Eras Update: Current

ALL about the current era

Era: Current

Main Years: 2010-present

Gameplay Type: Although started in 2005, the boost gimmick reached popular success with Sonic Unleashed. While Unleashed was a step towards the "current" era, it was Sonic Colors that changed the boost from a special ability to an expected one. Every main game since has included it as a major element. This allows the player to speed through enemies and the level, but it has a gauge that must be fueled. The "boost to win" type of gameplay has been dominate in the 3D levels, but also in 2D sections and the DS version of Sonic Colors.

However the spinoffs such as the Sonic Racing series (kart racing) and Sonic Boom series (exploration) had takes that differed accordingly. 

Sonic Colors also debuted a new form of power-up: wisps. The wisps have different abilities which alter Sonic within a few seconds. 

Interestingly, guns have reappeared in the series as of Sonic Forces, now "Wispons" and likewise affected by wisps.

This era marked the return of 2D to "main games." This started with Sonic 4, which played much like a classic game but with the homing attack and other elements. Sonic Generations and Sonic Forces provided 3-dimensional levels with a completely 2-D view, simulating the classics. Finally Sonic Mania returned completely to the "classic" style.       

Character Designs and Personalities: While Sonic and the others have not changed much in terms of size, there have been some subliminal changes. Sonic's mouth is now always on the side like in 2-D art rather than being center or sometimes center like in the past. Amy, by contrast, always has a "center" mouth and no longer smirks like Sonic. 

Overall the characters have shifted personalities to be either more passive or more extreme, depending on the character. Starting with Colors, Sonic is the class clown, usually joking about everything and not taking anything seriously. Most of the other characters were sidelined or reduced to being a "cheerleader." 

While Sonic Forces gained some respect for giving Shadow his own "episode," fans felt Tails' cowardly behavior was very out of character. Reception to the changes in personality since 2010 have been mostly negative.  

Controversy

In 2014 Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles (as well as Metal Sonic, Shadow, and Eggman) were redesigned. Sonic's design gave him lengthy legs, blue arms, and a brown scarf. The group wore lots of sports tape, and were mostly taller. Knuckles was given a completely different body type. 

The characters were also given slightly different personalities. Sonic was more casual, Amy was more mature, Knuckles was stupid, and Tails...okay, Tails is kind of  the same. Reception to these changes has been mixed since Amy was praised, but Knuckles was horribly ridiculed.   

The designs were met with immediate backlash. Despite the fan disapproval, Sega promoted the spin-off series with Sonic Channel artwork and included Boom-exclusive Sticks as character in the 2016 Rio Olympic games title. A sequel to Sonic Dash with the theme was also made. 

The initial disgust with the designs, as well as the poor reception to the spin-off games, may have contributed to the "Boomverse's" slow death.  

Story Type: In sharp contrast to the last era, the plots have been portrayed as lighthearted and comical. Even when a situation seems serious, like when the Time Eater separates Sonic from his friends, the script is designed to let the player know nothing bad can actually happen and Sonic is just here to have fun. 

Also, starting with Colors DS handhelds no longer have their own plots, instead being versions of the console games.  

Trying to mix its appeals, Sonic Forces was given a serious plot. The storyline, which has Sonic defeated by a new enemy, then locked up and tortured while Eggman takes over, does sound surprisingly dark. However, the details are not in the slightest. Sonic remains static, no different start to finish and completely unaffected by the months he was captive. Eggman has taken over, but outside of level design it is hard to tell what affect it really has. Most infamous of all is the new villain/rival, Infinite, and his back story of "throwing a tantrum."    

Even though Sonic's cast is already huge and the games tried to "focus only on Sonic with Tails as support," many new characters joined, including 6 new villains as the "Deadly Six," Infinite, the "Avatar," Yacker, and Dodonpa.  

