Unpopular Opinions (Games)

[ToaArcan]

This is a thread dedicated to the expression of opinions that might be considered unpopular by the fandom at large. Maybe you really liked Sonic Underground. Maybe Chris Thorndyke was your favourite character. Maybe you think Sonic 06 is underrated? Here, it's all fair game. Of course, since this is all about posting things you like, that other people don't, let's try our best to be civil. Let's not freak out and tell someone that their opinion is wrong, because that's kinda, well, jerkish. 

 

I'll start us off:

 

I like Nic the Weasel a lot more than Nack. Her design may be "Nack with boobs", but she's not a bad joke that Ian wants us to consider a proper villain occasionally, and she plays a major role in the backstory of Fiona Fox, a character that I like writing a lot, and in playing around with interactions between the two, she became a much more worthwhile character. Coming up with a better design helped, I suppose.

[TheRedStranger]

1. @Prince By-Tor and I have been accused of being border-line  Satam supremacists but were more Satam purists. I personally think it is the fountainhead for all narratively strong Sonic material and I would sacrifice all of the new cast to Chuthulu to just have Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, Uncle Chuck, a much more believable Tails, and heck even Ant'. It is the only place we see Sonic really loose loved ones, feel defeat, have meaningful relationships, and have an actual sense of conflict and dramatic tension. SatAM is what gave us the core concepts that Archie half-heartedly adopts (don't get me wrong I love some of the comics expansions on the Satam ideas but it lacks such tonal consistency). Let's be honest the comic would have been still bad puns and krudzu if it weren't for Satam. I would have never even returned to the fandom if I did not discover it on YouTube one day. I also got my best friends out of it. 

  In a world peppered with overused crystal mcguffins, blindingly colorful supporting cast of yes-men, and villains like well...Boom Eggman... Satam brought me back when years ago Sonic Heros took the series in a much, much, more juvenile direction. I finally found the story to satiate me after the more narrative-driven tales like Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 developed by preconceived notion of where Sonic should be heading towards. 

2. Antoine x Bunnie makes no sense, especially in the context of Satam (by season two I wonder if Bunnie would have just left him to be eaten by the Nasty Hyenas XP). Antoine and Bunnie were narratively forced together by the writers. It is more like fan-shipping than good writing. It makes a whole lot more sense for Rotor, her mechanic, to begin to crush over her. He has to get handsy with her cybernetics after all.A beautiful cyborg woman is an obvious turn-on for a geeky mechanic like Rotor lead to something.   

And yes, Rotor is straight. Just because he's socially awkward does not make him randomly and supposedly homosexual. Penders is the worst shipper of them all; he was one that could have much more power to pander to vague ideals of Political Correctness. Bottom line, you should not make characters randomly an object to an ideal, especially one as ethically shortsighted, self-righteous, and white-washing of complex moral issues like pop-progressivism. Doing so in the context of egg-shape men and colorful super-crystals just makes somewhat disrespectful. I don't want creepy-mustached Penders teaching your kids about sexuality, just saying.

Now to my third:

3. I have a huge problem with shipping, especially when it forces characters to "date" someone not compatible with them or forcibly changes their orientation in any way. A character is being objectified and there is no real world sense of consequence from their relationships.  You can't just flick a switch and make people love each other and their previous loves forget them. As person who has actually been in a love triangle my teen years, I can tell you it does not work that way. It can get messy.  I'm sorry folks but if you force two people together you are entering exibitionist territory both of which desecrate art and story. 

4. I wish to see Sonic grow up with me and continue evolving. I love the realism of the anthro style over the noodly and trite SEGA style. I draw Sonic in such a style because that's how I sincerely think he should be. I write Sonic on a deeper and more mature level because I think on the foundations of Satam it is the next logical step. I have been confronted by people over this but I have snapped back hard enough to make them question if they are even fans of the series. Many "fans" are exploiting Sonic for the sake of their own regressive nostalgia-high. They want to recall their childhood highlights and really don't care about the Blue-blur as character but as silent, unchanging idol to their early adolescence. In a sense they have already given him up and have resigned themselves to looking back at Sonic. To them any change in aestetic or progression in the narrative or tone (for many of the game fans any change at all) is to be treated with disdain, like you desecrated an idolized corpse. When I see the conformity of the new character designs to a SEGA aesthetic and the comic's stories constantly recalling past games, I fear the cult of Nostalgittes and the Segasonic-cult has tried to wrap any chance for artistic evolution into their sarcophagus of nostalgia. Any change is brutally criticized, all the while Sonic is being buried alive in childhood fancy as his core demographic matures year by year. Yet still a clueless SEGA and the "fans" that support them seem to chant:

"Nothing must change, the sacred idol must stand still and collect dust. Thus sayth Nakayama."

