A huge thank you to everyone who's supported my channel these past few months! This video took me a little longer than most, but I had a great time making it, and I have a BUNCH of new videos in the pipeline!! 😌 Once again, my subs are the best!
NIKMOE my favorite Sonic title has to be Sonic Mania what makes it the best is and I mean every big that makes it the best game ever because everybody will love it everybody loves everybody loves it because of the Rapids everything graphics graphics music art style story and most importantly the final boss
Sonic CD is a great game and it's clear Sonic Mania takes direct inspiration from it. I left if off this list for 2 reasons: 1) I tried focusing on the Genesis era for this video because that is what I believe most players (and myself) are familiar with. 2) Sonic Mania bills itself as a follow-up to Sonic & Knuckles both in game and in external media, so I chose to keep it limited to that "arc" of games, if you will. Also, if I'm being honest here, Sonic CD kind of breaks this list. The Sega CD version is visually impressive, but lacks some features that Sonic 3 & Knuckles had, making it hard to find a spot on my list. Oh well, maybe in version 2 of this video I will include the modern remakes of Sonic CD, and Remastered Sonic 1 etc.
NIKMOE you say Genesis-era, but Sonic CD WAS part of the Genesis era. I personally did not have the Sega CD add-on, (despite my incessant pleadings to my parents at the time,) but I had a friend that had it, and was always excited to be able to play it at his house. I personally didn’t get to get the game until I found it for PC in a $5 bargain bin at Toys-R-Us. Now with the remake for consoles, PC and mobile, it is now one of my favorite Sonic titles from the Genesis era.
Personally, while Mania is more consistently designed for the modern age, I feel Sonic 3 & Knuckles does a better job of telling the story through the zone transitions that Mania drops the ball with. I entirely agree with your list however. Great video once again NIKMOE!
+EnnZedder Thanks for watching! I agree, the zone changes and cutscenes flow better in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, where as Sonic Mania just kind of warps around. I think that's because Sonic Mania is supposed to be a "greatest hits" of zones, but it changes the flow for sure. Anyhow, both are great games.
I know that, but it sucks that transitions from Flying Battery to Press Garden or Stardust Speedway to Hydrocity are nonexistent. Yes, I could assume that Sonic jumps off the airship or that the airship lands in Press Garden Zone. I can guess that Sonic leaves Little Planet's orbit and drops into Hydrocity, working his way backwards to get the Tornado from Angel Island Zone. The fact that the transitions showing this are missing - while Sonic 3K is fully inclusive of them, which is the main issue - implicates that these were last minute features unable to be implemented by the team.
NIKMOE Not only Mania fails at transitions, it does a horrible job with exposition. Mostly about Phantom Ruby and Little Planet. Everyone thought it's a Time Stone before reading a manual. Nobody knows what it does - teleports, transports through dimensions, wrecks timer, redesigns Egg Robots into HBH and Titanic Monarch... I have no idea what it does and why Mania Team/Iizuka thought giving another magical stone thingy after real and fake Chaos Emeralds, Sol Emeralds, Master Emerald, Jeweled Scepter, Time Stones, World Rings, Chaos Rings... and possibly I missed something. And what Little Planet has in common with that? Angel Island falling once again? How Sonic and Knuckles met again? Story in Mania is just harmful, even considering how little of it there is. If the story was "Eggman bad, kick is ass and Knuckles is there for no reason" it would be improved thousandfold. The only good part about the story is a single scene where Knuckles faces his PSD and does his job.
I think the reason the story feels that way is *spoilers* There's a very good chance it's a lead up to Forces and that questions will be answered there.
Why'd you count Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles as two separate games? They're not. They were always intended to be one game, and locked on together as Sonic 3 & Knuckles is both how it's available on steam, and the only way you should ever play it.
Well they where intended to be one game, but they weren't sold that way. Not everyone who had & Knuckles had 3 and vice versa. I agree 3&K is the only way someone should play them, but it's only fair to judge them separately as well as together.
