Sonic the Hedgehog: The Legacy

[Scarecrow]

The old Sonic thread was an interesting place and it's about time it returned to its home, here. Always loved the Sonic games and I think the best are probably Sonic 3 & Knuckles (together, of course), Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 whilst Shadow the Hedgehog is pretty badass.


- Scarecrow

[Deathscythe]

I love the ice level in Sonic 3, but Sonic 2 is my overall favorite.

[FinalBeyond]

I think the one thing that the first two games had over Sonic 3, which from a spriting perspective was just beautiful, was the music. I'd take Dreams Come True over Michael Jackson's team anyday. The music Nakamura used just gave all the levels such an amazing atmosphere.

The Sonic series is probably the best one ever. Always playable, never aging. It's as fantastic today as it was in 1991. And the efforts of the Sonic Hacking scene means we get a swarm of amazing spinoffs, like Sonic 1 Megamix.

As for the later games, such as the Adventures, Heroes, Advance 1, Rivals and Shadow, I think they're fantastic. Not quite as good as the Genesis ones, but far better than they're painted.
That said, Advance 2 and 3, and Rush, are pretty awful, and don't really capture the exploration aspect of the earlier games. Way, way too linear.

[Rich]

I hated Sonic 2. That game always sucked to me. I loved Sonic 1, 3, Chaos, Sonic & Knockles, and Sonic Adventure. Those are all classics. I haven't played the new Sonic Heroes or Shadow the Hedghog yet.

[Sketch Sanchez]

Sonic team needs to stop making Sonic games. Most of the original team isnt even there anymore, and the games continue to get worse and worse. I hope Bioware does a good job on the Sonic RPG, after that I'd like to see other developers take a crack at the franchise, finally bring it back to some respectability. Weather you like them or not, its cool if you still do, to the gaming world at large, SOnic is a big fat joke and thats a shame to see such an icon, one that game Mario a run for his money, in such a sad state.

Sonic 1 is my favorite SOnic game, even though I see it's inferior to other versions, it will always be my favorite.

SOnic CD is my number 2, followed by SOnic 2 because it introduced me to Tails and has some great music (not as good as part 1, but I still love it). SOnic 3 and SOnic & Knuckles didnt grab me as much as others, however I do have fond memories of me and my best friend playing through SOnic 3 & Knuckles everyday after school with him as SOnic and me as Tails.

Sonic spinball is what it is, Sonic 3d Blast is horrible and you feel like you're running on ice. My friend loves it for some reason.

The game gear sonic games were grerat at the time, if you were a young Sonic nut, you took what you could get and Sonic on the go was heaven.

SO SOnic vanishes for a while, the SOnic X-treme game is canceled, so I was mega-Hyped for SOnic Adventure and for the most part it lived up to it. I look back on it fondly, pure nostalgia reasons, i'm afraid if I go back I'd probably hate it because everything I hate about the new games are most likely worse in that one. I enjoyed the SOnic and Shadow portions of Sonic Adventure 2, thats about it.

Sonic Heroes was whatever, I dont think it's a great game but it's not horrid. I could at least play through it, but at that point I, and SOnic team, were just going through the motions.

Shadow was a piece of trash, the camera is worse, the deaths are cheaper, I dont think I've ever been as angry with a SOnic game as I am with thisone. DOnt get me wrong, it's not broken, it's no Drake and the 99 dragons, but it's still a polished turd. At this point I've sworn off Sonic games for the first time in years and unless its by another developer, I'm not coming back.

[The Dream Master]

I always thought it was cool how you could plug Sonic 2 and 3 into the Sonic and Knuckles cartridge. To this day, I still can't figure out how that worked. It was 16-Bit magic, I tell you.

[Violent VictiM]

16-bit magic. :lmao:

Yea, Sonic definitely owns some faces. The second one will always get my vote, followed closely by the original for Dreamcast. I can't tell you how many hours I spent just breeding Ciao after Ciao after Ciao just to get a Golden one. Then when a Golden wouldn't hatch, I'd just smash them off the wall because lets face it; it was just a polygonal tamigatchi.

