Sonic the Hedgehog is a being of pure, blissful fun.Īs we look forward to the celebration of Sonic’s 30th anniversary, I can’t help but reflect on a life spent with the Blue Blur and all his amazing friends. The simple elegant nature of speeding along while popping mechanical robots and collecting rings strikes the very nature of the video game, an experience that can outwardly be looked upon as a time sink but feels as necessary as any hobby. It’s the design of these games, their streamlined levels, beautiful colors, and explosive soundtracks. These games scratch a specific cerebral itch, their gameplay enjoyable beyond the manipulation of simple button presses and the desire to go just as fast as I possibly can. Even now I can sit down with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 or Sonic Mania and the world simply falls away. It’s difficult to put a finger on the pulse of what exactly it is about Sonic that keeps his games so endearing. This is what is so phenomenal about Sonic, despite his three decades of trial and error: he’s fast, he’s cool, and he’s fun. It is a whole vibe, a collection of meandering gameplay elements that somehow pull themselves together to be a singular and enjoyable package. It’s a messy, flawed game that wears its heart on its sleeve. Sonic Adventure 2 remains a high point in the series and a game beloved by people all over the world. After many years spent as a side-scroller, Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 entered the lives of myself and my siblings and become our primary obsession. No matter what rough moments I experienced, no matter what pains addled me, I could turn on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and be magically transported to Green Hill Zone (or the absolute banger Chemical Plant Zone), where my only care in the world was freeing my animal friends from Robotnik’s vile schemes. It turned my brain off in a way that felt beautiful and freeing. It provided the sort of pure, adrenaline-fueled fun that injected itself into my stream of consciousness.

Different from every other platformer at the time, Sonic 2 was about more than just speeding through levels and collecting rings.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a life-changing game in that it opened my young eyes to the pure feelings that I would come to enjoy while playing video games. One of the most famous opening screens in gaming history. He never stops running.Īnd neither should we. Somehow and despite this, Sonic keeps going. Sonic the Hedgehog, for all his glory, has had a life of more downs than ups. Some of these franchises have lost their steam or died out entirely. This love can often be rose-tinted, and it is a love that is very much forgiving. All of us look back on the games of our childhood with a certain unique fondness. My life changed after I first played Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis.

Sonic adventure 2 switch port