Sonic Generations (Greatest Hits) - PlayStation 3

First, some background. I grew up a Sonic kid. I played Mario like everyone else too, but after playing Sonic 2 for the first time back in 1993, I was hooked. I played through Sonic CD, Spinball, Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and even gave Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast a shot and loved them all. But as time went on, the newer Sonic games just didn't grab my attention. Occasionally I tried them, but each time I just wasn't impressed (in fact, the game commonly referred to as Sonic 2006 was practically unplayable). I still found myself playing the classic Sonic collections when they were released on each new system. I suppose that means I fit in the "Classic Sonic" crowd (Apparently there's quite a divide on the internet). So when I found out that Sega was going back to basics one more time and trying to finally make a game that brought the old fans and the new fans together, admittedly I was skeptical. But with each new trailer released, I found myself getting more and more excited for the release, and let me say, I wasn't disappointed! Graphics The game is gorgeous. From the level design down to the fine details like the stitching of Sonic's gloves, the game doesn't disappoint. 10/10 Sound Another one Sega hit out of the park. According to some of the videos I saw from Sega, there was a ton of emphasis put on getting the music right, without sounding stale. Classic levels like Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone sound like their originals, but are slightly remixed and in the end sound great. Playing through those levels as Classic Sonic really brought me back just by the music alone! Some of the unlockables in the game are soundtracks from all the Sonic games that can be played on any level. Sound effects are well done too, even the jump sounds are unique to each Sonic. 10/10 Story It's a Sonic game, what do you expect? Generations stitches together enough of a story to keep things flowing, but don't expect something with the depth of The Godfather. 7/10 Gameplay part 1, Controls Ok, the nitty gritty. People are always going to complain about something and the most common thing I've read about is physics for Classic Sonic. Yes, they are different, but not so drastically different like they were in the downloadable Sonic 4. It took very little time to get used to them. The other common complaint is Sega deciding to put "spin dash" as its own button, but after going back and forth between the two Sonics you realize why. Modern Sonic uses the square button (on PS3) to boost his speed and after awhile you find yourself trying to do the same thing with Classic Sonic. Luckily, spin dash is also the square button, so it makes the transition much easier. Honestly, I had more issue with trying to break the old habit of holding down when I wanted to perform a spin dash as it is no longer necessary in this game, and tends to have less than satisfactory results when you do. For Modern Sonic, I was honestly surprised by how easy he was to control. In my experience with past "Modern Sonic" games, I found myself getting frustrated when he just wouldn't do the things you wanted him to do. Combine that with poor collision detection, and you would fall to your death... a lot. With Generations, this was cleaned up quite a bit. I still seem to fall to my death frequently, but at least I'm not falling through platforms for no reason. I'm sure the kids who grew up playing Sonic Adventures onward won't have much of a problem. 9/10 Gameplay part 2, Difficulty and Replay-ability The main levels and challenges are difficult enough to keep your interest without tempting your urge to throw the controller... Not to say the grading system won't. If anything this is the biggest thing keeping you coming back for more. Through all the levels you will receive a performance grade at the end, based off of various factors, usually time. While getting an A isn't usually that difficult, getting an S is. Trust me, nothing is more annoying than missing an S by tenths of a second. For completionist, there's quite a few little hidden things throughout the game to go back and find that will keep you replaying this thing for awhile. That being said, it's a platformer, not a sandbox game, so don't expect Elder Scrolls type involvement to complete this thing 100%. Still, I give it a 9.5/10 So basically, if you liked any Sonic game, there's going to be something here you'll like too. If you loved any Sonic game, well you're going to love this one. If it isn't apparent by the review or the 5 stars, I loved it. So what are you waiting for? Click "Add to Cart" already! UPDATE 12/07/11 I may have jumped the gun a bit on my initial review, but now that I've beaten the game, I figured I'd revisit this review. I still stand by my original overall score, but I'm bringing down the fun score to 4 stars. I had written the review before playing some of the final levels and bosses which sadly, seem to take a bit away from the game. I'll try and be as vague as possible in describing the boss battles in order not to spoil the ending of the game, but still address my complaints. The Crisis City Zone seems to emulate a bit too much of the disaster of a game it came from, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. It wasn't outright bad like the original, but there were moments in the level, mostly with Classic Sonic, that weren't clear what you were expected to do, once again resulting in plenty of needless falls, that tempted those controller throwing moments I spoke about before. Bring plenty of patience with this level, especially the challenges. However, I will say that this zone and Seaside Hill were the only levels in the game that I didn't have an outright blast with. The boss/rival battles. I didn't mention them before because at the point I wrote the review, the bosses I had fought weren't very exceptional, and didn't seem (at the time anyway) to add or take away from the game. However, very late in the game, mostly the final boss, the game is very ambiguous on what you're expected to do, despite all the squaking from Sonic's friends the whole time, and the controls seem to turn to mush. I won't go so far as to call the final boss a train wreck or anything like that, but it was poor enough of an experience that it really messed with the pacing of the game, and wasn't as satisfying as I'd have liked. Still, I stand by my overall score of the game. The final boss battles and Crisis Zone are the only real blemishes on an otherwise fantastic game, and I don't just say that as a Sonic fan, but as a platform gamer. Most of the levels are very solid and are worth quite a few replays, especially the challenge versions. I'm hoping that Sega listens to the gaming community and releases patches for some of the issues, as well as downloadable content for further levels. If they do, I'll be sure to revisit this review again. Happy gaming everyone!