Visuals: As a whole the graphics have aged well. There does not seem to be a huge difference between Sonic Generations or Sonic Forces, but it still looks as good as it needs to for what it is. Can't say the same for the cutscenes. Colors already had the Wii curse. Generations is okay, focusing on expressions was a neat idea...

The CG scenes just aren't exciting or special, and the openings aren't bad, but aren't too impressive either (with the exception of Mania).    

The settings now use a lot of cartoonish themes. Much of the locations are recycled Sonic settings, being a new version of an old idea (Red Gate Bridge in Sonic Forces, like the bridge in Radical Highway, is based on the Golden Gate Bridge), or being a literal old level revisited (Green Hill, Chemical Plant, etc). 

Common locations include selections from the "Generations" line-up (Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Sky Sanctuary, Seaside Hill, Rooftop Run, and Planet Wisp). Types include hills, beaches, cities, casinos, and haunted places.    

Music: The "current" era was just that: keeping in with the times. In Sonic Colors, this meant Sonic's theme would be changed to something very pop 2010. Cash Cash, the band that made "Reach for the Stars," would go on to make several other songs/covers. Despite the track becoming Sonic's theme in many games following, the next games would not include a main vocal theme at all. 

Orchestral themes were a popular alternative, and Sonic Generations opted to make something more reflective of the "Classics." Many remixes would be made with several anniversary games and other occasions.

The Sonic Boom series had music that was much slower than fans were used to. Rise of Lyric in particular was bashed as one of the worst Sonic OSTs. Fans who listened to Fire and Ice felt the prior games were musically forgiven, but many had already sworn off the series.     

Sonic Mania included a composer picked for his Youtube popularity (part of the "by the fans" thing). He took inspiration from the 90s games, especially Sonic CD (JP). 

Sonic Forces adopted a popular synthetic sound. It would be the first game in years to have vocal themes. 

Team Sonic Racing was the first game that seemed to return to the type of music seen in previous eras, in part because of remixes, but also due to the return of fan favorites composer Jun Senoue/ "the Sonic band" Crush 40.   

     

Voice Cast: 

In early 2010 games the 4kids cast was still voicing the characters (actually the lines might have been recycled). After Free Riders, a mostly new cast took over. 

While Mike Pollock stayed as Eggman, Sonic was now voiced by Roger Craig Smith. Tails would mostly be voiced by Colleen O' Shaughnessey, and Knuckles mostly by Travis Willingham. Cindy Robinson provided the voice for Amy, with Kirk Thornton as Shadow and Orbot. Cubot was voiced by Wally Wingert. 

The Sonic movie casted Ben Schwartz as Sonic. For a brief period, many expected Schwartz would be the new voice for Sonic in the games, but this did not happen. Eggman, being a human, was physically played by an actor, Jim Carrey. The move briefly had Tails (O' Shaughnessey).  

Controversy 

Most felt that by 2010 the voice change was unnecessary and were upset with the change. By the mid-2010s generally fans felt better due to the 2 seasons of Sonic Boom.     

In Sonic Generations two opportunities never came to light: Ryan Drummond returning to voice Sonic, and Jaleel White returning to voice Sonic. Drummond was in a union and did not accept the role (which resulted in the game's "third" Sonic being scrapped). It was decided that classic Sonic would either be voiced by White or have no voice. For reasons unknown, they took the second option.

As a consequence "classic" characters do not talk (in Mania, etc) even though Classic Tails and classic egg Robotnik talked in Generations (voiced by what was their current actors).  

Kate Higgins voiced Tails prior to Sonic Boom. While she still voices Wave the Swallow, she was replaced by Colleen O' Shaughnessey as Tails. The reason is unknown but fans have called Higgins' voice for Tails too old, which may have contributed. 

Much of the cast (with the exceptions of Sonic, Tails, Amy, Shadow, Rouge, and Eggman) was replaced in Team Sonic Racing. While the replacements have had mixed reception individually, as a whole this move did not receive nearly the same attention as any of the other main cast switches. Since Sonic's voice was not replaced the change seemed to fly under the radar. 

