The history of the Blue Blur is quite the turbulent one. Sadly, the Sonic franchise has not always had the most straight and narrow path. Full of twists and turns, ups and down. Sonic went from defying expectations to surviving the odds time and time again. While the Hedgehog hasn’t seen the insane icon status of its early years in the 90s, Sonic and his team have fought back every turn to keep relevancy and never truly die.
From its unstoppable early 90s run, rocky restart, and gimmick changes in the 00s to a newfound resurgence of nostalgic games and successful movies, Sonic finally seems to be back full speed ahead. Let’s take a look at all the key games and moments that defined Sonic’s track record, for better or worse. Here’s every Sonic game you should play, in chronological order.
Related: Who is Sage in Sonic Frontiers
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Some might say it’s hard to really describe the impact of the very first Sonic game. In 1991 SEGA defied all odds and expectations by dethroning Nintendo for a brief but ever-shining moment. In the 8-to-16-bit world, something as colorful and fast-paced as Sonic didn’t just seem impossible, but utterly improbable.
Sonic blazed onto the scene, SEGA became the company that could and many boldly claimed Ninento’s stranglehold on video games was a thing of the past. There was nothing remotely like the 91 Sonic game or the personality put into it. While many many mascots with attitude would follow suit in the next 2 decades, Sonic, undoubtedly, got there first.
You can find this game and the first 4 original games out now in the remastered bundle of Sonic Origins.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
A Mere 18 months after the original Sonic game burst into the videogame industry, Sonic 2 primed itself to follow exactly in its predecessor’s footsteps. Everything just went right for the Sonic Team and SEGA as Sonic 2 had an overwhelmingly positive response.
Considered a vast improvement over an already praised first game, Sonic 2 somehow had better graphics, level designs, and moves that made it an absolutely perfect sequel. The addition to Tails also added new formula of Sonic games constantly adding to a growing roster of lovable main-stay characters for the remainder of the franchise’s history.
Your easiest chance to play Sonic 2 will be the latest Sonic Origins compilation series.
Sonic 3 and Knuckles (1994)
It’s hard not to just go on and on about the first 4 (or is it technically 5) games in the Sonic series at length. Sonic CD was also praised to high heaven for the SEGA CD adaption system to the Genisis. It also introduced long-time characters Metal Sonic and Amy Rose. Again, all of these early games can be played together now for the 30th-anniversary special Sonic Origins that has come out this year.
As for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, the Sonic team was still going 100 miles per hour as it were and there were just no signs of slowing down. They had created so much work in the 4th game, Sonic 3, that they didn’t have enough space and had to split it into a 2 part concept. You could call this an early form of DLC as it were.
With the introduction of Knuckles the Echidna, the franchise has such a bright future and its “never look back” attitude just continued further all-time selling record success. 5 nearly equally praised games in a row is no easy feat and there still seemed to be no chance of stopping.
Sonic Adventure (1998)
For the first time after such an impressive string of successful games, it strangely took the Sonic team a bit of time to catch up once 3D graphics became the center of gaming. Super Mario 64 had come out 2 years prior and SEGA was struggling to get people interested in the Dreamcast system.
All eyes ad the weight of a company was once again on Sonic’s shoulders, but sadly the fastest hedgehog was just a bit too late. While the game was praised and loved by critics and fans, Sonic Adventure was still almost 3 years behind in the 3D graphics race.
The race for video game supremacy SEGA issued 8 years prior and was doing so well with was stalling now. SEGA’s mainline console the Sega Saturn crashed and burned with a lack of sales and the promised Sonic game that would have helped see it maintain a fight against Nintendo was canceled. In videogame time, 4 years for a proper mainline game during such a heated time in the industry was just too much. Sonic had a lot of catching up to do.
Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
By this time, The damage had already been done it seemed, less to Sonic, and more to SEGA. For the 90s, the two were basically the same thing. All of SEGA’s future rode on the success of not only their home consoles but Sonic games as well. Once again, Sonic just came a bit too late.
While there is some criticism for the rush job on controls and camera work, many still found it a very acceptable sequel. The game introduces more main-stay characters Rouge the Bat and popular rival Shadow the Hedgehog.
