Most underrated Sonic game

[Vertekins]

I completely agree that Unleashed 360/PS3 is vastly underrated. Wii/PS2 version is NOT "The Unleashed Experience", 360/PS3 version is. I'd just be echoing exactly what the above poster put so eloquently regarding posting reasons for why it is underrated.

But I seriously think that Sonic and the Secret Rings is hugely underrated. So many can't see past it's difficult controls (Difficult NOT fiddly) and unique complexity for Sonic gameplay to see a right little gem.

SatSR. To me, it's a 'special' Sonic game, one that's incredibly unique. I can't help but be very fond of it for various reasons; The likeable gameplay engine with it's RPG-like traits, the good characterisation and nice mostly 2D cutscenes, the remarkable complexity of the skill system, the gorgeously rendered levels, the sheer amount of affection that appears to have gone into it's development....SatSR really is one of a kind when it comes to Sonic games. SatBK has it's similarities but I can't help but feel that SatSR had a lot of love and effort invested into it.

I personally find that the complaints about the controls are mostly bullcrap. I will admit that SatSR has a VERY steep learning curve, it isn't forgiving and drops you right in the deep end quite often and it's controls take some getting used to but there is very little wrong with them. You could have more visual space when walking backwards I suppose. If you persevere, it is very rewarding. I revel in it's skill system and how intelligent the game design is in regards to making you think exactly how to apply your skills to the specific mission. It's a unique Sonic game and it still has a hold on me even though I've pretty much nailed all of the challenges it has thrown at me. That's partially because of the sheer awesomeness that is the Crest of Wind skill.

[lounge]

For me its Shadow the Hedgehog. I almost didn't get the game cause of the reviews. I remember the first time I saw the first score for the game from IGN. I think it was a 4.9. But when I played it, I was surprised that I was having more fun than sonic heroes.

It's not a great game, but I was addicted to it the entire christmas break of '05. I actually loved that there was actually a story with ingame cutscenes. I missed those. I'm one of the few that enjoyed the story.

I was really dissapointed with the graphics though. Aside from the effects, the graphics were embarrasing. I can understand using the sonic heroes models, but damn I swear a lot of those enemies had no more than 5 polygons or something. And Maria looked terrible. Look at her in SA2, she looked way better. I'm not sure if the production costs for this game were low or it was just laziness.

[Speederino]

I *want* to say Sonic Unleashed, since I feel half of the game is truly great. But it seems a good chunk of the fanbase agrees on that (Which is a miracle, all things considered), so I'm going to have to go with Shadow the Hedgehog. Yeah, the guns and vehicles are stupid but otherwise it feels like a proper 3D Sonic game most of the time. And let's not forget that the game's gimmicks are largely optional. Save for a few boss fights, you could opt to just use the homing attack, and the game rarely forces you into a vehicle. I also liked the branching storyline with different levels and objectives. I really did have fun with this game, certainly much more fun then I did playing Sonic Heroes or...ugh, Sonic 06. (I just got my hands on that for the first time. You can expect either a review or a long post from me once I'm finished playing it. Assuming I actually see it through to the end, at least.)

Edited July 15, 2010 by Speederino

[MizukiMoon]

Sonic Heroes. Totally underrated game if you ask me, I actually liked it a lot back in the day. Sure the character models were ugly, the voices were dreadful, the music was awful too, but to me it was the last game that had a Sonicky feel to it, everything after that, IMO, started to go downhill, this was the last 'new' Sonic game I enjoyed. Haven't played Sonic Heroes in a good few years now, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and played it for like a year straight back when it was released.

[Marcello]

I honestly want to say.. Sonic Unleashed. Really. I love the game to death. I can't think of this game without praising it.

Gorgeous visuals, great level design, fantastic soundtrack and a fun gimmick. Everyone bitches about Werehog and yet..

It's not Tails racing Sonic.

It's not Amy running away from robots.

It's not Big fishing.

It's not Tails mech fighting.

It's not Eggman mech fighting.

It's not an overly simplified team system.

It's not Shadow shooting guns.

And it's not Sonic with a fucking sword.

It was actually put together really nicely and was a nice change from the core gameplay.

I like all of those more than the Werehog. Even fishing.

