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Best Sonic game?

jman2050 said:
I still hate Labyrinth Zone (Tidal Tempest is Labyrinth done right IMO), Hill Top is undeniably boring, and Wacky Workbench is a tad too frustrating.

Oh yeah, and Stardust Speedway is the best sonic zone in history, no questions asked :)
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You actually think Tidal Tempest is better than the Labyrinth zone? :o

Most of the bugs and slowdown often mentionned in Sonic CD are concentrated in Stardust Speedway. Heck, the zone feels rushed when you notice the background ingame is incomplete compared to the image in the level select (a piece of the horizon is simply missing). :)
 
I would love to see the time travel idea make a return in a 2D Sonic. However, I would also like to see it return in a different fashion. Rather than loading different maps, it would be cool if they could somehow fade the two maps together seamlessly. So, as you move to the future, for example, the world literally morphs/fades into the future (with some fancy effects to mark the change). Basically, they should keep you moving during the transition.
 
I've messed with Sonic 2 Long as well, and was mostly disappointed. The added levels are mostly crap and simply disrupt the flow of the classic game. Need idea, though.
 
I don't get the Sonic 2 love.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog all the way. It's STILL charming as ever.
2. Sonic Adventure 2 - I'd take the uneven and sometimes unfun 2/3 of the game over the "Adventure" part of SA1.
3. Sonic Advance - so sue me, I liked it a lot. one of the best games for the system, and I'd choose it over all of Nintendo's offerings. Densetsu no Starfi series for example is pretty meh.
 
But Hidden Palace zone, playable, from beginning to end, at last!

I don't think there was anything of the Dust Hill zone in the beta ROM so they must have copied whatever they could see from the tiny screenshots found in a few magazine and build it from scratch from there.
 
For me...
Sonic 2 (best gameplay)
Sonic (best music, best personality)
Sonic 2 GG (great evil level designs, good speed)
Sonic Chaos GG (portable Tails)
Sonic GG (good speed, great music)
Sonic Triple Trouble GG (bad framerate, but great level designs)
Sonic 3 (nice graphics, feels a bit soulless)
Sonic Adventure (loved the Knuckles levels, loved the Tails and Sonic levels when the physics and collision detection worked, liked E102 ... really loved the unlockable GG games in DX :D)
Sonic & Knuckles (ditto Sonic 3, but emptier; bosses are unlikeable)
Sonic 3D Blast (not terrible, but... not memorable)
Sonic Labyrinth GG (despite the hours and hours I spent on it, I don't really like it, heh)

Still haven't played Sonic CD, SA2 or Segasonic. Throw in Tails' Adventure GG at #2 if that's game, and Knuckles Chaotix in last. I don't recognize Blast, Heroes or Advance :P
 
Sky Rail, Jungle and some of that night city level are not particularly good in SA2, despite the excellent Sonic/Shadow play mechanics.

But Final Rush, Metal Harbor, the Egyptian one, the San Francisco one and the remake of Green Hill zone are the shit. :)
 
goodcow said:
Sonic Jam? :P

Alright, well...

2D: Sonic 2
3D: Sonic Adventure 2

Overall... I think I'd give it to Sonic Adventure 2.

Awesome level design.
http://www.goodcowfilms.com/farm/games/videos/sonic-adventure-2-dreamcast/sa2_final-rush.wmv
http://www.goodcowfilms.com/farm/games/videos/sonic-adventure-2-dreamcast/sa2_metal-harbor.wmv
http://www.goodcowfilms.com/farm/games/videos/sonic-adventure-2-dreamcast/sa2_white-jungle.wmv
etc.
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Though I find it difficult to go through SA2 because of the cruddy levels and shoddy cinemas, I LOVE playing the Sonic/Shadow stages on 2-Player mode with a buddy. There's no better multi-player experience. Especially the Jungle level/White Jungle. That stage gets the andrenaline going(the stage music helps, too).

Bleah. They should make a SA2: Director's Cut...with the Tails and Knuckles stuff shoved to the side. They should simply split the 6 characters into different game modes.