The same is awesome and very fun as a new school feel in the video game playing and it has that old school field to go 2D or 3D the game is fast paced and slow paced depending on how you play it in a very fun and enjoyable game very short gameplay though

NOTE: This is a very detailed review. If you don't have a lot of time, you can scroll to the bottom and see a simplified checklist of pros and cons. If you've played any Sonic game before, the premise will be instantly familiar: you have to race through levels at high speed to defeat the evil Dr. Eggman (or "Robotnik" as people who grew up with the earlier games know him as). This game has a bit of a catch, though: you play through levels from the other Sonic games as both classic and modern renditions of both Sonic and the gameplay they represent. In total, the game has 9 stages, each from Sonic 1-3, Adventure 1 and 2, Heroes, the 2006 "Sonic The Hedgehog" (called Sonic 2006 by some), Unleashed, and Colors in that order. Each stage has two "acts", the first of which is done in a classic style and the latter of which is done in a 3D style akin to his recent games. For example, the first stage is Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic game on the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive. You play it with the same old Sonic you used to play it as, side-scrolling 2D action and all. However, in Act 2 of the stage, you play as "modern Sonic" who races through the stage in 3 dimensions, just like in his more recent adventures. If you've played Sonic Unleashed or Sonic Colors , the gameplay should be instantly familiar to you for these sections as well. "Classic Sonic" can use his spin dash move from older games while "modern Sonic" has many more options at his disposal. He can jump off of special walls, slide, slam into the ground while in mid-air, do an air dash/homing attack, and boost forward while destroying everything in his path. That said, classic "Sonic" can also unlock special shields to use such as the ones from Sonic 3, allowing you to do such maneuvers as double-jumping, doing a fire-powered air dash, and bouncing. At this point you might be wondering if the game is a re-hash of older content that doesn't do anything new, but you'll be happy to know that you'd be wrong if you thought that. Every single level in the game is not only rendered in glorious 1080p graphics with optional 3D support, but the level designs are all refined and improved upon. I don't mean that lightly, either. For example, the popular City Escape stage from Sonic Adventure 2 is now playable in a completely new 2D format like an older Sonic game. When playing in the normal, modern format, the level is made much more challenging and exciting and feels almost like a completely different stage for the better! Even the GUN truck at the end that chases you has some not-so-subtle improvements that make it much more dangerous and thrilling (think saws and rockets). Then comes the music, my favorite of the upgrades. Nearly every stage has completely remixed music. This is especially noticeable in the older stages where the difference between older music and modern electronica is like night and day, and I mean that in the best way possible. Sonic games have always had great soundtracks (even the rather iffy Shadow the Hedgehog had an amazing soundtrack) and Sonic Generations is no exception to this rule. Not only that, but the actual selection of music in this game is much larger than you would expect. As you play, you can unlock the actual music tracks from older Sonic games, including some of the lesser-known games and handheld titles with the ability to play any track on any stage. Finally, I can go through City Escape with music from Sonic Rush! The actual gameplay itself is also similarly well-polished. "Classic Sonic" plays almost exactly like he used to in the older games, while "modern Sonic" has been incredibly refined from his already excellent controls in Sonic Colors. Moving around in 2D is just as smooth as ever, but in 3D it feels slightly hard to control due to the sheer speed that you move. It's hard to fault the game on this, though, because the levels themselves are so well-designed that it's rarely a problem. As with the older games, there are multiple paths through the level with various rewards for more skilled players such as more rings and powerups. You can also collect five "Red Star Rings" (previously in Sonic Colors) in each level, each of which are cleverly hidden and fun to search for. Each one you collect gets you an unlockable item such as concept artwork for each of the stages. In addition, you can complete several dozen extra challenges in each level such as races, sub-bosses from other games in the series, and ring challenges in order to unlock other items and even music. Overall, this is a fantastic game for Sonic fans with lots and lots of replay value. In addition to everything mentioned above, you can compete with your friends and the whole world online with competitive leaderboards. That said, the core game itself is rather short and you can face the final boss in only a few hours. With everything there is to unlock in the game, including the original Sonic The Hedgehog, it will be worth playing for a very long time. PROS: * Great re-imagining of old stages * Amazing graphics * Remixed soundtrack including many old favorites in their original form as bonuses * Many hours of replay value * Nearly perfect classic and modern Sonic gameplay CONS: * The main story is very short, similarly to older Sonic games * Controlling Sonic in 3D is sometimes very timing-sensitive due to the high speed

