Sonic is one of the most recognizable video game characters ever. Part of this is down to the fact that the Sonic games have been around since the early '90s. While the series has had its ups and downs since then, the blue hedgehog has maintained his notoriety and has never dropped into obscurity like some of his peers.

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In that time, Sonic has appeared in several types of games, from 2D platformers to RPGs. And most live up to the character's speedy reputation by being pretty brief adventures that you beat quickly. In fact, according to HowLongToBeat, no main story in the Sonic series lasts 20 hours. Based on HowLongToBeat's users, these are the ones that come the closest.

To be considered for the list, a game needs to have at least ten playthrough times submitted on HowLongToBeat.

7 Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games - 10 Hours

Two of the most famous gaming franchises come together in Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games. The greatest Sonic characters ever compete against Mario's finest in Olympic events.

It's a party game where logic somewhat goes out of the window, meaning small plumbers can compete on an athletic level with the likes of Sonic and Knuckles. There are plenty of different events for them to compete in. Many of them you participate in during the Festival mode, which serves as a sort-of campaign where you attempt different events and even compete against bosses. Finishing it all takes 10 hours or so.

6 Sonic Battle - 10.5 Hours

Sonic Battle is a 3D arena fighting game featuring the main characters from the Sonic series. It's a bit reminiscent of the Smash Bros. series, except it's in 3D. This means that it doesn't matter if the fighters are friends or foes with the blue hedgehog. When they face him in the arena, they're going to try to knock him out.

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They do so with a mix of strikes, jumping attacks, and special abilities. You need to use all these things to succeed in the main story, where Sonic has to contend with Robotnik's creations. This main narrative is around 10.5 hours long.

5 Sonic Heroes - 11.5 Hours

Sonic Heroes is all about teamwork, as you don't go through levels alone. Instead, a team of characters tackles each level. The main group is arguably the greatest trio in gaming history. This is, of course, the team of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.

There are also a few other teams that have their own campaigns. In each one, you control three characters. All of them have distinct skills that can get you past different obstacles in this linear 3D platformer. Completing all the campaigns takes around 11.5 hours. Therefore, each one lasts a few hours.

4 Sonic Unleashed - 13 Hours

Sonic Unleashed is certainly one of the strangest Sonic games in history. This is because the titular character is part Werehog, which is the hedgehog version of a werewolf. He turns into a beast every night. Therefore, day-time levels are very different from night ones.

During the day, Unleased is a traditional Sonic platformer. Once the sun goes, though, things slow down, and Sonic The Werehog begins to destroy enemies with his newfound strength. Naturally, this whole predicament is caused by Robotnik, who releases an evil energy known as Dark Gaia. Playing through this whole wacky story takes about 13 hours.

3 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood - 15.5 Hours

When people think of Bioware, they don't typically think of Sonic. Yet, the famous developers made Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS. It's an RPG set in the Sonic universe. So, it's certainly a unique game for the hedgehog.

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It's set in a time after the main characters have defeated Robotnik, and all is well. That is until a group kidnaps Knuckles and attempts to acquire the Chaos Emerelds. This serves as the beginning of a lengthy adventure for the blue protagonist, which lasts about 15.5 hours.

2 Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) - 16 Hours

While the game is called Sonic The Hedgehog, it's more commonly referred to as Sonic '06. And the title is known for being one of the most hated Sonic games ever. Everything from the controls to the camera was criticized upon release.

Not to mention, the game contains one of the worst couples in gaming history, as Sonic is paired up with an anime princess. So, it's fair to say most people don't appreciate this 3D platformer. Perhaps they would be less annoyed with it if it was shorter. However, the strange main story involving hedgehogs, an anime princess, and Doctor Robotnik lasts 16 hours.

1 Sonic Frontiers - 16.5 Hours

The gaming world has seen plenty of open-world FPS games, open-world RPGs, and open-world action-adventure titles. Yet, truly open-world platformers are a lot rarer. This is why Sonic Frontiers stands out, as it provides a 3D platforming experience in a sandbox world.

There's plenty to do in the open world that can lengthen your experience. But even if you simply focus on the story, it's still the longest Sonic game at 16.5 hours. During that time, the iconic hedgehog attempts to locate the Chaos Emerelds and defeat a group of Titans.

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