Eras Update: Transitional

ALL about the transitional era

Era: Transitional

Main Years: 1999-2005

Gameplay Type: Following Sonic Adventure, the "main" games were now 3 dimensional. The player controlled Sonic or another character, with the end goal not always being to finish the level. For example, Knuckles would instead look for pieces of the Master Emerald. 

While the spin dash was still available, the "homing attack" became the weapon of choice. Sonic Heroes combined the gameplay styles of different characters, making them (speed, power, and flight), available all at once. While characters such as Gamma, Tails, and Eggman would use a form of gun to cover shooter based gameplay, Shadow the Hedgehog was the first (and only) to make it the main focus.  

However Sonic was not done with 2D side-scrollers, appearing in many handheld titles as just that.  

Character Designs and Personalities: Sonic and the rest of the revived characters received new, "cool" and flexible designs. While many "original" fans did not approve of Sonic being taller and suddenly having green eyes, the character with the most changes seemed to fly under the radar: Amy Rose. Amy was given a more mature and radically differing design. This is in part because the original character was 8 and Amy's age was revised to be 12. 

While the characters were always thick with attitude, having the characters officially talk led to them having more obvious character traits. Many of the characters had quick and witty comebacks, although only if it fit their character (Eggman, for example, was more formal in his wording, being an adult scientist and not a sassy teenager).        

Story Type: Now that scripted cutscenes were normal, the stories become more involved, though the plots still largely at least started with stopping Eggman. Mainly Eggman would unleash a threat only for it to get out his own hands. 

In a game on the borderline between this era and the next, Shadow the Hedgehog, Eggman is not the main threat (Black Arms) and was not responsible for it, either (in contrast to Heroes, where Metal Sonic was technically still Eggman's fault). 

More characters were introduced, with Sonic meeting much of what is now the main cast. Most of these characters were heroes (Tikal, Cream, etc) or became heroes (Gamma, Shadow, etc).

The handheld storylines were not too complex until Sonic Battle, which contained several story modes. The plot of Sonic Advance 3, while a third "advance" title, is a sequel to Battle.     

Visuals: Although there was a good deal of early CG type art, they seemed pretty proud of the 2D "Sonic Channel" designs and art, with the characters' artwork being featured in box art and menus. 

The graphics of this era have not aged well, and the mouth animations have contributed to memes. However the creative and expressive openings have been well remembered and in some cases recreated. From Sonic Heroes on, the CG cutscenes became more prevalent and important.    

The settings now used real world inspiration, such as with Sonic Adventure 2, which was based on California. Common locations were cities, ruins, beaches, haunted houses, and space.  

Music: The music of this era redefined what to expect from Sonic games. Often praised, the music used a lot of guitar and rock, while not excluding experimental or funkier genres. 

Starting with Sonic Adventure 2, certain characters became associated more with certain songs, such as Sonic having peppy punk-rock vs Knuckles having snazzy rap and hip hop. This was somewhat echoed with the contrasting vocal themes in Sonic Heroes. 

Shadow the Hedgehog, being a spinoff based on another character, did not use the same mix in genres, instead focusing on a heavier rock and using the vocal themes as an allusion to the personality. While not as memorable, the music of the handheld games served as a nostalgic connection between "classic and modern."          

Voice Cast: From Sonic Adventure on, Sonic's official voice was Ryan Drummond and Eggman (Robotnik)'s was Deem Bristrow. Knuckles' voice changed a bit until Sonic Adventure 2, when Scott Dreier took the job over. Tails voice often changed because his "real-life boy" actors voice would mature, leaving Tails with a total of three different actors in this era alone. Jennifer Douillard voiced Sonic's self-proclaimed girlfriend, Amy. Lani Minella voiced Rouge (as well as Omachao) and David Humphrey joined in 2001 as Shadow. Jon St. John doubled as Big the Cat and Omega. 

In 2003 Sonic X was dubbed in English by 4kids. 4kids used their own voice cast for the series (rather than hiring the current voice actors or anyone from the DiC cartoons). After Sonic Advance 3 (2004), Sega replaced their "game" cast with the group from 4kids because they wanted Sonic to have the same voice in all media (rumors say Deem Bistrow's death was also a factor). This cast would start in the last/borderline transitional game, Shadow the Hedgehog. 

This is a notable difference than in Japan where much of their cast has been the same since Sonic Adventure. 

Controversy 

Although Sonic X was popular with western audiences, fans of the games did not take well to the sudden switch. In particular fans felt cheated that Ryan Drummond would not be back as Sonic. 

