The 10 Best Sonic Games of All Time, Ranked
Sonic is one of the most iconic 16-bit video game characters of all time and more popular than ever today – especially after having a movie come out in 2020. (The sequel is supposed come out in April 2022 by the way!)
The main reason why the blue blur is so popular is most likely because the games he stars in are a lot of fun, with a lot of fast-paced action. You can pick them up and have fun right away. If you’re a kid playing them, they’re fun but difficult. Even if you’re an adult playing them, they’re tough! But they’re the kind of games that leave you coming back for more, especially with trying to get all of the chaos emeralds and unlocking super sonic (or using cheat codes – and we wouldn’t judge if you need them!) In our opinion, these are the best Sonic games of all time.
10. Sonic 3D Blast – Sega Genesis (1996)
Our first game is one of the least typical Sonic games among the franchise; it tried the switch up the tried-and-true gameplay, maybe a little too much. The result was Sonic 3D Blast – a unique, isometric and 3D game where sonic had to collect birds from enemies to get to the next level.
When I was a kid, I remember my cousin telling me he’d gotten a new Sonic game on his PC and being very confused when I first played it. Levels aren’t as fast-paced, although you could play through levels quickly if you know what you’re doing.
9. Sonic CD – Sega CD (1993)
Sonic CD was another interesting twist for the series, in more ways than one. Most Sonic fans weren’t able to play it because it only came out for the Sega CD, a peripheral for the Genesis that didn’t fare well. There have been recent ports of the game for newer platforms, but most would agree the game was a little too different.
The game had great graphics for 1993, a different style soundtrack than most Sonic fans were used to, and unique gameplay involving time-travel. Each stage had a past, present, bad future and good future version. That also meant unique themes for each version as well!
Unlike other Sonic games, Metal Sonic was the antagonist that squared off with Sonic, another divergence from the Sonic formula most fans loved. As a result, the game wasn’t able to reach a large audience Sega was hoping for, the Sega CD peripheral failed to take off, but it’s a little easier to find a copy of this game to play today.
8. Sonic Heroes – Gamecube, Xbox, & Playstation 2 (2003)
Fast forward ten years later. The sonic series is not doing great; the Sega Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001. Sonic fans have been waiting for something new. The next major commercial hit for the Sonic franchise would be found with Sonic Heroes.
Released on the Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox – everyone was able to get their hands on Sonic Heroes, and the game did amazingly well. The gameplay jump to 3D that started with Sonic Adventure in 1999 held up well, and the game boasted a large cast of playable characters, twelve of them, divided into teams.
There was a lot to offer – being able to switch characters instantly, finding different secrets in levels by using different teams, and a separate, unique storyline for each team. Despite being a smash hit, some Sonic the Hedgehog fans thought this game was the start of a decline in quality that wouldn’t let up for a while. Compared to some of the later games in the 2000s and 2010s, Sonic Heroes holds up well.
7. Sonic Adventure – Sega Dreamcast (1998)
Sonic Adventure had a lot of firsts. It was the first true 3D Sonic experience, it debuted the modern Sonic design that’s still around today, and it was an instant hit. It helped the Sega Dreamcast get off the ground as a launch title, one could argue it was one of the best launch titles of all time.
Featuring a compelling story, character development for Sonic and Tails, and introducing lots of new characters, Sonic Adventure broke a lot of new ground for the series. Even if the transition to true 3D gameplay might have turned some Sonic fans off from the series, it the laid the groundwork for a lot of cool things to come.
Levels were varied, featuring lots of different and new environments, and a natural progression from previous Sonic games. The soundtrack was enjoyable and reminiscent of the Sega Genesis music of previous games. This was the first Sonic game for a new generation of gamers, and it’s safe to stay it was responsible for reaching a new audience.
Some fans think Sonic Adventure 2 was a better game, as it offered more in the way of minigames, unlockables, and replay value. Both Sonic games hold up remarkably well, but Sonic Adventure paved the way for future Sonic The Hedgehog releases.
6. Sonic Generations – PS3, Xbox 360, 3DS, Wii & PC (2011)
For the 20th anniversary of Sonic The Hedgehog, Sega wanted to do something different. And they definitely did – they brought back the original Sonic to partner up with the modern Sonic. It was an interesting choice, but it worked: the game was a commercial success and led to classic Sonic appearing in more future games. Notably, Sonic Forces (2017) so both versions of Sonic pairing up again.
