#3: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis/GameCube/DS) Release Date: November 20, 1992 Last Year: #3 I still remember when I opened up that Sega Genesis on Christmas day '94 (I was six years old). My first video game system. It was like a whole new world was opened up in front of my eyes... and I'll be forever grateful to the Genesis for that. But a console without its games is just a door stopper... and as such, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was my very first game for my very first console. But nostalgia can only place a game so far, as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is one of the greatest games I have ever played in my 17 years of gaming. Tight, responsive controls, beautiful sprite graphics (man I love how the 16-bit games hold up so awesomely!), a wonderful soundtrack, and a Hedgehog with 'tude (and a two-tailed fox) showed me this wonderous world that I would play again and again. So many unforgettable moments (the first time I collected all the Chaos Emeralds and became Super Sonic. Or the first time I defeated Dr. Robotnik's gigantic robot in the Death Egg...), and so many smiles. I owe a lot to this game, and every year I'll go back and play this great game all over again. Kudos to you Sonic.
Favorite Zone Music: Metropolis Zone Favorite Badnik: Clucker (a machine gun firing chicken robot)
I am growing increasingly attracted to you.
#3) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Seriously Sega, cut down on the compilations)
Remember when I said Super Mario Bros. 3 was head and shoulders above every other game in its genre? I lied.
This is how you make a sequel. Improve the controls, physics and the gameplay in general without messing with the fundamentals, add more content, and just generally improve upon just about every imaginable aspect of the preceding game. This game is the finest piece of platforming paradise I have played in my life, and I'm willing to fight tooth and nail with anyone who tries to convince me otherwise.
Think I'm blinded by nostalgia? I had never even played this game until 2009.
