Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most iconic characters in videogame history. As such, he’s had quite a varied career, even outside of his main series of games. Sonic has featured in everything from pinball to puzzle to racing games. Which ones are the best? This list will help you decide.
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Most people wouldn’t think that a speed-loving character like Sonic would fit all that well into an old-school turn-based RPG, but that didn’t stop developer BioWare from bringing this entry to the Nintendo DS. The story slowly opens up from a standard tale about the Chaos Emeralds being stolen into a complex inter-dimensional mystery concerning an enigmatic echidna called Shade.
For fans of Sonic lore, there are plenty of references to non-gaming media, such as the beloved ‘SatAM’ cartoon and the various comic book series.
Gameplay is turn-based, which each character having a suite of special moves that can be upgraded as you level up, and are activated using a series of rhythm game style taps to the touch screen
The game is not without issues, as the music is often grating and the story ends on a jarring cliffhanger, but its otherwise a solid RPG experience set in Sonic’s universe. Shame that BioWare shut up its handheld division, so the resolution to that cliffhanger will never arrive.
Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic’s rival Shadow took the stage for this title, bringing a darker edge to what were usually family-friendly games. Shadow the Hedgehog explores multiple different routes through a central story, allowing the player to choose the good ‘Hero’ route, a bad, ‘Dark’ route or stay neutral and forge their own path. There are a total of ten endings to be unlocked, and a further ‘True Ending’ that can be seen once all the other ten have been seen, providing replay value, tohugh many of the levels, such as ‘Cosmic Fall’ can be deeply frustrating.
The game has seen some harsh criticism thanks to its overtly ‘edgy’ tone which sees Shadow using guns and bombs, or killing human NPCs, but does have some interesting level design and missions to complete. Of course, the game is a must for those with an interest in the character of Shadow and his backstory, as the game contains a lot of critical details about his past.
Those wanting to play it are advised to track down the GameCube version, since the PlayStation 2 version suffered from slippery controls that made it far more difficult that it needed to be.
Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
There’s nothing like a puzzle game to make the entire day vanish in a puff of smoke. Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine is a falling-block style puzzle game that is actually a re-skin of the popular Japanese title Puyo Puyo. Curiously, the game uses character designs based on the mapcap ‘Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog’
The gameplay is broadly similar to games such as Tetris or Columns, and just as addictive once you get the hang of the different twists on the typical puzzle game. The main single-player mode pits the player against 13 increasingly difficult computer-controlled opponents, but its in two-player mode where the game really comes alive. Nothing is quite as satisfying as sending an avalanche of grey beans to crush your opponent and hearing their cries of helpless frustration.
Sonic Rush
Another Sonic title on the Nintendo DS, Sonic Rush was a collaboration between the venerable Sonic Team and developers Dimps, released in 2005. Sonic Rush harkens back to the earlier era of Sonic games by returning the series to its 2D roots. The result is a very slick, polished game that was strongly praised for its excellent graphics and a superb soundtrack from legendary composer Hideki Naganuma. Sonic Rush also introduces a new character in the form of Blaze the Cat, who hails from a parallel world. Blaze has a few gameplay features that differ from Sonic, including a resistance to fire which is critical in some of the later levels in the game.
Sonic Rush was popular enough to score a sequel in 2007 called Sonic Rush Adventure. Though some critics have complained that the ‘Boost’ feature makes gameplay too fast, to the point where it makes the character hard to control, the two Sonic Rush games are a must for 2D Sonic fans.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Pretty much every mascot character has had a kart racing game at some point. Of course everyone knows Mario Kart, and there are plenty of popular titles like Diddy Kong Racing, and Crash Team Racing. However, despite Sonic’s emphasis on speed, the Sonic series had long struggled with racing titles.
Until Sumo Digital stepped in and first created Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing as part of its ongoing SEGA Superstars series. This first entry was a solid, but somewhat formulaic entry into the mascot racer genre. Things shifted up a few gears with Transformed, though as a new and exciting central mechanic was added. In Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, as the title would suggest, the cars can transform to adapt to different track conditions, moving from car, to boat to aeroplane and back again, depending on the course in front of you. The theme of change is carried through into the tracks themselves, such as the track inspired by Panzer Dragoon, where a dragon attack collapses part of the track halfway through, forcing you to take to the air.
The transformation adds a new dimension to the racing experience, and there is an amazing selection of racers from all over SEGA’s long history, each with their own type of vehicle and driving style. Thanks to its innovations and respect to gaming history, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a must for SEGA fans and mascot racer fans.
Ana Sz.
Autor bio:
NES was basically my first love. I'm a fan of retro games, especially Football Games and Platforms. This passion got me to create Myemulator.online where I write reviews for all the games I use to play with.
