What Sonic game do you think have the perfect game mechanic?

[Rabbitearsblog]

So, with so many discussions about the different game mechanics that Sonic games have over the years, which Sonic the Hedgehog game do you think had the best game mechanic and one that you think that future Sonic games should take after?

For the classic Sonic games, I personally thought that Sonic 3 and Knuckles had the best game mechanics.  I like the fact that you are able to speed through the levels and you get faster momentum (or physics, there's a big debate about this) whenever you are going down a hill or moving straight forward.  Also, I loved the fact that even though both Tails and Knuckles have different playstyles from Sonic (Tails can fly and Knuckles can glide, while also breaking through walls), they can also move as fast as Sonic himself.

For 3D Sonic games, I think that Sonic Unleashed had the best speed based mechanic in terms of the boost formula.  The main focus of the Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay is speed and the boost formula displayed in Sonic Unleashed made a really good use of making Sonic go much faster in his environment by boosting up his speed.

[Duelistic Nature]

I feel this question really depends on the game it's designed around because that's what they were. Try to for example fit in the boost mechanic with the classic or adventure-style games. Or have adventure mechanics mixed into a boost game? It would work (spindash from adventure/ classics is sorta a substitute for boost), but you feel something's not really working in harmony. Or if you'd put boost sonic in an adventure level which has a lot more verticality to it. Going fast horizontally doesn't translate to good vertical traversal without a slope or a ramp.

Which game harmonized its respective mechanic best with the game designed around it? To be honest I'm on the fence between Unleashed and Colors. Both really did a stellar job trying to emphasize Sonic's boosting speed for maximum immersion. Nailing quick steps at boost speeds, drifts, and other high-speed feats felt good.

The classics I'm a lot more critical of. The reward for mastery over the level is getting to go fast. However, too many times have I noticed I gotta be psychic or do the level 20 times before I know what pixel, at what time, and at what speed I need to jump to clear some pit 2,5 screens away because I can't see it coming. Suffice it to say I work a lot better off of reaction speed, but getting blindsided by needing superhuman reaction times ain't cool.

42 minutes ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

 which Sonic the Hedgehog game do you think had the best game mechanic and one that you think that future Sonic games should take after?

This part of the question though: I actually feel Frontiers' take on the boost formula feels the most believable, in the open zone area. You feel like Sonic going at high speeds. the normal boost feels like a casual sprint for Sonic, while at max ring count you actually feel like going at Mach speeds. On top of that, you feel like you're in control of that speed like Sonic is in absolute control of how quickly he moves. Sonic is the fastest thing alive, and Frontiers' open zone fields really sell that.

On the cyberspace front though... I wish it was like unleashed levels of responsiveness.

Mash Unleashed stage feel and Frontiers hub world together and you've got yourself an excellent combo. One that might even topple the Adventure Series-type mechanics.

[Rabbitearsblog]

On 11/12/2022 at 5:06 PM, Duelistic Nature said:

I feel this question really depends on the game it's designed around because that's what they were. Try to for example fit in the boost mechanic with the classic or adventure-style games. Or have adventure mechanics mixed into a boost game? It would work (spindash from adventure/ classics is sorta a substitute for boost), but you feel something's not really working in harmony. Or if you'd put boost sonic in an adventure level which has a lot more verticality to it. Going fast horizontally doesn't translate to good vertical traversal without a slope or a ramp.

Which game harmonized its respective mechanic best with the game designed around it? To be honest I'm on the fence between Unleashed and Colors. Both really did a stellar job trying to emphasize Sonic's boosting speed for maximum immersion. Nailing quick steps at boost speeds, drifts, and other high-speed feats felt good.

The classics I'm a lot more critical of. The reward for mastery over the level is getting to go fast. However, too many times have I noticed I gotta be psychic or do the level 20 times before I know what pixel, at what time, and at what speed I need to jump to clear some pit 2,5 screens away because I can't see it coming. Suffice it to say I work a lot better off of reaction speed, but getting blindsided by needing superhuman reaction times ain't cool.

