How do you prefer your Sonic games? 2D or 3D?

[Warmsignal]

I won't say definitively until I've played them all. I've played only the classic Sonic games, up to 3D Heroes. I'm still of the opinion the Sonic Adventure has held up, and is still fairly good even though it's a little jank. I didn't care as much for Heroes, as it was super janky. However, the best I've played are the original trilogy. I know there are plenty of 3D games not well regarded, but in recent years Sonic games have not been a critical failure as some were in the past. I think some of the modern games look quite good from the gameplay, and tend to mix elements of 2D and 3D. Depends on who you ask, some say they are good, some say they are trash. I personally don't see how they could be trash, given most of them look good just to watch.

Hating Sonic has become a meme at this point, and given all the jaded negativity that a lot of games today face, I don't put much stock into what's said about the franchise.

[undertakerprime]

2D by a mile.
Back when the Dreamcast came out I remember trying Sonic Adventure, and I couldn’t get into it. None of the 3D Sonic games since then has appealed to me.

I give Sega credit, though, for their attempts at trying something different, like 3D Blast and the 3D games. IMO that kind of gameplay just works better in 2D.

[AstralSoul]

When I think of Sonic and why I love it, it all boils down to Sonic Adventure 1! Sure it has it's flaws, many, MANY flaws! But there is something cozy about it's atmosphere. The little hub areas between levels are fun to explore and add a level of exploration the level based games just lack. I love the cutscenes and the story, it's the first time a story REALLY felt present within a Sonic game and I was fully very invested in it - Like with all the lore around the ancients and the Master Emerald. SA2 just wasn't the same, its pure level based gameplay was a pain, especially having to dig through hidden upgrades in levels and some levels like tails/Robotniks just werent fun.

Beyond that, I enjoy S1-3&K but found level design for CD & Mania to frustrating. A lot of probelms with Sonic in general are through the hit detection - I often end up spamming bosses when I'm immune after being hit  or fuming whenever the game thinks I get squished.

I think that's a great way to sum up my feelings towards Sonic Adventure as well. It's certainly not my favorite game but there's something really charming, cozy and nostalgic about it. I think it still looks great, has some interesting level ideas and has a FANTASTIC soundtrack. SA1 is one of few 3D Sonic titles I enjoy.

I'm not a big Sonic fan. Outside of the original trilogy and S&K, I always found it hard to get into his games. SA1 is the bright spot for 3D Sonics for me, and one that really impressed me when it came out, singlehandedly made me want a Dreamcast (which I sadly never got) but down the line I got to play the Sonic Adventure games on GameCube. But even SA2 didn't quite do it for me. The only other Sonic 3D game I liked was Generations. And I played all of them except Frontiers. Why I keep trying them, I have no idea. I think there's a part of me that believes I like Sonic games but then I sit and play them I can't get into them.

TL;DR: 2D Sonic is better, and just works better for the type of game.

[bikingjahuty]

When I think of Sonic and why I love it, it all boils down to Sonic Adventure 1! Sure it has it's flaws, many, MANY flaws! But there is something cozy about it's atmosphere. The little hub areas between levels are fun to explore and add a level of exploration the level based games just lack. I love the cutscenes and the story, it's the first time a story REALLY felt present within a Sonic game and I was fully very invested in it - Like with all the lore around the ancients and the Master Emerald. SA2 just wasn't the same, its pure level based gameplay was a pain, especially having to dig through hidden upgrades in levels and some levels like tails/Robotniks just werent fun.

Beyond that, I enjoy S1-3&K but found level design for CD & Mania to frustrating. A lot of probelms with Sonic in general are through the hit detection - I often end up spamming bosses when I'm immune after being hit  or fuming whenever the game thinks I get squished.

If I hadn't been for my adolescent obsession with the Dreamcast, I don't know if I'd like Sonic Adventure, but I still do despite the flaws you brought up. I replayed Sonic Adventure for the first time in probably about 15-years a year or two ago and was surprised by how many annoying gameplay issues, weird controls, and questionable stage design choices there were. I never picked up on these when I was 12 or so when I first played it. Maybe it's because I was so blown away by the visuals, maybe it was my childhood love of Sonic that blinded me to its flaws, or maybe I just didn't know any better at the time, but I always remembered the game being way better than it actually is. While I still enjoy Sonic Adventure and it is a very nostalgic game for me (I 100% get the cozy vibe you mentioned), it just does not hold up as well as most of the mainline 2D games. Still, it's not a game I could ever imagine disliking no matter how many problems it has.