# Sonic the Hedgehog...is the hate necessary?



## duddy1 (May 17, 2014)

LatEly, Ihave noticed a massive string of hate, directed at everyone's favorite blue hedgehog. Granted, some of those articles were old, but I digress. The critics unnecessarily bash everything new at Sonic Team tries...Boom isn't even out yet, and I've seen a few hate depicting articles (most based around designs)...and no one seems to want to let '06 die.

My reason for posting here is this...does anyone here feel that this hate is justified? I myself have been a fan of the series since its roots (my first game ever was Sonic 2 for genesis), and I don't see what all the complaints are for. "The wisp powers felt clunky and out of place." Then don't use them! If it was a necessary segment, then they weren't out of place! That's must one example, but you get the idea.

To conclude, do you hate Sonic? If so post why, and if you don't hate the series, post why! (Move this to the rant section if you deem this too rantish.)


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## Fernin (May 17, 2014)

Most of the sonic hate is due to the fact that there hasn't been a good sonic game in years, if not decades, and the fact the characters are stuck in 80's-tude which is rather annoying, even for people who grew up in the 80s.


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## Taralack (May 17, 2014)

^ that and a lot of the Sonic fandom is kind of dumb. *coughChrischancough*


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## duddy1 (May 17, 2014)

The quality of a game is in the eye of the beholder. The critic views carry no weight. What matters to the company is sales, and until lost world, Sonic hasn't failed to crack a million each. Although, I can note the annoying attitude.


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## Captain Howdy (May 17, 2014)

One of my closest friends, of a decade or more now, is a die-hard Sonic fan. He will gush over how much he loves Sonic, from 80's/90's era origins, all the way until today's date. If the game sucks, he'll admit it sucks, but come hell or high water, he'll finish the damn game (a true hardcore gamer...)...He's a bit narrow on the games he'll play (75% Nintendo), but mad props to him, because he will complete any and all games he owns to 100% (except F-Zero for Gamecube). 

I loved the side-scrolling Sonic, and I personally own and enjoy the Dreamcast Sonic games as well, but that's about it. It's not something I'd go out of my way to play, but a nostalgic and frustratingly fun time.


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## Tremodo (May 17, 2014)

I was a Nintendo kid, I got to play sonic at most twice back in the day. In 2002 my brother bought Sonic Adventure 2: Battle for GC. The music was great! and the game was so much fun!. Getting the 100% is different story. We loved the levels, City Escape, oh man!.

Still at the time I didn't have access to a genesis, so I.... emulated sonic and sonic 2. Don't freak out though, this has since been corrected, my brother has all sonic collections, either for PS2 or GC.

There, I had an unbiased comparison, is 3d sonic really that much worse than 2d?... well, I enjoyed sonic 2 a lot, and the chemical factory background music is just outstanding. But I didn't finish sonic 2 until... this year. I played it often in 2002, but I never really felt motivated to finish it.

On the other hand my brother and I saw SA2B through all the way. I think sonic and sonic 2 are fantastic games, but weather or not they are better than the 3d games is something that boils down to opinion. Most people's opinion on the matter are clouded by nostalgia; sonic reminds you of your childhood, therefore it's better. The 3d ones make you think of your teenage years, or early adulthood, so hey it's good, but not as much.

I haven't played any other 3d sonic game to express an opinion, so no sonic colors, or sonic '06, or the one... for the... kinect...

I don't like the new designs though... but I like 3d sonic games, at least the 2 that I've played, but that's like half the 3d sonic games, or less? I don't know.

Not all 2d sonics were good though! ok, not sonic, but chaotix... I find it hard to enjoy playing. If I pick it up, I put it down not long after. It's too strange and awkward, and I like the characters so I kind of wanted to like it.


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## duddy1 (May 17, 2014)

The designs are just for Boom, which will remain a seperate continuity from the main plot. But yes, I agree...nostalgia clouds the view of many gamers, leading to unnecessary ignorance.


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## PastryOfApathy (May 17, 2014)

People hate Sonic for a one or more of the following reasons, all with valid backing. 

1. The character is in a lot of ways a relic of the 90's
2. The Sonic fanbase is notoriously retarded (arguably worse than furfags)
3. The games quality have been at best inconsistent and at worst always awful

I've always liked Sonic and I still do, but there's plenty of perfectly valid reasons to hate him.


