Sonic Generations is a game that celebrates 20 years in the most curious and fabulous of ways. While most game developers would be content to produce a remake of a classic game or bundle a collection of them together Generations offers a brand new game that commemorates his history in style.

The presentation as expected, is fantastic. The character models are typical Sega high quality and seeing the series take a jab at itself from time to time; "can't be weirder than genies in bottles and saving aliens on other planets" (vague quote) is hilarious. The music is obviously a large love letter to the fans of the series, retro and modern with remixes of Sonic music throughout the ages. The option to select which music you want in levels is a simple addition but playing your favourite Sonic tune on those cursed levels can make you forget the faults surprisingly easily. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.

The levels in question could probably be better appreicated if the game engine and controls were build around them more effectivly; something that is particually apparent during the later Modern Sonic stages. When Sonic has his green contacts in place you can expect fast paced boosting reminisent of Colours and Unleashed, side stepping and grinding. The problem is is that the game often has to remind us it's a platformer and thus ill advised 3D platforming is spawned. The control and weight of the character is so focused on moving foward that slowing down and trying to jump and navigate small platforms is a recipe for frustration; Sonic's turning circle is so wide and is jumps so light that precision platforming was an unwanted and frankly unnecessary addition. In the later half of the game where a single jump or miss-timed step can plumet you into lava or more often into a bottomless abyss controls should not be something to worry about. Controls also effect Classic Sonic to a more limited but still frustrating degree.

Classic Sonic suffers a bit from minimal weight and traction problems; swearing caused by landing on a tight edge and still moving foward a bit right into some spikes is higher then I wanted; a case of too easily obtained speed and momentum ending in disaster. Platforming is still tighter and more satisfying than Modern Sonic but the attempted replication of the Megadrive games perfect weight and controls has not been achieved: if that was Sega's intention.

If the review is sounding overly negative then let it be known that most of these criticisms are labelled at the later part of the game. The ealier levels subtly hide the problems of controls behind a safety net of fresh ground to fall on should you miss a jump and Modern Sonic sticks to speed based running and timely homing attacks. It's not until Crisis City that these safety nets are swept away quite brutally. It's ironically as if Sega had unwillingly revealed the game's flaws in an attempt to make the game more difficult.

It's unfortunate that instead of increasing the level count and the variety within each we are instead offered challenge modes that though largely optional are also partly needed to progress through the game. A few offer an interesting spin on the traditional gameplay but many simply serve to reveal control flaws to an unfair and uneeded extent. Modern Sonic is unfairly exploited here as many challenges slow down him down to roam in 3D and demanding turns and curves that he can't just make on a dime; just so Knuckles can dig up some bloody coins for example.

When the game plays in a flowing and forgiving manner most apparent in the first three stages but still in spurts in the latter levels then moments of brilliance are there to excite. Classic Sonic bouncing off mulitple enemies to reach higher platforms in a feat of dexterity and skill is pure satisfaction while running down the side of a building as police cars chase you as Modern Sonic are a couple of beautiful moments that capture the spirit of the game perfectly. If moments like these were more plentiful and not bogged down by odd level choices and controls the game would not just be "a great Sonic game" but also a fantastic game in it's own right.

The bosses are a mixed bag but many add their own frustrating wringle to the game. The rival [sub]bosses are generally fun for their simplicity and easy to understand patterns but still require good timing. This is excluding Silver who, while offering very imaginative attack patterns offers no hint on how to really attack him; "oh, so I was supposed to homing attack the imposing telekinised and oddly distant looking cars!" The true bosses are accessed by obtaining 3 keys which in turn have to be obtained by completing a challenge mode per stage. The first boss excluded the other bosses are the familar 'run and attack' that we've grown accustomed to; which is something I find suits Sonic bosses personally. They offer minor frustration but it's the final boss that will truely test players patience. A typical Super Sonic fight in space (more or less) but the method by which to win is made to feel complex and convoluted due to Sonic's uneeded attack and movement mechanics which with the environment disguise the true method; just fly into his chest people.

The moments of sheer fun, sometimes brilliance offered by the first half of the game in particular save it from the average but the developers odd desire to place Sonic in a world often not designed for the niche game engine stops the game from being truely great. Sonic Generations is another example of Sega stopped short of true greatness due to some ill advised design choices and though this is shame this is still a fine tribute to two decades of the blue blur.