In-Depth: The Ratio Of Modern & Classic Sonic Games
This month’s In-Depth article, which gives a case study on a Sonic subject with research and the historical record provided as evidence, will be an interesting one. It’s something that has been a hot topic as of late, but it’s one that may not be so conclusive as others may be. Today, I wanted to provide a case study on the ratio of Modern Sonic games compared to Classic Sonic games. Of course, part of why I say this may not so conclusive as others is because, ultimately, what is considered a Classic or Modern game is up for debate. And some Sonic games have elements of both. That said, here is the general guideline I will be using for what tends to be considered a classic or modern Sonic game in the community:
Classic:
A classic game is typically labelled for Sonic games released in the early to mid 90s. The gameplay tends to be more simplistic. There is much more platforming than in modern gameplay, frequently in 2D. Sonic the Hedgehog is shorter, fatter, has black eyes, and will not talk. Usually, this version Sonic will be the focus of this game. Classic Sonic typically has few moves, having nothing more than the Super Sonic Spin Attack (jumping into enemies to bust them) and the Spin Dash. Occasionally, he might get one extra move in that game to make it stand out. You may see elemental shields. Levels tend to end with a sign-post that spins when Sonic runs past or a capsule to free animals from. Stories in Classic Sonic games are small in detail, and dialogue is usually few and far between. The graphics are very colorful, sacrificing realism for cartoony effects and flashes. Badniks are present. These games tend to be more cartoony than serious.
Modern:
A modern game is typically labelled for Sonic games that released from 1998 and onward, when Sonic was given a taller and skinner look with green eyes. Where as classic games are simple, modern games are more complicated. Even the “modern” label itself is complicated to use, as there is no singular gameplay that defines this label, because the gameplay varies. Anything new goes. However, typically platforming is less frequent and running/speed has a greater focus, frequently in 3D. Sonic, as I said, will be taller, skinner, and have green eyes. Usually, this version Sonic will be the focus of this game. Modern Sonic maintains his classic moves, but unlike Classic Sonic, he will have a lot more to do. The Homing Attack, Sonic Wind, Lightspeed Dash, parkour system, boost, and more are among his capabilities. There are no elemental shields. Levels tend to end with a giant ring or with the Sonic character striking a pose. Sonic’s friends will get a greater emphasis. The story is more fleshed out, with full cutscenes with plenty of dialogue. There are less badniks, but you may see enemies like Egg Pawns. The graphics tend to take a more realistic route, and you will see great detail added to the scenery. It blends cartoony environments (such as Eggman bases) with scenery you might see in the real world, such as forests. Note that, because this can fall in line with the uniquely created spin-off games, they will be included in this label. These games are typically serious, with a pinch of comedy thrown in.
So now we get to the fun part, and that’s seeing where each Sonic game falls. In some cases, there are games that have both Classic and Modern elements. In this case, they will be labeled as a hybrid of the two. I’ve included notes to explain certain inclusions and why they’re there.
Classic
Sonic 1
Sonic 2
Sonic CD
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic Chaos
Sonic Triple Trouble
Sonic Spinball
Sonic The Fighters (Although originally an arcade game, it was included in Sonic Gems Collection and on online platforms like Xbox Live. As such, I’m treating it as a full on console game)
Sonic 4: Episode 1
Sonic 4: Episode 2
Sonic Mania
Modern
Sonic Labyrinth
Sonic Drift
Sonic Drift 2
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Tails Adventure
Tails Skypatrol (I realize these games, from Labyrinth to Skypatrol, were released in the classic era and have classic characters, but the gameplay strays way too far from classic gameplay)
Sonic R
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure 2 (Some fans consider the Adventure games to be its own era, but the gameplay is so modern-like, and even gave birth to it in the first place, that it’s hard to put it elsewhere)
Sonic Heroes
Shadow The Hedgehog
Sonic Riders
Sonic Rush
Sonic 2006
Sonic Rivals
Sonic Rivals 2
Sonic Rush Adventure
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Chronicles
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
Sonic Colors
Sonic Free Riders
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (Although the Boom games are part of a separate branch, spin-offs are not considered a separate area in this instance. It is purely modern/new gameplay vs. classic/old gameplay)
Hybrid
Sonic Advance 1
Sonic Advance 2
Sonic Advance 3 (The Advance games are literally modernized classic Sonic games)
Sonic Generations
Sonic Lost World (While Sonic is in his modern form, and there is some new elements in this game such as parkour, there are also quite a few elements that remind people of classic games)
Sonic Project 2017? (Only because of the presence of Classic Sonic in the teaser trailer. The question mark is because we still don’t have an idea of gameplay yet)
Assuming that you, the reader, go by this standard, and all of this can be entirely up for debate depending on what your own classic/modern standards are, then there have been 12 Classic Sonic games and 25 Modern Sonic games. That’s a lot of Modern gameplay. However, by no means am I going to reach a conclusion here. Although I feel that the “nostalgia pandering” argument is exaggerated, I can’t say it’s wrong. There isn’t really a right or wrong argument here because, ultimately, one cannot be drawn due to the difference in opinion that I know will come from this. Sonic fans have their own opinions on if a Sonic game has “too much nostalgia pandering” or not. But one observation can be drawn from this case study: the inconsistency of Sonic games are very evident when comparing classic and modern gameplay. Classic Sonic games have elements of modern gameplay, and modern games have elements of classic gameplay. In the long run, a Sonic game is a Sonic game. And we’re getting two next year. However, I would be lying if I said that the inconsistent gameplay was not an issue and nonexistent. There may never be a singular standard of what a Sonic game is like, because SEGA has experimented with this too many times. Because of this, the Classic and Modern game ratio will always have complications.
