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1. Shadow the Hedgehog
   Sonic and the Black Knight

2. “So what Sonic game, cartoon or whatever do you love that’s not exactly popular? Let us know in the comments. I might do another one of these “guilty pleasure” lists sometime in the future.”

   Precisely, I wouldn’t consider Sonic Unleashed as a “guilty pleasure”: I don’t want to hide my opinion on that game, I love it most than a lot of Sonic Games, and it should be dumb to me to hide it, because I know a lot of pepole love this game too for the same reasons you quoted (Even if there’s more reasons for me to love it like I do.).

   So, my “guilty pleasures” would be Sonic X. Even if that show sounds childish, it’s the best and most fidelous adaptation of the Sonic franchise to me. Also, in Japanese, it’s very awesome. Sonic Underground is also one of them: It’s one of the first Sonic shows I’ve ever watched, and the characters, universe and song parts always gave me a really good feeling. So yeah, that’s kinda all my “guilty pleasures” here.

   1. I enjoyed Sonic X in Japanese when it first came out! it was great! it started getting dull and boring (and ugly) after the first 20 episodes or so tho. :/ was not a fan of the whole retelling of the adventure games.

      1. Well, the end of the series was heartbroking, but the whole one have a lot of fillers. Also, it’s natural to not be directly a fan of Adventure games: In a lot of case, they look old-fashioned to the new generation who was introduced with games like Sonic Advance OR Sonic Unleashed.

         1. I’m a big fan of the Classics AND Adventure series (started getting lame for me with Heroes and Colors gave me hope) But yeah what I hated about the adventure episodes was that it was just the same thing only it was Sonic X…and yeah…it just didn’t know what it wanted to be. And the Cosmo episodes were just weird and meh to me.

3. My guilty pleasure would be Sonic Chronicles. Sure, the graphics are bad, the music is mostly terrible, and it’s too easy. But I really loved the story! Bioware handled the characters so well. Plus, a subplot revolving around Sonic and Amy’s relationship? That’s an instant plus!

   I just wish it hadn’t ended on such a damn cliffhanger… We’ll probably never see Chronicles 2, so to end the story with everyone dying in a crashing ship while Eggman rules the world is depressing…

   1. That Sonamy subplot was epic. XD They did a very good job showing everyone’s personality in that game.. Screw the cliffhanger.

4. I can’t believe you didn’t mention Sonic Underground
   They made a vow, that their mother will be found

5. Not gonna lie, I ain’t ashamed, I love Sonic 06!! I love it and I’m proud!!!
   Yes I’m aware of the faults the loading levels the bad voice acting the kissing the fact that Sonic had no real role or purpose or the fact I haven’t used proper grammar while making this list, but I loved it!! I even loved the werehog and all his leveling glory. You know why?? Cuts I’m a fan! Sega can throw Sonic highschool musical at us and I’d STILL play it!!! With the manliest tears from my eyes I’d push throw it all!!!
   *sniff* getting somewhat enthusiastic here…. YEAH!!!

   1. I have to agree with you dude, Im one of the few fans who loved Sonic 06, but also will admit on the faults the game had, but no game in the world is perfect, So as faulty as a game 06 was, it had its potential and Ill still love it, and Also unleashed was good, where modern sonic was all speed and platforming, Werehog was more plaforming and combat, so yea it was awesome.

6. My Sweet Passion, ’nuff said.

   1. It’s lyrics don’t make much sense, but once it’s in your head, MAN is it in your head!

7. Most people hate Chaotix for the SEGA 32X but I love that game to bits! it was the first game to feature so many characters and a big emphasis on two players, I had a good brother so maybe that’s why I enjoyed it more than other people when I was a kid, but I still do regardless if I play it alone these days. The levels, the music, they way Eggman and Metal Sonic behave is great to see! and forget Metal Madness in Sonic Heroes, Mega Metal Sonic is where its at! that thing looked freaking badass! and I hope it returns in HD PS4 glory! Vector, Espio and Charmy looked cooler too, I hated what Sonic Heroes did to all characters but specially the Chaotix characters. Ah well, Chaotix is the game I’m still waiting they make a port like Sonic CD had by TAXMAN, maybe even include Sonic and Tails as unlockables!

   Sonic 4:Ep 2 was a neat game for me! it was not perfect but it did so many things right! specially those Metal Sonic moments! and Music!

8. …Jason….why are you so awesome? :O

   AHEM! Anyway, completely agree with everything you said (well, except for that comment about the Knuckles and Rouge segments in Adventure 2, but what can you do?). The sad thing about the fan base is that most of it will bash something and completely ignore the fact that there ARE people who actually like it. Not some kiddie fan club, but like an actual minority, or even a majority at times! It may be strange to believe, but feeling confused by it and just letting it be is a million times better than just instantly branding anyone who’s into something low quality as a “mindless tool that will buy anything that SEGA tells them” (Much like a few of the regular commentators who I’ve had the “pleasure” of meeting between this site and TSSZNews. I’ll leave that up to your guys’ imaginations.).

