I always thought of myself as a big fan of Sonic the Hedgehog. I get excited for remakes, remasters, and new entries in the Team Sonic Universe. What I recently learned is that I am more a fan of Sonic the character than the Sonic games. I’ve always been terrible at controlling Sonic — he’s just too fast!

I grew up a Nintendo kid. The only Sega console I owned was the handheld Sega Game Gear in the 90s. I owned plenty of terrible Game Gear games — Judge Dredd, Tasmanian Devil, Surf Ninjas. I also owned either Sonic the Hedgehog or Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Game Gear. I later owned the Sega Dreamcast, but no Sonic games for that.

Side Quest: Classic Video Game Theory
Here’s a quick gaming theory I recently thought up for Nintendo vs Sega kids. Sonic games have always been about speeding through levels and creating a fast path to the end. Mario was a slower-paced game, which rewarded exploration with hidden passages, shortcuts, and loot. For some players, Mario is also about “speed-running,” but less speedy than his long-time rival, the Blue Blur (aka Sonic). 

Growing up a Nintendo kid could have influenced my slow-paced gaming style. I still look for hidden secrets. In open-world games, I search for side quests and extra story points. If I find myself trying to quickly advance to the end of a game that tells me that I am either not enjoying the gameplay or the story. If you grew up a Nintendo or Sega kid and find my theory to be untrue, please let me know in the comments how Sonic or Mario influenced your gaming habits.

…Back to Sonic

Back when Sonic Mania was announced, an ode to classic Sonic games with many brand new retro levels, I thought I would have a great time with this game. Once I picked up Sonic Mania I was reminded how terrible I am at these classic games. Maybe I was more of a Sonic voyeur, watching my Sega friends speed through these levels.

I’ve gone back to Sonic Mania multiple times. It always begins with excitement as I speed through the first level. My mood quickly deflates as I continuously fail, until I’m out of lives. I know Sonic Mania is special, I would even call it a masterpiece. It’s just not my cup of tea — because I am terrible at it.

During the end of last year (2024), I came across two new Sonic adventures that aren’t like the classic Sonic games. Sonic X Shadow Generations is a remaster, along with all-new levels. The second game is Sonic Frontiers, an open-world Sonic game that allows players to jump from challenge-to-challenge instead of the typical level-after-level layout.

Sonic X Shadow Generations

The first game on the list is a remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations — with some added Shadow content. I hadn’t played the original version, so everything in Sonic X Shadow Generations is completely new to me. I liked the way it started out, with some new takes on classic worlds (Chemical Plant and Green Hill Zone).

The Sonic Generations part of the game sports the typical Sonic game layout. You choose a level and try to complete it as quickly as possible. The levels quickly deviated from standard levels and zones to a variety of challenges. Some were time trials, others for speed, some races, and some featuring strange mechanics. I had fun with a few of them, but also came across plenty that I didn’t care for.

When I’m trying to learn how to be fast with Sonic, I don’t need to be held back by stepping on buttons or calling for Tails. Still, the Sonic Generations take on a Sonic game is quite interesting, I just have to find my favorites. I will revisit the “Shadow” part of the game.

There’s one level which may not even be a level at all. It’s more like a bonus, fun side level. Still, it was my favorite and most played part of the game. That was the Casino Night level, or Sonic Pinball. I was taken back to playing that free classic Pinball game that came with old Windows PCs, but with a Sonic paint job and some fun twists.

I will report back after exploring Shadow’s Generations.

Sonic Frontiers

The second Sonic game I’ve been playing is a huge breakaway from the classic Sonic formula. Sonic Frontiers is an open world exploration where Sonic can even kick, punch, and attack. Rather than rely on a level-to-level menu, there are challenges throughout the world. Sonic can engage and abandon challenges as he chooses.

Sonic Frontiers features a third person 3D view, and allows the player to control the camera. It’s like playing Sonic: Breath of the Wild — but not as complicated. I’m even reminded of my short time with Elden Ring — taking on a challenge I’m not ready for and losing over and over again.

I enjoy freely running around this world as Sonic, but I’m finding my adventure to be aimless. I just go around until I come across something that looks like a challenge. I find myself redoing certain challenges and fighting the same opponents.

It’s nice to see Team Sonic go big with something completely different for Sonic fans, but I’m also not great at this game. I think I have a better handle on Sonic in 3D with camera control. Still, this game feels a bit simple or unfinished to me.

If there is ever a Sonic Frontiers Part II, I would give it a try to see how the team advances this style.

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What I have learned after playing these new iterations of Sonic is that perhaps I’m not as big a fan as I thought I was. I have enjoyed the new Sonic movies, I watched most of Knuckles on Paramount+ (before my free trial ran out). I’ve watched Sonic cartoons, and I’ve read some Sonic comics.

Sonic is just a cool ass character. I think Crash Bandicoot is also a great, fun character and I am also terrible at his games — I still have to revisit Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. As the challenger brand (SEGA) got to create a character with attitude. Sonic has always been the Pepsi to Nintendo’s Coke (Mario).

There’s one part of Sonic games that I really enjoy, and this happens in all of these games. It’s those moments where they make you feel like you are taking Sonic through a Rube Goldberg machine, but it’s pretty much a fast-paced cutscene. You know, those parts where Sonic is spinning up and down and left and right through some impossible sequence.

That’s a key level design trick to make you feel like you did something completely right. It even feels like you have unlocked a secret part of the level sometimes. In reality, Sonic is just on autopilot going through some well-designed sequence — Genius!

I’m not done with Sonic. I will continue to play Sonic games for as long as Team Sonic will release them. I just don’t plan on making it very far in any of these games.

I will return when I reach Shadow’s levels. Until then, feel free to leave any Sonic tips, tricks, or tell me what you like about Sonic games? Am I right with my theory on Nintendo vs Sega kids?