Dr. Crusher Presents: The 30 Days of Sonic the Hedgehog Mk.II (Daft and Tolerating It)-PAGE 72, FIN

[Strickerx5]

Day 20: What are your top 10 *I would include images but this post is already too long XD* Sonic cutscenes?

 

10. Final Secret Ring's Cutscene

 

I really just like the way this one is shot mostly. Add in the way Sonic just gives it to Erazor and I believe this one deserves to be on the list.

 

9. Lost World's Opening Cutscene

 

Man, this game had such a great start! Too bad it wasn't carried through. The only thing I can fault this scene for is not explaining the Lost Hex but beyond that, I loved it. It was a nice combination of classic Sonic and Tails vs Eggman with a bit of scale to it. It was also nice to see an actual cgi opening after Generation's lacked one.

 

8. SA1 Minced Meat

 

Man, this scene actually gave me chills the first time I saw it. Seeing Tails actually being the main character for once, Eggman being menacing, the pure situation of it all. This was definitely one of the best scenes in the game.

 

7. Merlin's Plot twist - World Destruction

 

I'll be honest, I did not see this coming. It was probably the first time this series actually caught me off guard and I love it for that. Add in the total destruction of the castle and this is actually a scene I sometimes just re-watch for the fun of it.

 

6. Super Exaliber Sonic Transformation

This one is just purely bad ass! I know some people think the whole super sonic in knight armor is a bit of overkill but I absolutely loved it. Add in the fact that this is really the first time in the series where we literally see Sonic get the shit kicked out of him (and that emotion to boot) and you definitely have a winner here.

 

5. Sonic 06: Sonic Story's last Cutscene

 

This scene, like damn... I know I'm beating a dead horse here but WHY WASN'T THE WHOLE GAME LIKE THIS. This scene literally showed what they tried to do but just couldn't accomplish. It was a sweet taste of what Sonic could have been. Maybe one day we'll reach that kind of quality in the games.

 

4. SA1: Tails meets Sonic for the first time

 

The first and only time Sega and Sonic Team actually felt the need to give a character a back story. I know it's a short scene but it's significance can't be over stated. It added so much depth to Tails.

 

3. Sonic Unleashed Chip Might Morphing Power Rangers Sequence

 

Eh, I'm going to cheat here and say that this scene is really only up this high due to it's production value. Like damn, this is what I wish a Sonic film would be like.

 

2. SA2: Gerald Robotnik's Final Message

 

Another cutscene that just sent chills down my spine. The fact that he pre-recorded this message before he was done in by the firing squad is just a level of dark that this series hasn't hit sense. It's the perfect transition to the end game.

 

*drum roll*

1. Sonic Unleashed's Opening

 

 

What a fucking way to start off an amazing game. This opening is the reason why I believe future games should try harder with their presentation. The quality was like something out of a Pixar film and even has some impressive shots by today's standards. To me, this is the exact peak of the series so far. I literally can't say anything bad about it. It was perfect in both scale, tone, set up, and display. Add in that perfect score during it and this scene becomes one of my favorite cutscenes in video gaming, period. It's why I advocate for more cgi openings in upcoming Sonic games. If this was what the team is capable of back then, I'd LOVE to see what they can do now.

 

 

Honorable Mentions: Really any cutscene from Zero Gravity. While the dialogue in them was inexcusably bad, that presentation in a futuristic setting was spot on. Not to mention those amazing shots of moments like Sonic discovering the ring's power for the first time and that whole sand tsunami before the final boss. Just great moments all around.

[FriendBot]

Dammnit, I should've known there was a Top 10 list somewhere. So let's get to it!

 

10. Sonic's opening in 06

 

Sonic 06 sucked, everyone knows that. But this opening still holds up to be honest and it helps that it's one of the few instances where Sonic actually shows his cocky confident self in the entire game, so I'll give this scene kuddos.

 

9. Shadow's opening

 

The game's tone is pretty silly but the opening tries to make Shadow look so badass and edgy, it's pretty hilarious but it's still a pretty good opening.

 

8. Lost World's opening

 

It's a very cinematic scene and I just like how dynamic it all looks. I still find this game as Pontaff's best work yet so yeah great stuff.

 

7. Secret Rings' The Promise

 

Sonic's relationship with Shahra is pretty sweet with Sonic trying to make her happy is pretty sweet. So making a promise to Shahra to always keep her happy is so in-character in Sonic and I can't help but love it.

 

6. Black Knight's "It wasn't about chivalry for me"

 

Even when things looks at a serious disadvantage for Sonic, he won't ever give up and he always stand up against evil-doers so the fact that it's pure and strong spirit than made him into Excalibur-Sonic is really badass.

 

5. Generations' "Time to scramble some Eggmen"

 

This scene is pretty good, which more I can say for Gens' story for a whole. Seeing all of Sonic's friends supporting him and Modern Sonic giving a pretty badass but silly one-line is also pretty cool, I guess. And the fact Jun made Sonic 4 music sound badass is a strong plus.

 

4. Emerl's death

 

Emerl is easily the best one-off Sonic character ever and his death is a strong reason why. It's so sad and it really tugs my heartstrings that I can't help but really love the guy. It really gives a strong and dramatic feel to it but still manages to be uplifting as well, really good ending.

 

3. Unleashed's opening

 

This is easily one of gaming's best openings ever and it's seeing this scene that made me really love Sonic so it deserves to be this high.

 

2. Adventure's ending

 

It's a strong scene as well and it's emotions are pretty strong here while the voice acting is pretty wonky, I still feel it's good enough.

 

1. Adventure 2's "All you see is what you get"

 

Easily the most iconic scene in 3D Sonic history, it really shows how strong and badass of a character Sonic is. I love this scene and I'm pretty sure almost everyone else does as well.

 

Sorry if this is rushed but I'm a busy guy but I did it. So ready for the nest question!