Fueling their dismay was the fact that earlier Drummond had actually offered to move to voice Sonic in Sonic X. To make things worse, Sega did not announce the change in 2005 and failed to tell the actor he would not be voicing Sonic anymore. Despite this Ryan Drummond himself does not have any hostility for his replacement voice actor(s).   

 

Main Voice (Sonic): Ryan Drummond

Memorable Theme Song (for Sonic): "It Doesn't Matter" (from Sonic Adventure 1/2). 

Memorable Catchphrases (Sonic):  "Talk about low budget flights...I'm outta' here!" "TARIIAAAAA" "That was cool!" (Sonic Adventure2)  "Let's blast through with sonic speed!" "BLAST AWAY!" "It's all over...for YOU!" (Sonic Heroes) "Time to Party!" (Sonic Battle) "YEAH!" (Sonic Advance 3)

"Kids, don't use formula 1 race cars to chase hedgehogs!" "Yeah I've got a name. It's Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog" "Do I look like a cat to you?!" (cartoon)

Cartoons and other Appearances: Often attributed to the modern era, the main cartoon of this era is Sonic X. The anime adapted the Sonic Adventure series fairly closely but Sonic Battle loosely. It also featured many staples of the era like Tails' being an inventor/pilot, Amy having obsessive crush, and soap shoes.  

The changes would affect the Archie comics to a point. Humans had to be written in (after years of Robotnik being the only one). Amy had to be redesigned and aged to match her game counterpart. Characters like Shadow and Rouge were introduced. However, as a whole the series proceeded with their own storylines and characters taking priority. 

Aside from Sonic Adventure, they did not do much to adapt the games as a main story. Infamously they mistakenly colored Maria Robotnik's hair brown. Also Shadow's chest fur was yellow for 20 issues (give or take).

The storylines during this time would vary greatly. While Sonic's fight to save the world from the Quantum Dial (a deadly weapon created by alien enemies, the Xorda) was liked, the fall-out was hated by fans. As a consequence of it, Sonic's girlfriend, Sally, becomes more worried about Sonic's welfare and subsequently breaks up with him (in a scene harshly criticized as out of character and nicknamed "the SLAP"). 

Confusingly, with Sonic now single, he shared a kiss with Bunnie, expressed feelings for a character called Mina Mongoose, and started dating yet another character, Fiona Fox (though he was supposed to be with Amy). 

This portion of the comics has become something of the "dark era" among fans. The writers were in disagreement about many plots and characters (including the drama of who Sonic should be with romantically). While the series was still lasting, the comic was in something of a downward spiral.  

Sonic Heroes OST Review

Summary

Sonic Heroes was a game with many characters. Four teams played through variations of the same stages...which could get dull. Luckily the music is awesome. 

The game embraces rock while also jazzing things up with a more electronic feel. Generally the songs are fun and active, with some that are more peaceful or edgy. 

It's not all perfect though. "Sonic Heroes" and bits of the song are used so much in the game that it gets extremely repetitive and almost annoying (which is a shame because the full song is a legend). "We Can" is fun but pretty much just "It Doesn't Matter" but rewritten for this game. Some of the stage music is unforgettable, and others are tiresome or easily overshadowed. 

"Seaside Hill" and "Seaside Gate" are easily among the worst--maybe it's because Seaside Hill has been overused (like greenhill) but Bingo Highway's music has been used pretty often and I've yet to grow sick of it. 

Best Song: Bullet Station

Runner-Up (s): Bingo Highway, Hang Castle, Mystic Mansion, Egg Albatross, Rail Canyon, Egg Hawk, Grand Metropolis, Power Plant, Frog Forest, Robot Carnival, Events, Casio Area

I was really thinking Bingo Highway would take this honor, but Bullet Station turns out to be a bit greater. It's an edgy, guitar driven piece with a lot of power and energy. It transforms into something epic.   

Worst Song: Excuse Me (Event)

Runner Up (s): Invincibility, Seaside Hill, Seaside Gate, Lost Jungle, Egg Fleet, Egg Emperor, City Area, Sea Area, Quick Race, Ring Race, Title

A silly and strange thing. Most of the event music was cool, but this is an oddball.  

Best Vocal Song: This Machine

Runner-Up (s): What I'm Made Of, Team Chaotix

Ah, again. I was really expecting "What I'm Made Of" to be the "best." It's still awesome. But the cooler-toned "This Machine" ends up beating it out. It's so dramatic, powerful, and kinda' mysterious, so it's perfectly ideal for Team Dark.   