I really hope Sega takes a hint and commissions more of these. I'd buy a new 2D Sonic if made with the same love every year for $50. It would be amazing. Keep making 3D Sonic if you want but let these guys keep remixing zones and adding whatever features they can think of. Drop Dash was an incredible addition. Only complaint I have at all is that the bonus rounds from the goal posts felt disconnected from the main game aside from the points gained from completion and it would have been nice to see something else else in their place with the blue spheres maybe only accessible from the menu directly. 2D Sonic still has plenty of room to grow and there will always be room for new zone ideas and gimmicks. Don't be stupid, Sega.
5:59 Tails couldn't fly in the original sonic 2 (he could only fly in the 2013 re-release). He had the same move-set as sonic, so how did he contribute to more vertical stage design?
How the list in the video should've been imo. Leaving out CD is puzzling, and I never understand why people split up 3 & Knuckles like they're two games
Harry Haryadi Still should not have left it out. Still a classic sonic 16 bit 2D platformer game released in the 90's. I can't be more specific than that. That is the reason why it should considered a part of the mega drive titles despise not being on it
+Harry Haryadi But the Video is called the best 2d Sonic game not Is it better than the genesis games so excluding everything but the Genesis games makes the titel a lie.
Why not CD? That's pretty easy. CD was NOTHING like Sonic 1, 2 or 3. The level design was completely different and the levels were very vertical, wich makes it not really comparable to S1,2,3,K and Mania
Title says "Best 2D Sonic Game" but yet there's no Advance or Rush games in this video, the title should've said "Is Sonic Mania the Best Classic Sonic Game"
+premydaremy you're totally correct. That was a mistake on my end and unfortunately you can't change titles on RU-vid without creating all sorts of problems. Thanks for watching though.
Jared Burk, I think that Advance triligy has cooler atmosphere than Classic Sonic trilogy (I mean, 1, 2 and 3). The exception is Sonic CD- I love this game
7. Sonic 4: Episode I - Nope. 6. Sonic 1 - (Every level past Green Hill -- which was immediately topped in the next game with Emerald Hill -- including Star Light) Nope. 5. Sonic 4: Episode II - Not as nope as the first, music, level design and animations were improved, but still has plenty of nope for itself. 4. Sonic 2 - Up there with Red Dead Redemption for one of the biggest improvements in video game history, in my eyes. 3. Sonic 3 & Knuckles - The most nostalgic for me, and without a doubt a very good game. But I've never gotten past my distaste for Carnival Night and Marble Garden. Tails is best boy. 1. Sonic CD - Tied for first only because I'm not quite ready to relinquish it's holding as my favorite. 1. Sonic Mania - The GOAT.
@@ketepunzelmank4701 I think Sonic 1 just has: -Overall Better level design -Better enemy placement -Better Camera/Visibility -Better Special Stages -Less inta kill BS -Not as bad difficulty balancing
My rankings 1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles. This game is my favorite Sonic game, and for good reason. Great story, excellent zones, and Hyper Sonic! Also, The Doomsday Zone is one of my favorite final bosses in ANY video game. 2. Sonic Mania. This game is so much fun! It has awesome bosses, characters, and extra modes (looking at you, &Knuckles mode). The only part of this game that dissapointed me was the lack of new zones. But that is made up for by the remade zones, which actually feel like new zones in the style of their older counterparts. 3. Sonic CD. This may come as a surprise, but I like Sonic CD more than Sonic 2. I think CD's zones were interesting, and the different time zones led to a lot of creativity from the level designers. Sure, there's only 7 zones, but that just makes them more memorable. Stardust Speedway is even one of my favorite Sonic levels of all time. This game's soundtracks are both awesome (but I think Japan's is a little better) and this game truly shows you that fun is infinite. 4. Sonic 2. Don't get me wrong, I like Sonic 2. I just felt the zones were long and not very memorable (besides Carnival Night and Wing Fortress). The bosses were pretty good, and the Death Egg Robot is just spectacular. I just feel the game can be a bit tedious at times. 5. Sonic 1. This game is just kind of meh for me. The zones I like are Green Hill, Spring Yard, and Star Light; and I just can't stand the rest. The levels in this game were somewhat slow, and 3 acts for a zone felt way too long.
