2009’s almost out. That means we’ve enjoyed a whole decade of Sonic the Hedgehog goodness in the last ten years, from 2000’s Sonic Shuffle (for Americans, we didn’t get it until the year after, damn SEGA) to 2009’s Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. So, rather than just round up the games of the year, The Sonic Stadium crew have taken to list their Top 10 Sonic games of the decade!
This is how we’ve done it. A bunch of TSS Staffers wrote over their unique Top 10 (which will be listed at the end of this article). Along with it, a short paragraph as to why they ranked each game the way they did. When bunching all of these lists together, we formed an average by giving points to each game’s placement on each staffer’s countdown (so a #1 position would get 10 points, and a game in 10th place would get 1 point). Add all the points up, and we have our own, not-so-scientific average. What game will get TSS’ #1 Sonic Game of the Decade? Read on, dear reader…
Game of the Decade reviewers: Svend ‘Dreadknux’ Joscelyne, Adam ‘T-Bird’ Tuff, Paul Street, Shadzter, nuckles87 and new challenger – SSMB Moderator Wolfblur.
10. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Paul (placed 5th): “Sonic’s first role playing game and built by RPG masters Bioware, Chronicles gleamed with quality. Fighting was generally fun despite characters randomly missing their attacks more than they should. The levels themselves looked gorgeous in a hand painted style and the story is in my opinion the best seen in a Sonic game ever. Bioware should also be praised for trying to make sense out of the confusing Sonic cannon and an ending that left you begging for more.”
9. Sonic Advance
Svend (placed 2nd): “I fell in love with Sonic Advance the very second I started playing it. It is the closest thing to a ‘Sonic 4’ that has been made in recent years, as Dimps followed the 16-bit template to the letter to create something atmospheric and an absolute joy to play. Those who say it’s not very fast is missing the point – just like the classic Mega Drive titles, Sonic Advance was heavily reliant on pinball physics and multi-tiered level design. Run through any stage, from Secret Base to Angel Island and you’ll no doubt be able to find at least two bona fide paths to the end marker.
The inertia was perfect and when you went fast, you went fast – Dimps even replicated the “going so fast the camera can’t catch up” situations from games past. The music was bouncy, cheerful and above all, ‘Sonic’y. Egg Rocket Zone remains one of my favourite stages.”
8. Sonic Mega Collection
nuckles87 (placed 1st): “Alright, I’ll admit this is a bit of a cop out, but any Sonic fan has to be able to admit that having the entire Genesis library in a single disc is about the best thing a Sonic fan can ask for, even if you think Sonic 06 and Shadow the Hedgehog are the best games ever. It’s not just the quality of the individual games, but the sheer quantity of them: Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic and Knuckles and it’s lock on games…and bonus games like Ristar, all help make Mega Collection the best Sonic game of the decade…even if it’s technically made up of Sonic games from the last decade.”
Wolfblur (placed 3rd): “Not really a “new” Sonic game, but without catching this game at a Walmart ages ago, I don’t think I would have gotten back into Sonic at any point soon. Like a lot of people, I played the Genesis games largely back then, and after seeing this collection after a few year mind-blank of the blue dude, I honestly believe that playing Sonic 2 again was the greatest nostalgic point ever in my life. I played, no, still play this collection a shit load.”
7. Sonic Adventure DX
Paul (placed 2nd, but as SA1 on the Dreamcast. Never mind, we threw it in here): “The Dreamcast’s flagship game didn’t disappoint. As mind-blowing for me as Mario 64 was for everyone else, controlling Sonic in a 3D space for the first time (in a full game I mean. I remember Sonic Rush) was truly phenomenal. That the game expanded on the limited fiction from the Genesis games was a bonus as was being able to play through the story as several different characters seeing it from different angles each time.
While the game also introduced the ‘track’ design and innumerable bottomless pits of doom, the imagination of its world and its fantastic story more than made up for it. That no other Sonic game has come close to featuring hub worlds of this quality is telling.”
nuckles87 (placed 4th): “Sonic’s original 3D adventure still remains one of his best. Sure, the fishing levels were a huge pain, but the rest of the game’s gameplay modes where short, simple, and fun. The Adventure fields gave the game a nice since of adventure that it’s predecessor ended up lacking, and the boss battles still stand as some of the best ever done in a 3D Sonic game.”
6. Sonic Rush
Paul (placed 1st): “After Nintendo unveiled its DS for the first time Sonic fans were left wondering how Sega would use the consoles unique set up. The answer was by ignoring the fiddly stylus and concentrating on having Sonic run as fast a possible over two screens. Speed was the name of the game and the thrill of boosting at full tilt through badniks smashing them out of the way is the most fun I’ve had in a Sonic game in the past 10 years.
There’s no hub world stalling the action, no cast of friends slowing the pace down with fishing or shooting galleries, no tacky gimmicks or minigames to contend with and no awkward princess kissing. Even the two new characters the game introduces into the swelling rank of friends and foes are good for a change; Blaze matching Sonic for balls to the wall action and Eggman Nega possibly being more insane than Dr Eggman himself. That Sega would release a sequel including all the unnecessary stylus controlled minigames shows that it totally missed the point in the first games appeal; It’s purely a Sonic game, nothing more, nothing less.”