Sonic Generations was a mash up of classic Sonic games – 2D and 3D style levels; the best of both worlds for new and old fans. It featured Dr. Eggman teaming up with Dr. Robotnik, classic bosses like Metal Sonic, and the usual cast of characters and of course the chaos emeralds. Overall, many fans saw it as a return to form for the series and a marked improvement.
5. Sonic The Hedgehog – Sega Genesis (1991)
This is where the list starts to get tough. While some fans might think of the first entry in the Sonic franchise as their favorite, which is understandable, there were some quality-of-life issues in the first game that set it a little behind the later sequels.
Don’t get me wrong – this is definitely one of my favorite games and one of my earliest gaming memories. It was a groundbreaking game for the Genesis and helped set the company apart from Mario. The gameplay was among the fastest-paced you’d find in 1991 (and for a few years afterwards).
However, three acts per zone?! By the time you get to Marble Garden Zone Act 2, you’re ready to play another game. Maybe the Marble Garden Zone is just a slog to get through. The collision detection would also lead to you getting snagged on an invisible corner, and getting instadeath for no reason. The Scrap Brain Zone probably gave kids nightmares with the difficulty, it had some really unfair elements. The bonus rounds were labyrinthine and disorienting. The soundtrack was amazing and still holds up. There’s a lot to love with this game, but it’s not above criticism either. Truly an original!
4. Sonic 2 – Sega Genesis (1992)
Sonic 2 improves upon everything the first game did and then some. It adds in 2 player, a 2 player competitive mode, AI Tails helping in single player (although is AI was not great!). It added more levels than the first Sonic, along with better pacing.
The game also introduced Metal Sonic and the iconic Death Egg Robot, which would return in later games, the death egg zone, an amazing soundtrack, and loads more. We could go on and on. Technically, I don’t think this game outsold Sonic 1 because the first game was bundled with the Sega Genesis, but it seemed like every kid with a Sega had this game back in the 90s. It was a game worth having, and still playing today!
3. Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic 1 and 2 were truly great games, but as a kid Sonic & Knuckles was the one I always played. This game offers so much – you can either play as Sonic or Knuckles, and it’s like playing through a completely different game with either character. Knuckles could glide and climb up walls, but Sonic could jump higher. This lead to different paths in levels and different strategies.
Some of my favorite zones are in this game: Flying Battery Zone, Sky Sanctuary Zone, The Doomsday Zone. And this was one of the harder Sonic games for the Genesis, as well – it was quite difficult to end up getting Super Sonic, and the levels were laid out a little differently than Sonic 1 & 2.
This game came out in October of 1994, with Sonic 3 coming out in May of 1994 – but it had an amazing feature. The top of the cart had a lock-on feature to connect with other carts. You could play through Sonic 2 with Knuckles, and, more importantly, connect Sonic 3 to Sonic & Knuckles. But more on that later!
2. Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania came out in 2017 and did what no other Sonic game had done in years – it was a fully 2D Sonic like the Genesis games, and it was critically acclaimed for giving old-school Sonic fans what they wanted.
The game is available to download on most modern platforms, and it was one I purchased right away when I learned it was released! It features remixed levels from Sonic 1 – Sonic & Knuckles, with additional acts that add to them (a very cool feature) and new zones that fit with the style and substance of the Genesis games. It also added new 3D bonus games, new enemies, power-ups and much, much more.
Featuring a whole bunch of new bosses, returning bosses, and new characters to play as, this game really outdid itself. It had additional DLC come out for it that was positively received and there has been chatter about a sequel on Twitter but nothing confirmed yet. It needs to happen! Sonic Mania was the definitive sequel to the series every hardcore Sonic fan was waiting for.
1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
This is it, the best Sonic games of all time! For the purposes of this list, I’m combining Sonic 3 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles – I would argue that they’re the same game, and it is a monster game.
Sonic 3, in its own right, is an amazing game and would be #1 on its own, easily. However, due to the lock-on technology of the Sonic & Knuckles game cart, you’re able to connect Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles – making both of the games a single experience. You start out with Sonic 3 and then proceed to Sonic & Knuckles. This makes it the longest Sonic the Hedgehog game by far.
Sonic 3 features the best soundtrack of any Sonic game (produced by Michael Jackson, no less!), it added new power ups that flipped the script, and added in new bosses that were quite different from previous entries. If you can manage to collect all of the chaos emeralds, you’ll have the chance to collect the super emeralds (seriously, good luck!) and become Hyper Sonic. Or Hyper Knuckles, or Hyper Tails. This game lets you play as all three, or as Sonic & Tails, and included a save feature not found any other entry in the series, too.
It could be argued Sonic 3 & Knuckles was the best game available on the Sega Genesis. Personally, I think it is!