It'd be nice if they gave you the option of going through just the Sonic/Shadow levels without worrying about the other 2/3 of the game.
 
SonicMegaDrive said:
It'd be nice if they gave you the option of going through just the Sonic/Shadow levels without worrying about the other 2/3 of the game.
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*kisses copy of SA1 with its non-restrictive gameplay* :)
 
goodcow said:
The problem is SA1 is near-unplayable with its horrible framerate now, especially after getting used to 60fps SA2.
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You don't need that frame because you are not performing the same precise skillful stunts as SA2 (and that part is slightly dumbed down in the GC version). And besides, SA2 on DC gets down to 30 fps when playing split-screen. :)

BTW, Goodcow, I've noticed you don't press B to hone in on the rings and then the rails at the same time in your video of Final Rush, instead prefering the slower way of landing of the ground and jumping again and then hit the rails. :)
 
SonicMegaDrive said:
SA1's levels were pretty awesome in 1998, but they seem slow-paced now when you compare them to SA2's levels.
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I'm not denying Emerald Beach or Speed highway are not as kinetic, but they're still fun. SA1 also has slower-paced stages like Windy Valley and Twinkle Park which are among the best levels in the Sonic universe, IMHO. Sonic was not always about speed, even on the Genny.
 
1) Sonic 1 -- Still the best level design in the series, and 2nd best 2D graphics/sound IMO. Paralax forever!

2) Sonic 2 -- Introduced the Spin dash, Super Sonic, pinball zones and didn't screw up Sonic 1's gameplay; a worthy sequel

3) Sonic CD -- Best graphics/sound by far and the only true extension of Sonic 1. Level design was hit and miss; haven't played this one in about 10 years so my memory is fuzzy

4) Sonic 3 & Knuckles -- Enjoyable, but I didn't like the washed-out look and some levels were way too long.

5) Sonic Adventure -- Best levels/atmosphere of the 3D games, but the gameplay is buggy/sloppy and hasn't aged well

6) Sonic Adventure 2 -- Much tighter gameplay than SA1, but I though the levels weren't as interesting. Mecha-tails/eggman were not fun at all; SA1's robot was faster and better

7) Sonic Heroes -- Maybe the worst game I've played this generation. Horrible on every level.


Also Sonic Jam on Saturn is a much, much better compilation than Sonic Mega Collection.
 
Instigator said:
BTW, Goodcow, I've noticed you don't press B to hone in on the rings and then the rails at the same time in your video of Final Rush, instead prefering the slower way of landing of the ground and jumping again and then hit the rails. :)
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This is two-fold:

1) That often fucks up, because the engine is buggy
2) The videos were taken with me playing on a 3.5 inch camcorder LCD screen, so it's harder to do things like that with precision
 
Xellos said:
Also Sonic Jam on Saturn is a much, much better compilation than Sonic Mega Collection.
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The 3D museum was such a tease. It showed you could have a solid 3D engine for a Sonic game on Saturn. Man, did I squeeze every once of gameplay in that level, even if Sonic was uncharasteristically slow. :)

Like Shenmue, it's better to have it on more powerful hardware, but there's always that part of me that wonders what if...
 
Instigator said:
The 3D museum was such a tease. It showed you could have a solid 3D engine for a Sonic game on Saturn. Man, did I squeeze every once of gameplay in that level, even if Sonic was uncharasteristically slow. :)

Like Shenmue, it's better to have it on more powerful hardware, but there's always that part of me that wonders what if...
Click to expand...

The world was small though, so it probably wouldn't have been realistic to make a 3D Sonic on it. Plus, as you said, Sonic was uncharasteristically slow.
 
goodcow said:
The world was small though, so it probably wouldn't have been realistic to make a 3D Sonic on it. Plus, as you said, Sonic was uncharasteristically slow.
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That doesn't mean the entire level has to be confined to that size, you could have multiple sections linked together in various ways and have appropriate rocks/building preventing you to see too far ahead. But the basic engine was there, it wasn't buggy nor suffered from pop-up, something uncommon on Saturn and PS.

