I feel like Sega, at least for a while, took an extremely safe route with Sonic’s aesthetics whether it be in Lost World or the constant reuse of old zones. Even then whenever we see Sonic’s style now something about it seems “off”. I feel the best way to bring back Sonic’s sauce is to vary it up, let games have their own style that’s genuinely cool and not just for kids like Sonic seems more aimed for nowadays. I would love them to have a Mario Wonder mindset with the next Sonic game where they say “fuck it, let’s do something new and roll with it”, if it worked for Mario it can work for Sonic.
That is so true, that's a problem I have even with current sonic games. If they could do a similar style to what they did in rush, and with a new stylistic art direction for their cg models they'd be golden. They need to stop trying to be like Mario fr and start being Sonic the Fucking Hedgehog
To me, I think Sonic's social intelligence is something that isn't talked about a lot. He's quick to understand people and understand the atmosphere and bounce off it so well. It's why his attitude usually comes off well because he knows when and where to do it. It helps create genuine moments, and some very cool ones as well.
The word I've seen, that I've latched onto when it comes to Sonic's "Style" is "Counterculture". You could call Sonic a counterculture Mario, or Mickey Mouse, he's rebellious take on the mascot status quo. Where Mario was playful and joyous, whimsical, happy-go-lucky, Sonic was defiant and rude. He'd lose patience with the player and mouth off to his friends and enemies. There was a juxtaposition between the traditional bright, colorful, surreal videogame cartoon settings and Sonic's impatient, delinquent demeanor. Like, he's not a total asshole but he does his own thing and isn't afraid to let you know you've tested his patience, even if it's not in the nicest way. That's just the character and his context, but it's important to Sonic's vibes that we understand that he's an answer to Mario, and how that informs his personality and the stylistic decisions the series makes. He exists in reference to Mario, though he takes other influences from Dragonball, and I've seen him compared to Yusuke Urameshi, which is fitting, he's a deiinquent with a heart of gold. Art direction has a lot do do with it. The way characters are rendered, framed by the camera, and animated, as well as acting performances and writing (though for as much importance as we give it, for Sonic, animation and visual storytelling are much more important than anything else, Sonic 3K's story works as well as it does for a reason). For the acting bits of Sonic's storytelling, man I hate to say it, because Roger did so well in Frontiers and Dream Team, but Sonic needs a naturally higher, more energetic voice. You're never gonna get the full energy of Sonic from a deeper voice like that. It's not so serious that I'm suggesting he be fired or anything, but ideal scenario, we have someone that's closer to Junichi Kanemaru's vocal range, because the fundamental sound of a character's voice affects how they're perceived. You wouldn't have Darth Vader voiced by Micheal Cera REGARDLESS of how good a voice actor he was, because Darth Vader's character requires a deep, powerful, commanding voice. In terms of art direction, drawing from Ohshima and Uekawa for reference is the best case scenario. Unleashed is the most visually impressive game in the series to this day, it's the best looking one...but it doesn't look very much like Sonic or his world. There's lots of technical and stylistic reasons for this, but broadly speaking it's because Unleashed on (really it started with 06, but that game's issues belong in their own category) didn't reference the artistic styles of the people who created him when making it. They reference Pixar, and you can see it most apparently with the humans, but it applies across the board, Unleashed doesn't look really anything like something Yuji Uekawa or someone referencing his art would make, it looks like a Pixar movie, and the games after continued with that trend. Compare that to Sonic Riders and Sonic Battle, or even the CD opening, where it's clear Ohshima and Uekawa's art was referenced, but they're just references and still have their own visual identity. I'd get into sound design, but I'm not a sound guy. The music genre almost doesn't matter with Sonic, though Newjack Swing, Japanese City Pop, and Butt Rock (Crush 40 style) tend to sound the most like Sonic music. Other than that, I can only say that replacing the more video game-y sounds like the jump with more realistic whoosh sounds and the like plays some part in Sonic's movement feeling less like Sonic. I could go on. Sonic is counterculture, anime Mario/Mickey Mouse.
This is so damn true for sonics voice, and its impossible to convince anyone in the fandom of it. I just want his anime protagonist voice back so badly...
the deeper voice is not Roger's fault tho they directed him to make sonic's voice deeper, i guess they wanted a more mature feel for the character? but like you said it just doesn't feel right
@@lunathetiger1No, I wasn't just talking about his voice in Frontiers. Roger's voice is too deep for Sonic. He has to raise his pitch and sound really unnatural for people to even give him the benefit of the doubt on it, which is why when he tones it down and speaks more naturally, is able to actually ACT as Sonic in Frontiers, his best actual acting performance as the character, it gets critique like this. It's why I made the comparison to Darth Vader. You could be the best actor in human history, but if you don't have the deepness of James Earl Jones' voice, you're never going to be able to convincingly play Darth Vader. Darth Vader, the character, HAS a deep, powerful, commanding voice. Micheal Cera could come in and give the performance of a lifetime, but you're never gonna believe he's Darth Vader because his voice is just too high, and he can't just force it to be low and still give a natural performance, and he DEFINITELY can't force it to be as low as Vader's character demands. Roger is Sonic's Micheal Cera in this metaphor. He's capable of giving a good performance as the character in spite of the inherent physical limitations of his voice, but no matter what he does, his voice is too deep for Sonic. He shouldn't be fired, he should be re-cast as someone with a deeper voice. I've always thought he could play a good Knuckles or Shadow, his talent is being misused, he's in a role that doesn't suit him.
@@Sydney_Angelytlets be real the story was nothing special. That said it completely serves its purpose without any real issues from me so that's already better than a lot of Sonic stories lmao
@@theenjoyer22Black Knight is still the last good story we got in the games. Yes it could be said Frontiers is better than Forces, but when you consider how low the bar is where doing the bear minimum is enough to see you through, is it really something that great of an achievement? The amount of wasted story potential in Frontiers is truly staggering.
I really like that late 90s to late 200s style Sonic had. There's just something about that is just so cool! I really hope some day we'll get this style back or something that rivals it.
Yeah fr, even in superstars while it wasn't the best, you can tell they were trying some sort of new stuff, a water level with giant fruits, and spooky casino theme Meanwhile for modern Sonic, the cool factor is back in terms of characterization, the aesthetics ain't there yet KEY WORD "YET"
I think the best answer to this is that each style stayed in its respective time, you are free to like any style regardless of the time (I like them all) but the style kind of follows the trends of each era in which the games are released and this is even seen in the trailers, but it's not a lost cause or anything like that because it's possible to bring these things that people like and keep the style current without exaggerating or being off and this applies to everything such as character personality, game aesthetics, tone and atmosphere of the story, gameplay, etc. It's almost as if the franchise is like Sonic himself, Sonic is cool, he is unique, he is heroic and exciting in his own way, he is like a wind that remains unchanged deep down even though he takes on various forms and changes the world and others around him, he has fun with adventures regardless of whether they are big or small and serious or silly, saving the world is like a game but when the thing gets serious he shows what he came for, he's not perfect, he has flaws but he still manages to move forward and do epic and cool things and we are here for that and help as much as we can
I liked what the early 2000s brought Sonic to his "definitive style." He was different and edgy, but not in a crungy sort of a way, more like a cool sort of way. The game may be quesitonable good depending on who you asked, but there was this vibe to Sonic that just made him, well, him. The Meta Era is where they commercialized him hard to be just a "mascot platformer", and though Gens and COlors are there as good games, it's not the same. That's why we all loved Froniters when it released because it was back to that style, the edgy style that made Sonic the franchise that it was always about. Hell, the 90s, Sonic had that edge too when you think about it.
I know it was part of the era but I really wish sonic spinoff games like the racing titles could go back to that Y2K style bc it was so sick. There’s a reason why BombRush modders love putting Sonic characters in the game and that’s bc they fit so well in that style
the coolness of the first sonic rush right down to its menus, music and basically everything about the presentation just reeks of cool. also calling mario the “funny wahoo man” is the biggest sonic glazer thing ive ever heard lol
SA2 overall vibe to me is peak Sonic Style, the Y2K inspired artwork, the ost, the characters, everything but hot dang I'll be lyin' if I don't mention Sonic Rush, that game is pure STYLE visually and soundly... special mention to Unleashed intro, that's peak, condensed definition of Sonic the Hedgehog too! Sonic is a daring character that shines when it's true to himself and not imitatin' or bein' a safe mascot that sells! I'm still so glad that SonicTeam is slowly realizing his potential and style since Frontiers!
All I’m gonna say is that sonic peaked when Jason Griffith took the role as sonic because that dudes got range from being cocky to being serious and of course he has the iconic games that backs him up 😂
I completely agree with you but In my honest opinion i find Roger pretty good as well and I genuinely think at bare minimum Roger can be close to be as good as Jason if they write Sonic back like how he was at Jason Griffiths peak Sonic like black knight, secret rings and Unleashed
@@midnighttheumbreon oh I’m not biased I love Roger’s take on sonic too both boom and in frontiers both voice actors peak. Don’t worry I love all three voice actors 👍
@@stacia-arora1400 I'm glad to hear that cause I honestly don't agree when I hear someone say any of them don't fit sonic, obviously I won't disrespect people who say that but I don't agree with it But yeah I do agree with you that Sonic peaked at Jason but Roger's is pretty good to I genuinely really liked him in Frontiers! I honestly think all 3 are really good!
hopefully Sega will let Sonic Team be more experimental after the success of Frontiers because Sonic has so much untapped potential to be the best video game franchise
This video ROCKED, Fadel! I was looking forward to this ever since you talked about making it, and after having watched it, I'm mad impressed by both the production quality and your eloquence throughout. Stellar work, my guy. I was introduced to Sonic through Sonic Adventure 2 way back in the early 2000s, which is pretty unanimously one of the COOLEST Sonic productions even to this day- so even from a young age, my expectations of this guy were insanely high, and that he was simply 'cooler', 'better', and snarkier than the rest. His timeless sharp and flashy design, his MANY cool abilities which he always executed flawlessly, his outlook on life- it really felt like the art styles, narratives, and music choices were AS COOL and VIBRANT as Sonic himself. In my opinion, a lot of the identity of Sonic is the freedom to do what YOU want, and the fearlessness of taking things to the next level despite the risks involved. He can be witty like the games are colorful, but Sonic's acrobatics align with the games' innovative action sequences, his occasional Shonen-like seriousness plays well into bigger, monumentous narratives that you don't see characters like Mario and Crash typically attempt, and his world environments are as beautiful as the top-tier music the franchise has ACED for 30+ years. My favorite 'aesthetic' of Sonic primarily involves the OVA, SA1 and SA2, Rush, and Unleashed- I don't mean JUST in the art, but aesthetics in regards to gameplay, sound design, character portrayals, story writing, and overall vibe; Secret Rings and Black Knight ESPECIALLY with regards to Sonic's character writing. Frontiers is certainly a step in an interesting direction I'm down to see with Sonic, I love how they're trying out new ideas with his world and his abilities. (His combat in Frontiers is WAY more stylish and Shonen-oriented than any of his previous fighting-game iterations!) Since it's pretty evident even from his conception that Sonic as a BRAND evolves with the trends, I don't think it'd be necessarily appropriate for him to try and STICK to the aesthetics you and I grew up with- but moreso to keep the COOL energy and courageous flair that made him the gaming and media icon he still is when trying new things. I know that I just spoke a bunch of fluent YAPANESE, but I could talk about Sonic all day- overall, LOVED the subject of this video, and I'm looking forward to more!