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## SirRob (May 17, 2014)

Sonic is made to appeal to kids. People don't like it because they grew up while the games didn't, it's like Pokemon.


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## Tremodo (May 17, 2014)

SirRob said:


> Sonic is made to appeal to kids. People don't like it because they grew up while the games didn't, it's like Pokemon.


eeh. Pokemon has an *enormous* adult fanbase, very competitive too


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## SirRob (May 18, 2014)

Sonic has a large adult fanbase too though


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## CaptainCool (May 18, 2014)

I think Sega deserves the hate because they tried too desperately to make Sonic cool and hip. It's fucking hilarious!
Then they come up with a game that goes into a different direction (Sonic Generations) and things work out for them! They just don't know how to market Sonic.

Also, I don't get why Sonic was so popular when his first games came out. He is supposed to be super fast but only the first levels are centered around that. The later levels either have big water sections (you can't run fast in water) or have awkward platforming sections that you can't just run through. It's weird!



SirRob said:


> Sonic has a large adult fanbase too though



You mean those who fap to the Cream cub smut or that one flash dating sim in which you can rape Tails over at Inkbunny? :V


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## Imperial Impact (May 18, 2014)

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONIC HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEROES.

Anyways, I think Team Sonic is doing a tad bit better with it's newer games (Lost worlds, Colours and Generations). However with Dimps they're still shit.


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## RedLeFrench (May 18, 2014)

Got a friend who is a diehard Sonic fan and even though he slowly experienced descent into despair with each passing episode, I was still there to defend most announcements (even though I'm more of a Mario guy and don't really care for the franchise), casting cautious optimism while he was already announcing the shittiness of a game... Boy was he right with Lost World... I wanted to believe in it, but man does the Sonic Team not try hard enough to help their case. Maybe Boom will be good (I'm still optimistic despite this hiccup), but we'll never know until we've tried it.


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## Kosdu (May 18, 2014)

Every time I've seen or heard sonic he seems like an immature douche, and I find no appeal to me in the games.

I do not hate it, per-say, but I find it rather odd that people would find such appeal to it.



I would say pretty much the same for all nintendo games, they lack appeal to me.
Same with things like street fighter, monster hunter, final fantasy, kingdom hearts, they simply do not seem like games I could find any appreciable level of entertainment in.


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## Distorted (May 18, 2014)

I always saw him as a free spirit that just ran around helping people. When I was a kid I thought that was the coolest thing. Just running around flipping and spinning for justice. He's simple so that kids can get him more easily. But as I got older he kinda lost his appeal, and '06 kinda made me lose hope for a bit. 

But they've been doing good lately. Sonic Generations is really good compared to what's been out before it.  And Lost Worlds isn't all that bad either.


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## DrDingo (May 18, 2014)

Am I the only one that's noticed the gigantic irony of the caption on the OP's avatar?
It answers the thread's question for you!


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## Batty Krueger (May 18, 2014)

Ive been a sonic fan since his furst appearance in 1990. Sure some of the games suck hard, but it doesn't keep me from not loving him.


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## chesse20 (May 19, 2014)

Sonic sucks sucks and is bad and thr only good sonic game there is , is sonic all stars racing transformed

other than that there's not much quality


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## Milo (May 19, 2014)

sonic is popular like DBZ is popular in my opinion. it has a charm, but it's also that very charm that makes it hate-able to everyone else.

it also strikes me as what one would consider the definition of cool. I've seen one side say sonic is for the biggest nerds, but I've also heard people say sonic is totally badass

sonic is one of the most two-sided debates I've ever witnessed. it's almost literally split in half in just about every way.


