5 Worst / Best Modern Sonic Games (ft. Game Apologist)

[@masterblasterT47]

Good or bad one thing the modern Sonic games have had in common is consistently good soundtracks.

[@gokublack9724]

Minus sonic chronicles and boom

[@themangoman9315]

That's just sonic in general

[@Twinklethefox9022]

Sonic never fails at music. For me "dear my friend" is my favorite song

[@Ashley3AndKnuckles]

sonic 4

[@apexatrovinator7510]

True but monstrosities like Sonic: Dark brotherhood exists

[@wakeangel2001]

hey, I was also 6 years old when I became a Sonic fan, that's how old I was when the first game came out on Genesis. Sonic and the Black Knight is actually one of my favorites, and I think I know what happened to you. Fun fact, whether you're swinging your entire arm, or just gently flicking your wrist, that game can't tell the difference, BUT if you swing your whole arm it physically takes longer to do, THAT is the lag you feel when you play that game. Once I figured out a gentle flick was all I needed to make Sonic swing his sword the game became MUCH tighter, it CAN be just as responsive as a button press. I feel bad because that seems to be the dividing line between this being one of the best games from the era and one of the worst, I wish the instructions were clearer that you didn't need to fling your arm around like you're actually holding a sword to play it.

[@ultimateness1921]

Thanks for the tip in Black knight

[@emanuelcullin1157]

I'm surprised he didn't even mention Shadow the Hedgehog

[@FanaticMitchell1]

Hi, Wakeangel2001, thanks again for the custom SatAM figures

[@slimeprivilege]

@@emanuelcullin1157 because that's a Shadow game not a Sonic game 😉

[@vegitoblue9825]

Same I think

[@silverslayer6262]

Since this is almost an hour long, here are some time stamps: 1:56 5th worst 7:16 5th best 11:08 4th worst 15:17 4th best 19:31 3rd worst 23:42 3rd best 28:09 2nd worst 31:05 2nd best 35:26 honorable mentions 37:17 dishonorable mentions 39:36 worst 43:56 best

[@wolfypai7007]

thank you so much

[@roby4504]

Sonic and The Black Knight on worst? Dislike. Edit: Sonic Lost World is on best so I am giving this video another shot lol

[@knightofarkronia8652]

I personally think that Secret Rings and Black Knight had some good ideas, but they were held back by, among other things, an over-reliance on motion controls. Perhaps if they had a more conventional gameplay style and level structure, they could’ve taken their place amongst the greats!

[@davidmorrison2135]

I actually like the storybook series. I just wished they had the third entry

[@greninjastorm6734]

I really enjoyed my time with Secret Rings. My main gripe was that I couldn't get very far in it, but that was just me being a trash gamer at the time

[@gokublack9724]

@Greninja Storm or the fact that its controls were horrendous, black knight on the other hand improved the motion controls

[@greninjastorm6734]

@@gokublack9724 I wasn't very good at any of the games I had at that time, and hadn't gotten very far in any of them. I was a kid, so when I got frustrated at Secret Rings, it wasn't because of the controls, it was something else screwing me over in my eyes

[@PixelHeroViish]

Honestly, the worst part in Black Knight was the waggling. If the swordplay was easier to perform well in, the game would be a lot more appreciated. Granted it's getting more positive opinions now, but y'know what I mean 🤣

[@SuperBatSpider]

One thing I always think about when talking about Sonic is his rivalry with Mario. Though we often think of them fighting if they met they would probably be friends.

[@anonymusmysterious5401]

They certainly would. In fact, the Mario and Sonic Olympic games is a proof of that.

[@phantomstrider]

I like to think so too

[@orangeslash1667]

@@phantomstrider The good news is that theres an indie game called Freedom Planet that is very similar to 2d Sonic.

[@floofycupkim1197]

@@phantomstrider in my opinion, forces was a really, really rushed story, its wasted potential in my opinion

[@Ibalistic_hedge]

Except. Sonic and Mario haven't been rivals for years. They haven't since 2006/7. And sonic and Mario have met, many times in the Olympic games

[@bdpickett]

3:26 "Who knew you could dispense with immortality the same way as mortality?" Highlander fans.

[@ThemeParkAvenue]

Generations is my favorite. It’s so fun and fast-paced. The Silver boss fight might be the most improved fight ever.

[@gokublack9724]

"IT'S NO USE" "not now" (sorry I had to say it)

[@greninjastorm6734]

Plus Generations on PC has *loads* of mods to make the game more interesting. Full stages for both Modern and Classic, character mods, and unique and crazy ideas

[@christianparrish6647]

@@greninjastorm6734 I like your profile picture. Greninja is one of my favorite Pokemon.

[@christopherford39]

@@greninjastorm6734 agreed

[@thelookingcat]

Absolutely.

[@am2382]

I always enjoyed Sonic unleashed and generation. The soundtracks for most modern games are awesome even tho they are cheesy 😂

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

The Apostos Day (Windmill Isle) is the best soundtrack in the game. The mix of drum and bass, violin, and bossa nova is just beautiful.

[@egglolchese3544]

@Mr. Friendship hi :)

[@Cartoonshipper]

Yeah!

[@mastertjt56]

Cheesy???? Are you referring to the vocal soundtracks??

