Best theme for Sonic.

Technically any game's main song is also considered a song for Sonic, such as "Live and Learn," "Endless Possibilities," "Knight of the Wind," or "7 Rings in Hand." However I'm only focusing on themes that are specifically and repeatedly Sonic's (so excluding most of those "game" themes as well as "team" songs like "We Can" or "Sonic Speed Riders" and shared themes like "What I'm Made Of" or "Open Your Heart"). That leaves 3 songs, "It Doesn't Matter," "His World," and "Reach for the Stars."  

    

Background

It Doesn't Matter

The song debuted in Sonic Adventure, returning in the sequel and reappearing in Sonic and the Black Knight. While it did not receive the same attention as the Crush 40 songs, the song is still a fan favorite. There remains three vocal versions (SA, SA2, and the later made S.A.M.E.) and a few instrumentals. 

His World

Even though Sonic 06 received backlash, its soundtrack was immune. "His World" instantly became a Sonic-must. Being the game's main theme it received numerous instrumental versions prevalent through out the game. Some of these were also reused elsewhere, such as in Brawl. Three main vocal versions were created: the game version, Zebrahead's version, and Crush 40's version. 

Reach for the Stars

"Reach of the Stars" was made Sonic's theme after the good reception to Sonic Colors. The song received many instrumental themes through out the 2010s, appearing in almost every many games released in the Current Era. There is now a second version of the vocal song made for Sonic Colors Ultimate.  

Winner

It Doesn't Matter

Actually, I believe "His World" is the best song out of the three. But as a theme for Sonic that reflects his personality and spirit, "It Doesn't Matter" is the best choice. While not worded the best, the lyrics do narrate his point of view. Additionally the genre seems to be a 90s-early 2000s punk-rock mix, which is the best reflection of the character.

The SA2 version was defiantly handled better, but the S.A.M.E. version combines the strengths of each. The Black Knight instrumentals also tamed the song into something quite beautiful (the fan-art music). 

 

Runner-up

His World

"His World" makes a great introduction into the attitude and drama that 06 tried so hard to emulate. The grand instrumentation aside sassy rap and defining lyrics makes it a memorable song. 

I think the Zebrahead and Crush 40 versions are superior and less random the original, however. While it makes a grand theme overall, it just doesn't work as well as a character theme. It's also hard to separate it from 06 or others in the game.  

LOSER

Reach for the Stars

I can't stand the song. It's a 2010s nightmare. Even trying to set aside my personal disgust, I can't see how it makes a good theme for Sonic specifically. How does "the colors feel so right" reflect him? The song was clearly written with the game rather than character in mind. The genre and vocals seem much more suitable for Silver, and the instrumentation is simply too modern-synthetic to reflect a 90s videogame-icon. 

"Endless Possibilities" would have been a better idea since the song is less game-focused (and not to mention it is better by a long shot). "Reach for the Stars" should have been exclusive to Sonic Colors. 

Eras UPDATE: Transitional Classic

ALL about the "forgotten" era

Era: Transitional-Classic

Main Years: 1995-1999

Gameplay Type: While still mainly 2-D with gimmicks like rings and power-ups, new experimentation was done. For example, Knuckles Chaotix used a team-like idea where characters are linked together. 

This era also saw the debut of 3D games. Sonic 3D Blast was technically the "first." Several 3D game ideas were planned but scrapped. A portion was used in Sonic Jam. The main "first" 3D game would be Sonic Adventure (a game on the line between this era and the next).     

Character Designs and Personalities: While early games and Game Gear tiles mostly kept Sonic's design the same, he and the other character would be made a bit taller (inspiring the change in Sonic Adventure). The art shifted into a more "3D" style. 

Although the different expressions in Sonic the Fighters gave a hint at personality, overall the characters' attitudes and motivations were less defined. For example, Knuckles dedication to his island and emerald is forgotten or at least set aside so he could make his appearances in these games. On the other hand, it does hint at the shift from Knuckles being an antagonist to a protagonist.   

Story Type: Generally because of the game gear titles, most of the plots are simple. Other characters like Tails and Knuckles, however, are given more time to shine. 

Some games, like Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Labyrinth, had a plot more tied-into the gameplay, but overall the games were casual, like with Sonic the Fighters and Sonic R. 

Staring with Sonic Adventure, the stories would become more in-depth. This was change planned much earlier, however. Plots including Sally Acorn and the Freedom Fighters, a new love interested named Tiara, and a deadly virus were scrapped along the way. One concept would be passed into Sonic Adventure: breaking the Master Emerald.  