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## Batty Krueger (May 19, 2014)

chesse20 said:


> Sonic sucks sucks and is bad and thr only good sonic game there is , is sonic all stars racing transformed
> 
> other than that there's not much quality


1. You're an idiot.
2. The best sonic games are the original platformers.


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## Volkodav (May 19, 2014)

You gotta go fast to escape the haters


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## FangWarrior (May 19, 2014)

The first sonic game I ever played was Sonic the hedgehog 2 on the genesis, ever since then, I've been hooked. But I could see why people are hating on our blue blur so much (Well... we have 06, sonic R, and shadow the hedgehog...  etc. your pick.) But, I feel that it's redeeming it's mistakes, I'm excited for sonic boom, sure they gave knuckles steroids, but this completely separate from the modern sonic games, so we still have our original knuckles, sonic, and other characters we know and love (and some we don't.) So is the hate necessary? Well, people need to stop looking back at the bad games. (No matter how much sonic sounds like a douche in Sonic colors, or how much we all hate 06.) Some in my opinion, are not even bad games.(Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colors, although I really hate sonic's attitude in that game. etc.) I am looking forward to sonic boom, and more games to come.


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## Batty Krueger (May 19, 2014)

I'm such a Sonic fag I have a book called "The History of Sonic the Hedgehog" Is really not all about Sonic,  but the history of Sega in general.  Quite an interesting read.


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## PastryOfApathy (May 19, 2014)

d.batty said:


> 1. You're an idiot.
> 2. The best sonic games are the original platformers.



idk man, Sonic Generations was pretty sick.


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## Alexxx-Returns (May 19, 2014)

That one game/console that you didn't have, and you could only play it at friends' house, that was the old time Sonic games on one of the Sega systems. Can't remember which one, I was very small. But I goddamn loved that game. That was my childhood. There was just something so satisfying about it.

I tried playing it on emulator a year or so ago, but I fear that I've out-grown it, because it didn't have the same appeal. I haven't played any Sonic games since though, unless a random flash game online counts.

I don't like Sonic himself as a character, but I guess everyone has characters they don't gel with. I always felt like he was trying too hard to be 'cool' (I caught episodes of the show here and there), and it's so extensive that I have a strong dislike for characters which REMIND me of Sonic (like Taichi in Digimon Adventure). I like Knuckles though, I always have. And I like Tails.

So basically, I loved a couple of the games as a kid, but can take it or leave it now. If I went to visit a friend and they wanted to play a Sonic game, I wouldn't refuse.


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## FangWarrior (May 19, 2014)

AlexxxLupo said:


> I don't like Sonic himself as a character, but I guess everyone has characters they don't gel with. I always felt like he was trying too hard to be 'cool'


sonic doesn't have to try hard to be cool, he already is a badass. Unless jumping off buildings like spiderman at super sonic speeds and not breaking his legs isn't awesome. 

I do respect your opinion, just sorta pointing that out.


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## Alexxx-Returns (May 19, 2014)

MoonFire* said:


> sonic doesn't have to try hard to be cool, he already is a badass. Unless jumping off buildings like spiderman at super sonic speeds and not breaking his legs isn't awesome.
> 
> I do respect your opinion, just sorta pointing that out.



Yes, that is true. As adults we can see this, but I guess kids, who the show is aimed at, probably need to be reminded that he's supposed to be cool.

I think that kind of marketing of protagonists is what always made me like the villains more than heroes as a kid. The heroes always seemed like... well, that, and the villains were more 3-dimensional and the writers were able to make them cool without trying, most of the time.

I think I just summed up ever show I saw/book I read as a kid.


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## duddy1 (May 19, 2014)

Everyone is all over the place...just what I expected :3.

May as well get my opinions out there. Some of the games in the series had their low points, but I don't view any of the games as 'bad'. Some are just 'unpolished'. The Adventure games were, in my opinion, the apex of the series, with different playable characters, and multiple play styles. And they really aren't trying to make him cool...that's always been his attitude. Ever played Adventure 1 (The first game she he talks)?


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## Batty Krueger (May 19, 2014)

Just bought Sonic Generations for 360, on sale for 15 bucks brand new. Looks like I know what im doing when I get home. Pawing off to the cover art


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## mcjoel (May 19, 2014)

d.batty said:


> Just bought Sonic Generations for 360, on sale for 15 bucks brand new. Looks like I know what im doing when I get home. Pawing off to the cover art


make sure you keep the shrink wrap on to act as a splash guard. :V


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## PastryOfApathy (May 19, 2014)

d.batty said:


> Just bought Sonic Generations for 360, on sale for 15 bucks brand new. Looks like I know what im doing when I get home. Pawing off to the cover art



Good, literally the best Sonic I've ever played outside of the Genesis era.