[@kujakubes241]

@@poweroffriendship2.0 dragon road is a bit better to me

[@shreeder4092]

In regards to Forces, from what I recall it was 4 years of dev time, with 2 years being dedicated to developing the Hedgehog Engine 2 (HE1 was used for stuff like Unleahsed), 1 year was spent conceptualizing Forces, and the last year was spent actually developing the game. I could be wrong though.

[@mizzybluth4550]

Actually no your not wrong

[@bleepblock2177]

So that explains it

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

That still counts as development, especially when you consider all the other times Sonic games had new Engines and were released faster.

[@uneedrambo716]

I thought it was 3 years on the engine

[@dashietheytpproductions2521]

I love Sonic and Black Knight’s graphics, morals, story, and the soundtrack…. But the controls are lacking…. Honestly it could use a bit of fine tuning

[@kieranstark7213]

Same… Not to mention how out of character Amy Rose was for hating Sonic after she was in character as Nimue, makes us concerned that the rest of Sonic’s friends (and enemies) would feel the same way about him leading to the Meta Era.

[@reeereeebriieee8661]

@@kieranstark7213 what do you mean by that? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

[@denisewoodford9250]

One day,the game could be remade

[@DontChuckles]

@@kieranstark7213 What do you mean nimue and Amy are deprecate character is just that in the storybook games important characters in the story will look like the normal cast and the only reason Amy was made at sonic because he missed their date (that’s the reason why sonic was holding two chili dogs at the beginning of the game and only ate one).

[@kieranstark7213]

@@DontChuckles I wonder how pissed Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge, Cream, Cheese, Blaze, Silver and the Chaotix would be as at Sonic when he found how her date was missed? I bet he took it as well as he did in Archie issues 155-179, but Sonic can forget the dates of as many yanderes as he wants, like Karl Bollers' version of Sally Acorn. He was too good to deserve that slap, and he was the one whose fury was justified at the end of this issue, because Sally was just being a toxic girlfriend (sure, she apologized in #187 because Ian Flynn is a much better writer, but the slaps of Sally Acorn and Fiona Fox in the mid-2000s Archie Comics shouldn't have been a thing, yet Tails blamed Sonic for slapping him even though it was obviously Fiona).

[@StylusShade]

What happened with Forces is that Sonic Team were going to run it on the Hedgehog Engine, but it didn't work on the Switch, so they had to create the Hedgehog Engine 2, which took years. And since Sega avoids deadline delays like the Plague, Sonic Team only had, like, a year to conceive the story and develop the game. Oh, and they hired only 3 level designers, and they were all amateurs to Sonic games.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

I find that hard to believe since the Wii U could run the first Hedgehog Engine just fine.

[@zeroattentiongaming820]

@@AkameGaKillfan777 The Switch is demonstrably more powerful than the WiiU, at least in the case of Bayonetta 2 being fully stable 60 fps on Switch where it apparently wasn't on WiiU. If the WiiU could run something, I likewise very much doubt the Switch couldn't, limited though it absolutely is in comparison to Sony and Microsoft's consoles. It is entirely possible the Switch is programmed in such a way that the Hedgehog Engine couldn't run on it, like MGS 4 apparently being so integrally tied to the Ps3 software that a native Ps4 port is supposedly impossible, but I'd find that extremely unlikely given this is an engine that wasn't designed for one very specific bit of software.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@zeroattentiongaming820 It's hard to say. There are so many weird quirks that can happen when a game specifically made for one console gets ported to others. Colors Ultimate for instance has a higher jump height on every console besides Switch because they all run at 60fps for some reason.

[@BisharpnearOhio]

Bruh hearing Boo say Howdy melted my cold as steel heart.

[@userLongHairedGIRL]

Agreed, Boo is my new favorite character! He's so adorable and cute!

[@FlareStorms]

coldsteel the hedgeheg

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

Bomb Boo to be exact

[@joelblake5310]

Ah. The Sonic franchise. Where you literally cannot please the fandom.

[@jdawson7877]

proof

[@usensitivead]

Lol Everyone are tired of the boost Sonic lost world They want the boost back Sonic forces They don't want it anymore I probably give the worst example but search "sonic fandom you cannot please it"

[@jdawson7877]

@@usensitivead i'm pretty sure when people said they didn't want boost they meant they want to go back to the adventure formula and lost world ain't it.

[@usensitivead]

@@jdawson7877 however when lost world came out they want the boost back they could just "this ain't the adventure era gameplay"

[@autobotproductions1244]

Still better than the Star Wars fandom

[@mr.bootleg646]

Sonic is very special to me as well. I remember playing Sonic with my older sister, in fact this Game is what drew us together. My older was such a big fan of sonic to the point she had a custom shirt of Sonic. So thanks for covering this list.

[@majorfanboy2005]

Your older what?

[@mr.bootleg646]

@@majorfanboy2005 sister, my older sister. Typo, sorry about that.

[@majorfanboy2005]

@@mr.bootleg646 Ok.

[@therewasnoattempt8373]

Only the OG fans remember when PhantomStrider used to make Top 6 instead of Top 5 videos

[@KangarooMonkey]

You’re joking right? That wasn’t that long ago. Are you trying to just make yourself sound like an OG?

[@KangarooMonkey]

I’d say OG’s are 6 or 7 years, possibly 5.

