The Modern Sonic levels have more different things to do, but that often translates into more different ways to go wrong. Classic Sonic, with exactly two moves and two control buttons (although he gains a few new stunts in later stages), is at least as entertaining to play as his new-school slides-on-rails cousin. Intentionally or otherwise, Generations makes a handy illustration of the principle. Sonic is as much a racing game as a platformer sometimes, and there’s no point in a racing game that makes you go slow. A moving camera, more complex levels, more complicated goals and challenges, these things made it harder to go fast. There’s an argument to be made that the series first went wrong all the way back in Sonic Adventure, that it never should have gone all the way into a 3D world in the first place. Complicating this process usually makes it less fun. Blazing through a level at top speed is even more fun. The appeal of the Sonic games has always been a simple thing. Otherwise it’s always looking square at the hero, 90 degrees to one side or the other, and frankly this is how it should be.

The camera gets a little happy here and there in the Modern Sonic levels, just for extra effect. Three top investment pros open up about what it takes to get your video game funded.ģDS Generations doesn’t do too much with a shifting 3D perspective.

Sonic generations radical highway