Summary

• Sonic the Hedgehog's legacy is undeniable, serving as a key mascot and game to establish SEGA's competition against Nintendo in the 90s.
• Despite mixed reception, Sonic has had standout games with unique qualities that excel in the platforming genre.
• The best Sonic the Hedgehog games cover a variety of genres, not just platforming, and hail from both the series' 2D and 3D eras.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a polarizing series in gaming, but it's impossible to deny the strength of its overall legacy. During the early 90s when SEGA was struggling to establish itself as a formidable competitor to Nintendo, Sonic arrived and gave the company the mascot (and the hit game) it needed to convince customers to buy the Genesis/Mega Drive console. Inconsistent release quality, however, has led to mixed reception over the years.

Even in the worst stretches of Sonic the Hedgehog as a franchise, there have always been flashes of inspiration. Over the several decades that the blue speedster has been around, he's racked up a number of games that can be considered truly great. Any of the better Sonic titles excel in ways that can't be found anywhere else, and the best of the best stand among the titans of the platforming genre.

Sonic Unleashed (2008)

Original Platforms: PS2/3, Wii, Xbox 360

Sonic Unleashed remains a divisive game in the franchise, mostly thanks to the gap between its highs and its lows. When Sonic gets to go fast, there are some beautiful levels and exciting gameplay, but the werewolf sections tend to be a slog. At the end of the day, this compromise is still preferable to the mediocrity of some series entries, and its best parts deserve a mention as some of the best that 3D Sonic has to offer.

Sonic Frontiers (2022)

Original Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

As a more ambitious title than most 3D Sonic games, Sonic Frontiers takes on an open-world environment littered with platforming opportunities and enemies. Despite a mixed critical reception, the game was generally a hit with fans, and it's easy to find avenues for fun when boosting around wide open plains. Sonic Frontiers isn't without its flaws, but it does make for a refreshing change of pace, especially compared to games like Sonic Forces that retread familiar territory while failing to live up to their predecessors.

Sonic Rush (2005)

Original Platform: Nintendo DS

The mid-2000s was a rough period for Sonic. In 2001, the Dreamcast ceased production, thus ending Sega's time as a console maker. On top of that, Sonic was seeing a string of lackluster titles like Shadow the Hedgehog and the infamously bad Sonic the Hedgehog of '06.

Fortunately, Sonic games performed well on handheld devices. The release of Sonic Rush featured strong level design and a constant focus on moving forward. Although the lack of particularly complex platforming compared to the Sonic Advance games might not be for everyone, it's hard to deny the unique appeal of Sonic Rush and the strength of its execution.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)

Original Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing might not be one of the greatest racing games of all time, but it still holds up well as a tight and engaging kart racer. It features some beloved characters created by Sega, including the ChuChus from ChuChu Rocket! and Amigo from Samba de Amigo.

The game offers a wide variety of tracks that pull visual and audio elements from various Sega games, such as Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, as well as The House of the Dead. With consistently exciting track design and plenty of fun to be had with friends, it's hard to ignore Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing's enduring strengths.

Sonic Advance (2002)

Original Platform: Game Boy Advance

Sonic Rush was released in December 2001 as the first original Sonic game to launch on a non-Sega console, following the port of Sonic Adventure 2 to the GameCube. Luckily, the title made a lasting impression with solid level design and great music. It isn't as fast or consistently exciting as the very best titles, but for a game that could be taken on the go, its appeal remains easy to see.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)

Original Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita, 3DS

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed took a similar tack to modern Mario Kart games, introducing transforming vehicles that take to the sky and sea for some track variety. It maintains much of what worked about the first game, and the greater emphasis on skill than what can be found in many kart racers makes for a compelling package. 2019's Team Sonic Racing might be a newer Sonic racing experience, but it doesn't edge out the greatness of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed.

Sonic Colors (2010)

Original Platform: Nintendo Wii

Sonic Colors is one of the better-received Sonic games of the modern era. It was initially a Nintendo exclusive, being released for the Wii alongside a fundamentally different DS game of the same name. The game was unique because, while it was a traditional 3D Sonic platformer, it was set in outer space.