   The fact is, those “mindless tools” are closer to being Sonic fans than those uptight individuals could ever hope to be, especially because they DO hope to be better fans. They actually took the time to figure out what they saw in these otherwise questionable things and accept them for both their pros AND their cons. Now I will defend those left-wing fans by saying that there are certain “rules” or “parameters” that a Sonic game should stay within…buuuuuuuuuuut, those parameters aren’t some brick wall with an electric barbed-wire fence surrounding it. If anything, they’re more like those portable cage fences that can be set up around construction sites and taken down at any given notice. The fact is this: There are some form of rules as to what Sonic is supposed to be, but those rules are FLEXIBLE, and as such, the fans should be flexible too. One of Sonic’s main attributes is that he goes with the flow. Then how is it that only about 40% of the established fan base can actually follow in his friction-killing footsteps while the other half would rather just sit in their corner, grumble to themselves (or in other cases flat out yell to nobody in particular), and absolutely refuse to look at anything fun going on?

   Honestly, the only real answer I got is that LIFE is like that, and no matter which side you’re coming from, the other side is NEVER going to make much sense to you. Heck, even the fans who do have guilty pleasures admit as to why they are “guilty” in the first place. No matter what, there’s always going to be that chaotic balance of the people who are fine with something and people who are just always going to be unsettled by it, and we’re always going to get reminders that the extremes of both sides still exist (Yes, believe it or not, there are also some people who are into Sonic perhaps a little TOO much…). But those people aren’t always the same. It’s the same group, but different players who fill in those roles. The people from before either gained enough maturity to move from one side to the other, or heaven forbid the level-headed middle ground, or just realized that they’ve been letting a video game dictate a huge part of their lives and just left the debate altogether without anybody really missing him…because some newcomer to the franchise just filled in his spot. Life is full of these roles that people fill in, but it’s really up to the person whether he stays there or not.

   I feel like I’m getting to broad in my thinking though, so I’m going to wrap this up and get to my list. Although I don’t outright shun “hater-fans” altogether like how they would shun fans like me, I do believe that at least for a bit we should turn down their volume for a bit every day and turn up the volume of the other side of the fan base, the ones who know some of what they are into is flawed, and are okay with that. What problem is there in liking something, especially when it’s all subjective? Anyone who argues that it isn’t subjective really is arguing against fact.

   Anywho, I’ve got my fair share of guilty pleasures…in another comment, because my God, I’m taking up WAY too much space.

   1. You sir, need a life

      1. And you, Tim-Tim, are rather presumptuous. 😀

         1. OHHHH Burn!!! 🙂

   2. Thank you, friend for sharing my views on Sonic and fandom! Well said!

9. Sonic 06! I just LOVE it! I LOVE the levels! I LOVE the cut scenes! I LOVE Silver! I LOVE the multiple story’s! I LOVE the music! I HATE Elise though! 😀

   1. Agree with you hands down!

10. Anyway, MY guilty pleasures, in no particular order, would be:

    Sonic X: Yeah, it’s cheesy and 4-Kids polished as hell, but it is my first piece of Sonic media I ever came across. I was a kid at the time, so to my mind, 4-Kids wasn’t terrible, it brought me shows like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh and many of my favorite voice actors, to me, 4-Kids was awesome (and then I grew up). Anyway, I came into this series not knowing a thing about Sonic other than he’s fast and he has a lot of friends…which actually is all there really is to the series when you get down to it. None of this 2D platforming roots or boost to win nonsense (even though I love both to death), it’s just the plain and simple fact that anything Sonic related should focus on. Sonic can move fast. And he has a bunch of friends. And he has to defeat the evil (yet at times comical) Doctor Eggman. There’s your series, eat up and enjoy, or get the hell out of my diner! Anyway, most of what I know about Sonic came from this show, and it surprisingly held up very well to the game series. Of course I don’t think Sonic should have a human companion who keeps hogging the spotlight from him, but I do know how the characters are supposed to behave, how they’re supposed to act around one another, how they react, how they do things, and how the basic formula actually works. And it DOES work. When you get down to it, the show isn’t written terribly, it just has a terrible editor (probably the most whitest, careless, most Texan 4-Kids quality editor that you ever…um, ahem, anyway). I guess this must be why so many people praise the Japanese version of the show over the English dub, because it is untouched and unedited by 4-Kids, so you can actually enjoy it in it’s true full quality. I have yet to watch it through the Japanese version, mostly because I’m busy binge-watching other shows and lack the patience to at the moment, but it’s something I hope to do one day (I look forward to all of that hilarious Sonic-Engrish) Although there are still some things about either version that bug me, such as the inconsistency of it’s art quality or over-all kids anime filler tropes, it’s still a decent show that will always have the special place in my heart as the show that got me into Sonic the Hedgehog.