Worst Vocal Song: Follow Me

Runner Up (s): We Can, Sonic Heroes (opening version) 

This was easily the worst. Not that it's really bad, it's a cute song for Amy. Lyrics are less bizarre than "My Sweet Passion," but its got that girly, playful spirit. Still, the "follow me in my dreams" thing make me think of Amy's crazy fantasies like in Sonic X when she dreamt about chasing Sonic on the beach.

But, uh, Team Rose isn't just Amy, it's Amy, Cream and Big.  It's a bit of stretch for Cream. But Big? NO. No no no. It's weird enough that he's a "slow" 18 year old hanging out with two young girls. But him having a girly song possibly about him liking Froggy in some kinda' romantic way? NO.   

Final Ranking: C

The entire collection is a mix of pure Sonic-energy. But it is also a collection of opposites: it has some of the most memorable stage music, and some of the most easily forgotten; some songs never grow old, others become dull by the 4th listen; some of the vocal themes are grand, and others are second-rate. In the whole scheme of things, though, I think Sonic Heroes' soundtrack is underrated. 

Sonic Heroes Review

Rank @ End

Summary

BLAST AWAY! Do more characters=a better game? Uh...no?

Gameplay and Level Design

The level design is fair. There are some colorful additions and new ideas, namely the haunted theme. I don't really like the "chunky" look of some of the earlier levels like [shudders] Seaside Hill and Ocean Palace. Many of the levels are pretty long in length. 

The gameplay has its heart in the right place, but is not the best. I like the idea of team work, but unlike Sonic 2 where there's sort-of an optional thing for another player, this "team" thing is forced on the 1st player. It takes a long while to get used to the different moves, switching between characters, and even just balancing while flying. It needs a "learning period." Doing the Rose missions first helps.  

 

Story and Characters

This is a very character-focused game. Team Sonic has a pretty simplistic story, but it is fun to see the crew getting along and hanging out. Rose's is also pretty simple, but it's humorous and the first time we see Cream outside of Sonic Advance 2. Though where did Chocola even come from? 

The Chaotix have a fun story, though I wish the conclusion was not so obvious. Notably this team dodges Team Sonic because then they'd have to decide where to risk having the group recognize Knuckles. The wording when they first cross Eggman is careful for this reason (Knuckles Chaotix). 

Team Dark gets the best story, where the group hunts Eggman for their own reasons. Unfortunately the game does not decide what to do with Shadow. Does he get his memories back? Is he an android?   

This might be because the character was originally dead and Rouge was going to be a part of Team Rose (wtf). 

The game debuted Omega, Chocola, and introduced many "less known" characters like the Chaotix and Cream. I think they handled the intro well, but I can see how it would seem overwhelming. 

The plot twist is great for the game's story and for Metal Sonic's character. Before, he basically had the OVA for personality and that was basically just that he had Sonic's. Here we as a cold, creepier version. I wish they actually used the "Neo" design a bit before transforming him for 5 minutes, though.   

Music and Voice Acting

The music is pretty good. "Mystic Mansion" really got into the setting, and Bullet Station just sounds awesome. The main theme is good but tiresome. Of the team themes, only "This Machine" really works the best. "What I'm Made Of" is and always will be one of the most epic songs in the series. 

This is some of the best voice acting from the original cast, the other game probably being Sonic Battle. Ryan Drummond's voice for Sonic is happy and energetic, finally losing the sarcasm-awkwardness from the Adventure series. Just right. Jennifer Douillard has shown considerable improvement with Amy, putting a lot more into the role. Lani Minella's Rouge voice is also at it's best. 

I do have one main complaint, and it's for Charmy, who just sounds too girlish for a boy (the potato chips line still works though). 

Visuals and Graphics

The CG scenes are fair. The graphics aren't the best, but tolerable. Though do I have to sit through like 5 mintues of Metal Sonic transforming in thunder, rain, and lightning? 

Omega's design is a bit clunky for my taste, but the Chaotix redesigns are awesome. Rouge also wears a different outfit, which I might like better. Interesting to note that in the concept art her outfit was red and black, too, hm...