Visuals: Much as everything else in this era, the graphics were experimental, varying bits and trying more computer-created images. The types of settings did not change much, though.  

Music: The 8-bit titles are a bit improved from the previous era, but still limited. Likewise the Genesis games are impressive but still trademark Genesis. As the era came to a close, clearer OSTs would be made, including the Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic R, and the arcade game Sonic the Fighters. Sonic R became infamous for its many vocal songs. 

Voice Cast: Through the 90s, Sonic's main recognized voice was still Jaleel White. Interestingly, White voiced Sonic's siblings, Sonia and Manic in Sonic Underground (but did none of the singing). The cartoon would include a "DiC era" voice for Knuckles, Brain Drummond (no relation to Ryan) as well as a new voice for Robotnik, Gary Chalk. 

The American dub of the OVA, "Sonic: the Movie," was done by a different company and hired a different cast, including new voices for Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Robotnik as well as original characters like Sara. This Sonic was voiced by Martin Burke. 

Finally soon after both of these releases and a year after its Japanese release, Sonic Adventure came to America. With it was yet another cast and a new voice for Sonic, Ryan Drummond.   

Main Voice (Sonic): Martin Burke 

Memorable Theme Song (for Sonic): "Super Sonic Racing" (from Sonic R). 

Memorable Catchphrases (Sonic):  "Aw yeah, this is happening!" (Sonic Adventure)

"I'm waiting!" "Game over Robuttnik!" "Bummer Majors! (pronounced may-hor-es)" "SHUT UP TAILS!" "Strange, isn't it?"  (cartoon/OVA)

Cartoons and other Appearances: A short animation was released in Sonic Jam along with several commercials. Jam also released enhanced versions of the Sonic CD animations (which are the ones used in later releases such as the 2011 version). 

Sonic Underground and the dubbed Japanese 2 parter OVA ("movie") were released in 1999. 

The Archie comics took a new turn after issue 50 (which the writers originally expected to be the last of the series). Interestingly, Sega prevented the death of a major character (Sally Acorn). As the comics entered a darker chapter, a spin-off based on Kncukles debuted. 

Sonic the Comic would end after its Sonic Adventure adaptation. 

Sonic Adventure Music Experience [SAME] (Album) Review

 

Details

The Sonic Adventure Music Experience was an event in Tokyo, 2016. The albums includes newly arranged versions of songs from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2. There are two volumes. 

 

Summary

Generally the songs seem to be improvements of their Adventure counterparts. Everything seems smoothly put together. Metal Harbor is a good example, sounding less harsh. Chaos 6 seems more like an updated version, even more "Sonic"-y. Keys the Ruin (Pyramid Cave) and Mr. Unsmiley (Sky Rail) are my favorites. In fact Sky Rail seems a little Shadow the Hedgehog-y somehow. I wonder if that was intentional...   

  

Final Ranking: B

They may only be new versions of old songs, but they are awesome.  

Sonic Adventure OST Review

 

Summary

The music of Sonic Adventure, like the gameplay, new designs, and story, set to change the Sonic franchise into something new without forgetting the series' history. While it helped usher in a new direction for future games to perfect, like the game's camera angles, it's is kind of odd. A mix of rock and funky genres with remixes from 3-D Blast here and there.  

Best Song: Speed Highway/Run Through the Speed Highway

Runner-Up (s): Red Hot Skull, Choas 6, Bad Taste Aquarium, Leading Lights, Tornado-Scramble, Sky Deck a Go-Go, General Offensive, Tornado, Speed-up

This is a pretty obvious choice, but it really stuck me as the best combination. It has an edgier tone mixed with voice clips and effects that show off the soundtrack's full potential when it's themes work in harmony.   

Worst Song: Windy Valley/The Air

Runner Up (s): Mystic Ruins, Sweet Punch, Fanfare for Dr. Eggman, 

Sonic 3-D Blast PTSD. 

Best Vocal Song: Open Your Heart

Runner-Up (s): It Doesn't Matter, Believe in Myself

"Open Your Heart" is easily the most memorable not just because it's the main theme, but it's by far a stronger song than the other vocal tracks. They're okay, but they're not as serious/at the same level. 

Worst Vocal Song: Unkown From M.E.

