Sonic the Hedgehog franchise discussion

[Sonikkumania]

Discussion about the one and only Sega's blue blur. 

 

What is your fav and hated Sonic game? Do you enjoy any other material, like the 1997 Sonic OVA or Sonic Live in Sydney? Do you have a recolored totally original fan character?

 

Has anyone played Frontiers yet? I think it looks cool. Wasn't expecting much but the reviews speak for themselves. 

[MrFroz]

I have probably played more some of the PS2 games than the ones for the SEGA consoles. One of the very first games I played for the PS2 was Shadow the Hedgehog which seemed really cool to me, although I have yet to play it again to see if it was really as good as I remember. I have more clear memories of Sonic Heroes which I definitely spent more time playing, and which I think was very solid for the time. I haven't played Frontiers yet, because I need to upgrade my graphics card for that since I read that the recommended specs for it include having a GFX card with ~8 GB of VRAM, and mine has only got about 1/4th that amount. Apparently I still can run the game on minimum specs, but its usually a drag to play modern games on the lowest graphical settings.

Edited November 19, 2022 by MrFroz

[Sonikkumania]

I See @MrFroz, I'll propably just get it for Xbox One. No need to worry about PC specs because my pos can't run it either, lol.

 

The 1st Sonic game that got me into the series was Sonic CD. Even though I'm somewhat a fan, I admit that the series quality is questionable and sometimes hard to like. 

[Mr. Freeze]

I played the Genesis games like any 90's kid did. I was super into Sonic in the early to mid 2000s, until the unholy trifecta of Heroes, 2006 and Unleashed drove me away from the franchise. In the years since, it appears I haven't missed much lol 

 

Also I can't believe Sega actually hired This Man. 

[Sonikkumania]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Freeze said:

In the years since, it appears I haven't missed much lol 

Also I can't believe Sega actually hired This Man. 

Sonic Colors, Generations, Lost World, Racing Transformed, Mania plus few other mobile titles were all good. Try them if they're on discount. Who is this man Btw? 

[SilentD00mer]

My first Sonic game was Sonic 3, but my favorite is always Sonic 2 and it was the first one I finished. I don't like the 3D Sonic games so much tbh, they doesn't look a Sonic game to me.

 

EDIT: yeah, my image of what a good Sonic game is very limited, I guess :/   I truly prefer the 2D platform games of the franchise

[Sonikkumania]

28 minutes ago, SilentD00mer said:

My first Sonic game was Sonic 3, but my favorite is always Sonic 2 and it was the first one I finished. I don't like the 3D Sonic games so much tbh, they doesn't look a Sonic game to me.

 

EDIT: yeah, my image of what a good Sonic game is very limited, I guess :/   I truly prefer the 2D platform games of the franchise

That's fine. Have You ever tried Sonic Advance games since they're 2D? Also Sonic Mania. And Sonic 4...

[Liberation]

I had sonic built into the Sega Master system I had as a nipper, played the mega drive versions tons during the 90's as well. But that's about it really, not been drawn to the franchise since the 90's, nor watched the films.

 

I remember liking Sonic 2 a lot.

[SilentD00mer]

25 minutes ago, Sonikkumania said:

That's fine. Have You ever tried Sonic Advance games since they're 2D? Also Sonic Mania. And Sonic 4...

Yeah. It's just that Sonic 2 is my favorite, even if its design is not so good as the other games.

My problem with the 3D titles is that they miss something that 2D titles have. It seems like SEGA doesn't know how to port the essence of the game to the 3D versions.

Edited November 19, 2022 by SilentD00mer

[SuyaSSS]

I never owned any consoles so I got into the Sonic franchise through the mobile ports of Sonic 2. Then I mostly played sonic fangames or romhacks on my computer, I played a lot of fangames and romhacks (like Before the Sequel, Metal Overdrive and stuff from SAGE) which is where most of my time playing sonic went. Hell, I even discovered Doom through SRB2. I play the original games and Adventure 1 through emulators but lately, I started using modified ports (like Angel Island Revisited for Sonic 3 & Knuckles). I still play Sonic 3 and some fangames occasionally. 

[Sonikkumania]

4 minutes ago, SilentD00mer said:

t's seems like SEGA doesn't know how to port the essence of the game to the 3D versions.

