Super Sonic's effect on and role in the series

[Debug Ring]

WARNING: May contain Spoilers.

Hello all!

Super Sonic has appeared in the series a lot and the role he play's can be important in some of the games.

Super Sonic is the most popular of Sonic's forms. He is granted invincibility, flight, higher speed, higher jumps and a more serious look about him. He is a big help to Sonic and his friends when things get to tough. So here is my analysis.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic 2 introduced the ability to play as Super Sonic, He played a nice role in the game, he wasn't crucial and spammed all over the place. Collecting all the Chaos Emerald's effected the game play and the finale and final cut scene.

Super Sonic Gameplay

I for one really enjoy Super Sonic's introduction to the series, He's fun to play as and he gets better from there.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Knuckles

This is one of the few games where Super Sonic is in the beginning of the game. He shows his ability to glide across the water. In this we see Super Sonic has some slight changes to his design.

He appears with green eyes, but nothing much else.

Super Sonic once again is enjoyable in the game, and plays a bigger role in the story.

I rather like this edition of Super Sonic, though I'm somewhat glad they didn't resume the green eyes.

Sonic Adventure

Super Sonic was playable in this game by first completing all the character stories and he then had his own story unlocked. Though he wasn't playable in the Adventure Fields, he was playable in the final boss, Perfect Chaos,

Though this is widely know as Sonic's entrance to 3D platforming, it's also Super Sonic's. Sonic and Super Sonic (and the rest) both had redesigns to suit the style of the game and the era. Super Sonic appears with red eyes since then to now.

I liked the little slice we got of him in the game, though I prefer the classic's for being able to play him in levels.

Sonic Adventure 2

Once again, Super Sonic is slightly redesigned and only playable in the final boss against The Biolizard,

My view on the game is very much similar to Adventure Super Sonic wise.

The game also introduced Shadow/Super Shadow, The at the time he was the only other Hedgehog to use the Chaos Emeralds, him and Sonic are accompanied by Tails, Knuckles and Mecha Sonic (Well, if you include the Master Emerald) in Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

Sonic Advance Series

I will be representing these as a series to save space.

Super Sonic gameplay returns to the classic style using the 2D style final bosses. In the first and second he is on his own very much like Sonic 3 and Knuckles, though during the Third, He is accompanied by Eggman (well, he uses him as a shied type thing). All the bosses in this series are very much like Sonic 3 and Knuckles' style of boss, though you can you a boost.

Sonic Heroes

Ah, Sonic Heroes once again returns to an old use of Super Sonic, the Adventure style, the style that allows you to play as him only in the final boss.

This time, to unlock the final Boss, you must collect all the Chaos Emeralds in the Special Stages as any team. I like the idea, it could work well now too.

In this final boss, Sonic is accompanied by Tails and Knuckles who don't appear in the Super forms they have in Sonic 3 And Knuckles, they do however, use some sort of yellow bubble to aid them equal Super Sonic. The three fight Metal Overlord, a crazed Metal Sonic.

Once again, I have the same likes and dislikes as the Adventure games, but this time, I feel that Heroes didn't need the trio to form into there Supers, as they would have to edit the formula a lot and it would most likely just be like having unlimited invincibility without any extras. I think the game is fine as it stands.

Sonic Rush Series

Rushes final bosses, I didn't really care for. (though I may need to play them again to see). The first played 2D style and the second, a birds eye view. Super Sonic teamed with Burning Blaze to stop Eggman and Eggman Nega. You would take turns as Sonic and Blaze, Sonic battling Eggman, and Blaze would take Nega. Super Sonic had no special meaning to the game other than a form. Whilst I like that, Rush didn't seem to do it for me.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Sonic '06 is one of my least favorite uses of the yellow form. It introduces Chaos Emeralds being used as a way to revive him, but they can't do this alone, oh no, they need a human's kiss. Anyway, In the game He is once again used only in the final boss against Solaris. Sonic teams up with Shadow and Silver to defeat Solaris and save the dimension. Super Sonic in the final boss has nothing special about him. He can go up, down, left, right and forward. That's pretty much it. He can boost too. He switches out with Shadow and Silver when his ring energy runs low. Shadow and Silver are very much alike in this boss, they both do pretty much the same as Sonic, except they use projectiles instead of using there head.

This is one of the Super Sonic's that I feel I'm glad they didn't use more.

Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Unleashed was an enjoyable game. Nice graphics, nice Engine, and a good portrayal of Sonic. The first chapter of the final boss, Dark Gaia, see Sonic and Chip teaming up. You start with Chip who is surrounded with the Temples used to bring life back to the Chaos Emeralds. This part of the boss is one I found to be hard to play and slightly frustrating. You head toward Dark Gaia dodging rocks he throughs at you, once you get to him, there is a series of quite simple Quick Time events. Once you clear that It's on to play as Sonic who is using the Day time formula. This goes on for sometime until you deplete Dark Gaia's life bar to zero. Then it's onto the main article, the Super Sonic gameplay.