[Tani Coyote]

Day 20: Top Ten Cutscenes

 

10. The first boss in Sonic 4 Episode II. After the first episode's copypasta of classic bosses with minor tweaks, the "psyche!" Eggman pulls by making it look like it's gonna be a redo of Aquatic Ruin, only to summon the tentacle flower monster thingie, was just beautiful trolling.

 

9. The big reveal at the end of Sonic 3 where Knuckles gets electrocuted. I remember going through the whole game thinking Knuckles was a red dreadlocked douchebag. Seeing him get electrocuted by Eggman, never mind the following level where he's your ally, really struck a chord with me. All his murder attempts were just a misunderstanding!

 

8. Shadow's intro in 06. The game itself is garbage, but I won't deny it was pretty badass to see an army of robots get blown to pieces the moment he stepped into the fray. Complete with guitar, no less!

 

7. The end of Shadow the Hedgehog. It was nice to see Shadow finally put the past behind him... never mind the fact it's a complete tangled mess so it makes sense to just forget it and start over, Maria and Gerald's ideals aside.

 

6. The Sonic Colors title sequence; having the beat near its end with Sonic punching Eggman (offscreen) was a nice touch. Never mind that after so many games with heaviness to them, Colors' upbeat, lighthearted nature was well signified by this song. Eggman's dramatic bow and laugh do illustrate the world's not safe even with a lighter tone, though.

 

5. Eggman and Robotnik's fighting at the end of Generations. While the game missed a ton of opportunities for classic vs. modern humor, I am glad they at least made up for it by having the two wannabe techno-tyrants insult each other despite being the same person.

 

4. Sonic Unleashed's intro cutscene. It's pretty, but if not for the graphics drooling it'd be pretty forgettable, I think.

 

3. The scene where Chaos destroys Station Square. It's just amazing how destructive it is. Kind of cheating but I'd say the Sonic Adventure intro also benefits from this.

 

2. Regular!Sonic's fight against Merlina. It's really powerful how he continues to fight even as she whips his ass, never mind how utterly angered he is upon Caliburn's "death."

 

1. Shadow's regaining his memory in SA2. My SA2 favoritism is evident here, but what can I say? I thought it was really neat how Amy's right choice of words finally made something click inside his head and made him realize how much he'd fucked up. Cue the rare moment of sadness from him, before quickly turning into a determination to set things right.

[PickleBrows]

Day 20: Favourite Cutscenes

 

Cards on the table, I'm going to go with a top 5 for this rather than 10 since I'm likely going to end up half-baking it trying to go for the highest amount.

 

Also, I'm going to leave out actual video links since I imagine this question is going to cause enough of an influx of them as is. Just makes the page a little easier to load, especially on mobiles.

 

5. Sonic 2006: Opening

 

Certainly one of the highlights of the 2006 game. The visuals still look great even a little short of nine years later. Everything in this scene ultimately hits the mark just right. Sonic's wisecracking and taking out Eggman's robots as flashy as he possible can, tipping the last one over as is if to make his presence completely understood. For those who just want something to look at, there's more than enough explosions for the runtime.

 

4. Sonic Adventure 2: The heroes crash the shuttle

 

SA2's sound mixing problems are well documented on the internet. This scene makes the list simply for how hilariously ill-timed everyone is in this scene. Characters talk over each other, react to things they haven't even completely heard yet and for some reason everyone suddenly goes awkwardly quiet just so Sonic can take centre stage and show off his best scream.

 

3. Sonic 2: Ending

 

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the "bad" ending here. It's a really nice sequence here. Sonic's destroyed the Death Egg and is sent plummeting back down to Earth as Tails rushes to try and catch him on the Tornado. The music helps make this little scene work. There's a hint of triumph in there starting off but at the same time it feels somewhat melancholic, as if Sonic's safe return is not yet a certainty. As Sonic lands on the wing of the Tornado, the music ramps up as the heroes' victory is complete.

 

I've always preferred the "bad" ending for having Tails save Sonic in the end. It really helps cement his sidekick role at the end of his debut game and does a better job of that than the good ending where Sonic just safely flies back and Tails just happens to show up anyway.

 

2. Sonic Lost World: Sonic Alone

 

A really short and simple scene that really is one of the better bits of characterisation we've seen in recent years. Sonic's been fully aware of the fact that it's on him that the Deadly Six got loose in the first place. Despite him doing everything he can to set things right here he stands. His best friend taken, his planet and friends close to perishing and even his arch-enemy seemingly killed in keeping him alive. You can see his desperation in trying to make contact through the Miles Electric in the vain hope he still has something left to save.

 

1. Sonic Unleashed: Opening

 

I couldn't really give this to anything else. No other game has managed to match Unleashed's scope as a whole and that rings true for it's opening. My compliments to 06 apply here and more so. We have Sonic taking on an entire Eggman fleet. He's fast, cocky and confident. We've got Super Sonic here just to show this game's not messing around. Despite all that though, this is no victory for Sonic. Eggman uses Sonic's core personality against him by using his cocky pep talk as the time needed to capture him and set his greater plan into motion. Again, it's a rare time we see Sonic in any vulnerable fashion. He's helpless as the chaos emeralds are drained, the planet below broken apart and ancient creature released, infecting Sonic in the process. With a final freefall from space, Sonic's troubles are just starting.

[RosaRosaRosalina]

DAY TWENTY: FAVORITE CUTSCENES
 
I can't exactly think of ten of them since that's a pretty big number, so I'll just go with five. And those five are:
 
5. Sonic Advance 3's Opening Cutscene 
 
There's something really special about this one. The way the game starts off with Sonic and Tails running through a field was just so awesome looking back when I first booted up the game. 
 
4. Sonic Generations' Pre-Final Boss Cutscene
 
Yeah, Sonic Generations' didn't have much of a story, but for what it did, I was actually surprised to see what had happened, well, happen. And getting both Sonics in their super forms to fight the Time Eater and restore everything was pretty darn cool. 
 