    Shadow the Hedgehog (game): So after getting introduced to Sonic via Sonic X, what was the next logical step for my introduction to Sonic games?…..Shadow the Hedgehog of course! What? You were expecting some kind of SONIC game? Hoho, what terrible fools you all are! Surely the dark, edgy, brooding antihero is the best way to get introduced to the gaming franchise that started it all! Ok, seriously, I know what you’re thinking. “How the hell could you have picked THIS game as your first Sonic game!?” I’ll state this again as I’ve stated in Sonic X: I WAS A KID, OKAY!? This was the most convenient thing I could afford to rent at Blockbuster (yeah, remember those?) and it matched the voice cast of the show, so I thought “I’ve seen commercials for it, why not!?” I didn’t know what I was getting into…nor did I know what to expect. So again, I came into this game knowing little to nothing about Sonic the Hedgehog beyond what I knew from the show, which was still basic at best. What I knew about Shadow was even more basic and simple: He looks like Sonic, only scarier and grumpier. So you can tell that this game easily capitalized on my limited expectations. And overall…it didn’t disappoint. There were lots of times where it seemed to drag on for a while and it felt like I was playing one of those low-quality shooters you normally see at the arcade that almost nobody ever plays (but I WAS playing the PS2 version, which was argued as the worst console to be playing Sonic games on at the time, so again, what can you do?). However, I still found the story to be rather interesting and engaging…even though it got all over the place at some points. I don’t recall getting too far beyond one ending of the game and by the time I was returning the game, I was really confused about the story. Wait, Shadow is an alien from outer space? But why haven’t I seen the aliens in the show? And why are Chris and the other humans never seen? And why does Shadow’s backstory sound so different from the show? And why isn’t anything ever connected back to the show? Again, I was a kid, to me, Sonic X was the genesis of everything Sonic related (pardon the pun Genesis-fans). That show was basically the center of my Sonic universe at the time (another pun, seriously!?), so naturally the game’s story heavily conflicted with what I knew from the show, but not to much to be obvious the first time. Like I said, the show did a good job in capturing the basic spirit of the series, especially during that era of gaming. Oh yeah, and Shadow had guns. Nothing much to say about that, as I was under the impression that that was a normal occurrence at the time. I mean, doesn’t he kind of look like the sort of character who would be using weapons?…no?…well, the only thing that kind of threw me off was the mild cursing, which I’m surprised 4-Kids actually allowed (seriously guys, Chris can’t ever look angry, but if Sonic shouts “Damnit!” it’s a-okay!?). But I don’t remember it ruining my childhood, so whatever. It was a strange encounter with the third kind, but it led me further down my path, so I don’t regret visiting it. I just absolutely hate shooters now, no big deal.

    SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (2006): Yeah, you probably saw this one coming. This was my next game in my intro to Sonic (maybe this IS in a particular order after all…), and say what you will about it, I FINALLY got to play as Sonic this time, and boy did it feel so right! No guns, no cursing, no black aliens, just playing and running as Sonic…and Shadow (again)…and Silver (who for some reason wasn’t in the anime either, but I was learning the difference by that point). I’ll cut straight to the chase. The glitches just sort of passed my radar, as far as I knew, the game was just supposed to be this way, I was in a state of ignorant bliss. The fact that Sonic had to save a princess? Meh. If Mario could do it, why not Sonic, just this once? The romance…Idunknow? Whatever. Shadow getting involved with Gun after the game where they clearly despise him? Eeeeeh. Silver and Blaze (who knows Sonic…I guess?) obsessed with killing Sonic and calling him an “Iblis Trigger”? Um….blargh? Yeah, really, I wasn’t questioning anything plot or gameplay wise, because I was still pretty fresh to the series, so as long as it stuck to my golden rule of Sonic (Moves fast. Has a bunch of friends. Stops Eggman. Defeats monster of the week.), I was content. Things like the constant deaths of the mach speed sections or Elise kissing Sonic didn’t really faze me that much and I just sort of blindly stumbled through the game unscratched with a bit more of a stable understanding of Sonic. AND I FINALLY GOT TO PLAY AS THE GUY! I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Shadow the game, but SONIC 06 is just purely a love for me. It’s flawed, don’t get me wrong. In fact, playing it nowadays with a more refined knowledge of the series, I’m not as immune to it’s flaws as I used to be. I fall victim to all of the glitches I’ve just so passively dismissed in the past and I now realize how the story could be perceived as pretentious. But, no matter which age I am, I can look at this game and realize that the one thing it did maintain was the spirit of Sonic. As an anniversary title, it had everything that made it Sonic and to me, that’s all that matters. But yeah, it is a pretty terrible game. But I’m just quirky.

