(Redirected from Sonic the Hedgehog (series))
The game’s art direction reflects this, but Sonic 2 HD has also given equal attention to unseen essential elements in the physics and audio. The result of this is an unprecedented re-interpretation in high definition graphics, music and gameplay of Sonic 2, which continues to set quality standards to this day. Sonic Mania is an all-new adventure with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles full of unique bosses, rolling 2D landscapes, and fun classic gameplay. $29.99 Sonic Lost World Nov 2, 2015. Finally, all of the Sonic the Hedgehog games have been compiled into one easy to use site. No more wading through slow sites loaded with ads. This is the ultimate Sonic the Hedgehog site! We have all the best Sonic Games! We have the ever popular Final Fantasy Sonic series as well as all of the Sonic RPG Episodes. We also have retro Sonic roms from the days of Sega Genesis as well as hacked. Finally, all of the Sonic the Hedgehog games have been compiled into one easy to use site. No more wading through slow sites loaded with ads. This is the ultimate Sonic the Hedgehog site! We have all the best Sonic Games! We have the ever popular Final Fantasy Sonic series as well as all of the Sonic RPG Episodes. The game’s art direction reflects this, but Sonic 2 HD has also given equal attention to unseen essential elements in the physics and audio. The result of this is an unprecedented re-interpretation in high definition graphics, music and gameplay of Sonic 2, which continues to set quality standards to this day. Sonic the Hedgehog is the fastest thing alive. Along with his friends Tails, Knuckles and Amy, Sonic speeds around the planet to battle injustice and defeat his iconic enemy, the evil Dr.
Sonic the Hedgehog | |
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Genre(s) | Platform |
Developer(s) |
|
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Creator(s) | |
Platform(s) | |
First release | Sonic the Hedgehog June 23, 1991 |
Latest release | Team Sonic Racing May 21, 2019 |
Spin-offs | Sonic Boom |
Sonic the Hedgehog is a media franchise owned by Sega, centering on a series of high-speed platform games. Sonic, the protagonist, is an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog with supersonic speed. Typically, Sonic must stop antagonist Doctor Eggman's plans for world domination, often helped by his friends, such as Tails, Amy, and Knuckles.
The first Sonic the Hedgehog game, released in 1991, was conceived by Sega's Sonic Team division after Sega requested a new mascot character to replace Alex Kidd and compete with Nintendo's mascot Mario. Its success spawned many sequels and helped Sega become one of the leading video game companies during the 16-bit era of the early 1990s. The first major 3D Sonic game, Sonic Adventure, was released in 1998 for the Dreamcast. Spin-offs have explored other genres, including racing games such as Sonic R (1997) and sports games such as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007).
By March 2011, the series had sold over 89million physical copies,[n 1] and grossed over $5 billion by 2014.[1] As of 2018, the series has shifted 800million copies, including free-to-playmobile game downloads.[2] Several Sonic games are often included in lists of the greatest games of all time. Along with video games, the Sonic franchise has also crossed over into a variety of different media, including animation, comic books, and a Hollywood film.
- 1History
- 3Common features
- 5Other media
- 5.1Television
- 6Reception and legacy
History
Sega Genesis (1991–1996)
Sonic runs through Green Hill Zone, the first zone of Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
The first Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog, is a platform game released in 1991.[3] Players control the anthropomorphic blue hedgehog Sonic, who can run and jump at high speeds using springs, ramps, and loops.[4] Sonic must stop Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world using the Chaos Emeralds.[4]Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)[5] increased the overall size and speed of the series' gameplay[6] and was the second best-selling Genesis game.[7] It introduced Sonic's sidekick and best friend, Miles 'Tails' Prower, who followed Sonic throughout the game, and allowed a second player to control him in a limited fashion.[6] This game also introduced Sonic's 'spin dash' maneuver, an ability which allows Sonic to burst forwards quickly from a complete standstill, unlike the previous game, where Sonic could only gain speed with momentum.[6]Sonic 2 was followed in 1993 by an arcade game, SegaSonic the Hedgehog, featuring new characters Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel.[8]
The next console game, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, was released in 1994.[9] The game introduced a temporary shield maneuver, often called the 'insta-shield',[10] added new shield types to the series,[11] and allowed Tails to be completely playable under a second player's control, as well as adding the option for players to utilize Tails' flying ability in levels.[11] It also introduced the character, Knuckles the Echidna, who served as an additional antagonist with Doctor Robotnik for the game.[11]
Sonic & Knuckles, another platform game in the Sonic series, was released later in 1994.[12] The game featured Knuckles as a playable character with gliding and wall climbing abilities[12] and allowed gamers to plug in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to the top of the Sonic and Knuckles cartridge as part of the game's 'lock on' functionality. This allowed gamers to play the game as it was originally intended;[12] the games were intended to be one game, but were split due to cartridge space and time constraints.[13][14]
Knuckles explores Flying Battery, the second zone of Sonic & Knuckles (1994). The use of shields, checkpoints, and these basic level design and graphical assets were typical of the Sonic series' early years.
There were several Sonic games for the Genesis that were not 2D platform games. Sonic Spinball, released in 1993, was a pinball simulation modeled after the Spring Yard and Casino Night Zones from the first two Sonic games.[15] The game, unlike general pinball simulations, had an overall goal of collecting all the Chaos Emeralds in each level and defeating the levels' bosses.[15] It was one of the few video games that had elements from the cartoons Sonic the Hedgehog and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine was a puzzle game similar to Puyo Puyo[16] that was set in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Choplifter video game. universe. Sonic 3D Blast, an isometric, 2.5D platform game[17] released in 1996 and developed by Traveller's Tales,[18] featured Sonic running through pseudo-3D environments while trying to rescue Flickies from Doctor Robotnik.[17]
The Sega Genesis had 'add-on' systems that incorporated Sonic games. Sonic CD, released for the Sega CD, was a 2D platform game[19] released in 1993.[20] The game introduced the characters Amy Rose[21] and Metal Sonic and featured levels that differed depending upon whether Sonic was in the past, present, or future time frames.[19]Knuckles' Chaotix, a spin-off released in 1995 for the Sega 32X,[22] featured Knuckles and a new group named Chaotix fighting against Dr. Robotnik.[23] The game featured a two-player cooperative system in which the on-screen characters were connected by magic rings.[23] There was also Sonic Eraser, a puzzle game released exclusively on Sega Game Toshokan in 1991.
Due to the success of Sonic games on the Sega Genesis, the series was introduced to the Master System and the Game Gear. Sega began by releasing Sonic the Hedgehog, a 2Dplatform game, in 1991.[24] The game featured Sonic's ability to run and to jump at high speeds like its Mega Drive/Genesis counterpart but with notably different level designs and music.[25] Sega later released Sonic the Hedgehog 2, another 2D platform game, in 1992. The game differed from its Genesis counterpart with different levels and music and by not including a 'spin dash' maneuver. It also featured a different storyline in which Doctor Robotnik kidnaps Tails, who is non-playable in the Master System/Game Gear version.[26]Sonic Chaos/Sonic and Tails (Japan), released in 1993,[27] was similar to the earlier two Sega Master System/Game Gear Sonic games, but featured Tails as a playable character.[28] A sequel, Sonic Triple Trouble/Sonic and Tails 2 (Japan), a 2D platform game, was released in 1994[29] for the Game Gear and introduced a new character, Nack the Weasel, who, along with Knuckles and Doctor Robotnik, raced to collect the Chaos Emeralds. One of the last games for the Sega Game Gear, Sonic Blast, was released in 1996[30] and featured prerendered sprites.
Several spin-off Sonic games that were not 2D platform games were also released. Sonic Labyrinth, released for Game Gear in 1995,[31] featured an isometric view and slower exploration-based gameplay that resulted from Robotnik's replacing Sonic's shoes with 'Speed Down Boots.' Sonic Drift was a kart racer released in 1994.[32] It later had a sequel, Sonic Drift 2, which was released in 1995.[33] Tails also received two spin-offs. Tails' Skypatrol, released in 1995,[34] allowed players to control an always-flying Tails. Tails Adventure, released in 1995,[35] featured a mix of platforming and RPG elements.
