Video game movies have a long and storied history of failing at almost every turn, but recent years have held a few surprising successes. One such success was so substantial that it's worth asking whether this iconic mainstay of gaming history might be better suited for an art form without gameplay.

Sonic the Hedgehog has been the star of one of the most controversial franchises of all time. Some fans ardently defend every project he's involved with, and some critics claim he's never lent his name to anything of quality. Amongst the mountain of media bearing this beloved blue creature's visage, the 2020 film adaptation stands tall with nearly universal approval.

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The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is not popular because of the quality of the games within. It's not beloved because of the touching overarching narrative of good-natured fun or environmental consciousness. The games don't sell millions before the first trailer drops because of the well-established standard of quality. Sonic, the franchise owes its tremendous success and worldwide renown largely, if not entirely, to the unthinkable popularity of Sonic, the character. Consider all the most well-known characters of video game history. Mario, Link, Gordon Freeman, Master Chief, Pac-Man, all pale in comparison to Sonic the Hedgehog. There just isn't the same kind of love for those characters, even though the games they star in are fantastic and well-received. Love for the character is entirely inseparable from love for the game. The Blue Blur, apart from his games, has a level of popularity beyond that of any other video game character. In many ways, the games are dragging him back.

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Sonic has a huge personality. It isn't groundbreaking, but it is the most omnipresent hallmark of his presentation. Anyone exposed to more than a second or two of Sonic understands what he's about and knows the kind of character he is. He's irreverent, confident, good-natured. He goofs off and constantly cracks jokes, but he's always ready to put himself on the line to save the world. He's immediately identifiable; every aspect of his look, voice, movement, design and animation sells his heroic adrenaline junky persona. It is substantially easier to understand Sonic's personality traits than it is to gather anything about the nondescript power people keep obliquely stating he has. Even in his worst game, the lovable personality of the title character keeps fans engaged and happy to return. He is the draw, that's why his name is in every title and his face is on every box. The fans will follow him anywhere, including to an entirely new medium.

One of the most common complaints surrounding every Sonic is tied in with the character's central trait, his speed. Almost every Sonic game is a platformer, either 2D or 3D. Platformers are based on precision jumping and running over obstacles. The speed at which Sonic typically moves makes a lot of the gameplay more difficult. The game is constantly struggling against itself. If it allows the player to run at full speed, there's no way to react to oncoming danger. If it requires slower movement, it's failing to live up to its promise, central premise, and title. This central failing of the gameplay has been overcome a few times, perhaps best achieved by Sonic Mania, but these are the exception, not the rule. Gameplay gets in the way of Sonic more often than not, but the games also offer very little chance to dig deep into the character.

Sonic games typically have bare-bones plot lines, buffeted on all sides by plenty of forgettable lore. The characters don't grow or change much, the monster of the week rises and is defeated, leaving everyone pretty much where they started. The games don't allow a ton of time to tell a story, mostly just cutscenes and dialogue played during gameplay. This problem isn't present in the medium of film. Sonic is allowed to grow, learn new lessons, and develop throughout and between entries. The games are typically very loosely related to each other, but the films tell a consistent narrative. Sonic's effervescent personality isn't served by the limited presence in the games, but a more complete story could give him a chance to shine.

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Sonic the Hedgehog is popular in his own right, and his gameplay often holds him back more than it serves him. In the movies, Sonic can finally become a full-fledged character. More than just a beloved personality, a three-dimensional figure who can change in fascinating new directions. Sonic may be the only character crafted for a video game, especially ones from the early nineties, that can have a brilliant second life in cinema. Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog will suffer through some of the worst games ever made, just to spend more time with their favorite character. The film franchise finally offers the opportunity to see Sonic in a new and improved light.

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