Sonic fans that feel that there is too much nostalgia pandering are neither right or wrong. As with any Sonic fan, they just want the kind of gameplay they love the most the kind that may have even got them into Sonic in the first place. And that’s not a bad thing at all.
This post was originally written by the author for TSSZ News.
Just curious: what was your rationale for categorizing Sonic 4 as a full Classic game and not a Hybrid? I would consider it as much as a modernized Classic game as the Advance games as old. Great article, by the way! We need this sort of discussion given the ever-constant complaint of nostalgia pandering.
Outside of Modern Sonic/Homing Attack being used, the game didn’t really have any modern elements at all. It was mostly Classic gameplay.
In my personal opinion Sega would be wise to let Christian Whitehead, Stealth and Headcannon work in more classic Sonic games after Sonic Mania while Sonic Team focuses in modern Sonic games, not to mention that after Sonic Generations they should keep them separated (not a fan of classic Sonic in Project 2017).
Also maybe Sonic 4 should be a hybrid since it features modern Sonic and homing attack…?
The thing is, there’s not enough modern elements for it to warrant it as a hybrid. Hybrids are basically games that are way too split up the middle with modern/classic elements to put it on either side.
Sonic 4 has waaaay too many classic elements in comparison to modern elements.
Yes I guess you’re right (btw I wrote that before reading the firts post).
Also do you think they should keep making classic Sonic games in the vein of Mania? Or in other words to branch out classic Sonic in its own line of games the same way they did with Sonic Boom?
I wouldn’t mind Classic gameplay becoming its own branch, but that might make things too complicated for SEGA to handle. Too much on their plate too.
I’m not trying to bring more hate but that may be a better idea than keep making Sonic Boom games, I mean Sonic Boom can easily still live on with the tv show and merchandise alone while Sonic Mania and its possible sequels could be the sub-franchise Sega was looking for when they created Sonic Boom, not to mention that may be on the plans since they released a classic Sonic comic as well.
I really don’t see how Advance counts as a hybrid, Advance 1 yeah I can understand, but Advance 2 and 3 go in much different directions that are much closer to Rush, so why are they hybrid yet Rush is Modern?
I’d also have to argue about the Game Gear games and R and such, they’re still Spin-Offs of Classic and retain many elements from said iterations of the games.
Also, doesn’t Sonic Colors techically count as Hybrid since really that game has literally no story what so ever and never takes itself serious.
Also, I’m pretty sure “nostalgia pandering” isn’t just for the fact there’s more Classic, it’s that it’s done in such a lazy way. Lost World, Colors, and Sonic 4 being big culprits of this.
Boom is the other side of pandering in which it just continues the lazy comedy sit-com level writing that just isn’t interesting.
Advance 2 & 3 have lots of classic influence, but the modern characters and massive movesets make it a little more complicated than that.
“I’d also have to argue about the Game Gear games and R and such, they’re still Spin-Offs of Classic and retain many elements from said iterations of the games.” They’re in Modern because of the ndifferent gameplay (racing, puzzle, et cetera). Yeah, they have classic characters, but the classic elements are few and far between.