3. Sonic Rush's Final Cutscene
 
Since both victims to the plan of the two Eggmen were completely restored, that would mean that Sonic and Blaze would have needed to return to each other's homes for things to really go back to normal. Sonic and Blaze said their goodbyes and Blaze was left with that reminder that help could be a good thing when necessary. 
 
...Also did anyone else think Sonic and Blaze were gonna kiss? No? Okay...
 
2. Sonic 4: Episode Metal's Cutscenes
 
I'm not exactly certain if I'm allowed to do something like this, but I seriously can't put any cutscene over the other when it comes to this game. It's pretty much how Metal Sonic gets his head back in the game after literally losing it some time before. He gets all of these super cool powers thanks to that purple orb and Eggman gets him back in shape. It does a good job with making Metal Sonic feel like a total badass and explaining how he had got those powers in the first place.

 

Also, does anyone else think this could probably explain how he managed to overload himself in Heroes?  

 

1. Sonic Adventure's Pre-Final Boss Cutscene

 

This cutscene's kind of always been memorable for me, just because of the Super Sonic transformation in this one. All of the negative energy was used up from the Chaos Emeralds by Chaos and he's pretty much wrecked the city to pieces, but the positive energy still remains in them. Not only does it still lie in them, but there was positivity within the city as well. Despite the destruction, they still cheered him on. And with enough power, Sonic became super and was out to get Chaos for sure. His dead silence also just shows how serious he was about this, too.

 

It just stood out as one of the more intense scenes of the franchise and I loved it for that reason.

[Adamis]

Day 20: What are your top ten (or less) cutscenes in the games?

 

• Sonic Unleashed intro : because it's gorgeous and badass. Everything blew me away, it looked straight out of a movie.
• Sonic CD (Pal/Jap) intro & ending : Splendid animation and one of the best representation of Sonic stylistically
• Sonic 3 intro : Sonic and Tails with the tornado, Super Son-OHWHAT WHO DID THAT... Yeah, Knuckles' first appearance is unforgettable
• S3K, Hidden Palace, when Eggman steals the Master Emerald and Knuckles realises the truth. Brilliant storytelling with no dialogue
• Sonic Adventure intro : I still love this one. We see the characters in full 3D, with their new look and we meet Big and Gamma.
• Sonic Heroes, the Metal Sonic transformation sequence : even if the robot dragon is rubbish, it felt epic, with all those heroes gathered there
• Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow and Sonic on the ARK : epic.
• Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 2006 intros : they're both beautiful, great animation, I love watching these.

[Sonictrainer]

Question #19: Regardless of how close or how far the similarities start and finish, which character(s) would you say you sound the most similar to?

[Dr. Crusher]

~SSMB Has Cleared Cutscene Compromise Capriole Act 20!~

 

"I think, therefore I am." - David Bowie, Ground Control to Marble Zone (1969)

 

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

haha u fell for my sonc spro crossy i got u good u salty baka now if u dont lik then dont coment and dont prosecute cuz i am a real adolt and i will resnort to lethal fours if nestlesary

 

Due to the inherent nature of many a platforming franchise, we usually see only a few specific common interactions between certain characters. Mario will interact with Luigi, Peach and Bowser, Kirby will interact with Dedede, Meta Knight and the lucky Waddle Dee of the day, Mega Man will interact with Light, Wily and Proto Man, and Master Hand will interact with Andross, Eyerok and Tiki Tong. Likewise, we have a few familiar types of interaction in the Sonic series, which naturally leads some of us to wonder how the more rarer character combinations would work out. How would a discussion or a scenario involving two characters who we don't normally see interacting with each other end up going? As Bowling For Soup once said, the possibilities are endless, so let's hear the ones you have in mind.

 

Crusher's Thoughts: I'll only list a few of my own ideas for the sake of keeping it short and less not embarrassing.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Knuckles and Blaze interact more. They have similar personalities and similar positions in life, but in completely different ways. Knuckles guards the Master Emerald, Blaze guards the Sol Emeralds (and the Jeweled Scepter). Knuckles wonders about the remaining mysteries of his ancient ancestors, Blaze wonders about her own pyrokinesis. Knuckles barely had anyone to talk to for a very long time, whereas Blaze did but was always nervous and stressed over everyone else's presumed expectations and fears, ergo she might as well have had no one to talk to. Would Knuckles and Blaze get on well enough over time? What would they agree and disagree on, whether it relates to mundane things in life or dealing with whatever Robotnik or whoever else is up to? Who would be the red side and the blue side when making decisions? How would Knuckles interact with Marine? And if Knuckles himself were to show his more crafty and... chuckling side every now and then, what would Blaze make of it?

 

Here's a slightly crazy one: Tails and Rouge. There was that one scene in Sonic Battle, but that's pretty much it in the games as far as I'm aware. Call me crazy (you will), but I can't help but find the idea of Tails and Rouge interacting more often... cute. Like, I could see Tails being adorably impressed with a few of the feats that Rouge is capable of, what with them both being good flyers/gliders, and also because even if she doesn't make any gadgets of her own, Rouge is still pretty clever and knowledgeable in her own right. On the other hand, because Rouge isn't really that morally ambiguous of a person, I could see her being genuinely amused and charmed by Tails' amazing inventions and general wise and heroic but humble and innocent personality. I don't know, I could see them being unexpectedly good friends. Don't look at me like that. Would you rather go back in time to the days when Sonic Passion was still up? Yeah, that's what I thought, sit your ass down.

 

Another character who I would like to see Tails interact with on his own terms is Metal Sonic. Surely the concept of Sonic having a robotic double who is also a killing machine is especially off-putting to his non-blood brother, doubly so in light of Metal's apparent identity crisis. As for Metal, Tails would most likely be an important target for him, what with him being the alleged faker's closest friend (plus, Robotnik would probably order him to get rid of the the fox anyway). I could see a climactic battle between Tails and Metal Sonic being a really interesting what if, in the sense that it's Tails fighting and eventually overcoming the machine who was made to be his best friend and idol's superior in every way.