    Sonic Rivals: My memories of one summer trip mostly consist of me playing Sonic 1, 2, and Rivals 1&2 on my PSP. And what blissful times those were. I honestly don’t know, nor care, where the jury lies on Sonic Rivals, but it felt okay to me. Just a simple on-foot racing game with the only characters I really cared about (especially Silver) with a very competitive nature to it. I just went with the flow on it and came out okay just like Sonic 2006. It’s a very simple pick up and play game that you can complete in 3 hours or so, perfect for those long car rides listening to the then recently passed Michael Jackson. After playing the original two Sonic games as well, it felt kind of natural to be in a 2D/3D environment, and I switched between both games seamlessly. I didn’t find much to complain about it, and revisiting it now, I still can’t find anything to complain about (other than how easy it is to loose speed and fall down pits, but what else is new?). Rivals still holds up, and felt like a nice bit of closure after the space-time-rewind of 2006.

    Sonic Unleashed: I fucking love this game, SO LEAVE IT ALONE!! Okay, mellow-head time. By this point, I finally had a better grasp as to what Sonic was supposed to be about, and this game finally felt like my holy grail. It was faster, it was easier to control, it was everything that I would have wanted out of a Sonic game. The Werehog element didn’t feel out of place at all (yeah, if you’re going to argue about the ridiculousness of Sonic turning into a Werehog, you may as well be arguing against the idea of a blue 3-ft tall hedgehog in Micheal Jackson sneakers running around at the speed of sound. Seriously, is this even still a debate?) and I loved just the overall atmosphere and effort that went into this game! The music was superb, the gameplay was epic, and every cutscene, battle, and bit of voice work felt like it was in top form (except for Tails I guess. Speak up man!!). The theme of friendship and adventure felt right at home to me and Dear My Friend still drives me to tears to this day. This game makes me want to travel the world and go for runs on all of the real world locations that inspired the art of this game. The problems that this game has are minuscule compared to games like Shadow and 2006, so really, I feel that there is little to even discuss or debate about this game. It was the first QUALITY Sonic game I had ever laid my hands on and would be the basis as to how I would look at the rest of the series. Say what you will about this game, but it is always going to be my most favorite game in the series, and no Werehog-hating-bash-master is going to change that for me. (Also, what is with the hate for the quicktime events? I love those things!)

    Sonic and the Black Knight: Sometime after I got a bit more caught up with the series, I was looking forward to this game. It was Sonic with a sword! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!? I really can’t understand why people think that it’s such a terrible idea. Sure, the execution could have been better, but really it just fit with his character so well to me. Besides, at least it’s not a gun, or God forbid a gunblade (not bashing on VIII, just making a comment.). I thought the game was an all around decent entry to the series, and did a great job on refining the Secret Rings gameplay, which I felt was a huge relief. It was difficult at times, but it never really detracted from my enjoyment of the game. It was what I was anticipating for the longest time, and it worked as a nice sendoff to Jason Griffith, who was basically my Ryan Drummond for the longest time in the series. I like the other actors as well to varying degrees, but when I think of Sonic, Jason’s voice is always the first to appear in my head. This game had it’s quirks, but it’s still a pleasure to me.

    Everything else in the Sonic series really just came to me in whatever order I got them in, and I had a fairly good time with all of them. I don’t look down on any titles in particular, and I feel that my Sonic upbringing has made me more tolerant with the franchise than most fans. I can still be disappointed with things like Lost World and I can still see the reasons why people feel the way they do about some things in the franchise, but as long as Sonic’s speed is never put in jeopardy, I’m never really entirely disappointed. I’m always ready for any change that happens in the franchise, because I know that there has been a lot of quality and enjoyment from the past to back it up. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, but at the very least I hope that everyone who is acting like a nihilist towards the franchise will eventually gain some perspective and realize that a lot of the things they get worked up over don’t really matter. The problems in games like 2006 only bother you if you decide to pay attention to them. True, those kind of mistakes shouldn’t be made, but if it is possible to find some amount of enjoyment from a title, then it’s at least worth while to try and find out how that’s possible. Thanks for reading this if you did, I know I say a lot,but it’s nice being able to actually have my voice being heard.

    And thank you Jason for showing me that not all fans act completely irrational about everything. I wish the site consisted of more people like you, but then we wouldn’t be such a colorful fan base as we are now if that were the case, would we? ^_^”

    1. I’ve read all of this.

       And decided I am 90% you. xD

11. Sonic 3D Blast

    The Saturn version OBVIOUSLY wins in the visuals and gameplay department, BUT…

    Saturn version’s music may have been higher quality, but they rarely had any common melodies to make them recognizable from just a sequence of sounds (EXCEPT THE MAIN THEME, WHICH IS IMHO THE BEST AND MOST MEMORABLE MUSIC IN THE SATURN VERSION HANDS DOWN!).

    The Genesis version, while much lower in quality, made up for what it lacked in capability by having a more memorable soundtrack and better melodies for each level than the Saturn version (if the levels had any melodies to begin with…).

12. Well haven’t play Sonic R, in my life but I will agreed with you Sonic R is a good game has good graphics which the game is good and has better camera anger but it not like Sonic 06 anymore!

