Sonic's 34th Anniversary: The 3 best Sonic games that everybody should play

It's been over 34 years since Sega introduced the world to a speedy blue hedgehog on the Sega Genesis. On June 23, 1991, gamers got to play the first Sonic the Hedgehog game on the console, and the 16-bit console wars truly began. Beyond games, Sonic managed to break out into the pop-culture zeitgeist of the decade by appearing in multiple forms of media. To many players, Sonic the Hedgehog is a character that embodies the changing attitude and emotions of the 90s, especially within video game culture. And over the decades, Sonic has continued to be a relevant character that represents nostalgia and exciting times for Sega fans.

For those who have never played a Sonic game before, what are the Sonic the Hedgehog titles that everyone needs to play? There have been many games that feature the blue hedgehog in one way or another. However, only a few games are considered great enough to be must-play titles by long-time Sonic fans. To celebrate the 34th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, here are the 3 Sonic the Hedgehog games that you need to play at least once.

3 Sonic Mania

An ensemble of Sonic's best

When it comes to the 2D Sonic the Hedgehog titles, many have different opinions about what encompasses the best aspects of them. But many consistently agree that Sonic Mania is a great example of how to revere the legacy of a franchise, while simultaneously doing something new with it. Sonic Mania was released in 2017 for multiple platforms, and received additional content post-release and an enhanced version with the new title Sonic Mania Plus. Everything that people loved about the Sega Genesis and Sega-CD Sonic the Hedgehog games is given a nod in Sonic Mania in various ways. From the beautiful 2D sprites, the remixed and original music, and intricate stages to run through, Sonic Mania gives fans of the series everything they've wanted in one package.

Although the bulk of the game pulls directly from the Sega Genesis titles, a large part of the effects and abilities that Sonic and his friends can do are directly inspired by Sonic CD. Fans will be able to point out some of the sparkles and run animations through certain stages that seem like they were pulled out from the original games, but tweaked and remixed to feel brand-new. Out of the 13 stages within the game, eight of which are remixed versions of classic stages, 5 are original levels that blend together some of the best designs and challenges from throughout the series. The game features multiple playable characters from various parts of the franchise, including two new ones from the 1993 SegaSonic the Hedgehog arcade game for the enhanced version of the game.

2 Sonic Generations

Revering the whole franchise

If Sonic Mania celebrated the 2D era of the franchise, then Sonic Generations took a much wider approach by including the 3D era for the character. Sonic Generations blends together elements of classic 2D Sonic with aspects of the 3D era games like Sonic Adventure. The game was originally released in 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC; but also received an updated version in 2024 under the name Sonic X Shadow Generations for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. Sonic Generations was a project that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the franchise, marking a significant milestone and revisiting some of the best parts of the Sonic the Hedgehog series for fans that have stuck with it since the beginning. But instead of just one Sonic in the mix, players had two to play: Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic.

The game had stages geared towards one or the other, with Classic Sonic taking on 2D-inspired levels from the classic Genesis games, while Modern Sonic had stages inspired by the 3D titles. The modern stages play very similar to Sonic Colors from 2010, even though the majority of stages are direct remixes of those from games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic and the Black Knight, and Sonic Unleashed. Those that loved that era for the character can appreciate the ensemble of the biggest moments from those games, including some of the boss battles that stood out back then.

While the 3D games were good in their own right on their respective original platforms, Sonic Generations does a great job of giving players the best aspects about them without all the fluff or negative parts that came with it. As a celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog for a previous anniversary, Sonic Generations is a good place to introduce someone to the character if they've never played any of his games before. It has a bit of everything thrown into one big experience.

1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The best of the original saga

If there's one game from the beginning of Sonic's legacy that represents the best of the best, then Sonic the Hedgehog 3 would be it. Many fans have debated about the best titles for the character o nthe Sega Genesis for decades, often comparing the length and overall fun factor between each of the Sega Genesis titles for Sonic. But what makes Sonic the Hedgehog 3 better than the rest is how it introduces new elements to the series, while perfecting what was already established beforehand. At the same time, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is one half of a larger experience that was split at the time in an attempt by Sega to garner more sales on the console, with the second half being released as Sonic & Knuckles. Combining the two games together through the link feature gave fans the ultimate Sonic the Hedgehog experience on the Sega Genesis.

But even as a single experience without its other half, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a fantastic Genesis game that is highly replayable. The plot involves Sonic and Tails going to a mysterious island in pursuit of Dr. Robotnik, and running into their future ally, Knuckles the Echidna. It's a story that takes place directly after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and ups the stakes by introducing new abilities and power-ups, new stage challenges, and new twists for Sonic and Tails to overcome. The visuals are the best in the series for the original saga, along with a presentation that had Act and Stage transitions for the first time, showing how Sonic and Tails get from one location to another. It is also the game that makes the Chaos Emeralds a bigger part of the plot, with Dr. Robotnik relentlessly going after the emeralds for his evil plans, and Sonic transforming into Super Sonic when he gathers them.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also has an interesting backstory behind its development. The soundtrack of the game was eventually confirmed to have been worked on by pop icon Michael Jackson at one point, lending further mysticism to it. Because of this, multiple versions of the game were released with and without some of the original music, with prototype tracks replacing the ones that were originally there.

Celebrating the legacy of Sonic

To many people, Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the greatest video game characters ever created. His popularity was big enough to go head-to-head with Super Mario and be a central part of the original console wars in the 90s, being created for the Sega Genesis. At the same time, long-time fans love how much the franchise has changed over the years, while still maintaining a level of pop-culture relevance. With so many games to play and an ongoing legacy that continues to get bigger, Sonic is a staple of gaming that has grown with the industry in very interesting ways. Now on its 34th anniversary, Sonic the Hedgehog continues to be a great representation of video game nostalgia, excitement, and a colorful future that shows no signs of stopping.