Overall the game is still considered one of the best Sonic games ever made, however, the SEGA Dreamcast was already discontinued before it was even released, and by the following year’s end, Sonic was on a Nintendo system and the console wars of the 90s were over.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
Now surely we all know what you’re thinking here. This just can’t be, to suggest you play THIS Sonic game over so many others. While you’re right, the 06 reinvention of Sonic was a mess and a failure, it has become a morbid curiosity for many.
SEGA struggles to find its footing and to keep the Sonic franchise popular for many years to come, but this hot mess of a game seems to now be cool to just experience the tragedy. Much like big film buffs will tell you to watch “The Room” because it’s so bad it becomes entertaining, many gamers today do let’s plays of Sonic 06 for that exact same reason.
So now, this is not a good game, but if you just want to experience for yourself just how bad it really is and why it’s as notorious as it is.. then by all means please seek it out.
Sonic Unleashed (2008)
Ironically this entry might be more controversial to suggest you play than even the 06 Sonic game. Interestingly enough, in modern-day retrospect, many younger Sonic fans have a lot of fond memories of Sonic Unleashed.
After failing to get back off the ground doing the same old thing and many critics stating Sonic’s gimmick had grown stale, SEGA thought it fit to add new ideas and see if that could help the dying franchise. Enter Sonic Unleashed, where he turns into a werehog. Yeah, we don’t know where they came up with this either.
Werehog be damned though, the transformation gave a needed spicey kick in the side to the franchise to some…while defeating the point and tarnishing a lot of what made the fast-paced Sonic good to begin with for others. Either way, it became one of the more recognizable games in the franchise for better or worse. At least it was a new idea?
Sonic Colors (2010)
Several “gimmicky” Sonic games came and went through the 00s decade but many fans agree Sonic Colors was one of the better attempts to give Sonic something new to do during games. At least the fast-paced aspect of the games returned after a few years of clunky gameplay. The beautiful and flashy, it comes close to reminding many of the bright and colorful games of the past.
Adding new characters and power-up mechanics, The Wisps, added to slightly more diverse gameplay without slowing sonic down like previous gimmicks had. The color-coated creatures you could grab and keep going would help you traverse the rest of the level you are running through. Wisps help engage in a Sonic game better than recent entries, but many still thought it was an unnecessary distraction to what so many loved Sonic games for.
Sonic Generations (2011)
For most of the 00s, the Sonic franchised dealt with so many false new starts and strange gimmicky spin-off titles. Many fans felt like “Sonic didn’t feel like Sonic anymore” for nearly a decade. Enter Sonic Generations, the first ‘return to form’ Sonic game is about 10 years many would say.
Taking gameplay and old-school 2D aesthetics into account, Sonic Generations let you play as ‘classic’ 90s 8-bit sonic as well as the 3D form that had been struggling for so long. This seemed to be the secret key to success. SEGA finally realized that retro was good and if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
The level of nostalgia along with competent gameplay solidified Generations as a true return for the blue blur and promised a bright future for the franchise once again. At the least, SEGA realized that 2D Sonic games were in vogue and would utilize them in the future. This at least meant there was some promise for good games moving forward.
Sonic Mania (2017)
While the release of hap-hazard 3D Sonic games would continue and SEGA did their best to keep up with “fresh” ideas and possible promising gimmicks, it wasn’t until Sonic Mania was the 2D nostalgia unlocked by Generations fully utilized. Sonic Mania was a full and complete celebration of classic 90s Sonic and it was the return many fans waited nearly 20 years for.
The innovation of 3D graphics always pushed every game developer to do more and focus on that trend. Going back to the 2D roots for Sonic proved that many people didn’t need or were bothered by the idea of keeping Sonic 2D. 13 all new 2D levels and the modern capabilities made the speed running fast pace 8/16 bit gameplay of the past look like a speedy fantastic walk in the park.
The Future
With the continuation of revitalizing the 2D series of Sonic games with anniversary compilations such as Sonic Origins and still bold attempts to make new appealing 3D games like the soon-to-release open world of Sonic Frontiers, the future looks to be the best it’s ever been for the Blue Blur. Sonic managed two very well enjoyed high grossing films under his belt before almost any other videogame mascot as well. So there are some ways he’s still beating his rivals to the finish line. Hopefully, we are all in the wake of a fantastic high-speed Sonic renaissance.
(Related: All Songs on Sonic Frontiers OST (Original Soundtrack) )