13. Everything in this post…correct.

14. I agree wholeheartedly with your opinions on Sonic R and Sonic Unleashed. I fell in love with that soundtrack when I played Sonic R for the first time, and I still listen to those songs today. And Unleashed is an under-appreciated gem – the atmosphere of those levels is incredible, and the music and artistic design are unforgettable. I even had fun with the Werehog levels at times.

15. I for one like Sonic 4: Episode 2 better than Generations and Colors. Why, because I have an opinion. I also really loved 3D Blast on the Genesis, Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog (“YOU METALLIC MORONS!”), Sonic Unleashed Wii (Still need to try the HD version), and most importantly Sonic R. I have so many memories playing that game on my old Windows 95 computer. I had to play with screwed up keyboard controls and I didn’t even know how to drift! Honestly, I don’t think you can consider a game “good” or “bad” because everyone’s opinion is based on personal experience. That’s why I hate when big internet people like JonTron bash a game because it’s there opinion. Sometimes they either treat it like fact or their fans treat it like fact. Oh well, people will always assert their fake dominance in opinions on the internet.

    1. Well, you have an opinion, Jontron has an opinion. Also he plays up stuff up for comedy too.

       1. I know he has an opinion, sometimes fans take his word as fact.I wasn’t specifically referring to him, just famous people on the internet in general.

          1. Yeah, I feel ya. Some celebs like Nostalgia Critic really do go a bit too far when it comes to something I actually like. But they do have their own opinions and really most of their stuff is played for laughs, and ironically it only works when it ISN’T something that we actually do like, even if somebody else out there likes it. It’s just a cycle of who’s opinion matches up to who’s, which usually makes the jokes even more subjective than they already were.

16. I like to see torturous pictures of Sonic. >:) Chaos, I’m one of the many fan girls that like that sorta stuff. XD

    1. O_O”

    2. *backs away slowly* Well, I’m going to go crawl into a corner now… And never come out…

17. I’d say Sonic R is my guilty pleasure. I know it’s utter crap…heck I even think the music is very cheesy but gosh darnit the music makes me mellow out a lot. It’s pretty good music to draw to actually.

18. My top 5 Sonic Guilty pleasures:
    5. Sonic 4: Episode 1/2
    4. Sonic 3D Blast
    3. Sonic R
    2. Shadow The Hedgehog
    1. Sonic 06′

19. Is… Is this someone defending Sonic Unleashed? Brings a happy tear to my, it does.

    I don’t consider liking Sonic Unleashed a guilty pleasure because… well, it’s a good game, why are we so unnecessarily ashamed of the Werehog, sonic fandom? But if I had to pick a part of the franchise that’s my guilty pleasure… It’s gotta be the Storybook series. Sure the gameplay is bland, but the stories are so riveting and well done! …Minus Caliburn. It felt like he was going to burst out a song about going to California at any moment.But for someone who loves to analyze Sonic story plots, the Storybook series has a lot of material to work with, and really does a lot to explore Sonic’s characterization. Also, the biolizard dragon. Why does no one talk about the biolizard dragon? Wake up, people.

    1. Yeah, same here. I never understood why everyone just shunned Sonic Unleashed and coddled Sonic Colors so much. Sonic Colors was okay, but Unleashed was far superior in quality, Werehog or no Werehog. And the Werehog wasn’t even that terrible in the first place. I guess a majority of the fan base just can’t handle any change of pace. (Yeah, I wanted to work an Eggman joke in there, but I’m too tired to think of anything.)

20. I also agree about Unleashed, but I would add this to it’s problems. QTEs(Quick Time Events), I hate those things, it’s why I never finished the game. Since, you know, there’s two mandatory Tornado levels that use them. If you had the Xbox 360, and were more familiar with the Game Cube or Play Station Dual Shock controllers, you’d have a hard time playing that due to unfamiliarity with the button layout and colors. I see the B button, I end up hitting the X button by accident because I was used to how the Game Cube controller was layed out. I should have bought a PS3 to play the HD version instead, would have finished that one. I suppose I could finish it now since I’ve played several Halo games, and other games on 360, and am used to the layout of the controller buttons. Still, that was not a good part of the game, and that’s why they never showed up again after. I personally think that is universally hated by the fans, but, that said, the game was good. Speaking of…