I am an insanely huge Classic Sonic fan and have been for more than 15 years, Im not a huge fan of the modern Sonic titles but some have appeal like Adventure 2, Sonic Rush, and Sonic Colors. This game, released in 2011 (which I bought at launch), is right up there with Sonic 1, 2, 3, CD and Knuckles. It isn't better than any of those games, but is easily on par with them and in the same category. Revisiting all the old areas with re-imagined 2D and 3D environments is fantastic in itself, visually it's stunning, but what pulls it through is the gameplay. Sonic team listened to the fans and made a small number of levels and focuses on their design and replayability, just like the classic series. There are multiple routes and paths per level, and while they all lead to the same outcome, taking different paths changes up the level dramatically. This is one of the things that made the classic series so fun to revisit. My only gripe with the game is that the levels themselves are not too challenging. There are challenging missions though. The challenge wont come from enemies or hazards, but things like keeping the high route in the level (very hard to do), or finding any of the five red rings hidden per level. Level bosses and mini-bosses have been swapped for separate boss levels, which I feel was the wrong choice to take. As for physics, Sonic runs incredibly fast (sometimes too fast to follow with the eyes, seriously), controls very well, the jumping is pretty well done but isn't 100% refined. However it is far from bad and is very close to that of the classic games. Sonic accelerates fast (unlike Sonic 4). This is the closest to a classic Sonic game I have ever seen in terms of physics, level design, and mechanics. The attention to detail is stunning, the fun little nick nacks like things to break, spinning tops, laser teleporters, which were a small but fun part of the classic series are in this game as well. Sega went all out for their fans. What Super Smash Brothers is to Nintendo fans, Sonic Generations is to Sonic fans. The entire game is fan service. Just like Smash Brothers there is a vast array of unlockable music from the whole series including original versions and remixes. The pick songs from both the good and bad, classic and modern games. Being able to play songs from spinoffs like Sonic Spinball, Sonic Advance, Sonic R, and Sonic 3D Blast in a 2011 game is a real treat. There are probably about 60 tracks all the way from Sonic 1 - Sonic Colors, mostly every favorite is here. It's great to hear something like "Stardust Speedway Bad Future US" when playing the metal sonic boss level. Also like Smash Brothers, alot of the fun stuff is unlocked by replaying the game. Since the game has such high replayability, it's no problem. You can unlock the elemental shields from Sonic 3, a new skateboard power up, faster breaking, etc. Everything will be set to off when first unlocked though and must be switched on. This allows the player to tweak the game to their liking. This is made for every Sonic fan to enjoy the game how they want. The 3D versions of the stages are fun as well, they are fast, frantic, and actually control really great. My only problem is that they are over very fast, but I would rather have a short and fun Sonic level than one that drags on. Speaking of that, there are two areas of this game that take the experience away from what would've been a near flawless game. Planet Wisp from Sonic Colors (last level of Generations) is a 10+ minute long level (both modern and classic stages) with terrible level design and game slowing power ups. While all the other levels in the game work so well and are executed perfectly, this does the opposite and breaks up any speed and action. The last boss is a complete joke and doesn't make any sense. Pros -Classic Sonic Gameplay -Fast -Great Level Design with replayability -Tons of Unlockables -Amazing soundtrack -Great level of customization -Fun 3D Gameplay -Made for Sonic fans Cons -Lack of challenge is surviving levels themselves -Not enough bosses -No level from Sonic 3 (but they choose levels from 06 and Colors?) -Planet Wisp is dreadful -Last Boss is a confusing joke -The main story is relatively short What we have is a game that does so much right and is one of the best Sonic games ever, however the flaws like Planet Wisp and the lack of challenge for the levels stops the experience from being perfect. That being said, this is in my opinion the best Sonic game released post-Sonic and Knuckles and it was so much fun to see all the nods made throughout the series. I had a blast with the game and any Sonic fan will, not just cause of it being a throwback to the whole series but becuase it is very well done. 8.5/10 Thank You Sega

