Sonic has had a bit of a rocky go of it throughout the years. We don’t think anyone will deny that his heyday is long behind him, but regardless, he has still pumped out a few quality games in recent years. TheSonicseries lends itself well to handheld consoles. Most people’s best memories of the Sonic franchise concern the old school 2D side-scrollers, not the fancy new 3D action-adventures. And handheld consoles are the perfect means to house these old-school 2D games. And modern games like it, of course.
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Of course, some are better than others. These are the ten bestSonichandheld games, ranked.
10Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II
In the early 2010s, Sega hoped to return theSonicseries to its acclaimed roots following a massive string of disappointing releases. The result was the episodicSonic the Hedgehog 4, released in two parts in 2010 and 2012, respectively. Some consideredEpisode IIto be a technical improvement over its predecessor but a disappointing release overall. Various aspects of its production were harshly criticized, including the puzzles and gameplayinvolving Tails, gimmicky levels, and overall poor level design.
9Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I
That’s not to say thatEpisode Iwas much better.Episode Iwas released for a variety of handhelds, including mobile devices, the BlackBerry PlayBook (remember that?), and the Ouya (remember that?). The game has a few merits over its successor, including the smooth integration of Sonic’s speed and the pace of the game. However, it also had its fair share of problems. It was painfully short, the boss battles and puzzles needed work, and the game’s wonky physics engine was often a source of consternation. Not bad, but certainly not great either.
8Sonic Rush Adventure
Speaking of not bad, not great -Sonic Rush Adventure! This game was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007 and contained all the typical Sonic trappings. However, it also contained a newly integrated water mechanic, which included elements of boating and sea travel. It was weird.
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This game also had the unfortunate distinction of followingSonic ‘06, and fans weren’t in a very forgiving mood. While most agreed that it was a perfectly serviceableSonicgame, a perfectly serviceable game was all it was. Nothing more, nothing less.
7Sonic Advance 3
Serving as the third entry in theSonic Advanceseries,Sonic Advance 3was also the weakest (arguably). That’s not to say that it was a bad game, because it really wasn’t. It contained many redeeming qualities, including its intricate level design and typically-impeccable production values. However, most of the criticism was aimed at the game’s controversial team-up dynamic. Some thought that it added nothing to the game, while others thought that the mechanic was cheap and frustrating. It was a middling send-off to the otherwise brilliantSonic Advanceseries.
6Sonic Advance 2
Sonic Advance 2enjoyed a slightly better reception, mostly thanks to its lack of a controversial team-up mechanic. Much of its acclaim is also due to its placement within theSonic Advancetrilogy. Its production values were considered vastly superior to its predecessors, and many aspects of its production - the graphics, soundtrack, animations, and colorful visual design - were considered some of the best in theSonicseries at the time. However,the game’s difficultypolarized players, with some finding it far too hard and frustrating to be enjoyable.
5Sonic Rush
Sonic Rushcame in 2005 and instantly impressed fans and critics alike. It was mostly praised for its merger of old school gameplay elements with new technological innovations. The game contains the typical 2D side scrolling, but the sprites and boss battles were rendered in 3D.
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The result was a gorgeous and wonderfully original 2.5D effect that impressed technology purists and Sonic fans alike. The only criticism stemmed from the game’s fast pace; ironically enough, some people found the game a little too fast! It is calledSonic Rushafter all.
4Sonic The Hedgehog
You can’t go wrong with theOGSonic the Hedgehog. The game became an icon in 1991 when it was released for the Sega Genesis, and it has since seen numerous handheld ports - Game Boy Advance in 2006, Nintendo 3DS in 2013, iOs and Android in 2013, and Nintendo Switch in 2018. It’s clear that this game remains incredibly popular and in-demand while also proving that the truly great games never die. It’s certainly not as mindblowing as it was in 1991, but it’s still one heck of a good time.Rushout to play it if you haven’t already.
3Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
As you may probably tell by the blatantly advertorial name,Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventurewas quite the little pocket adventure. The game was released in 1999 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a long-forgotten handheld console that failed against the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. Regardless, it did have its fair share of great games, including this one. Most consider this the best of the early handheldSonicgames, as it had successfully retained most of what madeSonicsuccessful without bending under technological limitations.
2Sonic Advance
The handheldSonicgames wouldn’t really hit their stride until 2002’sSonic Advance. This game was released for the Game Boy Advance, and the “advanced” technological capabilities allowed for the strongest sense of that signature manicSonicstyle. It proved that handheld consoles could deftly adapt to the series’ demands and provided one of the bestSonicexperiences of the time. It was fun, it was fast, it looked and sounded beautiful, and it became one of the console’s highest selling games. In other words, it’s an absolute classic.
1Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehogis a classic, butSonic the Hedgehog 2catapulted the series into the pop culture stratosphere. It improved on the original game in nearly every way, and it is still regarded as not only the greatest game in the series, but one of the greatest games of all time. Period. It’s no surprise, then, to find the handheld ports so adored. People love to bask in nostalgia, and newer players find a lot to love about the surprisingly-not-so-dated game. It remains just as fun as it was in 1992. It’s timeless.