It's sad that the most acclaimed recent Sonic game, the "turn around," was just a rehashing of all the previous games. I think that is solid proof of what I am talking about. I hope you all would consider what I say and think twice about keeping things "as is" because soon enough there won't be anything to keep as is anymore. 

[F07E]

I feel that cream and amy are seriously under utilized, and when they are it's done so poorly that it prevents them from ever being able to grow as characters.

I also think riders had some fantastic level design I wish had been used in mainstream titles, heck the intro to the second one feels like it could be fantastic if it was.

And lastly I actually don't mind shipping if it's decently reasonable. If the author can answer the how and why I'm usually alright with it, unless it's too out there.

[WarTraveller]

Unpopular Opinion, huh? Does it have to be about Sonic or can it be gaming in general?

[ToaArcan]

It's in the Sonic section, soooo...

[WarTraveller]

2 hours ago, ToaArcan said:

It's in the Sonic section, soooo...

Just Sonic, then. Got it. Stupid question, really...

1. SonicXLilac? Perfectly acceptable.
2. I think Sonic 2006 COULD have been good if they actually had time to make it properly. And a better story.
3. Amy Rose REALLY needs to exit this franchise and stay out of it.
4. The worst Sonic game ever is Secret Rings. It's just worse than 06 in every way.
5. A Sonic-themed First Person Shooter can work. Just make it like Doom 2016.
6. Sonic Chronicles is a good game. Well, an okay game.
7. I really wish Shade was in the other Sonic games, because she's a good character. F*cking Penders...
8. The Archie Comics have no redeeming properties whatsoever.
9. SATAM hasn't really age dwell. It's aged better than the other shows, but it still hasn't totally survived.
10. Likewise, Sonic Underground isn't AS bad as people say it is. It's better looked at as a "So Bad, It's Good" sort of ordeal.
11. This franchise should REALLY stop trying to go "retro" and "be like the old days". Not only is it toxic to this franchise, SEGA just can't hack it.
12. SonicXBlaze should be canon.
13. SEGA as a publisher isn't overly malicious. They're just really, really stupid salerymen.
14. Jason Griffith was the best voice actor for Sonic.
15. The Boom version of Knuckles isn't an awful character. I mean it's not like the original Knuckles was a genius at all, was he?
16. The Sonic and Mario Olympic games are complete trash.

That's...about it. I get that a few of these opinions might not be unpopular on this site, but elsewhere? Hoo boy.

Edited July 19, 2016 by WarTraveller
Alright, alright. Removed that bit.

[ToaArcan]

Let's not trash other fans, yeah?

[TheRedStranger]

1 hour ago, ToaArcan said:

Let's not trash other fans, yeah?

Specifically no. Everyone has the right to criticiize a movement, but things are starting to get too specific (like with DA groups). That is going to far. We can decry something wrong with a movement in our sub-culture but should not talk behind a specific groups back. That is divisive.

Also - the admins are getting tired of the language W-T, even if "censored." 

I would also ask that you actually give rational reasons for some of your opinions. This is a place to express thoughts, not emote. Do not be like that which you accuse...

[TheRedStranger]

"Alright, alright. Removed that bit."

---

Great. If specific persons do ever harass you coming onto our Deviant-Art partition or on this site; PM me. I will handle it personally.

