Rate the series - Home consoles

[Xeogred]

I still am not sure if I'm ready to crown Sonic Mania as the best, nostalgia for the older games makes that hard. But Mania blew my face off in 2017, I liked it more than Mario Odyssey for example. I've been thinking of finally replaying it soon to check out the Encore mode and extra characters. I can't think of a single issue with Mania, other than maybe wishing "X and Y levels" made the cut, but it's still a huge game compared to the rest. The "Best of" 2D Sonic.

1. Sonic CD
2. Sonic & Knuckles
3. Sonic 1
4. Sonic 2
5. Sonic 3
6. Sonic 3D Blast
7. Sonic Chaos
8. Sonic 1-2 SMS

If I could change one thing about CD, make the final boss way harder and add in another fight or two. I have a lot of nitpicks on Sonic 3 and that's why I rank it both lower and separately from S&K, but it's still a blast to play. In general, the 16bit main line Sonic games + CD, are some of my favorite games of all time.

Last weekend I put in about an hour worth on Sonic Colors and cleared two worlds. I think it's fine but I'm probably done with it, I've finally decided 3D Sonic is and never was for me. I didn't like Adventure 1-2 and while I beat Generations when it was new, I thought it was really overrated. Not something I want to play again. I also beat both episodes of Sonic 4, but they were really forgettable. I think I've played some of the GBA/DS games, but they didn't leave much of an impression. Like I said above... it's really the 16bit Sonic games that rock me.

[alienjesus]

Whilst I certainly haven't played all of them, I have played enough 2D sonic games to actually make a list this time:

Sonic Mania
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (MD)
Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS)
Sonic the Hedgehog (MD)
Sonic Rush
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic 3
Sonic Advance
Sonic Advance 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS)
Sonic Pocket Adventure
Sonic Chaos
Knuckles Chaotix
Sonic Advance 2

I havent quite played enough of Sonic Rush Adventure to rate it, but from what I've seen it would probably go somewhere around where Sonic Advance 1 and 3 are on the list. I haven't played any of the Game Gear exclusives, Sonic CD, Sonic 4, or the portable version of Sonic Colours.

Sonic 2 and Sonic SMS are probably my 2 absolute favourite Sonic games, but it would be nostalgia talking if I rated them above Mania - that game is so inventive and is probably the best in the whole series.

[CFFJR]

I'm going to think about this and come back to it a little later, as I adore the Sonic series and actually putting them in order is going to be a tall order. Past the number 1 position at least. That one's easy.

Samson: I do find it interesting that you listed Sonic 4 Episode I and II as one entry. I don't know what the fan consensus is on these 2 entries anymore (it sure was bitter on release!), but I think Episode II is a lot better than I. Enough so that I will keep them separate, even if they are technically two parts of a whole. Which is hypocritical of me to say because Sonic 3 & Knuckles is one game.

Anyway, I'm not saying that to criticize the choice by any means, it just caught my eye.

[pierrot]

Samson: I do find it interesting that you listed Sonic 4 Episode I and II as one entry. I don't know what the fan consensus is on these 2 entries anymore (it sure was bitter on release!), but I think Episode II is a lot better than I. Enough so that I will keep them separate, even if they are technically two parts of a whole. Which is hypocritical of me to say because Sonic 3 & Knuckles is one game.

Anyway, I'm not saying that to criticize the choice by any means, it just caught my eye.

I got stuck on that for a second, also. I still haven't played Episode II, but I remember everyone saying it was a pretty significant improvement over Episode I. It's still probably fair to treat them as a single entity, though, and I'd imagine Episode II isn't so good that it really makes up for the first one.

I'm a little surprised I'm not the only one who hasn't played Pocket Adventure, though.

[alienjesus]

Oh hey, I forgot about Pocket Adventure. Adding it to my initial list now.

[Nemoide]

I'm a pretty dedicated Sonic fan, but there are some 2D games I haven't played, so I'll just include the ones I've played. I'm counting Tails' Adventure and Knuckles' Chaotix, even though you don't play as Sonic but I'm not counting Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine because the gameplay is too different. I'm also including Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Labyrinth even though they're technically not 2D games: it just feels wrong to not include them. My memories of a few of these is a bit fuzzy and nostalgia-based, but I think this list feels right to me.

1) Sonic 3
2) Sonic & Knuckles
3) Sonic CD
4) Sonic 2 (16-bit)
5) Tails' Adventure
6) Sonic Rush
7) Sonic Chaos
8 ) Sonic Triple Trouble
9) Sonic 1 (8-bit)
10) Sonic 1 (16-bit)
11) Sonic 2 (8-bit)
12) Sonic Advance 2
13) Sonic Advance
14) Sonic Spinball
15) Sonic 3D Blast
16) Knuckles' Chaotix
17) Sonic Labyrinth
18) Sonic 4 Episode 1
19) Sonic Blast

Most of these are solid/good games, Spinball-Labyrinth is the mediocre zone and Sonic 4 and Blast being the only *truly* bad ones.
If you count the lock-on w/ Sonic & Knuckles games as unique games, they would just occupy that space of the original game: Sonic 3 & Knuckles would be the best; Sonic 2 & Knuckles is tied with Sonic 2.

[Tempest]

I'm a huge 2D Sonic fan, but there's several 8-bit games I haven't played enough of to rank.


1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
2. Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System)
3. Sonic Mania
4. Sonic CD
5. Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive)
6. Sonic 2 (Mega Drive)
7. Sonic Rush
8. Sonic 4 Episode II
9. Sonic 4 Episode I
10. Sonic Advance 2
11. Sonic Chaos
12. Sonic 2 (Master System)
13. Sonic Advance
14. Sonic Advance 3
15. Knuckles Chaotix

[pook99]

These are interesting lists, looking at them I realized I left out a lot of games, but thats not really surprising given how I feel about the series.

I also think its interesting how varied the lists are and there does not seem to be a consensus about which game is best.

[marurun]

Sonic 2 is almost always near the top, and Sonic 3/Knuckles only has a few detractors. I’d say those two are, if not unanimous, at least majority top picks. The rest is very due to who has played what.

[pierrot]

I was actually kind of surprised how consistently S3&K was at the top of people's lists. Also that Sonic CD was hovering around the top of the lists, too. I kind of expected more of a split between Sonic 2, and S3&K. That's how it's gone in the past, anyway.