Final Thoughts

• The Special stage is crap. A-the boost is NOT like the modern boost, don't use it that way or you WILL PAY. B-you can get at least 6 of them by using Big and walking on the CELLING for some reason. C-you'll do fine and then--randomly come to a halt because you somehow fell. What is this, 06? 
• Sonic 2's is WAY WAY WAY better and it came out, you know, like 10 years before. 
• Ultimately I am glad they brought Shadow back, even if it meant SA2 lost a little meaning. However I'm not a huge fan of the android plot. 
• Also, the portrayal of Shadow himself in the game has been greatly exaggerated, I mean one minute he's all "space, did you say space" and the next he's all "some things never change," what the heck?! 
• Sorry, but Shadow the Hedgehog> Heroes Shadow.  The entire game is dedicated to the character's potential. Did it 100% work? No. Did it miss some opportunities with Team Dark? Yeah. But it gives still gives a better idea of "who" he is. 
• Plus "That way you guys can use your super powers," ugh, that's barely better than "you've got this, Sonic," ew.   
• This is the best we see of Metal Sonic, I think, yet the whole "Neo" idea is overrated. Forces may have been an opportunity to flesh out the character's personality when working under Eggman. Too bad.   
• Tails and Knuckles...just get bubbles...shinny little...WHY?
• Part of this game's problem is that Sonic himself is kinda' buried in all these characters. 
• Giving him a super transformation and no one else is NOT a solution. 
• So I'm confused about the sunset thing... 
• HOOHEE

Final Ranking: B 

Eh. What can I say? Beating this game is great, and it's really nice to see the characters work and talk together in the level, too. But it can be long, repetitive, and at points just...boring?

WHAT IF...Silver was replaced with Metal...hm.

ShtH is Better than Heroes (Conclusion)

I like Sonic Heroes. It's a good character driven game and introduced some fascinating concepts. Unfortunately while it easily snags the title of "fan-favorite," Shadow the Hedgehog is teased. 

Heores was good, but it was not without it's flaws. ShtH had it's own problems, but overall it was a better game than Heroes: 

• Part 1--Attitude
• Part 2--Gameplay
• Part 3--Conflict
• Part 4--Scoring
• Part 5--Music
• Part 6--Levels
• Part 7--2-player
• Part 8--Main Character
• Part 9--Missions
• Part 10--Replay

Shadow was more experimental. It was character driven, but in a different way. Instead of focusing on the power of team work, its themes expanded to identity, revenge vs justice, and right vs wrong. 

Best way to use a keyboard.

I don't think ShtH was perfect, but it does not deserve to be treated like a big joke. They went overboard with the "edgy" qualities and over-dramatized the guns. No one complained about the GUNS in Sonic Forces because they were unrealistic and called a silly name (Wispon). The guns in ShtH were not realistic in the slightest: oversized, alien, and...whatever the heck the Omachao gun is. They were fun and helped differ the game from a typical Sonic one (though as a reminder, Gamma!). The game is not nearly as over-the-top as the intro.  

HUGE, CARTOONISH GUN

Between the two, there were many parts I felt tied. Graphics are practically the same. The plot varies--while the end twist was better in Heroes I'm not sure that applies to the whole game (a letter from Eggman saying he's taking over the world, seriously? Alien invasion was an epic way to start in comparison). Voice Acting also varied--for many of the original cast Heroes was their best game and for the 4kids ShtH was maybe their worst. However Charmy's voice in ShtH was still better than his original voice, and the same could be said about many other characters. Most notably with Shadow...David Humphrey was great, but Jason Griffith immediately matched the character perfect. Ryan Drummond was doing his best take on Sonic at that point, though. So those were all debatable points that I felt neither "won."

  

Shadow the Hedgehog still beat Heroes in many other categories, with replay value being the most notable. Again, while I don't hate Heroes, I don't think it quite deserves the credit it gets. Meanwhile ShtH deserves a lot more. 

A step farther: Shadow the Hedgehog deserves a sequel. Tails and Knuckles are good characters but to have them go solo would be out of character nowadays. Silver's backstory(s) are too unclear. I'd like to see a Blaze spin-off maybe the most, but she lacks the popularity and is not as easily recognized. 

Shadow can go off on his own, has clear origins, and is "the 2nd most popular character in the canon." Sonic 06 improved from Shadow the Hedgehog, and Forces showed there's still a chance for the character. If he were to star in his own title they could fix their mistakes while keeping what made the game fun. Unfortunately, Sega no longer takes risks, and a spin-off starring another character, Shadow or otherwise, WILL NEVER HAPPEN. We can hope for another "episode/story," though...     

ShtH is Better Than Heroes (Part 10)

REPLAY

Sonic Heroes tried to do some small things to keep it playable past the story, but it was easy to immediately loose interest. Shadow's unique style guaranteed a difference, though. 

Heroes

A lot of Heroes' extra features come at the cost of emblems or A-Ranks, which are not easy to get. As covered last post, the missions are another alternative option, but there's no real motivation to play them. 

With the different teams and emeralds, finishing the game is a bit more challenging than others. Still, once it's done it's not quite the same. While a fan of the levels and characters will want to return, the complex gameplay elements (fly, make a wind tornado, etc), missions (Chaotix), and length (levels) make it have less appeal. 

