventure (DS)
2. Sonic Unleashed (Wii)
1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Genesis)

I don't actually hate any of the games in this list, though. The games I hate would be '06, Riders, Rivals, etc, which I have never played.

 

I see it more of a Milestone list... but... 'ne wayz, here goes mine:

Top 5:
1. Sonic The Hedgehog (Game Gear - that's how it all started for me)
2. Sonic 3 & Knuckeles (Genesis - huge level design, nice synth music, tweaked character sprites)
3. Sonic CD (Sega CD - FMV, Time Travel, US/JAP soundtrack)
4. Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast - Finally 3D glory, awesome soundtrack)
5. Sonic Triple Trouble (Game Gear - So nice back then. Don't know what to say GameGear game I enjoyed most)


Honorable Top mention: Sonic Rivals (PSP)


Worst 5:
1. Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine (WHAT?)
2. Sonic Spinball (Genesis - There are way better flipper games out there)
3. Sonic 2 (Game Gear) - Call me lame, but the first boss was just waay too hard
4. Knuckles' Chaotix (32x - Chained? Where's Sonic?)
5. Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis - I hate this pseudo 3D isometric view and those stupid flickies)

 

Top 5-

1) Sonic 3 and Knuckles (MD)
2) Chaotix (32x)
3) Sonic 2 (MD)
4) Sonic Adventure (DC)
5) Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn)

Worst 5-

1) Sonic 2 (GG)
2) Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3)
3) Sonic Blast (GG)
4) Sonic Labyrinth (GG)
5) Sonic Heroes (PS2)

 

Best:

1. Sonic 3 and Knuckles
2. Sonic 2
3. Knuckles Chaotix
4. Sonic CD
5. Sonic 3D Blast (yeah, I liked it)

Worst:

5. Sonic Adventure
4. Sonic Adventure 2
3. Sonic Heroes
2. Sonic 2006
1. Shadow the Hedgehog

Haven't played Unleashed yet, don't really care to.

 

Monkey - did you even play Sonic Adventure?

 

It's an example of how a 3D sonic game can work.

 

I thought we weren't criticising other people's lists. I've had to prevent myself from writing a 20 paragraph essay whenever I've seen someone list Sonic 2 as one of their bottom 5, in the interest of keeping a healthy discussion going. Let's keep it classy, eh?

 

I doubt it. With all those bugs and glitches, it's impossible to play for anyone! :awesome:
EDIT: Wait, where did that new page come from?

 

We're not. If anything, I encourage people to explain their choices—after all, how else will someone understand why you do or do not like it?

 

Yes. I don't like the adventure titles.