TheSonic the Hedgehogfranchise has left a huge mark on the game industry over the years, featuring 2D platformers, 3D adventures, and spin-offs such as fighters and racing games. The lovable blue hedgehog has become one of the most iconic character designs in video games, even making a mark across different forms of media, such as comic books, cartoons, movies, and more.
Despite Sonic’s success and legacy, the series has seen its fair share of hiccups. Some games suffer from horrible bugs, clunky controls, underwhelming mechanics, or being stuck on dated systems. Many of these dated and troublesome titles could benefit from modernized graphics, bug fixes, and general touch-ups. These forgotten and nostalgicfan-favorite Sonic gamesstand out as some of the best potential candidates.
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure 1 & 2are common contenders when the topic of ‘best Sonic game’ comes up for discussion. These titles feature several key aspects that have drawn players in, including the first instance of 3D gameplay in a Sonic title and multiple playable characters. These games are often the top vote when it comes to the topic of Sonic remakes and remasters.
There’s something special about these games that players hold fondly in their hearts, yet they have suffered fromsignificant bugs/glitches, gameplay issues, and ports of questionable quality. These games could benefit from what modern gaming has to offer, particularly in the graphics and animation department, whilst building on what made the original titles so special. While a remaster of either game would be beneficial, they could also thrive as a remaster collection.
Sonic the Fighterssets itself apart from the regular Sonic gameplay formula by focusing on an entirely different genre. It’s a fighting game, as the title suggests. The original was a brilliant concept with some fun ideas and brilliant characters, such as Bean the Dynamite Duck, Bark the Polar Bear, and Fang the Sniper.
However, the game stumped many players with quite a steep learning curve, particularly for those who are more invested in the mainline Sonic games. A modern remake could take the concept of this game and build it into something phenomenal. This includes updating the graphics, adding more stages/environments, adjusting the learning curve and difficulty spike, and, of course, expanding the roster to include bothmore popular charactersand more niche/unknown names.
Sonic the Hedgehog, also referred to asSonic 2006, orSonic 06, has made quite a name for itself since its release — and not for good reasons. Though there was the potential for some charm, the game has sadly established itself as far from perfect, spoiled by story plot holes and more questions than answers. The game also suffers from a boatload of issues that make it feel more like a chore to play. Between horrendous loading times, notorious bugs, unrealistic marketing of gameplay mechanics, and janky controls, it left a sour taste in the mouths of most players.
A second chance forSonic 06might require not just a remaster, but complete rebuilding, focusing on a few core elements and doing them very well. It is for this reason that the idea of aSonic 06remaster or remake has divided fans. Some are eager to see the game done right, while others argue that it would need a complete story rewrite as well as a graphical and mechanical overhaul, thus turning it almost into a different title.
Sonic and the Black Knightis one of the games in theSonic Storybookseries for the Wii. As the name suggests, in these titles, Sonic enters the world of a storybook to protect both that world and his own from a powerful evil.The Black Knightreceived praise for being a big improvement on its predecessor title,Sonic and the Secret Rings, with fans praising it as an underrated gem even many years down the line.
The game has a unique concept, and it feels fun and quirky to play. Fans have praised the game’s soundtrack, as well as the character portrayals and story. However, it falls a bit short with the gameplay, which had great potential but had some clunky controls and so-so level design. IfSonic and the Black Knightreceived a remake that enhanced these aspects, it could shine as a great title to bring nostalgia to many.
Whether you love him or think he’s overrated, there’s no denying thatShadow the Hedgehoghas established himself as one of the most prominent and iconic characters in the Sonic franchise over the years. For fans of this dark and broody character, this game was as exciting as they come, as it took on Shadow as the primary focus and playable protagonist.
The story and gameplay elements are wacky compared to the standard for Sonic games, making them surprisingly fun. From equipping Shadow with guns to shoot at enemies or driving around the map in vehicles, plenty of chaos is possible. However, this title features repetitive gameplay and some UX/UI problems, such as the lack of a map, which makes finding objectives difficult. With a few touch-ups and graphical overhauls, aShadow the Hedgehogremaster could be the perfect wacky, nostalgic Sonic spin-off to entertain fans.
There have been plenty ofracing games within the Sonic franchiseover the years, but theSonic Ridersseries has so much that makes it special: a solid story, phenomenal soundtrack, and some brilliant characters in the Babylon Rogues. The originalSonic Ridershas great roots in gameplay, butZero Gravitykicks things up a notch.Sonic Free Ridershad a few fun tracks but ultimately felt disconnected from the previous entries.
However,Zero Gravityalso does have a couple of shortcomings. Some races feel quite slow-paced, and some mechanics from the first game, such as Rail Grinding, are locked behind the progressive Gear Change race mechanic. The unique Gravity Drive feature is also a double-edged sword. It’s a lot of fun when used, but there are clear instances of when players are prompted to use it, rather than having the freedom to use this mechanic in a flexible way.
A remaster could iron out these issues and build upon the game with additional characters on the roster. Adding extra campaigns featuring tracks from the otherRidersgames would also help provide some replayability once the main story is beaten. Plus, the Babylon Rogues deserve more attention as characters, and this would be the perfect way to bring them back.
Sonic Heroesis a fond piece of nostalgia for many Sonic fans. What sets this game apart is the large range of playable characters. There are four three-character teams, each complete with their own story that players can work their way through. These teams include not just the classic Team Sonic and Team Dark, but also Team Rose andTeam Chaotix, which rarely get a spot in the limelight.
The concept is a lot of fun and gives players the chance to enjoy less prominent game characters like Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee, Big the Cat, and Cream the Rabbit. However, there are a few hiccups that could benefit from a modern remaster. The gameplay could be taken to a new level by improving controls and adding new movesets. A remaster could even include new levels that differ for each team, or more variants of each stage to make each team’s playthrough feel even more unique.
Sonic Unleashedis well-loved by many fans of the franchise, and it has grown in popularity over the years as a nostalgic classic. However, the game does have mixed reviews on the main Werehog mechanic. Some view it as fun and different, while others view it as gimmicky, expressing frustration with the Werehog gameplay in comparison to the day stages. Despite this,Sonic Unleashedwas an enjoyable experience, and a modern update could take the game to a new place.
The day stages were an highlight of the game, so the night stages could rise to match this level of success. Ironing out some of the clunkiness of the Werehog controls and environment by resizing certain elements would be key. This causes a lot of player frustration and has been one of the most common complaints regarding gameplay. The graphics and art style were also very strong for the time, so this could be further enhanced with the capabilities of modern graphics.