Shadow

Shadow's story and mission layout create endless possibilities over 300 combinations. The paths lead to the same six choices, yet the shape of that path can be changed with ease. 

The locations have their challenges, but they aren't forced, either, since the missions are technically optional. There is a large amount of characters, but you don't see them all at once like Heroes. One could play an entire storyline without encountering Rouge, or another without encountering Tails. The only constant characters are Sonic and Black Doom since they both appear in the first level. The simple controls also aid this game in comparison to Heroes. 

Also, since the game has a fast start (alien invasion!) it's easier to return to than Heroes' slower, drawn-out plot. Seeing Shadow's different personalities and actions (such as sparing or eliminating Eggman) is an added bonus. 

Outside of the story, A-Ranks are more realistic and so is expert mode, giving gamers more to do.     

So...

Shadow the Hedgehog has a longer lasting effect than Heroes, or most other Sonic games. 

In the "classic" days level design and different pathways helped keep the game fresh. The transitional era had interesting locations but mainly only one way to go. Shadow used its missions, characters, and story to solve this problem. 

SthH is better than Heroes (Part 9)

Part 9: Missions

Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Heroes has some similar ideas, but executed them differently. 

In Heroes, most of the teams simply had to make it to the goal in time, but Team Chaotix was cursed with a different outcome: doing random errands for their client. Eggman fully deserved the beating Charmy gave him.

In most of these levels the team would have to collect, interact with, or destroy something. For example, in Mystic Mansion they have to blow out all of the red torches. While the idea of exploration was nice for Knuckles and Rouge in the Adventure series, those two had different gameplay and an area designed differently to take advantage of that. 

Of course Seaside Hill for Chaotix is the same for them as with any other group...except they have to collect crabs! 

While the challenge kept them unique, some stages were better than others.

Additionally each level has an alternate goal for each team. Team Sonic, for example, has to complete the stage in a given time. They aren't very fun and seem tiresome. Except for emblems and A-ranks, there's not a real reason to work on them. 

Things are different in Shadow the Hedgehog. The missions are always optional, though they have to be completed in order to get any ending other than the pure neutral ones. Almost every stage therefore has the possibility to simply get to the goal in time.  

While similar to the Chaotix's style, there is more variety. Sometimes Shadow has to destroy a certain amount of enemies, or in other cases he has to take out a large tank or blimp. Similar to "Find the Lost Chao," Amy asks him to find Cream and then Cheese. Eggman asks Shadow to activate defense systems for him while Maria wants to help injured researchers in The Doom. There are more options and they fit the plot. They don't seem as random or demeaning. 

It also makes for good contrast, like in Central City where he has to either activate or sweep up bombs.  

Not all of them are easy. Both Black Doom and Espio expect a lot in Mad Matrix, and let's not forget finding the computer room with Vector. Still, it's balanced out by other stages. In the Ark Shadow can either shoot down the space colony's defenses or ride a Black Arms bird-thing around. Tails asks for help collecting rings in a stage where ringing a bell gives 50. 

Missions can be interesting and can reflect how well a player knows the game. However I'm a fan of options rather than requirements, and that makes ShtH the batter choice by far.    

ShtH is Better than Heroes (Part 8)

 Part 8: The Main Character

Sonic Heroes was a game that highlighted the benefits of trusting one another and teamwork while the less clear-cut Shadow the Hedgehog explored the trust's good and bad consequences. 

While Heroes did a great job with balancing the amount of characters fit into the game, Sonic himself was mostly just another Team leader. Shadow the Hedgehog, as the title suggests, was more focused on Shadow despite the inclusion of many other characters. 

The story for Team Hero is pretty simple. The rapport between Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails is the main attraction, perhaps highlighted best during the actual stages. In the story, though, there's little difference to make Sonic's role stand out. 

This is the first time he's taken his role-model position to the next level, actually leading Tails and Knuckles. Unfortunately the shift seems to go unnoticed. 

There is a moment of interest where Sonic admits he might not have made it to the end without Tails and Knuckles, but it's quickly replaced with in the Last Story with cheesy comments about the powers of team work and being "Sonic Heroes!"    

The Last Story was a great opportunity to contrast Sonic with his Metal double. That can be done with voice acting, appearance, and even "What I'm Made Of." But it's just not apart of the script or story. 

In Shadow the Hedgehog any path taken is about character development. Now, this game doesn't get too much weight for this because most of it is not CANON. Even if it's not all "real," it was still an important step forward.