In my opinion, what made a lot of people like myself love Sonic Boom was because it was unique. At the time, there wasn't a Sonic cartoon since Sonic X ended... and throughout the 2010s, Video Game companies were trying so hard to reach a mainstream audiences by making tv shows or movies on their own franchises, and some worked, while others didn't (Espically throughout the Mid to Late 2010s.) Unlike other video game cartoons from that point, like the Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures cartoon, or Megaman Fully Charged, Sonic Boom wasn't trying to reboot the series while also trying to captalize on nostalgia... the show was largely a comedy series that can be enjoyed by anyone, without playing the games or read the comics. It didn't try to make you wish you were playing the games, as it didn't require playing the games at all. That's why Boom still gets fondly remembered even after the show got canned. That & the jokes but those are beside my point.
4:30 NGL I miss THIS look for Super Sonic. The spines especially just being huge and wild looking. I've seen the 4 inch scale toy of Classic Super Sonic and it's just not the same.
I really appreciate you acknowledging the cultural context around Sonic leading up to the 90’s. Alot of people think of Sonic as being defined by the decade he came out in, but the real heart that was in these games was thanks alot to the multicultural factors that were around them. I would even go as far to say that Sonic, at his heart, represented the entire century when he first came out-from the 20’s, to the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and especially the 80’s. It’s why he was able to fit into the 90’s so incredibly well.
Sonic Heroes was such an amazing game to grow up with. The game's style screamed freedom with the title screen having Team Sonic jumping for joy and reaching as high as they could in the sky, pushing the limit. The characters had such cool portrayals and banter ("Time to crack that Eggman wide open!" is unforgettable), everything around the game's visual and musical design was centered around them, and you could play as 3 of them at the same time. Any time I felt alone, this game was the solution to brightening my day.
Don't forget the unsung hero who helped launch Uekawa's style, in Satoshi Okano. Okano laid out the template for the redesign, while Uekawa helped round off the edges.
there's something intrinsically cool in sonic's design. when i was 5, i got mario and sonic at the olympic games as a gift, and remember looking at sonic on the box art and immediately connecting with his character over mario. i wish you also touched upon the music aspect more, especially leaning into adventure era - no other 'family friendly' mascot i know of has leaned so heavy into hard rock and metal. the OST really defined sonic's edge over anything else made at the time- frontiers bringing it back was a long time coming
I remember a big debate over which Classic Sonic was better. The American or Japanese interpretation of the character. Both are awesome but I feel like the American Classic Sonic had more life as in he seemed more caring and also had more edge than the Japanese Classic Sonic. American Sonic had the comics and tv shows while Japanese Sonic had the CD opening and OVA that defined their characters
Sonic has never not had style. Forces is mid as fuck as a game and story...but man, if it wasn't stylish. Even ROL had it's moments. Honestly regardless of the game, regardless of if it was good or mid, Sonic has always had style.
The style that Sonic had in the Adventure games is the style from that franchise that I want back. The only cartoony part of Sonic Colors' story that I really like is the hilarious "Baldy Mc. Nosehair" cutscene in which Sonic gets into thinking of using those words as a new nickname for Eggman. That nickname always cracks me up.😂 I agree that it looks like the movies have a good amount of style in them, along with having both Knuckles and Tails being written better in the second one. It truely does seem possible that we could possibly get even more style in the upcoming third one. Especially because it will have elements from SA2 adapted into it, along with some version of that game's awesome theme song because Paramount was given the rights to it and have the freedom to use it in that movie in whatever way they do think, or will think is nessesary. I hope that one of the things that Movie Sonic gets shown doing in it is rail-grinding. That would be stylish for sure. I also agree with how the Sonic Boom series wasn't stylish and was too cartoony, along with the fact that they mandated Shadow to be a rude and self-obsessed jerk in it and the 2 games from that spin-off that he appeared in. No wonder he was barely in any of the TV episodes, the less of that version of him the better!
The Adventure era had the perfect amount of style to it. It was geared toward children, but there was enough plot and character development there to make it akin to a shounen-lite, as you say. Honestly, I just want them to return to the Adventure format.
I had Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3D Blast as a kid, and I also borrowed a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cartridge from a friend and loved those games. It wasn't until December 2022 that I started getting interested in Sonic again. It started when I accidentally came across funny sprite animations, then I remembered Sonic X, which was on TV a long time ago and which I could not make it to on time after school. And Sonic X is what hooked me. I started playing through the main Sonic games in order by release date. Classic games brought a pleasant nostalgia. I really liked Adventure 1 for its atmosphere and freedom, and I happily immersed myself in and completely completed it. But Adventure 2 just blew my mind! I can't describe it in words. Controls, gameplay, levels, challenge, music, style, plot... Every second of the game screams - this is Sonic and everything this franchise represents! Completing all 180 emblems (and have done it twice so far) was a major challenge for me and I loved every second of the learning in this game (and all 3 gameplay styles are great for me). This game made me a hardcore fan of this franchise and made me realize that my favorite genre is action platformers. I can say without a doubt that Sonic needs to stop looking at and imitating other games and start making a completely unique Sonic again, because Adventure 2 did it best. And I say this as a person not blinded by nostalgia or anything else, I first played this game in 2023, the game is over 20 years old and I consider it the best game I have ever played. And I still think Adventure 2 is the best Sonic game after finishing most of the main Sonic games that came out later. This is Sonic Team magnum opus and I don't think they can do something like this again, but I will be absolutely delighted if they do a close second.
I feel like Frontiers is them getting on the right track. Sonic still needs more of his signature attitude but given the somber nature of the game it isn't too bad that it's toned down a bit. Whatever it is update 3 really cemented Sonic still has sauce. I mean that whole Super Sonic 2 thing with him styling and finessing corrupted Supreme by blitzing Supreme with his arms folded with that cold stare at the end. Or snapping his fingers as he forecefully contorts Supreme is savage as hell.
One thing that I'm wondering, is why Sega didn't continue having footwear tie-ins with Sonic games, they had Soap Shoes in Sonic Adventure 2 and go further with that, unit they returned in Frontiers. I want to Sonic wearing Nike's or Puma's in the next game!
I really miss his characterization from the 2000's. Sega gave him the perfect amount of cool factor at that time. Growing up I didn't play a whole lot of Sonic games, but every time I'd see an ad, commercial, artwork, or anything, kid me would look at him and be like: "That blue hedgehog is the coolest thing I've ever seen." It was my version of Sonic growing up. When the 2010's came around he just didn't look as appealing to me so I pretty much forgot about him until the movie and frontiers was announced. I'm glad that Sega is giving him that cool factor again. It reminded me why I love him so much. Glad to see him making a comeback
I’m not the biggest fan of Frontiers, but I’ll commend it for making Sonic the coolest he’s been in ages, music included. People tend to lump it in with the likes of DMC and Metal Gear for a reason, quality aside. It very well exhibits the ‘rule of cool’.
for me at least, I feel like SEGA really needs to stop treating sonic like a mascot and treat him like an actual character. that and lighten up or get rid of the mandates on him
I grew up in the 90s so the Genesis and first two Adventure games will always be peak Sonic for me. Even just thinking about the American box art for Sonic 2 & 3 had so much attitude in it. And then Adventure 2 just goes crazy with keeping that attitude alive with its story and designs. I still think SA2’s model with the soap shoes is one of the most raw designs for Sonic.
While I love everything about Sonic down to his music and his personality, for me, the coolest thing about Sonic has to be that design bro. Instantly iconic, immediately recognisable, and full of just the right amount of edge that is offset by his more cute, rounded features. You look at Sonic and immediately, you know this dude is designed to be a foil to Nintendo's favourite red plumber. On paper, Sonic really shouldn't work, a blue hedgehog wearing oversized red, clown shoes. How on earth is this blue rat going to be cool? Well the mad lads at SEGA did it. Give him that splash of blue that contrasts him against Mario and makes him stand out from the crowd. Give him human anatomy to allow him to do the cool things like cool poses or skateboard riding while giving him quills that instantly identify him as a hedgehog and give him just the right amount of edge to make him cool without being cringey. And don't even get me started on the glow up this man had in the early 2000s. If you want to see an example of how to update a classic design for new audiences while keeping the core qualities of the design in tact, look no further than Modern Sonic. Give him those green eyes so his gaze is more piercing, elongate his limbs to make him look more mature, more aerodynamic and more badass and lengthen those quills baby, because you know we got to accentuate our boys main attraction. Honestly, all of the cast of the modern games are phenomenally designed in such a way that they keep the core elements of the classic designs while expanding and adding upon them in a way that makes the characters feel fresh and updated for modern sensibilities. There's a reason that these designs have hardly been touched for the most part for over 20 years (lets.... just forget that Sonic Boom existed... please, I beg)
Fans complained about it until they changed it and then the kids who grew up loving it complained about it being missing. btw hi im one of the kids who grew up and now complain about it being missing.
No matter which style you prefer, I do think there's a major issue on the fandom: People over-glorify Yuji Uekawa's old Adventure Era drawings, and don't give enough respect to(Or even straight up disregard) his current artstyle and illustrations like the ones from Sonic Channel and the social media. Those old pieces are Fire, don't get me wrong, but I feel we should also recognize his objective improvement in technique aswell as how much charisma and emotion they still have! It's a shame how people claim they should be more like back then without being fair and acknowledging the beauties we consistently get from Uekawa and the rest of Sega's artists!