Sega Saturn (1996–1998)
Few Sonic games were released for the Sega Saturn, and none were a standard platform game originally made for the system. Sonic 3D Blast was released in 1996[36] alongside the Genesis version. Like its Genesis counterpart, the Saturn edition used isometric, 2.5D graphics, but it added FMV cut-scenes, enhanced music and visual effects,[37] and a real-time 3D special stage.[38]Sonic Jam, a compilation released for the Saturn in 1997, contained the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Sonic & Knuckles, as well as a 'Sonic World' mode, which allowed the player to control Sonic in a small 3D world.[39] The Sonic World was mainly a means of accessing the disc's multimedia features, which included character artwork, the soundtrack, and Japanese Sonic videos.[40]Sonic R, a foot racing spin-off and also the Sonic series' first fully 3D game,[41] was released in 1997 for the Saturn[42] and ported to the PC in 1998.[43]
The Sega Technical Institute attempted to develop a Sonic game for the Saturn called Sonic X-treme. It was originally intended to compete with Nintendo'sSuper Mario 64 and Sony'sCrash Bandicoot. However, due to time constraints and issues between STI, the Japanese division of Sega, and Sonic Team, the project was canceled in late 1996.[44]
Dreamcast (1998–2001)
Sonic grinds a rail in City Escape, the first level of Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure, a launch game for the Dreamcast, was released in 1998 in Japan and 1999 in North America.[45] The game was re-released for the GameCube and PC as Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut in 2003[46] with some graphical and gameplay tweaks,[47] and, in late 2010, ported to Xbox Live Arcade[48] and PlayStation Network.[49] Its sequel, Sonic Adventure 2, was released for the Dreamcast in 2001, and was the last game in the series to be released for the Sega platform.[50] In 2002 it became the first game in the series to appear on a Nintendo platform when it was ported – with several enhancements – to the GameCube as Sonic Adventure 2: Battle,[51] and in October 2012 it was ported to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network with a version released on Steam in November the same year.
The only other Dreamcast Sonic game was Sonic Shuffle, which was released in 2000 and featured cel-shaded graphics and a board game concept similar to that of the Mario Party series.[52] Dreamcast sales began to decline after the launch of the PlayStation 2,[53] and therefore few Sonic games were released for the system.
Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure was also released on SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color portable console, made in the same style of the Genesis/Mega Drive era of games.
Move to non-Sega systems (2001–2006)
After the commercial failure of the Dreamcast, Sega ceased producing its own video game hardware, focusing solely on manufacturing software for the GameCube, followed by releases for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Sonic's transition to the Game Boy Advance was completed with Sonic Advance, the first original Sonic game released for a Nintendo console. The game featured 2D platforming, similar to the original Genesis games, and new gameplay mechanics from more recent Sonic games as well, such as grinding on rails.[54] It was released in late 2001 in Japan and early 2002 elsewhere,[55] and ported to Nokia's N-Gage on October 7, 2003, as SonicN.[56] Two sequels, Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Advance 3, followed in March 2003 and June 2004, respectively.
Between Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Advance 3, two other Sonic games were released: Sonic Battle,[57] a 3D fighting game, and Sonic Pinball Party,[58] a pinball simulation. The last Sonic game that was released for the Game Boy Advance is Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis on 2006, which features the original Genesis game and the 15-anniversary mode with the Spin Dash.
The first game released for the GameCube was Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, followed by Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, each ports from the Dreamcast. Sega later released Sonic Heroes,[59] the first Sonic game made for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. It was released on all three systems on December 30, 2003 in Japan, with American and European releases following soon after. The game was similar to that of the Adventure games, although the player now controlled the lead character of a team of three, with the other two following behind. The player could then switch to a new leader at any time in order to use that character's special abilities.
Shadow the Hedgehog was released in late 2005 in North America. It was built on a more advanced version of the engine used for Sonic Heroes. It focused on Shadow the Hedgehog as he tried to uncover his past. The game contained multiple paths and endings, as the player chose to take good or evil paths for each level. It also added wielding weapons and driving vehicles to 3D platforming.[60][61]
Sonic Riders was the first Sonic racing game since Sonic R; in contrast to the previous game, the characters used hoverboards, bikes, and skates rather than racing on foot. It was the last game for GameCube & Xbox.[62]
Due to the extended life cycle of the PlayStation 2, it also received ports of Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity[63][64] and Sonic Unleashed.[65][66] Two Sonic games appeared on the PlayStation Portable: Sonic Rivals and its sequel, Sonic Rivals 2. Both games were 2.5D style games.
Seventh generation consoles (2006–2013)
There were a number of different Sonic games released for the Nintendo DS. The first was Sonic Rush, released in 2005, featuring gameplay similar to the Sonic Advance series. It received a sequel, Sonic Rush Adventure, in 2007, which featured some additional new elements, such as the driving of jet skis and submarines. Along with the Wii, the Nintendo DS saw the beginning of the Mario and Sonic crossover games. The first, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, was released in late 2007, and featured characters from both series competing in Olympic-themed mini-games. Its sequel, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, was released in October 2009, and featured an emphasis on winter-based sports. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, a spin-off released in September 2008, was a turn-based role playing game developed by BioWare.
During this timeframe, Sega took the franchise in a number of different directions. The first was Sonic the Hedgehog, which was released in November 2006 for the Xbox 360 and December 2006 for the PlayStation 3. It continued in the Sonic Adventure direction, but was critically panned as a result of its glitches and rushed release. Sonic Unleashed was released in 2008 for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3. While possessing the same name and rough themes, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions were markedly different games from the Wii and PlayStation 2 versions.
While the prior game in the era continued the use of numerous playable characters and play styles, the following games would return to only have Sonic playable. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, an episodic high-definition 2D game akin to the 16-bit Sonic games, was developed for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and WiiWare. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II was released in 2012 for PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Android, iOS, and Windows Phones. Sonic Colors, a game for the Wii and Nintendo DS, was released in November 2010. It introduced a power-up system in the form of alien beings called 'Wisps'. Sonic Generations was developed by Sonic Team for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Dimps for Nintendo 3DS which was released in November 2011, featuring both modern and classic interpretations of Sonic.[67]
During this time, the franchise also moved into several new spin-off series. The Storybook series, which combines Sonic gameplay with the story and setting of famous books, comprises two games only released for the Wii: Sonic and the Secret Rings (released in 2007) and Sonic and the Black Knight (released in 2009).
Another spin-off series resulted from Sega's collaboration with Nintendo and their Mario series of video games. In the Mario & Sonic games, characters from the Sonic and Mario universes compete in Olympic Games-themed minigames. Separately from that series, Sega also collaborated with Nintendo to include Sonic in their 2008 Wii fighting game Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[68]
Sonic Colors, released in November 2010, expanded further on the Rush series gameplay with the addition of the use of 'Wisps', which gave Sonic various new power-ups and gimmicks. Sonic Free Riders was released in November 2010 as a follow-up to the Sonic Riders series, and was developed exclusively for Xbox 360's Kinect system. Later on, Sega Superstars Tennis for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS was released in 2008 and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PC and iOS was released in 2010, followed by a sequel in 2012.
Even early in the system's life cycle, a number of Sonic games were announced for the Nintendo 3DS. At E3 2010, an untitled Sonic game was announced for the system, which later turned out to be a portable version of Sonic Generations. A third installment of the Mario & Sonic crossover series, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games was also released for the Nintendo 3DS.[69]Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2013, and for the PlayStation Vita in November 2012.[70] In October 2012, Sonic Jump was released on iOS, and in March 2013, Sonic Dash was released.[71]
Eighth-generation consoles (2013–present)
In May 2013, Sega announced a partnership with Nintendo, which established that the next three Sonic games would be developed exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, with Nintendo publishing the games in Europe and Australia. The first game to be released was Sonic Lost World in 2013,[72] followed by Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games by the end of the year. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS, based on the new Sonic Boom franchise, together formed the final installment(s) in the exclusivity agreement.[73][74] At the end of 2014, Sonic also returned as a fighter in both installments of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.[75] Sonic was added as a playable character in the Lego video game, Lego Dimensions, in November 2016; he is distributed via a 'Level Pack' that includes an additional Sonic the Hedgehog-themed level and vehicles.[76][77]
Two Sonic games were revealed at the Sonic 25th Anniversary Event during San Diego Comic-Con 2016. The first game was Sonic Mania, which emulates the gameplay and visuals of the original Sega Genesis games, and was released in August 2017 to critical acclaim, with critics hailing it as a return to form for Sonic. Development was done by PagodaWest Games, Christian Whitehead, and Headcannon's Simon Thomley. The second game, Sonic Forces, was developed by Sonic Team and released in November 2017. Sonic Forces brings back the dual gameplay of Sonic Generations, along with a third gameplay style featuring the 'Avatar', a customizable third character who uses special gadgets called Wispons. Both games were released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.
At SXSW in March 2019, series producer Takashi Iizuka confirmed a new mainline Sonic title was in development, although he did not confirm any details.[78]
Characters
The Sonic series has a great many characters; the most frequently appearing are titular protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog, a blue hedgehog able to run at supersonic speeds, and recurring villain Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist whose ambition is to conquer the world. Among Sonic's many allies, the most well-known include: Miles 'Tails' Prower, a twin-tailed, highly intelligent yellow fox who is Sonic's sidekick and best friend; Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog who is Sonic's self-proclaimed girlfriend and a hero in her own right; Knuckles the Echidna, a coolheaded red echidna who is the guardian of the Master Emerald; Shadow the Hedgehog, an anti-heroic doppelgänger of Sonic with a dark past; and Metal Sonic, a robotic clone of Sonic, built by Doctor Eggman with a sole purpose of destroying Sonic.
