Gamerrob’s Top 5 Sonic the Hedgehog Games

Having bothered to get a Wii U just to play Sonic Lost World and the reversely compatible Sonic and the Black Knight, I am no stranger to the franchise, and could even be considered a fan of the speedy hedgehog. So, since I’m sick of reviewing sub-par movies and “hardcore” games (Watch_Dogs review incoming), this will be a fun one-off entry where I can discuss my feelings on what I believe to be Sonic’s top 5 gaming adventures.

5.) Sonic Lost World (Wii U)

Sure, it wasn’t traditional speedy Sonic fair, but it was a mechanically sound game that got a lot of shit for no reason. The controls were tight, the levels had solid difficulty curves, and most of the complaints stemmed from people not willing to learn the basic mechanics. It’s underrated and under-loved, and deserves some attention here.

4.) Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii)

Maybe not the most secure control scheme given the Wii Remote’s initial flaky nature, but the environments were among the best in the entire series, the sheer quantity of content astounding and the sundry assortment of modes and unlockables was second to none. This game could keep you playing for months if you adjusted to the control scheme. Not to mention the speed felt much more gratifying than any other modern Sonic game.

3.) Sonic 3 and Knuckles (Genesis, bitches!)

Three playable characters, all with the same basic ingredients but with mildly different flavors. Not to mention SEGA’s feat in successfully handling the seemingly quixotic ambition of pairing two separate games into one via cartridge-lock. The levels were top notch, the special stages had the perfect difficulty, and the multi-tiered final boss felt satisfying beyond compare.

2.) Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS)

Some handheld gems never get proper notice, Rush being one of them. Introducing the boost mechanic and emulating Sonic 3 and Knuckles in the best of ways (a slightly different alternate character and amaaaaazing end-game content) made this the proper continuation and evolution of 2D Sonic that the fans had been clamoring for.

1.) Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360)

This felt like Sonic Team’s last hurrah, when they didn’t know whether they’d get the funds to make another title in the series. It featured the best production values, absolutely gorgeous locales and above all else, the revolutionary 3D boost gameplay that changed how gamers thought about Sonic the Hedgehog as a character. This game redefined speed as a whole. While it certainly has more faults than any of the other titles on this list, its successes are so astounding that it deserves the top spot by far.