There's just something about Sonic the Hedgehog that has persevered against all odds. Despite the games themselves being in the dumps for the longest time, the franchise has spawned no fewer than four cartoon adaptations ( one of which still airs for an hour every Saturday Morning, despite being in reruns since 2006), two comic book adaptations (with multiple spinoffs), plus numerous other tie-ins, from spaghettios to music CDs. If nothing else, it's evidence that the Sonic franchise has grown to such a point that it can survive even if individual parts of it are failures. Honestly, it can seem a bit difficult to make sense of it all.
Ever wonder what games are worth playing, and which ones should be avoided? Well, you've come to the right list, my friend. If there isn't a game listed on here, chances are I haven't played it and/or it's probably not worth playing.
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Standing on their own, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles are pretty okay games -- but once you employ S&K's "lock-on" function, turning them in to the complete "Sonic 3 & Knuckles", they transform in to the biggest, best, most feature-packed Sonic game ever made. The ability to retroactively patch Knuckles in to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is icing on the cake.
Take the original Sonic the Hedgehog and improve everything about it. Better graphics, better controls, twice as many levels, 2 player versus and co-op... many would say that Sonic 2 is the pinnacle of the franchise and it's difficult to argue otherwise.
Much like S&K, Sonic 3 is a pretty good game in its own right. Monstrous levels are the name of the game here - some levels, like Carnival Night Zone Act 2, are so big that you will find yourself rubbing up against the 10 minute time limit. But, really, you should just play this locked on to Sonic & Knuckles.
Sonic Rush Adventure is a far more accessible game than the original Sonic Rush, and the steep difficulty curve has been smoothed out significantly. Still, the game's hub-world elements and sailing mini-games are a turn off for some people. I personally found the game as fun as any of the Genesis games. Your results may vary.
Continuing on the legacy from Sonic Rush, Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations revisits Sonic's past and manages to come out the other end a pretty neat (if short) tribute to the better parts of this franchise.
This stylish sidescroller for the Nintendo DS favors ridiculous speed over everything else. It's also got a pretty steep learning curve as a result. Memorization and a high tolerance for frustration is key. Once you "get it", though, it's... well, a rush. Definitely a game for speed runners who are okay with practicing a level a few times in order to get the perfect run.
If we're being honest, Sonic Unleashed might actually be my personal favorite "modern" Sonic game, but it's not without a list of flaws that make it difficult to recommend. If you like Sonic Rush and Sonic Generations, give this a spin -- just keep your distance from the Wii version.
Five years after the last Sonic-Team-Produced Sega Genesis game, Sonic Adventure was the rebirth of a franchise. Unfortunately, in the intervening years it has aged EXTREMELY poorly. However, for those willing to sift through the sand around this fossil, you'll find something with a decent amount of late 90's charm.
Everything that was good about Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is even better, here. More tracks, more modes, and more fanservice, wrapped around an improved driving model and enhanced multiplayer features. Depending on what day of the week it is, I might go as far to say this is the best kart racer ever made (yes, better than even Mario Kart)
Essentially a prototype for what would eventually become Sonic Rush, Sonic Advance 2 is a game about speed, speed, and more speed. Like Sonic Rush, this often leads to cheap hits and even cheaper deaths as you run in to things (and off of cliffs) that you're moving too fast to see. Start memorizing those level layouts!