Most Favorite + Least Favorite of the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive/CD Sonic Pentalogy?

[Nz17]

Considering the platformer games of the series (Sonic The Hedgehog 1, 2, CD, 3, & Knuckles), which is your favorite, which do you like the least, and most important of all, what makes you feel that way about those games? Keep in mind, this is only supposed to be about the 16-bit games for the SEGA Genesis (A.K.A. Mega Drive) and the SEGA CD.

For myself, my most favorite of the five will probably always be the first, "Sonic The Hedgehog," but Sonic CD is a close second. As more has been written about Sonic 1, I'll spend some time writing about Sonic CD.

The things I really liked about Sonic CD were the introduction of the new characters Amy Rose and Metal Sonic (who weren't playable and stealing the stage from Sonic), the fact that this was the first game to take place somewhere other than the surface of Mobius (not counting the artificial satellite the Death Egg), the whole time travel and change the future for the better aspects of the Time Stones on the Little Planet, the introduction of the super peel-out figure-8 move, and of course, the snazzy musical score! The level design of this game was really keen and I wished we would have seen more of its ilk in Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

My least favorite (controversy!) is Sonic 2. From the spotlight-stealing "oh look at me I can fly except when you play as me" Tails to the "muggy" and closed-in level design, I did not like Sonic 2 - and I say this as someone who played the Genesis games as they were released. And the music, while good for a few stages, is pretty blah in others.

There were lots of low-quality Zones too. I liked Emerald Hill Zone, Casino Night Zone, Metropolis Zone, Wing Fortress Zone, Death Egg Zone, and... Chemical Plant Zone is a good zone if you ignore the frequent drowning deaths. But Aquatic Ruin Zone takes glee in always throwing obstacles at you to stop you from running which I find frustrating in a Sonic game. Hill Top Zone is more like hit you from above, when falling on a teeter totter, or dropping you in an unseen pit... zone. Mystic Cave Zone deployed that awful game "design" of throwing unseen hazards at you that you could only avoid if you had memorized the stages or knew what you were seeing hidden between the sprites. And don't try to make your own way through Oil Ocean Zone or you'll end up dead, in a dead end, or with plenty of backtracking. Sky Chase Zone lacked anything feeling like a speedy chase and was more like a slow stroll through the sky. Be sure not to land on Tails's plane when trying to hit an enemy or death for you!

And the special stages, ugh, what a nightmare. It was so hard to judge distance in those, and if you had AI Tails along for the ride, you lost a lot of rings because of that buffoon bashing into spikes or taking your spot in the forefront and moving you to the aft. And the two-player versus mode was just junky with the screen squashed, preventing you from seeing far ahead or above or below your character. And the co-op during the regular game was more like "Hey I'm going to abandon you so I hope you weren't planning on helping too much except with the bosses."

Sonic 2 is not a bad game, but it is my last choice of Sonic platformer to play on the Genesis.

So everyone, what are your faves and flames?

[Baloo]

Favorite: Knuckles Chaotix. Awesome gameplay, awesome music, awesome graphics. The only problem is that it's a little too easy.

Least favorite: Sonic and Knuckles. The levels just plain suck, and the music isn't anything special.

[pseudonym]

You might be the only person I know who likes Knuckles Chaotix over the other Sonic games, Baloo. Not a bad thing, just a little unusual.

For me it's Sonic 3, Sonic 2, and Sonic CD in that order.

[Matt-El]

Sonic 3 attached to sonic and knuckles =

http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu328/zerosignal/1250094057061.jpg?t=1282236746

[SpaceFlea]

Sonic CD

[Cass]

Favorite: Knuckles Chaotix. Awesome gameplay, awesome music, awesome graphics. The only problem is that it's a little too easy.

Least favorite: Sonic and Knuckles. The levels just plain suck, and the music isn't anything special.

This post is pretty much exactly what I was going to say. Sad how under-rated or otherwise under-exposed Knuckles Chaotix is.

[substantial_snake]

1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles/Sonic CD
2. Sonic the Hedgehog
3. Sonic 2/Knucles Chaotix
5. 3D Blast, Spinball, etc.

I really love the larger levels and feeling of exploration that both S3&K and Sonic CD accomplish in different ways. The music in both of these games are my favorite of all the series and the special stages are also my favorite. Overall I just prefer these games to all of the other in the Sonic series.