The thing that excites me the most about Sonic's future honestly is that they're finally starting to take Sonic more seriously in general and trying to make him cool and Frontiers was a very good first step but there's a lot they can improve on! Especially in terms of quality and as much as I love Sonic Frontiers I genuinely hope the next open zone Sonic Game blows frontiers out of the water And now that they have a bigger budget and gathering bigger Team all they need is a good amount of dev time and if all that happens Sonic Team could truly make something way more incredible than frontiers 😭 Obviously I know there's always a chance it could go all wrong but I do think they have a chance now to finally make something way more incredible than even frontiers!
I think bc at the time and even now, the Adventure era set such a high bar for Sonic it was so hard to re-replicate that feeling or “RAW” with some obvious exceptions (Unleashed, Storybook series, Shadow, etc.) bc for those games, they took way more risks and are much more beloved now. Until then they kinda kept it too safe with developing Sonic and its characters, leading to stuff like Forces. I feel that Frontiers is a step into the right direction in terms of style, risk, and rawness in what they’re gonna do in the future, and with the Gens DLC having basically a Shadow the Hedgehog 2, I think we can expect really good things from SEGA.
My Take is way too hot like it could burn a forest down but I'll put myself out there anyway: I didn't really care all that much about character writing or anything I was young and pretty colors and comedy made my day, I grew up on the tail-end of the Dark Age. SA2B and SADX alongside a few other games from around that Era I consumed as a young person, I only recently became aware of that kind of stuff around... I wanna say Mania, Forces where I started I think caring more but even then I guess I was just broken cuz even growing up on the "Cool Kid Sonic" Games, I didn't hate Colors, Generations or Lost World I've always loved to Style of the early games but I never got the impression or feeling that Sonic "Stopped being Cool" Or "He no longer has Style" I couldn't explain why I just never thought that way. I think in my case: I didn't grow up with Sonic the way everyone else did I didn't think about Sonic the way everyone else did and in regard I never viewed the Series the way people do now, I think my opinion of the series is how I grew up with it; I didn't care about "Style" or "The Proper Characterization" of Sonic or his friends I loved the series cuz it was colorful and the music was awesome.
Yeah you could really tell the style wasn't as prevalent around Colors. It was less about an interesting story and more about a cut and dry "beating Eggman and making jokes" which is fun but not as interesting as their previous stories. They really played it safe with its stories and then got REALLY experimental when they partnered with Nintendo. I agree tho, I think Frontiers is a great start towards getting back to that COOL factor. He's getting to show off more, speak more from the heart, and take on threats that feel like a real challenge. Very excited to see what they do with Sonic moving forward!
I see a lot of the same type of comments saying "Its a step in the right direction/ on the right track". But I just dont see it, it feels like thats what is said EVERY sonic game. I'm pretty sure people even said it in forces. And I have to be honest, I genuinely feel Sega is lost and has NO IDEA how to capture the coolness of sonic aside from reference past stuff like they annoyingly did in frontiers. here's the comment I replied to someone else. we're always "on the right track" or "a good step forward"" when talking about Sonic. I'm not trying to start an argument here, but I really dont see how frontiers is on the right track with a world that looks bland, trying to make it look realistic, and cutscenes where the characters just stand around and reference the PAST because its lacking so much confidence in the presence. Again I'm not arguing or anything, but how is sonic on the right track currently? I'm curious, because I hear this so much. If it is in the right track its by the smallest possible margin, because Frontiers seems to have ZERO confidence in itself. Like isnt this LITERALLY the Sonic Cycle people keep talking about? A slightly good (mediocre) sonic game comes out, and people mainly say its good through gritted teeth, its a "good step forward" but never just HOLY SHIT THEY NAILED IT." Theres always a ton of baggage. Then a new trailer releases and people get their hopes up again? I honestly think Sega really doesn't know how to bring back the cool factor, they need like an overhaul or something because they're currently doing this Self aware bullshit thats so grating. Nothing hits hard, nothings fast and cool, they just stand around with lame animations. Sonic unleashed was peak. Ironically the story books were peak in terms of making sonic cool too, even though they were still drawings, they moved them in fun ways that added to the charm and stylishness. None of the shit today PACKS A PUNCH. We need something with solid art direction, interesting colors, and shading. HARD WRITING. I dont know man....I havent been a sonic fan in a while because its just shit now, and people just smile and pretend its not.
When I think of Modern Sonic I think of the Jakks Pacific box renders… 😢 Give our boy some sauce again. I miss when I used to think of Uekawa Sonic whenever someone said “Modern Sonic”
The fact that shadow the hedgehog and sonic 06 have the best aesthetics within the sonic franchise imo is so funny. Nowadays they play it way too safe but it is understandable as to why they started taking this "safe" route when it comes to sonic. Last time they tried changing the aesthetic (this being sonic boom as far as I remember) it flopped immensely.
I can tell you exactly what happened to Sonic's style: the 2010s happened. Sega forgot that story and characterization what's one of the biggest appeals for Sonic, then proceeded to neuter him and his friends down to one note parodies of themselves. I know people call the early 2000s the dark age of sonic, but the 2010s will always be my dark age: the lack of character, passion, and storytelling during this time felt like a kick to the teeth😢 I think that's why Sonic frontiers resonates with me so much: it is a step back into the form of the Sonic that I grew up with 😤 Sorry for the essay, but the moment I read the title of this video all this just came flowing out of my heart❤
Yeah I completely agree with you, Ive never agreed with anyone who called the 2000s the dark era, sure there were definitely some problems like 06 and secret rings but to as you said the 2010s were definitely the dark era, cause sure colors and generations are good games and while but I didn't like how they tried to make these games pretty cartoony and aimed way more at a younger audience I didn't mind it as much in generations but in colors and especially lost world and boom I really did not like how he was written Also ps I don't know if this a hot take but I consider Jason Griffith and Roger Craig Smith equally good at voicing Sonic
Subtlety is key. I absolutely love Frontiers Sonic but he just says everything he thinks instead of implying it. He straight up says to Sage "please become good" for like 80% of the game. Show don't tell. Obviously, Ian didn't actually write the game, he wrote the dialogue, so I'm excited to see what he could cook up with a official role. I do have faith in Sonic getting that sauce back. As for the movies? I also have faith in them. I've noticed that sonic in movie 2 is more in character than sonic in movie 1. Movie Sonic is supposed to be relatable, whereas game Sonic is supposed to be someone to look up to.
Miss that sonic's swag from the old generations back then . Honestly if someome asked me how to develop the perfect sonic game i would suggest him to give the blue hedgehog his playfull and rebellious nature he used to have
I love that these video edits have prompted this kind of discussion amongst Sonic fans. Yes, Sonic has lost its original push to really move people emotionally! Not a sobbing kind of moved, but that special “gutto kuru”. They wanted to use their art to make people feel something special, and that special feeling is something that only Sonic can give better than anyone else. But people are starting to notice that that original essence of Sonic that got them so hooked is no longer there. It wasn’t just his style, he had substance too! It wasn’t just the sauce that went on top, it was an integral part of the whole dish! Call it “spice” or “drip” or “energy” or a "vibe" or whatever else you want, but the bottom line is we’re all talking about the same thing. There is something beneath the hood, something very essential here that Sonic is not Sonic without, that has been neglected for far too long. Something that went beyond the material itself yet really brought him to life in our eyes. A life blood which was his very own, and which no one else could serve. Without that piece, people can tell something is missing, even if everything else is brought back. It’s just like Tikal said. “Chaos is power. *Power comes from the heart.* ” If Sonic has no heart, Sonic has no power.
If I had to say what makes Sonic so cool to me, this would be it. It’s not just any one thing I can point at, it’s what it all means. It’s what Sonic believes in-what he conveys, and very effectively at that. What he represents, and what he stands for. It’s his heart-his inside that counts. If I had to put his essence into one word, it would be “freedom”. It’s what resonates with people about him the most. It's that feeling of being free, and the deepest desire to give that unto others. That is the blood that really pumps through him that he’s lost. Or at least, the pulse is getting weaker. Freedom sets Sonic on fire. It makes him a trailblazer. That desire is what really speaks to people. If Sonic can really capture that-if he can truly speak to that heart’s desire-then that is when I can say “Sonic is back!”
Black Knight Sonic is peak Sonic Riders Zero Gravity Knuckles & Tails are peak 06 Shadow is peak I dont exactly know what else to put but these were the best versions of each character, the versions we have now dont feel so great, the restrictions with mandates and what we have isn't good enough, I want those 2000s versions of characters to return and get fleshed out, Shadow especially needs to have his character from that game because he was the best there.
The style i wanna see again is the 2000s style tbh the ad and ad2 style, heroes style, rish styles and sonic chronicles it wasnt the best game but the art style still gave me sonic vibes frontiers is starting to bring sonic back when he felt cool so i hope they do him even more right in the future and please no corny jokes like in colors, never again😭🙏🏻
I feel like the reason recent Sonic games haven't had these kinds of vibes lately is because the series feels like it's trying to be more "corporate," if that makes sense. Even with stuff like Frontiers, it feels like everything needs to stay in a certain way for things to be consistent and maintain a clean brand image. I hope we get to see Sonic experiment with stuff like art styles, new models, and gameplay again, because right now, things certainly feel a bit stale.
Damn this video kind of makes me wish I’d been born during Sonic’s heyday. Like damn when I was growing up you bet it was fated you’d get dog piles if you liked him at all. Didn’t ever stop me but damn, growing up when Sega was ashamed of the hedgehog and his friends was so sad, especially when I was going through the older media and realizing that ten years back, the blue blur was considered cool and successful. Glad we’re coming back and super hype to be on the hype train with you cause damn it’s a 180 to what it was when I was a kid and it’s so fun. I’ll always love this blue little guy.
I think the game that started this whole trend of Sonic's coolness factor being put to the side was Sonic Heroes. I love Heroes, don't get me wrong, but the whole thing with Heroes back in the day, was that SEGA finally went multi-platform and they thought they needed to cater to people OUTSIDE of the Sonic fanbase, so the style/presentation of that game wasn't "Sonic is cool" it was more so "Sonic's world/friends are cool". It had a bigger emphasis on "Power of friendship" than any other Sonic game, and that catering to non-Sonic fans mentality stayed with SEGA/Sonic Team for SO GODDAMN LONG. I remember seeing an article back in 2015, saying how SEGA admits they betrayed their fans and in the Sonic aspect, I kinda see it, because they weren't really thinking about us when they made games like Colors and Lost World and don't even get me started on Boom, they were always saying "Oh, we gotta cater to the younger audience. We gotta cater to people outside the Sonic fanbase." We got that same excuse for like, half a DECADE, then they THOUGHT they knew what we wanted with Forces, advertising the "serious story", all the villians from previous games, new edgy character ect, but they didn't understand WHY we like all that stuff or HOW to implement it in a similar way to prior games like SA1&2. Now, they have a much clearer idea and they even said with Frontiers they were starting to cater towards a more mature crowd again, (teenagers/young adults) while still being family friendly and I HOPE they keep this up. They're finally starting to understand how to make Sonic cool again and I seriously think that since Sonic Team's gotten a bigger budget/more people on the team, it's only gonna get better from here on.