I worked at EB games for a few months back when I was 18, and the Gamecube demo booth had Sonic Heroes in it for awhile. To this day I can't go a few weeks or so without going, "Sonic Heroes, Sonic Herooooooooooes" at least once.

[Sketch Sanchez]

Great now its stuck in MY head!

Thanks alot!

[Scarecrow]

I think "Shadow the Hedgehog" is a pretty awesome game.

If you refuse to use the weapons then it's a major challenge but it's pretty hectic as it is. The level design is awesome.

- Scarecrow

[sickboy]

I always thought it was cool how you could plug Sonic 2 and 3 into the Sonic and Knuckles cartridge. To this day, I still can't figure out how that worked. It was 16-Bit magic, I tell you.


Loaded Knuckles off of the Sonic and Knuckles cart and loaded the backgrounds, enemies, music, etc of the other cart... quite simple really :D

[The Dream Master]

I liked the idea of it being 16-bit magic a lot better, though.

[FinalBeyond]

Speaking of Sonic Xtreme, an early test level was released recently. In a way, I'm glad it failed. Sonic's first foray into 3D deserved to be something as good as Adventure.

[Scarecrow]

What I've seen of Xtreme has always looked really shoddy.

Sonic Adventure is simply a superb Sonic game and still huge ammounts of fun. Ice Cap is an interesting level as one of the slowest 3D Sonic stages and yet feels like part of the transition between 2D and 3D.


- Scarecrow

[Speck]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a good game, but getting all the chaos emeralds was damn hard.

[Scarecrow]

Certainly the hardest up until Sonic Heroes which seems fricking impossible to me. Sonic CD probably has the easiest special stages.


- Scarecrow

[FinalBeyond]

Sonic 1 had the easiest, I'd say, followed by 3 and Chaotix. CD, Heroes and 2 have always been the hardest for me.

I think Chaotix has to be my favourite. It has a degree of exploration, and you can make mistakes provided you have enough rings. Not too fast, either. :p

[Deathscythe]

It was 16-Bit magic, I tell you.

Nope, it was the almighty power of the blast processing Sega Genesis, it did what Nintendont.:D

[Monkey]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a good game, but getting all the chaos emeralds was damn hard.
That's why my bitch ass cheated. It took me 15 years to finally get all the choas emeralds in Sonic 2, but I finally did it! How? I bought the Sega Genesis collection for the PS2 and saved it EVERY time I tried to get the emeralds (you can save the game ANYwhere you want). If I didn't have enough rings to get the emerald, I'd just load the game from 30 seconds ago, and repeated until I got the emerald.

Cheating? Oh yes.
After 15 years, I don't care. :p

[Scarecrow]

I think I'm going to take even longer on Sonic Heroes. Hardest special stages ever and I am still so their bitch! :(


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

I love the Sonic games for Sega Genesis but haven't really played any on other consoles. My favourite is probably Sonic 2.

I hated the Sonic games for Game Gear.

[Just Jeans]

The Sonic series is probably the best one ever. Always playable, never aging. It's as fantastic today as it was in 1991.

I feel that way about Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Spinball. All the rest of the games in the franchise have been take it or leave it for me. The franchise as a whole never grabbed me the way it seems to have latched on to other people, and I think about 90% of the 3D games in the franchise range from mediocre to just plain awful.

It's the same problem that Capcom ran into with the Mega Man franchise. Trying to move the series to a 3D landscape was a mistake, when what they should have done was stick with a pseudo-3D side scrolling format (Mega Man X8 is done like this, and it managed to recapture some of the magic that Mega Man X7 lacked).

[Joe Strummer]

The newer Sonic games completely ruined and cheapened the character/series for me. I honestly don't care about sonic and would not shed a tear if they stopped making Sonic games. And man, I was a huge Sonic fanboy back in the Genesis days and the Dreamcast games were alright, but they were the beginning of the end. Mario on the other hand has never let me down and Mario Galaxy is a millions times the game Sonic will ever be at this point on.