The most underrated game to me, is 06. Honestly, I never had any problems with glitches in the game. If it wasn't for the bad in-game models and voice acting and load times, it would probably be one of my favorite Sonic games. Oh, and they'd have to make some of the Amigos better to play as. The only ones I really had fun as playing were Blaze and Omega.

Edited August 6, 2010 by MarcelloF

[empires]

Going to agree with everyone saying Rivals/Rivals 2. I got a PSP a few days ago and got both games for just under 20 quid and I must say, I was plesently surprised. All the levels seemed to have a sort of "classic" feel to them and it was nice to have a 2D Sonic game with a bit of a twist.

[Xieldos]

My answer to the question is Sonic Unleashed HD.

But I would also like to throw a bit of love to Sonic Chaos on the Master System.

The game itself I found was quite quirky and strange compared to 1,2,3 & K. But in it's own way quite good in a different sense.

Not as good as the core 2D games but a nice little alternative IMO.

[Daisoku]

I adore Pinball party, but it's more overlooked than underrated, so I have to say SatBK.

I'm serious. I love this game. I ran out of school quicker than I did for SSBB to get to the car to get to the shop to ask the shop assistants to get it for me as it wasn't even on the shelves yet. I wanted that game so badly, and it didn't disappoint me. The handling was good, the speed was at a just controllable level, and Sword Slashing didn't do too much to the speed.

Chilli Dog at the beginning was amazing. The voices in the game were great. They were actually amazing. Jason had managed to grasp Sonic's personality in the game, and the writing really had Sonic in character. (The 'I don't care if I'm the bad guy I'm doing this for the good of the world' thing was awesome)

Oh, and Sonic and Caliburn's interaction was epic. Screw it, Caliburn was epic anyway. (Fool!)

Plot twist (which I'm usually good at predicting) I didn't see coming. At all.

And to top it all off, the Super Transformation was brilliant. So climatic~ (Unlike Chronicles XD)

(And the OST was... just... asdfghjklILOVEIT.)

[Pikachu in a Sombrero]

As much as I want to say Sonic '06, I think people diss Sonic Unleashed WAY too much.

I think the Werehog is a unique and clever idea. I enjoy his gameplay very much. I still think people dislike the Werehog mostly because it's just Sonic doing something that requires him to move slow. OH MY GOD SONIC's MOVING SLOW. RUINED FOREVER.

He moves faster than Mario people, and you never complain about him (let's ignore Sunshine for now). Mario and Kingdom Hearts always had platforming and beat-em-up's (respectively) down, so when SEGA decides to give it a whirl, RUINED FOREVER. IGN even rated this game lower than '06. WTF?

I can accept someone who genuinely dislikes the Werehog's gameplay for true experiencial reasons. That, I'll understand. But people who say that "the Werehog's stupid just because" or "Sonic's stupid for having a different gameplay style" really just make me want to punch them in the face.

On a somewhat funny note, because I'm actually not that fond of the daytime levels in the 360 version, I have more of a parallel reaciton to everyone else when I play it. "Yay, another fun as he** Werehog level done! Oh man, not another dumb daytime level! Why must they keep interrupting my fun?"

[Silver*]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. The game was really fun and unique. It's a nice change to the franchise and it had a unique plot.

[FamilyGAMEGuy8]

I think there are 3 underrated games in my opinion:

Shadow the Hedgehog (I think I'm the first to say this) because if you look past the guns it is actually quite an enjoyable game. It has quite good graphics, probably the best grinding controls and a good story. Okay so it did have FIND THE COMPUTER ROOM but that was only in the pause screen so I don't see the big deal. I found it to be a good and enjoyable game well worth your money. Plus did anyone notice the co-op that could be done....BONUS!

Sonic Heroes as it is proper speeding through levels and platforming just with 2 extra people. Plus it was the return of Team Chaotix (Minus Mighty and Ray) and the introduction to Omega. Plus it was (in my opinion) Metal Sonic's best role ever (Sonic CD close behind). It also has different difficulties which is good.

Sonic 06 since it is technically Sonic Adventure 3. It has the same qualities of the other Sonic Adventure games such as different character stories, Town areas and action stages unique to each character. Plus one of my favourite characters is playable on his own for once (Omega). Okay even I'm going to admit that the inclusion of Elise is a mistake. but other than that the story is good especially team dark.