Runner Up (s): Lazy Days/Livin' in Paradise

BORN ON AN ISLAND, IN THE HEAVENS! Actually its chorus is quite catchy, but it's so--

Final Ranking: C

It's not really bad, but there are tracks that sort of fade into the background compared to the others, and as a whole it feels unfocused/random. Still, there are definitely tracks worth listening to, more good than bad.  

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Conclusion

Surprisingly, Wave Ocean and Emerald Coast tied. However, as a whole there can only be one winner. After considering the different elements, a choice had to be made. 

Review

Emerald Coast was decided better: 

1. Gameplay
2. Sonic's stage
3. Story

Wave Ocean was decided better:

1. Visuals
2. Music
3. Other characters' stages 

The better level is: Emerald Coast

What really gave Emerald Coast the edge in the end was creativity. Wave Ocean was a nice nod at Emerald Coast, but with the moving spikes, flying seagulls, swimming dolphins, and angry Orcas, some might call it too much of a "rip-off." 

While there had been hints of beaches in the past, Emerald Coast is the first to really focus on that type of scenery. Like Speed Highway, many remember the level fondly and it was apparently used in the DS version of Sonic Generations. It inspired many other zones other than Wave Ocean, including Neo Green Hill and Seaside Hill. 

Wave Ocean was still pretty nice. It's better visuals and music make a better atmosphere. It might be a better "tourist" location, but this is a video game, designed to be played through. In that sense, Emerald Coast makes a better level.

...

Sorry, but the best beach-themed level is actually Jungle Joyride. 

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Others

Neither level was exclusive to Sonic. 

Big the Cat and E-102 Gamma both go to Emerald Coast. Amy, Knuckles, at one time Tails could all glitch into the first portion of Sonic's Emerald Coast. 

Wave Ocean was visited by Tails, Blaze, Omega, Shadow, and Rouge in the End of the World.  

Big's is slow and tedious, like all Big levels. There is a nice secret room to fish at, if only I was patient enough to appreciate such a thing. Still, since Big always has to be around water (to fish) this one is visually nicer and makes the most sense. 

Gamma is not here long. It's only his second stage and he finds Froggy a heck of a lot faster than Big ever did. 

It's cool to glitch in with other characters. Thankfully Knuckles could still climb things. Amy's seemed a bit glitch-ier, and I don't think Tails is possible on the re-releases. It's cool but really it's just Sonic's level again.

Tails is in Wave Ocean. Again. To make things more boring, it's mostly the same location. The goal ring is even where Tails had to get the switch in Sonic's level. Tails feels just as pointless in Wave Ocean as his reason for being there. 

It's nicer to play as Blaze because her moves are more complex yet she has a speed closer to Sonic's. Her level is nice and short. Kind of a shame, because I wouldn't mind being stuck with a longer level, since this seems to be the closest thing to 3-D Sonic Rush possible. 

Shadow glides in, kinda' boring but at least it's not the same loop-de-loop everyone else st--Omega. Omega goes through the "Sonic" section, making him the 3rd. Luckily Shadow's part is a bit more interesting, if not scattered. As an interesting bonus, it's also possible to use Omega to "fly" to the goal and finish early. Still not totally necessary, though, since the level's fairly short compared to the 06 standard.   

I really like the stormy, lighting effect Wave Ocean has in the "end" level. Rouge's is a breeze since she can climb and glide, making her section a nice break after Silver's longer path. 

Winner: Wave Ocean

Sonic 06 overused Wave Ocean, mainly the "sonic section."  They all mostly start the same. At least robots have been rotated out I guess. 

However Adventure underused Emerald Coast. I didn't know how badly I needed to see Knux vs Whale until using that glitch...ha, anyway. Adventure didn't do to much aside from Sonic's level. Big's looked nice but he's too slow to be a fun explorer like Knuckles. Gamma's was pathetically short--it was a bit of a shock, I think. 

I do think that Blaze and Shadow have better gameplay than most 06 characters, and they help balance out the double-Tails experience. 

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Sonic

Both Sonic Adventure and Sonic 06 had similar levels for Sonic. Which is stage plays out the best? 

Emerald Coast is Sonic's first level. He quickly leaves the hotel behind and navigates the nearby docks and formations while taking out a few robots. He's chased by an orca! After passing a light house, the second part of the stage begins. Passing through caves and water, Sonic makes his way back out to the sandy coast until he reaches a bare stretch and finds Tails/hits the capsule. 

