The Blue Blur has seen a remarkable amount of variety in his games over the years, both in terms of playstyle and quality. With Sonic Lost World just around the corner, now seems like the perfect time to look back at my favorite Sonic games.
5. Sonic Dash (iOS)
Wait...really? I'm really going to start off this list with an endless runner style fremium mobile game? Yes. Yes I am. I love this game. It's really fantastic. Heck, I've played it far more than the vast majority of main series Sonic games.
The gameplay is simple and addictive. The graphics are charming and polished. The music is an awesome and catchy remix of Seaside Hill, one of my favorite Sonic songs of all time. Plus, Sonic Dash has been stuffed full of features courtesy of regular updates. Simple though it is, Sonic Dash is such a great time-killer that it warrants a spot on this list.
4. Sonic Adventure DX (GCN, PC)
The first fully 3D Sonic game made an encore appearance on the GameCube several years after its initial release. That's where I first experienced it. Though far from perfect (very very far from perfect...) Sonic Adventure is still quite easy to enjoy. Maybe a little harder to enjoy these days than it was back in ye olden times when it felt less dated, but even now the game still has its moments.
Appealing though not especially polished graphics, catchy music, interesting characters, and hilariously bad cutscenes all combine to create an experience that can easily overcome its shortcomings, and Sonic Adventure is still one of my favorite Sonic titles to revisit. And it's totally worth playing just to hear all of Dr. Eggman's infinitely repeatable quips. Get a load of this!
3. Sonic the Hedgehog (Literally everything ever)
I'll be the first to admit that Sonic 2, 3 & Knuckles all improved greatly upon the original Sonic the Hedgehog in virtually every way. Better graphics. Fun new characters. Cooler levels. The Spin Dash. Awesome music. So why on earth did I choose the original Sonic over its clearly superior follow-ups?
Honestly, it's because it has such an easy-to-remember level select code that works on nearly every single version of the game. Since I don't often sit down and play through any of the Genesis Sonic games in their entirety, Sonic 1 is always the one I go back to the most since it's so easy to jump in and just play any level I want. Later Sonic games improved the formula immensely, but the original classic is still the best if you just want a quick Sonic fix.
2. Sonic Advance (GBA)
Sonic's first original outing on a Nintendo console isn't the most remarkable game in the world. It's mostly just Genesis gameplay with a Sonic Adventure coat of paint. But, darn it, if it isn't a ton of fun to play! Familiar to be sure, but very solid throughout. It has all the best things about every Sonic game before it all mixed together.
I sunk hours into Sonic Advance back in the day. That it was a portable game made a huge difference for me. Of course, these days it's quite easy to carry lots of Sonic games around in your pocket, but at the time there weren't too many options. Sonic Advance was a great little greatest hits compilation to carry around and play whenever I liked. I loved it back then and I still love it now!
1. Sonic Colors (Wii)
When it comes to Sonic games, it doesn't get much better than Sonic Colors! Exhilarating level design, phenomenal music, some great Saturday morning cartoon styled writing and voice acting, and lovely graphics all come together to create one heck of a Sonic experience
Sure, the gameplay is a bit clumsy at times and favors 2D sidescrolling over full 3D for the most part. But it's polished throughout and doesn't have a lot of moments I legitimately dislike. All the levels are equally memorable, making every part of the game as fun to play as any other part. It's rare to encounter a game that offers such an evenly paced experience, but Sonic Colors strikes that perfect balance. It's pure enjoyment from start to finish. And, just like Sonic Adventure, Eggman's dialogue is worth the price of admission alone. Good 'ol Baldy McNosehair steals the show at every opportunity!
Also, an honorable mention to Sonic Generations, which would probably be on this list had it been released on a console I actually own...
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