I know people don’t enjoy Sonic Adventure. I know the camera control in the game is some of the worst. I know a Sonic game didn’t need voice-acting, and we never called him “Eggman” in the states…
Big the Cat.
But Sonic Adventure introduced the Dreamcast to millions of people, and was a 3D adventure that many kids like 14 year-old ScottyMo will never forget sitting down with on 9/9/99. This game introduced me to a whole new world that I didn’t even know I wanted in a video game. And if you look up anything related to the Dreamcast or Sonic Adventure, you will see a screenshot of that giant orca destroying a pier while Sonic runs in a panic. This game initiated a new era for Sega.
These and many other reasons are why we always begin the Dreamless Dreamcast 24-Hour Marathon with Sonic Adventure. Amidst it’s goofy character animations and glitches, there exists a vast game that may have been a bit too big for its britches (did we need 6 styles of gameplay AND more Tamagotchis in our pockets? MY CHILD CONSUMER MIND SAYS FUCK YES THAT’S WHY I OWN A VMU). But the game has charm that I still have not found in a recent 3D Sonic game.
I thoroughly enjoyed running through the Adventure Field to my next destination, because I felt like I was finally part of Sonic’s world. Connecting each Action Stage by discovering them throughout Station Square reminded me of the zone connection that took place in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and made the world seem more practical in a sense. Overall, it brought more life to the game, which I felt was taken away somewhat when Sonic Adventure 2 replaced this with a stage-select map.
Most importantly, Sonic Adventure was the evolution Sonic and company needed. It wasn’t just competition to Mario, it was the next step that fans were ready to experience. Knuckles really could explore more than any other characters. Tail really did have to try to keep up with Sonic. Amy really did have an obsessive personality. And Big the Cat really was a complete idiot. We got to see these characters in their element more than any of the 2D games could ever show us.
Sonic Adventure will always have one the most fun levels in a Sonic game: Emerald Coast. It will also always have some of the worst levels in a game: Lost World, or Twinkle Circuit. But regardless, it represents a time when Sega was able to show the world that Sonic had more than just attitude, and they were more than just another company shelling out an average game and an average console. Sega began taking creative risks with Sonic Adventure and the Dreamcast. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for them, but the Dreamcast still represents one of the most unique libraries, and no library is complete without Sonic Adventure. And that’s why no Dreamcast marathon is complete without Sonic Adventure either.
See you guys Saturday morning, September 5th at 7am EST on Twitch for the Dreamless Dreamcast 24-Hour Marathon!
Probably watching The Matrix. It knows best.
