Nintendo finally announced its plans for Mario’s 35th anniversary Thursday, including thelimited-time release ofSuper Mario 3D All-Stars: A collection ofSuper Mario 64,Super Mario Sunshine, andSuper Mario Galaxyfor the Switch with updated visuals. That announcement led many to wonder how Nintendo will handleThe Legend of Zelda’s 35th anniversary next year, but it also opens the door for other gaming icons. As some on social media have pointed out, Mario’s long-time rivalSonic the Hedgehogwill also be seeing a huge anniversary next year.
Sonic the Hedgehogreleased on the Sega Genesis in 1991, so it’s likely the character will see fanfare for his 30th anniversary.Sega confirmed there areSonicannouncements to sharedespite COVID-19 delays, and the series had big releases for its previous two anniversaries.Sonic GenerationsandSonic the Hedgehog 4punctuated Sonic’s 20th anniversary in 2011, whileSonic ManiaandSonic Forcescelebrated his 25th anniversary in 2016. If Sega decides to pull its older games onto new hardware, there are a few 3D titles that would make for good candidates.
RELATED:Nintendo’s Bizarre Super Mario 3D All-Stars Decisions May Reveal Future Plans
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic’s history is trickier to parse than Mario’s, as the character has evolved and taken on new styles of gameplay while finding something that works on 3D consoles.Sonic Generationsembodied this idea by pulling levels from three different eras of Sonic: The Genesis games, the Dreamcast/GameCube games, and the “Modern” games. Both trilogies from the latter categories could serve an entire collection on their own, butSonic Adventure 2seems the best individual pick to represent the Dreamcast days.
WhileSonic Adventurecould be considered a better historical choice given it was the character’s first major jump into 3D platforming,Sonic Adventure 2is arguably better in how it streamlined much of its predecessor’s quirks. Plus, it introduced the world tofan-favorite character Shadow the Hedgehog, making it a nostalgic seller for the collection.
Sonic Colors
The aforementioned “Modern” trilogy —Sonic 06,Sonic Unleashed, andSonic Colors— has less of an obvious choice for a game to bring back. However, having only been released on the Wii and DS,Sonic Colorsis the least accessible game of the three and isn’tconsidered a dumpster fire likeSonic 06, so it could stand to be brought back.
RELATED:The Super Mario 35th Anniversary Direct Means Big Things for Zelda in 2021
One advantage thatSonic Colorsalso has overSonic Unleashedis that it utilizes the “Boost” formula without cutting it for slower, action-focused Werehog sections reminiscent ofthe originalGod of Wargames. Instead, it offers variety in the form of Wisps that give Sonic short-term special powers for unique platforming sections. Those alien creatures have become staples of the series, so it would be good to give more players access to their origin.
Sonic Generations
Perhaps it’s tacky to include a “greatest hits” game in a new collection ofSonic the Hedgehogtitles, butSonic Generationsis a true love letter to the series. It stands out for blending modern 3DSonicand classic 2DSonicgameplay, with levels featuring remixes to fit both styles. Even simple graphical updates would do this game wonders in the current and next generation of consoles, offering more players the chance to understand why the hit-or-miss series became so beloved.
That being said,Sega has been more forthcoming in making its games accessiblethan Nintendo, so titles likeSonic Generationsare already available on PC. Many would argue thisSonic the Hedgehoggame doesn’t need to be put out on newer consoles, as updates and mods ensure it can remain modern for PC-based players. But some fans don’t play games on PC, andSonic Generationsis a bigger “get” than more lackluster titles likeSonic Lost World, even if that could also round out the 3D collection with more unique gameplay.