Sonic Generations was made to please fans of both classic and modern Sonic. You'll race through levels from various Sonic games throughout the ages, experiencing waves and waves of nostalgia as you go. But this game relies upon far more than fond memories. Here's my breakdown: Story: If you must know, Dr. Eggman and Dr. Robutnik have teamed up to mess up time. As the 2 Sonics, you'll race through the worlds at top speed to restore places and rescue friends. Speaking of Sonic's friends, you'll cringe every time they have a dialogue. It's that bad. Anyways, no one plays these games for story, so I'll just dock a point for lame voice acting. Score: 4/5 Graphics/Setting: What I've always appreciated about Sonic games is the fact that they don't follow the whole photo-realistic craze. You'll dash through bright, refreshing environments that take you all over Sonic's history, starting with Green Hill Zone way back from Sonic the Hedgehog 1 to Planet Wisp from the recent Sonic Colors. The more familiar you are with Sonic games, the more you'll get out of Generations because of nostalgia, but anyone will enjoy it regardless. Speaking of nostalgia, this game does NOT play it safe by merely copying and pasting the levels it draws from. These are levels with obviously similar themes, but redesigned structure, so they feel both old and new in the best possible ways. And it's always a pleasure to play modern versions of classic levels and vice versa. The levels feel just right no matter which Sonic you play as. Score: 5/5 Gameplay: As classic Sonic, you'll utilize the famous spin dash, smash in TV boxes containing rings and powerups, and bounce off enemies on your way to the familiar banner at the end of the level. As modern Sonic, you'll boost at break-neck speeds, homing-attack bots, and stomp your way to the giant ring goal. A quick note: don't worry about moving so fast that you won't be able to see obstacles coming; the game is pretty fair about reaction time. However, you'll still need to know levels inside and out for a smooth run, and this applies to both Sonics. The game mixes things up by giving you optional skills. These are welcome enhancements that do things like give you the signature fire/water/lightning shields or make you brake faster. The number of skills you can equip is limited, so you'll have to strategize which skills to use for which levels. Levels themselves are a blast to play. You'll never tire of discovering and taking shortcuts, all the while listening to the incredible soundtracks provided for each version of levels. Even better, YOU CAN CHANGE the soundtracks for levels by choosing from unlocked music in the gallery! If you're still not convinced about this game I have 2 words for you: Super Sonics. Score: 5/5 Missions: And here is where Sega could have gone with the policy "less is more." When you're not zipping through the 18 main levels, you might be engaging in not-so-fun side missions. These have you collecting a certain number of rings or making it to the goal with limited time. There are even some that feature a friend. These missions are nowhere near as fun as the main stages and there are 30 of these that completionists will feel obligated to muddle through. At least they offer soundtracks and artwork upon beating them. One of my favorite things about Generations, though, are the red rings. There are 5 of these in each main level and collecting all 5 yield skills to use. The best part is that you'll get hints on where these are found, and they usually are found on shortcut routes, serving as a guide for the quickest way through a stage. Very clever, Sega. Score: 4/5 Overall: This is such a remarkable game, and it's a well-needed break from the myriad of realistic-looking shooter games flooding the console market nowadays. This game will test your skills as you race through beautiful, well-designed worlds, learning shortcuts and memorizing routes. Classic and modern Sonic are both great fun to play as. Skill sets add a welcome strategic element to gameplay, and the soundtrack is stellar. My few complaints are somewhat tedious side missions and lame friend characters. These are easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things. Trust me, from the moment you start up this game, greeted by the unforgettable Genesis era menu music, you'll be enchanted. Beware! Nostalgia awaits! Overall score: 4.5/5

New to the sonic fandom and heard that this one is a fan favorite due to it mixing both classic and modern sonic so I had to give it a try. I LOVED it! One of my favorite sonic games along with sonic and the black knight!

Good

Pros: --Looks great --Fun at times Cons: --Moving between the different levels is a WAY more discombobulated mess than necessary. I'm sure someone at Sega thought they were being real creative with this mess. --The music between each level is HORRIFIC. And if that's not bad enough, it changes from one horrific song to the next as you move between each level. --Controls, at times, were unresponsive and downright frustrating (end boss???). Using the homing attack would often end up causing me to careen over an edge & die. --Constantly having to switch between two different control schemes (2-D and 3-D) can get confusing. --It's too short. Took me two days to beat. I had much higher hopes for this game based on all the good reviews I'd read prior to purchasing. I think all the flashy eye candy this game provides hypnotizes people into thinking it's a better game than it really is.