Common features
Rings
Rotating rings, similar to those used in the series
One distinctive feature of Sonic games are collectible golden rings spread throughout the levels. This gameplay device allows players possessing at least one ring to survive upon sustaining damage from an enemy or hazardous object; instead of dying, the player's rings are scattered. In most Sonic games, a hit causes the player to lose all of the rings, although in certain games a hit only costs a set number of rings such as ten or twenty.[79][80] When the rings are scattered, the player has a short amount of time to re-collect some of them before they disappear.
Some causes of death cannot be prevented by holding a ring, including being crushed, falling into a bottomless pit, drowning, and running out of time.[79]
In many games, collecting 100 rings usually rewards Sonic or any other playable character an extra life.[81] Certain games in the series often reward the collection of 50 rings with Chaos Emeralds, access to the Special Stages in which the Chaos Emeralds may be obtained, or utilization of a character's super transformation.[82]
Rings have had other uses in various games as well, such as currency (Sonic Adventure 2), restoring health bars (Sonic Unleashed), or improving statistics (Sonic Riders).
Chaos Emeralds
The seven Chaos Emeralds
The Chaos Emeralds are, in most games, seven emeralds with mystical powers; they are a recurring feature of Sonic games. The emeralds can turn thoughts into power,[83] warp time and space with a technique called Chaos Control,[84][85] give energy to all living things and be used to create nuclear or laser based weaponry.[86]
They are the basis of many of the games' plots, and the player is frequently required to collect them all to fully defeat Doctor Eggman and achieve the games' good endings, super forms, or both. The methods used to acquire the Emeralds and the end-results after collecting them differ between games in the series. Most early games require the player to find the emeralds in Special Stages,[82] while some modern games implement the emeralds as a plot element. In certain games, such as Sonic R and the 8-bit versions of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the player is required to find the Chaos Emeralds within the zones themselves.
The Master Emerald was introduced in Sonic & Knuckles as a plot element. It resides in a shrine on Angel Island and is guarded by Knuckles the Echidna, as only those of the Echidna Tribe are able to control it.[87] The power of the Master Emerald is what keeps Angel Island afloat in the sky.[88] It can control the power of the Chaos Emeralds,[83] including neutralizing or amplifying their energies. In both Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, the Master Emerald becomes shattered, requiring Knuckles to find the scattered pieces during his levels.[89]
Special Stages
Usually, Special Stages were employed as a means of earning Chaos Emeralds.[82] Special Stages usually take place in surreal environments and feature alternate gameplay mechanics to the standard platforming of the main levels. The 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog consisted of a giant rotating maze, which many considered a major technical achievement.[90] The most common special stages, however, were segments with the character running through a long tunnel to collect certain items. 3D 'collect item' levels, as in Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, used the same perspective but had Sonic collecting all the blue-colored orbs on the surface of a giant sphere. Finally, Sonic Advance 2 employed a 3D ring-collecting stage, and Sonic Chaos (Sonic and Tails in Japan) used a variety of gimmicks for its levels.Since Emeralds of the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog were hidden in the main stages, the game's spring-filled Special Stages were merely used as a means of adding variety, increasing score and earning continues. Similarly, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, in addition to the main Special Stages, featured entirely optional bonus stages, one of which combined the rotating maze of Sonic the Hedgehog with the pinball gambling of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sonic Heroes contained an alternate Special Stage for a chance of earning additional lives.
Super transformation
A super transformation is a state certain characters go into that gives them incredible speed, near-invincibility and a change in color. In some games, characters are still vulnerable to being crushed, drowning, falling into a pit or running out of time. Depending on the type of transformation, the condition to attain such a form is an individual making contact with all of the Chaos Emeralds, the Sol Emeralds, or the Master Emerald.
Super transformations first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where Sonic transforms into Super Sonic if all seven Chaos Emeralds and fifty or more rings are held at the same time. While in Super Sonic form, Sonic gains invincibility (except from instant-kill obstacles) and has greatly increased speed. One ring is lost for every second that passes, and Sonic reverts to normal if the number of rings drops to zero. In Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Tails can also transform after gaining all seven Chaos Emeralds and Super Emeralds. Sonic and Knuckles can also transform into their hyper counterparts with the Super Emeralds. Hyper Sonic, Hyper Knuckles, and Super Tails all have unique abilities aside from invincibility and increased speed.
In most 3D Sonic games starting with Sonic Adventure, Chaos Emeralds are collected in non-interactive cut scenes as part of the story, with Super Sonic and other super characters only appearing in the final boss fights. Most 2D Sonic platform games, like the Advance and Rush series, have retained the gameplay-based emerald collecting, but still have Super Sonic only playable in the 'Extra' boss battles. Recent games such as Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations, and Sonic Lost World once again allow players to play as Super Sonic during normal stages, provided they have all the Chaos Emeralds.[91][92]
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Metal Sonic, Shadow, Blaze, and Silver are the characters that are known to be able to perform super transformations. Metal Sonic can also use the Master Emerald or Chaos Emeralds to turn Super, and Blaze, instead of using the Chaos Emeralds, uses the Sol Emeralds (her dimension's equivalent).
Along with Sonic, Mega Man (fused with the Rush Adaptor) achieved the Super transformation in the Archie Comics crossover Worlds Collide so that the two could restore the damage to their worlds done by Doctor Eggman and Dr. Wily.[93]
Item boxes
A typical item box, similar to those used in the series
These are containers that hold power-ups and appear frequently throughout the stages. An icon on each box indicates what it contains, and the player releases the item by destroying the box. In the early games, item boxes resembled television sets and could only be destroyed with an attack; in later games, they became transparent capsule-like objects easily destroyed with one touch. Common items in boxes include rings, a barrier (or shield), invincibility, high speed (or power sneakers) and 1-ups.
The barrier is a spherical energy shield which surrounds and protects the player's character from one attack; when hit, the barrier is lost instead of rings or a life. In Sonic 3, additional barriers were introduced which gave the player special abilities, such as the ability to magnetically attract rings and double jump, breathe underwater, or resist fire.
Invincibility temporarily protects against damage done by enemies and obstacles, and allows the player to destroy enemies by touching them and not lose any rings. Death from crushing, falling, drowning and time-ups, however, are still possible.
High speed boxes give the player character enhanced speed for a limited time.
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1-up boxes display the face of the player's character and give the player one extra life. In the event that a player loses a stage, this enables the player to restart the level at the starting point, or, if one has been passed, close to the last checkpoint. Multiple lives can be collected, generally up to 99.
Other item boxes featured include a box with Robotnik's face on it, which cause damage to whoever opens it, a 'teleport box' (Sonic 2's 2-player mode only), which swapped both players' positions, and a skateboard box (Sonic Generations only), which allows the player to ride a skateboard for a short time.
Giant Rings
Giant rings (Warp Rings) were featured in a few Sonic games, mainly from the 16-bit era. Rather than collecting them, as is the case with the smaller ones, they served as a portal to enter a Special Stage, where the player could collect one of the Chaos Emeralds. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, if all Emeralds have already been found, touching them rewards the player fifty rings. In most games since Sonic Adventure 2, these giant rings serve as the end level marker, which ends the level upon touching it.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are items placed throughout the stages in Sonic games which serve mainly as progress markers. If the player runs through one, their progress through a level is 'saved'. If the player then loses a life on the same stage, they will start over at the last checkpoint passed. Checkpoints also serve other uses in various games, such as entering Special Stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and leveling up in Sonic Heroes. In the 2D games, checkpoints take the appearance of posts, while in 3D games they are either small gates or pads on the ground.
Springs
Springs are a staple in the Sonic series. They are scattered throughout the levels and serve to catapult the player at high speeds in a particular direction. Sometimes they allow the player to proceed further in the level, while other times they are used to hinder the player, usually by sending Sonic towards a dangerous area. Sonic Unleashed in particular features springs with Dr. Eggman's face on them that launch Sonic towards danger or hinder his progress. Springs serve as one of Sonic's special moves in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Animals
In addition to anthropomorphic animals, the Sonic universe is also populated with more conventional animals. These small animals are often used by Dr. Eggman as 'organic batteries' to power his robot armies. The trapped animals can usually be freed by hitting the robot and destroying its metal case. In Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, the small animals can be given to Chao, altering their appearance and attributes.
A Flicky is one of the most prominently used animals in Eggman's experiments. This small bird's first appearance in a game predates Sonic. Flicky and its respective game were alluded to in Sonic 3D Blast.