“doesn’t Sonic Colors techically count as Hybrid since really that game has literally no story what so ever and never takes itself serious.” No, because that literally it. The presence of a classic element or two isn’t going to make a game a Hybrid. Hybrids are literally that. There’s no clear advantage to either Modern or Classic.
“I’m pretty sure “nostalgia pandering” isn’t just for the fact there’s more Classic, it’s that it’s done in such a lazy way. Lost World, Colors, and Sonic 4 being big culprits of this.” Normally I’d agree, seeing how that argument makes sense, but sadly no. People have been declaring “nostalgia pandering” even for Project 2017, just on the basis alone that Classic Sonic shows up. Not that they’re lazy.
But yeah, I said in the article that people would have a different mindset on what they feel would be a modern/classic/hybrid game. That’s why I reached no conclusion whatsoever. Nothing I presented in the article is fact, just my own observations and research. So if you disagree with any game inclusions, that’s fine.
Mmmm sounds very shady to me about the hybrid but I guess that counts.
How is it shady? It’s basically an undecided column.
Sorry I just asked dude :/
I sadly do see where people are coming from with Classic Sonic feeling a bit forced in Project 2017. Literally any other character could have fit that spot better, and it doesn’t help that for the most part, any character that isn’t Sonic has basicly gotten the boot at this point, so it kinda just feels like they’re pulling a similar trick Generations did with the two Sonics since they have no confidence in this big cast they themselfs set up despite the hundreds of actual fans that have been itching to play as them outside of iOS games and the offshoot Olympic Games.
Granted it’s just one teaser and with the “Resistance” tagline it very much gives hope for more than just Sonic, and considering the backlash with Pontac, it’s somewhat safe to say he’s not involved after either bare-bones bland or so disasterous that only Sonic Chronicles beats it. But I can at least understand the criticisms put forth. That and Classic literally has an entire game to himself with Maina. same with Boom’s Sonic, Project 2017 should, and hopefully will, be mainly Modern based.
“any character that isn’t Sonic has basicly gotten the boot at this point” Sonic Mania has playable Tails and Knuckles…so no.
“same with Boom’s Sonic, Project 2017 should, and hopefully will, be mainly Modern based.” No, it shouldn’t. There’s no memo that says “this Sonic game absolutely has to have this kind of gameplay style and focus”, other than it needing to be good. And if Classic gameplay will give people a good quality Sonic game, then that’s not really a problem.
Yes Maina, but that’s only just now, and in the end, it’s not a mainstream game, Project 2017 is. From Colors to Lost World any other character that isn’t Sonic, Eggman and maybe Tails is treated as if they have no real purpose. And forget about anyone that isn’t them or Amy.
If Classic is all we need, then what’s Modern Sonic’s purpose then?
That’s the thing tho, it can be “good” but if it’s just the bare minimum kinda good, then it’s not going to someone like me that invested. Sonic Colors is “Good” but I find that game a slog in comparison to Unleashed, and Generations, whist a fun time, lacks so much that it could have been a much bigger game. One just needs to look at all the mods of it to see what everyone has been wanting for it.
I’m just asking for a Sonic game that gives me more than what Colors/Generations/Lost World have been doing. Black Knight was the last game to really give me that oomph I wanted in a Sonic game, I want that same kinda effort put into 2017.
Why is Sonic the Fighters a “classic” Sonic game but not Sonic R?
Because Sonic The Fighters, outside of the arcadic fighting gameplay, has a lot of classic influences. It’s the only Sonic game, in my opinion, that has such a radical gameplay style and manages to pull this off.
It’s missing the game gear titles:
-Sonic the Hedgehog
-Sonic the Hedgehog 2
-Sonic Blast
These are very classic-style games in their own right. The first 2 may share the name with their Genesis counterparts, but they are extremely different. Heck, Sonic 2 is a completely different experience as every zone is completely new.
I also don’t think spinoffs should count as a ´particular “style”… but hey, it’s your list.
I didn’t forget them. I couldn’t remember if Sonic Blast was just a Game Gear 3D Blast or not. And since I already had Sonic 1 & 2 down, putting their handheld versions down wouldn’t have been made much of a difference IMO.
“And since I already had Sonic 1 & 2 down, putting their handheld versions down wouldn’t have been made much of a difference IMO.”
…huh?
They are most certainly not “the handheld versions”. Maybe Sonic 1 is half handheld versión, half new version. But they still share less stages with the 16-bit classics than even Sonic 4 does.