Yeah it does Tails cant grab a single row of rings in wing fortress And he doesnt get crushed in the block climbing section of chemical plant zone Also no super form Okay but yeah hes just a worse sonic
5: Sonic the Hedgehog (I love Green Hill zone but somethings are not so great like Labyrinth Zone) 4: Sonic and Knuckles (I do love this game a lot, Knuckles is one of my favorite Sonic characters ever!) 3: Sonic the Hedgehog III (The biggest and most ambitious of the three classic Sonic games) 2: Sonic Mania (I understand all the love for this masterpiece, it’s crazy fun and crazy good!) 1: Sonic the Hedgehog II (The stylistic icon that shaped the formula for all Sonic games going forward)
I personnaly think that the big problem with the game is his difficulty . There are absolutely no danger in sonic mania except for the last level and oil ocean zone . Sonic 3 was more difficult
I personally didn't like the level design in Sonic 3. It seemed to get overcomplicated at times, and I encountered various glitches that hindered the experience. Things got better in & Knuckles, but personally, I prefer Sonic 2. That said, I haven't played Mania, yet. And I expect it to be a very enjoyable experience.
yes because the same linear hold right to win pattern is much more easier to remember and there was no "glitches" that made the game unplayable its the same made up crap i hear with so much sonic games
@Thirdocean I can't say much, since i have a Japanese REV00 of Sonic 3, but i've encountered a lot of glitches, and one of them cost me a 1-up - HydroCity's Act 2 boss simply didn't lock in one place, resulting in capsule never loading after i've beat the boss. I've had to move really slowly to not get in that glitch, so it wasn't intentional. And "hold right to win" is not a valid criticism - better explaination/criticism or GTFO.
I just recently played Sonic 1 on iPhone with the spin dash and a save feature. They make a world of difference. As a matter of fact, it's probably the most well-designed platformer of the original three once those safeguards and stipulations are added.
you skiped Sonic CD, Knuckles chaotix, Sonic advance 1, 2 and 3, Sonic rush and rush adventure, Sonic rivals 1 & 2, 8-bit Sonic 1 & 8-bit Sonic 2, Sonic Chaos, Sonic triple trouble, Sonic pocket adventure, Sonic 4 episodes 1, 2 and metal, and also you placed sonic 3 and sonic and knuckles as a separate game.
To many people taking this ranking to seriously and getting really annoying. You guys don't have to write paragraphs on why he didn't put sonic CD or why he put sonic 3 and sonic and knuckles separate. It's his own opinion, this video is a ranking of how HE sees the games in present time. For anyone writing bibles arguing for or about a sonic game, remember your arguing about a game and this guy's opinion. Go play outside kids.
Excellent review! I would agree with this list 100%. Sonic 3 was the first one I beat purely because the save state made the game less frustrating and more fun.
My rating of the classics.' 1. Sonic CD 2. Sonic 3 and Knuckles 3. Sonic 1 4. Sonic 2 5. Sonic Mania The reason Mania is the lowest is because I haven't played it yet, but it is weird that a 2002 kid played all the other classics to the end (except for Sonic 2).
@NIkmoe you did an outstanding job, exactly how I rank them personally is how you did. Sonic 3 and Knuckles was an epic experience for it time and still is a great adventure in stage transition and story telling without words. You knew what was happening every time the game progressed and..... HYPER SONIC and HYPER KNUCKLES!
I'm still not exactly sure why CD was left off the list, given how much mania takes from it. It's still classic sonic no matter how you look at it. Hell, it had a save feature BEFORE Sonic 3 thanks to the Sega CD. It's got beautiful graphics for 1993, and has some of the most iconic tracks from the series as well (Stardust Speedway for example). Not a CD fanboy by any means (personally perfer Sonic 2) but you can't have classic Sonic without CD no matter how you put it
Mania takes from all of the Genesis era games, but in the case of CD it takes only a few gimmicks and 1 stage. Stardust speedway is iconic which is why its in Mania, but I can't remember any other tracks from that game. As for why its not on this list, well its because its so different. Sonic CD sacrifices a lot of game flow to emphasize exploration, something none of the other Sonic titles do making it play very differently, almost like an entirely different game which would make it hard to rank against the others. (as for beautiful graphics, that's debatable, I personally couldn't stand them. It hurt my eyes. Only Sonic game I couldn't bring myself to finish.)