Wave Ocean is Sonic's first level. He quickly slides into the water and fights off nearby bots. After grinding past a lighthouse, he soon ends up chased by an orca! Stuck, Sonic asks Tails for help. Tails then has to find a switch before Sonic can move on. The next part is a "mach speed" section, where Sonic speeds up tries not to run into everything. After, he hits the goal ring.  

Winner: Emerald Coast

Wave Ocean is big and nice to explore. Though not the most original concept, there was an effort to add something new to the whale idea. Where things start to slow is with Tails, which is a bit annoying and seemingly unnecessary for a beginning level. I'm not a fan of the fast and tricky "mach" sections, but this might be the best one in the game, sadly.  

Emerald Coast, meanwhile, is just right for a starting level. It has a short pace, plenty of rings and hints for new players, and it was all new and original. The only con is the greenish water part, but it can be avoided with a simple shortcut. 

Sonic's style is better in the layout of Emerald Coast. 

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: "Story"

There has to be a reason to be in a level, even if it's just to get to the next. 

Sonic sees his bud Tails crash in Emerald Coast and runs to help. Later Big looks for Froggy and Gamma finds Froggy. 

After Elise is kidnapped, Sonic and Tails head to Wave Ocean to track her. Eggman gets away, unfortunately, and later Tails returns yet again to try to help Elise but fails. Blaze heads towards town to try and find Silver in the meantime. Omega tracks Mephiles to Wave Ocean, and Shadow rushes there to help. 

Winner: Emerald Coast  

Shadow's story in 06 is awesome and "Omega's Confession," one of my favorite cutscenes, does take place in Wave Ocean. Shadow's reason for being there also makes the most sense. Still, what's Mephiles doing in Wave Ocean, anyway? Mephiles likes the beach? And maybe Rouge should have had a playable section, too, since she's also there.

Why did Mephiles separate Silver and Blaze? It makes sense for her to want to find him, but she could have been left in any other stage and it would not have made a difference. 

As for Sonic and Tails...it's bad enough to deal with the Mario/damsel-in-distress thing once, but twice in the same place? Elise shouldn't have been 'napped right away. The first Wave Ocean should have been a more relaxed, fun level for Sonic/Tails and for the player to adjust to the controls. And the second one shouldn't have been a thing. 

Sonic had a clear cut reason to be Emerald Coast, simple and short enough. And Big and Gamma's connected to the story, at least. Emerald Coast never felt forced, it just felt like a part of the game. Sonic, Big, and Gamma each went to Emerald Coast to get things done. And they did. Well...Sonic and Gamma did. But Big got some fish out of it probably.  

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Gameplay

Sonic Adventure wasn't perfect. In this case there are some spots that aren't the best while spin dashing, and Sonic doesn't like to stay on the walls he's running on. Generally seems awkward and primitive compared to the future. 

Sonic 06 is no picnic. Sure, glitches can be exploited, but they aren't supposed to be there. As with any level, the problems can vary from lag or camera angles that should not be possible to characters not doing their moves or going where they should not be able to. 

Winner: Emerald Coast

The springs and wall jump bother me, as well as a few spots like on the wall, but it is generally smooth. Emerald Coast feels set up faster, too. 

06 is not as bad as people believe, but glitches are sadly a guarantee. One good thing is that the water won't slow the characters down as in Adventure. Sonic usually is slower in water, but since it is shallow and he's not under it I preferred it without the slow-down.  

Sonic Adventure was not perfect, but Emerald Coast was fair. Wave Ocean, meanwhile, wasn't a kind welcome to new players.  

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Music

Emerald Coast is easily identifiable as a song of Sonic Adventure with it's rock and guitar-led tones, though it takes on a more laid back style to match the location. Might be some old Sonic 3D Blast in there a bit, too. There is "Azure Blue World," "Windy & Ripply for Emerald Coast," and, lazier, "Big fishes at Emerald Coast."

One thing that isn't criticized when it comes to 06 is the soundtrack. It's an atmospheric mix of instruments and even some simple vocals at points. The relaxed track "The Water's Edge" turns into the faster/edgier, "The Inlet."

Winner: Wave Ocean

This is certainly an example of how music can have different effects. These levels look a lot a like, but the tracks for Emerald Coast seem to mix the adventure with the feel of a hot summer day. Meanwhile Wave Ocean gives off a cooler vibe, more like a focus on the water instead. 

