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Sonic the Hedgehog in 3D. A tumultuous run with great ideas scattered and buried throughout a minefield of lost potential. In this video, I take a look at every 3D Sonic game Sonic Team developed in an attempt to understand where we are today.
Thumbnail art by Sammy Tighe https://twitter.com/TigheSammy
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
4:28 Ups, Downs and All-Arounds
10:21 Sonic Adventure
42:54 Sonic Adventure 2
59:11 The Dark Age Approaches
1:10:56 Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
1:24:03 The Boost Era
1:40:38 New Frontiers
A huge thank you to my patrons and YouTube members for cleaning up my script, including:
Pyrrickong https://www.youtube.com/c/DesigningFor
ThePaintHuffer https://thepainthuffer.newgrounds.com/
T Pig
Special thanks to https://info.sonicretro.org, which was an invaluable resource during my research.
Sources
Retro Gamer – “The Making of: Sonic Adventure”
Polygon – How Sega moved Sonic from 2D to 3D https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/4/17/15099400/how-sega-moved-sonic-from-2d-to-3d
GameInformer – Where Sonic Went Wrong https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/11/14/where-sonic-went-wrong.aspx
Sonic Boom Game Grumps Footage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJyiWoe3bUg
Electronic Gaming Monthly, September 1997.
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How you gonna drop a two hour gem during finals week for most colleges that's messed up
I think the best way to describe the adventure era and boost era is momentum based sonic inspired by the original games platforming and slopes (adventure) vs gotta go fast immediately inspired by unleashed level design of dodging at high speeds and dashing thru enemies. (boost)
I don't see the big problem with the last story being locked behind all playthroughs in the previous games, since it's just a minor extra, and the "not all the game is enjoyable" is so true of mario sunshine, odyssey, and even 64. Sunshine was terribly rushed to get it's awful structure and filler shines, 64 has some really lame last levels and many pointless stars, and odyssey is straight up ubisoft tier with moons that you get by sneezing on the controller. It's laughably easy and despite having the best movement in any 3d mario game it might be the most boring due to the lack of difficulty in all the objectives and how. Repetitive. They are. STOP MAKING ME BREAK ROCKS AND NUTS AND STACK GOOMBAS AND USE A ONE BUTTON CAPTURE GIMMICK, the game has over 800 moons but there's only as many as 64 that are actually good, the rest being slapped on filler to pad out playtime on 100% and make the game look much bigger than it actually is. The werehog is at least an enjoyable tacked on mode with nice combos and good exploration compared to something like those games that actively ruins the main gameplay style.
Hype right after I beat Frontiers and made me wanna replay Adventure 2 for the 90th time!
Sonic to me is like the artist Eminem. Such a huge generational impact where he was at the absolute top of his game, Eminem was the gateway drug to rap music for middle class America in the same way Sonic was for bringing video games into the mainstream. I still pay attention to Eminem, but I don’t listen to his new music, much like I still pay attention any time a new Sonic game is announced but very rarely will I play it.
Sewer count: 251.
What timing, I just watched your classic Sonic video yesterday. 😬
really excited to watch this new video of yours, long videos guy! i can tell a lot of time and effort was put into this
Sonic had a rocky start in 3D
Holy shit I was literally just watching your old sonic video at work earlier today, so perfect timing haha
so much good sonic YT content coming out lately, cheers liam
i watched the vid on 2x speed to have the true sonic experience, thanks for the cool vid
There was nothing good about 3D Sonic. To me, Sonic was all about pushing hardware, and a metaphor for the dark advancement of technology (going from Grèen Hill to Scrap Brain). The games were like a show piece for the genesis / megadrive, presenting in vibrant color the progression from nature to sci fi industrial hell. Sonic didn't need to talk, his look, actions (and idle animation) contrasted against such well presented levels were the identity for the games (1, 2 and 3). The only expectation was for Sonic Team to keep pushing hardware with ever increasing graphical fidelity while advancing 2D/3D level design….No story, No dialog, just implied ambigious story and running fast through nature to techno hellscape. Actually, I'm suprised they never made a Half Life inspired single level, no zones…just smooth, uninterupted progression. For what it's worth, Sonic Adventure 1 on the Dreamcast was when the franchise fell apart, it should have been entirely Speed Highway…..I hated hearing Sonic talk. … Just no.
Rough transition
I was watching you video on Sonic last night and thinking, “man, Liam deserves millions of more subs. I need a new video asap.” So stoked for this one!
Ohhhhh shit new Liam Triforce! So excited to watch this.
I appreciate NiGHTS being mentioned. I never played the original, but I played the Wii sequel (Journey of Dreams) and loved it (despite not getting all that good at it until years later).
I'm still early in the video, but I knew that segment wouldn't be long, so I figured commenting on it now wouldn't be a bad idea. Looking forward to the rest!
It’s finally out! What a Friday treat!