[Mike Arcade]

Unpopular Opinions? Oh boy where do I even begin....well...*cracks his knuckles*

1. While the game play itself can be argued with by fans, Story and Lore wise Sonic Heroes (along with Sonic X) began the official downfall for the series.
2. Sonic X is the worst show in the whole series, our main hero is not redeemable nor even a hero at all, low budged, poorly animated, poorly written with little bright spots and no matter what dub or sub you follow it's a pain to go through no matter what.
3. Unless someone is from the UK, pretty much no one reads Sonic The Comic and to a much lesser extent Sonic The Comic Online, which is a shame as both comics despite some silliness here and there (as rare as it is) are WAY better then Archie Sonic as a whole, far more better in every single way.
4. The Sonic OVA despite it's faults would have been a much better Anime Series had it been successful, which it wasn't because Sega has no idea how to market it's own mascot in Japan, Ironically enough.
5. As insane as it is, AoSTH despite it's erratic and drug fueled look is much better then people think of it, no really I'm surprised as this Robotnik despite being a joke can be a life threatening danger to Sonic and Tails unlike say Boom Eggman.
6. If it had much better music or had it's Music Videos removed, Sonic Underground could have been a much better show, the premise itself if I may say needed to be revised a bit as well.
7. Sonic SatAM is the best Sonic show ever, no contest. However I will say that as a basis for all Sonic Lore and Medium it is tied with STC, though it ranks it a little higher then STC due to Character Development.
8. Sonic Boom when it comes to the Games and Show is a big disappointment in how it was handled, the first wave of games failed to pick up momentum and Rise of Lyric bombed somehow bigger then Sonic 06, and the show itself was the exact opposite of what it should be, though I will say it has it's moments as strange as that sounds coming from me, it's still pretty weak overall and could be so much better.
9. I actually don't mind Boom Knuckles, honestly him being a complete idiot was just the series going full circle, at least they had the decency to remove him being the Guardian of the Master Emerald, at least I hope they did. Though the thought of him forgetting about the ME and the island sinking to the depths of the ocean does give me laughs.
10. Cosmo and Zooey are completely overrated. One was designed to be a punching bag you feel bad for, attached, then metaphorically hung so you can cry your eyes out, her death was even foreshadowed in a few occasions but is otherwise uninteresting. The Other is a complete block of wood and looks like she could be passed off as Tails' Sister.
11. Archie Sonic both Pre and Post Reboot are Overrated no matter who you ask, on that note...
12. Archie Sonic Post Reboot is slightly better then Pre Reboot if only because Pre Reboot and it's lore, culture, and society is so messed up.
13. On that note anyone who still likes the Echidnas as a Society from Pre-Reboot is completely wrong, as they and Knuckles' Bloodline is one of the most messed up, sexist, and racist faction I've ever seen in fiction, not to mention the incest subtext of Knuckles and Julie-Su's family line, this whole list could be derived of the echidnas in Archie Sonic.
14. This is messed up, but when I found out that Finitevus wiped out Albion and most of the Echidnas...I was actually cheering him for that...because with how the Echidnas are and were written in the comic it got me to cheer for the genocidal maniac.
15. For all intent and purpose, or lack thereof, I always thought The Ancient Walkers and Acorn Kingdom in Archie Sonic were villains, or at least ended up coming off that way.
16. Despite his Kingpin look and being a poorly written Mammoth Version of Vandal Savage, Mogul I'd say could be considered an Anti-Villain of sorts and a lesser evil then those mentioned above.
17. Sonic Xtreme, even if it was released wouldn't have been a good game no matter what, maybe a mediocre game or a so bad it's good game like Sonic R, but not a really good game.
18. Cream the Rabbit other then being a game breaker in Sonic Advance 2 and 3 has no real use lore and story wise and is just there, she's only Amy's friend or girl she babysits and that's it, nothing else.
19. Speaking of which her Mom is completely useless as well and brings nothing to the series other then being a Yes Woman in Sonic X and Sonic Rush.
20. They really should have done something with Sonic Chronicles and on that note every character they abandoned in the games.
21. Sally Acorn and the Knothole Freedom Fighters are some of if not the best characters in the series next to Sonic and Tails, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
22. Shadow either should have stayed dead or come back in a much different way in the games, perhaps involving cloning or something,  and give a reason on why he's based on a Hedgehog of all Mobians Officially, and that's not even getting into the whole Alien DNA thing.
23. Sonic and all Sega Sonic Characters should have origins and a past, along with real names.
24. Most Mobians shouldn't be multicolored with no good reason, can we just cut that oddity once and for all and give some reason and rationality as to why some characters get these multicolored fur?
25. The first 2 Riders games I would actually call pretty dang good and some of the better games during a rather bleak time.
26. Tails Adventures is one of the best games of the series and should be a good example on how spin-offs of the series could be handled.
27. Knuckles Chaotix should have been a better game, but rather comes off as unfinished sadly.
28. Sonic Team should do it's own thing rather then just making Sonic Games all the time, I like Nights and Billy Hatcher, yeah they can be silly but at least they are pretty good games.
29. Sonic 06 could have worked, if only it was finished and it's story heavily rewritten to replace Elise with Blaze and take place in her world.
30. The series shouldn't shy away to having different sub series and go out of bounds, after all Megaman despite it's multiple incarnations worked out very well overall.
31. Time to put this down, Sonic and Amy excluding STC and Sonic Boom where they're ages are ambiguous other then being around the same age DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.. Not to mention the thought of a 15 year old with a 12 year old is not only creepy but illegal in any civilized modern society. Which is something these fans don't seem to understand, on that note Tails and Fiona is just as creepy even more so, while Tails crushing on her is understandable them actually being together in that way is literally impossible, and there is no real way you can write it in the Archie Sonic continuity to justify it, both ships in their official ages and canon is completely wrong and these random ships are just as wrong. They really need to get it through there heads here, I know I'm not the only one who noticed this but this double standard most of the fandom regarding these two has to stop.
On that note upon further research the ages of characters in Sonic Boom aren't officially confirmed and are rather shrugged upon as seen here with a very contradictory answer