T-Bird (placed 4th): “I think a lot of older fans had been pining for a good classic 2D Sonic title for a long time, and that was certainly delivered by Rush. With a cracking blend of 2D backdrops and 3D sprites, intermingled with the odd 3D boss level, Sonic Rush seemed like the happy medium. The gorgeous graphics were so well complimented by what is in my opinion the defining feature of the game: the music. Hideki Naganuma’s genius up-tempo sampled beats made this really feel unique, and defined the sound of handheld Sonic games in my opinion.”
5. Sonic and the Secret Rings
Wolfblur (placed 4th): “Once you levelled up a bit in this game, it was a blast! Handling Sonic at those speeds with such easy turning after a while really made it the fastest out of any Sonic game at the point of release. Not to forget the killer soundtrack that I still listen to on my way to work, the music really matched the pace of the game.”
T-Bird (placed 5th): “I think what I loved about SatSR is it broke the mould a bit – this was, remember, before Sonic decided he was a Werehog / should carry a sword / should hang out with Mario. The storyboard sequences (although probably a cost cutting measure) are gorgeous, and the dull palette makes a nice change in tactic from the usual glossy CGI. The wonderful theme-inspired Runblebee soundtrack made this something I could tap my foot to and enjoy as I blasted through the desert.
The party mode extended the replay value on the game ten-fold, and is probably the cause of many repetitive strain injuries, induced by pulling out many carpets from underneath Genies and swinging maces around in the vain hope of knocking Tails off his giant tower before he could retaliate. Slap-Bang in the Sand indeed!”
nuckles87 (placed 5th): “When the Wii first came out, very few games took advantage of what the console could do. Miraculously, one of the first games that did was a Sonic game: Secret Rings was that breath of quality I as a SEGA and Sonic fan desperately needed after having to endure two pieces of crap in a row: Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 2006. This game took the speedy gameplay of the Adventure games, put it on rails, and turned Secret Rings into a roller coaster ride. This game would have easily usurped Unleashed’s #2 spot on this list, were it not for one very big mistake: this game forces the player to “level up” to get the best control option. Once that roadblock is overcome though, Secret Rings becomes an incredibly fun game.”
4. Sonic Heroes
T-Bird (placed 3rd): “What isn’t there to like about Sonic Heroes? I don’t think any colours went unused in the incredibly vibrant environments throughout the game, which I think is still considered by a large portion of the community to be the last bastion of the “good” 3D Sonic games. I cannot describe the jubilation I felt when I found out SEGA still remembered they had invented the Chaotix characters many years ago, and that now was the time to revive them in all their Hermit-crab-seeking-Gunnar-Nelson-power-anthem glory. If Crush 40’s third soundtrack appearance didn’t seal the deal, a couple of the guys from a band called Orgy decided to make a kick-arse theme for Team Dark too. For one brief second there, emo was cool.”
Svend (placed 4th): “It’s easy to hate Sonic Heroes. There are common glitches, team play is clunky, Shadow’s back for no reason, the story’s a farce, Metal Sonic’s completely out of character and as a package this seems more like a mockery of the franchise than an asset. But Sonic Heroes has a lot to love about it too, and this is evident when you start to play through the levels as Team Sonic and mostly ignore partner-switching.
The stages were a fantastic throwback to past Sonic games, yet still felt fresh and varied to be worthy of the title ‘Zone’. The music was top-notch, and examples like dashing through the rooftops of Grand Metropolis offered some fantastic platforming. This was the last console outing where the surroundings and atmosphere genuinely -felt- like a Sonic game – Casino Park remains one of the best 3D Sonic levels ever made in terms of design. And if Final Fortress doesn’t send positive shivers down your spine I’d question your Sonic soul.”
Wolfblur (placed 5th): “Though the music adds a lot to it, I think the main reason I love this game so much is simply the atmosphere of it. Something seems less serious about it; more happy-go-lucky “I’m gonna stop ya Eggman ’cause I’m Sonic” sort of feeling. The CGI was awesome at the time of release, and I kinda liked the idea of having a team of 3. Less Egg Pawns though please.”
3. Sonic Rush Adventure
Shadzter (placed 2nd): “The first game in the series was a fresh new experience that brought Sonic back into the sales charts and answered all the fans prayers for an awesome 2D Sonic title. This sequel somehow managed to take the experience from Sonic Rush and improve upon it. All of the fast paced gameplay returns with an improved Story Mode full of character especially with newcomer Marine’s hyper personality. More multiple routes can be found in this game as well as an addictive online multiplayer mode that keeps you playing for months. One of my most replayed games.”
Svend (placed 3rd): “Sonic Rush set the perfect tone for platforming games on the Nintendo DS, and Sonic Rush Adventure just improves on its predecessor in every way (although I’d pip Hideki Naganuma’s fantastic Rush soundtrack over this one). It’s a bit too dialogue-heavy and slow to get into from the start, but the setting is otherwise a welcome innovation – take a speedboat and explore the vast oceans for the Chaos Emeralds and your next Zone.