[@totallynormalcat1]

It was 5 months ago.

[@therewasnoattempt8373]

Lmao I was joking

[@KangarooMonkey]

@@therewasnoattempt8373 how is this a joke? I know if you explain a joke it’s not funny, but that’s not an issue with this joke. So, how is this supposed to be funny? Are you making fun of people who say they’re OG’s?

[@wiktoriazootar3241]

I love when you cover games. I really like Sonic, too, my favourite characters seems to be Rouge the Bat, Knuckles the Echidna and the Blue Blurr himself.

[@kieranstark7213]

One of the many things to love about PhantomStrider is that he doesn’t make Sonic the Hedgehog look like the bad guy just because he cries to angry women like Sally Acorn (#134), Amy Rose (for forgetting her dates) and Zeena (for insulting her for being prissy).

[@dropatear5379]

Rouge is the most UNDERRATED sonic character

[@kieranstark7213]

For me, it’s Blaze. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/joi4Y4SVoaqlhqs

[@theminecraft2516]

@@dropatear5379 You sure? The fandom seems to love her

[@dropatear5379]

@@theminecraft2516 I think we’re on the opposite side of the fan base

[@gokublack9724]

Y'all overlook black knight while it does have motion controls, it's MUCH better than secret rings and this is Jason Griffith's 2nd best performance (behind unleashed obviously) which is always a treat to see from the best english sonic VA

[@SR.PlayAlot64]

I couldn't agree more. I wish they would bring him back

[@gokublack9724]

Me too, I'm not fond of Roger's portrayal of sonic personally

[@SR.PlayAlot64]

@@gokublack9724 When I think of how Sonic should sound I hear him as a teenager or a young adult. Meanwhile we have Roger who makes Sonic like this arrogant 30 something who enjoys Pizza Hut. I seriously don't know what the folks at SEGA were smoking when they hired him

[@gokublack9724]

@Sirplayalot 64 they were probably smoking the same thing when they rushed 06 or made lost world

[@maro1139]

Trash vs garage lmao

[@DarkoFoxfire]

I do agree that Sonic and Black Knight has lovely storybook visuals and that soundtrack is so legendary but I’m going to disagree with Chip being annoying, I honestly think him and Sonic relationship was so sweet like Sonic is his older brother taking care of his little baby brother more than how he does with Tails! That's why if you play the game use the Japanese voices and script!

[@maryafantalia4357]

Exactly ! But I think Chip the big brother was more the big brother because he exists since centuries and he protected Sonic during all the game ^^

[@DarkoFoxfire]

@@maryafantalia4357 Not really in terms of how Sonic talks to him, Chip acts like the little brother!

[@maryafantalia4357]

@@DarkoFoxfire Oh I see ! ^^

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

Chip is more annoying to me in Japanese. He sounds like a girl.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@maryafantalia4357 I don't need your permission on where I can comment on KZbin. You're not the boss of anyone.

[@Rabbitearsblog]

YAAAYYY!! You did a Sonic video! I have always loved the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and it was great going back and seeing all of these games again! Really enjoyed your video and glad that Game Apologist came into your video!

[@PrismTheLoser]

God I'm happy to see you finally make a video like this. You are literally the best countdown youtuber ive ever seen. Also, nick is here! You guys are both great at this.

[@KraziShadowbear]

Oh dear...this can be a bit of a controversial topic if you're not "enough" invested in Sonic lore, background, and the like... But hey, Game Apologist! Awesome to see him here! Nice to know that a lot of the game talk will be with a good amount of respect of the specific parts of the games and stuff. The negatives along with the positives are a good thing to mention. *ALSO, FOR ANYONE NEW TO THIS CHANNEL, THESE ARE PHANTOMSTRIDER'S OPINIONS. NOT FACT. IT'S JUST A PERSONAL LIST THAT HE MADE.*

[@donaldtrumpling2016]

Yah, he says it's his "silly personal opinion" lol

[@pandaandthegecko5480]

Always love it when strider posts a new video!

[@revinevan300]

1. Thank you for saying something positive about the Werehog! 2. Forces may not be that good, but I still have a soft spot for it. 3. Generations is pretty much Boost gameplay Bliss

[@christianparrish6647]

I love transformers

[@FlareStorms]

@@christianparrish6647 starg sream

[@christianparrish6647]

@@FlareStorms starscream

[@FlareStorms]

@@christianparrish6647 stabream

[@christianparrish6647]

@@FlareStorms you think this is funny?

[@greninjastorm6734]

The Deadly Six are much better written in the IDW comics. Especially Zavok. He has actual brains that he uses, he's able to acknowledge attributes about his enemies, and even gives someone sound advice

[@nickytembo4112]

Pontac and Graff, Take notes!

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@nickytembo4112 They took pink slips, maybe.

[@DaveMan1K]

38:37 Or better yet, finally bring in the Freedom Fighters from the SatAM/Archie series? SEGA owns them no bother, and they would fit the more war centric scenario better than any of the cast they used. Imagine Sally, Bunnie and Antoine in place of the Avatar character.

[@Gilbot9000]

This was an exceptionally well-thought out list. I appreciate the level of effort you put into explaining each choice, and having Nick along to help with the narration and provide contrast with his own opinions was an effective use of the guest spot. I hope you'll do more team ups in the future and I'm looking forward to your next video.