Hope you included some footage of the spring of doom in SA1 sky deck lol
I absolutely love the message here, as it’s a message I myself have embraced this past year, that regardless of failure and doubt, the will to keep on going should always overpower the desire to give up and admit defeat
20:33 note for self
Honestly I don't think SA 1 holds up well, never grew up with it and just played it emulated on my Steam Deck, since you weren't sure how to find levels at first and what to do next, Big the Cat and Amy Stories were FRUSTRATING to play and ruined the experience
Yakko has some competition! Good to see it!
Wait Kellin Quinn is in the soundtrack of frontiers?? that's it i'm buying it
Addressing the whole “How could people confuse Sonic and Shadow!?” At the beginning of SA2, I understand how inconceivable it is, but Ruby of Red made a really good point in his 2 hour breakdown of this game.
Put yourselves in the shoes of the people in this universe. They probably know who Sonic is, they know he went Super and saved the city in SA1; point being, they know very little about the hedgehog that we’ve had the pleasure of playing as and getting to know.
So here’s what the people of this universe know; there’s one hedgehog who runs really fast, can use Chaos Emeralds, and sometimes changes colors when interacting with those emeralds (literally turning gold instead of blue). With all of that in mind, is it REALLY that much of a stretch that the general public saw a fast hedgehog interacting with Chaos Emeralds and confused it for Sonic, even though he was black and red instead of blue?
I mean, up until that point, only Eggman and Rouge knew who Shadow was, and no one had ever seen him and Sonic in the same place (unless you say the soldiers saw them both when they Shadow Chaos Controlled away, but I’ll take the one inconsistency over literally the whole story not making sense). I just don’t think it’s as big of a plot hole as people think it is
40:34 I also just had this idea because of your video. Thanks, man. It took me long enough to realise that those birds are a family (yes, I'm stupid), but the thought of Beta killing Gamma for the same reason makes the story even better, I think. Oh, and maybe Gamma hadn't changed his mind if Amy's bird didn't happen to be their child.
Sonic Adventure established 3D Sonic having multiple characters, playstyles, & stories until '06 killed it.
Sonic Unleashed established 3D Sonic having boost, mixing 2D/3D together, & gameplay gimmicks until Forces killed it.
Sonic Frontiers is gonna establish the new Sonic style going forward. I wonder what's gonna kill that…
common adventure fanboy L
1:18:22 What do you mean by design choices? The game isn't bad on purpose. It was rushed because Sega didn't back on their holiday 2006 release date, and a little lost because the project lead, Yuji Naka, abandoned the team mid-development.
You even state that is a rushed tragedy of a game when you start talking about it. How come, Liam?
I don't think being able to skip over the level design as Tails to make Sky Deck more enjoyable is a good thing, scripted sequences in SA1 are..not as much as a problem for me, I'd have a point against the idea u praised Bigs gameplay….but…..nahhhh, tbh Big has a better campaign than Amys in hindsight lol, at least Bigs WAS a playstyle, I do NOT agree on the repetition of Heroes stages, the controls yet again, I disagree with, also, Chaotix is not the issue, Roses is talk about over-turorialisation! I get it's suppose to be easy mode but don't handle it like that. I agree with you on the werehog, but I don't really like the constant comparisons to other games like bayonetta/dmc. Which had flaws in it's combat too, 'focusing on speed and platforming and dividing things up for variety sake, makes it a sonic colors a game I can recommend to anyone' I hate Shallow nothing gameplay I can barely call design. So I strongly disagree with this, sometimes you can be too focused on 'fun' it ends up being mindless, None the less I just think it's mid, Also I think Lost World is ok, pretty souless, but I like the platforming focus which I think is an improvement. I'm not much of a Frontiers fan at all but I COMPLETELY understand why so many people love it. It's quite an 'off the norm' game. Very simplistic, so it'll vary with a lot of people imo. Other than that, I agree with most other games and the videos points make a lot of sense good vid ❤🔥
Dude, I like listening to your content with my phone in my pocket when cleaning at work. Did you have to start this video with showing some things with only commentary being words "like this" over and over again?
This video was one of the best Sonic videos i have ever seen. … In one year i have played every 3D Sonic game
Sonic Adventure is a game i really liked, The Sonic gameplay was awesome, The Tails & Knuckles gameplay was pretty fun, & Amy was kinda fun. But my biggest problem with the game is that it unfocused, Instead of making an 2-3 hour only Sonic gameplay game, they made to many gameplay styles, To many minigames, An hub world that has very little to do, And the Ranks is playing the same stages again, like Im so good at the game that a mission like “Beat the level in 1.30 min” is basically playing the level again, The cutscenes where very slow paced, the pacing was awful, the boss fights where terrible, the game was janky. A lot of people have argured about “Did Sonic have a rough transission into 3D” and i say, yes. The game itself is very flawed, But i wonder how it was like playing the game in 1998/9 when people did not have these complains and people where blown away with the set pieces and adventures in Sonic Adventure, Because This Was an amazing game, it was not only the return of Sonic, but the return of Sega.