    I don’t however agree with you about 3D Blast. Maybe because the “improved” version I played was the PC version, but I played the Genesis version first. I think both have equal soundtracks, though the Genesis version I can remember each and every tune from. The Saturn version… I’d have to listen to some of the others again. Most are memorable, but the ones I have difficulty remembering are both Panic Puppet zones, and Gene Gadget Zone. I keep mixing those two up. I also keep mixing up the tracks for Acts 1 and 2 of both Volcano Valley and Diamond Dust. Which is a bit of a problem, how someone on Youtube mixed up Rusty Ruins tracks between the acts is beyond me, since those were very memorable. But the ones I mentioned, those are a little less memorable because of that. Still good though, but I can easily tell you which track comes from where in the Genesis version. So, for me at any rate(Since memory can be subjective), I give it to the Genesis version. As for the graphics, I will give the Saturn/PC version the point here, since the levels feel more alive in that one due to more animations and extra bits as well as the special stages. (What about a bridge suspended over a lava river canyon says this is about Knuckles? What was Traveller’s Tales trying to say I wonder?..) Special Stages over all though, I have to give the point to the Genesis version for better execution of access. Now, this may be a fault of the PC version, but I’m pretty sure the Saturn version has this issue too. That being, the Saturn/PC version is not good for speed running 100%. Due to the fact you can only get a Chaos Emerald once per act in the “improved” version. But the Genesis version allows you to get two emeralds every act, though both games don’t allow you to re-enter the stage through the same “portal.”(Tails and Knuckles) It’s easier and faster to get the Emeralds in the Genesis version than the Saturn/PC version. Genesis, you can get the seventh emerald by Spring Stadium Act 1 with enough practice. Saturn/PC, not until Diamond Dust Act 1. Granted, you could get a second shot at the same emerald in the act, but it’s still slow. And if you screwed up those two chances in the act, you would only get a few more shots. Screw up four times, and you might as well reset if you’re going for the good ending even if you got six of the emeralds. If you don’t get them before you complete Volcano Valley Act 2 Saturn/PC, you’re up the river without a paddle. This could be forgiven if they had put Tails and Knuckles into Gene Gadget Act 1 and 2, and even Panic Puppet Act 1 and 2. But as they didn’t, this forces me to give the point to the Genesis version. I know this is for speed runners, but let’s be honest here, who hasn’t tried to speed run a Sonic game 100%? And here’s another factor, replayability. Genesis version wins out here, despite having no save feature, but only just. In the Genesis version, after beating the game, you got access to a level select without entering a cheat code. If the Genesis version had a save feature, this would make the game far and above superior for replay value. The Saturn/PC version… sorry, you get a save feature, but it’s the kind that would be given in a less irksome form for Generations. One, single, save, slot. You want to see Rusty Ruins again? Already beat the game? Sorry, you have to erase the previously played game to do it. No level select here. So while yes, you can pick up the Saturn/PC version and resume your previous game, once you get through, you have to overwrite the data. That’s why I give the point to the Genesis version. I won’t talk about game play, lives, continues, and the like, because it’s the same between the three versions. That said, it comes down to the differences. The music category can go either way, but that’s personal taste and very subjective, meaning that there’s always going to be disagreement about it. Leaving the graphics, generosity on the Emerald Hunt, and replay categories. The Saturn/PC version gets the graphics category, but the Genesis version wins out in the other two categories. So yeah, you got yourself someone here, who has given some serious thought to it, and thinks the Genesis version is the better one by examining the facts. (I realize that there are differences between the Saturn and PC versions, but they wouldn’t affect my view since in my research, I found the PC version has only the look of the special stages as being different, with a different Sonic model and layout for the stages. Methods of entering are the same, and you can only get one emerald per act in both of the “improved” versions. Same thing goes for the save feature and replayability.)

21. I adore Shadow the Hedgehog (the game, although I do like the character despite the rough times he had) and Sonic and the Black Knight. Black Knight was the last Sonic game I had a genuine fun time playing, and yes, that means Generations even disappointed me (mostly due to short length XD).

    I also enjoyed Sonic Chronicles, and I’ve played through it around three times.

    And I suppose I should go on record that Unleashed, I preferred the night stages to the day stages. I love exploring and destroying things, and I also liked being able to control better. Day felt too much like a tank, and it never recovered even in Colors and Generations.

    Ha ha I’m so odd XD

22. I adore Sonic games that have a good, deep, solid story. 🙂 For that matter, I LOVED Chronicles and Secret Rings. Never played ’06, so I have no idea what it’s like. :/ But I bated Generations (have it for 3DS) simply ’cause the story was so… bare. Boring, even. I have high hopes for Sonic Boom since the creators are saying the narrative is going to be very detailed. :3

23. Well for me Sonic ’06 is a guilty pleasure. I am not one of those morons who claims that it’s “brilliant” and “fun” because I played it and it’s a broken, glitchy mess but yet if there’s a let’s play of it where it gets slammed, I’ll watch it. The story is like bad fanfiction come to life. A cross between bad DBZ fanfiction and bad Twilight fanfiction as written by furries that’s trying so hard to take itself seriously despite the fact it’s a bunch of cartoon animals. Plus many have had fun exploiting glitches left and right like Silver throwing you out of the boss fight arena then shooting you to the moon or coming to a complete stop in a scripted loop and standing upside down or abusing things like the purple gem and Omega’s infinite hover.
    Then trying to grasp how people think this game is “amazing” then just realizing the answer to “why do people like Sonic ’06” is the same as “why do people like Twilight?”