Playing the levels as either Sonic or Blaze is a dream, and the removal of a few irritations from Sonic Rush (such as enemy rooms) made the ride much more enjoyable. You don’t get Leap of Faith syndrome in this sequel, and the levels themselves are interesting and a fantastic diversion from Sonic’s world of chequered hills. A real breath of fresh air.”
nuckles87 (placed 3rd): “I wasn’t really terribly fond of the Sonic Advance series, but Sonic Rush certainly won me over. Sonic Rush Adventure took it a step further, with slightly better level and boss designs, a well written story that was actually kind of enjoyable, a map to explore, hidden levels to find, and over a hundred challenges to take on. Overall, Adventure did everything slightly better then it’s predecessor, and elements it added, such as the ship minigames, didn’t detract from the game’s fun.”
2. Sonic Unleashed
Wolfblur (placed 2nd): “I could go on about how the day time levels were superb and nearly perfect in my opinion, but everyone’s heard that story. What really grabs me besides that is how well I personally feel the Werehog was handled. For once, a gimmick to a Sonic game that still felt out of place, played really well surprisingly. I think it would have been better to maybe make a structured character with this type of gameplay, but a werewolfy Sonic works I guess. Other than that, everything from graphics to music is really detailed. I loved watching the pretty CG scenes, and it does get more epic than having a whole orchestra play out of key for the E Ranking song.”
nuckles87 (placed 2nd): “This was a bit of a tough decision for me, but in the end, I believe Sonic Unleashed is the closest thing we’ve ever gotten to the quintessential Sonic 3D game. It’s fast, glitch free, colourful, and fun. True, the Werehog can be a bit of a pain, but it’s far better then the alternate play modes in Sonic’s other 3D outings. The fun, simple story, beautiful graphics supported by the Hedgehog engine, and an excellent soundtrack reflecting the world tour Sonic goes on to put the planet back together, certainly add to the enjoyment.”
Paul (placed 4th): “Simultaneously everything that is right and wrong about modern 3D Sonic games, Unleashed is at least a million miles away from the series’ first proper next-gen abortion of a game. The daytime levels are an unadulterated pleasure to play, snapping from 3D to 2D seamlessly and stealing Sonic Rushes boss mechanic wholesale for added enjoyment. It’s only at night does the ugly side of the game rear it’s head, and I’m not just talking about the Werehog. Boring repetitive fights and clunky platforming bog the game down in a mire of dullness. It’s just a good job when you finish the game, as you can play the daytime levels as much as you like and ignore the rest.”
Svend (placed 5th): “This has probably been said a hundred times before, but Sonic World Adventure really is a game of two halves (hyuk). Naturally, the better half was in the daytime side of things, and while I wouldn’t want to see the ‘Sonic Rush in 3D’ implemented beyond this game, it made Sonic World Adventure a very interesting diversion from the stale exploration offered by Sonic 06. And an enjoyable one at that – level design be damned, but who can really resist getting Sonic to blast through 5 miles of virtual real estate every once in a while?
Most of the stages turned the whole affair into something of a memory game, but generally the sheer sense of speed and exhilaration was a welcome one to explore, if only for one game. I didn’t even mind the Werehog nighttime stages for the most part, at least during its platform-heavy sequences. An emphasis on enemy-bashing and irritating level design really let the side down, but for a quick blast through it’s hard not to return to Sonic World Adventure every now and then.”
1. Sonic Adventure 2
Svend (placed 1st): “Despite a lot of fans’ animosity towards the game today, it can’t be denied that as a standalone game, Sonic Adventure 2 remains one of the most outstanding games of the franchise, let alone the decade. Sonic Team gave us a refined platforming experience, coupled with a storyline that didn’t patronise, side missions that felt good to play, reasonable alternative gameplay methods that weren’t a total chore and a soundtrack that told the story as much as the action did.
The twist of Light and Dark was unique and intriguing, and despite the focus on story we still saw some classic failsafe Sonic gimmicks, be it in the upside-down segment of Crazy Gadget or the awesome doppelganger in Shadow the Hedgehog. It was also the only Sonic game to handle Ranks and the last to do replayability really well, as the great level design complemented the system in providing clues to better your score. You wanted to replay each level at your own pace to understand the ins and outs of the stage, and that was the true beauty of Sonic Adventure 2. The game’s impact has been damaged by Sonic Team using it as a template (Shadow and Sonic 06), but as a one-off, tenth anniversary love-letter to the fans, you can’t get much better than this.”
T-Bird (placed 1st): “The crème-de-la-crème of the noughties, and I have a feeling my fellow staffers will have also ranked this high. I don’t think I need to explain why this is number one in my top ten. Sonic Adventure 2 is the apex of Sonic storylines, Sonic gameplay and Sonic music. The re-vamping of the story telling through the Light and Dark arcs really put a slant on the game its predecessor hadn’t been able to.
The gameplay felt slick and varied with speed, mech and hunting missions. The music transcends several genres, and regardless of how corny or cliché it seems at times, everyone will admit there is one track on that game that they have sung in the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush for a microphone. Chao Gardens. Shadow the Hedgehog. Soap Shoes. Live & Learn. Chaos Control. This is surely Sonic Team’s crowning glory of the new Millennium.”