[@angrysonicbros7116]

4:01 I Agree the story in this game is great and Sonic is written so good compared to Colors, Lost World and Forces

[@featherguardian6023]

Growing up I love the Sonic Franchise,with the stages,songs,story,and variety of characters that even with it's ups and unfortunate downs I still believe,hope,and pray that that the games become great in whatever the future holds like my favorite Games of the franchise Sonic 06,Sonic Unleashed,and Sonic Generations.

[@maryafantalia4357]

My favorite games (about story, graphics and cutscenes) was Shadow, 06, Secret Rings, Unleashed and Black Knight ^^

[@featherguardian6023]

@@maryafantalia4357 Yeah I agree with you,those Games have the best Story,Graphics,and Cutscenes aside the Adventure Game,Heroes,and Shadow the Hedgehog(depending of the right choice for the Character).

[@maryafantalia4357]

@@featherguardian6023 Same ! ;)

[@UltimateDragonX9999]

Here is a top 10 suggestion idea: Top 10 most Violent Villains in cartoons.

[@SallyCatTree]

He needs to make a video on this.

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

I know they're anime but Dio and Monokuma.

[@UltimateDragonX9999]

@@HolyGoddessMotherAnne I hope that he make that video

[@WubbaizyShipper1]

Princess Morbuks

[@SallyCatTree]

@@WubbaizyShipper1 princess deez

[@TravistheDragon]

I’d ask why the subtitles in some of these choices were blurred but I’m guessing it was to keep the audience from being distracted by it. At least that’s what I’m thinking. Aside from that though great video as usual. ^^

[@ReddGier]

Fun little factoid about Sonic Colors: in the Japanese release of the game, the voice that called out the names of the Wisp power-ups was Fumihiko Tachiki. For those that like Tokatsu or Kamen Rider in general, they most likely remember him as the voice who called out the names of the Gaia memories in Kamen Rider W.

[@dylanogg347]

Well, if anyone knows how to "ACCEL", it's Sonic the Hedgehog.

[@Xen8008]

Damn it’s so refreshing to see someone review and evaluate the modern Sonic Games. This video was so well researched and relatable! too many people dismiss all post adventure Sonic games! One of your best videos yet Strider!!

[@dropatear5379]

I personally love the werehog. I played a werehog level recently and it was really fun. I love the atmosphere of all the levels and I also really love the way it controls. I love that you can do combos, learn new moves, and look for collectibles. But, that might just be because I’m a Mario fan and a completionist. But the Wii version, oh yeah, that’s a different story.

[@greninjastorm6734]

UnWiished was how I played it as a kid, with the Wiimote/Nunchuck combo. I ended up flailing like an idiot when in combat as the Werehog, but I still preferred those stages to the Daytime ones

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

The Wii version, with shorter Werehog stages, no forced collectibles for progression, stable framerate, and more.

[@dropatear5379]

@@AkameGaKillfan777 It looks ugly and the maps were changed and I like the longer levels

[@sheaedwards]

@@AkameGaKillfan777 They're shorter individually but there's sooo many more of them, I'd rather play one longish but well designed level than a bunch of horrible to control shorter levels.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@sheaedwards If only the Werehog stages were designed well then

[@BaePlatinum]

I REALLY wish Forces would have been longer. I first made my OC in ‘09, and, of course, posted her on deviantART. Being able to make and play as her in a real Sonic game made me SO incredibly happy, but again, Forces wasn’t nearly long enough.

[@animationstation1005]

Black Knight has always been my favorite game! It's seriously underlooked!

[@kieranstark7213]

Probably because nobody likes it. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGeplWR5hMyKpas m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/o33Id3iqbM5qrNU m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYTIZ4Obm9KMqMk

[@theminecraft2516]

Black Knight is alright, I don’t see how it could be anyone’s favorite other than nostalgia because the level design is lacking

[@kieranstark7213]

@@theminecraft2516 Yeah.

[@animationstation1005]

@@kieranstark7213 Which is stupid, bc it's actually really good and all those glitches were faked through an emulator to give everyone an excuse to complain for no reason

[@kieranstark7213]

@@animationstation1005 WAAH! People are hating on one of my favourite games Sonic Colours Ultimate! How dare they not like it and other Sonic games of the so-called “Meta Era”! The 2010s is the best time for Sonic games, don’t @ me! Me: *sigh*

[@sazzahko9931]

This was the best collab ever!!! I can’t wait to see more from my favorite youtubers!!

[@LuxuryArtworks]

Boo saying "howdy!" It really makes my day better!✨ Thank you so much Boo.

[@Hanz_M]

PhantomStrider puts Sonic 06 as a Dishonorable mention "I try my best to give you variety, and putting it on this list won't be too interesting." I salute you, Phantom. And Nick too.

[@TOrlando478]

So, I feel like sonic definitely made up a part of my childhood. I remember playing some of his games on my portable Sega genesis and Wii (especially sonic colors) and I have to say that I really did enjoy playing these games as a kid.

[@NinjaKingAce]

4:59 To be fair, the Homing Attack does have a use. Late in the game, there are some optional levels (called Legacy Missions) where unique elements from Black Knight are replaced with more traditional elements from the main series, including replacing the Knights of the Underworld with Eggman robots. And, as it turns out, stabbing robots with a sword doesn't do much

[@IAmInfinitus208]

I'll take Sonic Heroes over Boom anyday. And screw Forces.