Yeah, it had a focus on exploring rather than steady game flow which makes it more of a spin off than a main series game (Which is why i think its not on this list)
I think your video was good, but I have some constructive criticism for you. I think you have too much variety in the video clips you use to demonstrate your points. Sometimes while listening to you I would notice that I had not seen what you were showing me before. You could probably save time and effort if you just reused the same clips a few times. I'm sure no one would notice if you reused one clip even 3 or 4 times for the same point in rapid succession. Just some friendly advice from a more experienced video editor. ;)
Really Bad you left Sonic CD out of the list, considering Sonic Mania takes a lot of inspiration of that game and its still a really important game in the Sonic franchise.
This is a great video! I’ve played a couple Sonic games a little (Sonic Rush was the one I played most), and I got most of the Sonic games available on Steam from a sale (Humble Bundle?) once. Putting the games in a modern context is important, I’d say, for people trying to get into Sonic now. I was already playing Sonic Mania (and man is it fun!), so I’m pretty grateful for the tip on Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
Sonic Mania, Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 1. Mania was amazing and brought me back to such nostalgia. I played the hell out of 2 when I was a kid and barely scratched the surface of 3 and knuckles. I never owned Sonic 1 and only played it when I became an adult. Even without the save system, I love Sonic 2 over Sonic 3. Nostalgia Glasses
Including Sonic CD, here's my ranking from best to worst: Sonic Mania Sonic 3 & Knuckles (which is also a very close second for me) Sonic 2 Sonic CD Sonic 1
6:00 - 6:05 *Talking about Sonic 2* - "And the inclusion of Tails meant that levels could feature more vertical design". How so? Tails can't fly manually in Sonic 2. I'm not one to get conspiratorial, but I'm starting to question whether you actually played Sonic 2 again recently enough for this video...
no it isn't sonic mania is a mix of sonic 2 mixing in with sonic 3&k, having sonic cd mechanics. christian did a really good job at mashing up all those games together and making something really from it all. he could left out the old sonic 1 final boss, he could have left out the old from sonic 1 that old beta of metal sonic rolling around in spring yard zone.
Sonic 1 on the 3DS, with save states and the spin dash, is a very fun experience. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you're turned off by the Genesis version!
Fav games Sonic mania Sonic the hedgehog 3 Sonic the hedgehog 2 Sonic the hedgehog 4 episode 2 Sonic the hedgehog CD Sonic the hedgehog 4 episode 1 I haven’t played the advance series like sonic advance 1, 2, and 3 And haven’t played sonic chaos and poket adventure
My favorite is Sonic Mania Plus. My reason for this is that, like Sonic 3, Sonic Mania was a good game on its own, but when you add more characters to the game, in this case being Mighty and Ray, as well as more game features, such as Encore and Competition Mode, it just feels more complete.
+FREE1UP I had a real tough time deciding on how to the end the list. I didn't want to call it a tie, but S3&K really stands the test of time, and in many ways is better than Mania. It's crazy how well Sonic 3 and Knuckles has aged if it can stand up to a sharp modern title like Sonic Mania. In the end they're both fantastic games!
+FREE1UP That's been the take away. S3&K is hard to beat but Mania can really hang with it. Both are my go to recommendations for anyone new to classic Sonic.