In Heroes, Shadow worked with Omega and Rouge to track Eggman. Then he even suggested helping Team Hero in the ending. However, the game left many unresolved questions and used amnesia as an excuse to avoid them.  

The first cutscene establishes some important changes since Sonic Heroes. Mainly that he remembers a variation of Maria's death, but also that now (alone/no purpose) he's haunted and needs answers. Suspiciously Black Doom shows up at this exact moment and tells Shadow to go get the Chaos Emeralds.  

Shadow starts as neutral as possible. He's not aligned with a any character yet, not even Black Doom ("like it or not I have to believe him"). The reason he calls the humans pathetic is because his promise to Maria is lost in his head, replaced with GUN soldiers shooting her. He has no obligation to them--or hatred for them, at the start.

The game takes some unique twists, but mainly Shadow is good, bad, or neutral. 

• In "good" cutscenes Shadow doesn't like to admit weakness or friendship, but he shows respect where it's due. 
• The "neutral" cutscenes range from complete confidence to total depression. 
• The "bad" ones reveal that while Shadow can be loyal, he can also be a dangerous rebel. Either way he runs on ambition and a desire for revenge. 

The true end reveals a Shadow that's tired of being manipulated and just wants to move on. So he says goodbye to who ever he used to be and decides to "Never Turn Back." 

In Shadow the Hedgehog the supporting cast was the supporting cast. That was it. Sonic Heroes could have been Vector Heroes or Rouge Heroes or Amy Heroes because the attention was so divided. If it were a spin-off, it'd probably fine. But, again, it's a main game. In fellow multi-story main games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, or even Sonic 06, Sonic seemed to get the last moment to reveal something about his own character, like running off instead of taking credit, like saying goodbye to his than-dead rival, or even carefully watching a hint of a another life drift away.  

More centric, Shadow the Hedgehog was about Shadow. It showed sides to the character never seen before and sometimes never seen again, all while aiming to reestablish Shadow's role.      

Shth is Better than Heroes (Part 7)

2-Player

YOU MAY LOOK LIKE ME BUT I KNOW YOU'RE JUST A FAKE

Alright, this is a simple and sometimes unnecessary element, but it's been popping up in games since the original sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Both Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog feature a "multiplayer" mode (with another controller, not online). 

Heroes, first.

Heroes has a couple different options, which at at a glimpse seems to be to it's advantage. Reaching the goal first, gathering rings, using the Bobsled and Special Stages...

Contrary to that idea, the differences in gameplay and goals are a mistake, here. For side missions and stages in general, it makes sense. However, to welcome a second player is to also welcome a new player. 

Heroes' is going to be a challenge for any new player, possibly even for returning players. So while player 1 is a genius at switching between flight, speed, and strength, player 2 is going to fall behind and get frustrated. 

The main way for this mode to work is if "Player 2" is already experienced with the game. 

Another con is that many of the choices are not available right way--the player has to get emblems, and Heroes isn't very generous with it's unlockables. 

Shadow 

Shadow the Hedgehog is rather simple: kill the other player first. Not very exciting, but what justifies it is the tie-into the plot of game (and to an extent, Sonic Heroes) by making the characters "Shadow Androids." Various versions of Shadow who believe they are the real Shadow.   

Like with Heroes, it works best with someone familiar with the game, yet victory for a new player is still a possibility. There are a few locations based on areas in the game but not the same exact layout, posing more of a challenge for "Player 1." Also, since some of the Androids already have arms (pun intended) the shooting-element should be fairly straight forward. 

As an added bonus, every side character--save hovering Charmy Bee and Black Doom ("Doom's Eye")--can be controlled with a second controller during the stages. This allows someone to potentially help with the mission or a boss fight, reminiscent of Sonic 2. It's not perfect, but it is a cool concept and something I'd like to see more often.     

So...

With online mode and wireless controllers, the days of friendly competition and sibling rivalries over video games seems to have morphed. In the early 2000s, though, it was a factor that helped build value, and something that should not be overlooked when considering older games.  

Neither of are the best in the series, but ShtH's different approach worked better than Heroes'.

Quote of the Month

"I am THE REAL SONIC."
--Metal Sonic, Sonic Heroes

Shth is Better Than Heroes (Part 6)

Levels

Sonic games are filled with a variety of different locations and share many ideas or themes. Making a zone that matches the world while adding unique parts requires creativity and inspiration. 

The modern games took the hedgehog far from Green Hill as more realistic settings became possible. Balancing the colorful look of the past with the sharper views of the present was something that Sonic Heroes did very well, while Shadow the Hedgehog leaned more towards the "realistic" look. 

