For all its ups and downs, Sonic the Hedgehog has persisted as Sega’s most famous and most popular franchise for over 30 years. While it’s easy to focus on and poke fun at the blue blur’s more embarrassing moments, he’s starred in plenty of solid, if not amazing video games, which the majority of fans can agree stand among his best.
As Dot Esports’ resident Sonic the Hedgehog expert, I’ve compiled what I consider to be the 10 highlights of the franchise, based not just on my own experiences but those of the wider Sonic fan base. If you’ve never played a Sonic game before and are looking to get your feet wet, then these 10 are easy recommendations.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
You could probably swap this out for the first Sonic the Hedgehog game for the Sega Genesis since that was how Sega’s spiky mascot got his start. As its sequel, however, 1992’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 simply took everything that worked from its predecessor and made it better. It may lack the iconic Green Hill Zone, but the rest of its levels are far more memorable and fun to speed through. Plus, it marked the debut of Sonic’s best friend and sidekick Tails, the ultimate player two character for younger siblings worldwide.
Sonic the Hedgehog CD
Sonic CD has a greater emphasis on platforming and exploration compared to Sonic 2, meaning you often need to slow down which seems antithetical to what Sonic‘s about. Yet some will say this is the best classic 2D entry thanks to its presentation, soundtrack, and unique time travel mechanics which see you explore past and future versions of the levels, offering plenty of replayability. Arguments about whether the Japanese or American soundtrack is better persist to this day, but modern re-releases make the issue moot by including both.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Separately, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and its direct follow-up Sonic & Knuckles are stand-out entries that could take up two spots on the list. When combined as a single game (as they were originally meant to be), you have what be the most content rich entry from the Sega Genesis era. With 12 zones split across two acts each, multiple special stages, three playable characters (with Tails and Knuckles boasting unique abilities), new super forms, and some of the most revered and iconic boss fights in the series, it’s no wonder many consider this the best Sonic game ever made.
Sonic Adventure
Plenty of critics say Sonic‘s transition from 2D to 3D was a rough one but, despite the stigma later 3D entries would receive, Sega and Sonic Team’s first stab at it was rather successful. The series’ fast-paced style of gameplay (mostly) translated well into 3D, with Sonic receiving two new techniques that would become mainstays of later games, the Homing Attack and the Light Speed Dash. In addition, Sonic Adventure features an interconnected storyline spanning six campaigns, with each playable character having their own playstyle and gimmicks (some admittedly far better than others—there’s no defending Big the Cat’s fishing segments). It’s not perfect, but its strengths easily outweigh its faults.
Sonic Colors
After years of 3D games that ranged from mediocre to awful, Sonic Colors came along and managed to please not just fans but most critics too, marking something of a new era for the franchise. The boost formula, combining 2D and 3D gameplay, was refined from its predecessor Sonic Unleashed (albeit with the awkward werehog beat ’em up sections excised out) and bolstered by the Wisp power-ups that offered new methods of level progression without feeling too awkward or intrusive. While this section is about the Nintendo Wii version, the DS version was just as good, possibly even slightly better, by being a spiritual sequel to the handheld 2D Sonic Rush games.
Sonic Generations
Made to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the franchise, Sonic Generations succeeds at feeling like a celebration of almost everything that came before. Levels and boss fights from past games are successfully re-imagined in both 2D and 3D as Sonic teams up with his past self to save his friends and all of time. It’s also filled with fun fan service, including unlockable music from across the series which you can play on any level. Frankly, it’s biggest sin is that it’s too short. Just like Colors, Generations saw a handheld version too, complete with its own unique collection of levels not seen in the console version.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic has fittingly starred in several racing games, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is easily the best of the bunch. It may not quite overtake Mario Kart, but it forges its own take on the mascot kart racer genre, and is a fun and thrilling choice for multiplayer sessions.
Its gimmick of the race courses routinely changing every lap and your kart switching between boat and plane forms to accommodate is a treat both visually and mechanically. The robust single-player arcade options are so meaty you don’t even need to touch the multiplayer if you don’t want to. Developer Sumo Digital came back for the more recent Team Sonic Racing, and while that’s a decent game in its own right, it doesn’t quite hit the same high as All-Stars Racing Transformed.
Sonic Mania
Released as part of the franchise’s 25th anniversary celebrations, Sonic Mania was unanimously well-received across the board by being a deliberate throwback to the original Genesis games, both mechanically and visually. While it relies a bit too heavily on nostalgia at times, it has its fair share of original ideas and levels, and is simply brimming with love and passion for the series.
The Sonic Mania Plus update even brought back Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel as playable characters, both of whom hadn’t been seen in decades. Its success may have resurrected the classic era for good considering it saw a successor in Sonic Superstars.
Sonic Frontiers
Sonic Frontiers is probably the most polarizing entry on this list since some people really do not care for it. When you look at the mostly positive critical reception and sales figures, though, it’s clear that Sega’s ambitious new vision for Sonic has paid off.
It’s hard to ignore some of the janky physics and the traditional Cyber Space levels are a mixed bag, but Sonic thrives in the open-world environments, completing bite-sized speed challenges and puzzles. Plus, how can anyone not fall in love with the Super Sonic boss fights against the towering Titans, which run on pure spectacle and boast earworm rock tracks. It’ll be hard for the next game to top boss fights like these.
Sonic Dream Team
Hardlight already cut its teeth on perfectly decent mobile titles like Sonic Dash but after Sonic Dream Team, maybe it should be allowed to develop mainline console entries too.
Dream Team manages to avert most, if not all of the pitfalls of mobile gaming, offering a traditional 3D platformer experience with superb level design that encourages going fast while still exploring multiple paths, accompanied by delightfully bright and cartoony visuals. And all without any microtransactions or gacha mechanics. Honestly, its biggest faults are its short length and overly simple narrative, but it says a lot about a game’s quality when players wish there was more of it. All in all, it’s almost worth getting an Apple Arcade subscription just to play this.
