I just feel like Sonic never needed to move into 3D, and it really, really, really never needed much characterization or story. I enjoy the gameplay of some of the later Sonic games but I liked it better when it was a "shut up and go really fast!" series and what passed for "cutscenes" was a 20-second pause in gameplay where Robotnik (or Knuckles) showed up, ruined your day and left. These were flat characters and trying to tell more complex stories with them... didn't work for me. Especially when they tried to get serious. Sonic 2006 was an unforgivable disaster of storytelling.

Sonic is one of those series that I think should just stick to formula, because the formula was good.

I would not touch anything post 2D era with barge pole, with the exceptions of the Advanced series and Generations.

I'm an off-and-on Sonic fan.

I still love playing Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic 1 (in that order) from Sonic Jam.
Of the handhelds, I love Sonic Rush Adventure and I thought Sonic Advance 2 is nice.
Of the moderns, I love Sonic Generations (PS3) and actually liked Shadow the Hedgehog game (don't hurt me).

Despite that, I lost interest around the first Sonic Adventure. I normally didn't care for 3D platformers and Sonic Adventure didn't change my mind. In fact, I couldn't stand the Sonic Adventure series anymore mostly because I felt those games are the reasons for the alternate gameplay styles and the trying-to-be-epic storylines. Plus it doesn't help to constantly hear from the fanbase "Make Sonic Adventure 3! That'll save the series!" Give me a break. I know I'm being hypocritical because I like the Shadow the Hedgehog game, but even then, I didn't think that game is appropriate for Sonic. Sonic is getting better but as much as I love Sonic Generations, it's not really great because it was unique in its own right. If Sonic is to be truly great like his classics, Sonic Team is going to have to take it up a notch. As far as storyline is concerned, I didn't think Sonic games had any good writing to begin with. I didn't mind Sonic Generations' because for once, it was a fun main Sonic game through and through.

ill hop back on this l8r, be i have a lot to say x3

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I have to agree with ~hoggys2much, maybe with just a little less...murderous rage Sonic before 2006 was gold. Of course you will always have "purists" who will claim that Sonic died the moment he made the transition to 3D. But if that's so I wouldn't blame the medium (after all, Mario transitioned to 3D very successfully) I would blame changes in the games style, atmosphere, story etc - which would have occurred in any dimensions eventually. I say blame them trying to force down a story into it while the competitor - Mario, decided to play it safe and just keep it to little more than "Bowser kidnapped Peach, off to save her ass again!" I believe a lot of early Sonic's charm came from the simplicity of the games - like any decent, entertaining platformer all you had to do was run from left to run and beat a few cute-looking enemies and some kickass  bosses and little much else than that

Also the level designs too. If there's one thing that I feel is missing from newer Sonic games - its the presence of inspiring natural worlds. They seem to go more "urban" these days and they saturate them with too many city/factory type levels and neglect places like snow mountains, beaches, caves, volcanoes, forests etc. While older games had those too, but only about 2-3 in an island landscape otherwise filled with colourful, natural wonderlands. My only gripe with Sonic Adventure 2 would be just that - more than half the game was in either the city or space colony. A few more nature levels would have been appreciated. But still - fun game, with heaps of content to work on for the perfectionist Sonic Heroes was the last Sonic game released that I still think is worth bringing out for the occasional "nostalgia-play" today. And the level designs, colours and mood of that game was very true to what originally made Sonic games so inviting and fun. They outta do more games like Heroes if they want a good 3D reputation (of course, don't rehash the team thing, imagine a game like Heroes again just with Sonic as the playable character) - I'd buy it

Once it went 3D, the Sonic series went horribly wrong. Now it's just flailing around trying to find something it can work on.

The Sonic franchise and some of it's more rabid fanbase can be summed up in one image:

Actually I quite like some of it. Sonic 2 is my fave of the classic games. I'm one of the rare individuals who considers it better than Sonic 3. Sonic Generation's gameplay is near perfect except for the fact it still really wasn't designed around momentum properly. It tries but kind of falls short of nailing it like the genesis games did.

I only ever enjoyed Sanic Avanture 2 Battle, but I don't know what I feel about Colors.

I liked how fast the speed stages in Unleashed were, and I haven't played Generations yet.

My interest in Sonic has been renewed to an extent. Sonic 4 kinda sucked, but Sonic Colors and Generations made up for it.

I used to be a massive Sonic fan but not anymore.

I have been playing Sonic since he first came out in 1991 but I will never buy another Sonic game again.

From 1991 to 2003 his games were amazing but since 2006 his games have been nothing short of complete horse shit.

Ever since Yuji Naka left and SEGA put that total fucktard Iizuka in charge his games have really gone to hell. Just what the fuck were SEGA thinking in putting that total fucktard (who I want to kill) Iizuka in charge? That motherfucking asshole hasn't got a clue about making games. Iizuka needs to go NOW!

This gen has been a total disaster for Sonic. Sonic 2006 was a broken mess that should have never have been released, Unleashed was a disaster of epic qualities and Generations is one of the worst games ever created (a game so bad I traded it in unfinished). The only half decent game this gen was Sonic Colors.

Sonic is now dead in the water.

It is time for either Sonic to be given to someone else (just get him away from those fucktards at Sonic Team) and rebooted or dropped and for SEGA to find either A. A new character or B. Or to bring back Alex Kidd.

Some Sonic games are pretty good but most of them are mediocre to god awfull. I haven't played Sonic generations yet but I heard good stuff about it.
I liked the gameplay in SA2 and the Sonic advance series was the best Sonic games for me the past 10 years.
Sonic heroes is okay, Sonic Rush was boring. I never enjoyed the Sonic rpg which was a shame cause I love me some rpg. Sonic 2006 was full of glitches and don't even get started on Sonic the werehog or that Shadow game.

I've never really been crazy about the Sonic games, although I have enjoyed some of them, and I recently bought a bundle of Sonic games through Steam, mostly so I could try some of the newer games (Sonic 4 and Generations). I'm a Sonic fan because of the Archie comics, which I read from maybe the mid 90s to the early 2000s or later

I shall foreword by saying that I really like Sonic. I have played it since I was 6, and add 20 years and that is alot of game-time.

What I used to love about the megadrive/genisis titles was that there was very little story, no dialogue and it sparked the imagination. I got more from wondering why Robotnik was flying around turning animals into robots than I did when he became a pantomime villain in the later titles. The stages were simple, yet beautiful and I used to dream about what might happen if sonic ever decided to turn left and right and look at those waterfalls, mountains or neon caverns.

The newer titles haven't all been bad, SA1 SA2 and the DS RUSH titles were fantastic, and the new Generation title has been the closest to the old sonic I remember than ever. What they have lacked is wonder, either they try and emulate what they have already done, or SEGA add a new gimic (ie now he has a sword, or magic book etc) to drive the game.

Sonic is at his best when it is simple, gameplay focused and if there needs to be a plot it should be subtle. Subtle, as it will encourage all ages players, like Marios audience to delve in. As soon as Sonic or Tails open their mouth - it is a kids game.

I am old now. Compared to most of you Sonic fans here (And there are alot of them) so perhaps my expectations are different. I would love to see a game that sparks the imagination, generates that sense of imagination and wonder with creativity and most importantly fun. (Just look at Rayman Origins, that is EXACTLY what I am talking about.)

Cheers for reading the rant.