You start heading toward a bubble, now containing Perfect Dark Gaia. You dodge more rocks and collect a lot of Rings along the way. Once you get to Perfect Dark Gaia, you sit for 15, 20 seconds and watch Chip go through the bubble who then holds back Dark Gaia. You then Navigate the bubble and hit tentacle things along the way to get rid of the bubble. Then it's just a few Quick Time Events and it's done. I like Unleashed's Super Sonic, though I know it's similar to Adventure's Final Boss Only style, Unleashed doesn't need him in the levels. The way they use him in the story is nice, they use him to tell us why the Emeralds need restoring, and to defeat Dark Gaia. But it's really all it needs for him not to be over used in the game.

Sonic Colours

Sonic Colours did it right for me. Though he wasn't used or mentioned in the story, he was playable in the levels once more. You did have to work for it though. You'd need to collect all 180 Red Ring Stars, which unlock new acts in Sonic Simulator. 3 Acts and 7 Game Zones, on the Third act, you'd be rewarded with a Chaos Emerald if completed. Once you have Super Sonic who can be toggled on and of in the options, you'd be off. Super Sonic can't use Wisp's so the layout of the level was altered to aid him to the end.

This version of Super Sonic is my favorite. He played a nice role, though it may not be big. I'm not sure why this is my favorite, I can't put my finger on it. But I loved it anyway.

Sonic Generations

Sonic Generations' Super Sonic's featured in the final boss an the levels. I consider them weak entries, but still enjoyable. The ring consumption was incredible. It went down maybes 2,3 rings per second?

Modern Sonic is the better of the two, but his Boost is a way of making the game play itself. I'd much prefer a controllable version of this, still flying but being able to control like the first part of Super Sonic in Unleashed, that might work. Classic Super is a down side to the Classic gameplay. The ring consumption is slightly better, because there is no boost. But I can't really name many things better about Classic Super than to normal Classic. Yes, he as invincibility, and can jump a bit higher, but speed, in some cases he is slower than normal.

In level gameplay of Super Sonic's

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Series

Super Sonic in Sonic 4 played a role similar to Sonic 2, very covered up. Sonic 4 is considered weak, Super Sonic doesn't differ from it. Super Sonic has no specialties, other than speed, jump and invincibility, he need to be played as. I'm going to leave this one short as there isn't much else to say.

Well, that's my analysis of Super Sonic. Hope you enjoyed reading.

Now please, discuss Super Sonic and his role in the series.

(I would have included more clips, but that would be more than allowed)

Edited August 25, 2012 by Rainbow Ring

[WarioBone]

Super Sonic is WAY too important now. It's basically the kill switch for every game.

"Something's going wrong? Welp, Super Sonic tiem."

Turning crazy invincible and auto-killing everything being the ending to EVERY GAME (except Colors) since Adventure is getting OLD AS FUCK.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

Honestly, Super Sonic never really left much of an impression on me. The other forms like Darkspine, Werehog, and Excalibur on the otherhand, were pretty awesome.

[Endy]

Inevitable Super Sayain ripoff comment.

[Phos]

I'd be into a reimplementation of special stages and whether or not you have the emeralds changing the outcome. Of course this is assuming the ever decide to make Super Sonic fun again.

[MegaMan_EXE]

I'm just going to say this: Super Sonic is super. In the old days, he was kick ass! Invincibility, faster speed, higher jump, he was kick ass! Certainly worth getting the Chaos Emeralds.

Since Adventure, he's been more of a plot device to defeat the final boss. In Adventure, is was fun playing as Super Sonic in 3D, despite it only being for one part.

However, since Heroes, the gimmick of having Super Sonic was getting old. Blah, blah, Super Sonic, Chaos Emerlads, been there, done that. The Darkspines and Excalibur transformations felt new, and are better than Super Sonic, IMO. With Colors not having Super Sonic as a plot only thing and for gameplay, it felt right, and should be that way in some future titles. For Generationa, we can let it slide. Come on, what's a 20th year anniversary without a Super Sonic final battle?

I like Super Sonic, but I feel it needs to be put to a rest for a little while, in terms of plot.

Have it be the same as in Colors, as in for gameplay only, not for plot. Every now and then, have a Super Sonic final boss.

That's been my thoughts on this.

[FourCartridge]

Super Sonic is WAY too important now. It's basically the kill switch for every game.

"Something's going wrong? Welp, Super Sonic tiem."

Turning crazy invincible and auto-killing everything being the ending to EVERY GAME (except Colors) since Adventure is getting OLD AS FUCK.