"Azure Blue World" helps set the pace, but the similar "Windy & Ripply" was more relaxed and better suited for the location. Big's certainly has a different rhythm, but I also think it matches the location a bit better that "Azure Blue World." 

In Wave Ocean, "The Water's Edge" is pretty stunning. It's calm yet picks up when it needs to. The mix of instruments is beautiful and it's perfect for the beach. "The Inlet" matches the sudden change in speed for Sonic and seems to catch some of his attitude with it.  

Overall there's no question. Emerald's Coast music was good, but Wave Ocean blows it out of the water. 

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Visuals

Some people are more affected by graphics than others. For the not-so realistic Sonic series, most aren't expecting the best, but having clarity and varying designs is always a plus. 

A vacation resort, Emerald Coast is just beyond Station Square's hotel. Wooden and sand paths lead past a light house and waterfall while coconut palms grow all over. Meanwhile the location is home to packs of seagulls and fish, as well as friendly dolphins and a pesky killer whale. 

Soleanna relies heavily on tourism, and "the City of Water" also has itself a nice nearby beach, Wave Ocean. It sports many of the same elements, including Seagulls, Dolphins, and more Orcas as well as similar rock formations, etc. 

 

Winner of this round: Wave Ocean 

I was genuinely surprised at how much of an improvement there actually was. 

I tend to remember Wave Ocean as mostly ugly rock formations, and the lighter versions in Emerald Coast are better. There is also something very likable about Emerald Coast's blue water, and I love the details like the lounge chairs and both colorful & thatch umbrellas. 

The returning elements have been improved upon in 06. The chairs are now wooden but especially the umbrellas are similar. The wood paths are more defined, and the water's hues are calmer and a bit closer to real life. There are more dolphins, but notably less birds (which is fine because Adventure may have gotten a bit carried away). The plants look a little more unique, too. 

Surprisingly the background is greatly improved. While it just looked like a picture wrapped around the level in Sonic Adventure, tricks like mist and fading gave Wave Ocean more depth. 

While Emerald Coast had little more than a piece of the hotel and a few wood platforms in the area surrounding, Wave Ocean had nice rows of colorful sailboats parked along wooden shacks. 

Wave Ocean is, visually, better than it's predecessor. 

Emerald Coast vs Wave Ocean: Intro

Just as Green Hill became an instant classic, many Dreamcast-ers and transitional fans grew immediately fond of Sonic Adventure's Emerald Coast, though ultimately Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes) would be used more. 

Even though the game performed poorly, the 2006 game Sonic the Hedgehog created a re-imagined Emerald Coast, Wave Ocean, as homage to Sonic's "first" 3-D level. 

Which is better?

For most the answer seems obvious. Emerald Coast. Sonic Adventure is beloved, and 06 is considered the series' lowest point. Done deal, right? Not exactly. 

Despite 06's naturally glitch-ier state, it did have roughly seven years to try and gain some advantages. That into account, it's possible Wave Ocean was actually an improvement over Emerald Coast.

But 06 is 06, and Adventure is Adventure. Many factors will have to be considered...Are these beach-themed levels are really that different? It's time to find out. 

Sonic 06 References/Easter Eggs

Despite being planned as a soft-reboot and wanting to bring Sonic back to his "roots," Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) was a complete failure among fans and new players a like. Though it may not be the horrendous monster everyone seems to call it, it was not the promised "Sonic-Next Gen." 

As a constellation prize, the 15th anniversary game still holds many hints at other games, even though it was supposed to be a "reboot." 

Notable Reoccurring Elements

• Invincibility
• 0 being a life
• Super Sonic
• Super Shadow
• Spindash
• Chaos Spear (modified)
• Flying
• Gliding
• Grinding
• Amy's Hammer

Sonic 1

• The platforms in Spring Yard Zone's boss fight are taken out by Robotnik, and the floor is also targeted in the Egg Wyvern boss fight. 
• The idea of Sonic having a having a human girlfriend originates here; in early plans Sonic had a girlfriend named Madonna. 

Sonic CD

• Time Travel is once again an important element.
• Crisis City revives the idea of a "bad future." 
• With the purple gem, Sonic can shrink and jump high. This idea is directly from Sonic CD's Metallic Madness, where Sonic is scaled down by a laser. 

Sonic 2

• The main theme "Sweet Dreams" is remixed and put at the credits in Sonic's story. 
• Aside from the game's new characters (such as Elise and Silver), Tails appears 3rd (after Sonic and Eggman), as he did in real life.  

