Unpopular Sonic opinions!

[Dr. Mechano]

That said, Sonic 3 and Knuckles is only really loved by fans who can't take their nostaliga goggles off.

This reeks of "If you like old things, you're obviously blinded by nostalgia and your opinion doesn't count."

I legitimately find the Genesis games to be more fun and better-designed than the Advance/Rush/Rivals/Sonic 4/other 2D games that were released later. I don't hate the new 2D games, but I do find their designs and gameplay to be lacking in comparison to the classics. This is just my opinion, and I'm not claiming to be objectively right, but please note that my opinion is not based on nostalgia goggles (I got into the series in 2003- in the midst of the "modern" era- if that tells you anything).

Your preference for the newer games is a valid one, but to say an older game is only really loved due to nostalgia goggles comes across as arrogant.

Now, as for my opinions:

• I love humans in the series. The Chronicles NPCs? Awesome. The Unleashed NPCs? Also awesome. Professor Pickle getting a major role as one of Sonic's allies in the game? Fantastic. These ordinary, non-powered, run-of-the-mill humans charmed their way into my heart with their fantastic and endearing characterization. They didn't need be "cool." They only needed to be lovable, and at that they succeeded.
  
• On that note, I never liked the SoA/cartoons/comics storylines. Mobius, roboticization, some sort of furry vs. human great war, and so on? It was never my cup of tea. Give me the story about one mad scientist trying to rule the world over the story of a half-baked environmental aesop (Also, give me blue glasses over glowing red eyes for Eggman any day).
  
• While I agree that Chris Thorndyke was a detracting and terrible character, I loved Sonic X despite his irritating influence, and still found it to be the best Sonic show of the lot. I say this because, despite one bad character, the rest of the show was brilliant, and had some of the best characterization for the Sonic cast I've seen. Eggman in particular was given great character development, and this was only enhanced in the even better comic series based on the anime.
  
• In moderation, I like Eggman doing heroic things. While he needs to be bad enough to remind us that he's the main villain, I also think he can be good enough to show he isn't totally heartless. I don't think Eggman having a softer side detracts from his status as Sonic's nemesis at all, and I feel that it rather makes him far more interesting as a fully fleshed out character.
  
• I don't see what the big deal is about Mephiles. I found him to be a rather uninspired villain, and it beats me as to why he's so popular. I respect the fandom's reasoning for liking him so much, but he seems rather flat and uninteresting to me.
  
• I just never liked Shadow, Rouge, or Omega. While these characters are in the "love it or hate it" camp, I still get the impression they're generally more liked than disliked, so this technically counts as an unpopular opinion, I would say.
  
• I liked the mech and hunting stages in the Adventure games just fine. Eggman's stages were legitimately some of my favorite parts of Sonic Adventure 2, and that's aside from the fact that he's my favorite character. I actually enjoyed those stages for what they were.
  

Edited May 27, 2012 by Egghead

[Diogenes]

Sonic isn't "back".

Yeah, sure, it's improved since '06 (honestly it'd be hard not to). The games no longer shit themselves if you look at them funny. But they really aren't good, and they really aren't Sonic. They've become (even moreso than before) vehicles for cheap speed and image-based entertainment at the expense of gameplay. They make the character fast, they throw in some platforms so they can justify calling it a platformer, they pad it with some gimmick, and they try really hard to make it look like you're doing awesome stuff...except you really aren't, you're just traveling along Sonic Team's sightseeing tour, pressing the right buttons to keep the jeep moving.

If Sonic's ever really going to be "back", he needs to provide a deeper experience than this. He needs gameplay that can handle the player making choices, not just the designers.

[Komodin]

Eh, I'm honestly not sure how "unpopular" this is, but here goes:

With the exception for Sonic 2006, Sonic Chronicles and Sonic Blast... I like, or at least tolerate, every Sonic game I've played. I just can't find any flaws with them egregious enough that I find myself wanting to avoid playing them.

[sonfan1984]

* I don't hate the Sonic characters and acts like they're the cancer that is killing the franchise cause it seems like the cool thing to do to complain about other characters who isn't Sonic nowadays. SEGA is bending over backwards to please the Sonic only crowd and it limit the series and the games is becoming more shallow. In fact I'm about tired of the Sonic solo games and want the other characters to return and kick some ass.