24. So damn true. Sonic Unleashed is one of the best Sonics out there and the only reason people claim that the Adventure games are better is that they’re being nostalgia whores. The day levels were vastly superior to anything the Adventure games had to offer including the mega-short, mega-linear, dashpad and automatization-ridden Sonic/Shadow stages, and the Werehog stages were no worse than the non-speed Adventure levels like the atrocious fishing, treasure hunting and shooting areas. And the Werehog stages only made up 50% of Unleashed; the Sonic/Shadow levels on the Adventure games were THE MINORITY.

    And even comparing it with non-3D Sonic games, it’s no more offensive than Sonic 2 (where only three out of its ELEVEN Zones were speed-based; the rest of them were slow, boring and had mediocre level design) or Sonic 1 (only half of its Zones were speed-based).

    So suck it down it down, Unleashed haters!

25. Sonic & The Black Knicht:

    I love everything about it, everything! Except the gameplay xD (though I found most of the bosses to be fun to beat).

26. I consider Underground a guilty pleasure. Sure, it’s the weakest of the DiC trilogy, but it still told an interesting story, and the characters were decent enough. (Though I always mute the songs.)

    …Also, I kinda liked the Werehog.

27. While I have more guilty Sonic pleasures than just Sonic R, to this day I find it as one of the best raceing games ever, it had a great soundtrack, good graphics, first real 3D model of Sonic and co. it made you actuly explore the levels which was a nice twist and it introduced Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll.

28. I think the only guilty pleasure I have right now is sonic lost world on the 3DS. Also Sonic Unleashed is also a guilty pleasure, enjoyed that one quite a bit. Not sure if the comics count. Depends who you ask I suppose?

29. Guilty pleasure? I dunno, that’s kind of hard to say for me when I can honestly say I like almost EVERYTHING of the Sonic series in one way or another. I guess I’m gonna have to say that my guilty pleasure is the “relationship” between Sonic and Sharha, which was actually just a friendship, because of how the duo just had so much fun during their adventure and engaged in some pretty humorous and happy conversations. Short bits of dialogue, but I’m not complaining. By the way, I think Sonic Unleashed is just a pure GOLDEN MASTERPIECE~ 😀

30. Wow. I’m surprised other commentators like ChaoticFox or Jeffery Mass haven’t said anything at all on this article. I guess to them, commenting amongst so many users with such different tastes as theirs would be comparable to jumping into a tank filled with piranhas. But I shouldn’t pick on them for having their particular tastes. If anything, this article celebrates loving what most of the fan base would shun away in shame. If they don’t wish to partake in those things, fine. It’s just nice to know that there are others like me who actually do enjoy the less respected entries of the series. 😀

31. I think that a lot of us here do consider Sonic 06 as a guilty pleasure. Whether the pleasure comes from playing it legitimately, finding glitches, or even bashing it to death.

32. I don’t hate any Sonic games… I think they are all awesome! EVEN SONIC SCHOOL HOUSE MMMMHMMMMMM

33. Does Sonic Heroes count? I actually want a HD remake or something.

    1. Depending on how you look at it, you could even argue that SA2 could be a guilty pleasure, as some users that I’ve already named before tend to think differently about most well received Sonic titles. It’s all subjective, but I think you could argue anything from 1998 to 2014 could count as a guilty pleasure, because there is always some classic loyalist who will bash on it. At least, that’s my take on it.

       1. I am building up a list of overrated Sonic games and that one’s definitely on the list.

          1. I might defend some of those games. I do come from 2006-HD era, but some of those titles I still like. But I will agree that some games probably get a little too much praise. Sonic 3 and Knuckles was awesome, but is it really the best Sonic game ever made guys? Is it REALLY?

    2. Sonic Heroes has it’s moments. The concept was good but it was executed poorly. It’s a game I REALLY want to like. It has it’s moments Seaside Hill is still a great level, but there’s so much that’s just plain bad that I can’t recommend it.

       1. I’d recommend people who are interested in something new and have A LOT of patience.

34. Nice list, we have a lot of points in common.

35. Why does Sonic R’s music divide the fan base? There doesn’t seem to be anyone who deems it ‘okay’, it’s like marmite – you love it or hate it. The latter applies to me unfortunately.

    Anyway, Unleashed was an over-criticised game. The day levels were fantastic; the visuals were incredible; the soundtrack was great; the hub worlds were fun, vibrant and interesting. And I enjoy playing as the werehog. True, day sections are better and the night levels do drag a bit but the gameplay isn’t broken by any stretch of the imagination and is still fairly enjoyable, if a bit button mashy. The only issue anyone should have with it is that it isn’t really Sonic.

    I also like Sonic X. A bit too much. It wasn’t terrible but there were no Oscar winning performances either. But I still like it!

36. I actually really enjoyed Shadow The Hedgehog. And while Sonic 06 is a horrible game, taking turns playing it with friends is really fun because you can all laugh at all the glitchy horrible stuff that happens.