Honourably mentions:

Sonic the Fighters

Sonic R

Sonic Battle

Knuckles Chaotix

Sonic Unleashed

Edited August 12, 2010 by FamilyGAMEGuy8

[eXtaticus]

There was simply no way that merely one game in the series could be chosen for a mention in this topic, so I picked six of the most criminally ignored, undeservedly (and almost universally) hated, and downright brilliant Sonic titles in existence; in no particular order, allow me to present...

Sonic the Fighters: A truly exemplary example of what a cartoon arcade fighter should be, with wonderfully smooth visuals, super-tight controls and genuinely hilarious animations - it's a superbly fun beat-'em-up, and will doubtlessly keep even the most ardent fans of the genre amused for hours.

Sonic R: With a nigh-on-godly soundtrack and utterly stunning visuals, (speaking, of course, in relation to the other games on the market at the time) Sonic R is just as excellent a racer as it was back in 1997; though disappointingly short in terms of initial completion times, the game has more than enough unlockable goodies and extra characters to seriously boost its overall longevity - finding all the Chaos Emeralds alone is a highly challenging task!

Sonic Battle: Often touted as SEGA's substandard answer to Super Smash Bros., this classic GBA fighter was revolutionary for its time; featuring fully textured polygonal 3D graphics and incredible sound, (without the need for an extended audio engine) Sonic Battle pushed its hardware to all-new and extremely impressive heights. It's damned good fun, too; a gripping storyline and a fabulous four-player battle mode ensured that the game was not only technically impressive, but also had tremendous longevity. A truly great arena brawler in every respect.

Chaotix: A fantastically fun platformer that never fails to impress, despite doing very little to exorcise the 32X's extra power (something that has earned it heavy criticism in the past). Although the "ring link" gimmick often makes the game frustrating to play, its wonderful level design and thumping soundtrack provides a full redemption, and then some; with all the speed and advanced physics that we've come to expect from the 2D titles in the Sonic series, Chaotix is true action-adventure gold, and should be revered as a stone-cold classic.

Sonic '06: Cruelly deprived of the budget and time it would have taken for this game to be made great, Sonic '06 was shoved out unfinished into an expectant and eager market. Hated by most fans and ridiculed by journalists worldwide, this particular title is perhaps the most underrated Sonic game of the bunch, if only for its bad publicity; reviewers and ordinary gamers alike never saw the gleaming level design, incredible graphics and captivating gameplay behind the horrendous collision detection, leaving Sonic '06 to rot in peace. Get past the glitches, and this is one of the best games that the series has ever seen - expect total programming perfection, however, and you'll be sorely disappointed. You have been warned.

SegaSonic Arcade: The first 3D game in the series, this isometric masterpiece was just about as crazily frantic as Sonic gets; touting seven action-packed stages, SegaSonic Arcade is a raw sensory shock, and is most definitely not for the faint of heart. If you like nothing better than dashing for your puny life as countless traps and terrors spring from nowhere at the drop of a hat, then this madcap title is the best you'll get.

[Indigo Rush]

I think Sonic Heroes is fairly underrated. While the team-based gimmick was executed poorly, the environments were colorful, the music was nice to listen to, and it was the closest we've ever had to a classic looking Sonic game in 3D. It was also a noble attempt to bring everyone's favorite character in the mix without adding 12 different play-styles, too. I mean, 12 characters, and they made it work into 4 groups of 3, with 1 universal play-style that had 3 sub-play-styles. They were definitely trying here.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Indigo Rush

[Vulpine]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.

I'm serious. I happen to enjoy that game as much as I do with every other Sonic game. Yet the idiotic haters bash it far too much.

[SHAX Hedgefox]

Sonic R: The controls may have been more slippery than a fish covered in $hit, but it still had great music, good graphics for the time, a great choice of characters, and Metal Knuckles.

Sonic the Fighters: It's very fun, until you get to Metal Sonic. But aside from that, a great game.

Sonic 3D Blast: I don't get why people hate this game so much. While I admit collecting flickies was very boring, Travelers Tales made up for it with the awesome special stages, some incredibly awesome level design and great music. (seriously, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Seirou Okamoto, Jun Senoue, and Masaru Setsumaru are fucking geniuses) but overall it was a very enjoyable way and a good transition of the 2D Sonic mechanics into an isometric 3D view.