It is unknown what the cast will look like in future games, but Smith has recommitted to the role after briefly planning to leave.   

 

Main Voice (Sonic): Roger Craig Smith

Memorable Theme Song (for Sonic): "Reach for the Stars" (from Sonic Colors). 

Memorable Catchphrases (Sonic):  "Baldy Nosehair?! That's the best thing I heard all day!" "No copywrite law in the universe is going to stop me!" (Sonic Colors) "Enjoy your future, it's gonna' be great." (Sonic Generations) "Green Hill is beginning to look a lot more like sand hill." "It's been generations since I've seen you." (Sonic Forces) "Hey, who needs their bacon saved?" (Team Sonic Racing) "Sonic SPEED" (Brawl) 

"I'm very heroic." (cartoon)

Cartoons and other Appearances: Sonic Boom was a comedy starting in 2014. It aired for 2 seasons. It involved Sonic and his friends coping with various threats such as Eggman and part-time worker/villain, Dave the Intern. Surprisingly also Sonic guest starred on a show called OK Let's be Heroes.     

The Archie comics involved more game characters such as Silver in main plots. However the entire series had to be rebooted after legal troubles so that characters they "did not own" could be written out. 

The following plotlines were more connected to the previous eras, including a lengthy adaptation of Sonic Unleashed as "The Shattered World Crisis" and the reveal of a surviving Black Arms, Eclipse the Darkling. 

In the meantime, Archie also had a Sonic Boom based spin-off and several crossovers with Mega Man. 

The series came to an end in 2016. The reasons were never elaborated on, but it can be assumed there was a disagreement between Archie and Sega. 

In 2018 a new comic series with IDW was started. It included new characters Tangle and Whisper (who soon became so popular they have appeared on official merch and in Sonic Forces: Speed Battle app). 

While the comic initially started with the "fallout" of Forces, it went into a long robot virus/zombie apocalypse plot. While popular, reception to the series has been mixed, specifically on how certain characters have been portrayed. Fans of the Archie comics have also been persistent about wanting to see characters like Sally Acorn.  

Several 2-D animated shorts promoting Sonic Mania Plus, Team Sonic Racing, and chao have been created. A new animation was made for Sonic Colors: Ultimate. 

A new TV show, Sonic Prime is also being created and will be on Netflix. 

In 2020, the Sonic Movie was released and received praise after correcting what many saw as a horrid and uncanny design. The next movie will be released in 2022.

Eras UPDATE: Modern

ALL about the Modern Era

Era: Modern

Main Years: 2005-2010

Gameplay Type: The modern era is a much more experimental time for 3D and 2D games a like. 

Sonic returned to racing games in the Riders series, featuring new moves, tricks, and gimmicks. Sonic's venture to the Wii also meant several different styles. Sometimes the controls meant holding the remote sideways, sometimes it meant a nunchuck. Confusingly, the controls were almost always different. 

Sonic the Hedgehog, a game similar to the "adventure" style, would be released in 2006 for Sonic's 15th anniversary. Unfortunately, the development team was split apart and then rushed...the result being a game infamous for its numerous glitches. 

Sonic had more critical success with his 2D.5 handheld titles. Sonic Rush is notable for introducing the boost, which would soon become a Sonic norm. Sonic Unleashed was the first console game to feature the element, but the game also introduced a style more focused on fighting via the Werehog stages. 

Character Designs and Personalities: Sonic 06 slightly redesigned the main cast to fit better with the more realistic setting. In Sonic's case this meant height and shape a bit, making the character less round. The concept art reveals that they wanted to give Sonic a more realistic texture, though this was obviously cut. In 06, Eggman was designed to resemble a real human, but to to poor reception he never appeared this way again.      

Generally the same attitude that filled the previous era affected this one. In the Riders series, the Storybook series, and the Rivals series, a lot of the characters have sly remarks and memorable banter. Sonic 06 is a bit of an oddball due to the nature of the plot, making many of the characters act more serious or even passive. 