It's what happened when the Adventure series stopped making them gameplay collectables and made them part of the plot. You needed some use for em when the villain don't have the emeralds, or else Sonic and Co. could just hold on one, go "can't touch this" and everyone can just pack up and go home.

Look at Mario and the claims he's becoming a giant rehash; it wouldn't kill Sonic Team to do something interesting and new with the Chaos Emeralds, wouldn't it?

[YeppersPeppers]

I feel that Super Sonic should remain as an unlockable and not a last minute plot device. I don't mind having an optional boss every now and then (The Doomsday Zone), but it's gotten predictable. Colors was fantastic. The final boss was a nice surprise, and it actually left me satisfied. I shouldn't be playing a Sonic game thinking "Man, I wonder what the Super Sonic battle is going to be like". Super Sonic is like a temporary god mode, and it shouldn't be treated so casually.

[BlueBlurMe]

I like Super Sonic, but I feel it needs to be put to a rest for a little while, in terms of plot.

Have it be the same as in Colors, as in for gameplay only, not for plot. Every now and then, have a Super Sonic final boss.

That's been my thoughts on this.

I think that's a good idea. We need more variety; this Super Sonic thing is getting old. Every last boss always uses Super Sonic. But I like Super Sonic because of the nostalgia it's a very useful form. Gameplay would be a wonderful place for it because it's advantages are nice to use in the stages, as most of us have already experienced.

[Solly]

I liked Super Sonic as an aspect of gameplay more than a plot device shoehorned in at the end.

I guess the exception to this would be the first Sonic Adventure, which I thought handled this really well. Maybe I'm just biased because it's the first time I saw him (although I played Sonic games before this, I just couldn't unlock him) but he tied into everything really well. You spent the entire game chasing the Chaos Emeralds, watching Chaos use them and seeing how they affected him, but YOU get to use them in the climax of the game to transform yourself. The whole game was leading up to that fight. I remember reading about Super Sonic in the player's guide, and he sounded so mysterious and interesting.

And he WAS. At least I thought so, at the time. I realize that my opinion is being somewhat influenced by the fact that this was new to me, but Super Sonic added to Adventure's story and made the climax memorable, even if it was incredibly cheesy.

In other games though, the Emeralds are just kinda...there.

[Diogenes]

Super Sonic's been overexposed. Too many games using him in basically the same way. Any kind of mystery or impact to him was worn away years ago.

I'm not really sure how to fix that, though.

[Soniman]

Simple, just dont use him for story purposes in every game. Worked for Colors.

Edited August 25, 2012 by Soniman

[Kuzu]

I'm not really sure how to fix that, though.

Well use him less for starters.

I think the last game to use Super Sonic effectively was Unleashed, plotwise anyway. It was a nice change of pace going Super at the beginning and the climax just makes his appearance feel completely awesome.

But I think it's time it's taken a break, it's becoming a literal Dues Ex Machina now with how it's being used, and it's slowly but surely wearing out it's welcome. Super form in general are played out, as both plot devices and gameplay mechanics. Gameplay wise it was basically a permanent invincibility power up with a design change(a cool design change mind you) and not much else. Perhaps if there was some buildup to it then I can accept it as a plot power up, but as it is now it's so predictable and boring.

[Abominal SnowTaz]

Super Sonic's been overexposed. Too many games using him in basically the same way. Any kind of mystery or impact to him was worn away years ago.

Yeah, Super Sonic has aged from an awesome playable character to a last minute cop-out thanks to Sonic adventure. Not to mention we haven't seen Hyper Sonic in years and I don't think we'll get that back ever unless in a new game in the series the final boss is so tough, everyone agrees Super Sonic ain't gonna cut it.

Edit: Oh. That's much better. Thanks KHJ.

Edited August 25, 2012 by Abominal Taz

[WarioBone]

Not to mention we haven't seen Hyper Sonic in years and I don't think we'll get that back ever unless Hell freezes over

fix'd

[Kuzu]

Am I the only who doesn't get the massive hype for Hyper Sonic?

[Debug Ring]

Am I the only who doesn't get the massive hype for Hyper Sonic?

Pun intended?

[WarioBone]

Am I the only who doesn't get the massive hype for Hyper Sonic?

No. While I think it'd be neat for him to make some dinky cameo appearance in a game, just to be like "OH HEY LOOK THAT HAPPENED", I don't think that he should ever be used in a legit "We need Hyper Sonic NAO" situation.

[Eternal EX]

The ironic thing about Sonic Generations...he beat Perfect Chaos in normal mode. So would that indicate that Sonic has gone soo much stronger since Adventure, meaning S. Sonic is not needed as much. Except when something stupid like Time Eater, BioHazard, Doomsday, Dark gaia and Solaris comes up. I mean when Sonic can take out a final boss like Perfect Chaos, that tells me S. Sonic is no longer needed.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Honestly, I am outright SICK of how predictable Super Sonic is. Maybe I should treat him the same as I do with Knuckles and annoy the hell out of people with it, because this repetitive use of the form is just ridiculous.

