I'm not here to present an argument. Rather, I'd like to add to the discussion.
Somebody mentioned the Old Tomb Raider games. I would like to propose that Tomb Raider Anniversary (the remake of the original Tomb Raider) really did the original game justice. I wouldn't say that Tomb Raider Anniversary is better than any of the Sonic Trilogy games. Heck, they're not even comparable. Instead, I'd say it's a very different game design than the Sonic games and it does a few things very well compared to the Sonic games.
For instance, while the Sonic games did have multiple paths to run along to reach the end of the level, Tomb Raider Anniversary very rarely gives you more than 1 (true) path to reach the goal. In fact, when it shows you multiple paths, it is because the game is trying to lead you into completely different places within the level. This is nice to me because you really get to explore the whole level with intended consequences. What I mean is - while the different paths lead you to different places, they all have purpose. One room might show a mechanism that opens up a trap door that's located at the opposite end of the level. It might be 6 stories up, or maybe you hafta swim through quite a few caverns to find out what exactly it is that you triggered. Its game design really does cater to the player's sense of exploration.
One thing I notice about Sonic games is that the levels can be played over a large area. I think Sonic and friend's abilities to run fast, fly, or glide really work well to cover a lot of ground within the levels. And because Sonic can run so fast, it makes sense that there are quite a few obstacles within the levels to impede the player. There are pit falls, spikes, and of course some enemies that have certain patrol patterns that the player has to recognize in order to either avoid or subdue. The speed at which Sonic runs might even impede the player's ability to recognize danger in a timely manner because you simply can't see what's off the screen. I'd feel confident in saying that while Sonic runs, the level is moving at a great pace as well.
In contrast, Tomb Raider Anniversary is generally very slow and static. There are very few enemy encounters, and the player has ample time to recognize what dangers lie before Lara. Of course there are pit falls, spikes, and there are other kinds of boobie traps as well. While the game plays out very slowly, I feel that the level designs are just as well thought-out as the Sonic games, but they are built with very different ideas in mind. Sometimes, the level design seems so complex that the player has no choice but to stop and explore. The player is forced to slowly take note of the surroundings and think about what mechanisms might be in-play, or what alleys are closed/open/one-way, etc. As mentioned before, while there is always one true path to take, the game starts out with one or two paths, and then as the player progresses - the levels branch into many isolated sections, and many paths within the sections. It becomes a steady challenge that builds up until the levels become extremely hairy and intimidating. All of the sudden, failure means much more than restarting a level - it means losing progress on that puzzle that you have already forgotten parts of. So then you'll literally have to solve it all over again.
Another thing that Anniversary does well is challenge the player's understanding of what Lara can or cannot do. I've mentioned that the level designs progressively become more challenging and complex. The design also starts becoming hairy as the platforms or gaps become further and further away. Early in the game, you clear many of the jumps with ease and clearance. As the levels progress, the player will start to question what is clear-able and what is not. Some platforms are deliberately placed just out of reach, which leads to Lara's death. You might not know that it's unreachable even after dying and might try several attempts to make that clearing with certain adjustments until you finally concede that you're not on the right path.
This same concept also applies to other things like angle-of-approach. In the beginning, the platforms are wide and Lara has plenty of room for error. As the player progresses, the platforming becomes tighter and narrower. Not only that, but the angles start to shift away from straight 90 degree angles and straight lines. The end result is that by the near-end, the levels look and feel so organic that it just seems like the ruins (tombs) that Lara explores were naturally aged with that very placement/decay/manner/whatever. Platforming becomes a test of recognition of what is possible and what is not - and it's done in a very clever way to deceive you and cast doubt. You really are exploring tombs before you reach the last level.
I don't really feel that Sonic games were meant to challenge players in the same way that Tomb Raider Anniversary was. Even in 3D, the level designs were carried out with very different purposes in mind. One might have been well-made for a blistering faster-paced experience, while the other was meant to be cautiously explored with trepidation.
Anyways, I dunno where I'm going with this. Seriously. Shoot me.
