MANGOM1LK
2012
Irrespective of the port job (it's more competent than any version of SADX, which is good enough for me, though I did play with some Dreamcast-restoration mods), Adventure 2 unfortunately doesn't quite hold up in my book in comparison to its predecessor. I actually do prefer the story here, I think it gets tone right which is a rarity among official Sonic games. However it sort of falls flat in the actual game, with no shortage of small technical quibbles and the main issue being two gameplay styles flying in the face of Sonic appeal on top of being unfun to play (contrasting with the Werehog who I find is fun despite being distinctly non-Sonic). I recommend this only to established fans, since it is an important game even if it's not for me.
Not a very good port, unfortunately. This Steam version in particular has been through the ringer, since it's a port from the Gamecube to Windows (2004) to XBLA back to Windows. Every one of those ports loses something in the conversion, unfortnuately. I give it this high of a score because it's still Sonic Adventure under all that crap, and still incredibly fun. Personally I find the jank distracting so I played with the SADX Mod Installer's Dreamcast preset (at https://sadxmodinstaller.unreliable.network), which offers a better experience than the dreamcast original. Props to this Steam version for making that possible, though I'm sure people would still be modding the 2004 Windows release anyway regardless.
Sonic 3K on the Mega Drive! A very interesting beast to talk about, ultimately this is one of the greats. There are a lot of little details that slip through on this one making it obvious the developers were rushed out the door for both halves, though. Nowadays I would recommend 3 AIR over this most of the time, unless you're aiming for a nostalgia fix with your old hardware and still own it.
Lots to say on this one. Without getting too in-depth, this is unfortunately mostly a downgrade over the NES/Famicom originals due to delayed controls and an objectively worse buster. I will be returning to this for a big video review at some point, but not now.
The best version of Sonic 3, no questions asked. Filled with tiny little enhancements and toggles, and the mod support allows for even more things to be brought in. Has the definitive version of the prototype soundtrack as well as the original Mega Drive version thereof. Sonic 3 is incredible and this simply elevates it to perfection.
1992
Sonic 2 on the Mega Drive still holds up remarkably well, but the 2013 remake is very important to updating the experience and the lack of those enhancements makes certain elements trying to deal with. Namely, the lack of a save feature, the awful special stage draw distance and framerate, and the screen crunch (inevitable for a game this fast) serve to kneecap the fun. If you can get the 2013 version, that's probably best.
2013
Sonic 2 holds up remarkably well for what it is, and the Android enhancements (real-time 3D special stages and widescreen support) update the experience for modern audiences to the point where I'd recommend this version in an instant. Hopefully they patch Origins to get rid of the bugs because I consider that the most accessible version.
2013
Peeling back the enhancements here reveals this is still Sonic 1. This game is a lot more platforming-focused than subsequent titles which does make a lot of sense, but unfortunately that also means it loses some Sonic appeal for folks who are already fans of the series. Not bad by any means, but not always my cup of tea, either. Still, the spindash and widescreen alone make this a preferred way to play the game. Though, right now the best version is the multiplatform decompilation by RubberDuckyCooly, since Sega have replaced the Google Play Store version of this game with a free one with ads and bugs that didn't originally exist, Origins being potentially worse in terms of bugs (haven't played it yet).
1991
Sonic 1 on the Mega Drive is unfortunately outshined by the 2013 iOS/Android remake in every aspect. That version doesn't change the main game enough for it to lose its identity as Sonic 1, however. This version is pretty obviously dated and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to most people over the 2013 remake but it's still visually appealing and has unique identity, if less than future titles.
2005
A lot better than people generally give it credit for, and the story has the perfect narmy charm to it. Definitely give this one a shot. (on Gamecube or Xbox, the PS2 version has kinda crappy performance)
2011
Very solid for what it is, and it's sort of wrapped around modders' fingers these days, making it worth the 20 dollars' price of admission just on its own. I have quibbles with the controls, but I barely see anyone mention this so I'm sure it's moreso just me.
2010
Sonic Colors and its consequences have been a disaster for the Sonic community
2008
PLEASE play this on an Xbox Series system if you want good performance. Most other platforms this version saw release on have awful performance, and it ruins the experience completely.
So, this is something of a controversial title. Personally I really really enjoy it, but I also enjoy the Werehog and would never again touch the first-time experience with a ten-foot pole (if you haven't played this before and you have a good PC and access to Xenia, I will go ahead and plug my own damn mod to pave over these problems: https://gamebanana.com/mods/352055)
So, this is something of a controversial title. Personally I really really enjoy it, but I also enjoy the Werehog and would never again touch the first-time experience with a ten-foot pole (if you haven't played this before and you have a good PC and access to Xenia, I will go ahead and plug my own damn mod to pave over these problems: https://gamebanana.com/mods/352055)
Decent enough. It's a far cry from Episode I, at any rate. Unfortunately, being associated with that game sort of brought it down at points. I'd say this is worth trying if you're curious but don't expect it to blow you away or anything.
Never play this.
The only reason it's getting one star instead of just a half is because I actually like the music, even if the instrumentation is awful. Besides that, everything this game is and stands for is atrocious. Stay FAR, FAR away.
The only reason it's getting one star instead of just a half is because I actually like the music, even if the instrumentation is awful. Besides that, everything this game is and stands for is atrocious. Stay FAR, FAR away.