This part of the question though: I actually feel Frontiers' take on the boost formula feels the most believable, in the open zone area. You feel like Sonic going at high speeds. the normal boost feels like a casual sprint for Sonic, while at max ring count you actually feel like going at Mach speeds. On top of that, you feel like you're in control of that speed like Sonic is in absolute control of how quickly he moves. Sonic is the fastest thing alive, and Frontiers' open zone fields really sell that.

On the cyberspace front though... I wish it was like unleashed levels of responsiveness.

Mash Unleashed stage feel and Frontiers hub world together and you've got yourself an excellent combo. One that might even topple the Adventure Series-type mechanics.

I'm intrigued to see the open world concept with Sonic Frontiers be played out in future Sonic titles.

[Duelistic Nature]

If anything they've really proven that a large hub world like in Frontier's roaming islands can hold up really well in the next generation of Sonic titles. Sonic Adventure 1 did that already with it's hub areas and mashing those two together would be a quick 1-2 punch to get something the ball rolling towards a Sonic Adventure 3 or even a remake of Sonic Adventure 1.

[Rabbitearsblog]

3 minutes ago, Duelistic Nature said:

If anything they've really proven that a large hub world like in Frontier's roaming islands can hold up really well in the next generation of Sonic titles. Sonic Adventure 1 did that already with it's hub areas and mashing those two together would be a quick 1-2 punch to get something the ball rolling towards a Sonic Adventure 3 or even a remake of Sonic Adventure 1.

I agree that would be a great direction to take the gameplay mechanics in the near future.

[Starnik]

The Spin dash introduced in Sonic 2 is pretty cool. That addition alone puts Sonic 2 above Sonic 1 for me. It’s weird trying to play Sonic 1 without the spin dash since I’m so used to the move. The spin dash keeps Sonic moving, without having to run backwards first.

[Rabbitearsblog]

2 hours ago, Starnik said:

The Spin dash introduced in Sonic 2 is pretty cool. That addition alone puts Sonic 2 above Sonic 1 for me. It’s weird trying to play Sonic 1 without the spin dash since I’m so used to the move. The spin dash keeps Sonic moving, without having to run backwards first.

I agree that adding in the spin dash was the best move for this game.

[Starnik]

42 minutes ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

I agree that adding in the spin dash was the best move for this game.

Spin dash also makes the game more accessible. I notice that most people don’t call Sonic 1 their favorite of the classics. Usually the favorites are Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

[Rabbitearsblog]

33 minutes ago, Starnik said:

Spin dash also makes the game more accessible. I notice that most people don’t call Sonic 1 their favorite of the classics. Usually the favorites are Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

Yeah, Sonic 3 and Knuckles is probably the most popular classic title out there.

[Technically Inept]

The spindash is fine. But there is one aspect of it in the Classics that needs to be more emphasized and also needs to actually be implemented in the 3D games:

It doesn't put you at max speed. As fast as it makes you, it does not compare to the amount of momentum you can get from the environment.

I feel that is an important aspect because it can mean more tension to maintaining momentum. You'd care a lot more about not running into stuff and losing some of your speed if you didn't have a mechanic that can instantly get you all the speed you will ever need. And the spin dash does give you all the speed you need. Not only does it give enough momentum to overcome almost every momentum based obstacle (such as loops and ramps) you come across (which maybe isn't so bad) but it also gives you all the momentum you need to take advantage of angles in the terrain with speed jumps (which I do view as bad, because it ruins an opportunity for tension)

Like, if I know there's a big jump to a secret or alternate path ahead that I need momentum for, more momentum than the spindash can give me, I am going to care more about maintaining the greater momentum I carried from earlier in the level.

Meanwhile, the Adventure games completely ruin this aspect by making the difference in speed the spindash can give you and the speed the terrain or level pieces such as boosters can give you indistinguishable.