[@crimsonslayer6641]

yeah Sega left forces in the dust, they shouldn’t have changed the engine. The sequel comics were better, the comics that take place after forces. Thats funny how a comic is better than an actual game

[@SmashGamer728]

Funny enough, was actually Sonic for Halloween this year. Needless to say, really enjoyed hearing your perspectives on this recent era of Sonic games especially the fact you two are collating for this one, love both of your channels!

[@0MidnighttheDragon0]

Honestly I really like the idea of a sonic turn based rpg. I really do think it could be cool especially with the whole concepts of different group attacks based on who's in your teams. But sadly chronicles just missed the mark. I really do think they should do another attempt at a turn based rpg sometime though. I think it was the execution that was bad...not the concept.

[@jakkurinjactenderjakala4129]

agree, Sonic Chronicles deserved better!!

[@CraftedPin]

I swear, there’s probably gonna be a PhantomStrider Movie cuz these videos get longer and longer

[@segainfinitemm]

i actually particularly loved the werehog stages in unleashed and the soundtrack is THE BEST in the series

[@curly_girly19]

38:48 "I know I'm the biased older fan" sir, I cut my teeth as a Sonic fan and as a gamer on the Adventure duology and Heroes (my personal favorite Sonic game period), and I absolutely loathe Forces. It feels like they wanted to appeal to Adventure-era fans with a game more serious in tone, but instead of getting an Adventure 2 with charm and charisma to cut through the darker storytelling, we got a Shadow that is unbearably cringe-inducing to get through. At least Shadow could make you laugh with how try hard it was, Forces is just embarrassing and-- to me personally, it's a slap in the face to those of us who did love the dark era's darker tones and wanted to see a return to them from the saccharine feel of the 2010s' offerings. And this is coming from a person who genuinely loves Heroes and everything about it.

[@FrostTheHobidon]

Sonic and the Black Knight has Sonic personality perfect. I like Chip in Unleashed, A being who spend his life fixing the planet from Dark Gaia. Until Eggman ruined everything causing Chip to lose him memory. Chip gets to experience the world, the food, and the people thanks to Sonic helping him. When he got him memory back he appreciated everything Sonic has done for him. If you hate Chip because of his Voice, keep in mind the voice cast were contracted by 4kids, plus if you hear Chip in Japanese he sounds adorable. I had more fun with the Werehog in the Xbox 360 version, I only hate the Night time Empire City. Plus I think the Werehog design looks really cool.

[@lukashuddleston4232]

I remember playing Sonic 4 all the time on my 360. And though I was bad at it I personally thought it was a pretty fun game. But I see where you two are coming from and it makes complete sense that it is on here.

[@theminecraft2516]

It’s fun but a bad sequel

[@crcoghill]

i just don't know how i feel about Unleashed being so low. I feel like I'm one of the few Sonic fans that thinks it's one of the best, if not the best, the series has to offer. like i really like the Day Stages, but unless you are really good at knowing what is gonna happen, i feel the speed can give you a headache at how fast everything looks and it's not all that fun when you get a good speed and smack into a wall you were meant to slide under. on the flip side: i really liked the Night stages. not only cause i like the idea of the Werehog itself (big Werewolf fan) but also cause it gave my mind to collect itself from the mind blowing speed. not only that but i like clobbering the Nightmare monsters and the bosses with him are really good. I also didn't mind the levels of said stages cause i wasn't having issues with Wii controls since i played the (possibly superior) PS2 version of the game. again, outside of dealing with some "think in a second" moments of the day stages, i had no real issues till the first level of the final area in Eggmanland. those first few turns are still nightmares to me. i also didn't hate Chip. sure, he was a little annoying at first, but when he's personality blooms of being a sweet character, offering chocolate to anyone he saves with Sonic, he was a nice character to be around. though speaking of personalities, I'm surprised you didn't talk about how Eggman himself was betrayed since this felt like the first time he got to put up the role of insane scientist and the trend he began going down. i mean, he was super serious in '06 and was gone through the Storybook games, so him coming back with a wacky, over the top attitude is just what we needed back after such serious villains. i don't know why it always feels like I'm one of the few people who actually defends this game among the fans that bash the pretty good Night Time Stages, but will praise everything else that, personally, just ok. atleast everyone loves the music, but that's kind of the norm for Sonic games.

[@gokublack9724]

It's actually my favorite video game of all time honestly because it nails everything I want in a video game the story, the gameplay, the characters, and most definitely the soundtrack

[@nellewoodruff6337]

Same. I love this game so much that it's a bit of a shame it was so low

[@maseehwardak6055]

Sonic unleashed is the best sonic game.

[@kidwolf0015]

I'm just glad it wasn't listed as the #1 worst Sonic game TIED with Sonic 06.... Because apparently Unleashed was ugly, had horrible fan-fiction like writing, excruciatingly long loading times, and disgustingly broken gameplay...... Does anybody else remember that era of the internet where everyone online absolutely despised Unleashed as though it was made from the depths of hell? Why did that happen again? I can understand why some people didn't like the warehog, but how does that make the entire game a horrific atrocity?