    1. It really is the “Manos: The hands of fat” of Sonic games.

37. Shadow the Hedgehog was one of my most favorite Sonic games ever. Along with Sonic Riders, it was my favorite Gamecube era “Sonic” game.

    Sonic Rivals is my favorite PSP game (didn’t like #2, though).

    I actually have the first two AoSTH box sets.

    Sonic R and Sonio 3D Blast are actually two of my most favorite Sonic soundtracks. 🙂
    I actually bought the PC version of Sonic 3D Blast just for the soundtrack (haven’t played it the whole way through yet, though).

38. When people review and react to Sonic games that features something besides/breaks the status quo, I already expect intense negativity. Sonic Unleashed was fantastic to me: Day AND Night sides. I loved having something new. I loved a Sonic game that wasn’t just an A-to-B run that had HOURS worth of gameplay. So when I see the comments of people who love to dog the Werehog and the medals and the hub worlds, I just think, “Don’t ever let me catch your ass playing Devil May Cry, God of War, Streets of Rage, or any beat-’em-up/hack-‘n-slash game in the history of ever. Don’t ever let me catch you playing something that takes more than one day to beat. Don’t ever let me catch you playing any open world game, RPG, adventure game, or anything else with lots of hours of gameplay and a need to search for things either.”
    I wonder if those people ever play anything besides Sonic, or even enjoy anything outside of the platformer genre. Sonic seems to be the only series to be cursed to be expected to be a simple rehash of former gameplay everytime and gets chastised for attempting something new. You could probably come up with another example, say Final Fantasy, that people say has lost its touch, but most of its main series games average out at least 90+ reviews and individually have a powerful fanbase. Everytime I Google Sonic, all I see are headlines about “a fallen mascot” or things that describe Sonic as “having a bad decade.” Even Sonic Colors & Generations get dogged by the very critics that gave them positive reviews. It just seems like the entire game industry and anyone with an opinion and an internet connection, even this webstie, THE BIGGEST AND STRONGEST SONIC FANSITE, has a biased opinon toward Sonic. He doesn’t have room to grow because no one wants him to, not even his fanbase.

39. Why be guilty for liking Unleashed? There’s no Sonic game better than it.

40. Sonic Unleashed is not a guilty pleasure. It’s damn GOOD!

    But my guilty pleasures are Sonic Underground and Sonic X. I hate the first season of Sonic X, though, and I hate Cosmo, moreso than Chris.

41. My guilty pleasures include…

    1) Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. I love the absolute ridiculousness and zaniness of this show. Say what you will about its animation (I actually love the non-sensical nature of it), it was just damn funny.

    2) Sonic Shuffle. Had a lot of fun playing this game with friends. It was cute and amusing, despite the terrible graphics. Wish we could have another game like it.

    3) Sonic 3D Blast. Loved this game, mainly for its incredible music, which is some of the best in the franchise.

    4) Silver the Hedgehog. Don’t care what anyone says, I love him. He was one of the few redeeming qualities of Sonic 06, and I would really like to see him play another major role in a game.

    1. I agree with everything you just said! 🙂

42. I think it’s quite sad how we have consider some games ‘guilty pleasures’, we all have opinions, so why should they be ‘guilty’?

43. I guess I have to say I’m a sucker for Silver the Hedgehog…. Everything about him intrigues me, he’s just so original… He has the potential to make another game, not into party mode or anything like that, he needs to be apart of the story! I remember reading somewhere that he and Jet were gonna be in apart of the Knights of the Round Table, in S&TBK, but we’re removed for some reason, which saddened me….

44. woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

    1. That’s nice…. What ‘wowed’ you so much?

45. I’m hoping for another Sonic Riders game! I love the Babylon Rogues… They have nice designs and personalities! They mirror Team Sonic, but in a good way! I think…

46. I love Sonic Unleashed, the game is so beatiful and the enviroments are amazing (and yes I like the werehog!).

47. So Sonic 4…. Change the name and the game becomes good? I liked the game from the start, regardless of the title.

    This is why it’d be so risky to make SA3 (can of worms officially opened.) Even if the game was good, the legacy and expectations that come from having that title would be insane.

48. Sonic Unleashed is a fantastic game and its haters are bandwagon jumping tools.

49. Sonic Shuffle for the Dreamcast gets my vote. Yeah, the game takes way to long, but if you play with friends; once you all know the rules, the game can be a whole lot of fun. The card system was a clever idea too (although fighting the boss for the emeralds was a royal pain in the behind, and took even more time).

50. I loved sonic r screw the critics and screw screwattack I loved this game the music was superb the gameplay is excellent the 1st problem was the controls they need to take sometime to get use to but the game was excellent the 2nd problem was the game is too short okay now with aosth I loved this as well with sonic and robotnik and the badnicks were hilarious I don’t like tails in the show cause he was annoying but the other games he became less annoying due to the voice actor.

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