Sonic 3

• Sonic snow boards in White Acropolis, as he originally did in Ice Cap. 

Sonic and Knuckles

• Lava Reef's fiery outside and darker inside may have inspired Flame Core. 

Sonic X-treme

• At one point Sonic's love interest--Tiara--was to be a princess, but that was later changed and the game was scrapped. This may have impacted the ideas for Sonic's new love interest, though.  

Sonic Adventure

• Both games are divided into "stories" revolving around different characters. 
• Wave Ocean closely resembles Emerald Coast. 
• The Orca reappears in Wave Ocean. 
• Once again there are chatty humans in hub worlds. 
• After meeting up with Sonic, Tails says "Long time no see, huh?" while after finding Tails in 06 Sonic says "Long time no see!"
• Iblis may have been inspired by Chaos, being an element-powered monster that transforms.
• Knuckles' treasure hunting skills are mentioned.
• Crisis City includes worn Chao in Space 3 signs; Sonic Adventure started the "Chao in Space" gag.   
• Adventure also had the first Chao Gardens, and there are signs in Crisis City mentioning a Chao garden.
• Eggman's "battleship" is another version of the Egg Carrier.  

Like in Station Square, New City was supposed to have cars. These can be found with the "Shadow New Town" glitch, but they crash into everything.  

Sonic Shuffle

• The theme of Light and Dark originated in this game. 

Sonic Adventure 2

• The "Solairs Project" was mostly likely intended as 06's "Project: Shadow."
• Flashbacks are used again. 
• Amy mistakes Silver for Sonic, just like she mistook Shadow for him. 
• GUN is present. 
• The president is mentioned.
• Rouge's treasure hunting skills are mentioned as well as used (in Kingdom Valley). 
• Rouge finds keys to move on; she hunted keys before in Egg Quarters. 
• Sonic rides a metal board in Crisis City, like in City Escape. 
• Sonic can preform a wind move with a gem. Sonic's first wind attack was from this game. 
• Eggman tricks Sonic into giving him the (fake) emerald with Amy as a hostage but traps him. He does the same with Elise except the emerald was real. 
• Canon's Core uses all playable characters except Shadow. End of the World uses all playable characters except Sonic and Blaze.

Sonic Heroes

• Eggman leaves Sonic a recording, similar to the beginning of Team Hero's story. 
• Amy turns invisible, something previously exclusive to Espio.
• Sonic "shares" his super state in both games.
• The version of the wind move for Sonic came from this game.
• Tails says "My head's spinning!" while going through loops in both games.  

Sonic Rush

• Inclusion of "new" character, Blaze the Cat.
• Blaze calling Silver naive is similar to her initial opinion on Cream.
• At the end of Blaze's story, she asks Cream, "We-We're friends, right?" Meanwhile in 06 Silver asks Blaze, "You're my friend, right?"
• The background for Princess Elise may be a nod to Blaze's fire/princess backstory. 
• One gem includes the "boost," though it does not work the same way as in Rush. 

Although there was not explanation for her presence, some unused voice clips suggest Blaze would have mentioned Sonic and talked to Amy.

Shadow the Hedgehog

• While fighting Mephiles, Shadow says, "I know who I am," directly referring to his repeated line, "this is who I am."  
• He also repeats the phrase "Who are you?! And how do you know my name...?"
• Shadow chases Eggman's train in Radical Train like with the Black Arms' tank in Lethal Highway's hero mission. 
• The Shadow/Sonic banter before Flame Core is not unlike the scene after Lethal Highway. 
• The punch/kick move preformed when without a gun is an early version of the move Shadow primarily uses in 06; he uses a version of Chaos Blast. 
• Shadow can/has to drive vehicles in some of the stages.
• Shadow drives through/destroys falling walls in both the GUN Fortress and later in Aquatic Base.
• Westopolis being a distressed city as the first level was echoed with Silver (Crisis City).    
• There is a fire tornado in Crisis City and a dusty one in Glyphic Canyon. 
• The tornado section of Crisis City for Sonic plays a lot like Cosmic Fall, including floating/moving/spinning platforms.  
• Shadow can get past a secret door after collecting 5 keys in each level. These keys resemble the ones Rouge has to find in Kingdom Valley. 
• Rouge comments on Death Ruins, expressing the desire to treasure hunt there some other time. In a similar way, she calls Tropical Jungle "Charming." 
• Shadow's theme is "All Hail Shadow." The original version was his hero-ending theme. 