 

Finally... Shadow and Zazz. Just for hilarity's sake. Plus, Shadow can actually do pretty well as the comically serious type when he tries, so who better to contrast that with than with Charlie Zheen over there?

 

So with that out of the way, you may now post awaaaaaayyyy!~

[TCB]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

I would love to see Blaze and Shadow interact with other more. We already seen how Blaze as a person opens up more with part of the cast over the course of the Rush series. While she may still have her reserved tendencies she's more willing to be more open with others.  With that she also has one of the more serious and stoic demeanor out of the cast, although she's not much of a person to emote well. With Shadow of course his aura screams distant and reserved, so I think it would be interesting to see them like team up for a bit. As you know he's very steadfast in his goals, and takes nearly everything seriously; he's not all fun and games compared to his blue counterpart.

 

With that said, if these two would to interact more in the games I can envision that Blaze slowly sees that Shadow isn't too far of from herself in someways and comes to respect him. For Shadow it can be likewise, especially since she has a strong sense of doing what she feels is necessary for the greater good and isn't shy to get real serious if the problem calls for it. In the end they both can make quite the formidable team given the circumstances.

[Forte-Metallix]

Day 21: Characters I feel should interact more:

 

I'd like Silver to interact more with just about anyone, but I'll go with Sonic.

 

Since '06 is its own universe, and Silver's future has been saved as of Rivals 2, it seems there are no longer any misunderstandings between the two 'Hogs. I feel Silver should take this opportunity to spend more time with the main cast, especially Big Blue, since we don't really know just how cool they are with each other. One minute Silver's picking a fight for no good reason, the next he's cheering two Sonics on in a pocket dimension, and next thing you know, he's standing with Blaze in front of a sign somewhere in Vancouver, waiting for the heroes to come challenge them to a game of hockey and forgetting who they are for some reason.

[Your Vest Friend]

Day 21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

If there's one interaction I do want to see, especially following Sonic Generations, it's Cream and Silver.

 

They want to group them together with Blaze just because she was a recurrent common ground between them (for had Rush and the Gens intro, latter has Sonic '06, Mario and Sonic, Colours DS, probably more)? You gotta give more than just that lip service, SEGA. 

 

And it's baffling because it would actually be so natural. Cream is polite and cheery, Silver is hopefully and naive. but the difference lays in how they handle a desperate situation (pitch Cream's pacifism against Silver's more pragmatic approach to justice). What about the Chao bond Silver showed fleetingly? Expand on it, show how their care of them differs, draws parallels, something! I'm sure it'd be charming to see them bounce personalities off each other.

[Inkling Cooper]

30 Days of Sonic Act 2 Day 21: What character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

I honestly don't really have a lot to say on this since again, as I've previously said in this event, I don't really play Sonic games for things like Character Interaction. I just want an enjoyable story and good gameplay. However, If I had to answer or else I would die, I would probably want to see maybe some more interaction with Rouge. You don't really see Rouge in the Sonic games nowadays so maybe it would be nice to see her interact with maybe another somewhat obscure character like Blaze because again, she's barely been seen and it'd make interesting dynamics.

 

Day 21 complete!

 

P.S. Sorry if this is slightly rushed compared to my usual posts in this event but again, I don't really keep an eye out for this sort of stuff.

[Osmium]

Question 21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common? 

 

I think I'm going with Sonic and Rouge. 

 

You don't see these two talk very much. But I think that they can get along very well. They both have a carefree attitude, and are quite arrogant about what they do. Even though Sonic is more of a Chaotic Good while Rouge is a neutral, they both seem to be mostly interested in doing their own thing, and not really being overly good or bad. They are both very stubborn and strong minded, but in slightly different ways. 

 

They both do things their way. Rouge often switches sides and does things just to get what she needs while Sonic isn't keen on doing things that he doesn't feel like doing, but they both will do the heroic thing when necessary. 

 

I think they would find a lot in common with each other, and would click very easily. I feel that they could both really understand each other.

 

It would be funny to see Rouge try to flirt with Sonic so he would do something for her, just for him to quickly shut it down. 

 

The reason why I'm saying all this is that even though they are portrayed to be friends in newer games, we almost never see them have a real conversation. Probably because they both have very similar personalities. They definitely would get along the easiest out of all of Sonic's relationship with the female characters. 

[Nepenthe]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

Everyone with everyone who isn't Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot. >>;;+

 

For a second I was being facetious, but even when the extended cast was around more often, they were never written with any interesting acknowledgement towards one another unless they were in a group already, so if it wasn't so vague I really would say everybody. For example, Charmy apparently looks up to Shadow, but to what degree does this admiration travel? And how would Shadow react in having to recognize this, especially if he ever had to work with the Chaotix again? If nothing else, that might be my top character interaction idea-- Shadow and the Chaotix. You could have some conflict with Vector potentially feeling undermined as a leader, especially since Shadow seems to work so well with his subordinate Espio. And of course, Charmy's there to throw a monkey wrench into everything and annoy the ever-loving shit out of Shadow who isn't used to that kind of interaction. It'd be fun.

 

But no seriously, I'm a Shadamy holdout and I want to see those two interact more, if only because their personalities oppose enough to be pretty good writing material. C'mon Sega, I wanna see her draw her hammer on his stubborn butt! D8<

 

==

 

TAIMU TURAVERU!

 

 

Question #17: Which characters/bosses/enemies/etc have the most amusing designs to you?

 

This one always comes to mind when I think of a design that makes me laugh:

 

 

I mean, maybe there's some way you'd be able to get away with giving Tails a form that turns him into a heavier, more muscular dude- the Adult Link to his Toon Link self, as it were. And indeed, the actual body isn't entirely badly drawn. You could nitpick about proportions but whatever. The idea gets across fine. But drifting up just a little bit reveals a neckless dome of a head with a toony, flat animal face and Wolverine's claws for hair. There's such discordance here that it's Internet meme levels of parody.... Wait, I don't read Archie; this is a joke or a dream, right?

