What is it?

Sonic Generations combines Sonic’s past and present. Half of the game has you controlling “classic Sonic” in 2D levels that play a lot like the Genesis releases. “Modern Sonic” levels play more like the faster paced titles from the character's recent history, which transition between 3D and 2D perspectives, with homing attacks and a boost button.

Why is it cool?

Sonic Generations easily looks to be the best Sonic game in years. The classic Sonic parts feel as good as the original Genesis releases, and the developers seem to have lifted the modern Sonic play-style directly from the surprisingly good Sonic Colors.

Past Sonic games have inspired all of the game’s levels and songs. Levels Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog and City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2 were shown at E3. The fun comes in watching a level reimagined for a Sonic game it wasn’t meant for. For instance, the classic Sonic version of Sonic Adventure 2 still features the truck chase that was famous in the Dreamcast version but in an entirely 2D level that wouldn’t have felt out of place in the original Sonic the Hedgehog.

The moment I laughed out loud

The modern Sonic version of City Escape was very similar to how the level played in Sonic Adventure 2. But while the end of the level still featured a giant truck chasing Sonic down a road, this time the vehicle had multiple chainsaw arms hanging out of it. The truck even followed Sonic as he was running along the side of a building. This semi was out for hedgehog blood.