Expert Mode implies that the Commander wanted to make amends with Shadow; Shadow works for GUN in 06. 

Sonic Riders

• While boarding the player must hold X before lifting off. This is how the jumps were handled in Sonic Riders (though control over tricks are not possible in 06). 

("Early") Sonic Cartoons/comics/etc

•  Sonic would often carry his love interest in a similar way to Elise (also present in Sonic CD).
• When Sara from the OVA wears her "wedding" dress, she and Elise visually look alike (pun intended). 
• Sally Acorn and Sonia the Hedgehog are both princesses, which may have inspired the title for Elise. 
• Despite the Mobian/tomboyish appearance, Sonic's (long-time) Western love interest, Sally, had reddish/brown hair and blue eyes, which may have influenced Elise to have those traits. 
• In the US, Amy was originally named Princess Sally, which again may have some influence on title. 
• Sonic introduces himself as "Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog." He often did the same in Sonic X. 
• Shadow takes off his rings, something originating from Sonic X.
• There is a girl in the hub world who wears a shirt similar to Chris.
• The scene where Eggman sends Sonic & co to the future is similar to the 1st episode of Sonic X were he send them to another dimension (though it was not intentional in that case). 

Similarities to Sonic and the Secret Rings

The game was originally going to be a Wii version of 06 and was made at the same time.

• Sand Oasis is a level in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Two "secret" oasis-es can be found in Dusty Desert.  
• Sonic goes on an adventure with a human-like girl character, though just as a friend. 
• He tells both girls to smile. 
• Sonic is called a rat several times; Eggman calls him a rat in 06. 
• The Erazor mentions "Iblis."
• A character is killed and brought back to life. 
• The events of 06 are un-done by time travel and are forgotten or only partially remembered--as if it never happened. Since only he journeyed to the world, the events of Secret Rings are only remembered by Sonic, almost as if they never happened. 
• Both have a generally "darker" tone.

Best Villain? Part 1: "C" Villains

A common senerio in the Sonic series is Dr. Eggman finding a monster and being betrayed by it. Some might even consider it a running gag. This mainly started in Sonic Adventure, with the water beast, Chaos.  

Chaos was first a peaceful creature--and a friend of Tikal--but he knew only greed and anger from the Knuckles Clan and from Dr. Eggman awakening him. Gathering power, he transformed in a rage--intent on wiping out everything. Tikal urged the heroes to help lock him away, as she had done 4000 years prior, but Sonic knew that would not solve the problem. Sonic took on the monster himself to "open [it's] heart." With Tikal he was able to show Chaos that power can be used for good and that there were many who wanted peace rather than destruction.

Chaos had a lot of potential, but he doesn't talk. He doesn't really have expressions, either, making him more of a beast. Unfortunatly it's only the other characters--Tikal, Sonic, Knuckles, etc--that help peace together Chaos' motives and "personality."

While the idea works, Choas is overrated and actually kind of flat. If he were swapped with some other "monster" character it would not make much of a difference.

Many other flat, "monster" characters would follow suit: Biolizard, Babylon Gardian, Iblis, Solaris, Ifrit, Dark Gaia, Time Eater, etc. 

They are not all pointless. The ultimate life prototype, the Biolizard, for example, is a sharp contrast to Shadow. The Guardian shares physical similarities to the Babylon Rogues, hinting at their past. Iblis is the power while Mephiles is the cunning. And Dark Gaia is an all out powerhouse that can even harm Super Sonic.  

Though they all have different aspects, it was Chaos who originally set the stage for these enemies and how they should be portrayed. 

These types of characters help raise the stakes and bring in new ideas. Still, due to their nature, it's hard to call them a "great villain." They just don't have the spark, the personality. 

Sonic Adventure Review

Rank at the end.

Summary

Sonic Adventure took the Sonic series in a new direction.

Gameplay

Sonic Adventure is often misremembered as the first 3D Sonic game. It is a vast improvement over the likes of Sonic 3D Blast, though. It feels easier to control and less restricted. However, it's not as easy to adapt to as the 2D era, and is almost crude compared to the clarity of future games. The Light Dash, for example, required a charging time before use. 

The difference in speed and moves for the characters was a plus. Sonic Adventure created a different and unique style for each character, making "more" than just a Sonic game. It's a Tails game. A Knuckles game. So on.