Sonic Heroes is tough competition, but the levels in Shadow the Hedgehog are better. 

Heroes

Heroes has, like most Sonic games, has many types of locations. A beach, a casino area, a haunted place, a jungle, a city. 

Of these, it does the haunted theme the best. While ghost appeared before, the idea was not the main theme in the past. A large, creepy castle is explored from the outside--upside down at parts--and the inside. Mystic Mansion and Hang Castle are long-time favorites. 

It also covers the Casino/pinball theme nicely. Casino Park is flashy and adds new elements like dice. Bingo Highway likewise adds Bingo and is speedy with its large slides/pinball stretches. 

Power Plant and Grand Metropolis are colorful with blues and greens. The hexagons are also a new pattern. The fortress is fairly cool since it's in mid-air. 

The forest and beach zones are bland. 

Yeah an evil rock.

Though Team Rose gets a shortened version, for everyone else these levels are rather long. 10+ minutes was not an uncommon time--unfortunately the stages that look the best are also some of the longest. Power Plant also has a poorly designed area with lava where death is almost a given. The Choatix Mystic Mansion mission is infamous for it's long length and difficulty. 

Shth

Shadow's are more focused around the plot. While there are some that differ, most keep with in themes: City, Space, Digital, or Eggman-owned. 

Even though it has less variety in categories, the ones used are fully explored. Space Colony Ark is further expanded from Sonic Adventure 2, with a view of not just the outside but deeper inside, before the Ark was abandoned. The Black Comet/Final Haunt are similar but show off unique alien traits never seen before (& sadly never seen again!). There is also a creepy Black Doom form in carved into the comet--similar to the Metal Sonic statue in Hang Castle.    

The city stages are being torn apart by lasers, bombs, fires, and gun-fights. The distress put a new turn on the common "city" appearance and seemed to be more realistic than previous attempts. 

Circus Park (Carnival) and Cyriptic Castle have some unique elements but are inferior to Heroes' Casino and Haunted theme levels. Heroes also did better with the fleets since ones like Sky Troops seem a bit boring. 

The plant covered stones of Death Ruins, though, did both the Jungle and Ruin themes better. 

With the exception of Circus Park, the levels seemed to keep a grungy, damaged look, connecting them. Generally the levels didn't feel randomly thrown into the plot/game, as some felt in Heroes (also a common problem in games such as 06).  

The length really varied. The hero version of Lost Impact is known to take up a lot of time. Meanwhile It seems impossible to finish the Ark longer than 3 minutes. The difference in time also depends on the players own knowledge, more-so than other games in the series because of the different missions. Though probably longer than Team Rose's stages, otherwise they seemed shorter than the levels in Heroes.  

Exhaustibility...

Though slightly different for the teams in Heroes, the location is the same in Shadow, but different areas/paths are explored. 

As I've said before, Sonic Heroes has less levels (14, not counting Sea Gate, special stage, or boss/rival fights) but requires playing each at least 4 times over, once for each team--8 including bonus Team exclusive missions. 

14 levels must be competed to finish for one team story, with up to 56 being needed for all and 112 with all missions. Not counting 2p or Hard Mode.  

Shadow the Hedgehog has more levels (20, not counting Last Way or boss fights) and though each level can be played three times over (hero, dark, neutral) or two times (hero/dark, neutral), the 10 endings are required to receive the true end (playing every mission is not). 

6 levels must be completed for one story-line, 60 needed before unlocking Last Way [and a total of 326 (1954 played levels) possible/optional story combinations]. Not counting 2p or Expert Mode.   

The point is that the levels in Heroes grow tiresome quicker (though if playing Shth 100%, then I imagine the levels would become very tiresome! Westopolis is not a bad level to be stuck with, though...

Conclusion

As I mentioned in Part 1, Shadow the Hedgehog is a spin-off with its own theme. While fun and colorful, Sonic Heroes' locations don't stand out too much in the series as a whole (Mystic Mansion, Hang Castle, and Bingo Highway are defiantly personal favorites, though). 

Overall where the levels in Heroes can seem a bit random or jumbled, the ones in Shadow the Hedgehog looked exciting and fit easily into the plot/darker theme. 

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

There are many opinions on what the "best Sonic" is. Though the characters of the Sonic series mainly stay the same, some have shown development. Including Sonic...at one time, anyway. 

ONE STEP FORWARD

From an Impatient Hero 

The classic games lacked dialogue but still showed personality. Sonic was very impatient, often tapping his foot or even jumping off screen. His appearance was also edgy with attitude put into his various poses. Even making him a teenager was a sharp contrast to Mario's goofy design.