1) Sonic Mania: a joyous celebration of everything great about Sonic. It's my favorite game of 2017 and a game I don't see ever leaving my gaming rotation. It has the best level design, most features, best special stages, best bosses...the only place it lags behind any of the others is that it doesn't feel like as cohesive an adventure as 3 & Knuckles but everything else makes up for it. 2) Sonic the Hedgehog 2: some of the best levels in the series, both in terms of gimmicks and in terms of game design. The spindash feels like a vital part of the Sonic formula, and gives much greater control over Sonic's speed and jump height. This is my favorite of the Genesis Sonics to play time trials on, but just as important is the addition of Super Sonic, which is a great reward for fully exploring those elaborate levels. The only issue is the bonus stages themselves, which I consider the worst in the series, and it drags the rest of the game down a bit but isn't a dealbreaker. 3) Sonic 3 & Knuckles: I'm counting these as one because, in a modern context, there's no reason to play them separately. This is the Sonic game that feels the most like an epic adventure to me, with a tangible sense of place and of drama that is still impressive today. The actual levels are bursting with creativity, making each zone feel exciting and distinct, but I do think that the actual level design is a bit of a step down from 2 in terms of pure playability. It has a bad habit of forcing Sonic down lengthy sections of levels that virtually play themselves and occasionally throws blind instant death traps in the player's way (notably in Marble Garden Zone), both things that the series would later become infamous for. The special stages, however, are a massive step up from 1's and 2's and are fun little action-puzzles in their own right. This almost unseats 2 for that reason alone: having actually fun bonus levels makes exploring much more enjoyable, and the larger levels make that exploration a joy, occasionally feeling more in line with CD's sandboxy playgrounds than 2's speedy obstacle courses. The two upgrade tiers, inspired by Dragon Ball's Cell Saga, which was serialized during 3 and & Knuckles' development, keep the exploration exciting and rewarding even if you're able to quickly transform during the first half, something that Mania struggles with. 3) Sonic CD: I'm including because it is a mainline Sonic game on the Genesis, because Mania takes more from it than perhaps from any other game and because it's simply a fantastic game. It has a different flow from the others, asking the player to move at top speed uninterrupted for a few seconds after fulfilling certain conditions in order to travel through time. In the past they can destroy Robotnik's production line, creating a good future. Though the requirements for the good future are met at that point, if the player is able to travel into the future twice after destroying the generator they will find that the level is now a Utopic vision where technology and nature live in harmony, putting the series' environmentalist overtones into even greater focus. The sandboxy levels feel maybe a bit less confident than the other games' speedier levels but are a blast to explore and master. 4) Sonic the Hedgehog: Much like Super Mario World, released the same year, Sonic 1 suffers from too many cycle-based challenges which sort of puts a damper on how much fun it is to build up and maintain speed. I think that a lot of the levels are still fantastic (and Green Hill Zone is nothing short of astounding) but the reliance on cycles and lack of the spindash hold Sonic 1 back. Also the special stages are terrible, but without Super Sonic or a true ending the rewards for getting all 6 chaos emeralds make that almost a moot point: lives and continues are the only reason to explore.
An interesting review, thanks for sharing. I too echo that Sonic 3 and Knuckles should be consider 1 game and that Sonic CD should have been included (IMHO, its your list after all). I would add that Sonic Mania isn't so much a Genesis game with the hardware limits removed as much as its what 2D Sonic on the Saturn would be like.
My list ( I haven't played Mania because of Steam launch problems) Sonic 2 Sonic Cd Sonic 1 Sonic & Knuckles Sonic 3 Sonic 2 was a great game in level design, bosses, fun bonus game. Great speed and platforming. Every level in the game is a classic along with the soundtrack. The final boss fight wit no rings is legendary. Casino night is the funnest stage ever (Carnival Night barrel is a disgrace). Sonic 1 is third for me because it was the only Sonic game that balances speed with platforming perfectly than any other Sonic game. Like 2, the levels and music is iconic and memorable in the franchise. Just like 2, the levels design were well made. Sonic 1 is so simple is actually great. Sonic 3 is my least favorite of the series. Sonic 3 changed things like sprites, for example I prefer the tvs in Sonic 1 and 2 than 3. The level design is awful, its the worst level design in the classic "2d games" , they are not fun to play you just want to get it over with compared to the earlier games. None of the stages are memorable in the franchise. The same for the music, some tracks are ok, but still not like the earlier ones. With multiple artist doing the songs tracks (like MJ) ,in context, all the songs dont agree together, its like they belong in different games. They were not memorable for me like the earlier games. Its my least favorite game and I seldom go back to it. Some people calling that one the best is beyond me. It also has the worst ending in all of the 90s video games. Knuckles is good and Sonic CD is amazing. I don't understand your reason for not including Sonic CD. Its a Sonic game, its a platformer game, its not a spinoff, its the same thing like the genesis games. Just like Mania is on next gen but its a Sonic game.