So regarding that if they're Sega Ages don't apply to Sonic Boom, which they might not considering Zooey looks almost around Sonic or Amy's age, then Perci as seen in one episode would be a much better fit for Tails to end up with. At least they have something in common rather then Zooey being a block of wood, though only if their Game Ages don't apply which might be the case as again there is no straight answer given from anyone regarding ages. It's probably the same case as in STC as they aren't given any ages either, and to end off my long list...
32. STC Sonic is the Best Offical Incarnation in the whole series, hands down and without a doubt.

Thank you good night! @_@
*Stands his ground*

[ToaArcan]

Regarding number 31 there, I think, judging by the fact that AMy's pursuit of Sonic is considered annoying at worst, and nobody had a problem with Tails having feelings for Fiona, bigger age gaps are somewhat more acceptable on Mobius. Not to mention that the latter is one of the only times someone's age has mattered in the entire franchise (There are four instances), and it makes the ages look entirely arbitrary. This is why I eventually threw up my hands and said "Screw it, let's get rid of comic book time and make them all adults!"

 

That said, Sonic and Amy are still a creepy pair. Why? Invert the genders. Make Sonic an uninterested girl, and Amy a possessive, aggressive guy. And suddenly the latter looks pretty... rape-y, for lack of a better term.

[TheRedStranger]

7 hours ago, ToaArcan said:

That said, Sonic and Amy are still a creepy pair. Why? Invert the genders. Make Sonic an uninterested girl, and Amy a possessive, aggressive guy. And suddenly the latter looks pretty... rape-y, for lack of a better term.

I agree 100%. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. That's some nasty stuff when you actually approach it rationally and morally.

It's sad though that many are blind to this. Japanese culture and by extension SoJ in particular has this problem. Most Female's are portrayed as child-like artistically and in voice.  In character they are too irrationally clingy by nature and such behavior is  portrayed as socially excusable as if a man's attention is a basic need and thus a fundamental right, like a child's to their parent (let that sink in - it just makes it all the more creepy); really puts the pater in patriarchy). That's sexist both ways. What is even worse is that such is marketed as "kid's games." Way to go SEGA. I think that's enough proof that they are indeed morally neglectful to say the least. A girl like SoA's Sally would be considered a "Yankee girl" and unfeminine in many eyes.

In real life I have been harassed by women many occasions before in school, many times verbally and I have twice been touched without any permission in the classroom. My third ever encounter was actually with a dude in college who was actively predatory. I shot him down fast though; I am as straight as a ruler. Though I was more frankly repulsed by the encounter with someone who bluntly, well, to put it cleanly and discretely, would desired sodomize me; both felt equally denigrating to my personhood. If that guy tried to do more than verbally harass me, I could have snapped his scrawny spine like a tooth-pick (though being "gay" made him somehow invulnerable enough to even try some moves on a male, married faculty member as well - people were scared to punish his sexual language for fear of being considered homophobic). However, sad thing is that if he was female instead and I even pushed him away, then I could have ended up in court and a simple lie could make look like the perpetrator. I guess men don't have as much of right to their bodies as women, or a case to make when it comes to any form of sexual harassment. Thank you liberalism for make the world a more egalitarian place...am I right?