Sonic Unleashed and Sonic and the Black Knight have been praised for their particular versions of Sonic, which has been described as more serious without losing his flair.     

Story Type: Building upon some of the plots seen before, the Modern era made itself more mature with "darker" plots, though it had lighthearted moments. 

New villains like Eggman Nega, Mephiles, and the Erazor Djinn became threats equal to/greater than Eggman himself. Like with previous games, sometimes Eggman would actually help if there was a greater threat (though not always, or sometimes the result was betrayal). 

Like before Sonic also gained many new friends like Sharah, Caliburn, and Chip. After the success of Shadow, several new rival characters were created. Blaze the Cat would eventually become a friend, but makes her debut as a fiery rival. Jet the Hawk and the Babylon Rogues challenge Sonic in the air.  Silver the Hedgehog meets Sonic for the first time twice, and tries to fight him immediately in each case. And Johnny the...robot pirate...shark....thing...refused any emerald without a race.  

Visuals: While some games have aged better than others, for the first time the graphics aren't...crude. Although a lot of openings are actually also first cutscenes, they all look pretty well. While the standard cutscenes are usually nothing to brag about, the CG cutscenes have mostly aged amazingly well. Additionally Sonic Riders marked the return to 2D animation with its opening.     

The settings used a lot of diversity, relying even more on earth for inspiration. 06 used Venice as the base for Soleanna, and Unleashed used a number of locations and real-world landmarks to create similar ones. Common locations were cities, jungles, deserts, seascapes, castles, and snowy mountains.  

Music: Like with gameplay, the music experimented with different things. The Riders series dived into high-energy techno while the Rush games used samples and unique effects. The storybook games immersed themselves in themes of their fantasy worlds. 06 has a beloved OST with tracks that impress even the most critical haters. Unleashed has been called the best in the series, having a culturally inspired mix for day, night, and hub world locations. 

These years were filled with many different vocal themes. A distinct difference from the last era is Crush 40 (previously doing most of the main songs and being associated with Sonic). While they would still contribute to the games (especially Black Knight), they started to become associated with Shadow (after both Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 06).  Meanwhile many of Sonic's new songs like "His World,""7 Rings in Hand," and "Endless Possibilities," would be done by others.           

Voice Cast: Although much of the cast had already voiced the characters on Sonic X, due to the amount of new characters several other actors joined the main cast. 

Sonic, Shadow, and Jet were all voiced by Jason Griffith, while Eggman was voiced by Mike Pollock. Amy Palant voiced Tails, with Dan Green as Knuckles (as well as Storm, Mephlies, and Professor Pickle). Dan Green also began voicing Vector. Lisa Ortiz voiced Amy, while Bella Hudson took on the characters Wave the Swallow, Blaze the Cat, and Sharah the Genie. Silver was Pete Capella. 

Veronica Taylor (known for voicing Ash from Pokemon and April in 03 TMNT) was supposed to voice Princess Elise, but was replaced by "celebrity" actress Lacey Chabert (known for voicing Eliza in The Wild Thornberrys and Meg in the first season of Family Guy).   

The characters Merlina, Caliburn, and King Arthur were intended to be British. Sega chose the voice actors for these new characters (one actor being from Nights).  

Controversy 

After first taking over, the 4kids cast gained a lot of negativity from fans. Even though they had been voicing voicing the characters since 2003 (via Sonic X), most missed the previous cast that started with Sonic Adventure. Eventually fans warmed up to the new cast, with some being called better than the previous group. They also praised the improvements over the years. Whether Jason Griffith or Ryan Drummond was the better Sonic remains a common fan debate.      

In late 2010 with Sonic Free Riders, however, Sega decided to hire new actors, with the exception of Mike Pollock. As with the first time, the move did not sit well with fans. In particular fans were upset that Sega just offered Sonic's new voice actor, Roger Craig Smith, the job. Smith later clarified he did do an audition.  