Did you… Play them by any chance?
And Blast is a full-fledged 2D Platformer. Maybe the weakest 8-bit Platformer, but has nothing to do with 3D Blast.
My 2 Rings.
Yes, I have played them. There’s even video of me on YouTube doing so. But seeing how Sonic 1 & 2, of which both versions go the same identical route with their gameplay formulas, I counted two-in-one, basically.
I didn’t want to include Sonic Blast, since I couldn’t recall enough on the game to do so. Now, I’d put it in the Classic column, but at the time I didn’t want to risk it.
“Classic
Sonic 4: Episode 1
Sonic 4: Episode 2”
No, no, no, no-no-no-no-no! FUCK off, fuck the fucking fuck off! Just… NO!!! If it really was a fucking classic, why are classic fans calling Mania the game they’ve been waiting 22 years for? If Sonic 4 supposedly did the job.
“If it really was a fucking classic, why are classic fans calling Mania the game they’ve been waiting 22 years for?”
Because they’re just as 2-dimensional as the classics. XD
Either if you’re right or wrong do you really have to answer like that? Seriously show some class, this is not a life or death matter.
I didn’t know those 2 sonic 4 games was a classic sonic game I thought it was a modern sonic game.
“No, no, no, no-no-no-no-no! FUCK off, fuck the fucking fuck off!”
Is it really necessary to get this mad over a list that I clearly stated wasn’t fact?
“If Sonic 4 supposedly did the job.” Because it didn’t do the job?
I understand the differences between modern and classic sonic games and all but I wonder. Can SEGA manage to get the sonic the hedgehog franchise back on track since they have been thinking about there mistakes on what the fans want at this point? Besides, any sonic game can be developed by any studio like hedgehog engine from sonic unleashed. you know if SEGA can make any promises they need to be aware of how people thoughts about there sonic games they played. SEGA still trying to make up what happened after the 2 disaster of sonic games.
I would like to see more games like Mania becoming itself like Mania Series. Seriously I’m pretty happy knowing that a Classic Sonic game in 16 bits style is coming. I like Modern Sonic too, but not in the same rate comparing with the classic style.
Your definition of “modern” to include spin-offs such as Sonic Drift or Mean Bean Machine is utterly ridiculous. Those are classic games. Maybe not “Classic Sonic” games, but they definitely aren’t “modern”.
And why, per se? Besides than the time frame they were released and just the appearance of characters, there’s very little that’s classic about them. They’re radically different gameplay styles. Hell, Mean Bean Machine wasn’t even originally a Sonic game. It’s basically what Nintendo did with Doki Doki Panic. That doesn’t make it “ridiculous”.
Your poor attempt at skewing the numbers of your “ratio” is what’s ridiculous. An unbiased “case-study” wouldn’t even include spin-offs in different genres at all.
I liked some of you other articles, but this one is just kooky. What person in their right mind would claim that Sonic Drift or Labyrinth (lol) has “modern” gameplay? That’s insane.
“Your poor attempt at skewing the numbers of your “ratio” is what’s ridiculous.” Are you seriously suggesting that I was purposely trying to skew the numbers? Maybe it was a “poor attempt” because it wasn’t an attempt? And I guess you didn’t read the part of the article where I explained why I included them?
“What person in their right mind would claim that Sonic Drift or Labyrinth (lol) has “modern” gameplay? That’s insane.” It’s really telling when I’m called “insane” for having an opinion, which I made clear many times in the article.
I don’t know if I can be on board with this as accurate at all. XD
Based on this, a lot of Modern games
can be called Classic games and a lot of Classic games can be called Modern.
I think it’s also odd to call only the first 7 out of 25 years classic making the 8th year “modern”…. yet that year was roughly 17 or 18 years ago. How can that still be modern is it’s as old as a new adult???
Also, based on the meaning of the words, not only can say SA1 and 2 not be “modern” anymore, especially with so much having changed since then to the point it’s hard to believe those events ever occurred in the current world of Sonic… but they would technically be considered 3D classics with the praise they still get to this day, similar to the 2D classics. At this point, having SA3 or anything Adventure-series related would be just as nostalgia based as doing all this Retro Sonic stuff. That’s why Adventure Sonoc is its own era of Sonic. Nickname wise, oldschool Sonic is Classic Sonic, mid school Sonic is Adventure Sonic, and newschool Sonic is Modern Sonic, relative to present time. These could change in the next 15 years.