Wolfblur (SA2 Battle placed 1st): “Unleashed almost made this spot, but I had to remember back when I got this game, and how many freaking hours I put into it. All Summer and Fall I spent getting all A Ranks and all the Emblems for everything. And meanwhile, I went Chao crazy. Hours on the Internet, looking up all the interesting types and how to get them was awesome. I think what really sealed the deal for me was having my best friend be just as hooked as I was!
Always repeating Tails’ first level to get Chao drives will be something I’ll never forget. And every time this game got a little stale, going head-to-head with some friends on Battle mode was always a blast. Maybe this being the first 3D Sonic game I’ve ever played had something to do with it, but this is my favorite 3D Sonic game. The story was great to follow, the music drove me to the point to be a musician myself, and the gameplay varied just enough to make the game last years for me.”
Paul (placed 3rd): “Sonic’s second 3D Dreamcast outing is one of the last truly great 3D Sonic games. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles team up to take on new rivals in Shadow and Rouge. Plus Dr Eggman is playable for the first time. The game features probably some of the best set pieces in the series such as bursting into the GUN base as Eggman blasting through security doors, escaping from a helicopter and boarding down city streets as Sonic and grinding along a giant suspension bridge as Shadow. The story was epic and teased actual character progression by it’s conclusion… progression that has been sadly ignored for the most part since.”
Shadzter (SA2 Battle placed 5th): “I love the original SA2 and this game improved it. The characters are full of personality and the story goes into strange new places but doesn’t feel tacked on. Shadow is a great new character even if he is very similar to Sonic, his dark and mysterious back story keeps you engaged right through to the end. Dr. Eggman and Tails mech gameplay wasn’t always fun with Eggman having much more stages than Shadow but it was a nice change of pace between the other 2 types of gameplay.
The Chao Garden was tweaked and put to better use in this game too, with Chao Karate being a little guilty pleasure of mine. My favourite aspect of this game is multiplayer, whether playing with friends or family I always enjoy a good race, battle or treasure hunt. This game has something for everyone.”
So there you have it. Sonic Adventure 2 was a fantastic game back in 2001, and it remains the greatest Sonic the Hedgehog game of the 2000s. Take a bow, Sonic Team, you deserved that win (although to be fair Sonic Team made a lot of these games so a win for them isn’t exactly shocking). What do you think of the final Top 10 of the Decade? Agree? Disagree? Speak out in the comments section, that’s what it’s there for!
Before we go, here are the Top 10s of each staffer, in full:
Svend:
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Advance
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic Rush
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Sonic Advance 3
- Sonic Rivals
- Sonic Riders
T-Bird:
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Shuffle
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Rush
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic Chronicles
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Advance
- Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadzter:
- Sonic Rivals 2
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Advance 2
- Sonic Battle
- Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
- Sonic Rivals
- Sonic Unleashed (HD version)
- Sonic Unleashed (Wii/PS2 version)
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Adventure DX
Paul:
- Sonic Rush
- Sonic Adventure (we took this as DX)
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic Chronicles
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Battle
- Sonic Advance 2
nuckles87:
- Sonic Mega Collection
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Adventure DX
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Chronicles
- Sonic Advance
- Sonic Gems Collection
Wolfblur:
- Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic Mega Collection
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Sonic Heroes
Some great choices here. Makes you realise what an odd decade it’s been for the hedgehog though. I mean, we had RPGs, fighters, pinball games and racers with Sonic slapped on them! Can’t belive Svend was the only one that gave Sonic Riders some love; I thought that was a cracking game. Still can’t understand why everyone thinks Rush Adventure is better than the first though…
It’s great to see Unleashed get a nice high spot like that. They’re even defending the Werehog!
SA2 for the freakin’ win, baby!
…Ah, hell with it.
1. Sonic Rush Adventure
2. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
3. Sonic Adventure DX
4. Sonic Unleashed (HD)
5. Sonic Mega Collection Plus
6. Sonic and the Secret Rings
7. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
8. Shadow The Hedgehog
9. Sonic Heroes
10. Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
I’ll admit, I haven’t gotten the Advance games or the first Rush, but I plan to. Here’s hoping to a another successful decade, Sonic!
Actually, know Heroes and Zero Gravity off, and put Unleashed (WiiS2) and Black Knight in their respective places.
*knock
Oh how I do love lists X3
This list has been very enlightening, and a great retrospective on the past decade, because it has really brought back a lot of memories of playing all these games and loving them to bits. This decade saw me immerse myself in Sonic, and I didn’t do that solely because back in the 90s the games were amazing, but because the games being released at present were also so entertaining that I found myself drawn closer and closer into the franchise.
And now, that typical obligatory rundown of my favourite games of the last decade =)
1 – Sonic Adventure DX
2 – Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
3 – Sonic Advance 2
4 – Sonic Battle
5 – Sonic Unleashed
6 – Sonic Riders
7 – Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
8 – Sonic Heroes
9 – Shadow the Hedgehog
10 – Sonic Rush
Obvious choices at first, then… weirder choices, I’m sure. But I do love Sonic Battle and Sonic Riders, despite the criticisms of the masses. They’re just fun to play, and two of the few games I’ll actually play again from time to time.
Anyway, Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for the list =)
Well, I wouldn’t like to name remakes and collections so mine’s would be
1) Sonic Rush Adventure
2) Sonic Adventure 2
3) Sonic Unleashed
4) Sonic Advance 3 (WHAT!?)
