Of the three console ecosystems, the best place to play Sonic has to be Xbox. Thanks to backward compatibility, there are many Sonic games you cannot play on any other modern system, although some can be played on PC.

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Unless games like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 get a full-blown remaster or native PS3 emulation gets integrated with the PS5, the Xbox Series X|S will be the only current console to play these classics. You also have plenty of great new Sonic games to play, meaning you can experience the Genesis, Dreamcast, Xbox 360, and modern Sonic games all on one system.

7 Sonic Unleashed

The Best 3D Sonic Gameplay At Release

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Sonic Unleashed

Platformer Beat 'Em Up Released November 18, 2008 ESRB e Developer(s) Sonic Team Publisher(s) Sega Franchise Sonic the Hedgehog Platform(s) PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii How Long To Beat 13 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

Sonic Unleashed is a tale of two coins because everyone loves the daytime stages for good reason. They're so fun blasting through areas at lightspeed, and, like Sonic Generations, they are equally fun to speedrun. However, the nighttime stages can be a drag at times, and you're essentially pushing through them to get to the good stuff.

Frankly, the daytime parts are so incredible that they more than make up for it. When you've beaten the game, you can replay any level and just experience the daytime goodness. With no PC port available, playing on Xbox Series X|S is the best way to play because FPS Boost is enabled, making the game run at an amazing 60fps.

6 Sonic Adventure

Sonic's First Full 3D Outing

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Sonic Adventure

Platformer Released December 23, 1998 ESRB e Developer(s) Sonic Team Publisher(s) Sega Franchise Sonic the Hedgehog Platform(s) Sega Dreamcast, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 9 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

A few of the most notable Dreamcast games have aged a bit, and while Sonic Adventure is one of them, it's still an overall fun time. It definitely takes you back to the late 90s and early 2000s with Sega's signature music at the time that'll live rent-free in your head and the poor voice acting that, despite its quality, remains entertaining as all hell.

If you just play Sonic's story, you'll have a blast because the levels still hold up for the most part, and created the 3D Sonic blueprint. Sega needed to deliver for Sonic's first 3D outing, and they did because levels like Ice Cap, Speed Highway, and Final Egg are just as fun today as they were in 1998. The other characters' stories are when problems arise, but the sequel fixes those issues.

5 Sonic Adventure 2

A Phenomenal Sequel

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Sonic Adventure 2

Platformer Released June 19, 2001 ESRB e Developer(s) Sonic Team USA Publisher(s) Sega Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Sonic the Hedgehog Platform(s) Sega Dreamcast, PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One How Long To Beat 9 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

Sonic Adventure 2 is, in many ways, stripped down from the original, but it's in the best ways possible. For one, Sega removed the adventure field, which caused more bad than good in Adventure 1 due to how lost you could get, especially in Mystic Ruins. Instead of six stories, you only have two, which makes the pacing much better and more compact.

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The huge problem of repeating boss fights is also gone, minus one you encounter in both the Hero and Dark stories. The levels are higher quality and a bit tougher, although the treasure hunting is noticeably worse. With the introduction of Shadow and a banger soundtrack, Sonic Adventure 2 is one of the best 3D Sonic games and one of the best titles on the Dreamcast.

4 Sonic Origins

Classic Sonic At Its Best

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Sonic Origins Plus

Platformer Racing Puzzle Released June 23, 2023 ESRB e Developer(s) Sega Publisher(s) Sega Franchise Sonic Number of Players 1-2 Split Screen Orientation N/A (Shared Screen) Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S Metascore 78 Local Co-Op Support 1-2 Players OpenCritic Rating Fair Powered by Expand Collapse

The old Genesis Sonic games were actually already on the Xbox Series X|S store through backward compatibility, but they got delisted due to the upcoming arrival of Sonic Origins. A remaster of all four classic mainline Sonic games, Sonic Origins adds many new features. You get an Anniversary mode to play, which removes the original lives system, making it great for newcomers; plus, you get the drop dash move first introduced in Sonic Mania.

The new animated cutscenes are awesome and make you wish titles like Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania received the same cutscene treatment. You also get a full-blown mission mode, which is rare to see in remasters like this but always a welcome addition. The games themselves remain incredible, and you can even buy more titles via DLC if you want the complete retro Sonic package.

3 Sonic Mania

A Stellar Retro Revival

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Sonic Mania

Platformer Released August 15, 2017 ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence Developer(s) PagodaWest Games, Headcannon Publisher(s) Sega Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Franchise Sonic the Hedgehog Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC OpenCritic Rating Mighty Powered by Expand Collapse

Created by developers of Sonic fan games, Sonic Mania is made by fans for fans. There are tons of Easter eggs and references here, but that means nothing if the game's not good on its own.

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Sonic Mania delivers 100 percent with a vast amount of playable characters, stellar brand-new levels, and great boss fights that are the best out of the classic titles. It's incredibly divisive whether Sonic Mania or Sonic 2 is the best classic entry in the series, but both are all-time great 2D platformers.

2 Sonic Frontiers

Open-World Sonic Done Right

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Sonic Frontiers

Action Adventure 4.0/5 Released November 8, 2022 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Sonic Team Publisher(s) Sega Franchise Sonic Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S How Long To Beat 17 Hours Metascore 75 PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium OpenCritic Rating Fair Powered by Expand Collapse

An open-world Sonic game was a risky new direction for the series, but Sonic Frontiers pulled it off exceptionally well. First off, the movement feels great. Boosting around with Sonic is fast, fun, and tight, and the movement has to be the most important part of a Sonic game. Then, you have the open world itself, which is very smartly designed.

Instead of most open-world titles where you're encouraged to collect everything, Sonic Frontiers works similarly to the classic God of War games, where the amount of collectibles is far above what you need for 100 percent completion. This makes the pacing so much better and ultimately leads to a more enjoyable experience. Along with great boss fights and solid levels, Sonic Frontiers is a standout 3D Sonic game.

1 Sonic X Shadow Generations

The Best 3D Sonic Game Just Got Even Better

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Sonic X Shadow Generations

Platformer 4.0/5 9.2/10 Released October 25, 2024 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Sonic Team Publisher(s) Sega Franchise Sonic the Hedgehog Steam Deck Compatibility Verified PC Release Date October 25, 2024 Xbox Series X|S Release Date October 25, 2024 PS5 Release Date October 25, 2024 Nintendo Switch Release Date October 25, 2024 Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S OpenCritic Rating Strong Powered by Expand Collapse

Xbox Series X|S users already had a stellar version of the best 3D Sonic game, Sonic Generations. A new version has to give a substantial upgrade, and Sonic X Shadow Generations delivers. Obviously, you have the new Shadow Generations campaign, adding six new stages that are probably the best 3D Sonic levels since the original Generations came out in 2011. They're a total blast, and Shadow's movement and abilities play great.

The cherry on top, though, is that the base Sonic Generations proves to be a noticeable upgrade over the backward-compatible Xbox 360 version. The newer remaster is noticeably sharper and smoother if you swap between the two. With everything included in the complete package here, Sonic X Shadow Generations is the best Sonic game to play on Xbox Series X|S.

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