30 Days of Sonic DAY 8 - Question of the Week 1: Most Underrated Sonic Spinoff Game [30DOS22]

[Piko]

I see so few people talking about Team Sonic Racing these days that sometimes I wonder if it was just a fever dream I had. It’s a solid kart racer (albeit a step down from its predecessor) that was unfortunately eclipsed by CTR Nitro-Fueled in terms of promotion.

When the game was first announced, I was intrigued by the team mechanic as I had no idea how working as part of a team would work in a racing game. However, I think it was implemented pretty well; you’re rewarded for doing what you can to get your team ahead of the competition even if it means none of you are anywhere near first place.

[Solister]

Wow, there are so many to choose from....

I could say SegaSonic the Hedgehog, I legitimately believe it's one of the best Sonic games out there, but at the same time, I can't think I've ever seen someone dislike it, it's just poorly known, and I kinda blame SEGA for all these years never attempting to find an alternative to port it.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is another one I absolute love and really borders perfection for me, but I think it's pretty popular, actually. Sonic Drift 2 is also a very interesting, fun, and complete game for the Game Gear, but I can understand why SASRT would be much more appealing nowadays.

Now the next 3 is where things get interesting.

Sonic R and Sonic Riders have already been mentioned here, so I won't choose them. Sonic R, despite its flaws, can be a very fun game and equally nostalgic game. Great soundtrack and I find the low-poly models to be super cute. Other than a few camera bugs and quite its short length (there should have been at least one track for each chaos emerald), the only cons I can actually think it's that for most time, the game looks more an exploration game than a racing game if you are looking to 100% it.

For Riders, I don't think I have much to tell, it's been years since I last played it, but I do have memories of being a very fun game.

 

this lead us to...

Probably a game less than 10 fans would actually know haven't being ported on Sonic Gems Collection and Xbox Live Arcade.

It kinda impresses me that, given how Sonic Drift was given another chance with the All-Stars series, a Sonic fighting game have never been considered. Especially how some fighting games and Smash clones are popular at the moment.

It's not really any kind of masterpiece or a game I'd say everyone must play, but I just find it really odd how it's barely remembered. The plot is a bit peculiar and I don't even know how they would rewrite it for a new game, I don't even know how they would make a fighting game these days for a children's character work, but ultimately, it's a very fun game to play, with a new context on the marketing and without Arcade/Credits limitation, they could make some hub exploration, lots of characters to choose from without worrying about the full game length and just a bigger and better game overall.

And there are so many areas they could explore: Smash Bros kind of game, 2D like Mugen, 3D like the OG Sonic the Fighters, a bit more open-world/story driven like a few Dragon Ball games, something similar to Sonic Battle. Even a beat-em-up like Streets of Rage, although it would be very weird.

Ehh... maybe it's a cool game concept, but I'd be insecure there should really be attempted a sequel/spiritual successor. Especially how SEGA can't even structure itself to release something like Frontiers.

[Sonictrainer]

I'm go with Sonic Triple Trouble.

Outside the recent fan game remake, its cameo in the Sonic Symphony, and a few official Badnik names in the Sonic Encyclopedia-speed-ia, I don't hear too many people talk about it.

Not only does it have its own unique set of Zones & Bosses, it also introduces Nack the Weasel/Fang the Sniper.

[NikoS]

Sonic Spinball is definietely the one I played the most, and I really enjoy it, but I'll give the spot to Tails Adventure, despite never finishing it, it's a really solid game, that is easily overlooked, way more than spinball.

I'll jump to the Tails Adventure Remake bandwagon after Unleashed comes to PC 

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

Spinoff games that comes to mind for me would be sonic riders and the advance games. I know the advance games gets a lot of flak but I like them. I've played them a lot during the gba days, including sonic battle and I always felt like their stories felt connected for some reason.

Sonic riders and riders zero gravity gets a lot of love from me for being fun games to play with my bro when we first had a ps2. Those were the days man. We really had fun in the multiplayer modes. The rush games are my runner up.

[Stasis]

I remember finding this at an independent game shop around its release and having no idea it existed. While it can get a bit repetitive causing it to be underrated, it is an absolute joy to play. It has a great story which also follows what was the continuity at the time, characters have personality and having 2D sprites of all the previously 3D models was a joy to see. Battle Highway is also one of those music tracks I always find myself humming at times. 