He was a hero, firstly taking on Dr. Robotnik all by himself. Sonic was also a role model for Tails and didn't hold a grudge against Knuckles for all he did in S3.

In the Adventure series Sonic was more laid back, usually drawn into the conflict. Still thick with attitude, he didn't stick around often.

To a "Friendly" Thrill Seeker

By Heroes he was rushing to stop Eggman, though, eager for the thrill. This became a common scenario. The value of relying on others became more obvious for him.

Sonic made friends easily and was willing to help those who needed him. He also looked forward to taking on "new competition," and proving he was the fastest in any field.

To a Defender of Worlds 

Sonic never cared about the risk to him, though he would get angry at a foe, especially if his friends were in danger or harmed.

In games like Unleashed and The Black Knight, Sonic still had attitude and impatience but was also more serious when faced with the weight of certain situations.

"Development" 

While his 90s-based personality was largely the same, Sonic was changing. Sonic started as a hero, of course. An impatient one who gained an appreciation for friends yet became a leader and helped inspire others. Carefree, the hedgehog found fun in his adventures, but began to recognize the difference between an easy fight and a true threat. Sonic was not afraid to fight until the end to save his world (or someone else's).

So though Sonic seems static from a far, his fights with Eggman and other foes left him more mature over the years. It's possible that Sega could have taken this further. But we'll never know because...

TWO STEPS BACK

A Joker

Sonic Colors over-saturated Sonic's humorous nature, and since the game was well received (for reasons I'll never understand), this affected Sonic's future. While always having a bit of the 90s with him in the past, he seemed to adopt 2010 instead ("EPIC").

Ultimately their were so many jokes that they weren't very funny, and the plots became lighter and impossible to take seriously. With the tension gone, there was little reason to play the games or see them as unique.

A Lonely Extrovert

Sonic largely ditched the "leader" idea, not even relying on long-time bud Tails much. He left the fox to do technical work alone instead.

In Sonic Rush Sonic convinced Blaze that relying on others was not only okay--but necessary sometimes. Yet in every game since Sonic Colors he only allowed his friends supporting roles (with the exception of racing spin-offs).

He trusts "classic" Sonic, but that was himself!!! And in Forces he begins to trust the Avatar, but why would "buddy" get priority over longtime friends like Tails or even close rivals like Shadow?  In 06 Shadow admitted he couldn't take on Solaris with out help from Sonic--would Sonic admit the same about Shadow? Not the 2010s, it seems.

When Sharah was seemingly killed in Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic turned dark; he was fueled by the emotions sorrow, anger, and hatred of the World Rings. Yet when his closest friends are all consumed by the "Time Eater," calling out to him...all he says is "not cool."

It's hard to even know if Sonic cares about anyone anymore. In the rare occasions when they are around, Sonic hardly interacts with them.

A Ego Maniac

Sonic is still heroic, but he gained an ego over his many wins. While in Sonic Adventure Sonic had simply left instead of taking credit, and in Sonic and the Black Knight the hedgehog actually passed a test over chivalry, from Colors-on Sonic has excessively bragged that he will always beat Eggman.

He also dismissed the Time Eater as a threat, sighting past wins and claiming it was "no different."

Sonic's always tried to be the best, but he didn't insist upon it like Jet. At least he didn't before. Somehow Sonic became overconfident.

Though TSR arguably portrayed Sonic better (since he was working with his team again), he kept blabbing about racing (winning).

And Stoic

Though Sonic Forces was an attempt at a deeper plot, the blue blur wasn't back on track. The character had been "tortured" and declared "dead," but his personality revealed him as completely nonchalant and even a bit crude.

"Un-Development"

Overall Sonic has been shallower than ever before. "Colors Sonic" (2010) is virtually indistinguishable from "Forces Sonic" (2017). And his unconcerned behavior is unnatural, at this point.

Sega didn't learn from their mistakes, they listened to people complain about them. Instead of thinking about how they could have been improved, Sega simply ignored any game rated poorly without understanding "why."

They choose what was a well-received gameplay style, and cut off most of the characters. Meanwhile they watered down the plot since "simpler" competitors like Mario were well received. Colors wasn't a reboot of any kind, but after it's success Sega acted like it. 

Sonic's become static as a consequence. Hopefully Sega will listen to the complaints about Sonic in Forces and guide the character back--because otherwise he'll never change. 

There's no doubt that each of the cartoons helped bring his personality to focus, no matter if "Thrill-Seeker" or "Ego Maniac." The comics deserve some credit as well. While the new Movie and IDW have shown some potential in trying to reform the character, Sega itself fears risk.