Ranking Sonic 3 and Knuckles separately was a cool choice, especially since you brought up the full S3&K package's place later in the video. However, the video not having Sonic CD felt like an oversight. Sonic Mania has 2 levels returning from Sonic CD, more than what Sonic 1 and 3 got, and the same amount as Sonic 2 and S&K. Even if it's level design can be considered quite a departure from the other games, I still think it contributed to the classic Sonic formula. I don't have the image on hand, but there was an image of a triangle with the classic Sonic games. Sonic 1 was in the Platforming Corner, Sonic 2 was in the Speed corner, Sonic CD was in the exploration corner, and Sonic 3&K was right in the middle. It's possible, if not for Sonic CD, that Sonic 3, S&K, and Sonic Mania wouldn't have that exploration aspect to them. Still a great video though! I'll be watching you others after this.
*For 2D Sonic games only* *My opinion* 1: Sonic Mania 2: Sonic 3 & Knuckles 3: Sonic Advanced 3 4: Sonic Chaos 5: Sonic 2 6: Chaotix 7: Sonic Rivals 2 8: Sonic Rush 9: Sonic CD 10: Sonic Advance 2 11: Sonic Rush Adventure 12: Sonic Triple Trouble 13: Sonic Rivals 14: Sonic Colours DS 15: Sonic Advance 1 16: Sonic 4 ep 2 17: Sonic 4 ep 1 18: Sonic Pocket Adventure 19: Sonic Blast 20: Sonic 1 21: Sonic X 22: Sonic Jam Game.com Version (This game is ACTUALLY bad ^)
The advance games are what really got me into sonic but I always thought SA2 was better than SA3. It was just more fun to me and 3 forced the tag team feature too much for me
Unoriginal Channel Name I just came back to rewatch the video and saw your reply. I prefer chaotix because when I was younger I had more of a blast with it that I did with CD. And still today I prefer game with a lot of characters. I didn't have an issue with the tether ring...thing. I controlled it really well and I always found it worked to my advantage. That's normally what put off people from chaotix but that's why I loved it. lol
I'm sorry but mania isn't the best 2d sonic game. The game is mostly old levels from previous games. I would say it is the best if it did have all new levels and some throwback levels. But it seems that majority of the levels are from other games..
1. Sonic Mania (take off your nostalgia goggles bois and gals) 2. Sonic 2 (whitehead port makes it even better) 3. Sonic 3 and Knuckles (close af to Sonic 2) 4. Sonic CD (whitehead port) 5. Sonic the Hedgehog (no spindash, but some of the most memorable zones. Also birthed our beloved blue blur) The goggles were a joke people. Please don't come at me with pitchforks and fire hahaha. Also, who tf plays Sonic 3 separate from Sonic and Knuckles?
You forgot that if you lock Sonic 2 onto the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge, you can play as Knuckles in Sonic 2 and he had his own zones to explore a bit too.
Everyone always just ignores the Master System titles. I know they don't play as well, but it would've been fun to see them discussed in a ranking nevertheless. They were, after all, two completely seperate main entries in the series with mostly entirely different zones in them. People ignore the 2nd one especially much, which had some very memorable moments!
Question from someone who liked the Boost Formula: Does Sonic Mania punish you for going too fast? I've had that problem with all of the classic Sonic games, when platforming Sonic is just sluggish for me in those games and going too fast will just get you hit.