[Johnny Boy]

Sonic Riders for me. I just loved how unique it was as a racing game with its mechanics and the selection of gear. It’s a damn shame it got discontinued after the shit show that was Free Riders but hopefully it can get a second chance one day.

[Tornado]

There's a long history of Sonic spinoffs that have like, this amazing foundational basis that Sega proceeds to do fuck all with or the game doesn't really do much of anything to utilize. Sonic Battle is the most obvious example that springs to mind, with it's frankly fucking absurd amount of character sprites and battle system that's weighed down by a story mode with horrendous padding.

 

 

 

But honestly I'm going to say Spinball. It's kinda jank, and it's really jank if you try to play it more like a Sonic game than a pinball game (basically only touch the D-Pad if you're on foot and you'll mostly be fine); but there a level of imagination and integration of pinball concepts and ideas into a full bore 2D platformer-esque game that it's crazy that it was a game thrown together in like 6 months largely by outside contractors. The only pinball game that I can think of that comes even close in the cool expansion on what a pinball game can be is that one Sony published on the PS2.

[Sega DogTagz]

Its Sonic Battle. The chase and dunk mechanic gives it an authentic "Sonic" feel that lets it slide right into the rest of the games gallery. Despite the story constantly propping up paper thin excuses to have everyone punch each other in the face, it is still entertaining and by its conclusion it somehow becomes the most lore heavy game in the franchise. 

 

Seriously. Sonic Battle contains all the glue that all us continuity nuts constantly like to fall back on.

[DaBigJ]

Trying my best to catch up with the event, bare with me here.

I only really played Sonic Spinball. Never completed it, but it's an alright game, if not really grating on the ears...and eyes. I only played the Genesis version, by the way. That options menu is iconic, for better or worst.

So...Spinball is my answer I guess.

[Teoskaven]

Tails Adventure for me. I kinda wish we got more games like that, the formula fits not just for Tails but i argue also for characters like Knuckles or Amy (hell, a stealth game with Amy could also be consistent with her weird invisibility powers in 06).

As mentioned by others, the only downside of the game is that it's too short, it just makes you desire for more.

[Polkadi~☆]

I must've been one of the five people who grew up with a PSP over a DS, but nothing about me is even remotely normal, sooo...

Sonic Rivals! The portable spin-off that no one ever talks about!

It's a simple 1-on-1 race, beat your rival to the finish or defeat the boss before your rival. It was a goofy yet fun little game, and even had a collectable trading card minigame filled with all sorts of odd and obscure things in the cards. I always did want to play the sequel, which seems to be a better version of the game, but simply never got to... Still, it kept me entertained for hours as a kid, because it was still a fun and original Sonic game that no one else seemed to have ever played!

[RosaRosaRosalina]

DAY 8

Look. If you know me, you already know my answer. And it's gonna surprise no one when I tell you that, for me, it's...

SONIC MOTHER FUCKING POCKET ADVENTURE.

Now I'm not sure if this even counts as a spinoff, but I saw Triple Trouble (another game I love) mentioned, so I might as well go full throttle for this one. 

Now this game is great. To me, it's really great. It's a 16-bit (yes, 16, despite the very 8-bit look of the Neo Geo Pocket Color) downscale of the classic Sonic games on the Genesis/Mega Drive. It treads a lot of old ground in just about almost every aspect-- it's the Sonic Advance and Sonic 4 before either of those games existed (made by the same teams, too!) But even despite all of that it takes all of the old and builds something relatively new out of it, with puzzle pieces to collect, brand new level layouts and a greater "pick up and play" ease to it than even some of the earlier or later games in the series. Yeah, it reuses a lot of stuff, but at the same time if it ain't really broke, I guess it doesn't need much fixing. It does stop it from being perfect, but it will never stop me (and IGN, apparently) from loving it. 

[Rabid-Coot]

Sonic R I feel time has not been kind to it. It was decent enough game in the 90's but suffers now from peoples first time being after playing more refined 3D games.

[Silvereyes]

I have to go with Sonic Riders too, but honestly, I want to bring up Zero Gravity as well. Yes, I don't think it is that good, I think Sonic Riders 1 is the best game of the trilogy, but I do really like some of Zero Gravity's ideas, not to mention the very unique sci-fi aesthetic it has. I honestly hope we get a Sonic Riders trilogy re-release some day. Free Riders biggest single issue is the forced motion controls, I'm sure the game will be fine or just mediocre if we can just play it with a controller. I think Riders 1 and 2 would really benefit being in HD.