[@dustydd]

I'm dying on the hill that Unleashed is the best 3D Sonic game only rivaled by SA2.

[@wishbushwashbosh6443]

39:04 Actually it was only developed in four years. Even then, three of those years were spent on the hedgehog engine 2. The game was only made in one year.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

They spent longer than they needed to on the graphics engine

[@LaggingLeland]

I'm glad Sonic Colors is on this list that game was my first Sonic game and brings back SO much nostalgia

[@kieranstark7213]

Well, I couldn’t see the Ultimate version of Colours on the best list along with the 2010 versions. RESPECT

[@Reekskull]

MuH NuStAlGa

[@WaterKirby1994]

Sorry to hear you got such a bad entry point to the series. Have you played the Adventure Games?

[@LaggingLeland]

@@WaterKirby1994 not yet but if they get remastered or something like that I will play them. I wouldn't say Colors was bad in any way, yeah that era had some ups and downs but I still loved it.

[@WaterKirby1994]

@@LaggingLeland I'm guessing your Wii wasn't GameCube compatible preventing you from accessing the excellent selection of Sonic Games. If you want to play the Adventure Games without tracking down the GameCube discs you could try the Steam Releases of course you need mods to fix them. The other games won't be so easy to access though with Sonic Heroes & Shadow the Hedgehog being best played through an old disc still in playable condition. Colors was actually in the worse half of Sonic Games & the 2010s weren't that good for Sonic Games. The Adventure Era probably was the best for Sonic in terms of games with the Adventure Games being the best in the series. Additionally there are the GBA Games which you need to try assuming you have played the Classic Games already.

[@SBluvr99]

LIVE AND LEARN! Hangin' on the edge of tomorrow! Being a Nintendo kid, Sonic Adventure 2 was my first Sonic game. Great vid!

[@christianparrish6647]

I heard L&L from super smash bros brawl. I love it.

[@kieranstark7213]

Are you aware of all the terrible things Nintendo did to the point where making Princess Peach a damsel in distress doesn’t look so bad by comparison?

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@christianparrish6647 Brawl butchered Live & Learn. They cut out 2/3 of the song. It goes straight to the guitar solo after the chorus finishes, then does a riff from the original before starting back over.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

@@kieranstark7213 What does that have to do with liking SA2B?

[@kieranstark7213]

Because he mentioned being a Nintendo guy in the past (and likely present) and I’m here to talk about it doing both great and terrible things at different times.

[@GhostlyThorns80]

Lost World also has a 3DS version made by Dimps. It's actually really good - it expands on the original level's ideas, the Zone's themes are more consistent, the bosses actually put up a fight, you should try it out if you get the chance.

[@justsomesimplenuclearbirbs4313]

Thing about Forces is it has a plethora of unused content and scrapped ideas. There are various leftovers from Generations, mostly animations for Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, the Custom Character, Metal Sonic and... the Signpost? There are also unused animations for the Golems (the giant, deformed Infinites) where they swing their hands in viciously and wildly. There's also an oddity with said Golems, the water texture/effect used inside the Golems is the same as Chaos' meaning the was a scrapped idea related to Chaos. A few unused variations of stages seen in both gameplay and cutscenes as well as unused objects that mimic objects from the classic series are also present in the code for Forces. In terms of unused ideas the biggest one was going to be the return of Mephiles. An early script for Forces showed several differences from the final story which included Mephiles instead of just the classic baddies and rivals (and Zavok). So much potential just thrown out the window and with it ideas that will never stay permanently.

[@A.G-Roboticals]

I really enjoy Sonic games and the character himself. The first Sonic game I played was “Sonic and The Secret Rings” and I couldn’t get very far cause I had no clue what I was doing, lol. The day I got the game changed my opinion on Sonic, I used to hate him just because I liked Nintendo better. When I started getting into Sonic, I truly found out his speed and power. Sure, Sonic may not be my favorite video game character, (my favorite is Kirby, by the way.) but he does hold a special place in my heart. Also, you can’t forget about Tails! He’s one of my favorite side-kick character off all time! Oh, and Metal Sonic is cool too. Anyway, I’m not a Sonic super fan, but I do enjoy sitting down and playing a bit of fast paced action from time to time.

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

I've seen people do fanart of Sonic and the Black Knight and casting more characters with one of my favourites actually being them casting Princess Sally from the Sonic Satam cartoon as Lady Guinevere which I think is a very clever casting

[@JaceAVinson]

4:49 That’s not a Wii Classic Controller. That’s a Wii Remote/Wiimote. The very controller you play Sonic and the Black Knight with. 15:22 Sonic Lost World is also on Nintendo3DS.

[@MetaBro]

23:00 Apparently BioWare created a full original soundtrack but for legal reasons which are still unknown they couldn’t use them, so someone created these during sleep paralysis (you can tell which one I ad-libbed)

[@johntauren]

Game Grumps' Barry tearing apart the opening scene from Sonic Boom really explains the entire game.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

Probably because Barry actually knows how to criticize games properly

[@devinwilliams4527]

This was the top-five list I was waiting for you to make, man. But you did an excellent job explaining the Sonic games that you liked and disliked, Strider, and having Game Apologist as the guest here was a treat too. Sonic is a series that I can't get enough of, as it's my favorite video game series of all time. Most of Sonic's games are really blasts to play, not to mention that Sonic was always my childhood hero due to his charming personality. His desire to help and inspire his friends to be their own heroes makes him such a great character. I am one of the few people who like Sonic Lost World and Sonic Chronicles, as I like the traditional style and parkour system in the former, and I love the story and POW moves in the latter. Also, the POW moves that some characters have fit their respective personality in the latter. Not to mention that Sonic Chronicles is one of my childhood favorites, as I used to play this game a lot as a kid, but now that I'm older, I see where the game is rough around the edges in some areas. But overall, this was a solid list, Strider. Keep up the excellent work, man!