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Music
Numerous composers have contributed music to the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Masato Nakamura of J-pop band Dreams Come True was responsible for the music from the first two 16-bit games. Ys/Streets of Rage composer Yuzo Koshiro composed the tunes inspired by the first 8-bit game, except for what was retained from the 16-bit version. Sega's in-house music division, Sega Digital Studios, formerly known as Wave Master, have composed the majority of the music in later games. Jun Senoue, a member of the band Crush 40 and sound director of the series, has written and performed the main theme tunes of both of the Sonic Adventure games, Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Sonic and the Black Knight. Since the mid–2000s, the overall sound direction of the series has been handled by Tomoya Ohtani, who has served as the lead composer on Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colors, Sonic Lost World, and Sonic Forces.
On several recent games, other non-Sega musicians have contributed music to the series. For example, Bowling for Soup lead singer Jaret Reddick performed the main theme of Sonic Unleashed, 'Endless Possibilities'; and former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman played on 'With Me', the final boss theme for Sonic and the Black Knight. Cash Cash lead singer Jean-Paul Makhlouf performed the opening theme to Sonic Colors, 'Reach for the Stars', as well as the ending theme, 'Speak With Your Heart'. Hoobastank frontman Doug Robb performed and wrote the lyrics to the main theme of Sonic Forces, 'Fist Bump'.[94] The music of electronic dance music (EDM) group Hyper Potions has contributed music to trailers of games in the series, as well as for the soundtracks in Sonic Mania and Team Sonic Racing.
Other media
Television
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
DIC Entertainment's Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog is an American animated television series that was first broadcast in September 1993, and ran in cartoonsyndication for a number of years afterward. It follows the escapades of Sonic and Tails as they stop the evil Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his array of vicious robots from taking over the planet Mobius.
Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)
DIC and the Italian studio Reteitalia[95] also produced a second cartoon series simply titled Sonic the Hedgehog, which originally aired from September 1993 to June 1995. This adaptation follows Sonic and his fellow 'Freedom Fighters' who attempt to liberate Mobius from the grip of Robotnik, who plans to take over the planet. The Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series by Archie Comics uses several characters from this series.
Sonic the Hedgehog (OVA)
A two-episode OVA adaptation was released in Japan in 1996. It was released in North America in 1999 under the name Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie.[96]
Sonic Underground
The cartoon Sonic Underground ran for 40 episodes[97] in 1999. The last Sonic series from DIC Entertainment, produced by Les Studios Tex, the show follows Sonic and his two siblings Manic and Sonia, who use the power of music to fight against Robotnik and eventually reunite with their mother.
Sonic X
Sonic X, an anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment, is the second longest-running animated series based on Sonic to date, spanning a total of 78 episodes. Bearing the closest similarity to the video game franchise, the series revolves around Sonic, his companions, and his enemies, being warped to the human world, where Sonic meets a boy named Chris Thorndyke, who helps him and his friends fight against Eggman. The series originally aired in Japan between 2003 and 2004, spanning 52 episodes, though an additional 26 episodes aired in France as early as 2005, and was licensed in North America and most other countries by 4Kids Entertainment. Saban Brands later claimed the license in 2012, but it was dropped in 2014.
Sonic Boom
In October 2013, Sega announced on its blog that a computer animated series, Sonic Boom, would be produced by OuiDo! Productions (later Technicolor Animation Productions) and would begin airing 11-minute episodes on Cartoon Network in Fall 2014.[98]Sonic Boom is a separate franchise in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe,[74] and it includes three video games, Rise of Lyric, Shattered Crystal and Fire and Ice, a comic book series from Archie Comics and a toyline by Tomy,[99] and it uses redesigns of all the major characters exclusively within the franchise.[74][100]Cartoon Network began to air the series starting from November 8, 2014, later moving to Boomerang on November 12, 2016.[101] It's the longest-running series in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, having aired 104 episodes.
Sonic Mania Adventures
Sonic Mania Adventures is a five-part series of animated shorts released on the Sonic the HedgehogYouTube channel between March 30 and July 17, 2018, promoting the release of Sonic Mania Plus.[102] The series depicts Sonic's return to his world following the events of Sonic Forces, teaming up with his friends to prevent Eggman and Metal Sonic from collecting the Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald.[103] The shorts are written and directed by Tyson Hesse, with animation production by Neko Productions and music by Tee Lopes.[104]
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
A crossover between OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes and Sonic the Hedgehog was announced during Cartoon Network's panel at San Diego Comic-Con. The special episode aired on August 4, 2019 on Cartoon Network.[105]
Film
In August 1994, Sega of America signed a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Trilogy Entertainment to produce a live-action animated film based on Sonic the Hedgehog, which would tie in with Sonic X-treme. In May 1995, screenwriter Richard Jefferies pitched a treatment to Sega titled Sonic the Hedgehog: Wonders of the World. The treatment saw Sonic and his nemesis Dr. Robotnik escaping from Sonic X-treme into the real world; Sonic would team up with a boy to stop Robotnik. The film was cancelled as none of the companies could come to an agreement. Jeffries, with permission from Sega, pitched his treatment to DreamWorks, but was rejected.[106]
On June 10, 2014, Sony Pictures originally announced a new live-action/CGI hybrid film based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series.[107] It is being produced by Neal Moritz on his Original Film banner alongside Takeshi Ito and Mie Onishi. Toby Ascher is executive producing, and the film is being written by Evan Susser and Van Robichaux. With Terminator: Dark Fate and Deadpool director Tim Miller being the producer, and Jeff Fowler directing.[108] But on October 2017, Paramount announced that they had picked up the rights after Sony Pictures (Columbia Pictures) put the film into turnaround. However, most of the production team remained unchanged.[109] It is being produced as a joint venture between Paramount Pictures, Original Film, Sega, Paramount Animation, Marza Animation Planet, and Blur Studio. The film was originally set for release on November 8, 2019,[110][111][112] but was pushed to February 14, 2020 after backlash due to Sonic's character design in the film. Ben Schwartz will voice Sonic in the film,[113][114][115] while Jim Carrey will play the role of Doctor Eggman.[116] Other actors in the film include James Marsden, Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell.[citation needed]
Sonic, Tails and Eggman appear in the 2012 Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph. In the movie, Sonic has a small speaking role and Tails briefly appears as an image, while Eggman makes a non-speaking appearance. Sonic also has a small cameo in the 2018 film Ready Player One as a character avatar,[117] and returned in 2018's Ralph Breaks the Internet.[118]
Comics and manga
The Sonic the Hedgehog manga series, published in Shogakukan's Shogaku Yonensei, was written by Kenji Terada and illustrated by Sango Norimoto. The manga, which started in 1992, was about a hedgehog boy named Nicky who can turn into Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic fights Eggman, with Tails tagging along to help him.
Sonic the Hedgehog was an American comic series published by Archie Comics, which has spawned sister series Knuckles the Echidna (discontinued) and Sonic Universe. All of Archie's Sonic-related publications take place in the same fictional universe, which incorporates aspects of the video games and Sonic the Hedgehog: The Animated Series in addition to elements unique to that comic universe. Archie Comics also published a Sonic X comic book that supplemented the animated series of the same name. It began in November 1992 and was originally meant to be a four-part series; however, due to the positive reaction to the series' announcement, it was extended to ongoing status before the first issue premiered. The comic borrowed elements from the animated series' first two seasons and characters from the Sonic Adventure storyline. Some comics were published in the Jetix Magazine, in UK, Italy and Poland.[119] In July 2017, Sega announced that they had ended their partnership with Archie, ending the series of comics after 24 years.[120] Two days later, Sega announced that IDW Publishing would be releasing a new series of Sonic comics, starting in April 2018.[121][122]
Sonic the Comic was a British comic published by Fleetway Editions between 1993 and 2002. Labeled 'the UK's official Sega comic', in addition to Sonic the Hedgehog stories it also included comic strips based on other Sega games such as Ecco the Dolphin and Decap Attack. The main series of Sonic stories had their own unique storylines and characters in comparison to other Sonic media.