Also, aside from in Generations, Modern Sonic is technically not taller. Not only do theorems change a bit from game to game or at least did before Unleashed, but the current Modern Sonic would then also be taller than Adventure Sonic.
But most officially, Sonic’s height on record is the same for both so… I get the feeling it’s just a detail developers don’t know due to being new. When Sonic 4 came out, Aaron Webber said the shield was always green. It actually started off blue. They also made NiGHTS way more feminine and Reala masculine in the second game despite both being genderless and looking similar in the original… dressed as tuxedo jesters. But some fans thought it was a girl cuz of the eyes and fairy-like physique. XD
I never said it was “accurate”. Just my own perspective. And I even said in the article itself that people will more than likely disagree with that perspective.
“Based on this, a lot of Modern games can be called Classic games and a lot of Classic games can be called Modern.” Um, I said the exact same thing in the article?
And for the record, one thing doesn’t suddenly make something go from Modern to Classic, and vise versa.
Whoa… I know that. And I am disagreeing, or rather expressing implication of a different perspective. Just like you yourself said. So it’s not a problem. XD I read the article where you said those things and even demonstrated them in your lists… so I know this~
I don’t know what the last part means. About one thing making it go one way and vice versa. o_O
Ohhhhh. Sorry, I’ve just been getting a lot of feedback and seeing something similar caused me to misinterpret it. lol
I’ll give you Sonic R as a Modern game since it was Sonic’s first true three dimensional platforming game. but the Drifts and Labyrinth shouldn’t be there. It seems like you take any game that doesn’t adhere directly to the Classic gameplay formula and toss it in the Modern pile regardless of visual design, character and gameplay elements and influences and, literally, the date it was released. The GameGear games are very clearly, definitively in the Classic era, but you’re counting them as modern not on their own merits, but because “They’re different from Classic Sonic platforming.” Which, if you ask me, is a bit skewed in favor of keeping the Classics list cleaner…
If Labyrinth is a Modern game then 3D Blast should be one as well, since both are VERY similar to one another. Except for the big difference being 3D Blast was the actually good version of Labyrinth.
3D Blast is a platformer that has a gameplay style more in line with the classic-style platforming. There’s a LOT of platforming.
Labyrinth is a puzzle game, completely different.
The goal of both are the same tho. Ficklies=Stage Keys
And the only real puzzle elements are choosing how much Sonic’s spindash is charged up.
Labyrinth is more complicated than that.
Sonic R isn’t a platforming game. It’s a racing game.
“It seems like you take any game that doesn’t adhere directly to the Classic gameplay formula and toss it in the Modern pile regardless of visual design, character and gameplay elements and influences and, literally, the date it was released.” Because the date doesn’t make a difference. It’s irrelevant. Visually, Sonic Labyrinth and Drift don’t have much in the way of colorful graphics. Gameplay elements are exactly the main reason they’re in Modern in the first place. I’m getting the feeling people really aren’t looking at the big picture here. They see Classic Sonic or a couple of classic elements and automatically label it as such, without looking at the entire picture. I’m not labeling a game based on one element, I’m labeling it based on the entire thing.
“The GameGear games are very clearly, definitively in the Classic era, but you’re counting them as modern not on their own merits, but because “They’re different from Classic Sonic platforming.” Which, if you ask me, is a bit skewed in favor of keeping the Classics list cleaner…” Half of the games are in Classic, and half are in Modern. How are they “definitely” in the classic era? There’s absolutely no logical reason for this, other than the fact it features classic characters, and the time frame. That’s it. They don’t fit the classic formula guidelines I had put in the article at all. However, they’re more fitting as a Modern game. Just because my perspective is different from yours, doesn’t mean I’m “keeping the Classics list cleaner”. I’m being honest, I didn’t expect to put so many 90s Sonic games in the Modern column. However, SEGA has been experimenting with Sonic since the very beginning. So it’s just not that simple.
“Because the date doesn’t make a difference. It’s irrelevant.”
“They see Classic Sonic or a couple of classic elements and automatically label it as such, without looking at the entire picture. ”
“Other than the fact it features classic characters, and the time frame. That’s it.”
…..Logic.
If you’re acknowledging that Sega has been experimenting since the beginning, then why even put so much effort into segregating these games into such rigid, inaccurate time frames based solely on how much they innovate or deviate? I understand what you’re going for, but the way you did it is lacking in logic. That a game from the nineties, when the Genesis games were still being produced, can be lumped in as being part of a style that wouldn’t exist until five, ten years later.