I think it's a writing and budget problem, but also the voice actors. Roger was good for Boom Sonic, but not the main guy. It doesn't matter what Sonic Team does to make Sonic cool in future games if the voices don't fit the characters.
I disagree with the voices part but I respect your opinion, I do honestly think Roger can be a cool Sonic if given a Sonic with good writing For example I really liked how he voiced Sonic in Frontiers and I think he can be cool even without the deeper voice, and to me he does fit as Sonic He's definitely not as good as Jason yet I'm my opinion but I definitely feel like he could get close at least But again I respect your opinion
This is one of the things Sonic has been sorely missing the most in the past decade+ and I'm afraid I'm not sure Sonic Team understands that yet. I'm not even someone who wants Classic Sonic to stick around but that twitter video reminds me that even that era had this cool style distinct from Adventure era Sonic that would be worth pursuing alongside Modern Sonic, which I hope goes hard on the Adventure era style again. Just sooo much potential for this franchise I need to see come thru,.
Why sonic is cool? Because he's a running character. He doesn't get some weird tech weapons to fight Eggman. His main attack is him rolling into a ball, until frontiers cane up with some cool fighting style. Because of this character I enjoyed sports. That's why sonic as a character is important for me.
I this the 2000’s as a whole was just more stylized and trying to make things look cool and pop out. Sonic was one of those series. Now stuff is a lot more sauces less and more standardized Besides like a few games like Hi Fi Rush, Persona, Probably the new jet set radio game, a few indie games, etc most Games don’t got that much sauce like they did during the early to mid 2000’s
I still like Classic Sonic in general because I've played the first Sonic game in the Gameboy before I became a Big Fan of him. I think If it wasn't for classic Sonic, Modern Sonic would not even exist. Modern Sonic is basically a grown version of classic Sonic. When it comes to making any characters like in anime or video games, the artist behind the scenes develop their drawing skills overtime. And they come up with strategies of how they can make characters look better. Sega was basically a Rival of Nintendo and Yuji Naka wanted to make money 10 times better than them. In the Early 2000s Sonic games hit differently because video games in general was like entering a dream world. Especially the sound effects from the games. Not only that but overtime Sonic was basically rising up more and more From having a Tv Series like Sonic X, the Archie Comics and Old Classic Figure Collections. But I think until Covid began to hit or even before it did, Sonic was falling down, until he continued to Rise up again having his own Live Action Movies and of Course Sonic Frontiers which indeed changed everything! My conclusion is that Sonic went from a Funny Running Spinning Hedgehog into a "SUPREME BADASS PEAKED ANIME CHARACTER!!!"
Also think they should make more with classic and modern sonic ,dont have modern only be 3d and classic be 2d only , it would be cool to mix up and have multiple styles for the next games
Sonic's style and personality always reflects the times. The reason the modern games don't have the same style is because we're no longer in the 90's or the early 2000s. I'd rather have Sonic embrace modernity like he always has, instead of being defined by 2000's nostalgia.
the mario comparsions go both ways , mario obviously wasn't tryng to be cool but the thing that made his games special was the sense of wonder , think about entering every new level in mario galaxy , and to me that's why sonic in the 2010's failed to capture the same appeal ,i also think the classic sonic should be cool and have have style too , not a big fan of the cute classic sonic we have today , to me it just takes something away from the character The Sonic Heores Erasure will not be forgotten
I know it’s hard to believe nowadays, but people were fed up with Sonic games by 2008. They were tired of the edgy moody plots. They were tired of the extra gameplay modes that they didn’t show up to play as. And they were tired of not being heard. People just wanted to RUN AS SONIC, which is where the whole “No Sonic friends” thing came from. Unleashed was a turning point of people saying hey, this game would be good if we didn’t have to play as the Werehog, if we didn’t have to trudge through hub worlds, if we didn’t have a “monster of the week” plot…enter Sonic Colors. Colors was a clear result of that because it’s absent of every complaint people had up until that point. It’s what the franchise needed at the time.
I feel like Sonic Team has taken the gloves off (not literally) and decided to embrace the Shounen anime side of the series. We're going back to dramatic stories, world ending stakes, and superpowered anime fights. Heck, Master King even gave him a shounen protag training arc that almost destroyed us IRL. While I hope they sprinkle in some of that old 90's rebel that became so iconic to the character I'm more than happy with them embracing the Dragonball in its DNA.
You know now that I think back on it... I wonder if SEGA possibly purposely released weaker projects during the Nintendo exclusive deal with the idea that it would somehow impact sales to Nintendo?? Nah..
Yuji Uekawa's style was just so cool. The Archie comics also did a great job. When they looked cool, they looked really cool. That Adventure era just looked awesome. But I can say this, CD's opening wasn't that cool because the Japanese design just wasn't as cool as the American one. And yeah, SA2 was the coolest thing ever. Also, you can't replace everyone in the Boom show with anyone. So many jokes wouldn't make any sense if it weren't Sonic.
I will never get over the fact SEGA of America had actual shills in universities as “SEGA Kids” bros decked out in merch and that promoted and invited people to play on their SEGA systems lmao. The 90s console wars ads were wild. Kinda is a product of the times why the energy of Sonic just mellowed out.
One thing i wished you touched on a little bit is the ui and menu design of the older games. I feel like they’re quite bold and stylish especially in like Rush and SA2. In the grand scheme of things its not too important but its all the little details that come together to make the bigger picture
You briefly touched on some peak non-game media so let me also add the Archie and IDW comics. I get that Archie was incredibly flawed but there were some rare moments where Sonic was genuinely raw in it and I think with IDW (especially the later issues) we’re starting to see that again.
I feel like Sonic team is starting to realize that and is trying to make Sonic cool again. I think what they need to do honestly is to bring back older titles but put a modern twist on them. Take for instance Sonic riders. Now I wish I worked for Sega but what if they made a new Riders game but the WHOLE game is in the OG Sonic riders intro from back in the day. It could work and it could be peak. A 2d/3d hybrid Sonic Riders. It could work 100% if done right. But that’s the point they need to know what made them successful in the first place and know why people love Sonic sooo much
I disagree with your take on classic sonic.They should make him more akin to the cd animations or the Saturn era type of coolness instead of him being sonic for babies
sega loves to play it safe with sonic these days (though i think they're slowly pushing the boat out once more) but also sonic's design has always changed with the time, think how he was 90s cool and then 00s cool yknow?
I'll be honest, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Style wasn't really what I really think about within Sonic, I've always just loved it for the gameplay (even with how inconsistent the quality of said games can be). You could convince me all you want that Frontiers has some epic moments like a massive blockbuster film, but that novelty fizzles out faster than oppai made out of feathers when actually playing them is like mowing the lawn backwards.
I'm really glad people are talking about this in the community, it's probably the one thing that has bothered me the most about (literal) modern Sonic, to me Sonic HAS to be over the top, "edgy", he used to be the cool kid. The one thing I don't agree with in the video is the movies. I find them kinda bland, sure they respect the franchise but don't do much to adapt it. And I don't find Sonic cool in it, he's a character I want to look up to, not relate to, making him so doubtful and the whole "family" theme goes against his base character, confidence is one of his defining traits for me.
I kinda wish Classic Sonic was allowed to be more cool. I hope to see Classic Sonic after Sonic Superstars do more with the classic IP, like just make Sonic the only silent character because Sonic is his classic days was kinda just impatient and wanted to save the day. Plus people talk about Sonic more when it goes into a deeper story.
Sonic THRIVES when they intertwine gameplay and style, don’t get me wrong I love frontiers but it just doesn’t catch my eye like a game like heroes/adventure/ rush.
I feel like the 90's coolness is something I would REALLY want to see come back. Every time you saw Sonic back in the day, you just KNOW he's him
1000%
DO YOU GUYS WANT SONIC RUSH 3 TO COME UP NEXT
I feel like Sega, at least for a while, took an extremely safe route with Sonic’s aesthetics whether it be in Lost World or the constant reuse of old zones. Even then whenever we see Sonic’s style now something about it seems “off”. I feel the best way to bring back Sonic’s sauce is to vary it up, let games have their own style that’s genuinely cool and not just for kids like Sonic seems more aimed for nowadays. I would love them to have a Mario Wonder mindset with the next Sonic game where they say “fuck it, let’s do something new and roll with it”, if it worked for Mario it can work for Sonic.
100%.
I think they're just scared of trying something different after Boom. They saw how much people hated the new designs so they want to play it safe now.
Sonic was always aimed at kids
That is so true, that's a problem I have even with current sonic games. If they could do a similar style to what they did in rush, and with a new stylistic art direction for their cg models they'd be golden. They need to stop trying to be like Mario fr and start being Sonic the Fucking Hedgehog
@@ayylmao8031 but boom isn’t really hated nowadays (save for the games ranging from just ok to underdeveloped)
Yuji Naka did speed running? I guess that explains him going for Prison Any%
💀💀
To me, I think Sonic's social intelligence is something that isn't talked about a lot. He's quick to understand people and understand the atmosphere and bounce off it so well. It's why his attitude usually comes off well because he knows when and where to do it. It helps create genuine moments, and some very cool ones as well.
The word I've seen, that I've latched onto when it comes to Sonic's "Style" is "Counterculture". You could call Sonic a counterculture Mario, or Mickey Mouse, he's rebellious take on the mascot status quo. Where Mario was playful and joyous, whimsical, happy-go-lucky, Sonic was defiant and rude. He'd lose patience with the player and mouth off to his friends and enemies. There was a juxtaposition between the traditional bright, colorful, surreal videogame cartoon settings and Sonic's impatient, delinquent demeanor. Like, he's not a total asshole but he does his own thing and isn't afraid to let you know you've tested his patience, even if it's not in the nicest way.
