Sonic The Hedgehog 10 Games with a Story You Should Play, Ranked:

Certain Sonic games feature magnificent narratives that take fans on an entertaining and fast-paced adventure with Sonic and his companions.

For instance, Sonic Forces brings together Sonic's entire cast to combat Eggman and his new adversary, Infinite, resulting in a convoluted narrative brimming with entertaining and self-righteous moments.

Another game with a magnificent narrative is Sonic Colors, which presents a lighthearted story with an atmosphere reminiscent of a Saturday morning cartoon.

Sonic the Hedgehog has become somewhat of an institution. Beyond his home realm of video games, the Blue Blur has made appearances in several blockbuster films, television series, and more. These typically adhere to a more traditional storytelling approach, as opposed to the open-ended narrative style one would expect from a game. However, this by no means implies that there is a lack of quality in the storytelling of certain Sonic console adventures.

Whether he's confronting the eldritch beast of the week, saving humanity or parallel dimensions, or simply battling his long-standing foe, Dr. Eggman, Sonic has immersed his laced-up sneakers in it all. Here, we take a glimpse into some of his finest tales - ahem, narratives.

Updated on September 2, 2023, by Bobby Mills: Since the initial publication of this list, a lot has changed in Sonic's realm. He has transitioned from the small screen to the big screen and beyond, potentially becoming an even bigger name than in the '90s. As a result, many new faces will be trying his games for the first time, including the open-world title Sonic Frontiers. We are giving this brief narrative review a fresh update, so newcomers will have a clear idea of what to expect from each Sonic title and which one to embark upon first.

10 Sonic Lost World

Sonic and Tails venture to the Lost Hex, the home of a race-like (and unabashedly stereotypical) group of creatures called Zeti. Dr. Eggman subjugates six of them, known as "the Deadly Six," to utilize them as tools for his customary world domination scheme.

Unfortunately, Eggman loses control over the Zeti after Sonic hurls away the device that kept them subdued. This creates an uneasy alliance between Sonic, Tails, and Eggman – not necessarily the first time in the franchise, but still somewhat tense. As the Zeti utilize Eggman's tools to wreak havoc on Earth, the friendship between Tails and Sonic is tested in a series of hilariously sentimental dialogues, adding an unexpected layer of emotion to this vibrant and action-packed adventure.

9 Sonic Forces

Forces is a unique endeavor as it brings together the entire cast of Sonic and thrusts them into a rather unconventional setting, where they must fight for survival in roles they are not necessarily prepared for. Naturally, thrown into the mix is your very own OC, whom you can outfit with all the bells, whistles, and hipster-esque glasses that your dark little heart desires.

Eggman has formed an alliance with a new adversary named Infinite, who emerged from the Phantom Ruby featured in Sonic Mania, successfully conquering the world. And that's just the tip of the iceberg; not to mention that Sonic is held captive (and subjected to torture!) for months without displaying any negative effects. Or that Tails undergoes yet another character arc, learning to be courageous. Or that Knuckles proves to be a war criminal. Despite the rather convoluted plot, it manages to incorporate enough entertaining and self-righteous moments to make it worthwhile.

8 Sonic Colors

One of the more lighthearted Sonic tales, here Eggman constructs an "Interstellar Amusement Park" in space, supposedly to atone for the misdeeds he has committed over the years. Of course, this plan fails to consider that every time he previously built an amusement park, it was for some malicious purpose. And so, it doesn't take long for Sonic and Tails to uncover the true secret of the park.

Inside, there is a facility designed to harness energy from surrounding planets, particularly from the indigenous Wisps. Wisps, of course, are the adorable little Happy Meal bait looking to seek Sonic's assistance. Ultimately, the hedgehog destroys Eggman's hidden generators, causing the amusement park to vanish into a black hole. The Saturday morning cartoon atmosphere truly elevates the storytelling of Colors.

7 Sonic Battle

This GBA beat-em-up features a story mode divided into episodes. Each episode revolves around a different character, but they all serve to further expand upon the popular 'Gizoid' Emerl, who acquires abilities throughout the game. It turns out that Eggman's great-grandfather discovered Emerl and his potential, conducting extensive research on how he could be utilized for (let's say it together) world domination. Armed with this knowledge, Eggman attempts to force Emerl into obedience, but unfortunately, the Gizoid does not heed his commands.

Marooned on the beach and subsequently discovered by Sonic, Emerl continues his bond with the colorful entourage of the hedgehog, all the while developing a stronger conscience. It's an overall sweet tale of redemption, providing ample opportunity to give the bad guys a good beating.

6 Sonic Frontiers

Sonic and the crew arrive at the Starfall Islands after being summoned by a Chaos Emerald signal. This once thriving paradise is now run-down and barren, with traces of Eggman technology scattered everywhere. Through adventures in each biome, the group uncovers what has transpired while simultaneously battling the new villain, Sage - an AI created by Eggman, determined to trap them in the cyberspace.