5) Sonic Rush
6) Sonic Advance 1
7) Sonic Riders
8) Sonic Heroes
9) Sonic Battle
10) Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
* I have played Rivals series nor the Storybook ones…
Woot! Go SA2, still my favourite 3D sonic game of all time!
Take that Jix! XD
I agree perfectly.
This is exactly my list.
Now to 2010-2019
GO Project Needlemouse
Agree!!! 😀 but all Sonic Games ARE AWSOME!!! 😀
EDIT: I have NEVER played Rivals series.
A great selection indeed =) role on next decade of Sonic goodness
1.Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
2.Sonic Unleashed
3.Sonic Rush Adventure
4.Shadow the Hedgehog
5.Sonic and the Black Knight
6.Sonic Adventure DX
7.Sonic Riders
8.Sonic Heroes
9.Sonic Chronicles the Dark Brotherhood
10.Sonic and the Secret Rings
Never got the chance to play the advance series properly =/ i’ll have to see if i can get them from somewhere
Great list! Mine would be something like:
1.Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
2.Sonic Unleashed
3.Sonic Battle
4.Sonic Rush Adventure
5.Shadow the Hedgehog
6.Sonic Advance
7.Sonic and the Secret Rings
8.Sonic Heroes
9.Sonic Adventure DX
10.Sonic Chronicles
I can’t wait to see what the next decade brings!
I really good list! Only that I would replace Sonic Heroes with Shadow the Hedgehog, I mean, everyone is complaining about the guns and how unlike Sonic it is instead of enjoying the game! Or i might even give Shadow the Hedgehog a even hinger place. I got it when i was eleven and I loves it. And since then I can’t stop like it. I think it’s fun even if it’s not the best. I agree with this guy:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gt-video-shadow-the/8472
8,3/10
My top 15 best :
15. Sonic Adventure 2 (best for last)
14. Sonic & the Black Knight
13. Sonic Rush
12. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
11. Sonic Heroes (GC)
10. Sonic Riders (GC)
9. Sonic Advance 3
8. Sonic Battle
7. Sonic Pinball Party
6. Shadow the Hedgehog (GC)
5. Sonic & the Sercet Rings
4. Sonic Chronicles
3. Sonic Adventure DX
2. Sonic Riders Zero Gravity (Wii)
1.Sonic Unleashed (360)
1st place-Sonic Adventure 2
EAT YOUR HEART OUT JIX HEDGEHOG XD
My indiscutible number #1 is “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”
1-Sonic the hedgehog 2
2-Sonic the hedgehog 3 and Knuckles
3-Sonic CD
4-Sonic Unleashed
5-Sonic Advance (SAGA)
6-Sonic Adventure 2
7-Sonic Adventure
8-Sonic 3d Blast
9-Sonic Rush
10-Sonic in (Smash Bros Brawl)
The list is for the 00s decade?
In that case….
1-Sonic Mega Collection
2-Sonic Gems Collection
3-Sonic Unleashed
4-Sonic Adventure 2
5-Sonic Adventure
6-Sonic Advance (Saga)
7-Sonic Heroes
8-Sonic and the black knigth (is not so so so bad)
9-Sonic Rush
10-Shadow the hedgehog (is not the best, but is way better than Sonic NextGen)
THANK YOU for NOT ignoring the handheld games!
Nice list, glad to see Chronicles gettin’ some love XD
My list:
10: Sonic and the Secret Rings
9: Sonic Rush
8: Sonic Advance 3
7: Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
6: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games(Not sure if this counts or not, but still)
5: Sonic Rush: Adventure
4: Sonic Unleashed(360)
3: Sonic Adventure DX: Director’s Cut
2: Sonic Advance 2
1: Sonic Adventure 2(Both the original and Battle)
I’m still the only person who’s even mentioned Sonic Shuffle! Truely this is the forgotten game of the noughties, the diamond in the rough. Sonic Cola ftw.
Sonic unleashed is the best.
My top 10 Sonic games of the decade would be…
1. Sonic Adventure 2 (Battle)
2. Sonic Rush Adventure
3. Sonic Advance
4. Sonic Unleashed
5. Sonic Advance 3
6. Sonic Mega Collection
7. Sonic Adventure (DX)
8. Sonic Rush
9. Sonic Heroes
10. Sonic and the Dark Brotherhood
If anyone doesn’t beleive that SA2 deserves to be number one then there’s somthing horribley wrong with you…
1991-1997 1998-2005 2006-2010
1.Sonic 3 1.Sonic Adventure 2 1.Sonic Unleashed
2.Sonic 2 2.Sonic Adventure 2.Sonic and the Secret Rings
3.Sonic the Hedgehog(8 Bit) 3.Sonic Advance 3.Sonic and the Black Knight
4.Sonic the Hedgehog 4.Sonic Heroes 4.Sonic Rush Adventure
5.Sonic CD 5.Sonic Advance 2 5.Sonic Rivals
6.Sonic 3D Blast(Sega Saturn) 6.Sonic Advance 3 6.Sonic Rivals 2
7.Sonic 2(8 Bit) 7.Shadow the Hedgehog 7.Sonic Riders
8.Knuckles Chaotix 8.Sonic Rush 8.Sonic Riders Zero Gravity
9.Sonic R 9.Sonic Battle 9.Sonic Chronicles
10.Sonic Chaos 10.Sonic Mega Collection 10.Sonic next gen
That was a pretty good list. Having various opionions shows there’s a split in what’s good and bad in the franchise but I believe that there wasn’t too much bias.
