Sonic the…What?

Sonic the Hedgehog, once a staple of the gaming community, has fallen quite far from his once high pedestal of fame. Instead of going back to a formula that worked, it seems that Sega has wanted to try out a few other ideas for their fuzzy blue mascot. Now the question is, with all the change that Sonic has undergone, is he even still the same hedgehog we knew and loved back on the Genesis?

It has been a while since a Sonic game has elicited a joyful smile out of me; Sonic Adventure 2 was the last of what was a good track record for the blue blur. After what started as a slow trek downhill, it quickly became a death spiral into a pit from which the Sonic Team and Sega cannot seem to claw their way out. Many of the things they had tried just did not make any sense, which gained Sonic the title of “dead to me” by Christopher Park in his “genre-jumping series” article, and I am likely to agree. However, with Sonic coming out with another two adventures soon, is there still a chance for redemption?

The first of the two upcoming games is Sonic Unleashed and it, by far, shows off some of the biggest changes to the Sonic formula. Apparently, Dr. Eggman just cannot help himself, as he is the villain once again, but with his giant new “laser beam,” he awakens the evil beast Dark Gaia, shatters the world’s continents into pieces, and turns Sonic into a “werehog.” Aside from that last part, it is a pretty cookie-cutter storyline for the series. It’s that werehog part that is making people nervous, and for good reason.

While playing as normal Sonic, the gameplay looks surprisingly good and familiar, having a slight resemblance to the original Sonic Adventure and the classic Genesis games. Which, when I first saw it, not only made me happy, but made me think, “Hey, maybe that blue hedgehog that I liked from my childhood isn’t really dead.” Of course, right after that, I was informed that he would be changing into a giant blue beast that looked somewhat like a fuzzy version of The Incredible Hulk. I laughed thinking this was some sort of joke, but alas, it was no joke, it was reality. Still quite excited about the classic-looking gameplay, but now wary of just what to expect of the other half of the game, fans of the old Sonic wonder just what has happened to our favorite spiny friend.

Shortly after the Wii’s launch, we were treated to a Sonic game going by the title Sonic and the Secret Rings. The game was enjoyable and fun and had the overall sense of speed that any Sonic game should; it felt more along the lines of racing title than anything else. In spring of next year, we will be treated to the second in the “Storybook Tales of Sonic” series. This time, in lieu of the Arabian Nights tale, Sonic will be tasked with saving the tale of King Arthur. The story to Sonic and the Secret Rings had the feeling of bad fan fiction, and I have a hard time thinking that Sonic and the Black Knight will do any better. However, the newest addition to the game is what has brought a lot of controversial buzz: Sonic wielding a sword. While this isn’t a bad idea since the game is a Wii exclusive and could make good use of the motion controls, why does Sonic need a sword, or any weapon for that matter?

Chip, Sonic Unleashed

So what has happened to the Sonic we knew and loved? No one can really say. While some say that even though his new games aren’t what they used to be, they still aren’t that bad, others have abandoned any hope they had of playing a new Sonic game that relives the experience of his glory days. It’s hard to say what will happen to the series from here on out, but if this trend continues, I’m fairly certain we’ll eventually see “Sonic and the Curse of Blackbeard’s Treasure” sometime in the future.