“If you’re acknowledging that Sega has been experimenting since the beginning, then why even put so much effort into segregating these games into such rigid, inaccurate time frames based solely on how much they innovate or deviate?” Because everyone else has been doing it for the last two years, which gained steam after the Mania level ratio criticism, and I wanted to offer my opinion on the whole affair?
“That a game from the nineties, when the Genesis games were still being produced, can be lumped in as being part of a style that wouldn’t exist until five, ten years later.” Except it did exist then. That’s the point. The style that we recognize today as “Modern” gameplay has been around for ages. It just got the “Modern” label later on to make it easier to describe/define them.
Sonic Advance 1 was far more a classic Sonic game than Sonic 4. It was developed by Sonic Team internally (at least somewhat) when Yuji Naka was still there. The engine they used was exactly the same genesis in terms of behavior (this was changed in 2 and 3).
Ehhhhhhhh. The large moveset, more original zones, modern character designs, larger emphasis on Sonic’s friends, and more made it just too difficult to put in the Classic column. However, what you said also made it hard to put it in the Modern column.
The list lacks variables that are easy to comprehend. The ratio of classic to modern needs to be redefined using easy to understand statistics that allows us to focus on the main points of what defined a classic or modern game.
Speed focused gameplay is given consider Iizuka design sonic 1 from the mere concept of going fast in Super Mario bro’s 1st level. Some of the phrases do not align. Sonic 3 is significantly faster and more speed focused then sonic 1 & 2. Sonic Heroes has more focus on platforming then the previous games.
I advise a new ratio to be made using strictly time, character design, and how fictitious the environment is. These 3 categories are better distinguishing variables.
Dude…this article isn’t factual. It is primarily a guideline based on my own perspective on how the community sees Sonic games.
“The ratio of classic to modern needs to be redefined using easy to understand statistics that allows us to focus on the main points of what defined a classic or modern game.” What “statistics”? This isn’t SportsCenter…
“Sonic 3 is significantly faster and more speed focused then sonic 1 & 2. Sonic Heroes has more focus on platforming then the previous games. ” As I’ve told others, one thing doesn’t automatically change anything.
“I advise a new ratio to be made using strictly time, character design, and how fictitious the environment is. These 3 categories are better distinguishing variables.” No they aren’t. because time is irrelevant, and character design and the enviornment do not tell enough of the game. These don’t distinguish anything.
I do not care about how factual your ratio list is, I seek to advise you in making a better list. If you feel you must justify disagreement then text away but do know I still do not care if you follow through. Good luck with your future articles. Try harder to focus your central points.
It’s my opinion.
You don’t have to agree with it.
I don’t need to make a better list just becausee you disagree with it.
I’d put the Game Gear games and classic spin-offs like Mean Bean Machine and Labyrinth in their own category. They just don’t really fit well into any of them. And they make Modern seem even less defined then it already is. Not a huge complaint or anything though.
And as far as the “Nostalgia Pandering” things goes, I personally couldn’t give a crap about it as a concept, it just feels like the franchise has been a bit over-saturated in it as of late.
Fun Fact: Sonic Adventure’s release is closer to the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 1 than it is to Sonic Lost World.
Perhaps it’s time we consider the Dreamcast era as classic and start the ‘modern’ era with Heroes.
That would create a lo of confussion I think because people then to relate classic with chubby Sonic and most games that came before the first Sonic Adventure game.
What about separating the modern era in sub-divisions? Like modern Dreamcast/Heroes/Colors/???(2017) eras?
‘because people *tend’
You have a very odd definition of cartoony.
The 1990’s is the Classic era
The 2000’s is the Post-Modern era
The 2010’s began the New Modern era we live in now which was a bumpy start at first, but I see hope that things will get better before the start of a whole new era in the 2020’s
In short for Sonic… 10 years = 1 era… who knows what we’ll call the next one
This list is biased. If it was accurate, then there wouldn’t be so much complaints from the many perspectives of Sonic fans here.
A survey between which games are modern, classic, or hybrid would lead to better results.
Stay classy.
How is it biased? There’s nothing here to make it biased. Just because you don’t agree with what I said, doesn’t make it biased.
There are many complaints because people have different views on what they consider Classic and Modern Sonic games to be. I even acknowledge this in the article, and it’s why I make clear that the article isn’t factual. Because what I did can easily be disagreed with, depending on your standards.
