20 Years Back, A Little-Known Sonic Game Revolutionized the Franchise

• Sonic the Hedgehog's role in the video game mascot race of the '90s and 2000s.
• Sega's withdrawal from the console war post-Dreamcast failure.
• Launch of Sonic Heroes in 2004 as a fresh series for Sonic.
• Controversial opinions on Sonic Heroes two decades after release.
• Unique gameplay of Sonic Heroes with control over three characters simultaneously.

The Iconic Hedgehog and the Video Game Mascot Race

The iconic character, Sonic the Hedgehog, played a significant role in the video game mascot race that dominated the ‘90s and 2000s. The Sega Genesis' Sonic was a cooler and sharper response to Nintendo’s widely recognized yet unsophisticated plumber character.

Sonic the Hedgehog, first released in 1991, and later Sonic Adventure 2, a decade after, became synonymous with fast-paced, skill-demanding, and adrenaline-fuelled gaming experiences. Despite Sega's strong competition with Nintendo, the company lost its footing with the Dreamcast, a failure so colossal that it forced Sega to withdraw from the console war completely.

Remembering Sonic Heroes

Despite the setbacks, Sonic still had some fuel left. In 2004, Sonic Heroes was launched by Sega, with the aim to start a fresh series for Sonic, instead of just being an Adventure sequel. This was according to a 2004 interview with director and lead designer Takashi Iizuka.

Yuji Naka, Sonic’s creator, stated in 2003 that "Sonic Heroes is a new style of game." Not only was it the first multiplatform game for the mascot, but it also required the team to create versions for all three major consoles, namely, the GameCube, PS2, and Xbox. This was while learning a new game engine, EA’s Renderware. Due to these factors, the final product had some rough edges.

20 Years of Sonic Heroes

Two decades after its release, Sonic Heroes remains one of the most controversial titles in the franchise. Some gamers see it as charmingly simple, while others view it as a shift from fast-paced gameplay to clunky messes with confusing storylines. The reviews at the time weren’t kind, with critics stating that the "characters are basic and cringe-worthy, the combat is tedious, and the platforming and puzzling is too basic."

Sonic Heroes Gameplay

In most previous games, Sonic’s gameplay revolved around speed and reaching the finish line as quickly as possible. Momentum was key. However, Sonic Heroes introduced a unique feature that allowed players to control three characters simultaneously. Each character had unique strengths and abilities: Speed characters could dash and travel over rings, power users could break through blocks and glide, and fliers could ascend using wind attacks. Players would need to constantly switch between the three characters to progress, adding a layer of strategy beyond just speeding through.

There were four trios to choose from, each with its own campaign and skill level. This included the regular Sonic and his friends, the quirky side characters offering an easier gameplay, the challenging bad guys, and the money-hungry bounty hunters that could be skipped (unless a collect-a-thon was desired). Each campaign intertwined with the others, revealing Dr. Eggman’s sinister plot of wielding robots.

As a middle schooler, this was my first experience with the Sonic franchise and the first non-Pokémon game I ever beat, so I remember it through rose-tinted glasses. Listening to the banter...

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