As for the speed, this is something that can be fairly easy to adjust. The 3D museum was obviously slow because it was mostly about exploring buildings and finding secret items.
 
goodcow said:
This is two-fold:

1) That often fucks up, because the engine is buggy
2) The videos were taken with me playing on a 3.5 inch camcorder LCD screen, so it's harder to do things like that with precision
Click to expand...

Forgiven. :)
 
Sonic 2 is the best, then the original, then Sonic CD.

One you are all missing that should have: Sonic Chaos for the Game Gear. Easily as good as the console games (and the only game gear one that I ever liked).
 
1.Sonic 2 definitely, also pretty much my favorite game of all time, I can play it in my sleep!!
2.Sonic the Hedgehog closely after
3.Sonic 3+Knuckles, I have fond memories of staying up late nights playing both, and yeah, after S&K came out, I pretty much never bothered to play Sonic 3 without lock-on again (old model Genesis+32X+lock-on cartridge=seriously huge total package though, it looked like some sort of anime battleship:)
4.Sonic CD, this might've been #2 or even #1 for me after I first played it, I remember my jaw dropped to the floor after seeing the opening movie (and I've always wished that a 3D Sonic could look and play like that ever since) and I'm a huge fan of both the US and Japanese soundtracks, but having replayed the game recently, the level design doesn't seem to have aged so well, I thought it was kinda innovative when I was younger, but now it just seems a little cobbled together, still have awesome memories of playing both that, and Sonic 2 GG over at my friend's house, great times.

Every now and then, I pull all of them out, and try to play through them all (sometimes including Knuckles Chaotix) in a day, it always provides me with a rest-assured days worth of solid gameplay, yeah, I know, I'm a fanatic.
 
StoOgE said:
Sonic 2 is the best, then the original, then Sonic CD.

One you are all missing that should have: Sonic Chaos for the Game Gear. Easily as good as the console games (and the only game gear one that I ever liked).
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What about Sonic Triple Trouble?
 
This thread is a good excuse for me to spend a day playing Sonic games.

Honestly, I haven't really dug into the pre-Adventure stuff since I was a kid.
 
Starfire said:
1.Sonic 2 definitely, also pretty much my favorite game of all time, I can play it in my sleep!!

4.Sonic CD, this might've been #2 or even #1 for me after I first played it, I remember my jaw dropped to the floor after seeing the opening movie (and I've always wished that a 3D Sonic could look and play like that ever since) and I'm a huge fan of both the US and Japanese soundtracks, but having replayed the game recently, the level design doesn't seem to have aged so well, I thought it was kinda innovative when I was younger, but now it just seems a little cobbled together, still have awesome memories of playing both that, and Sonic 2 GG over at my friend's house, great times.
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After playing with Sonic CD, I had wished Sega had gotten lazy and just delivered an enhanced Sonic 2, like Ecco 1 was or something. Outside of the FMV and the CD soudtrack, Sonic 2 was just so obviously superior, the game was more polished, had greater care put into it (Tails was still 'buggy'). Maybe Sega would have had a harder time to sell the Sega CD without a new Sonic, but most Sonic fans probably would have appreciated it.

If the game had been rereleased with a bunch of new levels, remixed soundtrack and other extras, I would have gone nuts. :)
 
goodcow said:
What about Sonic Triple Trouble?
Click to expand...

Yeah, Sonic + Tails 1 & 2 were both really fun games. Sadly, the GG hardware has prevented them from really living up to their potential. The level design is quite good (MUCH better than the earlier GG Sonic games) and actually LOOKS visually better than the NGPC Sonic game. The base framerate is 60 fps too (unlike the NGPC game)...but they should have lowered it as the game simply can't hold it. It slows down WAY too often for its own good and makes for a clunky experience.

Perhaps someone should bust out a level editor for a Genesis Sonic game (which exists, I believe) and convert the GG levels? Probably too much work, but it would be cool..
 
