Sonic's Scariest Moments.

We're touching on some of Sonic's scariest moments, characters, and concepts.

Step One: Mild & "Festive" 

There have been lots of  Halloween-like details within the games and outside of them, too.

• Sonic's gone through many "spooky" zones, from Mystic Mansion to Haunted Ship. 
• Even the "Megadrive" comic had an addition, the "Haunted Depths Zone."
• Sonic's had plenty of ghostly encounters, from human-like spirits in Night of the Werehog and Sonic 06, to the totally-not-copying-Mario round blobs like King Boom Boo and the ones in Sonic and Knuckles.
• Sonic turned into a "werehog" (werewolf/hedgehog) in Sonic Unleashed and the short, Night of the Werehog.  
• The chao can be "light or dark" and live in gardens alluding to "heaven and hell." 
• This was revisited in the Riders level, Digital Dimension. 
• Metal Sonic mocks Sonic in CD by waving his pointed finger back and forth.
• In the JPN soundtrack of Metallic Madness (bad future) there is evil laughter (similar to USA's boss theme) and voices taunting the player ("You can't do anything so don't even try"). 
• Ironically this is in English, and the US ended up with a different soundtrack.   
• Some cartoon episodes have had ghosts or "scary" tones (Ant!, Sonic the Hedgehog; A Hedgehog's Home, Sonic Underground; Sonic Scream Test, Sonic X;--arguably others)  

Step Two: The Light, the Dark, and the Uneasy

Taking this up a notch.

• Sonic games often have a light and dark theme. 
• Technically Sonic CD was the first game to show such a contrast of "good and evil" with its' possible futures.
• This started in Sonic Adventure 2, but Shadow the Hedgehog actually had the player "decide" the outcome, which may result in a more "evil" Shadow. 
• Though it's not clear, it's possible he kills GUN soldiers, Eggman, or Sonic.
• However, the games to feature these themes in a "creepy" way are Sonic the Hedgehog (06) and Sonic Unleashed. In Sonic Unleashed, light was "good," but in 06 both were villainous. 
• In Sonic and the Black Knight and Sonic and the Secret Rings, the enemies were evil spirits written into the story. 
• In Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic uses a "negative" transformation after his new friend is "killed." 
• Sonic also seemingly kills the Erazor. In the mid-credits scene, he drops the magic lamp (and the Erazor) into lava. 
• In Sonic X, Sonic transformed into "Dark Sonic." The moment was not very long but is noted for Sonic's vicious, past pissed-off attitude.
• In Sonic 06, Mephlies is a demonic-like creature with no mouth. He "only craves destruction" and is the true cause for most of the trouble in the game. Both Mephlies and Iblis have "evil" names. 
• In Sonic Unleashed, Dark Gaia would "possess" people at night and Sonic would have to "exorcise" them (by taking their picture and fighting minions). 
• Sonic R introduced the Tails Doll, which became one scary creature with the internet. This leaked into the Archie comics. 

Step Three: A Nightmare on Sonic Street

The title says it all.

• Death. Some characters died or "died" or "died and came back," but there was one moment that no one could get over...  
•  [Sonic 06] After Mephlies kills Sonic, his friends use the emeralds to bring him back to life (after getting the Chaos Emeralds from the "End of the World" stage).
• Most consider this the worst moment in Sonic history because A, his death was cheap & cheesy; and B, Elise did a "sleeping beauty/snow white/sorta' beauty and the beast" and kissed Sonic to life (this is especially controversial as Elise was a human girl). 
• Hey, End of the Word was a fun level, though. 
• In Sonic CD, Easter Eggs were found within the sound test. As if "DJ Mc Sonic" and "Batman-Sonic" weren't freaky enough, an odd image of Sonic meshed with a face was put in. It plays the US boss music (Robotnik laughing) and has words in Japanese that translate to "Fun is Infinite with Sega Enterprises" and supposedly signed, "the devil." 
• However, it is believed that the signature was someone's name misinterpreted. 

Well, did you make it though the list? There are other "dark" moments, too, but I had to limit it a bit. This is about what's frightening. "Spiders are scary...I'm scary...you? You're not scary." BOO.  

GlitchOut: Skip Pillars in Dusty Desert (Shadow)

Game: Sonic 06
Level: Dusty Desert; Shadow
Purpose: Cut off at least 1 minute of Dusty Desert.
Suggested: For returning players.

So in the first part of Shadow's level, he starts in this hover-vehicle thing. In order to proceed, he has to pass through a pair pillars that rise up, and then the ones after that and so forth. This eats up about 1 minute and 42 seconds--without missing any pillars or dying.

To instead finish this area between 30 seconds and 1 minute, stat by driving to the right, completely ignoring the pillars (but get the 3 rings you'll want them). Turn left slightly, and you should see an oasis (palms, water). Head in that direction. It is okay to take damage but try not to turn over (and die). Keep going until you see the entrance (the "door" will not be opened).