That's just the character and his context, but it's important to Sonic's vibes that we understand that he's an answer to Mario, and how that informs his personality and the stylistic decisions the series makes. He exists in reference to Mario, though he takes other influences from Dragonball, and I've seen him compared to Yusuke Urameshi, which is fitting, he's a deiinquent with a heart of gold. Art direction has a lot do do with it. The way characters are rendered, framed by the camera, and animated, as well as acting performances and writing (though for as much importance as we give it, for Sonic, animation and visual storytelling are much more important than anything else, Sonic 3K's story works as well as it does for a reason). For the acting bits of Sonic's storytelling, man I hate to say it, because Roger did so well in Frontiers and Dream Team, but Sonic needs a naturally higher, more energetic voice. You're never gonna get the full energy of Sonic from a deeper voice like that. It's not so serious that I'm suggesting he be fired or anything, but ideal scenario, we have someone that's closer to Junichi Kanemaru's vocal range, because the fundamental sound of a character's voice affects how they're perceived. You wouldn't have Darth Vader voiced by Micheal Cera REGARDLESS of how good a voice actor he was, because Darth Vader's character requires a deep, powerful, commanding voice.
In terms of art direction, drawing from Ohshima and Uekawa for reference is the best case scenario. Unleashed is the most visually impressive game in the series to this day, it's the best looking one...but it doesn't look very much like Sonic or his world. There's lots of technical and stylistic reasons for this, but broadly speaking it's because Unleashed on (really it started with 06, but that game's issues belong in their own category) didn't reference the artistic styles of the people who created him when making it. They reference Pixar, and you can see it most apparently with the humans, but it applies across the board, Unleashed doesn't look really anything like something Yuji Uekawa or someone referencing his art would make, it looks like a Pixar movie, and the games after continued with that trend. Compare that to Sonic Riders and Sonic Battle, or even the CD opening, where it's clear Ohshima and Uekawa's art was referenced, but they're just references and still have their own visual identity.
I'd get into sound design, but I'm not a sound guy. The music genre almost doesn't matter with Sonic, though Newjack Swing, Japanese City Pop, and Butt Rock (Crush 40 style) tend to sound the most like Sonic music. Other than that, I can only say that replacing the more video game-y sounds like the jump with more realistic whoosh sounds and the like plays some part in Sonic's movement feeling less like Sonic.
I could go on. Sonic is counterculture, anime Mario/Mickey Mouse.
Counterculture is a raw way to put it LOL
This is so damn true for sonics voice, and its impossible to convince anyone in the fandom of it.
I just want his anime protagonist voice back so badly...
the deeper voice is not Roger's fault tho they directed him to make sonic's voice deeper, i guess they wanted a more mature feel for the character? but like you said it just doesn't feel right
@@lunathetiger1No, I wasn't just talking about his voice in Frontiers. Roger's voice is too deep for Sonic. He has to raise his pitch and sound really unnatural for people to even give him the benefit of the doubt on it, which is why when he tones it down and speaks more naturally, is able to actually ACT as Sonic in Frontiers, his best actual acting performance as the character, it gets critique like this. It's why I made the comparison to Darth Vader. You could be the best actor in human history, but if you don't have the deepness of James Earl Jones' voice, you're never going to be able to convincingly play Darth Vader. Darth Vader, the character, HAS a deep, powerful, commanding voice. Micheal Cera could come in and give the performance of a lifetime, but you're never gonna believe he's Darth Vader because his voice is just too high, and he can't just force it to be low and still give a natural performance, and he DEFINITELY can't force it to be as low as Vader's character demands. Roger is Sonic's Micheal Cera in this metaphor. He's capable of giving a good performance as the character in spite of the inherent physical limitations of his voice, but no matter what he does, his voice is too deep for Sonic. He shouldn't be fired, he should be re-cast as someone with a deeper voice. I've always thought he could play a good Knuckles or Shadow, his talent is being misused, he's in a role that doesn't suit him.
@hereforonereason5820 oooohh i see great comparison lmao thanks for explaining
Black knight had the best story for sonic
FACT
@@mober7430both
@@Sydney_Angelytlets be real the story was nothing special. That said it completely serves its purpose without any real issues from me so that's already better than a lot of Sonic stories lmao
Best story and beter characterization than Frontiers but we're not ready for this conversation
@@theenjoyer22Black Knight is still the last good story we got in the games. Yes it could be said Frontiers is better than Forces, but when you consider how low the bar is where doing the bear minimum is enough to see you through, is it really something that great of an achievement? The amount of wasted story potential in Frontiers is truly staggering.
I really like that late 90s to late 200s style Sonic had. There's just something about that is just so cool! I really hope some day we'll get this style back or something that rivals it.
AGREED
The style is slowly returning.
Yeah fr, even in superstars while it wasn't the best, you can tell they were trying some sort of new stuff, a water level with giant fruits, and spooky casino theme
Meanwhile for modern Sonic, the cool factor is back in terms of characterization, the aesthetics ain't there yet
KEY WORD "YET"
Sonic needs his swag and drip back.
AGREE
I think the best answer to this is that each style stayed in its respective time, you are free to like any style regardless of the time (I like them all) but the style kind of follows the trends of each era in which the games are released and this is even seen in the trailers, but it's not a lost cause or anything like that because it's possible to bring these things that people like and keep the style current without exaggerating or being off and this applies to everything such as character personality, game aesthetics, tone and atmosphere of the story, gameplay, etc. It's almost as if the franchise is like Sonic himself, Sonic is cool, he is unique, he is heroic and exciting in his own way, he is like a wind that remains unchanged deep down even though he takes on various forms and changes the world and others around him, he has fun with adventures regardless of whether they are big or small and serious or silly, saving the world is like a game but when the thing gets serious he shows what he came for, he's not perfect, he has flaws but he still manages to move forward and do epic and cool things and we are here for that and help as much as we can
I liked what the early 2000s brought Sonic to his "definitive style." He was different and edgy, but not in a crungy sort of a way, more like a cool sort of way. The game may be quesitonable good depending on who you asked, but there was this vibe to Sonic that just made him, well, him. The Meta Era is where they commercialized him hard to be just a "mascot platformer", and though Gens and COlors are there as good games, it's not the same. That's why we all loved Froniters when it released because it was back to that style, the edgy style that made Sonic the franchise that it was always about. Hell, the 90s, Sonic had that edge too when you think about it.
The Adventure style was my favorite artstyle in the Sonic series. I would love for them to bring it back someday because it was peak 🔥
I know it was part of the era but I really wish sonic spinoff games like the racing titles could go back to that Y2K style bc it was so sick. There’s a reason why BombRush modders love putting Sonic characters in the game and that’s bc they fit so well in that style
the coolness of the first sonic rush right down to its menus, music and basically everything about the presentation just reeks of cool.
also calling mario the “funny wahoo man” is the biggest sonic glazer thing ive ever heard lol
SA2 overall vibe to me is peak Sonic Style, the Y2K inspired artwork, the ost, the characters, everything but hot dang I'll be lyin' if I don't mention Sonic Rush, that game is pure STYLE visually and soundly... special mention to Unleashed intro, that's peak, condensed definition of Sonic the Hedgehog too! Sonic is a daring character that shines when it's true to himself and not imitatin' or bein' a safe mascot that sells! I'm still so glad that SonicTeam is slowly realizing his potential and style since Frontiers!
All I’m gonna say is that sonic peaked when Jason Griffith took the role as sonic because that dudes got range from being cocky to being serious and of course he has the iconic games that backs him up 😂
FAX
I completely agree with you but In my honest opinion i find Roger pretty good as well and I genuinely think at bare minimum Roger can be close to be as good as Jason if they write Sonic back like how he was at Jason Griffiths peak Sonic like black knight, secret rings and Unleashed
@@midnighttheumbreon oh I’m not biased I love Roger’s take on sonic too both boom and in frontiers both voice actors peak. Don’t worry I love all three voice actors 👍
@@stacia-arora1400 I'm glad to hear that cause I honestly don't agree when I hear someone say any of them don't fit sonic, obviously I won't disrespect people who say that but I don't agree with it
But yeah I do agree with you that Sonic peaked at Jason but Roger's is pretty good to I genuinely really liked him in Frontiers! I honestly think all 3 are really good!
hopefully Sega will let Sonic Team be more experimental after the success of Frontiers because Sonic has so much untapped potential to be the best video game franchise
AGREED
This video ROCKED, Fadel! I was looking forward to this ever since you talked about making it, and after having watched it, I'm mad impressed by both the production quality and your eloquence throughout. Stellar work, my guy.
I was introduced to Sonic through Sonic Adventure 2 way back in the early 2000s, which is pretty unanimously one of the COOLEST Sonic productions even to this day- so even from a young age, my expectations of this guy were insanely high, and that he was simply 'cooler', 'better', and snarkier than the rest. His timeless sharp and flashy design, his MANY cool abilities which he always executed flawlessly, his outlook on life- it really felt like the art styles, narratives, and music choices were AS COOL and VIBRANT as Sonic himself. In my opinion, a lot of the identity of Sonic is the freedom to do what YOU want, and the fearlessness of taking things to the next level despite the risks involved. He can be witty like the games are colorful, but Sonic's acrobatics align with the games' innovative action sequences, his occasional Shonen-like seriousness plays well into bigger, monumentous narratives that you don't see characters like Mario and Crash typically attempt, and his world environments are as beautiful as the top-tier music the franchise has ACED for 30+ years.
My favorite 'aesthetic' of Sonic primarily involves the OVA, SA1 and SA2, Rush, and Unleashed- I don't mean JUST in the art, but aesthetics in regards to gameplay, sound design, character portrayals, story writing, and overall vibe; Secret Rings and Black Knight ESPECIALLY with regards to Sonic's character writing. Frontiers is certainly a step in an interesting direction I'm down to see with Sonic, I love how they're trying out new ideas with his world and his abilities. (His combat in Frontiers is WAY more stylish and Shonen-oriented than any of his previous fighting-game iterations!) Since it's pretty evident even from his conception that Sonic as a BRAND evolves with the trends, I don't think it'd be necessarily appropriate for him to try and STICK to the aesthetics you and I grew up with- but moreso to keep the COOL energy and courageous flair that made him the gaming and media icon he still is when trying new things.
I know that I just spoke a bunch of fluent YAPANESE, but I could talk about Sonic all day- overall, LOVED the subject of this video, and I'm looking forward to more!
ALWAYS YAP!!! Thank u for loving it 😭💙
Bro it's actually crazy that Sonic and the black knight unironically makes me cry LMAO the writers were COOKING
You absolutely COOKED with that thumbnail bro
In my opinion, what made a lot of people like myself love Sonic Boom was because it was unique. At the time, there wasn't a Sonic cartoon since Sonic X ended... and throughout the 2010s, Video Game companies were trying so hard to reach a mainstream audiences by making tv shows or movies on their own franchises, and some worked, while others didn't (Espically throughout the Mid to Late 2010s.)