* I like the 2D games just as much as I like the 3D games. It's annoying when the media and non-fans acts like Sonic is only good and fun when he's in 2D but when it's in 3D then it must be horrible and disappointing. It gives SEGA the impression that they don't have to put much work and effort into their 2D Sonic games cause the media will still praise it.

* I enjoy the characterization and writing in Colors despite a few cringeworthy jokes here and there and the bromance is excellent. I just find the game charming and it reminds me when I was younger and when I use to get up really early to watch AoStH. Most of the time the people who don't like the humor and the more witty writing tends to over-exaggerate things too much and acts like that Sonic have never said any lame cheesy lines before Colors. Now Sonic can't even say one cheesy joke without people throwing a hissy fit and wants the new writers to lose their job. Sonic has always been a cocky, cheesy and sarcastic character to me and that's what I love about him. Take those away and he is NOT Sonic.

* I find Sonic Adventure 2 to be extremely over-rated, it's probably the most over-rated Sonic game in the series even more so then Sonic CD. Especially when people go around and claiming it to be the 'Last good Sonic game" and puts the game up on a very high pedestal. It's a game I'd enjoyed when it first came out but as the years go by and my standards for gaming has changed, I seem to enjoy it less and less. Even with the nostalgia goggles on I can't find myself to really enjoy this game anymore.

And finally...

* I think Ryan Drummond in general is highly over-rated. Don't get me wrong, he was my favorite Sonic actor until Roger Craig Smith came along and pretty much run circles around him. But his voice doesn't do it for me anymore. It sounds 'out-dated' and he's more or less on the annoying side when I listen to him now and his acting is sub-par. Also, what really annoys me the most is that the obsessed Ryan Drummond fans are still going into embarrassing lengths to try and get this guy back to the point where they're still making online petitions, sending hatemail, boycotting the games, harassing the current voice actors and sending them death threats, etc all of this over a voice that isn't really THAT great anyway. If Ryan Drummond ever returns, I sure as hell won't be thrilled and jumping for joy about it mainly cause of all of the stupid childish crap that the fans put the 4Kids and the current voiceactors through and all it's doing is making Ryan himself look bad and the people who likes him look bad. It so bad and out of control that sometimes I wish that Sega never made Sonic speak at all and it makes me want to dislike Ryan Drummond even though he's really not at fault here. I know he probably didn't send his rapid fanbase off to pester and harass Sega and the current voice actors for his return. I still like Ryan Drummond despite me falling out of love for him but I have long moved on.

Ah, that feels good to finally get that off my chest. If you're a reasonable Ryan Drummond fan that doesn't do any of those things then sorry if my rant offends you in any way but if you're those fans that I was talking about in my rant then shame on you. >:U

Edited May 28, 2012 by sonfan1984

[DarkLight]

-I'm probably the only person who didn't have a problem with Generations's story. (I understand the dissapointment with the other characters, but I found more fault with the fact they were shoe-horned in for fanservice and for an anniversary title than what little they did, honestly).

-I'm getting bored with the Sonic-Archie comics and don't really care about it's current direction.

*runs away*

Edited May 27, 2012 by DarkLightDragon

[Winston]

I'm probably the only person who didn't have a problem with Generations's story.

*runs away*

I didn't really mind it, just wish there was a bit more in it.

[Dr. Mechano]

I'm probably the only person who didn't have a problem with Generations's story.

*runs away*

I loved the story of Generations. Eggman and Eggman team up to take over time, with lots of comical shenanigans along the way. What's not to love about that? Consider your opinion seconded.

[JezMM]

Agreed about X, and sort of agreed about the lyrical music. But it should only be done once or twice per games. SatSR was too much. SA2 and Rush handle things differently and get an A+ in my books.

Yeah, once or twice would be fine with me. It just kinda drove me nuts how for a short while we only got lyrical music for the final boss like clockwork, and I miss it in the games that ONLY have their vocal songs during the credits.

Having a full lyrical song for the opening level and the final boss is cool though since they kind of act like bookends.

I think Secret Rings got it just about right though.