Hell I may as well put a list down…
1. Sonic Mega Collection (all the classics in one package plus Ristar, no contest)
2. Sonic Rush (Briliiant levels and fresh music make this a must)
3. Sonic Adventure 2 (the non Sonic/Shadow sections knock off some points but this is the best 3D Sonic game to date)
4. Sonic Advance ( the most balanced of the advanced series features a great of platforming and speed)
5. Sonic Advance 3 (bad collision detection aside the tag team feature was far more fun and complex than Sonic Heroes. Like Sonic Advance only faster)
6. Sonic and the Secret Rings (Lush graphics and original setting gains this a spot on the list. If only Sega could fix the backward camera and tweek controls and we’d have a classic)
7. Sonic Chronicles (lovely watercolour background and a more involving story curtosy of Bioware. Shorter battles, more engrossing battles and a more complex RPG system next time plz!)
8. Sonic Unleashed (a must on the list. A game so close to getting it right but Sega couldn’t stop at that… we had to have awful hub sections and a werehog. Just daytime sections next time plz)
9. Sonic Advance 2 (the worst of the Adv series but it’s certainly not bad)
10. Sonic Heroes (because it has to be somewhere on the list I guess….
You know, for all this nonsense I always hear about there “never being a good Sonic game” and “everything sucking since SA2”, this list surprises me. Unleashed gets number 2 spot, and most of the rest of the top 5 are fairly recent games. Only the #1 game, SA2, is from earlier in the decade.
Good to see. 😀
great list i would agree with all but were sonic unleashed is. although i like the game. i only like the day time stages and i hated night time that much >.>
It’s awesome to see that a lot of people loved Sonic Unleashed/World Adventure. I love all the Sonic games, even though I didn’t get to play a few of the portable ones. Sonic Adventure 2 :Battle will always be the best. Keep ’em coming, SEGA.
shadzter gets a boot to the head for putting sonic rivals 2 at the top. normal sonic adventure is great not just that port. and of course SA2 was top what else?
As much fun as it is to see ’em, can we not have any more Top 10 lists in the comments box? I’d like to see some people agreeing or disagreeing on various points of the chart and explaining their reasons as well. 🙂
You know the list can’t be taken seriously when Secret Rings beat Rush… and even more so with the unplayable Sonic game that came in first.
How did Adventure DX beat the original? DX looked like New Years Eve vomit left in a bowl overnight.
Oh well, this is the internet, everyones entitled to their own and most of the time unique decision.
–-
*Every time someone says Sonic Adventure 2 was good, all Sonic players worldwide are disconnected from their online Smash Bros Brawl game*
1)Sonic Adventure 2
2)Sonic Adventure
3)Sonic Unleashed
4)Sonic Shuffle
5)Sonic Heroes
6)Sonic Rush Adventure
7)Sonic Battle
8)Sonic Rush
9)Sonic Riders
10)Sonic Advance 3
Oh I forgot to say this.
Where’s the love for Sonic Battle guys?
@ Blizzard
It’s personal oppinion at the end of the day who favours what game 🙂
@ Jix Hedgehog
Sonic Adventure wasn’t in the last decade so we couldn’t nclude it, Sonic Adventure DX was.
#include
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing and Project Needlemouse are going to make one hell of a strong start for Sonic’s third decade!
Now that I think of it, Sonic has had his best games at the start of each decade. Sonic 1 in 1991, SA2 in 2001 and (presumably) Needlemouse in 2010. 😀
I was actually surprised at how much I agree with this list. I mean, I’d switch a few things around, but for the most part I agree with it more than most other lists I find on the internet.
10. Sonic Advance
9. Sonic Battle
8. Sonic Riders
7. Sonic Unleashed
6. Sonic Gems Collection
5. Sonic Rush Adventure
4. Sonic Heroes
3. Sonic and the Secret Rings
2. Sonic Rush
1. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
OH WAIT! DAMMIT THAT’S SOMEONE ELSES
This one is mine
10. Sonic Advance 3
9. Sonic and the Secret Rings
8. Sonic Gems Collection
7. Sonic Mega Collection
6. Sonic Heroes
5. Sonic Adventure
4. Sonic Rush Adventure
3. Sonic Rush
2. Sonic Unleashed
1. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
Great list guys! I hate it when people say shit like, ‘oh all the 3D games are crap!’ well they aint!
I wish I had a chance to play SA2. It just looks so epic. Poor Next Gen gets no love, I actually enjoy that game, though I am aware of its flaws.
@Dreadknux: Sorry, we couldn’t resist. XP
As for the countdown, everything that worked with these games I’m in total agreement with (except Maybe Heroes and Secret Rings should be knocked down a few ranks (despite Secret Rings being one of my favourite 3D Sonic games), Mega Collection is sort of an unfair filler and SADX is technically a port of a game that came out in the 90’s), and while I still feel that Sonic Rush Adventure managed to capture the old and new Sonic the best, I’m still at peace with SA2 and Unleashed up there on the top of the list, getting the credit they so much deserve.