Unlike other video game cartoons from that point, like the Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures cartoon, or Megaman Fully Charged, Sonic Boom wasn't trying to reboot the series while also trying to captalize on nostalgia... the show was largely a comedy series that can be enjoyed by anyone, without playing the games or read the comics. It didn't try to make you wish you were playing the games, as it didn't require playing the games at all.
That's why Boom still gets fondly remembered even after the show got canned. That & the jokes but those are beside my point.
The Saturn Era to 2006 was when Sonic was the coolest shit ever
Like, SHADOW WITH A GUN????
sign me the fuck up.
4:30 NGL I miss THIS look for Super Sonic. The spines especially just being huge and wild looking. I've seen the 4 inch scale toy of Classic Super Sonic and it's just not the same.
Take a shot every time the Cage of Games says “cool” in this video LMAO
LMAO
Fadel gotta make a video on how he makes his intros
LMAO
We need this back from the adventure era 😭😭😭
I really appreciate you acknowledging the cultural context around Sonic leading up to the 90’s. Alot of people think of Sonic as being defined by the decade he came out in, but the real heart that was in these games was thanks alot to the multicultural factors that were around them. I would even go as far to say that Sonic, at his heart, represented the entire century when he first came out-from the 20’s, to the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and especially the 80’s. It’s why he was able to fit into the 90’s so incredibly well.
Sonic may have came out in 1991, but he was *conceived* during the late 80’s. And I think that’s important.
Sonic Heroes was such an amazing game to grow up with. The game's style screamed freedom with the title screen having Team Sonic jumping for joy and reaching as high as they could in the sky, pushing the limit. The characters had such cool portrayals and banter ("Time to crack that Eggman wide open!" is unforgettable), everything around the game's visual and musical design was centered around them, and you could play as 3 of them at the same time. Any time I felt alone, this game was the solution to brightening my day.
Sonic should always feel like your cool older brother/cousin.
Especially 3D Sonic.
YUJI UEKAWA IS A HUGE FACTOR HIS ART IS THE COOLEST SHIT ON PLANET
YES!!!!
Don't forget the unsung hero who helped launch Uekawa's style, in Satoshi Okano. Okano laid out the template for the redesign, while Uekawa helped round off the edges.
there's something intrinsically cool in sonic's design. when i was 5, i got mario and sonic at the olympic games as a gift, and remember looking at sonic on the box art and immediately connecting with his character over mario.
i wish you also touched upon the music aspect more, especially leaning into adventure era - no other 'family friendly' mascot i know of has leaned so heavy into hard rock and metal. the OST really defined sonic's edge over anything else made at the time- frontiers bringing it back was a long time coming
I remember a big debate over which Classic Sonic was better. The American or Japanese interpretation of the character. Both are awesome but I feel like the American Classic Sonic had more life as in he seemed more caring and also had more edge than the Japanese Classic Sonic. American Sonic had the comics and tv shows while Japanese Sonic had the CD opening and OVA that defined their characters
Sonic has never not had style.
Forces is mid as fuck as a game and story...but man, if it wasn't stylish.
Even ROL had it's moments.
Honestly regardless of the game, regardless of if it was good or mid, Sonic has always had style.
Tru
Even lost world opening is raw
The style that Sonic had in the Adventure games is the style from that franchise that I want back. The only cartoony part of Sonic Colors' story that I really like is the hilarious "Baldy Mc. Nosehair" cutscene in which Sonic gets into thinking of using those words as a new nickname for Eggman. That nickname always cracks me up.😂
I agree that it looks like the movies have a good amount of style in them, along with having both Knuckles and Tails being written better in the second one. It truely does seem possible that we could possibly get even more style in the upcoming third one. Especially because it will have elements from SA2 adapted into it, along with some version of that game's awesome theme song because Paramount was given the rights to it and have the freedom to use it in that movie in whatever way they do think, or will think is nessesary. I hope that one of the things that Movie Sonic gets shown doing in it is rail-grinding. That would be stylish for sure.
I also agree with how the Sonic Boom series wasn't stylish and was too cartoony, along with the fact that they mandated Shadow to be a rude and self-obsessed jerk in it and the 2 games from that spin-off that he appeared in. No wonder he was barely in any of the TV episodes, the less of that version of him the better!
U GET ITTT
The Adventure era had the perfect amount of style to it. It was geared toward children, but there was enough plot and character development there to make it akin to a shounen-lite, as you say. Honestly, I just want them to return to the Adventure format.
😢
I still think sonic has much to do to get that raw energy back from the old days but frontiers definitely gave me hope that those days are coming back
Exactly, needs work but we’re somewhere
I had Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3D Blast as a kid, and I also borrowed a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cartridge from a friend and loved those games. It wasn't until December 2022 that I started getting interested in Sonic again. It started when I accidentally came across funny sprite animations, then I remembered Sonic X, which was on TV a long time ago and which I could not make it to on time after school. And Sonic X is what hooked me.
I started playing through the main Sonic games in order by release date. Classic games brought a pleasant nostalgia. I really liked Adventure 1 for its atmosphere and freedom, and I happily immersed myself in and completely completed it. But Adventure 2 just blew my mind! I can't describe it in words. Controls, gameplay, levels, challenge, music, style, plot... Every second of the game screams - this is Sonic and everything this franchise represents! Completing all 180 emblems (and have done it twice so far) was a major challenge for me and I loved every second of the learning in this game (and all 3 gameplay styles are great for me). This game made me a hardcore fan of this franchise and made me realize that my favorite genre is action platformers.
I can say without a doubt that Sonic needs to stop looking at and imitating other games and start making a completely unique Sonic again, because Adventure 2 did it best. And I say this as a person not blinded by nostalgia or anything else, I first played this game in 2023, the game is over 20 years old and I consider it the best game I have ever played. And I still think Adventure 2 is the best Sonic game after finishing most of the main Sonic games that came out later. This is Sonic Team magnum opus and I don't think they can do something like this again, but I will be absolutely delighted if they do a close second.
I feel like Frontiers is them getting on the right track. Sonic still needs more of his signature attitude but given the somber nature of the game it isn't too bad that it's toned down a bit. Whatever it is update 3 really cemented Sonic still has sauce. I mean that whole Super Sonic 2 thing with him styling and finessing corrupted Supreme by blitzing Supreme with his arms folded with that cold stare at the end. Or snapping his fingers as he forecefully contorts Supreme is savage as hell.
agreed!!
Honestly. Forgive me for trying to correlate 2 things, but the sause left when they tried to make Humans not cannon.
INTERESTING
One thing that I'm wondering, is why Sega didn't continue having footwear tie-ins with Sonic games, they had Soap Shoes in Sonic Adventure 2 and go further with that, unit they returned in Frontiers. I want to Sonic wearing Nike's or Puma's in the next game!
I really miss his characterization from the 2000's. Sega gave him the perfect amount of cool factor at that time. Growing up I didn't play a whole lot of Sonic games, but every time I'd see an ad, commercial, artwork, or anything, kid me would look at him and be like: "That blue hedgehog is the coolest thing I've ever seen." It was my version of Sonic growing up. When the 2010's came around he just didn't look as appealing to me so I pretty much forgot about him until the movie and frontiers was announced. I'm glad that Sega is giving him that cool factor again. It reminded me why I love him so much. Glad to see him making a comeback
ONGOD
I’m not the biggest fan of Frontiers, but I’ll commend it for making Sonic the coolest he’s been in ages, music included. People tend to lump it in with the likes of DMC and Metal Gear for a reason, quality aside. It very well exhibits the ‘rule of cool’.
YEAAA U GET IT
for me at least, I feel like SEGA really needs to stop treating sonic like a mascot and treat him like an actual character. that and lighten up or get rid of the mandates on him
AGREE
I grew up in the 90s so the Genesis and first two Adventure games will always be peak Sonic for me. Even just thinking about the American box art for Sonic 2 & 3 had so much attitude in it. And then Adventure 2 just goes crazy with keeping that attitude alive with its story and designs. I still think SA2’s model with the soap shoes is one of the most raw designs for Sonic.
It’s peak I fear…
While I love everything about Sonic down to his music and his personality, for me, the coolest thing about Sonic has to be that design bro. Instantly iconic, immediately recognisable, and full of just the right amount of edge that is offset by his more cute, rounded features. You look at Sonic and immediately, you know this dude is designed to be a foil to Nintendo's favourite red plumber.
On paper, Sonic really shouldn't work, a blue hedgehog wearing oversized red, clown shoes. How on earth is this blue rat going to be cool? Well the mad lads at SEGA did it. Give him that splash of blue that contrasts him against Mario and makes him stand out from the crowd. Give him human anatomy to allow him to do the cool things like cool poses or skateboard riding while giving him quills that instantly identify him as a hedgehog and give him just the right amount of edge to make him cool without being cringey.
And don't even get me started on the glow up this man had in the early 2000s. If you want to see an example of how to update a classic design for new audiences while keeping the core qualities of the design in tact, look no further than Modern Sonic. Give him those green eyes so his gaze is more piercing, elongate his limbs to make him look more mature, more aerodynamic and more badass and lengthen those quills baby, because you know we got to accentuate our boys main attraction. Honestly, all of the cast of the modern games are phenomenally designed in such a way that they keep the core elements of the classic designs while expanding and adding upon them in a way that makes the characters feel fresh and updated for modern sensibilities.
There's a reason that these designs have hardly been touched for the most part for over 20 years (lets.... just forget that Sonic Boom existed... please, I beg)
The design makes him PEAK
Fans complained about it until they changed it and then the kids who grew up loving it complained about it being missing.
btw hi im one of the kids who grew up and now complain about it being missing.
No matter which style you prefer, I do think there's a major issue on the fandom:
People over-glorify Yuji Uekawa's old Adventure Era drawings, and don't give enough respect to(Or even straight up disregard) his current artstyle and illustrations like the ones from Sonic Channel and the social media.
Those old pieces are Fire, don't get me wrong, but I feel we should also recognize his objective improvement in technique aswell as how much charisma and emotion they still have!
It's a shame how people claim they should be more like back then without being fair and acknowledging the beauties we consistently get from Uekawa and the rest of Sega's artists!
AGREED
The thing that excites me the most about Sonic's future honestly is that they're finally starting to take Sonic more seriously in general and trying to make him cool and Frontiers was a very good first step but there's a lot they can improve on! Especially in terms of quality and as much as I love Sonic Frontiers I genuinely hope the next open zone Sonic Game blows frontiers out of the water
And now that they have a bigger budget and gathering bigger Team all they need is a good amount of dev time and if all that happens Sonic Team could truly make something way more incredible than frontiers 😭
Obviously I know there's always a chance it could go all wrong but I do think they have a chance now to finally make something way more incredible than even frontiers!