 

Or at least not canon?

 

Also, while these aren't bad designs, many of the old school Badniks amuse me for one reason and for one reason only. Those cue ball eyes with the tiny dots for pupils. Gives them an amusingly devious expression considering their role:

 

 

I mean, look at its face. It's like it's locked onto the player and after a series of calculations just went: ".......................... I'm gonna kill it."

 

Question #18: Realistically, which character(s) would you say you would have the biggest chance(s) of befriending?

 

I think that would definitely be Boom Amy. She's very artistic and meticulous in that regard, and so I think she'd be able to understand me in that regard and want to take part in my interests. And with her seeming like a decent traditional painter, I could always go for some painting lessons in turn! Also, the episode where she and Eggman decide to go to this Puppycon thing reveals two very important factors that I need in a good best friend: One, they've got to be animal lovers, and furthermore the fact that she's enough of a dog person to want to go to a con centered around them means she's already on my wavelength (Dogs Rule, Cats Drool™). Second, she's willing to go to conventions, which is an automatic ticket to being Penth's friend. I always need a place to be able to geek out openly.

 

Question #20: What are your top ten (or less) cutscenes in the games?

 

One per game? You sly devil! D8 Anyhoo--

 

Sonic 3-- Knuckles' Reveal: It's cool that the game opens off of the ending of Sonic 2, where we see Sonic and Tails together and learn they have the Emeralds. It's even cool that you get to see the result of having all of them through Super Sonic. But what is ultimately surprising is the sheer audacity that ol' fuckboi Knuckles actually came and punched you out of your Super State, and then took your hard-earned Emeralds. You're not even afraid that he had the power to do that; you're pissed off that he decided to. It's like the person who looks at you while taking your parking space. It's such an egregious breach of mutual respect that it pisses you off. Seriously, this is the only cut scene that makes me rightfully angry.

 

I just realized, if Knuckles takes your Emeralds... how the hell did they end up back in the Special Stages so fast?.........................................................................

 

Game ruined forever.

 

Sonic Adventure 1-- Opening: This opening is pure perfection in terms of narrative, pacing, music, editing- everything. We get a quick look into Sonic's newly realized world before it's immediately disrupted with a supernatural disaster and Perfect Chaos' reveal. Scary! Cut to Sonic rushing to the scene amid some slick-ass percussion, and what I've always liked about this part is that he appears to be putting his whole body into the run, versus a more Roadrunner esque easiness where only the legs are doing the work. There's power and energy there, which explodes into the new theme song, the character reveals, and cool scenes of landscapes blazing with speed lines as we get to gauge high-speed running from Sonic's point of view. It ends with him confronting Chaos, who ultimately finds and focuses on him against a black out. The whole thing blows your hair back. And what, this game came out like 17 years ago? Aged like fine wine. This is still my most favorite opening ever. <3

 

Sonic Adventure 2-- Sonic vs. Shadow: Sonic and Shadow's dynamic was interesting in the regard that Sonic seemed to always be one step behind Shadow in regards to both speed and comebacks. Up until the end, he'd never had a real solid victory, and subsequently Shadow shrugged off his death as pretty meaningless. But even beyond the Biolizard's existence, the thing that challenges Shadow the most is seeing Sonic standing ahead of him on the platform, eventually prompting him to ask the question: "What are you anyway?!" whereupon Sonic reaffirms his simple self. It's the first time they're really on an even keel, and coupled with their simultaneous evolution into a run which leads directly into the boss, it makes this one of the more memorable scenes in the game.

 

Sonic Heroes-- Team Dark Opening: Seriously, am I the only one who realized how amusing it is that Rouge just kinda manhandles Shadow? First is when she decides for the greater good to break up the fight between him and Omega, and Shadow's not having it. Before he's really separated he starts reaching for Omega like a cat on the other side of a doorway. Afterwards, he's by himself and not particularly happy for Rouge to point out that he has amnesia. Once she's made up her mind to get the group together she has to get them making up, so she decides to do this by slamming the poor hedgehog into Omega where he bounces off like Sonic after hitting a row of spikes, sans rings. Then she goes one step farther and puts the two's hands together, and Shadow leans away rolling his eyes in disgust. Nothing went his way in this scene. That should be a new source of comedy- Rouge throwing and pushing Shadow every which a way and him silently protesting and screaming internally. 

 

Shadow The Hedgehog-- Easy Emerald: ShtH is full of fodder that is unintentionally funny. I feel like this is one of the few moments in the game that was actually set up to be amusing, and to me it paid off. It's not the dialogue, which I've never understood the problems of. It's the fact that Shadow is being such a braggart about Sonic and the gang leaving an Emerald in plain sight for him to swipe, yet he doesn't get a second to revel in his thievery before the alarms go off blazing and startling him. The next cut in the scene shows him back to his old, grouchy self. Whatever smile on his face was wiped clean. Remember kids: Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

 

Sonic Riders-- Babylon Pre-Tournament: What was noteworthy about this game at the time was that it directly sought to infuse comedy into the storytelling, years and years before we'd be arguing about such a direction, and the Rogues were the perfect test vehicle for this. They subvert their cool designs and are constantly bumbling, squawking siblings instead. While I have fondness for the silly scenes where Jet is scared out of his seat, I don't think any other moment got as big a laugh out of me as the point where he was reminded of the prize money, and the scene quickly cut to him in a Scrooge McDuck-esque pile of money laughing his head off. It was enough for me to show my brother, and as lukewarm as he is to Sonic media even he got a kick out of it.