[@Spongi_124]

The entire Sonic boom section basically is an explanation why Sega is just the worst with third party devs

[@purgeblue]

The only part I liked about BOOM was Lyric as the viilian, i like his design and backstory, as well as his motivation to eradicate everything organic, But the problem with Rise of Lyric is that there are so many cutscenes and levels that make you forget him until Eggman is out of the picture

[@maryafantalia4357]

The TV series was good.

[@DeniInDenial]

Sonic frontiers is currently my favorite game. Sonic is on the slow side, but he feels good to control because he’s not slipping over the place like he was in Unleashed

[@autumbreeze1129]

I actually enjoyed Shadow the Hedgehog. Aside from a select few points throughout the game, I highly enjoyed it... though part of that might be because I figured out how to beat the level where you activate the Black Alien bombs while my brother, who at the time was better at EVERY video game we ever played on PS1 and PS2, couldn't figure it out at all to the point he rage quit the whole game because he'd specifically wanted to play the completely evil story arc and refused to do it any other way until AFTER beating the fully evil story.

[@AkameGaKillfan777]

The bombs in the Central City dark mission are a LOT easier than the hero mission. Sounds like he was just bad at it.

[@super7389]

I got into the Sonic franchises when I was 11. I first got introduced to him thru Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. Interested, I decided to get Sonic Colors (good intro by the way). The second game I played was Sonic Generations (still my favorite Sonic game). Generations introduced me to the wider Sonic universe

[@theboi5584]

I was never an omega Sonic Fan, but Sonic has had it rough for a while, I wish this character the best of luck in future games. Also I love the way Strider pronounces Sega 😊

[@RyderPlatinumWarpstar]

Dang, it takes guts to put Lost World in the best list, I have respect for that, even though I'm not a huge fan of the game myself. Nice list though! I have so many hours in Generations it's nuts.

[@BlueBlurWolf]

I'm so glad someone actually like Sonic Lost World.

[@jdawson7877]

i also enjoy the game its just the games story that i hate

[@maryafantalia4357]

@@jdawson7877 What ???? The story was good (Compared to Generations and Forces) ! It's the best of 2010s ! Sonic and Tails' friendship, their friends almost died, Tails almost transformed into a robot, the planet which has its vital energy torn !

[@Ollie.H-23]

Lol, Nick (Game Apologist) just introducing himself saying that he thought he'd be talking about rubber chickens. 🤣

[@the_black_fox9136]

Personally, my favorite Sonic game of all time is Unleashed. It was my first ever Sonic game, and I first played it when I was 3 years old. I never finished it, but I have more memories with that game than any other. I love the gameplay, that as you said, truly captures Sonic's true speed, and the story, that I think perfectly balances the tone of these games. I know you and many others don't really like Chip, but I did because I felt he brought out the best of Sonic. For example, Sonic landed on him and helped him get his memory back, not because there was something in it for him, but because he felt bad, and it's the right thing to do. And he knew he was already busy. I recently installed the game and actually finished it, now at age 15. It's still my all time favorite. Another thing, I never played much of 06, but I still generally like it. I know it's completely broken and unplayable, but the story, (minus the Elise romance), is still really good. 06 had ambition and soul put into it, and it's honestly sad what ended up happening to it. To it's younger audience, such as myself, 06 is still that big grand Sonic game. There's a really long and detailed video about the Gen Z perspective of it by J's Reviews, and I'll put the link right here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIWYp2d3pMqimKM Dang, I got really carried away there.

[@tiktoksilentxsavior1424]

im glad strider finally talks about sonic ive been here for years and the wait was worth it keep it up strider

[@thiscommenter180]

Did Boo just say ‘howdy’?? That’s amazing! Anyway, cool video. Quite different

[@stephanniemorin]

His English is improving!

[@witcherstudios9351]

Even worse about Sonic Forces is that we could've had a DRAGON as a choice for our avatar. But it was cut in development.

[@camharkness]

Ya know, I actually liked sonic forces, it wasn't that good, but I had fun despite the flaws. Me and one of my friends were working on fixing the story using the characters I made.

[@sixty5notch796]

I love manias super theme. It just shows the pure beacon of hope that is super sonic. The guitar part makes me so happy and its such a perfect song that a lot of people dont talk about.

[@royearle1673]

I'm too young to have grown up with Sonic, but honestly, hearing Strider talk about him so passionately is pretty cool to hear. edit: Y'know what, Robotnik should Just give up the whole "evil supervillain" gig and Just run an amusement park. He'd make a fortune doing it!