Lost Prologue - No lyrics

Sand Oasis - Full lyrics

Dinosaur Jungle - "Lite" lyrics

Evil Foundry - "Lite" lyrics

Levitated Ruin - No lyrics

Pirate Storm - Full lyrics

Skeleton Dome - "Lite" lyrics

Night Palace - Full lyrics

I don't really think the lyrics added anything to the Evil Foundry and Pirate Storm bosses though so I'd cut those. Also the main theme spam kind of ruined any impact it could have had on the final boss.

That's why I think if they want to use lyrics heavily again, they NEED to also make instrumental versions to use for portions of the game where the music will not play very long. I agree with you that Sonic Adventure 2 and the Sonic Rush games handled lyrics very well (more or less - I didn't like that all the lyrical songs/samples pretty much dissappear completely as you get further towards the end of Sonic Rush Adventure).

[Your Vest Friend]

Mine's got the usual spiel you hear from me; I don't like Sonic 3, Sonic and the Secret Rings is awful regarding the controls, Spinball is shit (is that unpopular? <.<), I love AoStH more than the other cartoons, SatAM was dull and made me angry whenever I watched an episode save for a handful, I got bored bored of the classic formula way back in 1994, I was calling out Generations' story as having no meat before it was popular to do so *hipster moment*...

Why don't I give you an opinion that's sort of been implied through my control criticisms of Secret Rings but never been said aloud before; I don't really give two shits about the gameplay. As long as the controls work with it and it isn't a borefest, I will play it, and I will have fun with it while the experince is occurung. I'm anal about the character details, and I love seeing the environments that are created for Sonic to travel, but the method I travel from A to B with isn't one of the things I'll think about.

[Komodin]

I'm probably the only person who didn't have a problem with Generations's story.

*runs away*

I honestly like the story. Still, for an anniversary title, it doesn't really feel all that... substantial, y'know? It would've benefited tremendously from having more substance to it.

[Burnt Ash]

Not exactly sure if this is a minority opinion, but in the 3D games, I've always loved the floaty jumps over the weighty jumps.

[Carbo]

There was not a single good thing about the storybook games.

[Blue Blood]

-I'm probably the only person who didn't have a problem with Generations's story.

*runs away*

How can anyone have a problem with Generations' story? There's no story to have a problem with!

There was not a single good thing about the storybook games.

Nothing?

Edited May 27, 2012 by Blue Blood

[JezMM]

I loved the story of Generations. Eggman and Eggman team up to take over time, with lots of comical shenanigans along the way. What's not to love about that? Consider your opinion seconded.

I'd correct that to "with lots of comical shenanigans in the pre-final boss cut-scene".

I could forgive the bare-bones story if Classic Eggman wasn't a twist and we had got Unleashed/Colours-esque "and here's what the Eggmans are up to!" cut-scenes periodically all the way through.

[Celestia]

I was fine with the lack of story in Generations.

The near lack of character interaction, however, pissed me off. Bring back a lot of characters not seen in a main series title for some time (not counting Colours DS), and then have them not do anything + Sonic not even say anything to them...yeah.

Anyhow, unpopular opinion? Well, this is pretty unpopular from what I've seen on SSMB: I still find Colours fun! Oh, and the jokes don't bug me at all. Then again, I love AOSTH, so there you go.

Sonic and the Secret Rings is awful regarding the controls

How is that an unpopular opinion? XD

[Winston]

Well...not really sure if this is unpopular, but I kind-of think the Adventure gameplay is boring....

-runs away-

[Diogenes]

Oh, here's one:

The werehog was an okay idea.

I'm not going to go so far as to say it was a good one. The heavy emphasis on combat and the very un-Sonic platforming prevent it. But from a story perspective, having Sonic turn into a werewolf? Not bad. And the gameplay could've worked if it were designed like a Sonic game rather than Hog of War. Roll around, swing from stuff, smash some obstacles/enemies, I could totally see something very fun and very Sonicy coming from it.

Also: Werehog>Generations Classic. No contest. A mediocre beat-'em-up/platformer vs gameplay that doesn't even work properly. As much as the werehog gameplay doesn't belong, it's actually fun and reasonably well designed, whereas Generations Classic basically has no redeeming values besides not being '06-bad.