 

Sonic 06-- Sonic's Story Ending: Most scenes where Sonic is in his zone performing acrobatics is always inherently entertaining. I've always been amazed by the amount of air and distance he manages to get from jumping from a near standstill with a human twice his size in tow in this scene. However, what makes it stand out to me is the little comedy that sought fit to include: the explosion that manages to push Sonic and Elise over the edge of the cliff. The look on his face is just one step away from looking like the face he made in the proto-Unleashed opening. And to top it off, it has a cheesy feelgood moment where they have to share a laugh about the whole thing and Sonic bookends the story with his simple advice to "smile." I like that kind of shtuff. <3

 

Sonic Unleashed-- After Adabat's Temple: This cut scene ranks high for me in Unleashed's because of its emotional resonance. One, it's confirmed that Chip will eventually have to leave forever, and my precious little heart can't take it when the company I've had with me for an entire game is going to have to go away. Two, Chip's gratefulness in exploring the planet together hits me not only because this is the first opportunity he had in his billions of years of existence, but because it's subsequently a direct response to the player and their experiences in the game. And finally, Sonic doesn't let him go alone, despite the fact that it's his complete responsibility to handle Dark Gaia himself and Sonic's original mission was complete. They're friends to the end and Sonic's gonna help Chip see it through. The feeeeeels.

 

Sonic Colors-- Aquatic Adabat Boss: Sue me, I love Sonic's cheesy, overconfident self in this game, and this has always been my favorite showcase of that attitude. The menu puns here are terrible as shit, but they're terrible as shit in a good, hammy way. And Roger's acting which was refreshing at the time pulled them off with a humorous finesse. I even believed him when he ended on a punny promise to deliver to the robot a heaping helping of pain with a serving of humiliation for desert. Eh? Eh?... No?

 

Sonic Generations-- Red Chaos Emerald: This is the kind of interaction I wanted more from Gens' story in general: recognizing the differences between their past and future selves. Here, Classic and Modern Sonic runs across an Emerald. Before Classic can get it, Modern decides to do an Air Dash maneuver and snatch it with a speed Classic was unfamiliar with, after which the adorable critter gives the move a thumbs up. What further makes it my favorite scene is that it's directly referenced in the ending: Classic tries to do it himself but can't manage the energy to do it just yet. Poor fellow!

[-blank-]

Day 20: What Are Your Top Ten (Or Less) Favorite Cutscenes

 

Yet another tough one, since there are quite a few I could mention here. But hey, I like a little challenge now and then. So, without further ado;

 

 

10: You're Not Afraid...Are You?

 

 

I know what you're thinking; 'Holly, why are you putting the cutscene right before Team Sonic's Hang Castle on this list?' Well, because despite the fact that there's nothing flashy about it and Tails really should have gotten a different voice actor, I actually think it's hilariously adorable the way Knuckles teases Tails about Shadow being a ghost. xD I dunno, I just always loved this cutscene.

 

9: Target Locked... Almost

 

 

While I think there some huge missed potential here, I still have to give this ctuscene props for several reasons. You have Tails taking the stand to push Sonic out of the way, even though he had no idea what that beam was going to do. Eggman is acting like his usual hammy self, which is always a treat. And then you have Sonic, who clearly doesn't want to fight his best friend. Colors may flanderize Sonic a bit, but I do kinda like the way he's portrayed in this scene.

 

8: When All Else Fails, Use the Fonzarelli Fix

 

 

Shadow the Hedgehog did not have a good story. I'm not going to pretend it did for a second. But this particular cutscene is pretty good I think. You have the Chaotix talking amongst themselves with Espio trying to act into hack into Eggman's computer, with Charmy 'offering' to help out, only for Vector to try and silence him. And Shadow hacks the computer with a karate chop. As... illogical as that is, I do find it amusing all the same.

 

7: Enter Perfect Chaos, Super Sonic Rises

 

 

 

This cutscene. Oh this cutscene. Yes, part of it was spoiled in the opening. But still, when you see the peaceful lives of the people of Station Square get shattered and Perfect Chaos make his proper appearance, you know shit is going down. Then we have Eggman trying to get Chaos back under his control. He fails, but it's valiant attempt nonetheless. In a panic, Tikal demands sealing Chaos in the Master Emerald to stop him, but Sonic ain't having that, realizing that his heart will still be in turmoil. Really nice bit of character. And finally, we have Sonic's friends give him the Chaos Emeralds, we get this awesome cheering, and bam! Super Sonic! A great build up to an great battle.

 

6: Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get

 

 

Here we are. The final match between Sonic and Shadow. Much of the game has built up to this moment and I don't think there could be a better cutscene to get us ready. We have our two hedgehogs on the ARK, both of them starting to walk, gradually building up to a run. I like how Shadow admits that there's more to Sonic then he thought - I always thought that was a cool character moment. Of course, he's not planing to let Sonic win and there's no way Sonic's going to even think about backing out.

 

5: Trouble Keeps You Running Faster

 

 

I remember when I first couple of months I got Mega Collection, I played this cutscene repeatedly. Shame I had to wait a few years to actually play Sonic CD via Gems Collection, but still, this cutscene is awesome. It gets across just how much of a badass our hero is and it does so with him not saying a single word. Awesome.

 

4: Did You Just Punch Out Super Sonic?

 

 

(Starts twenty-five seconds in) This is how we get introduced to Knuckles everyone. He literally punches the super out of Super Sonic. That is one of the best intros to any character ever and you cannot tell me otherwise.

 

3: Vanquish? I Have Something Else in Mind...

 

 

Secret Rings I consider to have one of the best stories in the series and I find the ending to be very fitting. Sonic is fantastic in this, going from a no-nonsense fellow who gets things done to a guy that can be very compassionate in the span of only seconds after he takes care of Erazor. Speaking of, it was great to see him get his comeuppance for what he put both Sonic and Shahra through. What a satisfying ending to an awesome story.