[Zarcone]

Sonic 2 will be by far the BEST sonic game. the levels, enemies, and music are CLASSIC and plus an easy way to get the emeralds in 2 is have someone play as tails in the special stages and not get hit by the bombs

[Just Jeans]

I agree that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has the most memorable levels, enemies and score (I went out of my way to hunt down the soundtrack for it).

[Scarecrow]

Not as big a fan of Sonic 2 as others. My favourites are probably Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic Adventure. Sonic Adventure really is the stage betwen the 2D and later 3D games and I never get tired of playing it. It's a shame the 360 games sounds so awful but hopefully lessons will be learnt...


- Scarecrow

[Jigsaw]

The only Sonic game I've ever played is the original. I remember renting Sonic 2 as a kid but my memory of it is next-to-non-existant.

[Just Jeans]

I remember being unimpressed with Sonic the Hedgehog, but that could be because I played it after Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (which was bundled with the Genesis that I got). I also recall thinking that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was really underwhelming. It just didn't grip me like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 did.

[Jigsaw]

I'll have to find the old Sonic sequels for the Genesis when I go to the Gameworld store where I live (they sell a lot of retro games). There are compilations for systems like the PS2 though, correct?

[Scarecrow]

I only know of the Gamecube compilations myself...

I find the original superior to the first sequel in many ways... it's certainly a LOT harder and has a unique atmosphere to it and I simply adore the music.

- Scarecrow

[Jigsaw]

I always loved the Spring Yard Zone levels in the original game. The design, the music, the obstacles, everything about that level owns.

[Zarcone]

I agree that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has the most memorable levels, enemies and score (I went out of my way to hunt down the soundtrack for it).

haha i actually got the whole soundtrack remixed from ocremix, its actually quite good

[Lance Lives]

I remember being unimpressed with Sonic the Hedgehog, but that could be because I played it after Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (which was bundled with the Genesis that I got). I also recall thinking that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was really underwhelming. It just didn't grip me like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 did.

I agree with everything Jeans just said, though I did kinda like Knuckles...
They do have a PS2 compilation out, I saw it at Wal-Mart last night for 20 bucks.

[Scarecrow]

Sonic 3 is great fun but much better when combined in its "true" intended form as Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It's an epic and very entertaining game and the levels are seriously huge. Some decent Emerald challenges that aren't near-impossible and a lot of re-play value IMO.

- Scarecrow

[Just Jeans]

There are compilations for systems like the PS2 though, correct?

There is a PS2 collection, yes. My best friend owns it. I'll probably pick it up one day, but only after I get the Mega Man X Collection (which just came out but is already getting hard to find).

[Scarecrow]

Played a bit on "Shadow the Hedgehog" lately and it's still great fun. Actually very hard if you try to avoid weaponry as much as possible which just adds tot eh challenge.

- Scarecrow

[Jigsaw]

Thanks for the information about the PS2 Sonic Collection. I'll track it down one day and play the rest of the series.

[Scarecrow]

Currently playing Mario & Sonic at the Olypmics... a lot of fun. :D


- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

Sonic and the Secret Rings, so far, is the best Sonic in ages. Amazing fun. More soon. :p

- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

Had a decent go at it now and "Sonic and the Secret Rings" is, in my opinion, a fantastic game. It's very pure in many ways, getting back to the central concept of platforming with speed. THe levels are ebautifully designed, with multiple routes and brilliant scenery. The giant dinosaur level in paticular feel special, running along the backs of dinosaurs and dodging a T-Rex. However, the best must be the Pirate level, an original design for Sonic and with plenty of variety rom runnign across ships, docks, through cave systems and surfing on massive stormy waves. Controls work fine for me, if a bit tricky to get used to at fist and there's plenty of challenges in a selecetion of missions on each level. Even the boss battles are well designed. All in all, I'd say it's the msot fun I've had playing a Sonic game in ages.


- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

SONIC CHRONICLES: THE DARK BROTHERHOOD

Fantastic news on a new BioWare (makers of Mass Effect) Sonic game that sounds awesome:

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is a Nintendo DS console role-playing game based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It is being developed by Canadian RPG developer BioWare, who is now part of Electronic Arts. The game is scheduled to be released in 2008 in North America and Europe.[1]

A preview of the game was featured in the February 2008 issue of the Nintendo Power magazine, giving details on the game features and confirming its name. It also confirmed that there will be 11 playable characters.[2][3] However, only 7 are currently known at this time. The interview also states that the game will feature areas and music from previous Sonic games ranging from Emerald Town to more classic fields such as Green Hill Zone.

In the current build of the game, special attacks are made by rhythmically tapping and dragging on indicated locations on the touch screen of the Nintendo DS, much like Elite Beat Agents. These are done using "Fatigue Points", which are similar to "Magic Points" (MP) in other RPGs. The player can also choose which attributes to increase when leveling up, and special attacks can be bought using rings as currency. The battle system will also allow for team attacks, said of Chrono Trigger, or Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. When in open areas, a map is displayed on the top screen as well as the members of the current team; while inside buildings or caves the top screen reverts to showing an expanded view of the area. The game will have two acts, one set in a standard Sonic area, while the other one will take place in a "darker world". There will also be sidequests in the game.[4]

STORY:
Sonic is on vacation from defeating Eggman two years ago. He gets a call from Tails that Knuckles has been kidnapped by a group called the Marauders, and that seven Chaos Emeralds are missing.

According to BioWare, Eggman will not be the main villain, but he will be a "more credible bad guy again". The game will also have fully animated cutscenes.[5] According to Nintendo Power magazine, "The second act takes place in a darker world than we're accustomed to seeing in Sonic games".

The game also introduces a new character named Shade. However, at this time it is still unknown who or what Shade is, nor is it known which side she is on, or if she will be a neutral character.

CONFIRMED CHARACTERS: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Big, Shadow, Rouge with four more to come.


---------------------------------------------

Been waiting for a game like this for YEARS.

- Scarecrow

[El Rooto]

Am I the only one who really liked Sonic Spinball?

The Genesis games were awesome; my favorite is probably Sonic & Knuckles.

[Jigsaw]

I still have to get the Sonic compilation for the PS2 with all of the old-school Sonic games. I only own the original Sonic (still have yet to beat it) and very briefly played Sonic 2 more than a decade ago when we rented it from Blockbuster.

[Scarecrow]

Sonic Spinball was fun but a little surreal. Generally I prefer the official Sonic Team games, at least in the early days. These days the best so far has been Secret Rings on the Wii... awesome fun.


- Scarecrow

[skuppy]

I'm a big fan of the 16bit era Sonic games. Heck, even the Knuckles Chaotix game on 32x was pretty cool. As for games on the Dreamcast and onward, I like them, but the camera angles are very screwy. Never did care for the exploring on maps as I would rather go straight to levels. However, my kids like the newer games and play them all the time (just got them Shadow recently). They also enjoy the 16 bit games too and play them every so often.

[Scarecrow]

Only the first Sonic Adventure has a map level, the others don't. As for camera angles, maybe I have unique copies as I never had any camera or control issues. Always been fine for me. "Sonic Adventure" is my favourite of the 3D games though, fantastic.


- Scarecrow

[skuppy]

"Sonic The Hedgehog" for Xbox 360 (& ps3) has a map system, at least from what I've played of it so far. And the cameras on that game are very, very bad. Sonic Adv. isn't too bad, nor is SA2.

[Scarecrow]

Ah well, yeah, I knew that but wasn't including the latest game which as far as I can tell NO ONE likes...

A shame as it'd be the firts mistsep they've amde.

- Scarecrow

[FinalBeyond]

Sonic Spinball was fun but a little surreal. Generally I prefer the official Sonic Team games, at least in the early days. These days the best so far has been Secret Rings on the Wii... awesome fun.