Sonic Schoolhouse. Naaaaaah, I kid I kid

Edited September 9, 2010 by SHAX Hedgefox

[dirupti]

Sonic Chronicles the Dark Brotherhood, which got a mere 6.5. Far better in my opinion then any Mario game. (those seem to average a 9.0 on reviewing sites.)

Edited September 8, 2010 by dirupti

[Dreadknux]

I'd say Tails Adventure and Knuckles Chaotix, as much as I enjoy them, are more overlooked than underrated. I've got a few magazines with Chaotix reviews, and it got rather positive reviews.

Sonic Heroes also got very good reviews by the media, but I'd say it's definitely the most underrated Sonic game in the fanbase. Basically, the success of Sonic Adventure 2 before it was the curse of Heroes - everyone wanted Shadow back, so Sonic Team tried some funky-ass way of shoehorning a dead guy back. The result was a story that tried to be as simple as the classics ('Yo Sonic, I'mma blow up this world in three days, try and stop me') but got ever more convoluted and dumb the more you played it. Glitches galore as well, and the OOC'ing of Metal Sonic was more than a little bit silly, but if you're after a little bit of fun it's still a good riot. It's much more fun to get the A Ranks in this game than any Sonic game that followed it, at the very least.

I think the ratings/pannings of Shadow, Sonic 06 and Unleashed were pretty fair, so I'll throw in a curveball to add to Heroes and say Sonic Spinball is pretty damn underrated. Yeah, I said it. Spinball's pretty fun. For what it is. I hate the boring-ass third level though.

[PDorr]

I'm gonna have to go with Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis version of course). Maybe it was because I have fond memories of begging my parents to get this game for me as a kid (when it was like $70 new) but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this game, I think the animal collecting elements (like the Flicky game) really added some challenge and charm. Plus I was a sucker for the "3D" graphics

[famicommander]

Most recent Sonic titles are underrated to various degrees due to the mainstream gaming media projecting their desires for the series onto the games they're playing and judging them harshly for not conforming.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that these are flawless games by any means. But I can't help but feel that these games aren't being evaluated based on their own merits.

Anyway, these are the ones I think are most underrated, in this order:

1. Sonic and the Black Knight

I loved this game. It was a like a Secret Rings/Unleashed hybrid. People gave it a lot of flack for the sword thing, but there's a reason the game is a SPIN-OFF. Spin-offs exist to place familiar characters in new surroundings or genres. If Sonic 4 had a sword, I might be concerned. But as it stands, the sword in Black Knight really did nothing to hinder my fun. I thought the pace, the enemies, the level design, the graphics, the soundtrack, the controls, and the overall production values were outstanding. My only real complaints lie with the difficulty (far too easy).

2. Sonic Rivals 1 and 2

People act as if these games don't even exist, but when the games are acknowledged, they're treated like the plague. I don't get why. It's an interesting new direction for the series, and while the games may have been a bit on the shallow side I found them both to by wholly enjoyable experiences. It's nice to see a Sonic game that tries something new. Games like Sonic Battle, Knuckles' Chaotix, Sonic Spinball, and the Rivals series hold a special place in my heart for expanding Sonic's horizons beyond his traditional roles.

3. Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

I think a lot of the hate directed at the Riders series comes from two souces. The first seems stupid, but I see it all the time. "Why does Sonic need a hoverboard?". That's all it takes, and people instantly dismiss the games. They apparently have a problem with hoverboards, but not talking blue hedgehogs. The second is more commonly cited: the learning curve. Sonic Riders isn't a Mario Kart clone. Mario Kart was meticulously designed to be extremely accessible, then reveal its depth over time (wheelie speed bursts, trick speed bursts, power sliding, kart and driver differences, etc). Riders just goes right at the player, and if you ask me that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like a little challenge off the bat (though I also love Mario Kart and SASASR).

Also, a lot of people just bashed the game for its motion controls, not realizing you could play it with a Gamecube controller or on Playstation 2.