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## FangWarrior (May 19, 2014)

d.batty said:


> Just bought Sonic Generations for 360, on sale for 15 bucks brand new. Looks like I know what im doing when I get home. Pawing off to the cover art


sonic generations is pretty sweet, nostalgia overkill.... I really like what they did with crisis city for classic sonic, the music for that stage always gets me humming. I also love to play the chemical plant stage for classic and modern, just for the nostalgia trip and the thrill of the level. 

*SPOILER ALERT *Although I was really disappointed with the death egg stage, I just felt it could have been harder, I really love me a game that can get my blood boiling and my hands tense.


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## duddy1 (May 19, 2014)

I've never played the console version, but I have heard good things. The 3ds version is good, and I like how it has different stages, but it is extremely short.


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## Neviam (May 24, 2014)

I feel like a lot of the hatred for the Sonic franchise comes from the... strange side of the fanbase. On sites like 4chan, Reddit, and the like, Sonic is practically equated with adult/fetish fan art and poorly made OCs on DeviantArt. I think it's dumb to judge an entire series by its fanbase, but it gets similar treatment as MLP/bronies. I agree with most of you all that the newer games aren't nearly as good as the older, side-scrolling Sonic games... I have no idea how Sonic Boom will turn out.


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## Inpw (May 24, 2014)

Built a virtual representation of what I would want a sonic the hedgehog roller coaster to be like. Got thousends of views and stuff and won some respect within the coaster communities with this project. Kinda found the furry fandom through researching art for it but was never really a fan of the character. I did enjoy the sonic 3 and knuckles game though. Such a 90's kid...


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## Konda (May 25, 2014)

What pisses me off is that as bad as 06 was, every single thing bad about it was repeated in Unleashed PS360 (and throw in sun/moon medals and framerate issues into the mix, and werehog, and a hub for every godamn continent) and yet people call it a turnaround. And ever since then I basically had no business liking Sonic anymore since now all of a sudden and ever since then, instead of being considered a village retard for liking Sonic games, I was a village retard for _not_ liking Sonic games.


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## Digitalpotato (May 25, 2014)

While there are people who actually dislike Sonic, I think a lot of the outright hate is because of what I call "The Clique Effect". 

Someone you respect hates Sonic? Now you hate it too - because you want to fit in.


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## Maugryph (May 25, 2014)

Some people just hate things that are popular. sometimes it is justified. sometimes it is not. I can understand people hating sonic OCs because some are just pallet swaps that have 'do not steal' smack dead in the center of the image. I still like sonic, even though the latest games haven't been that good (With the exception of Sonic Colors, that was great).


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## Milo (May 25, 2014)

Digitalpotato said:


> While there are people who actually dislike Sonic, I think a lot of the outright hate is because of what I call "The Clique Effect".
> 
> Someone you respect hates Sonic? Now you hate it too - because you want to fit in.



I stuck by my creepy obsession with sonic through the bad times man.


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## Digitalpotato (May 25, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> Some people just hate things that are popular. sometimes it is justified. sometimes it is not.



See: My twitter feed. Non-stop hatred for WatchDogs.

I wanna know how on earth those guys got their hands on the game - because I can't unlock it until tomorrow.


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## PastryOfApathy (May 25, 2014)

Digitalpotato said:


> See: My twitter feed. Non-stop hatred for WatchDogs.
> 
> I wanna know how on earth those guys got their hands on the game - because I can't unlock it until tomorrow.



Some brick and mortar stores broke the release date and a lot of people have had copies for almost a week now. Or if you believe Ubisoft it was ironically enough evul hackerz.


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## Hooky (May 26, 2014)

Meh. If Sonic Team knew how to make games (a requirement in the industry) then maybe I wouldn't dislike them with such evocation.


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## duddy1 (May 26, 2014)

You aren't alone :3 Been playing since I was 2...still haven't quit.


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## Mr. Sparta (May 26, 2014)

Just so you know, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my werewolf obsession after I played Sonic Unleashed.

Goddamnit Sega.