As a person who also loves the boost formula, widescreen in Mania makes it much better at dodging and avoiding traps. The creators did a good job at avoiding these hurdles. It also has much less bottomless pits and janky enemy placement. Crushing is a little off though and is most likely to be most of your deaths :/ Also if you didnt like the classic traps the ios and android ports widescreen fixes it a ton. Up to you if you want to play mobile or not. CD was also improved but has the most natural traps of the classics. CD remake is available on 360 ps3 Xbone and mobile.
Sonic Mania gets sonic's level design right by segmenting between platforming sections and speed sections, and then a little in between (In which you need to just have skill in play to get through them very fast). It does all this while transitioning between the two very easily so it doesn't just feel like you entered another room and now it's platform time. The only other game in the classic sonic series that actually punishes you for going too fast is the first, since it was mostly built around platforming, with speed just being a tack on to show off the Genesis' hardware. All the others can easily be beaten with speed as long as you practice and actually play well.
Personally, I'd say Mania is just as rife with punishment as the previous games, even as a wide-screen experience. Enemies still don't have obvious distinctions between hitboxes and hurtboxes, still many sections that rely on halting you in your tracks, still many on-rail spectacle sections, still springs that throw you backwards, still many instant death traps, still many mistimed enemy and hazard placements, and so on. I think this is largely fine because the whole point is to get by these, by memorisation and not simply by "going fast", but it doesn't feel any better when you get crushed by one of those ridiculous green lids in oil ocean.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles is my all time favorite Sonic game. I, sadly, didn't quite understand Sonic CD when I played, so I missed a lot of stuff. That game was utterly gorgeous for its time, though.
Counting Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles as seperate games really holds this video back in my opinion. They were designed to be a single game, big game, it is _not_ 2 games put together.
My rant (Best to Worst) 1. Sonic Mania 2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles 3. Sonic CD (Christian Whitehead port) 4. Sonic 2 5. Sonic 1 Worst Game ever: Sonic 4 Episode 1. (I really liked Episode 2 and Metal but is not superior to the Classics).
Kind of weird choice to split Sonic 3 and Knuckles as well as not including Sonic CD but hey its your list. Personally my favourite is Sonic 2 but havent had time to try Mania yet. Nice vid man.
Sonic mania has one big problem. There are WAY too many times where you can let the game play itself. Pressing down while moving is supposed to make you safer, not completely invincible because the levels are designed so that you can never accidentally hit an obstacle that can hurt you.
Melon 64 I respect your opinion, I just think that Sonic 1 and Sonic CD was better built around the gameplay. As cool as going fast and doing the spindash is in Sonic 2, there are plenty of design flaw death traps in the levels and it takes way to many tries to figure them all out as a result, especially with limited live. Sonic & Knuckles' difficulty is just way harder in general and that combined with a slightly more complex level design and the lack of key features from Sonic 2 and 3 (such as Tails, multiplayer, and saving). I don't even like Sonic & Knuckles' elements when Sonic 3 is put locked on to it. Sonic 3 is easily the best with level design and features on the Genesis for me. I only rank Sonic CD above it due the animated cutscenes, quality CD audio, and Time Travel mechanic (I'm a sucker for time travel in pop culture) which varies the level design even further. Sonic Mania in my opinion takes all the best parts of the past games and modernized it without sacrificing it's classic elements and feel.
WindowsChamp those problems are even worse in sonic 1 and cd. The levels weren't designed for a character like sonic and more for a character like Mario. Marble zone and labyrinth zone are the prime examples of this
I rate (from best to worse - not that any of the classics are bad): Sonic 3K > Sonic CD > Sonic Mania > Sonic 1 > Sonic 2. Once Mania Plus releases I believe it will replace Sonic CD as my second favorite classic game. The improvements in the (leaked) 1.04 version of Mania and what we've seen of Mania Plus so far are gonna make the overall experience of Mania even better IMO. 3K is king (and I always consider it as one game as this is how it was originally going to be released) because the story, level design, physics, replay value, bosses, new gimmicks &Knuckles are so well designed. It's just an incredibly fun game.