 Being a Christian did not make that process any easier, being abstinent with a bunch of hormonal ill-raised mongrels makes you a target to those aggravated by what you morally represent. They have to drag you down to their level to prove their behavior as the norm, as if to remove any pretense of self-control.  Bottom line if the tables were so slightly ever turned; I could have been suspended or worse. These girls were just given a lecture and asked to move and that's after handling the situation quickly and having a good reputation. Others might not be so lucky to be free from any prejudice I was able to overcome through active example of good character.  Currently this all is symptomatic of a double standard and clearly says that a man has less right to protect his person or moral values.

Sega is not just promoting such a societal double standard, they are also making light of it with a punchline that got old a decade ago. It is also celebrating a female's codependency (which leaves your vulnerable to domestic abuse if you are woman) and that it's okay to harass men with romantic advances. 

[Ishapar]

Ouch...must have been a terrible experience.

I never had to deal with gay men being interested in me (all I have to do is stare them down if it gets anywhere close), but in high school I had to deal with a couple girls that came too close for comfort.  I remember once how one schoolmate intruded my personal space and came in closer.  The result?  I ended up jumping half-way across the classroom.  I'm still like that when it comes to women; if any woman tries to invade my personal space, it's juice time!  I can honestly feel for Sonic's frustration in dealing with Amy...he's gonna have to take a stand one of these days or just have to deal with the same thing every moment.  I honestly apologize to any who may be this, but I can't seem to understand fan girls and it's the reason why I wouldn't mind seeing Amy out of the franchise or taking a big mature leap of character in any fan story.

Someone mentioned Sonic and the Secret Rings.  I actually enjoyed the game.  It was the first game I bought for my wii, and I enjoyed the different gameplay.  Being a physical person, I loved the physical movement required in the gameplay, and the party mode is the only Sonic game I can get older adults to play and enjoy themselves!  It's not the best game, but it has a personal history with me.

I also believe Shadow should have died after Sonic Adventure 2 as I believe he helped divide the Sonic fanbase even more so by adding fans who were only interested in a moody hedgehog who rides bikes and shoots guns.  I do believe Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 2006 did give him some decent storylines, but now he has nothing to live for.  He's just an oddball character, and he really hurt Knuckles's former status as a rival to Sonic.  I don't hate Shadow, but I wish Sega would either give him a decent story or just throw him out.

A personal perk: I have only been introduced to the Archie comics/Satam universe a little over a year ago, and I never made it past issue #50.  I want to get more in the discussions of the plots with the comics, but I have some reading to do before I can get too involved.

Oh, I also used to like Sonic X and I still have some fond memories of the show; however, I can now see how inferior it is compared to Satam or even some of the comics. 

Just a side note: I have messed around with Super Smash Bros. Brawl and am surprised at what all I can change in the game.  I think the game is a good way to bring a shout out to some of the classic Sonic characters, and I already have Sally as a mod in the game.  I would like to change some animations, attacks, and sound clips, but one thing at a time.  Didn't know how many other people like Brawl, but I thought I'd throw it out there as it is a nother means to mess with Sonic and the franchise.

[TheRedStranger]

17 hours ago, TheRedAuthar said:

 Sonic the Hedgehog one is terrible compared to later games

As in Sonic 2/3 or the stuff like Unleashed? 

[Ishapar]

Sad, I still like Sonic 1.  It's kinda hard not to like the classic.

[F07E]

its funny, I actually seriously dislike half the levels from the first sonic. of that list is green hill, spring yard, and the worst one of all: labyrinth. they really overstay their welcome.

[ToaArcan]

Green Hill has probably overstayed its welcome because SEGA keep cloning it.

[F07E]

yup, it doesn't help that it was a slog to get through already.

though to be fair I find sunset and emerald are alright in my book, they do enough different to actually be fun and keep me entertained.

[ToaArcan]

Not sure how unpopular this one is, but hey, I'm testing the waters:

 

Sonic 3&K is the best classic game, and it bothers me to no end that, outside of one level in Generations, it's been pretty much ignored by SEGA's nostalgia pandering, though the Sonic Mania teaser seems to take a cue from it.