And even with it flaws, i still enjoy This game a lot. Oh and Big the cat … I love him. His story is misunderstood, Big represent a background characther, he does not go on Adventures like Sonic & Tails, he just mind his own buisness, But when froggy is gone Big is an narritave he should not be in. In the end of the story, Big is not scares of Chaos 6 or ask questions why there is an monster, he wants his friend back, and Then Sonic comes to help him, we get an perspectiv of an normal person of how Sonic is like, and it awesome. And when Big Got his pal back, He Can chill and live, it a Nice story. Oh and Gamma(s) gameplay … I Think it sucks, the 4 stages are pretty mindless button masshes, you dont even need to shoot in the 4 stages, and the time limit dont even matter in these stages. The only good stage imo was the last one, everything else is awful if you ask me, And i also have something to say, So you Said that the game forces you to play all the stories, and While it is true if you want to play the last story … If you ask me, Play the campains you like and that it. Nothing in Sonic 3 Said you have to play as Knuckles to fully beat Sonic 3, Nothing in the game forces you to get the Super emeralds. I Saw the alternative gameplay styles as extra content if you wanted more game, kinda like the special stages in the 2D games. Tho i do Think it was a bad move by Sonic team making many gameplay styles, … I love Sonic Adventure 2, the speed gameplay is awesome, the mech stages (While clunky in some areas) are much much more fun than gamma, you actually playing the game. It not amazing but it pretty good if you ask me, The controls are clunky but i Got used to it very easily, The treasure hunting stages (Stages) are very fun, The Radar is an downgrade but i Think i know why they did it, If you had an radar like in SA1 in SA2 ranking system, The a Ranks Will become very very easy, so they downgraded so they could make a ranking less easy. For the most part i do enjoy these stages, But i would had perferd if the game was focused on one gameplay style, because in This game, you are forced to play all of these styles, that sucks. A ranking is a ton of fun Tho, and the speed stages makes up for the entire game, now if only we had only Those stages, Oh and the story, First off Sonic using chaos control does give kinda sense, Tails Said that the fake emerald was very very simelaer to the real one, and Sonic has used the Chaos emeralds before, I Will highly reccemond an video called “The story of Sonic Adventure 2” made by Pariah695, It a great video. SA2 story does have some holes, but it is pretty engaging. I love Sonic Heroes, i agree with a lot of the positives. The controls are very akward, but i have gotten used to how the game works. And like SA1, i dont reccemond to play all 4 campains, Tho it is a very dumb design deccision. Team Chaotix is awful at first, when you know What to do, the level Will no longer take an hour. There are many problems with Heroes, but there is a lot of fun to be haved in This game, Shadow … (Again i Will reccemond Pariah695(s) video on the game and story) 06 could had becomed the best 3D Sonic, But it did not happent, & Sonic became an lauthing Stock, I would also reccemond the Geek critique(s) video on This game. Unleashed was some sort of an apology to the crashed birthday party in 2006. And i do see why some dislike This game, But i Think it good. The daytime levels is one of my favirote levels in the Series, The werehog is boring but i Can beat the stages in like 5 min now. At it peak it one of the best, at it worst it bogs the game down. So i love the game. Colors was very fun. Gens is my favirote in the Series The levels are amazing, the bosses are very fun, it a fun game from start to finish and Im still having a good time. … And Then lost World happent. It was okay but you just made an near perfect 3D Sonic game that most people Can enjoy, And Then they throwed it to the trash and made an okay platformer. Sonic Boom was an dumpster fire, Forces sucked, Frontiers was a step in the right direction. Sonic has his up down and all arounds, and the original Sonic spirit was gone … That What they say, We had the Advance & Rush games that kept the Sonic spirit that you loved. What is my favirote Sonic, Well let say that i Can find some enjoyment in almost every Sonic game, Both good and bad.
That was an sweet ending, i really think Sonic Team can find their flame and that we can help them in the way.
Here we go again, another great Sonic essay. Srleriously, i can't imagine how much time these take. But i can say its ALWAYS worth it
Great video to listen to, normally I can’t make it ten minutes in to anything Sonic related.
I think I've communicated this to you over twitch prior, but you really are one of the best VG Journalists/ "Reviewer" of our generation, this script, the editting, the format of this entire video is so beautifully done I cant commend it enough, I have N E V E R seen Sonics decline so perfectly articulated.
Youre killing it man, truly
This video does reinvigorate my reason why I stick with sonic, with some games changing, sonic stays, but change in a way that won't throw my comfort zone, I want this new direction to keep going, I want this dream, I want this new flame to grow brighter, and brighter. And Liam, your edit on 1:47:40, highlights my words to sonic and its new direction, my cheer to the blue blur.
Honey! New Liam banger dropped
Surprised to see you didn't mention the development cycle of Sonic 06, and how ambition, technical difficulties with development and builds, scrapping of builds, Yuji Naka leaving the series mid production, Sonic Team being split into team A and team B due to SEGA wanting a Sonic title for the launch of the Wii(giving birth to Secret Rings), general lack of proper communication, and SEGA putting huge time constraints upon Sonic Team to get the game out within the year of development time they were allowed ended up causing Sonic 06 to be one of the worst games in the franchise and universally panned.