[Your Vest Friend]

Probably the worst thing about Generations' interaction is that you're likely to miss any sort of interesting points with the other characters, because they occur once and never again. For example, and I know I said this way back when, did you know that the Chaotix were working for Rouge throughout the events of it? Yeah, I'm surprised you missed it when it was in all of a single line of text when you got all Red Rings in modern Rooftop Run which never popped up after that. It's not like you'd have been clicking to rush through it to do something else or anything.

Also I do like the Werehog more than classic Sonic, but then I think that stems from liking Crash of the Titans so what-the fuck-ever.

[DarkLight]

I honestly like the story. Still, for an anniversary title, it doesn't really feel all that... substantial, y'know? It would've benefited tremendously from having more substance to it.

I've just never really put any big expectations on Generations other than it looked promising and fun to play.

The whole "THIS GAME'S GONNA HAVE A GRAND, EPIC STORY CAUSE' IT'S AN ANNIVERSARY GAME!!!" never really came to my mind.

[---]

Oh, here's one:

The werehog was an okay idea.

I'm not going to go so far as to say it was a good one. The heavy emphasis on combat and the very un-Sonic platforming prevent it. But from a story perspective, having Sonic turn into a werewolf? Not bad. And the gameplay could've worked if it were designed like a Sonic game rather than Hog of War. Roll around, swing from stuff, smash some obstacles/enemies, I could totally see something very fun and very Sonicy coming from it.

Also: Werehog>Generations Classic. No contest. A mediocre beat-'em-up/platformer vs gameplay that doesn't even work properly. As much as the werehog gameplay doesn't belong, it's actually fun and reasonably well designed, whereas Generations Classic basically has no redeeming values besides not being '06-bad.

Speaking of the Werehog, does it kind of seem like Sega in the past was trying to capitalize on what was cool in the mainstream? Like with Shadow FPS's were becoming popular at the time so they added the guns, and around Unleashed the Twilight bullcrap was around then right?

And sorry bro, as bad as you make Classic out to be, I'll take him over a mediocre beat em up with levels that drag on way too long and repetitive jazz music. With Classic Sonic you don't dread progressing the levels, but with the Werehog some don't even go back to play the levels because of the impending battles (which by the way trap you in the area until you beat them all up, it was definitely tedious).

The ONLY thing I'll give the werehog was the Egg Dragoon boss fight, that was freaking epic.

[Guest]

Pretty unpopular opinion for those who played or saw how Unleashed played:

You know the werehog, right? well I like the idea of it and kind of fan of it because SEGA excuted the idea miles better than those people who worked on Crash of the titans and Mind over mutant because it didn't involved forced use of jacking mutants, you were the mutant!

Let me show you 2 videos for comparison (Oh in unleashed you weren't forced through 100% of it to use the werehog, it was HALF the game, which makes Sonic unleashed better than the crash ones because in the last 2 consoles games, you were forced through the entire game to jack on/off enemies):

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBM3_CJXhwE

Edited May 27, 2012 by Guest

[Nepenthe]

The common justification for denying interesting narrative in the games- that being Sonic is a cartoon thus it cannot properly handle any themes beyond black and white "good guy vs. bad guy" morality- reeks of cognitive dissonance that drives me crazy (and seems to be a problem with the dismissive culture surrounding video games in general) because it sticks out like a sore thumb in an era where people can take a man dressed in a bat costume perfectly straight-faced in a crime drama and not bat an eyelid, an era where many of these same people dismissive of the franchise's potential, along with a conceivably bigger portion of the population, will literally cry at toys exploring themes of loneliness and the permanence of changing family dynamics, characters that are designed in just as cartoony a manner as Sonic is.

[Semi-colon e]

I could post loads of the typical shit, but I won't, it'd just be redundant and passive aggressive as all hell.

My one though?

I'd fucking love to see a Sonic Metroidvania. An actual one, Tails Adventure doesn't count. If it were done well enough, fangasms would be HAD.

[Burnt Ash]

I love the Werehog, with my favorite level (probably is up there with the day levels of Unleshed too) is Rooftop Run Night. That final platforming sections is one of my favorite things about the game. However, the only problem I had with the Egg Dragoon fight is how Eggman makes himself completely open to attack. And how he made his weak-spot so obvious with the 'green round thing'. Despite that, I found it wonderfully fun to play.

[Diogenes]

With Classic Sonic you don't dread progressing the levels,

Yes I do.