Why Sonic Generations is a MASTERPIECE

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For the final Sonic video on the channel in 2021, we are going out in style by reviewing, easily one of, if not, the best Sonic game to ever be released, Sonic Generations for PS3, 360 and PC from 2011. The 20th anniversary celebration for the Sonic the Hedgehog series. I have a lot to say about this one as the timestamp no doubt shows. Took me awhile to finish this one, so I hope the final product was worth it!

[JsReviews]

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[MariusUrucu]

I owe a lot to Sonic Generations. It's the Sonic game that got me into the franchise. Heck, without Generations I wouldn't have started my own YouTube channel or be here commenting on this video.

[rueblie]

You can tell Generations was made with love, definitely the best boost has ever been and just so much history to enjoy. I just wish there was more games represented in the levels, though I guess 3DS does that

[DesignDoc]

Game's real good. Should've had some proper DLC. Wish Classic used the elemental shields throughout stages normally instead of as an equippable skill. Also wish the stage selection wasn't just a popularity contest and was a little more well-rounded with less city stages. Personally would've liked to see something unusual like Red Mountain instead of Speed Highway (rough cut I know) while still keeping City Escape. Maybe Egg Fleet or Hang Castle instead of Seaside Hill? These are all nitpicks of course. This is a Top 5 Sonic game.

[brycebitetti]

It's so sad that SEGA was so utterly blind that they couldn't understand that what made this game great wasn't that it had no story, or leaned on nostalgic callbacks, or that Sonic's friends were shoved to the side, or that Classic Sonic was there, it was that it was simply a fantastic game. But instead of replicating the depth that made the game so good, they only sought to replicate its superficial features instead.

[whodatninja]

there's a crazy modding community for this game. graphics, skins, animations, even entire levels from other games! best being the unleashed project

[thomasobrien]

Fun fact: there was going to be a third sonic in the game meant to represent the Dreamcast era voiced by Ryan Drummond, but it was cut. Not only would have been so cool, but I think it actually could have helped justify the 2D in the boost stages having a character fully 2D, a Character fully 3D, and a character that’s a mix of both.

[LordMetalSonic]

Did you know that Perfect Chaos' appearance in Generations is how he was ALWAYS intended to appear (i.e. in the original Sonic Adventure), but due to the Dreamcast's technical limitations, they went with the design they did.

[ALtheBoi]

Gens is proof that the Sonic fanbase isn't so divided where it can't collectively agree on one thing being good because of its sheer quality
And all it took was being polished and fun, _who would've thought_

[SonicSwift]

Generations is one of the few Sonic games that is universally agreed upon being good by critics and fans alike. I love this game so much.

[RubyofBlue]

My favorite part of Generations is like you said, its amazing, branching, diverse level design. It's super good for a Sonic level to have different ways to play every time you come back to the game! Even if I've become jaded with the boost full-on replacing full 3D fluid gameplay, good level design is good level design. And that alone is worth placing Gens as one of the best, even if it's not my personal favorite. Also BIG shoutouts to Generations' amazing art design, managing to blend all eras of Sonic into one cohesive whole! I swoon imagining what Adventure remakes would look like with Generations' environmental art design~

[AstonishingRed]

Modern Sonic: “Hey Sonic! Enjoy your future! It’s gonna be great!

Classic Sonic: “But yours won’t”

Me: OOF 😖

[Jonloo]

One of my memories with this game isn't with the game itself exactly; I remember when I was in school we had a substitute teacher come in to teach our class, but he didn't do that straight away. One of the first things he did was ask the class about Sonic the Hedgehog, specifically if we liked the games and if we had played Sonic Generations yet. He told us that at the end of the game, a crowd cheered Sonic wishing him a happy birthday, and he was in that crowd. I don't know why, but that stuck with me. It got me a bit intrigued to try out Sonic games, at least ones besides the Sonic Mega Collection I had bought at a flea market which was weirdly packaged in a box for Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.
I still think about that teacher sometimes, it was weird to think that someone like that at that point of my life would greet everyone as a Sonic fan. I wonder where he is now...

[shamaboy]

Definitely my favorite 3D Sonic game. Short and sweet, no fluff and I feel this one does best balance between speeding and interesting platforming. Trick system is also just perfect and it such a shame that they scrapped it together after this one.

[TwitterVS]

congrats on the Vessi sponsorship! I've never been sponsored by them but i bought some shoes from them earlier this year and I love them!
if i ever decide to get another pair, ill use your code

[Rogerregorroger]

Thank goodness for Sonic Generations, the only main Sonic game I have a lot of respect for this entire decade. Modern Sonic's levels are amazing.

Interesting bonus with the EggRobo boss, in the last regular level, your goal is to reach Death Egg zone in Sky Sanctuary, so kinda neat the boss right after is in it, the only time there's continuity between levels. Altough the cutscene inbetween ruins the connection. Oh well.

Fascinating, Sonic Colors level design is supposedly good, yet as soon as it's recreated in Sonic Generations, everyone immediatly agrees it's the lesser level.

Funny you say the devs gave a lot of respect to Silver as a boss fight, but didn't notice he's litteraly the only boss fight without a unique envirement, just plopped back into Crisis city where they never fought, rather then Soleanna's townsquare.
Then again, that would have been another city level, so....Oh hey, that means StarDust Speedway's also technically a city level in Generations, making 5 city levels.
This, combined with the 3ds levels really show Beach and city levels are always the most popular.

"Would have been fine if Orbot and Cubot were left behind for good"
Ohhh, brutal.
Also, agreed.

Heh, splash hill zone during the final boss, that's great.
Shame the Spring Stadium zone track from Sonic3dBlast Saturn act 2wasn't in the list, that derpy clown music would be more perfect.

Heh, the "Happy Birthday Sonic" yell from the credits was partly recorded at Summer of Sonic, which I attended, which means I'm an official Sonic voice actor I guess. Yay?

Sonic Generations generallly makes great choices for it's levels and
bosses, yeah. A little Too good choices. As in, so good Sega keeps making the same choices over and over and now in retrospect, all the choices
Especially with Classic Sonic just annoy me in how overused they'll become. Green
Hill, Sky Sanctuary, Checmial plant, The metal sonic race in Stardust speedway AND the Eggrobo will all overstay their welcome real soon.
None of the Adventure/ Modern Sonic stages suffer from that tough, not sure if that's a blessing or just more irritating.

[jasonblack]

It has so much replayability with the rpg elements and the challenges. Also the stages are just too fun. My fav boost game

[joshtalks]

I'll tell you why Sonic Generations is a masterpiece. There's something there for everyone. It's way past cool.

Also Sly Cooper for the win 🙂

[cliffturbo]

I really like Sonic Generations and Sega did a great job in celebrating the hedgehog's 20th anniversary. It's a must for any sonic fans.

[sayachan]

I'm not a fan of the meta era and I hope we see the back of it going forward but even I have to admit I absolutely loved generations as a game.

I agree not having level DLC was a massive L.