Honestly, they should use him less and at differing points in the plot instead of as a last minute solution that fixes everything. Oh top of that, make him vulnerable. Yeah, we all know Super Sonic is almost completely invulnerable, but that didn't stop Knuckles from punching him out of the state with a surprise attack nor did it stop Eggman from sapping the energy from him. That's two vulnerabilities.

How about using the Master Emerald to neutralize the form for whomever can use it? Or how about you make a threat so overwhelming that while Super Sonic can still fight it, it causes a lot of collateral damage to the people around him that he's trying to protect and therefore the form doubles as a liability? How about something that's also invincible in that while it still can't hurt Super Sonic, Super Sonic can't hurt it back either, requiring another means than just throwing an invulnerable hedgehog at it to stop it?

Seriously, I can go at this all day. But regardless, the whole problem stems from how predictable and repetitive the form is. Anyone decent enough with a pen can solve this problem, but as said many times before Sonic Team seem to be reluctant to do much different in the storytelling department.

Gameplay is a whole other issue that needs reworking.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

Honestly, they should use him less and at differing points in the plot instead of as a last minute solution that fixes everything. Oh top of that, make him vulnerable. Yeah, we all know Super Sonic is almost completely invulnerable, but that didn't stop Knuckles from punching him out of the state with a surprise attack nor did it stop Eggman from sapping the energy from him. That's two vulnerabilities.

Your statement here made me remember an alternate scene I made up in my head for Sonic Unleashed in the end:

After Sonic and Chip get the last Chaos Emerald to the temple in Eggmanland, Eggman suddenly pops up, but INSTEAD, he quickly uses a mix of machinery and Dark Gaia Force to INTENTIONALLY bring Dark Gaia to full power. Sonic, of course, loses his Werehog form, and Eggman taunts him from a distance, before moving away from the scene to watch Dark Gaia beat down Sonic. Chip go Gaia Colossus and the first phase of Dark Gaia begins.

The first phase ends after Dark Gaia get's all three of its eyes hurt, but not before it FIRES ITS LAZER at the Gaia Colossus, destroying the Colossus and seemingly killing Chip. Sonic, pissed off, goes Super Sonic and battles Dark Gaia in Phase 2. He wins, but since Chip isn't helping him this time, he's even more exhausted than usual, and the Chaos Emeralds disperse.

HERES THE BIG TWIST! Eggman swoops in on the weakened Sonic in his Egg Dragoon: he was waiting for Dark Gaia to weaken Sonic enough so that he wouldn't have to worry about Super Sonic. He can now finish off Sonic and continue his plans of World Domination unimpeded. Sonic, even though greatly weakened, manages to beat Eggman again. Unfortunately, since he no longer has the Emeralds, and he is very weakened from both fights, he passes out, his seemingly inevitable demise coming.

Chip's spirit, which barely survived the blast from Dark Gaia, manages to bring him out of the core to safety, sapping the last of his strength and forcing him to remain behind with the dead Dark Gaia.

Hope that made sense.

[ArtFenix]

Super Sonic is one of the things I love about the series. I love to play as Super Sonic and I love seeing him during the final boss fights. I didn't really like that there was no Super Sonic in the end of Sonic Colors and while he was in the DS version the battle sucked big, BIG time.

So heah, the more I see of Super Sonic in future games, the better. (Just make the ring consumption 1 per second. Generations ring consumption was insane)

Edited August 25, 2012 by ArtFenix

[WarioBone]

How do you guys feel about bringing back Super Knuckles? At least, for gameplay-only purposes?

[LoiLoi17]

I will be one of the few here, who will say that they need to implement Super Sonic in the plot more. ...But differently. I want Sonic to surpass his super form. Yes, Hyper Sonic. There will be a point, in which Eggman will realise ( at least I hope so) that his efforts haven't been good enough and that he eventually builds the ultimate robot, that not even Super Sonic can surpass. If Sonic and his super form's power cannot surpass a greater evil, he will be force to ascend. That will give chance for a lot of character development, in my opinion.

[Semi-colon e]

I wouldn't mind the Super Sonic boss fights as much in the 3D games (for some reason, I don't dislike them in the 2D games as they're simply implemented and usually well, especially Rush Adventure's fantastic change of pace) if they played like the rest of the game. Perfect Chaos in SA1 is the only real exception. Unleashed's was just terrible, and the whole floating in space with new controls is just boring and not fun to play.

Also Sonic 4 and Sonic Colours mapping the transformation to different buttons was long overdue. I also don't understand why they keep gimping Super Sonic these days, isn't he supposed to be broken?

Edited August 25, 2012 by Semi-colon e