Despite the flaws I see with this list that I mentioned earlier, they don’t interfere too greatly to be seen as an issue – to me. These are the greats no matter how many IGNs, Gamespots, ScrewAttacks, XPlays, or Yahtzees try to convince us otherwise.
So Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast missed the decade by 2 months.. show some leniency! I bet most people played it during 2000 anyway! XD
–-
*Every time someone says Sonic Adventure 2 was good, all Sonic players worldwide are disconnected from their online Smash Bros Brawl game*
@allstarsonic: That first one was my list VERBATIM. Do we know each other?
LAWLS GUYS ALL TEN SPOTS SHOULD BE SONIC 06.
Remember, this is not a list of the top ten games of the decade- it is merely a list of the greatest Sonic games of the decade- just because they are ranked highly doesn’t mean they are good games. However, much of this list I agree with. SA2 is pure awesome to me, Rush, Heroes, and Unleashed get points too, Unleashed only because it did one thing right- speed.
I’m surprised so many people liked Rush Adventure as much as I did… I was under the impression that it was sort of overlooked. The levels and especially the bosses were much better-designed than in the original, the story was pretty solid, and the hidden islands and missions provided a ton of replay value. I *loved* that game, so it’s nice to see it get some love.
…oh, and Adventure 2 and stuff. Well-deserved first place, etc.
You also have to remember that this Top 10 is an average of the staff’s collective opinion. 🙂
YES! sa2 is the greatest! good to see rivals and riders up there as well!
On the other hand there was no lov for sonic 06!
heres my list
1. sonic 06
2. SA2
3. Sonic riders ZG
4. Sonic rush adventure
5. sonic advanced 3
6. sonic advanced 1
7. sonic RIVALS 2
8. sonic rivals
9. sonic DX
10. sonic unleashed
My list should be:
12-Ultimate Sonic Genesis Collection
11-Sonic Riders
10-Sonic Rush Adventure
9-Sonic Rush
8-Shadow The Hedgehog
7-Sonic & The Black Night
6-Sonic & The Secret Rings
5-Sonic Gems Collection
4-Sonic Mega Collection Plus
3-Sonic Adventure
2-Sonic Unleashed
1-Sonic Adventure 2
see I never played the Advance series and just getted a touch in the Wii Series, but SONIC UNLEASHED and SONIC ADVENTURE2 are almost equal I need to play SA2 again just to compare lol 😛
man I forgot about Sonic The Hedgehog 06 that should be in my top10 sorry
Donald wins a goldfish for featuring Sonic Shuffle in his countdown.
I totally agree with the 1 and 2 spot on the list. And I’m glad to see Advance 3 getting some love. Highly underrated game IMO.
T-Bird : I didn`t list Shuffle becuase it was too great
My top ten are
1.Sonic 06
2.Sonic Unleashed(PS360)
3.Sonic Adventure 2
4.Sonic Adventure 2 Battle(DC was better because of the different feeling of playing on it)
5.Sonic Heroes
6.Sonic Riders
7. Sonic Advance 2
8.Sonic Advance 3
9.Sonic Rush
10.Sonic Rivals 2
Ok I might as well get into the act
1) Sonic Gems (2 reasons 1. Sonic CD is arguably the best Sonic game in the entire series 2. we finally get Sonic The Fighters now if we can only get Chaotix)
2) Sonic Unleashed (agree to the fact that the daytime stages are cool)
3) Sonic Shuffle (It may not be as good as the Mario Party series, but at least they tried)
4) Sonic Adventure 2/Battle
5) Sonic Adventure/DX
6) Sonic Mega Collection
7) Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis
8) Sonic Heroes (I agree that the graphics are superb)
9) Shadow The Hedgehog (Something new something different plus a few epic fails)
10) Sonic ’06 (Total Epic Failure, as soon as I finished Sonic’s Story I said “Thats it I’m not going to finish Shadow’s or Silver’s story, this is crap.” (I was basically half way through those stories) If they had some extra time to improve upon the levels this game could have been bumped up to #5 or something)
aw crap can someone please fix that
@ Octarine : People only give a crap when Sega screw up. It’s like what God said in Futurama “when you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all”
–-
*Every time someone says Sonic Adventure 2 was good, all Sonic players worldwide are disconnected from their online Smash Bros Brawl game*
My top 10.
1) Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
2) Sonic Rush
3) Sonic Advance 3
4) Sonic Rush Adventure
5) Sonic Unleashed
6) Sonic Riders
7) Sonic Hereos
8) Sonic Advance 2
9) Sonic Riders Zero Gravity
10) Sonic Battle
1. Sonic Mega Collection
2. Sonic Adventure DX
3. Sonic Advance 2
4. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
5. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
6. Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood
7. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
8. Sonic and the Secret Rings
9. Sonic Riders
10. Sonic Battle
Hey, you think you could give us the paragraphs of everyone else’s opinions on the games they chose? Probably even as a slow news day thing?