Donnie, maybe you should republish the article but make sure everybody knows this is your very quick opinion and then open it to the comments section for people to share their own lists. That would have brought in positive online interaction rather than the incessant critiquing you are receiving. I think you have a very, very solid idea going here, but it sure does seem like you left out a lot of your explanations as to why you categorized each game the way you did.
It might have worked better if you went one by one and explained your reasoning for each game rather than giving a general explanation for a large chunk of games. You might have also went and put down some arguments for the more questionable titles like Tails Adventure and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine.
Perhaps, in addition to “Classic” and “Modern”, creating more specific categories like “Classic Spinoff” and “Modern Spinoff” and “Classic-Modern Hybrid”. For example, I would put many of the Genesis and GameGear games you listed in “Classic Spinoff” and not lump them together with modern games that have absolutely nothing to do with them. These older games use the older classic art style, were released in an older period, but they used a unique form of gameplay. Many would argue “Sonic 4” is a “Classic Modern Hybrid” since it incorporates move sets and the art style from the modern games but has a 2D stage layout that tries to base itself off of the Classic games. Just as much as the Advance games are, anyway!
Otherwise, people are just not going to understand where you’re coming from for many of these games. That is why everyone is kind of essentially saying “Whaaah?”
I made clear multiple times in the aricle that it’s an opinion, not factual, and that I’m not going to draw any conclusions from it. But of course that isn’t enough, and I always have to do more. As per usual.
I think maybe it’s just that this isn’t how people see the games, isn’t a simpler way of looking at them, probably requires different category names other than “Modern” and Classic” as it doesn’t seem to match “Oldschool/Newschool” criteria nor actually definition “Always in style/Current date” criteria. It’s also slightly inconsistent.
To each their own, you sId it was your perspective. But a guess it sparks an interest in responding with one’s own perspective is all. I don’t know if everyone is necessarily arguing against it or just discussing it, but sorry if I and some others come off as all “Wtf is wrong with you!??” by accident. o3o
I believe the main problem here is the use if the term “modern.” It’s a word that in English will at the very least imply something current, or at least later chronologically than “classic” which of course evokes something from the past.
If the older games in the “modern” list had features you could say we’re similar to the modern era such as homing attacks or adventure fields then that would be one good justification. But as others have said in the list above “modern” just seems like partially an arbitrary spinoff list along with some of what people generally consider the modern games. Some of the decisions and justifications in the comments seem baffling; but I do believe it’s largely due to using the word “modern” instead of finding some sort of substitute. It makes the article headline fairly misleading.
I clearly explain what I was considering the term modern to be. There’s an entire section dedicated to it. It’s more than just homing attacks and adventure fields. It’s many things that contribute to an overall presentation.
Here’s the thing, you’re trying to argue against the “nostalgia pandering”, yet it falls flat when instead of going of a more stable basis, you label games that most would count Classic as Modern.
And really how does Sonic the Fighters, a game that’s more like a cartoony mix of Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers match up more as a Classic era game than R and Laybrinth? R was on Gems Collection along side Fighters so? Both are spin-offs that differ greatly from the main gameplay, most of us just don’t see how those are seperated from the Classic.
“Here’s the thing, you’re trying to argue against the “nostalgia pandering”, yet it falls flat when instead of going of a more stable basis, you label games that most would count Classic as Modern.” What stable basis? People constantly source elements from Classic Sonic games, like the graphics and badniks, as proof that Sonic Lost World and other recent games are “nostalgia pandering”. I used that as a basis for my argument. Why is this such a problem, other than the fact it’s a different opinion?
“And really how does Sonic the Fighters, a game that’s more like a cartoony mix of Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers match up more as a Classic era game than R and Laybrinth?” How many times do I need to say “[Classic/Modern] elements outweigh the [Modern/Classic] elements”? If you disagree with this argument, that’s fine, but when the argument is just ignored time and time again, as if I never presented my case at all, then that doesn’t help matters.
“Sonic Labyrinth
Sonic Drift
Sonic Drift 2
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Tails Adventure
Tails Skypatrol
Sonic R”
There’s no logic, on this planet or any other, that could possibly put these in the “modern” camp. They’d be “hybrid” at absolute max. This’d be like saying Paper Mario belongs with the standard Mario games because you still save the princess. It seems to me that they’re there simply to make some point.
Are people even reading the article, let alone my replies in the comments? Because I’m tired of repeating myself.