Since when did Sonic need saving? Every Sonic game that sees a major release gets bought like crazy, hence the reason more games keep getting made. People love Sonic on a level normally reserved for Mario himself, and the series will probably continue to be profitable for a very long time.
If you're talking about saving the so-called "hardcore" market... Yeah, that's not worth saving. The hardcore fanbase is completely unpleasable. In all honesty, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was everything I've ever wanted out of a new Sonic game, and is pretty much exactly the game I would have made if I'd been tasked with "saving Sonic". But hey, the fanbase hated it. Because it wasn't Sonic 2 with a new coat of paint, they hated it.
So screw it, I say. Let the hardcore fans play their Sonic 2 remakes and keep making money off the Sonic name with games that appeal to people other than cynical 25-year-olds.