A unique feature of Sonic Colors was also that Sonic could get special power-ups by collecting Wisps. Different colored wisps allowed for different abilities, creating a new gaming experience for fans of the franchise. Sonic Colors: Ultimate brought the experience to more platforms with some graphical overhauls, although it does have a share of newly introduced bugs.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

Original Platform: Sega Genesis

In a gaming scene dominated by Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog was the first perfect counter. The original game for the Sega Genesis might not have been as perfectly refined as Super Mario World, but the character's momentum was fresh and exciting in a way that made him a legitimate rival. Few games have ever been true system sellers to a degree that's comparable to the first Sonic title, and although it hasn't aged as well as some other entries, it's still fun to play today.

Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)

Original Platform: Dreamcast

Whether it's the better game overall depends on who you ask, but Sonic Adventure 2 did make some improvements to its predecessor, with tighter controls, more characters, and focused level design. It was one of the last major titles to be released for the Dreamcast in 2001, and it proved just how great classic Dreamcast hits could be in spite of the system's low sales. Sonic Adventure 2 also has some of the most exciting climactic material in the series, so it certainly goes out with a bang.

Sonic Adventure (1998)

Original Platform: Dreamcast

Sonic Adventure isn't a perfectly graceful transition to full-blown 3D, but it is a fun game that's packed with enough charm to make it worth a play even now. Its levels tend to be a little more open-ended than in its successor, which could be a turn-off for some but makes for an arguably more interesting experience overall. Some of the segments for the extra playable characters can drag, but Sonic's story in Sonic Adventure is a blast all the way through.

Sonic CD (1993)

One of the most lauded Sonic games is one that never had all that wide of a platform to begin with. Between 1991 and '93, SEGA rolled out the SEGA CD, a new disk-based peripheral to the Genesis that would allow for bigger games, better sound quality, and enhanced graphics.

Upon release, Sonic CD was hailed for its excellent soundtrack, beautiful graphics, and its massive number of levels. Sadly, only a little over 2 million SEGA CD units were sold, so not many people got the chance to play the game. Fortunately, Sonic CD has been featured in numerous Sonic collections throughout the years, and its status as one of the series greats has only become more assured.

Sonic Generations (2011)

Original Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sega released Sonic Generations in 2011. The game’s narrative follows Sonic and Tails as they travel back in time and team up with their former selves in order to restore their world, and the game overall is a complete package in a way that stands out among the often-rough 3D Sonic titles.

Classic levels are brought to life in vivid new renditions, and both the 2.5D and 3D segments in Sonic Generations are fun and exciting to play. It's also still a visual stunner over a decade later, with a style that pops more than some recent entries. A robust Sonic Generations modding scene continues to add interesting fan-made updates to the excellent engine.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)

Original Platform: Sega Genesis

The '92 sequel to the original game is considered by many to be one of the best games on the Genesis/Mega Drive. It was praised for its intricate and colorful levels, its 3D bonus rounds, and the introduction of Tails.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 took everything that worked in the first game and added to it, building levels that made significantly better use of Sonic's speed and adding the now-signature spin dash move. Due to Sonic's now-raging popularity, Sega even released an 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for its older Master System, since the console was still for sale (and popular) in many countries around the world.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994)

Original Platform: Sega Genesis

Sega had found a hit with Sonic the Hedgehog, so the company was determined to pump out as many Sonic games as possible. This led to mixed reactions, with some criticizing 1994's Sonic 3 for being more of the same routine. Taking a closer look, however, shows just how many refinements it made from its already excellent predecessor, even if topping Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in every category isn't entirely achievable.

Time has been especially kind to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the contingent of fans who prefer it to 2 has only grown over time. It's ultimately a fairly tight race, but the honed approach to difficulty and level fluidity in 3 might make for a more appealing package overall.

Sonic Mania (2017)

Original Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Sonic Mania might just be the ultimate fulfillment of the classic Sonic style, or at least the closest thing that's likely to ever hit the market. It takes everything that's great about the originals and refines it, perfecting the level of challenge and introducing a number of exciting new stages that feel perfectly in line with the flavor and personality of the classics.

It's a shame that no sequel to Sonic Mania has yet materialized, as making another game that steps away from the mix of original and remade levels to focus entirely on the new could take things to another level. As things stand, however, Sonic Mania is just about the perfect Sonic the Hedgehog package, and a fantastic game for newcomers and series veterans alike.