I always seem to have more fun and enjoy it more popping into Sonic 1 then Sonic 2 for short play sessions. Overall I think I just like the level design and music more then its successor but the only thing I can definitely point to are the special stages as a stronger point in Sonic 1 then 2.

Its a tie between Sonic 2 and Chaotix here. Chaotix has problems but I love the music and overall colorful look of the game, it just has a distinctive overall feel to it that I like. I also think the conjoined gameplay is really cool, a great idea used on a game that needed more polish. Sonic 2 is a great game but I've grown tired of it over the years and that's really it, I pop it in about as much as Chaotix because I know it far to well and I've just grown bored of it.

[mobiusclimber]

I actually really like the first two Sonic games, tho I think they both have their fair share of flaws that make it tough for me to choose one I like over the other. I haven't put in a whole lot of time w/ the other games, at least not enough that I'd feel comfortable giving an opinion on them.

I did want to say that I reall prefer the special stages in Sonic 2. They feel like a whole 'nother game instead of being a mini-game, if that makes sense. I think the first Sonic has a bit more of an exploration feeling to it tho and it just seems like no matter how many times I play it I have a really different experience each time (if I try to by going different ways). One of the things I really don't like about the first Sonic game is the second zone. That one always stops me dead in my tracks. I usually just cheat and do a level skip (tho I can beat it if I feel like playing it). It's just a really lousy level and it punishes you for going fast. (Seems like most of the Sonic games have a level like this, but since it's the second zone in the game, it's especially egregious.) So yeah, that's why it's a toss-up to me.

[RPG_Fanatic]

To me the first Sonic was the best. I didn't the sidekicks he had.

[Cryomancer]

Dislike Sonic 1 and CD. No spindash makes them pretty much unplayable for me, probably because I started on Sonic 2.

Sonic 2 I am eternally burnt out on, played it too much as a kid, and played the neo geo pocket version to completion, and just really dislike many of the zones (chemical plant etc).

Sonic 3 is good. & Knuckles is good. Together, they're the pinnacle of the series (other than sandopolis).

Chaotix I like a lot too. Segasonic Arcade as well but that's not really part of this discussion. I've realized over the years of sonic games that I enjoy playing Knuckles more, consistantly. So games where I can play him all the time / often I prefer over ones I can't. He just plays better.

[substantial_snake]

Its interesting to see several people defend Knuckles Chaotix as at least a half way decent game. I usually get the impression that it was one of the worst games ever.

[Aussie2B]

You might be the only person I know who likes Knuckles Chaotix over the other Sonic games, Baloo. Not a bad thing, just a little unusual.

If you think that's weird, I think I like Sonic Spinball more than any of the normal Sonic games.

*waits for everyone to ask what the hell is wrong with me* Haha

[cityside75]

Dislike Sonic 1 and CD. No spindash makes them pretty much unplayable for me, probably because I started on Sonic 2.

You can spindash in Sonic CD.

[Colorado Rockies]

Favorite: Sonic CD
Least Favorite: Sonic 3D

[Cass]

Its interesting to see several people defend Knuckles Chaotix as at least a half way decent game. I usually get the impression that it was one of the worst games ever.

Whaaat? I just think it didn't get any coverage because it was on the 32X. I really enjoyed it, though I'm sure the novelty of it all helps, no doubt.

[Drixxel]

If you think that's weird, I think I like Sonic Spinball more than any of the normal Sonic games.

*waits for everyone to ask what the hell is wrong with me* Haha

There's a certain appeal to Sonic Spinball but it's a bit sloppy as far as video pinball goes. While one can attempt to justify the weird physics by the fact that Sonic's no regular pinball, flipper action in the game has never jived with me. However, the huge tables/levels are definitely fun to tool around in. Haha, honestly, I think it'd be stranger if your favourite was Sonic 3D Blast.

[Milk Thistle]

The genny Sonic games have not aged well for my tastes. I don't really have fun when I try playing them these days.

But from my childhood, Sonic 2 was always my favorite and I'd have to say Knuckles Chaotix was my least favorite, only because the game felt like a great idea (awesome graphics and premise), but it was executed poorly (not playing as Sonic, and the bungie system was kind of awkward).

It reminds me a lot of Wario Land on the Virtual Boy and not getting to play as Mario (and the fact the game is running on the Virtual Boy...).

[SpaceHarrier]

1. Sonic 2
2. Sonic 1
3. Sonic CD
4. Sonic & Knuckles
5. Sonic 3

I still play Sonic 2 & 1 regularly to this day.