Reception and legacy
Game | Metacritic |
---|---|
Sonic the Hedgehog | (X360) 77[123] (GBA) 33[124] |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | (X360) 82[125] (iOS) 60[126] |
Sonic CD | (iOS) 93[127] (X360) 82[128] (PS3) 80[129] |
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | – |
Sonic & Knuckles | (X360) 69[130] |
Sonic 3D Blast | – |
Sonic Adventure | (GC) 57[131] (PS3) 50[132] (X360) 48[133] |
Sonic Adventure 2 | (DC) 89[134] (GC) 73[135] (PS3) 65[136] (X360) 60[137] |
Sonic Advance | (GBA) 87[138] |
Sonic Advance 2 | (GBA) 83[139] |
Sonic Heroes | (Xbox) 73[140] (GC) 72[141] (PS2) 64[142] (PC) 66[143] |
Sonic Advance 3 | (GBA) 79[144] |
Sonic Rush | (NDS) 82[145] |
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | (X360) 46[146] (PS3) 43[147] |
Sonic Rush Adventure | (NDS) 78[148] |
Sonic Unleashed | (PS2) 66[149] (Wii) 66[150] (X360) 60[151] (PS3) 54[152] |
Sonic 4: Episode 1 | (Wii) 81[153] (PS3) 74[154] (X360) 72[155] (iOS) 70[156] |
Sonic Colors | (NDS) 79[157] (Wii) 78[158] |
Sonic Generations | (X360) 77[159] (PC) 77[160] (PS3) 76[161] (3DS) 66[162] |
Sonic 4: Episode 2 | (iOS) 66[163] (PS3) 63[164] (X360) 61[165] (PC) 54[166] |
Sonic Lost World | (Wii U) 63[167] (3DS) 59[168] |
Sonic Mania | (PS4) 86[169] (NS) 86[170] (PC) 84[171] (XONE) 83[172] |
Sonic Forces | (XONE) 62/100[173] (PC) 58/100[174] (PS4) 58/100[175] (NS) 57/100[176] |
The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise was awarded seven records by Guinness World Records in Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. The records include 'Best Selling Game on Sega Systems', 'Longest Running Comic Based on a Video Game' and 'Best Selling Retro Game Compilation' (for Sonic Mega Collection). In the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2010, the Sonic the Hedgehog series was listed number 15 out of the top 50 video game franchises. In September 1996, Next Generation ranked the Genesis installments of the series (but not the Game Gear or Sega CD entries that had been released up to that time) collectively as number 20 on their 'Top 100 Games of All Time', calling them 'the zeitgeist of the 16-bit era'.[177] In December 2006, IGN ranked Sonic the Hedgehog as the 19th greatest series of all time, claiming that 'although recent 3D entries in the series have been somewhat lacking, there is no denying the power of this franchise.'[178]
Neuroscientists studying the development of the embryonic neural system named a specific set of proteins, in charge of the differentiation of neural tube cells, after the main character of the game franchise.[179][180]
A common criticism has been that the variant gameplay styles found in recent 3D games have strayed from the formula of the original series.[181] Specifically, the series' jump to 3D has been noted as a declining point.[182] In late 2010, Sega delisted several below-average Sonic games, such as the notoriously disliked 2006 game Sonic the Hedgehog, to increase the value of the Sonic brand after positive reviews for the games Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Colors.[183]
Sales
Year | Game | Platform(s) | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Mega Drive / Genesis | 15 million (bundled with the Mega Drive / Genesis hardware)[184][185] |
1992 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | 6 million[186][185][187] | |
1993 | Sonic Spinball | 1 million in US[188] | |
1994 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles | 4 million[189][185] (Sonic 3: 1.02 million in US[190] Sonic & Knuckles: 1.24 million in US)[190] | |
1998 | Sonic Adventure | Dreamcast | 2.5 million[191] |
2001 | Sonic Adventure 2 / Battle | GameCube | 1.7322 million[n 2] |
Sonic Advance | Game Boy Advance | 1.515 million[n 3] | |
2003 | Sonic Mega Collection | GameCube | 1.453 million[n 4] |
Sonic Heroes | PlayStation 2/Xbox/GameCube | 3.41 million[195][196][197] | |
Sonic Mega Collection Plus | PlayStation 2/Xbox | 2.19 million[198][199] | |
2005 | Shadow the Hedgehog | PlayStation 2/GameCube/Xbox | 2.06 million[200][201] |
2006 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Mobile | 8 million in US & EU[202] |
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | 870,000[203] | |
2008 | Sonic Unleashed | PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | 2.45 million[204] |
2010 | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows | 1.07 million[205] |
Sonic Colors | Wii, Nintendo DS | 2.18 million[206][207] | |
2011 | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | iOS | 16.7million[n 1] |
Sonic Generations | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS | 1.85 million[208] | |
2012 | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS | 1.36 million[209] |
Sonic Jump | iOS | 8.8million[n 1] | |
2013 | Sonic Lost World | Wii U, Nintendo 3DS | 710,000[210] |
2014 | Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal | 620,000[211] | |
2018 | Sonic Mania | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows | 1million[n 1] |
Mario & Sonic series | 22.78million[n 5] | ||
2007 | Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games | Wii, Nintendo DS | 11.31 million[217][218] |
2009 | Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | 6.53 million[205][219] | |
2011 | Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games | Wii, Nintendo 3DS | 3.28 million[n 1] |
2013 | Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | Wii U | 65,377 in Japan[n 5] |
2016 | Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Nintendo 3DS, Wii U | 430,033 in Japan[n 5] |
Series total | 123.32 million[n 1] |
See also
Further reading
- Hazeldine, Julian. Speedrun: The Unauthorised History of Sonic The Hedgehog. Lulu.com. ISBN9781291831887.
Footnotes
- ^ abcdefThe Sonic franchise (including Mario & Sonic) had sold over 89 million units by March 2011.[212] In addition, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games sold 3.28 million copies and Sonic Generations sold 1.85 million units as of March 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed sold 1.36 million units as of March 2013, Sonic Lost World sold 710,000 units as of March 2014, and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric & Shattered Crystal sold 620,000 units as of March 2015.[220][221][222][223] The iOS games Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (released June 23, 2011) and Sonic Jump (2012) sold over 16.7million and 8.8million paid downloads, respectively, as of 2013.[224]Sonic Mania (2017) sold over 1million units as of March 2018.[225]
- ^Sonic Adventure 2 Battle: 1.44 million in US,[190] 192,186 in Japan,[192] 100,000 in UK[193]
- ^Sonic Advance: 1.21 million in US,[190] 204,542 in Japan,[192] 100,000 in UK[193]
- ^Sonic Mega Collection: 1.38 million in US,[190] 72,967 in Japan[194]
- ^ abcMario & Sonic series:
- Up until March 2011 – 19million[212][213]
- Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games – 3.28million[214]
- Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games – 65,377 in Japan[215]
- Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games – 430,033 in Japan[216]
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External links
- The History of Sonic video by GameSpot
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonic_the_Hedgehog&oldid=917696224'
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Sonic the Hedgehog (also known as Sonic '06) is platforming game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It was released as celebration for the 15th anniversary of the series.
PC and Wii versions of the game were also in development, but the PC port was scrapped due to the poor development cycle, while the Wii port became Sonic and the Secret Rings.
Plot
Dr. Eggman plans to revive an evil demon known as Iblis by kidnapping Princess Elise of Soleanna. However, in the future, Iblis has caused the end of the world, so a hedgehog known as Silver goes back in time, believing Sonic is responsible for awakening Iblis. What no one knows is that they are all pawns of another demon known as Mephiles, who plans to unite with Iblis as both Iblis and Mephiles were once a single entity known as Solaris, the God of Time.
Why The Game Was Rushed
After the game was announced, the development faced serious problems, starting with Yuji Naka's resignation as head of Sonic Team to form his own company, Prope. With his departure, 'the heart and soul of Sonic' was gone, according to former Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske. Sonic the Hedgehog was originally intended for release on all major seventh generation consoles as well as Microsoft Windows, but when presented with development kits for Nintendo's less powerful Wii console, the team was split in two. Nakamura led one team to finish Sonic the Hedgehog for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 while producer Yojiro Ogawa led the other half to begin work on Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii. The split left an unusually small development team to work on Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega began pressuring the team to release the game by Christmas 2006, so with the deadline quickly approaching, Sonic Team rushed the final stages of development, ignoring existing bugs and control problems. Various planned features were dropped, such as a time of day and night mechanic similar to the one later implemented in Sonic Unleashed (2008), and additional multiplayer components.
In retrospect, Ogawa noted that the final period proved to be a large challenge for the team. Not only was the Xbox 360 release imminent, but the PlayStation 3 launch was scheduled not long afterward. This put tremendous pressure on the team to develop for both systems. Similarly, series producer Takashi Iizuka recalled, 'we didn't have any time to polish and we were just churning out content as quick as we could.'
For the beta elements for Sonic 06, go to Sonic News Network.
Why It Sucks
- As mentioned above, the game was heavily rushed. Sonic Team didn't finish the game, instead they took an untested beta build that could be played from start to finish and released that instead. This predictably caused lots of glitches and bugs; Many gimmicks are buggy, it's easy to glitch through walls, etc.
- Extremely sensitive controls. Just a slight tilt of the analog stick is more than enough to turn your character 90 degrees.
- Due to improper physics implementation, moving on an incline doesn't feel any different from moving on a flat surface, characters come to an immediate stop upon release of the joy stick, and jumping feels very floaty. To add insult to injury, the game uses Havok engine for it's physics, which is known for awesome physics and used lots of awesome games like Half-Life 2, Far Cry and F.E.A.R..