 

2: It Was Never About Chivalry For Me

 

 

(Starts fifteen seconds in) Now this. This is awesome. This really drives the point home about how original a villain Melinda is. She's not trying to destroy the world or anything, she wants to make the kingdom last longer. She just has the wrong way of going about it. And there's Sonic, who refuses to see things from her perspective and just goes straight into a fight. A fight which he keeps getting his ass handed to him, yet no matter how many times that happens, he stubbornly refuses to admit defeat. And his transformation into Excalibur Sonic is all kinds of awesome.

 

1: Unleash the Beast

 

 

What can I say about this? Unleashed has a sense of scope none of the other games have been able to match, and this particular cutscene really showcases that. You have Sonic acting like a confident, cocky badass, going through Eggman's fleet like it's nothing. And even with it seems like Eggman's got the upper 'hand' (haha, I'm funny, I know), out comes Super Sonic to be even more badass. But, Sonic's getting a little too cocky, isn't he, as he basically lets his guard down and gets turned into the Werehog. Yeah, Eggman actually beat Super Sonic for once. And he did it in the opening cutscene! The whole thing was fantastic both for Sonic and Eggman and it really set the stage for the rest of the game. We really need more cutscenes like this.

[Klinsy]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

I would like to see interaction with Metal Sonic and Orbot and Cubot.

 

It would to be cool to see three different Eggman robots and how they respond to each other.

 

Metal is the most competent of the three, Orbot is the most snarky and Cubot is the most loyal, we can get a ton of interesting interaction out of that.

 

Plus, it would interesting if they were around the time of Heroes and what they though Metal's attempted takeover.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

EVERYONE ELSE WHO ISN'T SONIC, TAILS and EGGMAN!

 

Character interaction was always pretty sparse if you weren't a main character, and even the main characters never really interacted with each other outside of their relation to Sonic himself.

 

Oh WAIT!

 

Knuckles and Professor Pickle! It would be pretty hilarious for Professor Pickle to be fascinated (in the most in your face way possible) with Knuckles due to him being the last of his kind and Pickle being an archaeological/ancient history type of person, with Knuckles becoming progressively more annoyed at this old man asking him billions of questions about his heritage and him being the last of his kind. Plus their personalities couldn't be any more different, so they'd bounce off each other pretty well.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

Well first, I'd like to see Zeena and Rouge interact. I'd think it'd be funny to see the bratty teenage girl who cares about makeup and her hair interact with the sly treasure hunter who's used her wit and charm to charm other characters into doing what she wants. It'd be funny to see these two type of Sonic girls interact with each other.

 

I'd also like to see Tails and Blaze to interact as well. Blaze, who's had a hard time trying to rely and trust anyone, having to interact with Tails, the kid who spent a period of his life relying constantly on Sonic to help him and back him up when it came to fighting with enemies. It would honestly be pretty damn cool to see in my opinion.

[Celestia]

Day 21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

One matchup I've always wanted to see was Blaze and Rouge. Of course Rouge would show an interest in the Sol Emeralds, which could lead to them butting heads. Naturally she'd stop once she found out about the Emeralds all needing to be in their own dimensions, but before that there'd probably be some amusing interaction. Also I'd love to see whether or not Rouge can push Blaze's buttons as easily as Knuckles'!

 

I'd like to see characters other than Sonic face off against Metal Sonic, but especially Knuckles. I think it'd be cool to see Knuckles take on a robotic version of his former enemy / rival, and I can see Metal (in identity crisis "I am the real Sonic" mode) taking it really seriously--after all, the real Sonic can take on Knuckles easily--while Knuckles....sees Metal Sonic as just another robot to punch.

Speaking of robo-Sonics, if Mecha Sonic made a surprise return I'd like to see him and Metal have some competitive tension, in the same manner as the E-100 'bots in Sonic Adventure. Not only would they be sort-of competing for Eggman's approval, but I like to imagine a scenario where Mecha Sonic has a few personality traits in common with the real Sonic, which would annoy Metal for many reasons.

 

I'd love to see the interactions in SA2 be expanded on. Yeah Sonic and Shadow, Shadow and Rouge, & Knuckles and Rouge have had their moments since then, but what about Tails and Eggman? Shadow and Amy? Heck, even Tails and Amy barely talk, with SA2 having some of the few examples I can think of. 

I think I'll leave it at this tho' before I go on and on.

[Lisbon]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

Before I post, I'd just like to say that I didn't know there was a one cutscene per game rule in effect on my post yesterday I edited my post to match the rule, and I'd just like to apologize for the mistake. Sorry 'bout that 

 

---

 

Anyway, for me it'd be Sonic and Rouge.

 

 

I think that they could have a very interesting relationship because they both possess laid back attitudes as well as phenomenal athletic skills, with Sonic being a speedster and Rouge being a bit of an acrobat. I think they could both respect each other's demeanors as well as respect each other's skillsets, which opens up lanes for a positive relationship on both ends.

 

What makes this especially interesting to me, though, is that they both possess a lot of similarities as well as a lot of differences - they're both quite arrogant, for starters, and those egos would very likely clash at some point. Granted, Rouge and Shadow seem to have great teamwork skills in spite of their arrogance, but I've always seen them more like business partners who work together to achieve their respective end goals as opposed to people who just chill out together and whatnot. I do think they regard each other higher than just business partners however, but I digress on that point - I could see Sonic and Rouge having clashing egos.

 

Another thing that I would find interesting is that Sonic, while being a cocky son of a gun, usually strives to do what's right. Rouge, on the other hand, is a lot more morally ambiguous as well as a billion times more cunning than Sonic. That opens up room for a lot of interesting chemistry as well as a potential conflict between the two.

 

They'd have a great dynamic, I think. They possess a lot of similarities, but a few major differences. I'm going to go ahead and say that Rouge in general is a character who deserves to interact with a lot more characters than she does because she has so much potential to be a great character. She's just kinda stuck with Shadow or Knuckles, though. Sucks.

 

Still - Sonic and Rouge, man. They'd have an incredible dynamic and I think it's a damn shame it hasn't been explored like, at all.