- Scarecrow

The best that you've played. Sonic Rivals 2 is, to my mind, the best Sonic game since Sonic 2. :p

[Scarecrow]

Got SOnic Riders as a gift yesterday... a lot of fun so far. Tricky to pick up but rewarding as you learn to gain control and how to use the stunts and tracks to yuor advantage. More as I play it.

- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

Pictures and Interview on "The Dark Brotherhood"! :D


http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/852/852731p1.html


- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

On the last battle of Secret Rings and I've worked out how to hurt him... just can't dodge those dman whirlpools and get more than two hitsin before he kills me. Keep at it though!


- Scarerow

[Sketch Sanchez]

I wish Sega would let other developers work on Sonic games more often and just disband "sonic team", they just dont know how to make good games anymore. And by good I mean not games that only a hardcore sonic fanboy would love. They should write a book: "How to almost destroy a franchise without even trying"

[Scarecrow]

Aside from the latest 360 game, the Sonic games have continued to sell evry well, and be very popular. "hardcore fanboys" do not make a gamer audience or could support an industry, they are obviously popular. Sonic Team HAVe lost touch but your assertaion only fans like msot of the games is rediculous in real world terms.


- Scarecrow

[Lance Lives]

I bought the Sonic Mega Collection for the PS2 yesterday and look forward to playing all the old classics through.

[Scarecrow]

Awesome selection of games. Played Sonic 2 only the other day. Might give S3&K a go next.


- Scarecrow

[Lance Lives]

I've been playing Sonic 2 and I must say, the music is SO good. Whoever wrote it was seriously jamming out.

[The Dream Master]

I always enjoyed the soundtrack to Sonic CD myself.

[Scarecrow]

The original Japanese music though is definitly superior. I think the ebs thing from the US soundtrack is that bizarre evil laugh whenever Eggman turned up.


- Scarecrow

[Burn]

Thought some of you might be interested in this; a fan remake of Sonic 2 in HD is in the works. (http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/2008/04/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-remix-may-become-reality.html)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2048/2441878832_1a30d621ef.jpg

The legality of it is vague, to say the least, so don't hold your breath about whether or not it's going to see the light of day.

[Scarecrow]

That does, of course, look superb.

And SOnic Unleashed is coming along nicely, confirmed that it'll be a 50-50 split between 3D and 2.5D with versions on every major console as well as the PS2. No Silver apparently and a focus on Sonic /WereSonic.

Going to be great.

- Scarecrow

[FinalBeyond]

Felt this thread deserved a bump, considering the release of Sonic Unleashed. I've got the game, and have been plugging away at it for a few days.

Spectacular is the first word I'd use to describe it. Followed by the word that is most important in gaming. Fun. I mean, I always enjoy the Sonic games, but this is just... A blast. It's given me that same feeling that the classic games give. It feels tightly constructed, the gameplay's smooth and easy to pick up... I've gone back and played the Spagonia boss more than 3 times now, just because it's so well designed.

Werehog sections aren't as good as Sonic's ones, but they're still preferable to the hunting/shooting minigames that we've had for the past ten years or so. I played through the Empire City werehog level today, and it was just good old fashioned skillful platforming, with some beat-em-up sections too. Great fun, like the rather furry offspring of Ristar and Ryu Hayabusa. The only trouble is that it seems to drag a bit compared to the perfection of Sonic's stages, which are so good they always seem to be over too soon.

Finally, a note for those who have both a 360/PS3 and a PS2/Wii. The PS2/Wii variety of the game is rather massively downgraded from the 360/PS3 version. Missing the adventure fields, two whole areas - Mazuri and Empire City, and most importantly, missing the new gameplay engine, instead running on a modified version of the old one. So if you have the choice, go for the 360 version. If not, the Wii version is still probably better than Secret Rings and Black Knight.

[Scarecrow]

Not getting the Wii version, I can wait. And I doubt it's as good as the brilliant Secret Rings whilst Black Knight looks fantastic. :p


- Scarecrow