[123►Genei-Jin]

like them all, so I simply rank them like this:

1 - Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic 3
2 - Sonic 2
3 - Sonic 1
4 - Sonic CD

I rarely play the original Genesis versions these days (recently played the PS3 port of Sonic 2 and sometimes play Sonic Jam on the Saturn since I like the Saturn controller more than the Genesis one) but whenever I do I still enjoy them a lot.

[Zebbe]

Favourite: Sonic 2. Awesome music, level design and lots of fun and fast zones.

Least favourite: Knuckles' Chaotix. Everything about it is extremely awful, except for maybe the colours, the special stages and some music. Even Sonic 3D and Spinball is better than this.

[Cryomancer]

You can spindash in Sonic CD.

You kind of can. It's different enough that it throws me off a lot. The confusing ass level design doesn't help either.

[j_factor]

My least favorite is definitely Sonic 1. Labyrinth Zone is annoying, Spring Yard Zone is kind of lame, and I'm not a big fan of traversing lava on a block. The highlight of Sonic 1 for me is Star Light Zone and Scrap Brain Zone... and then Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 is a big "fuck you". It also has my least favorite special stage, and the bosses are a mixed bag.

My favorite is Sonic 3 & Knuckles, or, if they must be considered separately, Sonic CD. There is not a single dud among the zones in them both (Sonic 2 has a big fat dud in Sky Chase Zone, and Wing Fortress Zone is kind of lame too). Plus I quite like the larger levels. Better soundtracks too.

[Rickstilwell1]

This question is just too hard for me to even decide. I usually always play them back to back and prefer to play Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles separately so I get to hear the unique invincible, Knuckles and boss fight music tracks that way. I also usually place Sonic CD in between 1 & 2 because the graphics and other things indicate that's when the game was supposed to take place.

I even consider the elements of Sonic 3D Blast close enough to the pentology to count it as a main Sonic game and like it just as much. I even find Sonic Spinball just as fun, but a bit more frustrating than the others on a bad day.

As far as nostalgia goes, Sonic 1 is the one that takes me back the most. It is the first game cartridge I owned. My original cartridge died years ago but it was immediately replaced with a working copy.

[NerdXCrewWill]

You kind of can. It's different enough that it throws me off a lot. The confusing ass level design doesn't help either.

There's actually two dashes in Sonic CD. One is the regular spin dash that is like all the other games, and the other is a dash that sends you running (not spinning). Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

[j_factor]

There's actually two dashes in Sonic CD. One is the regular spin dash that is like all the other games, and the other is a dash that sends you running (not spinning). Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

No, he's talking about the fact that with the Sonic CD spin dash, you have to hold both buttons, instead of repeatedly tapping a jump button to "rev up" like in the others.

[NerdXCrewWill]

No, he's talking about the fact that with the Sonic CD spin dash, you have to hold both buttons, instead of repeatedly tapping a jump button to "rev up" like in the others.

Oh, right. Good call. I didn't think of that.

EDIT: Uhh, nevermind. I'm mixed up. :-P

[Rickstilwell1]

No, he's talking about the fact that with the Sonic CD spin dash, you have to hold both buttons, instead of repeatedly tapping a jump button to "rev up" like in the others.

Really? I've never had to do this and I just rev up the normal way with one button... same goes for the other dash.

[NerdXCrewWill]

Really? I've never had to do this and I just rev up the normal way with one button... same goes for the other dash.

Yeah, actually. I looked up controls for Sonic CD and Sonic 2 and they both dash the same way.

[SEGA_Queen]

My favorites:

1) Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles
2) Sonic 2
3) Sonic CD
4) Sonic 1

[j_factor]

Yeah, actually. I looked up controls for Sonic CD and Sonic 2 and they both dash the same way.

No, they most certainly don't. Tapping and holding are not the same thing.

[maxwatts]

My fave genesis game has always been and will always be Gunstar Heroes. I LOVE that game.

[NerdXCrewWill]

No, they most certainly don't. Tapping and holding are not the same thing.

Well, dang. I read your original response and thought that's what you meant. Then I came back to it and thought you meant something else. You're totally right. In my defense, I rarely ever play Sonic 2, so I'm a bit dumb about it. Thanks. :)

[Nebagram]

Fave is Sonic 3 when attached to S&K, otherwise Sonic 2. On its own S&K is probably the weakest of the five.

[PresidentLeever]

1. Sonic 2
2. Sonic & Knuckles
3. Sonic 3
4. Sonic 1

Don't care for the rest.