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## chesse20 (May 26, 2014)

Sonic and the secret rings = trash
sonic adventures = trash

the only good thing ti come out of the sonic franchise is "tails gets trolled" and "sonic all stars racing transformed"
at least it's not bubsy though, bubsy is worse than sonic hands down


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## Batty Krueger (May 26, 2014)

I thought sonic adventure was fun on dreamcast. Those 3d graphics were amazing back in the day.


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## duddy1 (May 31, 2014)

chesse20 said:


> Sonic and the secret rings = trash
> sonic adventures = trash
> 
> the only good thing ti come out of the sonic franchise is "tails gets trolled" and "sonic all stars racing transformed"
> at least it's not bubsy though, bubsy is worse than sonic hands down


Mmkay...I can understand hating secret rings, although I didn't myself, but transformed the only good thing to come from sonic? Clearly you haven't played many of the games :3


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## PastryOfApathy (May 31, 2014)

chesse20 said:


> Sonic and the secret rings = trash
> sonic adventures = trash
> 
> the only good thing ti come out of the sonic franchise is "tails gets trolled" and "sonic all stars racing transformed"
> at least it's not bubsy though, bubsy is worse than sonic hands down



Say what you want about Sonic Adventure but without it we wouldn't have been shown the beauty of the Knuckles rap.


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## Kimjoy (May 31, 2014)

Sonic community is among one of the worst and most divided. I personally love the 3D games better like Sonic Heroes and I also like Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Riders. Looking forward to Sonic Boom, I have been a Sonic fan for ages and the only people I get in fights with are the purists that only like the games from Sonic Adventure 2 and back.


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## 1000bluntz (Jun 1, 2014)

This thread just isn't fast enough


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## Konda (Jun 9, 2014)

Digitalpotato said:


> While there are people who actually dislike Sonic, I think a lot of the outright hate is because of what I call "The Clique Effect".
> 
> Someone you respect hates Sonic? Now you hate it too - because you want to fit in.



I just said in the unpopular opinions thread that videogame industry is clique based. Glad that _someone_ gets it.



CaptainCool said:


> I think Sega deserves the hate because they tried too desperately to make Sonic cool and hip. It's fucking hilarious!
> Then they come up with a game that goes into a different direction (Sonic Generations) and things work out for them! They just don't know how to market Sonic.


Actually it's the opposite, Colors and Generations pander really hard in the cutscenes. It is trying to be funny now instead of trying to be cool. And the rollercoaster sequences in Generations are infinitely more hammy than the ones in previous games.

p.s. the irony of your username being CaptainCool



Distorted said:


> I always saw him as a free spirit that just ran around helping people. When I was a kid I thought that was the coolest thing. Just running around flipping and spinning for justice. He's simple so that kids can get him more easily. But as I got older he kinda lost his appeal, and '06 kinda made me lose hope for a bit.
> 
> But they've been doing good lately. Sonic Generations is really good compared to what's been out before it. And Lost Worlds isn't all that bad either.


To me, on some level Sonic used to be.. a sort of distant rogue badass who secretly has a heart of gold. Maybe I was just young. But starting with 06, SSR, and Unleashed onward he's become this sort of creepy coolest-babysitter-ever who just makes me groan. He's put in the same role in every game, whether it's Elise or Shahra or Chip or Tails or Merlina or wheelchair girl. It's obnoxious and repetitive and in some cases bizarre.


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## Lemanic (Mar 9, 2017)

So I just did an article at SoaH City that touches on the subject of the "hate" Sonic is getting. 

soahcity.com: The Potential for an Amy Rose Spin Off


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## M4CH (Mar 9, 2017)

As much as I loved Sonic when he was just starting out, I think the franchise lost it's identity in the early 2000's. Plots within the games since have become an inconsistent mess with a lack of originality or character because of the amount of disjointed ideas and gimmicks. 

Nature vs human development: it was a plain, simple and interesting theme full of potential and remains a relevant concern even today (perhaps more now than it's ever been.) I just hate the fact that nothing about any recent Sonic-thing is ever developed further than one game. 

"He's a knight!... now, a werewolf!... now, a time/dimension-traveler! Oh! Now he's got TONS of friends, look at them all! - but we're never going to develop them like we did Knuckles." ~Sonic Team

That's just my opinion. And for the record, I still love most of the characters, first three games, and SatAM show... alright, and that OTHER show... You know the one.


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