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I remember walking up to the Sonic booth at E3 2011. I was positive that the new title, Sonic Generations, wasn't going to meet my expectations.

The demo changed my mind, though, and I got to experience some of the best Sonic gameplay ever.

I told my friend when I got home, "I think Sonic is going to make his comeback this year. If Generations can avoid problems from previous titles, then a new era of players will get to see how fun the games can be."

People commonly shrug off Sonic releases due to their bad reputation, but I was hoping that Generations was going to change that. This latest game was a good chance to evaluate whether Sonic Team has improved after years of miserable failures — these tragedies inspired me to ask questions that could reveal if the title will be good or not.

 

If you’ve never played Sonic before, this will give you insight on whether the new titles might be for you. If you remember liking Sonic in the past but haven’t been too happy with the latest releases, then you are the reason I answer these questions after my playthrough of Generations. Fans should have a right to know if it contains any of the problems that have plagued the franchise for years.

 

Does the gimmick hinder the experience?

A few years ago, a podcast mentioned that a Sega developer stated that every Sonic title required a gimmick. Whether this is true or not, every game since the critically bashed Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) contains a new mechanic that has been either hit or miss. Even titles before it, like Sonic Heroes and the Sonic Adventure series, introduced new features unfamiliar to the franchise such as playing as characters nobody asked for.

Generations' gimmick is that the player can use either Classic or Modern Sonic to race along reimagined stages from his 20-year history. This works well because Sonic Team isn't adding something alien to the franchise. Instead, the developers are working with what's existed for years: two different styles of gameplay.

Simply having a mechanic that doesn't drastically change the formula (Werehog levels, Sword battles) is a good start, as was in Sonic Colors' case, but it actually provides solutions to other common complaints. Fans who like one Sonic over the other as well as those who miss enemies from previous titles will be happy to see Sega bring back old favorites.

Do the tricks developers use to prolong the game work?

Anyone who's played Sonic Unleashed knows how ridiculously short the speed segments are even though they contain miles of digital road to blaze over. The developers had to find some way to extend the game beyond a couple hours of play, so they introduce elements such as the battle-heavy werehog levels.  

Fortunately, the developers for Sonic Colors figured out a better solution and removed the 3D segments in favor of more time on a 2D plane, which players can't blast through in seconds.

Generations enables a similar solution but uses its two-Sonics gimmick to its advantage. Not only does Modern Sonic spend some time on a 2D plane, but Classic Sonic's levels are also 100 percent sidescrolling fun. 

Does Classic Sonic feel like the classic Sonic?

This is probably the biggest deal breaker for the hardcore. Sonic 4 was supposed to be a spiritual reboot for the franchise — cocky enough to put a "4" in its title 16 years after the last numbered game. Unfortunately, one of the common criticisms among fans was how it felt nothing like the classic series.

They complained that Sonic 4 not only let players use the homing attack, a big no-no for old-school aficionados, but also had awkward physics. Sonic Colors also attracted similar gripes whenever the stages would shift to a sidescrolling view and platforming took the spotlight, which felt like 80 percent of the time.

In both games, though, you played as the modern Sonic. Developers created his movement and attacks for the fast-paced, action gameplay of the 3D levels, so he doesn’t feel right on a 2D plane. Generations’ gimmick addresses these complaints by reintroducing classic Sonic. No more homing attack or weird "floaty" physics that better suit the modern stages. 

When I got a chance to play Generations earlier this year, the first thing I did was test Classic Sonic's physics. I couldn't have been happier with how he handled. He gained momentum rolling down hills and actually stayed in a ball when launched into the air. These are some of the small details that Sonic 4 failed to achieve. Sonic hasn't felt like his old self in years.

Is the game unvaried due to the same enemies?

Classic Sonic games of the '90s would have a completely different set of "badniks" to face in every zone. The newer editions, on the other hand, have had very boring enemies. Sonic Colors had the same, mundane orange robot, originally from Sonic Heroes, in every level. Defeating the same enemy over and over again can get very repetitive really fast.

Generations' use of different zones from the past two decades allows it to have a potpourri of foes for our hero to break. Old favorites like Buzz Bomber, Crabmeat, and EggRobo make their return! Every stage has a different set of enemies that forced me to switch up my strategy on how to hit them. Some enemies with temporary electrical shields forced me to stop attacking blindly, while others had me jump around to avoid their laser blasts. These sort of encounters add life and variety to the game that I haven’t seen since Sonic Adventure.

Time for the game!

Is Generations perfect? Definitely not. The boss battles are easy and control very badly. Is it a step in the right direction, though? I like to think so, and if you're a Sonic fan, then I highly recommend this title. I'll put it like this: If Sonic Team launched Generations for franchise's 15th anniversary instead of that abomination, then Sonic games would be viewed in a much more positive light.

Sonic Team is definitely improving, and hopefully it won't be long before fans can stop seeking answers to questions like these whenever a new game is on the way.