Heh, I guess I’ll give this a shot:
1. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
2. Sonic Unleashed
3. Sonic Adventure DX
4. Sonic Heroes
5. Sonic Rush
6. Sonic Battle
7. Sonic Gems Collection
8. Sonic Chronicles
9. Sonic and the Secret Rings
10. Shadow the Hedgehog
@Jix: If what your signature says is true, then Brawl’s Wi-Fi just got destroyed by this Top 10 list.
10) Mario & Sonic (Wii/DS)
09) Mario & Sonic 2 (Wii)
08) Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP)
07) Sonic Heroes (GCN)
06) Sonic Rush 2 (DS)
05) Sonic Rivals (PSP)
04) Sonic Rush (DS)
03) Sonic Unleashed (Wii)
02) Sonic Adventure 2 (GCN)
01) Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Please note that I only list what console I have a certain game on; this isn’t for the entire set of consoles the game was made for.
Can someone please explain what’s so great about Secret Rings and Unleashed? Seriously, they suck as much as Shadow.
I’m surprised that Gems Collection didn’t make TSS’s list. :/ Ah well.
My top 6:
1. Mega Collection + (For the bonus Game Gear games and the save feature, NOT the slow PS2 loading time.)
2. Gems Collection
3. Sonic Chronicles
4. Sonic Advance 3
5. Sonic Advance
6. Sonic Adventure DX
@edge: Sonic 06?
@ kits’Okami
Read the article above, they explain nicely what is so great about Secret Rings and Unleashed. Also, I liked Shadow (on Gamecube) it was a fun game.
My top 10 Sonic games:
10) Sonic 06 – `nuff said.
9) Shadow The Hedgehog – there’s so many factors to blame for this autrocity: the fans, Sonic Team, Iizuka, SEGA, The popularity of M rated games, etc. So many ways to spread the hate for this game just like it’s various endings.
8) Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood – Despite their impresive resume, Bioware’s key strengths lies in creating an incredible atmosphere and compeling characters that rival any George Lucas or James Cameron film. Too bad they tend to suck on an important feature: the gameplay. And seriously, what is up with the graphics and the music in this game?
7) Sonic and The Secret Rings – speaking of Sonic games that forced you to grind to enjoy the game, if it wasn’t for the brilliant soundtrack, the interesting abilities feature and the concept behind this flawed game, it would have faded into the sands.
6) Sonic Unleashed (Wii/PS2) -GASP!! Why would I place everyone’s favorite polarizing game at no. 6? And why only the Wii version, not the “superior” HD version? Maybe because the Wii version had better controls, more intuitive gameplay, a smoother pace, better level design and it didn’t FORCE me to press the Boost button ALL THE FRIGGIN TIME! If I wanted to play a twitch heavy, brutal memorization game with a blue person, I’d be playing Megaman then.
5)Sonic Riders – Say what you want: it’s a spin-off, it has the uber annoying Jet, the proportions are off, fucking genies but one cannot deny this is the most fun Sonic racing game since R (until ASR comes in ) Incredible levels, cool shortcuts, a groovy trick system that I felt was lacking in the sequel, and just genuine fun. Plus you cannot go wrong with the SEGA stage.
4) Sonic Adventure 2 – Sure, they pumped the melodrama to 11, was very linear in design, added a whole bunch of anime tropes and cliches, and brought about the birth of everyone’s favorite bastard of science; but for better or worse, this game defined an entire generation of fans and changed how Sonic was viewed for a long time.
3) Sonic Battle – SEGA’s answer to Smash Bros, has much to be desired in the excecution, but it stood out on it’s own as a great Sonic game. It had a very compelling storyline, a cool customization feature, and a tight combat system. The Music was crappy (except Rouge’s song) but it’s still a game I wish deserves a sequel ten times over.
2) Sonic Rush Adventure – Funny, I lambasted Unleashed for spamming the Boost feature when Sonic Rush introduced the “whole one button to go really really fast and hope you don’t die” gameplay. However, like Wii version, this was made by Dimps not Sonic Team, so overall it’s better. The sequel added so much new things without spliting the game in half, and it was fast without being frustrating or boring. Plus the touch screen games rock!!
1) Sonic Adventure – I’m too tired to justify why this game is no 1 to a generation weaned on emo-hogs so just find the excellent review of this game on this site and you’ll see for yourself why this game was, is and forever will remain the best 3-D Sonic game of all time. Oh and for you newbies out there, it’s SONIC ADVENTURE, not SADX. Learn to tell the differance between one title and the other
Yeah kits, don’t say they don’t explain why IF THEY ALREADY EXPLAINED WHY.
Have a nice day. n_n
Ew..Sonic Adventure 2 was horrible!
By far SA1 and Sonic Unleashed were superior 🙂
Sonic Adventure 2? Heh, now wonder. Indeed one of the most successful games. 😀
Though I liked Sonic Adventure a little better in my opinion.
My list would be;
1. Sonic Adventure
2. Sonic Adventure 2
3. Sonic Unleashed
4. Sonic Rush Adventure
5. Sonic Heroes
6. Sonic and the secret rings
7. Sonic Advance 2
8. Sonic the hedgehog 3
9. Shadow the hedgehog
10. Sonic the hedgehog (06)
My top Five
1.Sonic Unleashed
2.Sonic Adventure2
3.Sonic and the secret rings
4.Sonic Riders Zero Gravity
5.Sonic Hereos