The problem with Sega and Sonic Team is that they have some weird need to reinvent the wheel with Sonic games. They always try to come up with some gimmick and base the game around that. Experimenting is good but in Sonic Team's case it's been usually a Miss instead of Hit. 

 

We'll see which direction the game series take after Frontiers. 

[Sonikkumania]

7 minutes ago, SuyaSS said:

I never owned any consoles so I got into the Sonic franchise through the mobile ports of Sonic 2. Then I mostly played sonic fangames or romhacks on my computer, I played a lot of fangames and romhacks (like Before the Sequel, Metal Overdrive and stuff from SAGE) which is where most of my time playing sonic went. Hell, I even discovered Doom through SRB2. I play the original games and Adventure 1 through emulators but lately, I started using modified ports (like Angel Island Revisited for Sonic 3 & Knuckles). I still play Sonic 3 and some fangames occasionally. 

AIR is a dream come true. Classic Sonic Heroes is also a good hack. 

[SuyaSSS]

25 minutes ago, Sonikkumania said:

And Sonic 4...

Don't speak of the forbidden title.

[Sonikkumania]

Just now, SuyaSS said:

Don't speak of the forbidden title.

And to think how there were hype... 

[unerxai]

I was excited when I read about the HD remakes of the classics, because the main issue for me with the Genesis titles is the low field of view. But then I started reading about all the bugs and stuff.

 

My favorite one is probably the CD Remaster, beucase of the awesome "double" soundtrack. I don't have a problem with its level design.

[Redneckerz]

 

[Sonikkumania]

17 minutes ago, unerxai said:

 favorite one is probably the CD Remaster, beucase of the awesome "double" soundtrack. I don't have a problem with its level design.

I think Sonic CD is a great game. It's unique, Has a Wonderful soundtrack and Art style and debuts 2 New characters, Amy and Metal Sonic. 

 

One of the Best classic Sonic games. 

[Sonikkumania]

@Redneckerz lmao that was gold. 

[Mr. Freeze]

2 hours ago, Sonikkumania said:

Who is this man Btw? 

 

It's a riff on people saying "Why doesn't [Company X] hire this man?" when people would post videos of Mario or Sonic in the Unreal engine among a super realistic landscape that clashed with the cartoony character. 

[mrthejoshmon]

I like the old 2D games but Jesus H I suck at them, the closest I've gotten is only 5 Chaos Emeralds in 2, I've "completed" them but never actually got the proper ending due to a lack of Emeralds.

 

My favourite is probably 2 to be honest, the music for 2 and 3 are however absolutely incredible and both stand tall on their own merits (making it hard to pick a favourite). I've given Mania a shot but like the others it kicks my ass.

 

The 3D entries however are, in my humble opinion, unplayable garbage. I haven't played Adventure so maybe they're ok but I have been subjected to 2006, Heros, Free Riders, Forces and Shadow The Hedgehog (which is possibly one of the funniest bad games I have ever played, 06 has the jank-fest factor but Shadow on a motorbike holding an MP5 will always be hilarious).

 

I have played a couple spin offs too like 3D Blast, Pinball and other atrocities found on the Mega collection Plus CD, Sonic really had it rough.

[hybridial]

The original game was one of the first two games I ever owned, the other being Streets of Rage 2. Later I got Sonic & Knuckles but I never really played Sonic 2 or 3 back then. 

 

I saw some episodes of the Princess Sally cartoon, it was pretty good. Jim Cummings is the only actor who ever made Robotnik threatening. 

 

Since? I played Sonic Origins, it was okay. I played Sonic Mania. It's about as good a retro revival for the series could be. Nothing else post 2D looked worth the time and that includes Frontier. 

[Azuris]

3 hours ago, mrthejoshmon said:

 3D Blast

 

3D Blast is actually my favourite Sonic Game, especially nowadays with a Stick that makes it easy to Control in that perspective.
Played it first on the Switch with that Megadrive Collection, the Directors Cut Version is very recomandable, as it adds Save Games and works on OG Hardware or FPGA of your choice, so you don't are so dependend on Save States ;)

 

[heliumlamb]

Spoiler

snooping as usual, i see?

i HATE hating that needle mouse! i knew of the character for years before knowing there were games, only had an NES until around 2000, but i still have a sonic plush from 27 years ago. i didn't even know sega made consoles, for the longest time, they were just an arcade game company as far as i knew. we had a gameworks nearby, and of course one of Service Games' arcades in the west would not be without their first good mascot all over!

