Sonichas had massive support from the super dedicated community formed around the games, which also extends to fan games. This is especially because the creators of fan games got to makeSonic Mania, an official game and retro revival that’s been almost universally praised.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Best Levels Ranked
Sonic X Shadow Generations has quite a few incredible levels throughout both campaigns, and picking favorites is what this list is all about.
This has led to an incredible culture of creativity in the fanbase, with the most passionate creators feeling inspired by seeing the developers who made it to official status.
We’ve got remakes, games inspired by all eras of the Hedgehog, and a few ROM hacks sprinkled in for fun.
10Sonic Chrono Adventure
Metroidvania Style Platforming
LakeFeperd is a name you’ll hear quite a bit in the Sonic Fangame scene, considering he made some of the most influential fangames of all time, the entire Spark the Electric Jester series, and this.
Sonic Chrono Adventureis a very strange twist on the typical Classic Sonic formula, turning it into more of an open-ended Metroidvania.
It’s as if Sonic CD’s sprawling levels were all intertwined, with items strewn about and the wackiest ice physics I’ve ever seen in my life.
It’s not the best Metroidvania ever, but if you’re looking for a game that’ll let you explore massive routes that span across huge cities, as well as listen to an awesome OST, this game is for you.
9Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix
Sonic 1 Like Never Before
Sonic Megamixis a ROM hack that goes above and beyond, taking Sonic 1, putting it on the SEGA CD, and giving it tons of new content and mechanics.
You can play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty the Armadillo, or Shadow the Hedgehog, all of which have unique abilities you wouldn’t expect from the Genesis.
For example, Sonic has the Spin Dash, Light Speed Dash, Homing Attack, Jump Dash, Light Speed Attack, and Peel Out, and that’s just one character.
It feels like what Sonic 4 wanted to be, a proper merging of Modern Sonic’s endless arsenal of speed-focused abilities into the Classic Sonic formula, and that’s awesome.
8Sonic Time Twisted
Wacky Time Shenanigans
Another classic-style game,Sonic Time Twisted, feels like an alternate future in which Sonic 3 continues from Sonic CD instead of Sonic 2.
It simplifies the mechanics of that game while adding Knuckles with the hat from the OVA, which is an objectively correct decision.
Sonic X Shadow Generations Review
Relive the anti-hero’s history in this nostalgia trip.
It has more streamlined time travel shenanigans, incredibly layered level design, and a unique visual style distinct from any other fangame I’ve seen.
It’s a fun time all around, and though I’m not partial to CD myself, if you’re a fan of that game, you’ll love this one, despite its quirks.
7Sonic 3: Angel Island Revisited
Origins Could Never
Sonic 3 & Knuckles is great, but it’s easily the least loved by SEGA, due to Micheal Jackson’s team making it a legal nightmare.
Luckily, no copyright law in the universe can stop Sonic fans, soSonic 3 A.I.Ris essentially a remake of the original in full widescreen, with some awesome modernities, andway better than Sonic Origins.
It’s got the Drop Dash, an awesome time attack mode; better Tails controls from the Christian Whitehead version of Sonic 2, and easy modding support.
It’s easily the best way to play Sonic 3, especially since it gives you a choice of soundtrack for each zone, which is awesome since I love default Ice Cap and love prototype Carnival Night.
6Sonic: After/Before the Sequel
The Stitching Inbetween
Perhaps the most iconic Sonic fangames,Sonic: After the SequelandBefore the Sequelare both incredibly similar, but awesome games by LakeFeperd meant to stitch together the very loose plots of the mainline classic games.
They do this through some really fun levels that attempt to gradually make the two very loosely tied games together in a fascinating fashion.
The only issue with this is trying to get the damn things to work, as it usually goes with older PC games; they’ll frequently crash on modern hardware and usually crash on the lovely cutscenes.
If you can get them to function, though, you’ll have a great time with more awesome Classic Sonic level design, a gameplay formula I’m only a little tired of seeing now.
5Triple Trouble 16-Bit
An Unfaithful, but Fun Remake
Keeping with the trend of Classic Sonic games,Triple Trouble 16-bitseeks to completely remake the best Sonicgame on the Game Gear, and it’s great.
It’s not the most faithful remake, mostly just taking the level themes and ideas and spinning them into a unique experience, but that’s even better.
It gives you a way more satisfying experience overall, with great special stages, awesome level design, and a short and sweet experience.
It also has a pretty sizeable roster of five unique characters, all of them getting unique routes through levels and warranting a replay of one of the best classic games I’ve played.
Freedom in the Third Dimension
Finally free from Classic Sonic,Sonic GTis a 3D game with a unique control and level design approach.
It’s got these massive levels, with characters built for exploration, making you route through each massive space by wall-running, rolling, and dashing through everything.
It’s, unfortunately, super short, only having four proper levels, but the three playable characters all controlling incredibly differently make it all the more fun to replay these levels.
It just leaves me wanting more, because it flashbangs you with some of the most fun and free-flowing 3D Sonic gameplay out there, then leaves as soon as it gets started.
3Sonic Robo Blast 2
26 Years of Greatness
Somehow,Sonic Robo Blast 2has been in active development since beforeSonic Adventurewas released and is still going strong as one of the best fan games to this day.
It’s like a classic game in full 3D, with really open levels that you have to perform well in to go quickly, and it’s also somehow made in the DOOM engine.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Best Abilities
Sonic Generations has a treasure trove of abilities to dig through, and you can only equip a few at a time, so these are the best to prioritize.
Moving around in this game feels super fast, fun, and fluid, even if it’s a bit slippery and hard to get the hang of at first.
Speedruns of this game show how cool it is to schmove, and given it’s such a simplistic game, there are around a million mods for it, including the incredibly well-madeSRB2 Kart.
2Sonic and the Fallen Star
Supremely Smooth Style
The final Classic Sonic-style game, I promise.Sonic and the Fallen Starthrows out everything you know from the typical Classic experience, in that they made the bubble shield a square.
It’s got some of the most adorable and colorful sprite work I’ve ever seen in a video game, and it’s just a treat for the eyes and ears all around.
It’s not just eye candy, though, as they take the typical level design you’d expect and add in really fun gimmicks that keep your momentum and make for really memorable levels.
Just about every mechanic has been reworked, too, with shields all feeling different, and everything focusing on making you go faster, which is awesome.
1Sonic: Project 06
The Flames of Disaster
While we’ve gone through a few remakes on this list, none of them were for inherently terrible games, but remaking one of the worst games ever and having it come out incredible is a massive feat.
That’s exactly whatProject 06did, being a from-the-ground-up remake of Sonic 06 in Unity, but not stopping at fixing all the bugs and instead, improving it all around.
Every character controls way better than they did in the base game, while the incredibly solid level design and music remain the same, and the visuals all get a nice coat of paint.
It feels like a brand new game, and this fangame is so good that I’ve seen a new wave of Sonic 06 defenders pop up because it gaslit them into thinking the original is good, which is wild.
10 Best Sonic Games Of All Time, Ranked
No matter which era of Sonic you adore, these are the best titles from all across the Hedgehog’s long life.