- Poor controls and terrible camera make the game frustratingly bad and more difficult, making it hard to jump through rings or drive a vehicle. It also makes the game unfairly difficult and rage inducing.
- While most of the voice acting is good, Jason Griffith's performance as Sonic sounded bland in a few scenes, Pete Capella's performance as Silver can get really annoying at times, and Kathleen Delaney's performance as Rouge gives very dull effort. Not to mention, it also wastes the talent of Lacey Chabert (who's a big Sonic fan) as Elise.
- The story is convoluted, messy, and downright riddled with plotholes. The reason for all of this is because Sonic '06 was meant to be a series reboot, if that was the case, it would be fine, but Sonic Generations treats it as canon with the rest of the series (In fact, it just doing with Crisis City, Silver and some enemies from the level itself and also it's rather a questionable choice), so the massive retcons, inconsistencies and plotholes can't be excused anymore and also introduces plotholes in the rest of the lore. Some examples include (But not limited to):
- Sonic and his friends can time travel with the Chaos Emeralds. Why don't they just go back in time and extinguish The Flame Of Hope (aka Solaris) right away to prevent the end of the world?!
- Mephiles' plan doesn't make sense either. Why don't he just go back in time and merge with Iblis right away?!
- In the scene where Shadow is sealing Mephiles in the staff, Mephiles says that one day he will escape and kill Shadow, which could explain how Mephiles knows Shadow when they first meet, because Shadow was meant to stop Mephiles. However, Shadow was still sealed in the capsule in Prison Island at that time, so there was no way he could have stopped Mephiles in the first place.
- During the scene when Shadow meets Mephiles, he introduces himself to him, however, when he meets Mephiles again, Shadow asks Mephiles how he knew his name. Does Shadow have some kind of short-term memory loss?
- Why did Shadow leave the Sceptre Of Darkness behind?
- Shadow works for G.U.N, which was the same organization that tried to kill him in the last game. (The game's Expert Mode contains some dialogue that helps fill this in, but it's quite a far fetch)
- Before the Duke (Elise's father) dies, he seals Iblis inside Elise (who is unconscious) and tells Elise to always be happy and that if she ever cries, Iblis will be free. The problem is, how was Elise able to not cry for ten years, especially after her father dies?
- Before Shadow and Silver go back to the present, Silver gives the young and unconscious Elise the Blue Chaos Emerald, which could explain how Elise has the Chaos Emerald in the begin of the game, but THAT'S in Silver's story. In Shadow's story, if you look very closely at Silver's right hand as he heads into the portal, you can see the Blue Chaos Emerald is still in his hand. As Somecallmejohnny described this blunder: 'Oops!'
- Blaze and Silver can call themselves 'best friends' but there's a problem, Blaze completely forgots Sonic (you know she learned friendship from him in previous game). Also there's no explanation how Blaze meeted Silver and became friends.
- Shadow and Silver left Elise, the scepter of Darkness, and a chaos emerald in the same location, where some tampering and a few tears from Elise could easily trigger Solaris' transformation.
- Speaking of the storyline, the game literally retcons itself at the end. This infuriated players because they had to endure this game for approximately 12 hours, only to be told it was all for nothing.
- Next to no speed in a game franchise that is supposed to be fast-paced and full of fast characters. Even Sonic himself (you know, the fastest thing alive) runs relatively slow compared to the other entries in the series, and the stages where Sonic does run fast are near impossible to control.
- Those sections where Sonic runs fast are the Mach Speed Sections, sections where Sonic moves at lightning speed and must be controlled to avoid the obstacles. The moving controls are inconsistent and oversensitive, Sonic normally moves forward by himself, but when he hits an item box in the air you suddenly need to move the left stick for him to move forward. It is also very difficult to avoid obstacles as the stage throws way too many things at you. Jumping in these sections is also extremely dangerous since it locks Sonic's movement while in the air.
- A lot of puzzles in this game are rather broken and poorly designed. An example is the infamous ball puzzle in the Dusty Desert level where you play as Silver and have to push a ball into a hole at the end of a path while avoiding other holes scattered throughout. Due to the terrible physics and aforementioned controls, it can be really difficult to get the ball in the right hole due to the fact that you can only hit the ball a limited number of times before it explodes, and as mentioned there are also other holes in the ground that both Silver and the ball can fall into. If Silver falls into one of these holes he dies and you lose a life. Also, the metal crates that are blocking the holes don't really help much.
- The bad controls can cause cheap deaths. For example, in the first zone, there is a bridge below an item box which Sonic can get stuck on and die if you aren't moving the left stick after going on the ramp just before the bridge.
- The Skill Gem power-ups were supposed to be timer-based, but due to the game being rushed, the timers are not programmed and never run out, meaning you can use them forever.
- All seven gems themselves are very broken, and they are:
- The blue gem gives you a burst of speed, which can be spammed infinitely to speed through levels.
- The red gem can be used to slow down time. This includes the level timer, making it easier to get high Ranks.
- The green gem creates a tornado around Sonic, damaging everything close to him.
- The white gem allows Sonic to perform a more powerful and controllable Homing Attack.
- The sky blue gem makes Sonic throw a small gem, and wherever it lands, Sonic will zip towards that location. However its range is not unlimited, and it can accidentally launch Sonic off the stage.
- The yellow gem creates a yellow-colored Thunder Shield around Sonic, similar to the lightning/magnetic shield from older games. While it can only take one hit, there is nothing preventing the player from simply making another one right after he gets hit.
- The purple emerald shrinks you down and gives you the ability to fly by mashing the jump button. Because the purple emerald lasts forever, Sonic can skip huge chunks of his levels by jumping infinitely. This makes it the most broken emerald in the game.
- All seven gems themselves are very broken, and they are:
- While not as much as Shadow the Hedgehog, this game tries way too hard to take itself seriously. Some examples include:
- In the Last Story, Sonic gets killed by the main villain (albeit temporarily).
- Crisis City, most notably being horribly out-of-place in Sonic universe due to it's creepy and gritty tone.
- Speaking of Crisis City, the Mach Speed section at the end of the stage is the worse one of the lot; there are so many obstacles that are hard to avoid, plus you to deal with debris being thrown at you from behind as well, with no indication of where if comes from. There are also moments where the camera spins round in front of Sonic, but the controls doesn't change to compensate for this new angle, making it feel disorienting.
- The opening cutscene feels like it could fit more in a Final Fantasy game than in Sonic. Nothing in it feels fitting until Sonic and Dr. Eggman jump in and perform their roles.
- On that topic, the game's art direction received mixed reactions from fans because it combines realistic humans and animals with the cartoony designs of Sonic and his friends. It's very inconsistent, and while it was a running theme in other Sonic games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, and later Sonic Unleashed, those games at least had a cartoony appearance. In this game, however, it is very glaring with its mediocre models and more realistic environments (Crisis City being the worst).
- Eggman's realistic design was heavily panned for being incredibly disturbing and falling straight into the depths of Uncanny Valley. Elise's design was also noted for being too pale and looking like a poor man's version of a character designed by Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts character designer Tetsuya Nomura.
- Constant scripted events and autopilot sections in the levels. Often you can find yourself not pressing any button for over 20 seconds while the game plays itself. (For example, you can beat the Shadow hang gliding sections without even touching a SINGLE button)
- Nothing happens in Sonic's story. All of the important backstories of Princess Elise and Solaris are told in Shadow and Silver's stories. With Sonic (you know, the main character in the entire series), it's just the completely pointless scuffle with Dr. Eggman complete with Elise getting kidnapped FIVE TIMES!
- Despite Mephiles being the main villain of the game, Sonic never meets him once in his story. The only time he does so is in the Last Episode, and Sonic dies about two seconds after.
- Painfully long and frequent loading times. The worst instance of this is when you do a side mission. First, you accept the mission, it loads, then the NPC explains what you must do, and it loads again, you finish the mission, it loads, the NPC praises/criticizes you, it loads. It takes FOUR loading screens to do a sidequest, sometimes the load screens will last longer than the sidequests. What's even worse is that there is a side quest in Shadow's story where you help a G.U.N. soldier, and it has only ONE loading screen. Why can't ALL of the levels be like this?
- It appears the primary reason for all the loading is that the overworld maps are modelled as finite-state machines: in other words, to change anything in a map, the game has to dump everything out of RAM, reload the base state of the map, then apply a state transition to it in order to create a specific state. This method is the most quick-and-dirty method of creating a functional loader, and probably a result of rushed development.
- In the Let's Play of the PS3 version for the Something Awful forums by pokecapn, out of a 20:16:32 full runtime, 2:24:31 was loading screens. This amounts to almost 12% of the total playtime.