 

Main Voice (Sonic): Jason Griffith

Memorable Theme Song (for Sonic): "His World" (from Sonic 06). 

Memorable Catchphrases (Sonic):  "ALRIGHT...Bring it on!" (Sonic Riders) "Alright, lets have some fun Solaris." (Sonic 06) "Sonic...BOOM!" (Sonic Rivals) "I'm not a rat!" "No problem" "This just isn't my day!" "Too Easy" "That was tight!" "Lend me your...POWER!" (Sonic and the Secret Rings) "Whoo!" Here...we...go!" "Feelin' Good." "Eh, can't win 'em all." (Sonic Unleashed) "Your too slow!" "Come on, step it up!" (Brawl) 

"I'm a hedgehog, pal, not a guinea pig."  (cartoon)

Cartoons and other Appearances: Since it aired a bit later and has a different tone, the 3rd season of Sonic X is arguably the cartoon of the modern era. The plot of the "darker" final season is less randomized and mainly focused on saving the universe from a threatening alien species, the Meterex. 

Years later, a 3-D animated short that tied-into Sonic Unleashed, "Sonic: Night of the Werehog," was created. It had a playful plot including Chip and ghosts. 

Archie created a new spin-off based on Sonic X, which was more successful than they expected, lasting for 40 issues. 

In 2006 the Archie comics turned a new page when Ian Flynn, now infamous in the Sonic-comic community, began writing for the comics. He tried to make the series more akin to the games, but also tried to "clean-up" what happened to the main "Sat Am" cast. He tried to heal the relationship between Sonic and Sally, recreated "Evil Sonic" as Scourge, and tied up many loose ends. 

In late 2009, Sonic Universe, another spin-off, was made. Through this series Flynn introduced and reintroduced many game characters like Blaze the Cat, Gamma, Omega, Marine, and the Babylon Rogues. With flashbacks, parts of the games were now partially adapted...although tie-ins would be limited to non-canon "in another time/place" one-offs.   

Best Robotnik/Eggman VA

All of Robotnik's voice actors have done a fair job, but some match the character better than others.

Best to Worst

1 Mike Pollock (Sonic X, Sonic Boom, 2005-now)

Pollock is able to switch between Eggman's evil, comedic, and crazy sides. I kind of forgot, with how the games have been written the past decade, how he can portray the character with such angry confidence.

2 Long John Baldry (AoStH)

Baldry went with the comedic route, pronouncing words in a unique way ("I wasn't supposed to pull that LEEver"). Though the result was funny, he kept the character oblivious to it with anger. If he hadn't put emphasis into the role, phrases like "I HATE that hedgehog!" (...and "snooPINGAS usual") wouldn't have caught on.

3 Gary Chalk (Sonic Underground)

Chalk put a focus on Robotnik's superior attitude and balanced the comedy with a slight edge when necessary.

4 Jim Cummings (Sat Am)

Cumming's does good job at creating a scarier Robotnik. It's hard to imagine anyone else fitting the Sat Am interpretation so well. However, that version isn't really in line with the character in general. He also voiced a few lines in the AoStH pilot, but he still didn't really show the character as funny.

5 Deem Bristow (1999-2004)

Birstrow had a powerful voice for the old egghead, but it did not match the character as well except when challenging Sonic. 

6 Edwin Neal (OVA)

Unlike most of the OVA's cast, Neal isn't that bad. It's kind of weird at points, but not bad.

7 Jim Carrey ("Sonic the Hedgehog"  movie)

It's kind of hard to judge on voice alone, here, but Carrey notably switches between a smart Robotnik and angered one. Of all the portrayals, his is the most "normal" (likely due to the fact that he was acting, not voice acting). Like with Cummings, Carrey does a good job with a different version of Robotnik, but I don't think he fits the actual character as well.

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!