Summary

• Sonic the Hedgehog's legacy is undeniable, serving as a key mascot and game to establish SEGA's competition against Nintendo in the 90s.
• Despite mixed reception, Sonic has had standout games with unique qualities that excel in the platforming genre.
• The best Sonic the Hedgehog games cover a variety of genres, not just platforming, and hail from both the series' 2D and 3D eras.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a polarizing series in gaming, but it's impossible to deny the strength of its overall legacy. During the early 90s when SEGA was struggling to establish itself as a formidable competitor to Nintendo, Sonic arrived and gave the company the mascot (and the hit game) it needed to convince customers to buy the Genesis/Mega Drive console. Inconsistent release quality, however, has led to mixed reception over the years.

Even in the worst stretches of Sonic the Hedgehog as a franchise, there have always been flashes of inspiration. Over the several decades that the blue speedster has been around, he's racked up a number of games that can be considered truly great. Any of the better Sonic titles excel in ways that can't be found anywhere else, and the best of the best stand among the titans of the platforming genre.

Sonic And The Black Knight (2009)

Original Platform: Wii

Sonic and the Black Knight is no stranger to criticism, and the reviews from the time would indicate that it was a step-down from the Wii predecessor Sonic and the Secret Rings. While it's hard to justify returning to Secret Rings now, however, Sonic and the Black Knight remains an experience that's unique enough to be worth a spin.

The biggest selling point of Sonic and the Black Knight is probably its writing, with an interesting story and above-average characterization for the franchise. The gameplay is certainly rougher — and the sword is never as well-integrated as it should be — but improved controls do make it easier to get in the swing of things than anything that Secret Rings ever offered.

Sonic Superstars (2023)

Original Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC

Sonic Superstars isn't exactly an inspiring entry in the franchise, sticking to basics overall without delivering on them in a manner as polished or thrilling as the best games in the franchise have done. It's a decent Sonic package for those looking for more to play, but despite the superlative in the name, it's not one that anyone should opt for as an entry to the franchise when better alternatives abound.

Co-op is a big selling point of Sonic Superstars, but even that is hard to get especially enthused about, with results that are too chaotic to be all that appealing. It's definitely not the worst basic entry in the franchise, maintaining a level of solid quality that's somewhat lacking in something like Sonic Forces and nowhere to be found in the 2006 game Sonic the Hedgehog, it's just one that's best described as fine.

Sonic Riders (2006)

Original Platforms: Gamecube, PS2

Sonic Riders never garnered much critical acclaim, but it does have plenty of ardent . It's easy to get frustrated when learning the ropes of this high-speed racer, which operates on its own unique mechanics that might not immediately gel for fans of other racing games. Some of that is certainly the game's fault, and there's no shortage of rough edges to be found here.

Potential hang-ups notwithstanding, Sonic Riders can be a lot of fun after actually getting the hang of it. Anyone who can master some strange controls can get a rewarding competitive experience out of it. It might not be as polished and accessible as the All-Stars Racing games, but it's still an interesting experiment for the Sonic franchise that can be worth checking out.

Sonic Rush Adventure (2007)

Original Platform: Nintendo DS

Sonic Rush Adventure iterates on the previous DS game Sonic Rush, and it does so in a way that makes it an improvement for some fans and a downgrade for others. Like some Zelda titles in a similar time frame, Sonic Rush Adventure shakes up the gameplay loop by setting stages on islands and adding sailing into the mix, an extra layer of gameplay that's certainly unusual for the franchise.

Stages in the original Rush are ultimately more consistent than in Rush Adventure, but the latter game largely makes up for it with variety and creativity. Sonic Rush Adventure's particular strength can be found in its boss battles, which mark a more direct upgrade over the first game than any other element.

Sonic Heroes (2003)

Original Platforms: Gamecube, PS2, Xbox

Sonic Heroes is a strong follow-up to Sonic Adventure 2 in many ways, continuing the story and some of the gameplay elements from one of the best 3D Sonic titles. Overall, however, it doesn't always match the heights of its predecessor. The team focus is an interesting addition, but it's ultimately not for everyone, and it doesn't smooth over every weak point to be found.

The worst part of Sonic Heroes is generally its repetition, which takes some exciting gameplay and makes it feel tiresome by the time the credits roll. It's still good for some off-and-on fun, but running through Sonic Heroes from beginning to end in a short timespan reveals its limitations.

Sonic Unleashed (2008)

Original Platforms: PS2/3, Wii, Xbox 360

Sonic Unleashed remains a divisive game in the franchise, mostly thanks to the gap between its highs and its lows. When Sonic gets to go fast, there are some beautiful levels and exciting gameplay, but the werewolf sections tend to be a slog. At the end of the day, this compromise is still preferable to the mediocrity of some series entries, and its best parts deserve a mention as some of the best that 3D Sonic has to offer.

Sonic Frontiers (2022)

Original Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

As a more ambitious title than most 3D Sonic games, Sonic Frontiers takes on an open-world environment littered with platforming opportunities and enemies. Despite a mixed critical reception, the game was generally a hit with fans, and it's easy to find avenues for fun when boosting around wide open plains. Sonic Frontiers isn't without its flaws, but it does make for a refreshing change of pace, especially compared to games like Sonic Forces that retread familiar territory while failing to live up to their predecessors.

Sonic Rush (2005)

Original Platform: Nintendo DS

The mid-2000s was a rough period for Sonic. In 2001, the Dreamcast ceased production, thus ending Sega's time as a console maker. On top of that, Sonic was seeing a string of lackluster titles like Shadow the Hedgehog and the infamously bad Sonic the Hedgehog of '06.

Fortunately, Sonic games performed well on handheld devices. The release of Sonic Rush featured strong level design and a constant focus on moving forward. Although the lack of particularly complex platforming compared to the Sonic Advance games might not be for everyone, it's hard to deny the unique appeal of Sonic Rush and the strength of its execution.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)

Original Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing might not be one of the greatest racing games of all time, but it still holds up well as a tight and engaging kart racer. It features some beloved characters created by Sega, including the ChuChus from ChuChu Rocket! and Amigo from Samba de Amigo.

The game offers a wide variety of tracks that pull visual and audio elements from various Sega games, such as Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, as well as The House of the Dead. With consistently exciting track design and plenty of fun to be had with friends, it's hard to ignore Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing's enduring strengths.

Sonic Advance (2002)

Original Platform: Game Boy Advance

Sonic Rush was released in December 2001 as the first original Sonic game to launch on a non-Sega console, following the port of Sonic Adventure 2 to the GameCube. Luckily, the title made a lasting impression with solid level design and great music. It isn't as fast or consistently exciting as the very best titles, but for a game that could be taken on the go, its appeal remains easy to see. The atmosphere remains a standout for the series, packing something special into a handheld package.