- The three main hedgehogs (Sonic, Shadow, and Silver) are buggy due to their controls and odd design choices for their gameplay:
- Sonic's gameplay is alright, but you cannot jump when he uses his spin attack, and the Homing Attack has a slight delay, as well as an odd trajectory. (When used, Sonic flies in a straight line, then suddenly drops).
- Shadow's gameplay is similar to Sonic's, except he lacks the Spin Dash and his Homing Attack is more combat based which is a bit polarizing. He also has some Chaos powers, that while cool, are bland and can sometimes break.
- Silver's gameplay is using his telekinesis. He can grab nearly any object and use it as either a platform or as projectiles to attack enemies. You can even pick up weakened enemies, though you have to stun them at point-blank range. While the overall gameplay is fun, it can get repetitive. Finally, Silver doesn't have a Homing Attack or any other secondary method of defense, being only able to attack with his telekinesis.
- Many playable side characters, but they are rarely used and are just as buggy as the main characters, if not worse. Knuckles and Rouge are arguably the buggiest characters in the game.
- Tails' gameplay is similar to that of Sonic Heroes (when he is on his own). He can fly, but his flight has too much forward momentum and he'll drop like a brick after a while. He can attack enemies with Dummy Ring Bombs, which are slow but effective against enemies. However, they create fake rings upon exploding, and if you take damage, there is no way to tell the difference between real and fake rings. Tails is also agonizingly slow on the ground to the point where one has to wonder how he is able to hover when he is moving that slowly.
- Rouge doesn't use hand-to-hand combat like she did in Sonic Adventure 2. Instead, she uses bombs, similar to Tails.
- For Omega, he only has a pea shooter and homing missiles that sometimes work. His attacks also lack the impact that they had in Sonic Heroes. He also has a hover ability that can be easily exploited by mashing the jump button to skip certain parts of levels.
- Knuckles is slow, has unnaturally heavy gliding, is hard to use, and has terrible combat with questionable hit detection that could make Shadow the Hedgehog blush.
- Amy has gone back to the gameplay style that she had in Sonic Adventure, only much worse than before; terrible ground speed, a delay to her hammer swing, a double jump that kills all mid-air momentum, and she can inexplicably turn invisible for some reason.
- While you do play as three different hedgehogs, there will be times were in a that hedgehogs' story were you will be playing as that other hedgehog, which makes no real sense.
- Sonic's personality shifts from a cool hero with an attitude into a most of the time serious one with no humor. Also, Blaze and Knuckles both act out of character and don't serve any real purpose.
- Elise is by far one of the biggest 'damsel in distress' characters in video game history (surpassing even Princess Peach of the Super Mario Bros. franchise, which is quite the accomplishment), since she gets kidnapped so often, it's ridiculous. She has the power of Iblis inside her, which is extremely powerful yet she almost never uses it (as it only triggers if she sheds a single tear, which in itself is pretty stupid), making her a poor man's version of Jean Grey (only without becoming a strong female lead).
- Both Elise and Silver were poorly received. After Sonic '06, Elise (so far) has never been seen in any future Sonic games. Silver, on the other hand, had gained more popularity than Elise, becoming a side character in the franchise, and appearing in minor roles like the two Sonic Rivals games, the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series, Sonic Riders, Sonic Generations, Sonic Forces and Team Sonic Racing. Silver usually gives people Sonic '06 flashbacks, which might be why he doesn't appear often.
- The NPCs look like uglier versions of the character models in GTA: San Andreas and they also have Sonic Adventure level animations. Also, they have fewer models compared to San Andreas, making NPC clumping a very common phenomenon.
- An absolutely inappropriate romance scene between Elise and Sonic that was criticized for implications of bestiality. The scene where Elise kisses Sonic on the lips is one of the most infamous and despised moments in the entire franchise. To make matters worse, Sonic is dead in said scene.
- The game was so rushed, the manual lists items and features that aren't even in the game and half of the achievements have grammatical errors.
- You can't even jump on enemies to defeat them. You know, one of the most classic features in the entire franchise!
- Shadow's vehicles control poorly.
- In Shadow's Kingdom Valley level, Rouge tells you that you need 3 keys to open a door, similar to the hunting stages in the Adventure games. Only this time, you don't have a radar to help you find them and there are no hints, leaving you completely blind when looking for these keys.
- Most of the boss fights are poorly designed, with the two most infamous ones being Silver and Iblis' second phase. Silver can grab and throw you into a wall while saying his most infamous quotes: 'It's no use!' followed by 'Take this!' or 'This will end it!' along with 'How about this!?' in another form (when he throwing objects at you). This boss fight is also infamous due to a glitch where he can repeatedly throw you against a wall, without giving you any time to recover. When this happens, you keep unintentionally picking up at least 1 ring, so you're left stuck in an endless loop. Iblis' second phase is not as bad as Silver, but it is also infamous for being little more than a waiting game. You have fight both bosses twice, once with Sonic, and again with Shadow.
- Cheap enemy placements that give several enemies a chance to pop up out of nowhere and ambush you.
- The tenth and final stage (The End Of The World) is one of the worst levels in the game, and one of the worst final levels in the entire franchise. It's painfully long, has 7 separate loading screens that each lasting over 20 seconds, doesn't let you play as Sonic or Blaze (they are already dead in this segment keep in mind), forces players to deal with every other character's problems at once, is filled with poorly placed wormholes that are instant kills and starts you off with 6 lives. It's difficult to get more and if you get a Game Over, you have to do the whole level all over again!
- No automatic saving. For example, if you forget to save manually and get a game over on the first level, you have to start the whole game all over again from the opening cutscene as demonstrated by James Rolfe.
- The only upside to this is that unlike another game that relies on manual saves, this game at least prompts players to save after finishing a level.
- When you get hit, your character's model can disappear for a few seconds.
- The hub world is so big that it's way too easy to get lost in because set-pieces are nonexistent and everything looks the same.
- It is also unnecessary for a hub world, as it serves no purposes other than being a free place where the characters can talk to people, play missions, and buy upgrades. You can't even replay any levels that were introduced in that hub world. This is unlike Sonic Adventure, where you can actually replay the levels and can get upgrades in the levels or hub.
- The forest hub area is also unnecessarily large, spacious and empty. In Somecallmejohnny's review of the game, he stated that it's even worse than Hyrule Field from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
- The PS3 version really didn't get anything exclusive like the Xbox 360 version.
- The Xbox 360 version got the Team Attack Amigo, the Very Hard Missions DLC for both characters & boss attacks DLC for both characters, while the PS3 version only has the Very Hard DLC in North America. Sadly, other DLC's for PS3 was only released in Europe and Asia.
- Background themes based on the game were released for the Xbox 360, but not the PS3.
- The PS3 version is slightly inferior than the Xbox 360 version despite having extra development time since it has slightly longer load times (25 seconds while the Xbox 360 version loads in 20 seconds) and has worse framerate than the 360 version. There's also no way to install the game onto the hard drive to reduce those problems.
- You collect medals that are similar to the emblems in previous 3D Sonic games, only this time you get absolutely nothing when you get them all. All you can get from them is an achievement in the 360 version.
- The game has a co-op mode where two players can race each other towards the end of a level of their choice, but it's extremely unbalanced because Sonic is much faster than Shadow and Silver. Silver is too slow, but he can freeze the other player infinitely, which allows the Silver player to curb-stomp the other player.
- Putting aside the glitches and poor controls, the game is still full of bad design choices and unneeded content that took away development time that could've been used to polish the thing.
- The achievements are poorly written because they don't offer enough information on their requirements and have improper grammar. For example, to unlock the Blue Phantom achievement, you have to get all of the Skill Gems as Sonic. The description says 'Super Sonic: Obtain the all moves'.
- While soundtrack is awesome, it just wastes the talents of Ali Tabatabaee and Matty Lewis from Zebrahead, the entire Zebrahead band, Bentley Jones (at the time he uses Lee Brotherton name) and (most notably) Akon (yes, that Akon).
Redeeming Qualities
- Awesome music, especially the main theme, 'His World', probably one of the best video game themes ever made, and Silver's theme, 'Dreams of an Absolution'.
- Shadow's portrayal in this game is an improvement over the last few games.
- Compared to the other characters' levels, Blaze's are more polished, less glitchy, and has actual speedy gameplay (to which Game Grumps labelled her as 'Fast Sonic') and surprisingly cool moves (she is still broken though).
- Despite not aging well, the graphics look very nice (even though it look way too realistic and out-of-place).
- Most of the voice acting is good. Especially Jason Griffith as Sonic and Shadow, Mike Pollock as Dr. Eggman, Amy Palant as Tails, Dan Green as Knuckles and Mephiles, and Erica Schroeder as Blaze.