I think bc at the time and even now, the Adventure era set such a high bar for Sonic it was so hard to re-replicate that feeling or “RAW” with some obvious exceptions (Unleashed, Storybook series, Shadow, etc.) bc for those games, they took way more risks and are much more beloved now. Until then they kinda kept it too safe with developing Sonic and its characters, leading to stuff like Forces. I feel that Frontiers is a step into the right direction in terms of style, risk, and rawness in what they’re gonna do in the future, and with the Gens DLC having basically a Shadow the Hedgehog 2, I think we can expect really good things from SEGA.
My Take is way too hot like it could burn a forest down but I'll put myself out there anyway:
I didn't really care all that much about character writing or anything I was young and pretty colors and comedy made my day, I grew up on the tail-end of the Dark Age.
SA2B and SADX alongside a few other games from around that Era I consumed as a young person, I only recently became aware of that kind of stuff around... I wanna say Mania, Forces where I started I think caring more but even then I guess I was just broken cuz even growing up on the "Cool Kid Sonic" Games, I didn't hate Colors, Generations or Lost World I've always loved to Style of the early games but I never got the impression or feeling that Sonic "Stopped being Cool" Or "He no longer has Style" I couldn't explain why I just never thought that way.
I think in my case: I didn't grow up with Sonic the way everyone else did I didn't think about Sonic the way everyone else did and in regard I never viewed the Series the way people do now, I think my opinion of the series is how I grew up with it; I didn't care about "Style" or "The Proper Characterization" of Sonic or his friends I loved the series cuz it was colorful and the music was awesome.
Nah that’s valid for sure LOL
Sonic Riders art style will forever be the peak of the Sonic franchise
YEP
The Sonic’s Cycle is now Bisexual- Bicycle 🚲
Yeah you could really tell the style wasn't as prevalent around Colors. It was less about an interesting story and more about a cut and dry "beating Eggman and making jokes" which is fun but not as interesting as their previous stories. They really played it safe with its stories and then got REALLY experimental when they partnered with Nintendo.
I agree tho, I think Frontiers is a great start towards getting back to that COOL factor. He's getting to show off more, speak more from the heart, and take on threats that feel like a real challenge. Very excited to see what they do with Sonic moving forward!
I see a lot of the same type of comments saying "Its a step in the right direction/ on the right track". But I just dont see it, it feels like thats what is said EVERY sonic game. I'm pretty sure people even said it in forces. And I have to be honest, I genuinely feel Sega is lost and has NO IDEA how to capture the coolness of sonic aside from reference past stuff like they annoyingly did in frontiers.
here's the comment I replied to someone else.
we're always "on the right track" or "a good step forward"" when talking about Sonic. I'm not trying to start an argument here, but I really dont see how frontiers is on the right track with a world that looks bland, trying to make it look realistic, and cutscenes where the characters just stand around and reference the PAST because its lacking so much confidence in the presence. Again I'm not arguing or anything, but how is sonic on the right track currently? I'm curious, because I hear this so much. If it is in the right track its by the smallest possible margin, because Frontiers seems to have ZERO confidence in itself.
Like isnt this LITERALLY the Sonic Cycle people keep talking about? A slightly good (mediocre) sonic game comes out, and people mainly say its good through gritted teeth, its a "good step forward" but never just HOLY SHIT THEY NAILED IT." Theres always a ton of baggage. Then a new trailer releases and people get their hopes up again?
I honestly think Sega really doesn't know how to bring back the cool factor, they need like an overhaul or something because they're currently doing this Self aware bullshit thats so grating. Nothing hits hard, nothings fast and cool, they just stand around with lame animations.
Sonic unleashed was peak. Ironically the story books were peak in terms of making sonic cool too, even though they were still drawings, they moved them in fun ways that added to the charm and stylishness.
None of the shit today PACKS A PUNCH. We need something with solid art direction, interesting colors, and shading. HARD WRITING.
I dont know man....I havent been a sonic fan in a while because its just shit now, and people just smile and pretend its not.
Damn, The "Sonic was never good" People got the best of you didn't they...
@@acethehedge449 I'm pretty sure I said the storybook and unleashed era was the peak yeah? I'm talking about the Meta era.
I disagree tho cuz I think the 2010’s were not a step in the right direction, and now we finally are LOL
@@GamesCage No I meant the Meta era is the part thats garbage.
When I think of Modern Sonic I think of the Jakks Pacific box renders… 😢
Give our boy some sauce again. I miss when I used to think of Uekawa Sonic whenever someone said “Modern Sonic”
Ongod LOL
The fact that shadow the hedgehog and sonic 06 have the best aesthetics within the sonic franchise imo is so funny. Nowadays they play it way too safe but it is understandable as to why they started taking this "safe" route when it comes to sonic. Last time they tried changing the aesthetic (this being sonic boom as far as I remember) it flopped immensely.
I can tell you exactly what happened to Sonic's style: the 2010s happened. Sega forgot that story and characterization what's one of the biggest appeals for Sonic, then proceeded to neuter him and his friends down to one note parodies of themselves.
I know people call the early 2000s the dark age of sonic, but the 2010s will always be my dark age: the lack of character, passion, and storytelling during this time felt like a kick to the teeth😢
I think that's why Sonic frontiers resonates with me so much: it is a step back into the form of the Sonic that I grew up with 😤
Sorry for the essay, but the moment I read the title of this video all this just came flowing out of my heart❤
YEA ITS IN THE VIDEO BUDDY AHHAHSSJP
@@ataladin87 buddy did you even play the game
*makes completely false claims about the game*
"Have you even played the game?"
"No but I'm right"
Can't make this shit up 💀
Yeah I completely agree with you, Ive never agreed with anyone who called the 2000s the dark era, sure there were definitely some problems like 06 and secret rings but to as you said the 2010s were definitely the dark era, cause sure colors and generations are good games and while but I didn't like how they tried to make these games pretty cartoony and aimed way more at a younger audience
I didn't mind it as much in generations but in colors and especially lost world and boom I really did not like how he was written
Also ps I don't know if this a hot take but I consider Jason Griffith and Roger Craig Smith equally good at voicing Sonic
@@ataladin87 so you also havent seen any footage of the game too? got it
Subtlety is key. I absolutely love Frontiers Sonic but he just says everything he thinks instead of implying it. He straight up says to Sage "please become good" for like 80% of the game. Show don't tell. Obviously, Ian didn't actually write the game, he wrote the dialogue, so I'm excited to see what he could cook up with a official role. I do have faith in Sonic getting that sauce back.
As for the movies? I also have faith in them. I've noticed that sonic in movie 2 is more in character than sonic in movie 1. Movie Sonic is supposed to be relatable, whereas game Sonic is supposed to be someone to look up to.
WE ARE COOKING
Things went from being cool to acting cool
Damn that was a bar
After 06, they felt like they needed to pull back and after awhile they leaned into the “cute and nostalgic” feel instead of his cool and edge feel
YEP
Miss that sonic's swag from the old generations back then . Honestly if someome asked me how to develop the perfect sonic game i would suggest him to give the blue hedgehog his playfull and rebellious nature he used to have
I love that these video edits have prompted this kind of discussion amongst Sonic fans. Yes, Sonic has lost its original push to really move people emotionally! Not a sobbing kind of moved, but that special “gutto kuru”.
They wanted to use their art to make people feel something special, and that special feeling is something that only Sonic can give better than anyone else. But people are starting to notice that that original essence of Sonic that got them so hooked is no longer there.
It wasn’t just his style, he had substance too! It wasn’t just the sauce that went on top, it was an integral part of the whole dish! Call it “spice” or “drip” or “energy” or a "vibe" or whatever else you want, but the bottom line is we’re all talking about the same thing. There is something beneath the hood, something very essential here that Sonic is not Sonic without, that has been neglected for far too long. Something that went beyond the material itself yet really brought him to life in our eyes. A life blood which was his very own, and which no one else could serve. Without that piece, people can tell something is missing, even if everything else is brought back.
It’s just like Tikal said. “Chaos is power. *Power comes from the heart.* ” If Sonic has no heart, Sonic has no power.
If I had to say what makes Sonic so cool to me, this would be it. It’s not just any one thing I can point at, it’s what it all means. It’s what Sonic believes in-what he conveys, and very effectively at that. What he represents, and what he stands for. It’s his heart-his inside that counts.
If I had to put his essence into one word, it would be “freedom”. It’s what resonates with people about him the most. It's that feeling of being free, and the deepest desire to give that unto others. That is the blood that really pumps through him that he’s lost. Or at least, the pulse is getting weaker.
Freedom sets Sonic on fire. It makes him a trailblazer. That desire is what really speaks to people. If Sonic can really capture that-if he can truly speak to that heart’s desire-then that is when I can say “Sonic is back!”
Black Knight Sonic is peak
Sonic Riders Zero Gravity Knuckles & Tails are peak
06 Shadow is peak
I dont exactly know what else to put but these were the best versions of each character, the versions we have now dont feel so great, the restrictions with mandates and what we have isn't good enough, I want those 2000s versions of characters to return and get fleshed out, Shadow especially needs to have his character from that game because he was the best there.
ONGOD
The style i wanna see again is the 2000s style tbh the ad and ad2 style, heroes style, rish styles and sonic chronicles it wasnt the best game but the art style still gave me sonic vibes frontiers is starting to bring sonic back when he felt cool so i hope they do him even more right in the future and please no corny jokes like in colors, never again😭🙏🏻
I *also* appreciate how you say that Sonic Mania was cool, but Forces wasn’t! Alot of people would discount it just because it’s classic Sonic.
EXACTLY
Those intros go crazy
Ongod
I feel like the reason recent Sonic games haven't had these kinds of vibes lately is because the series feels like it's trying to be more "corporate," if that makes sense. Even with stuff like Frontiers, it feels like everything needs to stay in a certain way for things to be consistent and maintain a clean brand image. I hope we get to see Sonic experiment with stuff like art styles, new models, and gameplay again, because right now, things certainly feel a bit stale.
Damn this video kind of makes me wish I’d been born during Sonic’s heyday. Like damn when I was growing up you bet it was fated you’d get dog piles if you liked him at all. Didn’t ever stop me but damn, growing up when Sega was ashamed of the hedgehog and his friends was so sad, especially when I was going through the older media and realizing that ten years back, the blue blur was considered cool and successful. Glad we’re coming back and super hype to be on the hype train with you cause damn it’s a 180 to what it was when I was a kid and it’s so fun. I’ll always love this blue little guy.