[F07E]

Sonic 3&K is the best, Sonic 2 is the most memorable, and sonic 1 is the reason we got any of the others, which is why It's disappointing that sega goes the route of a 1/2 combination when making new games rather than 2/3&K or the next logical step of 3&K/Advance3.

[Mike Arcade]

Man a lot disfavor with Sonic 1 other then being the originator of the series. XP

Yes Sonic 2 and 3&K are better games compared to Sonic 1, though I will say that I really like the Zones of Sonic 1 A LOT, specifically not just Green Hill, but Spring Yard and Star Light. I don't hate Labyrinth as much as others either, I'd say Sonic 1's Zones are memorable due to a perfect length they have of them so they stick in your mind, on that note...

33. I don't find Sonic 2's Zones all that memorable, granted that's not counting the first half of the game up till Mystic Cave, after that the next few zones up until Sky Fortress aren't really memorable to me, there's a pacing problem to the game where some zones like Emerald Hill, Aquatic Ruin, Chemical Plant, and Casino Night don't really last long enough, especially Emerald Hill which can be completed much faster then Green Hill, while the latter acts specifically Metropolis is WAY to long and it's length could have gone to better Zones, then again with all the lost levels that could explain why.

Maybe it's just a problem only Sonic 1 and 2 has, half of the levels are really good while the latter are mixed or aren't very memorable, or that could just be Sonic 2 as all the levels in Sonic 1 are memorable, even the 8-Bit ones, speaking of which...

34. Spring Yard and Star Light Zone aside, I don't know what it is but I might like Sonic 1 for the Game Gear and Master System slightly more then Sonic 1 on the Genesis. Yes Bridge and Jungle are the most creative level names in the world, but the music for the exclusive levels and Labyrinth are just so good, after all that's what happens when you get Yuzo Koshiro to do your music. Not to mention you also get a grand scope for South Island seeing your progress of it before the start of every level. Also the ending of the game is much more climatic on a similar scope to even Sonic 2 and 3&K, as Sonic you catch up with Robotnik aboard his Sky Base dodging Cannon Fire and ending up inside the Base, facing Robotnik in a tougher Final Boss Fight. If you collect all the emeralds you get to see South island restored to it's former beauty, it also shows the Emeralds being used for something else other then Super Forms or Growing Flowers in Green Hill. There's a bigger scope to this version of Sonic 1, plus while you don't have Special Stages to get the emeralds you actually get to hunt them down in each zone instead, it's really interesting! The only thing is it's harder then Sonic 1 on Genesis, but you do end up getting a better pay off in the end. I've beaten this game more times then Sonic 1 on Genesis, and that's saying something.

I do like both versions a lot, and at one point I liked Sonic 1 better then Sonic 2, but S2 and S3&K are the better games overall. However that all pales in comparison to Sonic 1 on Android, which really needs a PC port as you get not only Sonic but Tails and Knuckles along with a Time Attack mode and more extras on the Stage Select Screen such as Sonic 3 Shields and an Extra Emerald. Sonic Remastered for Android is the best version of them, we really need them to release S3&K Remastered.

[Ishapar]

40 minutes ago, Mike Arcade said:

Man a lot disfavor with Sonic 1 other then being the originator of the series. XP

Yes Sonic 2 and 3&K are better games compared to Sonic 1, though I will say that I really like the Zones of Sonic 1 A LOT, specifically not just Green Hill, but Spring Yard and Star Light. I don't hate Labyrinth as much as others either, I'd say Sonic 1's Zones are memorable due to a perfect length they have of them so they stick in your mind, on that note...

33. I don't find Sonic 2's Zones all that memorable, granted that's not counting the first half of the game up till Mystic Cave, after that the next few zones up until Sky Fortress aren't really memorable to me, there's a pacing problem to the game where some zones like Emerald Hill, Aquatic Ruin, Chemical Plant, and Casino Night don't really last long enough, especially Emerald Hill which can be completed much faster then Green Hill, while the latter acts specifically Metropolis is WAY to long and it's length could have gone to better Zones, then again with all the lost levels that could explain why.

Maybe it's just a problem only Sonic 1 and 2 has, half of the levels are really good while the latter are mixed or aren't very memorable, or that could just be Sonic 2 as all the levels in Sonic 1 are memorable, even the 8-Bit ones, speaking of which...

