10+ Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024: Gotta Go Fast

Sonic the Hedgehog has been an iconic figure since his 1991 2D debut on the SEGA Genesis, and there’s no shortage of the best Sonic games to play. Some have been critically acclaimed, while some… not so much. Still, the character is as popular as Mario, Crash Bandicoot, and Lara Croft, with no sign of him slowing down.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best Sonic games from the past 30 years, featuring entries from both modern and classic eras to get you ready for the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film, out later this year!

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024
3. More of the Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024
3. More of the Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

10 Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024

10. Sonic Advance

Sonic Advance was the first game to appear on Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance handheld back in 2001, drawing heavy inspiration from the series’ Genesis roots. The music and level design are big highlights here. But what stood out at the time, was its ability to connect to a Nintendo Gamecube console when running Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.

This allowed players to transfer and manage the iconic Chao creatures between their GBA and Gamecube—an exciting and innovative feature from the past that we’d love to see return! It’s the best Sonic game on GBA, despite the two sequels also having many redeeming qualities; the whole trilogy impresses for the hardware.

9. Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Master System)

The first Sonic game on the 8-bit Master System console is often overlooked, as it’s more than a simple port of its Genesis brethren. Here, you have completely different routes for existing levels, as well as new ones to play, such as Jungle and Sky Base.

Unlike the 16-bit Genesis version with its Special Stages, you need to find a Chaos Emerald that’s hidden in each level. There’s a lot of fun to be had here, making this lesser-known port worthwhile in its own right. While it’s not as technically advanced, it’s still one of the best classic Sonic the Hedgehog games.

8. Sonic CD

Sonic, we’ve got to go back to the future! Then the past, then the present. Released in 1993 by Sonic Team in Japan, Sonic CD is a spin-off of the mainline series, where you have to travel between different time periods of each level in order to ‘make a Good Future’ by destroying Metal Sonic’s hologram and Robotnik’s machines. It’s one of the best Sonic games of all time.

The music, the level design, and the special stages really shine, taking advantage of the Sega Mega CD’s extra graphical and sound capabilities. Granted, some levels, like Metallic Madness, can drag, but it’s easily forgiven for the replayability the game offers, even decades later.

7. Sonic Generations

Sonic Generations was a celebration to mark Sonic’s 20th anniversary in 2011. You can play as Modern or Classic Sonic across nine levels, all from past entries that have been remade from the ground up. The design of these levels is simply fantastic, honoring the past but bringing them to the present. It’s one of the best Sonic games for fans, old and new, as it pays homage to the series’ lengthy history.

The game is set to be remastered later this year, too, coming to modern consoles, as well as featuring new levels where you can play as Shadow the Hedgehog!

6. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle

Sonic Adventure 2 was another game to mark Sonic’s birthday back in 2001. Released on the Dreamcast, followed by Nintendo Gamecube in 2002, it’s a perfect showcase for modern Sonic the Hedgehog, featuring a fantastic soundtrack, iconic levels like City Escape and Metal Harbor, and a hidden Green Hill Zone level once all 150 emblems are collected. This is a game that future entries can definitely ‘live and learn’ from.

5. Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania was a return to form for the blue blur in 2017 after a series of misfires. Created by fans of the series, the game features past zones with new twists, as well as new levels that bring interesting and fun ways to 2D Sonic that had never been done before. It’s also one of the best Sonic games for Switch, so if you’ve somehow missed out on Sonic Mania, now’s your chance.

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

How do you follow up on one of the best Sega Genesis games? With more of the same and a flying fox. Released just a year after the first Sonic game, the sequel improved upon what made the original so iconic, with a great soundtrack, challenging levels, and a two-player mode. However, its rushed development meant that several features were cut, such as a time-travel story, scrapped levels such as an early Hidden Palace Zone, a Christmas-themed zone, and more.

Fun fact: Metropolis Zone has three acts because the last zone is actually another deleted level. As its layout was further along than its art, it was repurposed. However, we can think of better levels in Sonic 2 that could have benefited from a third act. It’s one of the best-selling Sonic games, having been released and re-released countless times; it’s now best enjoyed through the Sonic Origins collection.

3. Sonic Adventure

After Sonic’s first 3D outing on its SEGA Saturn console was scrapped, Sonic Team developed Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast console as a launch title. Now, 25 years later, it remains an iconic entry, with RPG-elements that let players explore its vast worlds and levels, as well as introducing iconic characters, such as Chao and Big the Cat.

Oddly, the game has yet to be ported to modern consoles, outside of its availability on Steam and Xbox systems, but you can play a remade version of Speed Highway in Sonic Generations. Despite a few transitional teething problems, Sonic Adventure is one of the best Sonic games of all time and a landmark title in the franchise.

2. Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

The game that started it all. Much like how Astro Bot is now a reason to buy a PlayStation 5, Sonic 1 was the reason to buy a Sega Genesis in 1991. The game heralded a lot of the series’ defining elements, from the ‘blast processing’ speed and parallax scrolling to the beautiful art in each of the six levels such as Green Hill Zone, all while having to avoid Robotnik’s deadly machinations and badniks.

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the best-selling Sonic games of all time, with over 15 million sold since its June 1991 debut. The game is a masterclass in game design, teaching players iconic mechanics early on and testing them to the limit as they reach the final levels. The first Sonic game is a near-masterpiece that still stands the test of time – nearly 35 years later.

1. Sonic 3 and Knuckles

Was there any doubt? Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the ultimate Sonic game that marked a culmination of Sonic’s 2D outings, and one that still inspires games today. Released in 1994 in two parts, due to the huge amount of ideas that Sonic Team had for this third entry, there are 14 levels in total to speed through and three characters to choose from.

The debut of Knuckles the Echidna had his own exclusive routes in almost every level too. There’s also the soundtrack, which had help from Michael Jackson, before some of it was removed due to his own legal troubles during the game’s development.

Here, you get 3D-esque Special Stages to collect Chaos and Super Emeralds in order to transform into a Super version of Sonic, Tails or Knuckles, with Sonic reaching an exclusive level once all the Emeralds have been collected. Combine this with a great 2 player mode, innovative bosses, and the introduction of cut-scenes to tell a narrative, Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the best 2D Sonic game ever made.

More of the Best Sonic Games to Play in 2024

The Bottom Line

There you have it — the top 10 best Sonic games in 2024 so far! Of course, with over 150 games released in the past 30 years, your own choices may vary. But we wanted to showcase the games that bring the most fun, joy, and replayability — whether that’s on a Nintendo Switch, a Sony PlayStation 5 console, or PC.

With the remaster of Sonic Generations, called Sonic X Shadow Generations, just weeks away, it’s a perfect time to get reacquainted with past Sonic entries using our list.

FAQs