Sonic the Hedgehog is a name that holds a special place in most gamers’ hearts. For some of us who were born in the 90’s, he was the first game we played as toddler gamers. We have seen him grow and flourish into what he is today. Some of us have lost hope over the years while others stayed true to the little blue hedgehog hoping that redemption was just around the corner.
While sonic has seen some pretty bad games over the past few years, we can not block out the good ones he has come out with, most recently the downloadable title Sonic 4. With Sonic Generations now out on the Nintendo 3DS, can we hope that Sonic is back on the fast track to fame and glory? Or is this just another title that should be thrown in the trash heap? Here are the Hots and Nots of Sonic Generations for the 3DS.
Hot
Gameplay
The gameplay for Sonic Generations is fun and addicting. The classic levels that are redone in 3D are especially awesome. As soon as you start up the game you will be put in control of classic Sonic running through the Green Hill Zone step for step as if you were playing the very first game. After that you are put in control of the modern Sonic in a redone GHZ where the action is more fast paced and will keep you on your toes. It plays like a Sonic Game Generally would, classic Sonic can spin dash and jump to defeat enemies while modern Sonic can slide and use the homing dash. Each one provides a unique take on the various levels.
Speaking of levels, you will find a great deal of classics in this game remastered in 3D. Notable levels like the Casino and Mushroom Hills can be found in the game with both classic and modern versions to play through. There are even boss stages that have you facing classic Sonic villains in both classic and modern forms. There are 11 total stages each with 2 acts and a special stage that allows you to obtain a chaos emerald in a fashion similar to the minigame found in Sonic 2. Some of the stages found in the game are ones that you won’t even find in the console version.
Variety
There is a total of 4 different game modes for you to play in Sonic Generations adding to the replayablility of the game. You can choose from story mode, versus mode, missions and time attack. Story mode has Sonic and friends racing through time trying to figure out who is set on destroying their world. Versus mode allows you to face off with either a friend locally or an opponent online in a mode called Grand Prix where you race to be the first to the finish line. Mission mode consists of 100 different missions that have you meeting various goals in order to complete the level. The final mode, time attack, has you racing to finish the level in the fastest time to beat other players on the leaderboard.
Music/Sound
All of the music and various sounds in this game will bring back fond memories of the classic Sonic days. The music is reminiscent of the older games and the modern levels have a nice twist on the old music. The sounds are what you would expect from a Sonic game, and that is a good thing. Jumping, homing attacks, dashing and defeating enemies will make their original iconic sounds and you will feel a rising sense of nostalgia the more you play the game. This is definitely another big plus for those hardcore Sonic fans out there.
Graphics
The graphics in Sonic Generations look really good on the 3DS. It is also worth mentioning that the 3D works well in this game and the older levels look awesome with the depth. While the modern Sonic’s levels don’t quite give the freedom of the 3D, the levels still look awesome and playing them for an S-ranking is a fast paced joy ride that makes you feel accomplished once you earn it. All of the levels are just as vibrant as they used to be and it is nice to see these classics redone on Nintendo’s handheld console.
Not
Story
The story in Sonic Generations definitely won’t be winning any awards anytime soon. It all boils down to an unknown being causing a disruption in time and it is up to both classic and modern Sonic to get down to the bottom of it and save the day once again using his super speed. Along the way you will rescue some of Sonic’s friends and uncover more of the mystery at hand. The dialogue is passable at best and tends to make Sonic come off as arrogant rather than heroic and friendly. You will find yourself skipping the cutscenes most of the time and moving on to the meat and potatoes of the game, because lets face it, most of you bought this game for the gameplay not the story. It is also worth mentioning that the story can be completed in just around 3 hours, which is one sitting or a long car ride for some people. The other game modes and replay value do make up for this minor fault however.
Verdict
Sonic Generations on the Nintendo 3DS is a great game that fans will love. If you are looking for a game to bolster that 3DS collection and you want a good throwback to the classics then definitely look into picking this up if you have the extra money. While there may be a flaw in the story regarding how it is told and how long it lasts, the game makes up for it in replayability, good graphics, fun gameplay and music that will give you that nostalgic feeling. It seems that Sonic is back in the game once again. Lets just hope that he takes his time putting out good games so we don’t get anything like Sonic Unleashed again.
[Editor’s Note: Sonic Generations was reviewed on the Nintendo 3DS. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]