Hell yea
I think the game that started this whole trend of Sonic's coolness factor being put to the side was Sonic Heroes.
I love Heroes, don't get me wrong, but the whole thing with Heroes back in the day, was that SEGA finally went multi-platform and they thought they needed to cater to people OUTSIDE of the Sonic fanbase, so the style/presentation of that game wasn't "Sonic is cool" it was more so "Sonic's world/friends are cool". It had a bigger emphasis on "Power of friendship" than any other Sonic game, and that catering to non-Sonic fans mentality stayed with SEGA/Sonic Team for SO GODDAMN LONG.
I remember seeing an article back in 2015, saying how SEGA admits they betrayed their fans and in the Sonic aspect, I kinda see it, because they weren't really thinking about us when they made games like Colors and Lost World and don't even get me started on Boom, they were always saying "Oh, we gotta cater to the younger audience. We gotta cater to people outside the Sonic fanbase." We got that same excuse for like, half a DECADE, then they THOUGHT they knew what we wanted with Forces, advertising the "serious story", all the villians from previous games, new edgy character ect, but they didn't understand WHY we like all that stuff or HOW to implement it in a similar way to prior games like SA1&2.
Now, they have a much clearer idea and they even said with Frontiers they were starting to cater towards a more mature crowd again, (teenagers/young adults) while still being family friendly and I HOPE they keep this up. They're finally starting to understand how to make Sonic cool again and I seriously think that since Sonic Team's gotten a bigger budget/more people on the team, it's only gonna get better from here on.
Sonic is HIMMY
I feel that when Sonic 06 fell they lost the confidence
I want silver back 😭
😭😭😭
I think it's a writing and budget problem, but also the voice actors. Roger was good for Boom Sonic, but not the main guy.
It doesn't matter what Sonic Team does to make Sonic cool in future games if the voices don't fit the characters.
I disagree with the voices part but I respect your opinion, I do honestly think Roger can be a cool Sonic if given a Sonic with good writing
For example I really liked how he voiced Sonic in Frontiers and I think he can be cool even without the deeper voice, and to me he does fit as Sonic
He's definitely not as good as Jason yet I'm my opinion but I definitely feel like he could get close at least
But again I respect your opinion
*Easy answer: the 2000's ended* 😅 The 90's and 2000's were the times when Sega actually took risk
TRUTER
@@GamesCage 🙌
This is one of the things Sonic has been sorely missing the most in the past decade+ and I'm afraid I'm not sure Sonic Team understands that yet. I'm not even someone who wants Classic Sonic to stick around but that twitter video reminds me that even that era had this cool style distinct from Adventure era Sonic that would be worth pursuing alongside Modern Sonic, which I hope goes hard on the Adventure era style again. Just sooo much potential for this franchise I need to see come thru,.
Why sonic is cool? Because he's a running character. He doesn't get some weird tech weapons to fight Eggman. His main attack is him rolling into a ball, until frontiers cane up with some cool fighting style.
Because of this character I enjoyed sports. That's why sonic as a character is important for me.
Umm Sonic Battle, Chronicles, etc. had existed, it wasnt Fronteirs that started with combat.
I this the 2000’s as a whole was just more stylized and trying to make things look cool and pop out. Sonic was one of those series. Now stuff is a lot more sauces less and more standardized
Besides like a few games like Hi Fi Rush, Persona, Probably the new jet set radio game, a few indie games, etc most Games don’t got that much sauce like they did during the early to mid 2000’s
I still like Classic Sonic in general because I've played the first Sonic game in the Gameboy before I became a Big Fan of him. I think If it wasn't for classic Sonic, Modern Sonic would not even exist.
Modern Sonic is basically a grown version of classic Sonic.
When it comes to making any characters like in anime or video games, the artist behind the scenes develop their drawing skills overtime. And they come up with strategies of how they can make characters look better.
Sega was basically a Rival of Nintendo and Yuji Naka wanted to make money 10 times better than them.
In the Early 2000s Sonic games hit differently because video games in general was like entering a dream world. Especially the sound effects from the games. Not only that but overtime Sonic was basically rising up more and more From having a Tv Series like Sonic X, the Archie Comics and Old Classic Figure Collections. But I think until Covid began to hit or even before it did, Sonic was falling down, until he continued to Rise up again having his own Live Action Movies and of Course Sonic Frontiers which indeed changed everything!
My conclusion is that Sonic went from a Funny Running Spinning Hedgehog into a
"SUPREME BADASS PEAKED ANIME CHARACTER!!!"
AGREED!
Also think they should make more with classic and modern sonic ,dont have modern only be 3d and classic be 2d only , it would be cool to mix up and have multiple styles for the next games
AGREEEEEE
Sonic's style and personality always reflects the times. The reason the modern games don't have the same style is because we're no longer in the 90's or the early 2000s. I'd rather have Sonic embrace modernity like he always has, instead of being defined by 2000's nostalgia.
That’s valid too LOL
No, cuz hes genuinely less entertaining now.
the mario comparsions go both ways , mario obviously wasn't tryng to be cool but the thing that made his games special was the sense of wonder , think about entering every new level in mario galaxy , and to me that's why sonic in the 2010's failed to capture the same appeal ,i also think the classic sonic should be cool and have have style too , not a big fan of the cute classic sonic we have today , to me it just takes something away from the character
The Sonic Heores Erasure will not be forgotten
I know it’s hard to believe nowadays, but people were fed up with Sonic games by 2008. They were tired of the edgy moody plots. They were tired of the extra gameplay modes that they didn’t show up to play as. And they were tired of not being heard. People just wanted to RUN AS SONIC, which is where the whole “No Sonic friends” thing came from.
Unleashed was a turning point of people saying hey, this game would be good if we didn’t have to play as the Werehog, if we didn’t have to trudge through hub worlds, if we didn’t have a “monster of the week” plot…enter Sonic Colors. Colors was a clear result of that because it’s absent of every complaint people had up until that point. It’s what the franchise needed at the time.
nah but that fairly odd parents 3 part special with the black hole went hard
I feel like Sonic Team has taken the gloves off (not literally) and decided to embrace the Shounen anime side of the series. We're going back to dramatic stories, world ending stakes, and superpowered anime fights. Heck, Master King even gave him a shounen protag training arc that almost destroyed us IRL. While I hope they sprinkle in some of that old 90's rebel that became so iconic to the character I'm more than happy with them embracing the Dragonball in its DNA.
MHM WE ARE BACK
You know now that I think back on it... I wonder if SEGA possibly purposely released weaker projects during the Nintendo exclusive deal with the idea that it would somehow impact sales to Nintendo?? Nah..
Yuji Uekawa's style was just so cool. The Archie comics also did a great job. When they looked cool, they looked really cool. That Adventure era just looked awesome. But I can say this, CD's opening wasn't that cool because the Japanese design just wasn't as cool as the American one. And yeah, SA2 was the coolest thing ever. Also, you can't replace everyone in the Boom show with anyone. So many jokes wouldn't make any sense if it weren't Sonic.
I will never get over the fact SEGA of America had actual shills in universities as “SEGA Kids” bros decked out in merch and that promoted and invited people to play on their SEGA systems lmao. The 90s console wars ads were wild. Kinda is a product of the times why the energy of Sonic just mellowed out.
One thing i wished you touched on a little bit is the ui and menu design of the older games. I feel like they’re quite bold and stylish especially in like Rush and SA2. In the grand scheme of things its not too important but its all the little details that come together to make the bigger picture
OH UR RIGHT TOO
Might be another video!!
@@GamesCage Video Idea: UI Design Tierlist
@@LolipooChimichanga UR RIGHT
You briefly touched on some peak non-game media so let me also add the Archie and IDW comics. I get that Archie was incredibly flawed but there were some rare moments where Sonic was genuinely raw in it and I think with IDW (especially the later issues) we’re starting to see that again.
VERY TRUE
I feel like Sonic team is starting to realize that and is trying to make Sonic cool again. I think what they need to do honestly is to bring back older titles but put a modern twist on them. Take for instance Sonic riders. Now I wish I worked for Sega but what if they made a new Riders game but the WHOLE game is in the OG Sonic riders intro from back in the day. It could work and it could be peak. A 2d/3d hybrid Sonic Riders. It could work 100% if done right. But that’s the point they need to know what made them successful in the first place and know why people love Sonic sooo much
It left with sonic unleashed and black knight
LMAO
I disagree with your take on classic sonic.They should make him more akin to the cd animations or the Saturn era type of coolness instead of him being sonic for babies
I kinda agree with that, but if modern sonic is fire then I can live with it
Classic Sonic is a shallow husk of his actual 90s character.
Maybe Sega thought the style was past its time cause you can see it slowly coming back in frontiers
sega loves to play it safe with sonic these days (though i think they're slowly pushing the boat out once more) but also sonic's design has always changed with the time, think how he was 90s cool and then 00s cool yknow?
AP COOOL
I'll be honest, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Style wasn't really what I really think about within Sonic, I've always just loved it for the gameplay (even with how inconsistent the quality of said games can be). You could convince me all you want that Frontiers has some epic moments like a massive blockbuster film, but that novelty fizzles out faster than oppai made out of feathers when actually playing them is like mowing the lawn backwards.
MMMMMMMM
Literally don't even have to say anything here, man. This is 100% facts - BRING IT BACK
I'm really glad people are talking about this in the community, it's probably the one thing that has bothered me the most about (literal) modern Sonic, to me Sonic HAS to be over the top, "edgy", he used to be the cool kid.
The one thing I don't agree with in the video is the movies. I find them kinda bland, sure they respect the franchise but don't do much to adapt it. And I don't find Sonic cool in it, he's a character I want to look up to, not relate to, making him so doubtful and the whole "family" theme goes against his base character, confidence is one of his defining traits for me.
That’s valid. I think I still like that they attempt raw moments, but yea I get uu
I kinda wish Classic Sonic was allowed to be more cool. I hope to see Classic Sonic after Sonic Superstars do more with the classic IP, like just make Sonic the only silent character because Sonic is his classic days was kinda just impatient and wanted to save the day. Plus people talk about Sonic more when it goes into a deeper story.
Sonic THRIVES when they intertwine gameplay and style, don’t get me wrong I love frontiers but it just doesn’t catch my eye like a game like heroes/adventure/ rush.
Sonic hub just made a video about this lol
WHAT
lol i just finished watching it like 18 minutes after it came out, went to the home page and seen this@@GamesCage
Akira Toriyama passed away. Just wanted to let you know in case you haven’t already heard.