1. Ram into it/the area around it. 
2. Let the flying monsters (whatever they are) destroy your vehicle. 

There is a small area where Shadow can stand, here. Stay close to the entrance or he will fall in the sand. Next carefully take out the enemies (unless you are familiar/comfortable with the "Wall Jump Glitch"). Two or three constantly appear, so only take out the ones near you. Now pick a corner of the "door" and preform the "Wall Jump Glitch."

1. Jump against the corner. 
2. Immediately press pause. 

Try to press it right as he jumps, and try to jump "though" the door. Be careful not to press "Start Over" by mistake. This will likely take multiple attempts.  

Once this is done properly, Shadow will jump into the "tunnel" and the second part of the zone will load. It may take some practice, but can usually take about 40 seconds instead of the 1:40. A lot of this is reliant on 1-the speed of destroying the hover vehicle and 2-the speed of the wall jump glitch. If you haven't gotten it by past 1 minute, you mind as well start over. 

Combined with other glitches, Shadow can finish Dusty Desert in less than 4 minutes.  

Sonic 06 is better than Colors (Part 9)

Sonic 06 is generally regarded at "the worst Sonic game." Meanwhile Colors is supposedly "one of the best." Well I hated Colors and liked 06 just fine. And I have reasons for it, too.

Part 9: The Voice Acting

Where to start? Ugh, I guess I'll explain a little background on each of these groups beforehand.

Background History (fill free to skip this)

1. So the "4kids" actors that are present in 06 originally started out on the show, Sonic X. There were some "shady" dealings were the 4kids actors replaced the "originals" (sometimes called the "transitional") because Sega "wanted Sonic to sound the same" (all this was on Sega's behalf, though, not the actors themselves). 
2. So even though this group had been voicing the characters for about 2-3 years (Sonic X) a lot of people were still attached to the "originals" and regarded this new group with hostility. 
3. The 4kids actors had all improved their voice work since starting in "Chaos Control Freaks," but it wouldn't be until around the time of Sonic Unleashed that they gained real respect. Fans finally warmed up to the cast and praised their work. 
4. And by the time of Sonic Colors, Sega...REPLACED THEM ALL. Except Eggman. There were rumors about this, too, but mainly it just seemed like Sega was trying to gather a more "recognizable" cast (Roger Craig Smith, for example). Although some welcomed the change, many fans were now angry the 4kids had been replaced as they had finally "gotten good." 
5. This "current" cast would last for along time. At this point, however, most have been switched out with notable exceptions being the voices of Sonic, Eggman, Amy, and Shadow. 

General Opinion (Just sayin')

I usually favor the 4kids voice actors because I think most of them matched their characters perfectly. I have to admit the old cast was finally getting good around Heroes (just before they were replaced), but generally they seem overrated. On the other hand, I dislike almost everyone who started in 2010. I especially despite Smith's work. By the time of Forces I think most of them have gotten better, though.
So this won't all be relevant, as Colors has a small cast and it was their first game, but I just wanted to acknowledge it I guess.

Back to 06 vs Colors

Voices vs Voices

It sound be noted that I'm going off their roles in these games specifically.

06 Sonic vs Colors Sonic (Jason Griffith vs Roger Craig Smith)

"It sounds like [getting captured every five seconds] isn't that easy..."

Jason Griffith doesn't deliver the clarity we get in Unleashed or SATBK, but he does a decent job.

• Some lines that stand out as pretty good: "My, that's a pretty snazzy performance, there"; "I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog"; "That was Incredible"; and "Alright, lets have some fun Solaris."

These lines show enthusiasm and Sonic's attitude. There are some lines are flat (like "Smile" and "No Problem") but Griffith stays in character. No major shifts or sounding like other characters (that he was voicing).

"Baldy nosehair? That's the [worst] thing I heard all day!" 

Roger Craig Smith's take on Sonic is horrible. In Colors, it makes me cringe. I know this is also largely reliant on script--I find it hard to imagine the other voice actors handling it well, either--but it just isn't right. Sonic sounds like a egotistic jerk!

• A one or two lines turn out well--sarcastic ones like "Oh, I gave it to him pretty good" and "Just say your going to destroy us and stop embarrassing yourself." 
• Any serious moments end up with the opposite effect. Pathetic: "Tails, buddy, you alright?" I don't feel like he's concerned for his friend at all! 
• Other lines are plain crap, such as "It says somebody ordered an extra large clobbering topped with everything!" Ugh he ends up saying the word clobbering three times and it seems to get worse each attempt. 
• Smith also pronounces words oddly (I'm assuming on purpose) such as "negative" like "nAgative"  and "Eggman" like "Aggman." 
• I guess that means he'd call Eggman Nega "Aggman nAga" ha 

To make matters worse, when "going back" to this after getting used to Roger Craig Smith's "better"  Sonic-voice, (maybe an Episode of Sonic Boom) you can tell in Colors he tried to make his voice...less mature? Likely to match his predecessors. If that was his goal, it failed terribly.