Ultimately, it turns out that the ancient beings (alien relatives of Chaos from Sonic Adventure) were wiped out by The End, a destructive moon in the style of Majora's Mask that fell upon them. They preserved their knowledge in the cyberspace, and now it all flows into Sage, who naturally develops a conscience. She and Sonic join forces to defeat the resurrected End and save the remaining heritage of their ancestors. Special recognition is due to Mike Pollock for his heart-wrenching vocal performance as Eggman.

5 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles)

Among the entire classic series, the narrative of Sonic 3 stands out the most. This game marks our first encounter with Knuckles the Echidna, who is positioned here as a naive anti-hero and believes Robotnik's claim that Sonic and Tails are after the Master Emerald. On their journey across Angel Island and beyond, the duo must convince Knuckles otherwise and thwart Robotnik's plan. Note: It might involve the Death Egg. Once again.

Many games in this era relied on players reading the included manual to understand the story. Without dialogue and traditional cutscenes, the brief interactions of the characters have to carry the entire weight to showcase Knuckles' character development. Fortunately, they do so in a spectacular manner. After Robotnik deceived the echidna, a new friendship eventually develops between the trio, a bond that has now lasted for almost 30 years.

4 Sonic & The Black Knight

The Sonic Storybook series transports Sonic into fairy tale worlds, with his friends taking on the roles of familiar-looking characters. No, that's not Tails, that's Ali Baba (of course). In this game, they find themselves in the Arthurian legend. Sonic faces off against a Black Knight who has taken over Camelot. This Black Knight holds the scabbard of Excalibur, granting him immortality, and Sonic cannot allow that. And now comes the final boss battle, and he emerges victorious.

But wait a minute! SEGA has a masterful bait-and-switch trick up its sleeve. After the credits, the action continues immediately, and your tutorial guide for the game, Merlina, reveals herself as the true antagonist. Now, that's a surprising twist. In a spectacular showdown, Sonic absorbs the power of Excalibur to definitively thwart her plans. Among the two Storybook adventures, The Black Knight maximizes the use of its characters and ends with a bittersweet undertone, where Sonic contemplates his own mortality. Truly.

3 Sonic Adventure 2

The sequel to Sonic Adventure offered two linear storylines and was the first main game where you could also play as the villains. And honestly, who doesn't love a good villain at the end of the day? Your choice, right from the title screen, is clear: Either save the world or conquer it.

Eggman teams up with the widely beloved "edgelord" Shadow the Hedgehog. Together, they plan to conquer the Earth using a mysterious superweapon they found in the abandoned space colony ARK. Meanwhile, Sonic fights to clear his name, while Shadow unleashes chaos, definitely-not-San Francisco. By the end of the game, Shadow's motives become clear: he seeks to avenge his old friend Maria, who was cold-bloodedly killed by the forces that stormed the ARK. Oh, and Eggman discovers the (potentially apocalyptic) secret of his great-grandfather's legacy. Live and learn, baby.

2 Sonic Adventure

After the lifespan of the SEGA Genesis came to an end, fans had to wait a long time for the next major Sonic title. When the game finally arrived, it was the first proper 3D attempt by the Blue Blur, and he managed the transition quite well for the most part. The story-driven Sonic Adventure is an interesting blend of action-platformer and RPG. Hub worlds with citizens to interact with separate the levels, and various NPCs also have their own stories that unfold throughout the game.

As for the main story? Dr. Eggman has, as always, awakened the ancient deity Chaos and plans to transform Station Square into his personal city, Robotnikland. Each character (yes, even Big) has their own path, with the six protagonists presenting their individual parts of the story, allowing the puzzle pieces to fall into place. Eventually, they all come together at the climax of the story for a grand finale, where Super Sonic defeats the fully charged Perfect Chaos.

1 Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Unleashed remains a criminally underrated adventure for the Blue Blur and represents the pinnacle of the series' visual style, gameplay iteration (they still use that Boost formula!), and yes, storytelling. Eggman's latest experiment robs Super Sonic of the power of the Chaos Emeralds and uses it to tear the Earth apart. The Earth's crust fractures into pieces, awakening a being called Dark Gaia. Additionally, something from its energy infects Sonic, transforming him into a werewolf; not a great way to start his day.

Understandably disoriented, Sonic discovers a new friend named Chip who has lost his memories. In a beautiful around-the-world adventure that lasts about 20 hours, this unusual team puts things back together and uncovers who Chip really is. Spoiler: He is Light Gaia, destined to bring peace to Dark Gaia, which he does in an absolutely stunning final battle. Sonic Unleashed: Ultimate, when, please, SEGA?