- While still bland and forgettable, Elise's backstory is extremely touching.
- There still are few good bosses here and there. The Egg Wyvern boss is a nice call back to the Egg Viper boss from Sonic Adventure.
- The game has a lot of callbacks to Sonic Adventure.
- The story does have funny moments here and there: the possibly unintentionally hilarious scene where Shadow uses the power of Chaos Control to kick Silver in the back of the head being a stand-out example, along with the revelation that Eggman has robot glasses that always know where the Chaos Emeralds are.
- Some glitches in this game are fun to use; especially the floating box glitch.
- Had Sega given the Sonic Team more time, this could've been on the Awesome Games Wiki. (even though it can be still didn't aged well)
- Like Sonic Adventure 2, SnapCube's fandub made this game popular for a little bit, while introducing more memes, such as Ke$ha: Die Young (marching band arrangement), 'Ha ha, ha ONE!', 'Tilted Towers', 'Speak for yourself, motherfucker!', and 'Downloading Weed.exe'.
Reception And Impact
The game at first was hyped and had fans with very high hopes, with most of them expecting it to repair the damage Shadow the Hedgehog had done to the franchise. Under pressure from the Christmas rush and because of the PS3 launching, the game was released as a nigh-unplayable beta build with little testing and as a result, it was heavily panned both by critics and fans alike, often averaging around 40%.
The game is often considered the point the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise hit rock bottom. As mentioned above, the game is widely considered to be one of the worst games of all time and was regarded as the worst Sonic game for a long time, until Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric dethroned it. Adding insult to injury, in essence, this game was the closest there would ever be to a 'Sonic Adventure 3', and because of that, it is unlikely that Sega will ever make another Sonic game following the 'Adventure' formula (so far).
A large number of fans gave up on the Sonic franchise believing it to be dead after this game. On the other hand others believe this game to be a necessary evil, as at the time the franchise was filled with awkward experiments like Shadow the Hedgehog, and following this game Sonic slowly began to get back on track with games like Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, at least until Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric happened, which is also considered one of the worst in the entire Sonic series of all time. There is frequent debate over which game is worse, this or Rise of Lyric.
Somecallmejohnny played the game a lot of times, and he said that he did enjoy the game a bit. He even said that it's even more enjoyable than Shadow the Hedgehog.
A fan project is aiming to develop a build of the game for PC with all (or at least a significant number of) the gameplay problems and bugs fixed. ChaosX was released the Sonic the Hedgehog P-06 demo (Project 06) on April 19th, 2019 then it earned biggest attention by everyone and journalists, the video was received 3k likes within one week.
Sega delisted the game from retailers in 2010, following its decision to remove all Sonic games with below-average Metacritic scores in order to increase the value of the brand. Since the game was poorly received by critics and fans, the game was removed from the Xbox Marketplace, and the PlayStation Store. Only the DLC remains in the stores.
Trivia
- There are glitches that let you skip some of the more frustrating parts such as the infamous Silver ball puzzle or the treasure hunting part in Shadow's Kingdom Valley.
Videos
Comments
Mickey Mouse
Score 1
This was when the world knew, Mario is better than Sonic (I like both, it was a joke)
Jeff35122
Score 1
In terms of gameplay, Mario is superior. But in terms of character, and writing for characters and plots, Sonic usually takes the cake. I guess you could say that are great in their own ways.
S012891
Score 0
Pinky Malinky
Score 3
EnnardTrap1987
Score 1
GamingSAUCE27
Score 1
SpazJR61
Score 2
EnnardTrap1987
Score 2
I mean, i'm aware why this game was created in the first place (Because of Sonic's 16th anniversary) but still, They could've done it earlier. The reason they didn't was possibly because they had different plans or because they were too busy on Shadow the Hedgehog.Idk
Declan Kearns
Score 2
If it was Sonic Boom or this: I would rather play Sonic Boom everyday for the rest of my life.
SpazJR61
Score 0
Animdude64
Score 3
I remember playing this game when I was very very little. 7 to be exact, I saw the cover of the game and it made me think it was gonna be good like any Xbox game I would play! However, my expectations got thrown out the window. I spent an entire day, playing this foul piece of Maher shit! I've encountered a lot of problems with it! The Silver levels started to heated me up! As soon as I progressed a bit more, more problems were made and I tried solving it with all my gaming knowledge and nothing helped! I spent the whole day yelling at the TV, banging the arm rest on the couch, my body temperature was overheating, and my whole skin was red! I was pissed off to the core! It was beyond my boiling point capacity and I stormed outside the house, furious and exploded all of my rage out like Alex Jones ripping his shirt off over Hillary! To this very day, I'm still scarred from that game and I will never play it ever again! Not after all the misery the game put me through. In conclusion, this pathetic rushed piece of trash of a Sonic game will forever be the worst video game I have ever played!
Se
Score 1
You’re probably satisfied of The Angry Video Game Nerd whipping that cartridge.
TC2000
Score 2
Mickey Mouse
Score 1
Sonic The Hedgehog Game Playing Youtube
KurisuTanoshidesu
Score 3
I actually like '06 in sort of a stockholm syndrome/guilty pleasure kind of way, but I can tell you upright that I'm really excited for P.06 to be finished.
SpazJR61
Score 1
Even the remake cannot save the game's reputation either.
Because it not only almost killed the series, it destroyed Sega's reputation further.S012891
Score 0
Okay, I know what you mean. What about the Legacy Of Solaris mod on the Xenia Emulator? I know it won’t save the reputation but does that fixes some of the problems.
Gene0129
Score 2
TearOfGrace after seeing a glitch: 'THI..THIS WAS PROFESSIONALLY MADE!!!!'
Everyone Else: 'No it wasn't'.S012891
Score -3
Aw, come guys. You all being to harass. I love this franchise since I was I kid I barely looked on to other media and I only did just for the sake for entertainment. Why can’t they just gave them some other opportunity in the future that can at least save this!
Glitchmaster
Score 2
SpazJR61
Score 2
This game is not only almost killed the franchise, it destroyed franchise's and Sega's reputation as well. Plus criticism is not harrasment.
Since I cannot trust this franchise anymore since Sega milked Sonic to the death.S012891
Score -3
I can’t believe this. I don’t understand. It’s been 13 years even since came out and everyone on the Internet is somewhat still complaining about how bad this game is. I know it’s fine to give this game criticism but this destroyed nearly destroyed Sonic’s reputation because of the mistake the developers and publishers did and that is released for the 15th Anniversary and that it declined in quality again because of Sonic Boom: Rise of the Lyric even though it’s not an Anniversary? There’s at least gotta be something if you know what I mean.
S012891
Score -3
Of course that you know that just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s good.
Hinami
Score 3
It's karma. Remember what happenned to Wonder Boy/Alex Kidd? That's all Sonic's fault. :P
S012891
Score -4
SpazJR61
Score 3
Technically, that's all Sega's fault because they milked Sonic The Hedgehog to the death.
As a result, it killed all of the Sega's other IP's.SpazJR61
Score 2
S012891
Score -2
S012891
Score -3
I didn’t know that. But it was a mistake and they do admit it was a disaster. And it was a mistake but it was 13 years ago and everybody won’t stop complaining how bad it is even though it was released 13 years ago. All they are doing is to bring back some more attraction.
S012891
Score -3
No you guys are disliking me because of how I said how said dog how this drops quality . I’m tired of you guys saying bad things about Sonic now despite that this is a mistake and they admit it was a disaster.
SpazJR61
Score 2
We're talking about true and we're not toxic Sonic haters.Even though they admitted, but they didn't learn anything.
See Sonic Forces for an example. Also they almost ruined Sonic Mania by the way.Glitchmaster
Score 2
Didn't Smilebit,Hitmaker, and Wow Entertainment died years before this game?
S012891
Score -3
But didn’t Sega admit that this game is a disaster?
Glitchmaster
Score 2
S012891
Score -3
Then that means that Sega does take criticism occasionally. Which is good because unlike bad companies who make bad games who don’t take criticism take immediate backlash and this is better.
This game is released nearly 13 years ago and the internet is now saying that why Sonic is never good or why it’s awful now. And that’s is pretty insulting.S012891
Score -3
SpazJR61
Score 4
Because they are toxic Sonic haters. 'Sonic is never good' quote is nothing more than a stupid excuse.
S012891
Score -3
That answer actually made me feel much better now. I loved Sonic when I was little and it made me realize that Sonic isn’t entirely bad as many people said it is when there is plenty of other good media in the franchise.
S012891
Score -3
Alright. So Sega has been milking Sonic and many people are getting tired because of it but there is some other media that is good. If you guys don’t like it the fine.
S012891
Score 0
You know what. Never mind. I’m sorry for trying to be too defensive over this franchise. I’m not trying to subject that this isn’t bad. It’s your subjective.
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