[@justhowoftendoyousleep]

11:17 I like how there's a clown music playing in the background

[@nickioleary8577]

Any chance you’ll do a Zelda countdown like this? I’d love to see your opinion on the games

[@ShizzyMcCreepy]

Mania isn't just my favourite modern game, it became my favourite in the whole franchise

[@zoecashion4473]

Wait, Boo can talk now? That’s awesome 😃

[@YOWTF142]

I've been a fan of Sonic since SONIC X, but yeah many memories of this Blue Blur, from watching shows, playing the games, and even playing with Sonic and Shadow stuff animals with my sister as a young kid 😂 I miss those moments 😭

[@Benjawin6671]

When you said "fellow Sonic fan" I was hoping it to be Cybershell 😂

[@kieranstark7213]

Without him, Sonic 4 wouldn’t have gotten the hate it deserved.

[@CesarGameBoy.]

My only gripe with this video is that when talking about the Werehog from Unleashed, you only showed the Wii version of the game rather than the HD version. Which I find odd cause the HD version of the Werehog stages were much nicer looking and more fun to play. Of course the Werehog isn’t for everyone, and it definitely doesn’t fit Sonic at all. But if you like beating the hell out of things and don’t find repetition to be boring, then I think you might enjoy the Night Stages. I definitely enjoyed playing through both the Day and Night levels. Though I have been playing the game since I was a literal toddler, so I might have a smidge of Nostalgia glasses on. But I do admit, the platforming is a bit slippery and loose for both Day and Night stages. I have lots of enjoyment playing through Unleashed, so much to even call it my favorite game of all time even if it’s far from the best game or even the best Sonic game. I love the game for the memories I have with it and the joy I have playing it, and I’ll never turn down an opportunity to play it again.

[@schlanvlcoredude9438]

I actually do like black knight, and I liked it even more after attempting to play secret rings

[@TheBombyExtra]

Okay but Boo saying "Howdy!" is litterally the cutest thing ever!

[@animeluigiboy]

Sonic is one of my other most favorite video game character. He’s got a weird fan base but he’s very popular!

[@fnako3237]

If I could take one good thing from the bad games is that some of them shows Sega and Sonic team trying and experimenting with ideas

[@TobyNo1Awesomeness]

Thank you for making sure I'm not alone when I say Lost World is underrated!

[@maytalacedo20]

surprisingly the soundtrack in both good and bad games of sonic is why we keep coming back to the sonic games I love it.

[@leonardojuan92]

I will always love sonic! but in my personal opinions the comics is where sonic at his best both the archie and IDW version.

[@exterminaiden2703]

It brightened my day seeing the notification of your video, love your channel!

[@cyberend1863]

Personally, I liked the werehog mechanic in Sonic Unleashed. I thought it brought an interesting gameplay style to the table. To be fair, it, some of Sonic Heroes, and Sonic and the Black Knight (which I did enjoy BTW) are about the only legit Sonic games I've played. I think part of why the werehog mechanic didn't bother me was because it was similar to a lot of games I grew up playing. That said, I know everyone has their own opinions and mine might not be the popular one, but I did enjoy these games.

[@gussygamingprofessional6433]

I also liked the Warehog stages as well because it’s a nice contrast to the day stages

[@zillydino]

And the beat 'em up parts with the Werehog are still better than Rise of Lyric!

[@nyhtfall1969]

Black knight could of been so much cooler with its sword play its story is what holds a place in my heart for it the themes of cherishing life to the fullest was honestly beautifuly handled along with merlina and sonics characterization also i respect u didn't go on a sonic 06 tangent like alot of channels do quite frankly i wish we had another game with ambition like sonic 06 nowadays everythings played safe

[@pepito2847]

I’m not the biggest gamer in the world and when it comes to Sonic I have mostly played sports related Sonic games like Sega Superstars Tennis and the Mario And Sonic Olympic Games But man do I really like some of the songs the Sonic games dish out Seven Rings In Hand, It Has Come To This and His World are among the ones I jam out to the most

[@kieranstark7213]

The only problem that makes 7RIH (while a good song on its own and certainly better than Ariana Grande, especially with her annoying cultural appropriation in 7 Rings which shows she came from Nickelodeon to make her look better than Jennette McCurdy & Victoria Justice while giving Jamie Lynn Spears, every other Zoey 101 star and Drake Bell a free pass despite being worse former child stars here by their bullying of Alexa Nikolas and Josh Peck whom THEY were jealous of) one of the weaker Sonic games is it’s overplay which is part of why Secret Rings is EVEN WORSE than it’s successor.

[@oliverredpathjones6026]

I love how in the recent videos Boo is starting to talk! Its really cute and I love it, I also enjoyed this video very much! :))

[@MayanFrighter100000]

I played and enjoy Sonic and the Black Knight, it was a great game, and love the story.

[@BIIIIIGMAN]

I never knew this video existed!!! I can die a happy man now! For future reference you should list from worst to best so its a lil less confusing lol

[@funnyguy19993]

Strider and Game Apologist. My two favorite KZbinrs❤️

[@zillydino]

Y'know Strider, when it's Nick's birthday, maybe your present to him could be a top 10 rubber chicken video!😂🤣

[@manoftheusajones5147]

I really LOVE❤ the Soundtracks!

[@BadBoyX018]

Sonic Season 4 Episode 1 kinda creeps me out when I see Sonic run walk and wags his finger in the title menu.