my first time playing any sonic game was on a demo kiosk, with sonic adventure 2 battle. 3D sonic has always been a mixed bag ranging from "silly mess" to "unfortunate mess", especially across all three sonic adventures (there are three sonic adventures according to dialectical hedgehogism, one of them just doesn't have a chao garden). none of the 3d sonic games are unenjoyable to the point of inciting a seething dislike (some might say hatred) within me. (has not played rise of lyric, forces, frontiers or ps3/360 unleashed)

mega collection on the gamecube was my first experience seeing the 2D games, outside of screenshots or the only time i had ever seen (someone else's) game gear back in the day. the way proper 2d sonic handles both momentum, velocity and gravity is peak needlemouse behavior. not much else like it. i went from aware of that hedgehog to completely obsessed with it in a matter of weeks after finally getting my dumb hands on some 2d sonic. a few years later when i became ashamed of the fact that i ever enjoyed a sonic game, but once i entered my 20s I Learned To Stop Caring And Embrace My Cringe. since then, every time i draw i feel morally obligated to draw sonic and friends in various states of messed up as a warm-up. (i'll gather my scans/phone pics after i get around to inking the set from 2 days ago :^3c)

sonic mania and/or sonic 3 & knuckles are the best of Needle Mouse.

i was about to say that Jurrasic Boy 2 is my least favorite sonic game (aayyyyyyyy), but this thread ended up reminding me that sonic 4 episode one exists.... (improper 2d sonic)

sonic ova and sonic x are <3<3<3
but Jaleel White will always be the best voice of the needle mouse in any language.

blaze the cat, rouge the bat and honey the cat are the best Official OCs.

this post has been powered by Peach Rings G FUEL because im a major caffeine addict (not sponsored)

[Mr. Freeze]

8 minutes ago, heliumlamb said:

  Reveal hidden contents

snooping as usual, i see?

but Jaleel White will always be the best voice of the needle mouse in any language.

 

Now that's a hot take. Ryan Drummond will always be my favorite. 

[Sonikkumania]

7 hours ago, Azuris said:

 

3D Blast is actually my favourite Sonic Game, especially nowadays with a Stick that makes it easy to Control in that perspective.
Played it first on the Switch with that Megadrive Collection, the Directors Cut Version is very recomandable, as it adds Save Games and works on OG Hardware or FPGA of your choice, so you don't are so dependend on Save States ;)

 

In that case I should give it another chance. 

[TasAcri]

For me Sonic ended after it's peak, Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

 

Sonic 3D Blast was OK but that's it. And Sonic Mania is good as well, though it's more like a side/fan project in my eyes.

 

After Sonic Adventure i can't stomach the franchise. The physics are always wonky, the code is always janky and the voice acting and focus on story and a million different characters make me cringe.

 

Best Sonic you can play IMO is Sonic A.I.R, a fanmade port of Sonic & Knuckles on PC that supports widescreen, has a slightly higher quality soundtrack that doesn't mute sfx channels and a ton of other little additions/options.

[Sonikkumania]

3 hours ago, TasAcri said:

After Sonic Adventure i can't stomach the franchise. The physics are always wonky, the code is always janky and the voice acting and focus on story and a million different characters make me cringe.

Ikr. The 3D Sonic games have a nasty reputation. This is what I mean when I posted that the series is sometimes hard to like. So many weird decisions, so many cringe issues. I usually prefer to keep the JP voice acting enabled because that feels atleast somewhat ideal. And speaking of which I prefer Junichi Kanemaru's voice acting with Ryan Drummond taking silver (the hedgehog) medal. 

[taufan99]

Sonic Robo Blast 2 best Sonic fangame. No debate at all.

[Sonikkumania]

Cybershell's Take on Frontiers:

 

[MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai]

I realy like the classic genesis trilogy plus CD and also the Adventure series, though it´s such a shame that Sonic 06 which was kind of a spiritural succesor to Adventure, sucked so baaaad.

 

Also dont let the likes of Eg*raptor sour your taste for Adventure series. Apart from his absolute inability to play the fucking games he talks about he always plays the shitty unmoded pc ports which need a lot of fanpatches and fixes to make them as close to the Dreamcast titles as possible.