34. Spring Yard and Star Light Zone aside, I don't know what it is but I might like Sonic 1 for the Game Gear and Master System slightly more then Sonic 1 on the Genesis. Yes Bridge and Jungle are the most creative level names in the world, but the music for the exclusive levels and Labyrinth are just so good, after all that's what happens when you get Yuzo Koshiro to do your music. Not to mention you also get a grand scope for South Island seeing your progress of it before the start of every level. Also the ending of the game is much more climatic on a similar scope to even Sonic 2 and 3&K, as Sonic you catch up with Robotnik aboard his Sky Base dodging Cannon Fire and ending up inside the Base, facing Robotnik in a tougher Final Boss Fight. If you collect all the emeralds you get to see South island restored to it's former beauty, it also shows the Emeralds being used for something else other then Super Forms or Growing Flowers in Green Hill. There's a bigger scope to this version of Sonic 1, plus while you don't have Special Stages to get the emeralds you actually get to hunt them down in each zone instead, it's really interesting! The only thing is it's harder then Sonic 1 on Genesis, but you do end up getting a better pay off in the end. I've beaten this game more times then Sonic 1 on Genesis, and that's saying something.

I do like both versions a lot, and at one point I liked Sonic 1 better then Sonic 2, but S2 and S3&K are the better games overall. However that all pales in comparison to Sonic 1 on Android, which really needs a PC port as you get not only Sonic but Tails and Knuckles along with a Time Attack mode and more extras on the Stage Select Screen such as Sonic 3 Shields and an Extra Emerald. Sonic Remastered for Android is the best version of them, we really need them to release S3&K Remastered.

You ever played Sonic Classic Heroes?

[Mike Arcade]

Yes I have, I've probably played just about more hacks then anyone on here.

[F07E]

I freakin love ROM hacks!!!

[TheRedStranger]

18 hours ago, F07E said:

I freakin love ROM hacks!!!

 

We need some threads dedicated to them honestly.

[Wulfsbane]

31 minutes ago, TheRedStranger said:

We need some threads dedicated to them honestly.

As long as we dont post direct download links I would welcome this

[WarTraveller]

5 minutes ago, Wulfsbane said:

As long as we dont post direct download links I would welcome this

I would like that. I have a number of Sonic ROM hacks I think would be worth sharing.

[Wulfsbane]

5 minutes ago, WarTraveller said:

I would like that. I have a number of Sonic ROM hacks I think would be worth sharing.

Again we cannot share direct download links. We can get in trouble for it

[WarTraveller]

Just now, Wulfsbane said:

Again we cannot share direct download links. We can get in trouble for it

I understand. Linking to the Sonic Retro page for it IS fine, though, right?

[Mike Arcade]

Yeah I was about to mention that, it's not like other Rom Hacks where people put them in ISP Patches, Sonic Rom Hackers go straight for the Roms themselves.

[Wulfsbane]

Yeah. That should be fine cause It's going to a different site that has said link.

[WarTraveller]

Just now, Wulfsbane said:

Yeah. That should be fine cause It's going to a different site that has said link.

Must ask, though, why isn't it okay to directly link to a download? I'm guessing there's a law behind it, but why is it there?

[Wulfsbane]

I believe there's a law against it. Dont remember the exact specifics but most places will say not to give direct download links. I think has to do with copywrites and stuff like that

[WarTraveller]

1 minute ago, Wulfsbane said:

I believe there's a law against it. Dont remember the exact specifics but most places will say not to give direct download links. I think has to do with copywrites and stuff like that

So it basically comes down to copyright. Much like a lot of things these days.

[Mike Arcade]

Pretty much yeah, though lately they have been very lax with them more so then usual considering the Sega Mega Drive room on Steam.

[WarTraveller]

1 minute ago, Mike Arcade said:

Pretty much yeah, though lately they have been very lax with them more so then usual considering the Sega Mega Drive room on Steam.

Oh yeah, the Mega Drive Room. I hear that's basically been buried under a sea of bugs and glitches and actually putting mods on it is close to impossible. So I hear, anyway.

[Ishapar]

That Mega Drive Room is pretty useless.  It makes my computer go very slow when my computer is fully capable of playing Generations and running the Dolphin emulator.

