We find the extra characters in 3 make it just a bit better than Sonic 2, but there’s really not a major gap in quality between these two classic titles. There are plenty of people willing to debate which is better between Sonic 2 and the sequel we covered above. Even when you fail to perform an action, you simply are routed through a different part of the stage rather than brought to a screeching halt. All the stages, new and old, hold up to this day as examples of how a Sonic game should feel: Fast. The story managed to be compelling despite no words being spoken, and it was almost endlessly replayable thanks to impeccable level design. The series has always had some fantastic music, but the soundtrack in Sonic 3 & Knuckles really showed off how good the Genesis’ sound capabilities were. Packed with secrets, bosses, and addictive special stages, Sonic never looked better. You of course had Sonic and Tails’ quest, with Tails now able to fly and swim underwater, but Knuckles offered a completely new take on the Sonic formula by being somewhat slower but with the ability to glide. For the first time, but not the last, you were given the choice between multiple playable characters with their own campaigns to run and glide through. The games hadn’t yet started to fumble into 3D, and the cast of characters was tight, varied, and had no dead weight. The last of the original Genesis trilogy, Sonic 3 & Knuckles was the peak before Sonic’s decline.

Whitehead and team proved they understand what makes a Sonic game fun, and we can only hope Sega allows them to continue to work on the series in the future.

Sure, the game features iconic stages like Lava Reef Zone and Hydrocity Zone, only tweaked and updated for Sonic’s improved mobility and controls. On the surface, Sonic Mania might look like a simple attempt to capitalize on fan’s nostalgia for those original Genesis games, but in truth it is what a true sequel to those games should’ve been. Forces, while by no means Sonic’s worst game, again fell victim to Sonic’s troubled history of converting his trademark speed into 3D. Released alongside Sonic Forces, Mania managed to completely steal the spotlight from the “bigger” Sonic title of the year because it gave fans exactly what they’ve been asking for: A classic, fast, and polished 2D Sonic experience. Instead, the hit throwback to the classic 2D Sonic titles, Sonic Mania, was developed by a team of fans lead by Christian Whitehead. There’s something to be said about the fact that possibly the best Sonic game ever made, certainly the best in several years, wasn’t developed by Sonic Team. The best Sega Genesis games of all timeġ.

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