I'm sure most of you read Penny Arcade, so I was surprised to find a link to a Game Trailers review that actually said it not only didn't suck... it was actually good. Great-ish even. So I went and bought it for 50 bucks last night to see if it could be so. (My hopes weren't high. I've been hurt before.)
I haven't had so much fun in such a long time. I was a Genesis kid, I was a Dreamcast teenager, and if you were a SEGA kid this is YOUR nostalgia game. Finally. IT'S OUR TIME NOW NINTENDO KIDS! BAHAHAHAHAHA! (You guys have no idea how dead we've been inside....)
I was expecting the 2D to play the best, and it is awesome, but I'm actually finding the 3D to be the most fun. They don't punish you for going fast anymore! THEY ACTUALLY FIXED MOST OF 3D SONIC'S ISSUES. It is legitimately fun to speed boost through things. It is a little too easy to get good ranks, the boss fights could be better, and it is a bit short for your money, but it is way longer than the original Sonic games, (which I remember selling for 25-30 dollars back in the day, so make of that what you will). The design of the menus are slick, it handles amazingly well, there are multiple levels within levels, challenge modes, and the story isn't half bad either. Does its job, does it well.
Oh, and those annoying little side characters, (read: everyone who isn't Sonic or Tails), while in the game, are referenced but mostly passed over. That was probably a good move on their part, they don't bother the old school Sonic fans too much and they don't alienate the newer Sonic fans by not having them there. They do make fun of a few of the odder ones though, so that's fun.
If that doesn't convince you, perhaps this will: Sonic eats a chilly dog. IN A SONIC GAME.
I heartily recommend, go pick it up.
(Fingers crossed they add Oil Ocean Zone in on some DLC!)