I also enjoy rom hacks.  I wouldn't mind learning how to do them myself.  I do believe the others are right about copyright laws.  Not sure of all the details...research time?

[Ishapar]

From what I have read, emulation isn't illegal nor is making your own copy of the game if you have the game.  A hack, on the other hand, does involve using data from the original game, so even if you have used your own copy of the game to create the hack, the means to distribute the hack would still be illegal without permission from the creator of the game.  Does it make it morally wrong?  I don't think so.  However, as far as U.S. law is concerned, distributing game hacks without the company's permission is illegal and the company has the right to bring charges against any who participate in this activity.

That's the truth, and I understand why it's there even if I don't fully agree with it.  That's a warning to all of us:  if we want to talk about Sonic hacks, I see nothing wrong with it; however, to either upload the hack on the forum or to post a link to the hack would fall into the grounds of illegal conduct (even if it isn't morally wrong).  That choice is up to the administrators:  if you want to start a discussion on this topic and even allow links to be uploaded, I'm fine with it; just realize that doing so is illegal in the U.S. due to copyright, and because of copyright, there is always the possibility for legal action to be brought on us.

It's pretty much comparable to the speed limit sign here in the U.S.: a general rule that many of us in my region go by is that it is alright to go around 5 miles an hour above the speed limit or to go the same speed the rest of traffic is going on a major highway.  If a policeman pulls you over, however, he has the right to charge for going over the speed limit shown on the sign even if you were not seeking to do moral harm.

[TheRedStranger]

1 hour ago, Ishapar said:

From what I have read, emulation isn't illegal nor is making your own copy of the game if you have the game.  A hack, on the other hand, does involve using data from the original game, so even if you have used your own copy of the game to create the hack, the means to distribute the hack would still be illegal without permission from the creator of the game.  Does it make it morally wrong?  I don't think so.  However, as far as U.S. law is concerned, distributing game hacks without the company's permission is illegal and the company has the right to bring charges against any who participate in this activity.

That's the truth, and I understand why it's there even if I don't fully agree with it.  That's a warning to all of us:  if we want to talk about Sonic hacks, I see nothing wrong with it; however, to either upload the hack on the forum or to post a link to the hack would fall into the grounds of illegal conduct (even if it isn't morally wrong).  That choice is up to the administrators:  if you want to start a discussion on this topic and even allow links to be uploaded, I'm fine with it; just realize that doing so is illegal in the U.S. due to copyright, and because of copyright, there is always the possibility for legal action to be brought on us.

It's pretty much comparable to the speed limit sign here in the U.S.: a general rule that many of us in my region go by is that it is alright to go around 5 miles an hour above the speed limit or to go the same speed the rest of traffic is going on a major highway.  If a policeman pulls you over, however, he has the right to charge for going over the speed limit shown on the sign even if you were not seeking to do moral harm.

Current Copyright laws are actually unconstitutional. I have more of an extreme stance - I don't believe people should have an extended right to an innovation or patent; it is instead a privilege given to us by government to protect developing business ventures in the free market. There is no such absolute thing as intellectual property like their is physical property. Ideas should be freely innovated upon as long as the originator is able to prosper and given a reasonable royalty. The thought of total control of a patent or intellectual property is massively outdated and both socially and economically regressive. We are living in world where people like the Fine Brothers are trying to trademark the word "React" and sining the Happy Birthday song is technically copyright infringement - that stupidity has to stop. And I dare say young hackers should have the right to even sell their material through a reasonably mediated market between the two parties. This would actually be mutually profitable in the long run. 

I could deeper into this but I think it deserves a spot in the dialogue section. I have some great material on the subject.

[Also, speed-limit laws are stuck in the 1970's.]

[F07E]

Me and my brother were actually discussing how ROM's, ROM-Hacks, and emulation wouldn't have to exist in a state of dubious legality if publishers like sega spent the time and resources to either:

A. sell an officially supported emulator for cheap/free and treat the games as a form of DLC by charging customers for each individual game, splitting the income with the developers and allowing people to actually own a digital copy of a game no longer available to the general public (sorta like steam, but for retro games instead as well as lacking the cluttered problems of early access and greenlight).

or B. create a streaming service in the vanity of netflix by having a monthly subscription that allows free access to the entire consoles library, including titles that never saw releases outside specified regions due to varying reasons.