[Bowbowis]

Day 21: Characters I'd Like to See Interact More

 

As others have said, just about anybody outside of Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot.

 

More specifically however...

 

Knuckles and Shadow: I'd like to see some interaction between Knuckles and Shadow. They're both rivals to Sonic and they're both rather straight laced, albeit in different ways. Knuckles acts pretty friendly towards Shadow in Shadow the Hedgehog and from their one interaction in Chronicles they seem to be operating on the same wavelength. I'd just like to see how they'd play off each other really.

 

Omega and anybody other than Team Dark: Omega is a really underutilized character, which is a shame because he has a lot of potential for great interaction with other characters. For example the scene in Chronicles where Shadow has to talk him out of shooting Tails was golden. Made even better by the fact that he then proceeds to insult everybody who's not Shadow or Rouge and continues to do so for the remainder of the game. More of that please. Seriously though can you imagine how hilarious it would be to team him up with someone like Cream or Charmy or Big?

[Sonictrainer]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

 

It amazes me that these two cat characters have never been in the same place before.

 

What would they talk about?

 

Would Blaze get annoyed with Big?

 

Would Froggy get jealous?

[Multikaris]

Day XX: Favored Cinematic Magic

 

• Sonic CD Opening: This hand-drawn intro blew me away the first time I saw it. Sonic was a badass, even when just running about.
• Unleashed intro- Pixar-quality animated fight sequences, yes.
• SLW Ending (Worst. Adventure. Ever)- Sonic needed a rest. Believe him, it's been one lousy day. Seemingly comical villains who rub out Amy (Minnie Mouse) and Knuckles (Squidward Tentacles) in the most painful fashion possible to have their leader bully and troll Sonic on their murder, nonsensical landscapes, stupid gimmicks, betrayal, useless allies, and endless boredom make one dull Sonic. Rest well, little man. 
• Adventure Intro- Aww yeah, this is what's happening. Giant water monster bursts out of the darkness of the urban jungle to reign chaos upon all, and then we get all these cool flashing images that introduce you to everyone and everything.
• The Murder of Sonic- Mephiles snipes Sonic stone dead from behind to get his Iblis prize. Silver, realizing Blaze's sacrifice was in vain, is understandably pissed at his sense (WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOR!!!)i, and finds the justice he so desired through betraying him. Even Robotnik is ticked because he didn't get to off Sonic himself. All this subtle development in one cutscene from an unfinished game. 
• Tails and Tikal- It was so sweet seeing Tails and Tikal meet with one another, and showing how they were so alike.
• Faker!- A perfect introduction to a perfect third rival. Sonic and Shadow both prove their good matches for one another. 
• Ready to Fight on the Ark- Another awesome Sonic and Shadow moment together.
• Martyr Gamma- She was such a proud and selfless hunter, taking on her fellow Badniks with struggle and guilt to save them all. She then had to save herself in the only way possible, one that would disable her from saving the other 17 (not like the last wanted too, anyway). It's a shame we don't see stories like this in the newfangled Sonic games.
• Sonic Kills Erazor- Wow, Sonic, you're a man. You're willing to kill people if need be. And the way you did kill him was pretty clever. First imprisoning him to the lamp, and then throwing it away into the darkness of death. You're becoming a miniature Toxic Avenger there.

 

Day XXI: Unseen Interactions

 

I imagined that Fiona Fox should lead a large group of other traitors, like Geoffrey St. John, Sleuth Dog, Drago Wolf, Sol Furic (IMO, he was way better evil than good), E-102', and maybe even Espio. They'd all likely have a great time figuring out each other's problems and forming a sense of kinship. Also, NICOLE could try and form a bond with Gemerel, which would be pretty fun to see her check out Gemerel's systems. 

[skull902]

Question #20: What are your top ten (or less) cutscenes in the games?

 

Had to think about this one for a little while. Couldn't think of too many to be honest but I'll name three. In no particular order...

 

Sonic Adventure 2: In the hero story just before you face off against Shadow for the second time on Space Colony ARK, and it's purely because of Sonic's "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!" line. I've heard quite the opposite about that part from a lot of people, but I've always thought that particular part of the scene came off as pretty badass for Sonic. He's letting Shadow know that he's not gonna back down in any situation and if you get in his way while he's trying to save the world, he's gonna do all that he can to just keep on going.

 

Sonic CD: I love the opening cinematic. The animation by Toei was quite excellent, and it did a good job of showing off Sonic's skills. The last few seconds though, from Sonic standing on the tip of that mountain/peak/rock formation/whatever to him rolling off of it and going up to the Little Planet, was the most amazing part of it all. With "Sonic Boom" playing in the background (US soundtrack for the win), you've got yourself an amazing combination of wonderful animation and an energetic rock song to really get you pumped for the adventure you're about to take.

 

Sonic Unleashed: The opening cutscene, for many of the same reasons why I love the Sonic CD opening. You've got Sonic showing off most of his skills you'll use in the game (and plenty more you don't,) amazing looking animation, and a wonderful soundtrack to go with it. The way it ends too, with Sonic being shot off from space back down to Earth and then Dark Gaia appearing briefly over the world, it does a good job in my opinion of making you want to see what happens next. It's about six and a half minutes of pure greatness and was exactly the right way to start the game off.

 

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

 

Off the top of my head, Big and Omega. Simply because of Big's fun-loving nature and Omega's love for violence and destruction clash so much that I think it'd be very funny to see. How long would it take for Big to get on Omega's nerves? How would Omega react to being annoyed in such a manner? Would either of the two change after such an event? Clearly, these are the questions that must be answered.

[Rusty Spy]

Question #21: Which character interactions would you like to see that aren't common?

Sonic and Knuckles.....

Seriously when was the last time these two actually talked to each other in something that wasn't exposition? Even in the Adventure games, have you noticed how little they interact? They have the most interesting dynamic out of Sonic's clique yet they share the fewest moments exploring each others personality; we never see how they interact as, ya know, friends.