Sonic the Hedgehog should retire...

[TalkingOctopus]

I saw this Sega press release on Gamespot today:

Today, Sega announces the use of the song

[SithMaster]

Air riders?

[elvis]

WHY!?  This PR isn't even about a game.  Has Sonic had any good games in the last 10 years?

There will be several new sonic games for all the next-gen consoles.

And why should any character ever "retire".  A character has nothing to do with how good a game is made.  If Sega can continue to make FUN Sonic games for the next 20 years, then good on them.  Why should anyone stop them?

Sonic on Wii:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0608/game060830c.shtml

Sonic on PSP:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0608/game060816e.shtml

Sonic on XBox360 and PS3:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0509/game050910c.shtml
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0509/game050918c.shtml

2D side-scrolling Sonic has also been released on Nintendo DS and continues to have new games on GBA:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0507/game050728a3.shtml

Not to mention the upcoming rythm-based DS game:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/0405/game052804g.shtml

"Any good games in the last 10 years?".  Yes, plenty of them.  They don't get a lot of mainstream media coverage in the west thanks to games like the Ghost Recons, Battlefields, and GTAs which dominate our media's short attention span.  But that doesn't mean old Sonic is anywhere near dead.

[TalkingOctopus]

I've actually played through Sonic Rush.  It was pretty good, but relied on memorization to be difficult.  However, the majority of these Sonic games are terrible, which is why he should retire.  Anyway, I just thought that press release was crazy and kinda funny.  Don't take it too seriously!

[yalborap]

I've actually played through Sonic Rush.  It was pretty good, but relied on memorization to be difficult.  However, the majority of these Sonic games are terrible, which is why he should retire.  Anyway, I just thought that press release was crazy and kinda funny.  Don't take it too seriously!

The people making the bad games should retire. A character should never be completely retired and unusable. Exceptions only occur when it is done in a storyline sense(see the high chance of Solid Snake dying in MGS4, or at least doing his 'final mission').

[Hoagie_one]

Sonic never had teh depth of a mario game and therefor I concidered it a time sink more than an enjoyable game

[TalkingOctopus]

Sonic never had teh depth of a mario game and therefor I concidered it a time sink more than an enjoyable game

That's a good point.  It seems in order to add depth, more playable characters were added to the games.  However, this does not seem compelling.  Who wants to play as Sonic's girlfriend Amy, who is slow and wields a hammer?  I think the early sonic games on the genesis were enjoyable time sinks.  The good level design, colorful graphics and the fast speed of Sonic made them fun to play through, even if they were brief and lacked the depth of a platformer like Mario.

[sphetr2]

Sonic and Knuckles = one of my favorite games evar.

Sonic advance is also teh fun.

I don't really like the 3d ones, but I hope that the new Wii version changes that.

Remember: saying that a video game character should retire is a death wish. I would advise against doing it.

[shmokes]

I've always hated Sonic games.  Every one I've ever played since the very first one on the Genesis.  I can't put my finger on it except to say that I guess there's no accounting for taste.

[elvis]

The people making the bad games should retire.

Then there would be no-one to run EA nor Rockstar.

Actually... that's a really good idea...

[SNAAKE]

sega need to stop releasing "new sonic games" every 2 weeks. shadow the hedgdog and sonic rider sucked SO bad..probly took them like a month to complete both "games"