Sound Effects: I'm not a huge fan of the dying "W-Whao!" in 06 but the "Bwuah!" noise that Sonic makes when he falls in Colors is the worst sound Sonic has ever made. Also, as neither actor was at the top of their game here, Sonic's laugh is creepy. In Colors this happens a few times. As for Griffith, I know he usually does a good "Sonic laugh" but that ending scene with Elise...

Tails (Amy Palant vs Kate Higgins)

Amy Palant does a cute Tails. For whatever reason, she seems to make Tails have an even younger/higher voice than in Riders or Sonic X. She does a better job than the previous two voice actors, but the sound effects for Tails in this game are very annoying. The entire game, Tails' voice is either adorable or annoying. Usually the latter. He's 8, not 5...

I hate to admit it, but Kate Higgins probably did a better job (comparing these games specifically). Tails sounds young and cute but boyish, too. Higgins handles the humor well "Uh, I find that hard to believe..."; "[Eggman's] cruelty knows no bounds."; etc. She doesn't make Tails sound as smart as Plant, but 06 didn't show that side of him much.   

Eggman (Mike Pollock vs himself)

Despite the 4 year difference, Pollock sounds mostly the same. 06 is a bit more serious, Colors a bit more comical. Voice acting alone--it's a draw.

Other Main Characters

06

• Jason Griffith did a fantastic job as Shadow. There are quotes that turn out great from this game: "I determine my own destiny"; "Ha! There's no strength in numbers"; "I will fight like I always have"; even "Don't touch it" and "Let's get MOVING." 
• Although his "It's No Use" and "Not Now" could get irritating, Silver sounded youthful and confident. 
• Mephlies had creepy, heavy voice that fit him perfectly. 
• Sega seemed pretty proud of Lacy Chabert ("Elise") at the time. They considered her a "celebrity" voice actor. She does a good job in the cutscences but the sound effects (in the levels where Sonic carries Elise) are higher pitched and annoying. 

Colors

• Orbot (voice wise--his actions were kinda' sassy) was a slap in the face compared to the robot we saw in Unleashed. I'm not sure what accent that is, but I don't like. 
• We got to hear different takes on Cubot's voice, but they were all stupid. The worst part is his "real" voice is worse than the other ones. It's scratchy and...you know, now that I think about it, neither of those two sound very robotic.     

Supporting and Background roles.

06

• I think the 4kids cast did a good job matching their (Rouge, Blaze, Amy, etc) personalities overall. 
• The only one I really dislike is Omega's (Omega's robotic voice was usually low, not high). 
• There were some human voice-bits, such as "hey" in the hub worlds and crowds in cutscenes--not too bothersome. 

Colors

• The Colors equivalent is Yacker and the other wisps. Kinda' annoying but not too bad, really. 
• What really sucks is the "DRILL" "ROCKET" and all the other worthless wisp announcements. What is the point of that? What could possibly be good about that?! It's unnecessary, extremely loud, repetitive, annoying, and did I say REPETITIVE I MEANT TORTURE. 
• But what's worse? "GAME OVER." What the Fxck?! Having "ha-ha you lost" written over the screen with sad music is bad enough. But having that same awful voice say in an almost happy, drawn out: "gAme OVer" just makes me want to kill my Wii. And thanks to Generations, I found out this voice is none other than good ol' Roger Craig Smith. 

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGH 

Random Thoughts

• Sonic Colors was the "current" cast's first game, so it explains why they weren't as good. Eggman, however, stayed the same. 
• Notably, Tails' voice was later replaced for Sonic Boom.
• As for 06, this was their 4th game, but their first "main" one. I have to wonder if they had certain instructions on "how to sound" because a lot of them tweaked their voice slightly and sounded different before/past this game.

Conclusion

• Roger Craig Smith sucks. Especially in 2010-11, yikes. How could anyone praise that "performance?" Seriously, someone explain why they think he's good. To me he always sounds bored instead of carefree, cringe-y instead of funny, and a jerk instead of a hero. Griffith does a better Sonic. 
• Ignoring the fact that 06 has a larger cast (making it harder to compete with), I'd have to say 28% of Colors is good/acceptable (2/7) and 83% of 06 is good/acceptable (10/12). So clearly, the voice acting in 2006 was simply better than it was in 2010. It wasn't the best, but it's better than Colors.  
• As mentioned, Higgins and Pollock did an alright job--but it just doesn't outweigh the good that came out of 06.
• lol you don't hear that often, do you?  
• ...And if I were judging Free Riders (first game to feature the rest of the "2010" cast), the 4kids cast would blow them away for sure. 

Join us next time for the last major reason that Sonic 06 is better than Colors!

Quote of the Month

"Humanity wasn't just jealous of your power... they feared it."
--Mephiles the Dark, Sonic 06