4. Shadow the Hedgehog.

Okay, it had frame rate issues and a few glitches. It was also fairly short. Reasonable criticisms. But the guns really weren't a detriment when I played the game. The targeting wasn't as bad as it was made out to be, and you don't even have to use them most of the time if you don't want to. The game had a good story, good level design, good music, and replay value. Solid 6.5/10 for me.

5. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Almost obligatory at this point. The game was clearly a technical disaster, and I don't think many people will dispute that. Terrible frame rate, terrible load times, frequent glitches. Some of the friends were also bad, and it could have done without the wandering segments. But I hate when people cite this game as a reason Sonic should be retired, or treat it as the worst title of the generation or something. It looked great, it sounded great, the level design was creative, and it feels more like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 than any other 3D sonic game. I also enjoyed the story and the introduction of some new characters.

[mikeblastdude]

Off the top of my head, I would say that the most underrated Sonic game is Sonic the Fighters. It may not be the most deep fighting game in history, but it's pretty fun. I never got a chance to play it in an actual arcade, so I had to wait for Sonic Gems Collection to finally try it out. I loved playing Virtua Fighter a lot back in the Saturn era, and StF is essentially VF with crazy unrealistic cartooney moves like spindash and "giant hands slap". Plus, it has the bright colors and surreal locations from the classic Sonic games, and a nice upbeat soundtrack. I've seen this game being written off as a Virtua Fighter clone a lot, but I still love Sonic the Fighters for what it is.

[-Mark-]

I'd say 06 solely for the fact that game gets so much flak that it's never going to be as bad as people actually say it is.

But yeah, how some review sites (although I'm judging overrated/ underrated by fan feedback, since 'official' reviews are worth sod all to me) could give Unleashed a lower score than 06 is bizarre.

[Thirsty Pocket]

The first Master System/Game Gear Sonic. It's platforming at its finest, marred only by Labrirynth Zone, but too many great games have awful water levels dragging them down, so I'll let it slide. Bosses are actually a challenge since you get NO rings to re-collect. I don't know how Sonic 2 MS/GG dropped the ball so much compared to this game, but I think the platforming in this game is sronger than any other entry in the series. It isn't as speedy as some of the other games, but that just means stronger platforming. Nothing in the series has surpassed the Jungle levels in this particular game in my opinion.

[Cortez]

Sonic Rivals is everything Sonic 4 wishes it was. Ignoring the whole racing gimmick it's actually a fucking amazingly designed game with some of the greatest environments I've ever seen in a Sonic game. The 2.5D is spectacular as well and really makes me wonder why they didn't choose to make Sonic 4 look like this.

There's something about the atmosphere in the second Rivals that really put me off of it, I don't even know what it is but something just didn't feel right about that game =\

[nameless]

I think most Sonic games which are frequently bashed don't necessarily deserve it at such an extreme. I'll be the first to admit that a LOT of titles are far below the standards the first couple of games set, but, really, as long as the game is there, you might as well try to get SOMETHING out of it.

That being said, don't go out of your way to complete 3D Blast or Secret Rings.

Sonic R is somewhat overrated; it's a lot of fun to play with friends over, once you all get a handle on the buggery that is the control scheme. After all, it's got TEH TAILS DAWL in it. What more could one possibly desire?

06 has a well-deserved bad reputation, but some of the music is pretty stellar, especially Wave Inlet and a few other stage themes. Heck, even the vocal themes are bashed a fair bit. I personally enjoyed "His World" as well as "Dreams of an Absolution." I was admittedly disappointed that the only Shadow theme was just a cover of what was my second least favorite theme from his game, but I don't suppose beggars can be choosers.

Speaking of which, Shadow the Hedgehog. I hate the PS2 version because the handling is loose, but the Gamecube version is actually solid the first play. It gets irritating when you realize you have to play Westopolis a good ten times, but apart from that, the game's got decent level design in a lot of places and the soundtrack is spot on. A2 did a brilliant job with "Chosen One" and Julien K presented another Sonic classic with "Waking Up." Buy their album, by the way. Shameless plug. You can do that while you repeatedly - and you know you saw this coming - FIND THE COMPUTER ROOM.

There's a start.

[Marcello]

I think the most underrated Sonic game is Sonic 4.

Edited September 17, 2010 by MarcelloF