Sonic, Tails, and Gamma are similar and work well despite the differences. Amy's would be fine if not for Zero, who is extremely distributive. Knuckles is more exploratory, which is nice yet not as speedy as the others. Big...

Big sits around and fishes (see also: Sega Bass Fishing). The slower pace did not sit well with players, permanently scarring the character. I prefer his moves in Sonic Heroes myself. The camera angles and just the entire process made a simple task difficult, and the style does not fit with the other characters.

The Chao Gardens were a nice addition, but are not as good as their replacement in SA2. They are boring, which is a shame since the Chao have a bigger role in this game's story.    

Characters and Story

Sonic

• Sonic's story seems basic, but since this is the first of it's type I'll give it a pass. 

Tails

• I wish future games did as much with Tails as this game. It seems like Tails struggling to save the day on his own is the most character development he'll ever get. 

Amy

• Even though she appeared in Sonic CD, this game further cemented Amy's peppy personality as an adoring fan girl. I like "Birdie," but Zero is torturous. From a plot standpoint, (despite the ending) it seems like Amy is still a damsel in distress.

Knuckles

• The main plot intertwines with Knuckles, considering the Echidna clan. It's nice to have his history expanded, but it doesn't affect him as much as expected. The story is not as memorable as it could have been. Oh, and he gets tricked...again.

Gamma

• Gamma is a rebel robot, and his journey from joining the E-series to turning on his creator and making the ultimate sacrifice is classic.   

Big

• Big simply wants his pal Froggy back. Fine. Simple like Big. But whole Frog eating part of Chaos or whatever? Bizarre. 

Super Sonic

• Tikal, Chaos, the past, the present--everything comes together. Super Sonic was epic, but the beginning part with Chaos turning on Eggman was a little slow.   

Visuals

There are many types of locations to explore, and the Adventure Fields added to this. Unfortunatly the graphics are clunky and have not aged well. It's hard to enjoy the small details like the ruins or the signs in Station Square when the overall set up is bulky and unappealing.

Along those lines, the cutscenes junky compared to future games. The original Dreamcast graphics are down right hideous. And the character mouth movements are very odd (and humorous).

The anime-style humans lack much detail and are bland. It maybe weird to say, but the humans in 06 were an improvement.

Voice Acting and Dialogue

Overall the voice acting was average or poor. Ryan Drummond as Sonic was fair, but defiantly not as good as Sonic's cartoon actor, Jaleel White.

Though Drummond would perfect his version by Heroes, his early Sonic (combined with some odd comments in the script) was a bit awkward. The same could be said for some of the others, like Deem Bristrow (Eggman).

However Amy's voice actor, Jennifer Douillard, was just plain bad. She improves later, but for this game Amy sounded awkward, bratty, and childish. Though the story gave her an emotional role, her portrayal didn't have such an emphasis. Tail's voice wasn't quite right, either. Pachacmac's voice is kinda' funny.

Ultimately the only Gamma's voice is perfect for the character (not as good as Omega).

The script was a bit odd with some phrases, but generally helped mold their distinct personalities.

Music

As with all good Sonic games, there is a variety in soundtrack, though there is arguably more of an edgy rock/metal vibe than seen in the classic days. Luckily Sonic Adventure shows how both slower and more intense paces can affect how a setting is perceived.

Overall the stage music is good. In comparison to the Sonic series as a whole I'd call it a bit average, though.

Vocal themes also varied. Songs like "It Doesn't Matter" and "My Sweet Passion" fit the characters well, though personally I've never been a huge fan of "Unknown from M.E" and I think "Believe in Myself" would have better suited Tails with male vocals. "Open Your Heart" is killer and is king over all the others, which is a plus since it's also the main theme.

Final Thoughts

• This game is overrated. SA2 is overrated, but it deserves that hype. Sonic Adventure is a fine game, but not nearly as flawless as it is remembered as. 
• For both the characters and style, this is a good game for fans. Not sure if it's best as an "entry" title. 
• Amy's hammer/jump move is fun. So was that Wack-A-Mole style thing she had to do. 
• The flash backs were a very interesting element.  
• I liked the afterward-pictures in the credits like Tikal with Chaos. 

Ranking (S is highest, E is lowest): B

It's kind of an average game. It has some great moments, and some not so great moments. Though it and inspired many subsequent titles, it's a bit bland. 

NOT Saved By Zero!