I really can't understand the Sonic 3 hate. If people would just get past the graphics (which I personally like) then they would realize that the level designs are simply brilliant, and up there with Sonic 1.

As for SA2, anyone ever get to the special Green Hill Zone in 3D section? I can't beat the game due to the shitty as Knuckles level (I refuse to fight with the camera any longer).
 
FortNinety said:
I really can't understand the Sonic 3 hate. If people would just get past the graphics (which I personally like) then they would realize that the level designs are simply brilliant, and up there with Sonic 1.

As for SA2, anyone ever get to the special Green Hill Zone in 3D section? I can't beat the game due to the shitty as Knuckles level (I refuse to fight with the camera any longer).
Click to expand...

Yeah. It took a year, but I made it to the Green Hill Zone 3D (Thankfully, I found someone who enjoyed Knuckle's levels, so I got out of doing all of them). It's a pretty cool bonus and REALLY neat to see, but the actual level is pretty different from the real GHZ and is fairly short. I'll throw some caps up later, if you want.
 
FortNinety said:
I really can't understand the Sonic 3 hate. If people would just get past the graphics (which I personally like) then they would realize that the level designs are simply brilliant, and up there with Sonic 1.

As for SA2, anyone ever get to the special Green Hill Zone in 3D section? I can't beat the game due to the shitty as Knuckles level (I refuse to fight with the camera any longer).
Click to expand...

Levels are too long and some of them really pale in comparison to their counterparts in past sonic games. I really hate water in Sonic 3, too much of it everywhere, levels lose their identity. Hydro City sucks, despite the cool water effect. It's a pity they couldn't really top the Casino Night Zone from Sonic 2. Not having a pure highway level is also bad.

I accessed the Green Hill zone in SA2 through a save downloaded online. Saved me the trouble of playing some of those levels again. :)
 
Sonic 2

Sonic Adventures 2

Sonic 1

Sonic Heros

Sonic 3

Sonic 'n Knucles

Sonic Adventures

Sonic Advanced

Chaotics

Sonic from Master System

Sonic 2 form Master System

Ohters Master System Sonics that I play and don´t remember the name.

OBS: I don't play Sonic CD (only the begin), Sonic Advanced 2 and 3.
 
dark10x said:
Yeah. It took a year, but I made it to the Green Hill Zone 3D (Thankfully, I found someone who enjoyed Knuckle's levels, so I got out of doing all of them). It's a pretty cool bonus and REALLY neat to see, but the actual level is pretty different from the real GHZ and is fairly short. I'll throw some caps up later, if you want.
Click to expand...

That would be awesome, thanks!
 
I'd go with Sonic 1 or 2.


As for Sonic CD... I played the PC version, and didn't like the way the levels were designed. Perhaps the Sega CD version is different? I notice alot of people say that SOnic Cd was the best of the 2d games, and I thought it was the worst.
 
SomeDude said:
I'd go with Sonic 1 or 2.


As for Sonic CD... I played the PC version, and didn't like the way the levels were designed. Perhaps the Sega CD version is different? I notice alot of people say that SOnic Cd was the best of the 2d games, and I thought it was the worst.
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Oh no, it's the same thing, it just appeared a few years later on PC with inexplicably long loading times.
 
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^ Awesome!! I've always wanted to see that.

1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles: It's so essential. Best music ever too.
2. Sonic 2: The first 75% is better than Sonic 3, but then it gets really boring during the last part. And no rings for the final two bosses? That's so unnecessary :'(
3. Sonic CD: Just going by memory with that one, but that FMV intro was inspiring.
4. Sonic 1: The reason why it's ranked so low is because it didn't flow very well, with that whole three whole levels spent underwater (~_~) and Marble whatchamacallit zone.
5. Sonic Adventure: It's glitchy, but I still think it's pretty great.
6. Sonic Adventure 2: ugh
7. Sonic 2 Game Gear: ughhhh

I heard a rumor that the best way to break into a new forum is to post a list, so there ya go.
 
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