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Forget the first two Sonic the Hedgehog outings, Sonic 3 is the only Sony game worth owning. That's not to say that the other games are bad, but once you've been introduced to the new power-ups, levels and bosses you'll never want to go back. On the surface Sonic 3 looks and plays exactly like the first two games in the series, you play the blue mascot as he runs through levels collecting rings, dodging enemies and looking for ways into the bonus levels. But what sets this third installment apart from all the others is the introduction of the power-ups. In the past Sonic was limited to picking up an invincibility shell and nothing more, but in this game you can find a whole bunch of exciting items that can really change the way you play the game. Some of the basic power-ups include an electricity shield (which is like the invincibility power-up from Sonic 1 and 2, but doesn't go away until you've been hit by an enemy), a flame shield (which surrounds out hero with a massive amount of fire), and a water shield (which allows you to breathe underwater without searching for air pockets). Not only are these power-ups effective against enemies, but many of them have some cool side effects you may not notice at first. For example, the electricity shield works as a magnet for the rings so that they'll come to you, and the water shield allows you to bounce real high. On top of these new power-ups you will find that the levels are more intricate, the bosses are cooler, and the bonus levels simply rock. And let's not forget that Sonic dons a snowboard and meets one of the most important villains for the first time, Knuckles. Sega managed to go in and actually put together a Sonic game that is both fast and deep, one of the knocks the first two games had to endure. This is a fantastic game, easily the best in the series.

 

Like Super Mario Bros. 3 and countless other high quality 2D platformers, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 still feels fresh due to its creative clever gameplay, fun levels and great graphics. Sure the game looks a little dated, but you would never know it from the feel of Sonic 3. A lot of people criticize the Sonic series for relying on the same gameplay from one game to the next, but Sonic 3 actually shook things up quite a bit by adding power-ups, cool two-player support and even some snowboarding. The game is nowhere near perfect, but it's about as close as this franchise will ever get.

 

If you're going to spend $8 on any Sonic game, make sure it's this one. The problem that all of these Sonic games have is that you can find them all in a Sonic Collection disc that is dirt cheap (and works on the Wii). Beyond that, it's disappointing that Sega (or whoever is responsible for uploading the games to the Virtual Console) decided against adding the Sonic & Knuckles extras that make this even better. I'm a little concerned how Sega is going to handle Sonic & Knuckles, since it will change not only Sonic 3, but Sonic 2 as well. But I guess that's the kind of thing somebody else can worry about, I'm just happy that somebody finally put the best Sonic the Hedgehog title on the Virtual Console. Even if you're sick of the blue hedgehog, make no mistake about it, Sonic 3 is one of the best Virtual Console games currently available.

 

 

It's the sequel to Sega's first 16-bit mega hit. This is Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the game that introduced the world to Miles "Tails" Prower, the two-tailed fox that would forever annoy gamers. This sequel was released shortly after the first game blew up, so perhaps it's a bit much to expect some major innovation or gameplay tweak. When it comes down to it, the addition of the second player and the new levels is the only way to tell that this is not the original Sonic, which ultimately makes this game something of a disappointment looking back at it. But then again, this game is still more fun than most of the 2D platformers being released at the time, and the levels (while somewhat simple) have a real charm that has been completely lost from the Sonic series. Unfortunately the timing is just plain bad for Sonic 2 this week, what with the superior Sonic 3 hitting the Virtual Console just two days earlier. This Xbox Live Arcade version does offer slightly enhanced graphics, achievement points, and some online multiplayer action.

 

The Sonic series has never been known for its deep gameplay, so some gamers may get bored of this short (but sweet) adventure. The graphics are pretty good and the tunes are (for the most part) catchy, but it's the fact that the gameplay still feels tight and responsive makes this game a real treat. It's a shame that there's not more to do in this game, but if you like this type of fast moving platformer then you're going to love Sonic 2. While I prefer what Sega did with Sonic 3 (by adding crazy power-ups), Sonic 2 is no slouch.

 

At $5 it's hard to complain about Sonic 2. On the other hand, it would be a better deal for you to go out and pick up one of the Sonic Collections (which you can probably find for around the same price as this one Xbox Live Arcade game). At least with a Sonic Collection you would be able to play Sonic 3, not to mention being able to play Knuckles in Sonic 2 and 3. If you don't want to go through the hassle of tracking down a copy of one of those collections then this Xbox Live Arcade port is a fair alternative, even if there was a better Sonic game released this week on another console.

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