10 Sonic Games To Play To Celebrate 35 Years of Going Fast

Happy birthday to the one and only Sonic the Hedgehog! June 23, 2026 marks 35 years since this blue dude with a 'tude made his way onto our screens and the Sega Genesis. Since then, he's been boosting everyone's spirits off the ground and, somehow, overcoming every obstacle in his way. He's had his highs and lows, but as a lifelong fan, I don't think this series has shined brighter than it is currently. I think that's worth celebrating.

So, if you're wondering what games to play for this blink-and-you'll-miss-it occasion, I've got you covered. There are a lot of fantastic gems in Sonic's long lineup of games; perfect for this Chaos Emerald-themed anniversary.

10 Sonic Origins Plus

The Sensible (and Token) Choice

Alright, let me get this out of the way. It's pretty standard to go back to where it all began to celebrate anniversaries. There are anniversary editions for tons of other games out there. The Sonic IDW comics have released 5th anniversary editions of its own issues and released new Classic Sonic comics for big anniversaries like this one... the list of examples I have of this is incredibly long. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles alone is an easy choice of a retro game to go back to right now, but that could be said for all the Sega Genesis games.

So, why waste space with four predictable answers and instead just recommend that you play Sonic Origins? It's a collection that gathers all four games and remasters them. Origins also gives you some extra content, like animated intros and endings for every game. Even Sonic CD, which now has two animated intros and outros. There's also a dedicated Blue Spheres mode and much more.

Why Origins Plus, though? Because I don't think you should leave Amy out of the fun. She's had enough of that. Go on an adventure with everyone!

9 Sonic Advance 2

A 2D Experience That's a Bit More up to Speed

We all love going fast in a Sonic game. It's in the title of this article, after all. Speed isn't entirely everything in the game design of a Sonic title, but rather what you do with it, but it still fosters some adrenaline junkie behavior in all of us. If you're looking for just a rush of speed, then Sonic Advance 2 is one of my favorites for breakneck platforming.

Advance 2 takes you through some incredibly well-designed stages that range from just plain fun like Music Plant Zone to upping the ante with some challenging platforming in levels like Sky Canyon Zone. All of these stages can be played through as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Cream in her first-ever appearance.

The Advance trilogy is high up there in Sonic's hall of fame of releases, but Sonic Advance 2 just hits all the right marks on the level design for me personally. I highly recommend it if you want something small, yet ambitious, showing off Sonic's style the whole way.

8 Sonic Heroes

You Sang It. I Know You Did

Here's a fun fact for you: Sonic Heroes holds the world record for the most playable characters in a platformer. It might get a lot of slack for its questionable physics and constant dialogue, but Sonic Heroes is still a great game to whip out for some fun. That dialogue has wrapped back around to being charming with age to the right people anyway.

The reason Sonic Heroes is on this list goes beyond how enjoyable it is, or its huge cast of characters. It's getting credit for being one of the best games to play as Team Chaotix. Vector, Charmy, and Espio were the stars of their very own spin-off podcast this year, The Chaotix Casefiles. It's an entertaining listen with a few prominent guest stars. If you want to play as the gumshoe trio, Sonic Heroes is a great game to see them in action.

7 Sonic Rush

'Cause This is What You Need!

I don't know if this is the right space to admit this, but Sonic Rush didn't entirely resonate with me as much as it did other people. Even with that, though, I felt like it'd be a complete oversight on my part to not include it. It has the speed and style of Sonic Advance 2 with a nifty way to use the DS' dual screens to extend the level design. And, of course, it marks the introduction of Blaze the Cat.

Sonic Rush has a special place in my heart, even if it doesn't click with me too much, because of its confident attitude and vibe. Sonic Rush shows off the whole way with its music and unique 2.5D style, making it a great game to have on the go. Its split story between Sonic and Blaze still sits as one of the series' most intriguing and touching to this day. Maybe I'm due to give this game a second chance. I hope you can join me!

6 Sonic Adventure 2

Halfway to Fifty

I don't think a list like this would be complete without either of the Sonic Adventure titles on here. SA1 definitely deserves its flowers, but if there's any game that deserves to be played and celebrated this anniversary, it's Sonic Adventure 2.

SA2 originally released in 2001 just in time for Sonic's 10th anniversary. Now, it celebrates its own 25th anniversary. It's halfway to being as old as the Space Colony ARK and Shadow himself, yet the gameplay still holds up as one of the best Sonic experiences today. So much so, it served as the basis for the third Sonic movie, the best one to date. It also refined the Chao Gardens into their best iteration, which makes Sonic Adventure 2 highly replayable and worth revisiting anytime.

5 Sonic Battle

One of the Only Sonic Fighting Games out There

Everyone loves a good red-hot battle where seconds can change who wins and who loses. Because of the way fighting games can require fast thinking and strategies on the fly, a lot of people think Sonic fighting games are an excellent idea. There's been two in the franchise's lengthy history, and Sonic Battle is my personal favorite. (I do love Sonic the Fighters a lot too, though. Who doesn't?)

There is a lot to Sonic Battle. And I mean a lot. Practically everyone from the Adventure-Advance era of Sonic is a playable character, including Chaos and Gamma. You have a lengthy story mode where you play as the main cast in unique episodes and experience things from their perspective. You also have a customizable fighter in the form of Emerl, a strange robot Dr. Eggman abandoned that Sonic finds on the beach. He can learn everyone's fighting styles, and gets stronger with every Chaos Emerald he has. Nothing bad will come out of that at all. (Bring tissues. Seriously.)

4 Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

... is Throwing a Birthday Party on the Track

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the latest Sonic game out there, and it's remained fresh on fans' minds for nearly a year thanks to its free updates, DLC, and tie-in events. A second year of DLC was even announced at Summer Game Fest, with Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion of all things headlining it. All of this support is definitely deserved. It's a fun, adrenaline-pumped racer that stands up with the likes of Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders.

According to Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' dedicated calendar, the game will be hosting an event on the 29th. Considering this entire month has been filled with announcements big and small, it's likely some sort of free update that ties into the festivities. At the very least, the event will likely be adding Classic Sonic to the roster with a matching event. If it's not that, then it'll probably be a pleasant surprise of some kind. Only time will tell, but there's nothing wrong with testing yourself against CrossWorlds' rivals in the meantime.

3 Sonic Unleashed

It's All Within Your Reach

One of the best things about the Sonic franchise is the unique world it built up over its tenure. Sure, it hasn't been portrayed with the most consistency, but there's an entire planet worth of interesting people and fun locations to discover. Sonic's naturally adventurous, so he welcomes it all with the same enthusiasm as the audience. Sonic Unleashed is one of the best, and literal, examples of this.

In Unleashed, Dr. Eggman's latest scheme has prematurely awoken a god sleeping in the Earth's core. It not only causes the planet to be split apart, but also gives Sonic a strange new form he dubs "the Werehog." He also stumbles upon a little deer-like fairy creature who's lost his memory. Sonic goes on a globe-trotting adventure to fix the planet and find out who his new friend really is, and that leaves fans with one colossal, cultural adventure that hasn't been topped since. It's a very strong Sonic must-play, especially for this anniversary.

2 Sonic X Shadow Generations

Two Hedgehogs for the Price of One

It's kind of hard not to recommend Sonic X Shadow Generations to anyone if they're looking for games to play to celebrate all things Sonic. Sonic Generations was created as a milestone game for the 20th anniversary, after all.

I might have my complaints about how Sonic Generations performs as part of the collection with Shadow Generations, but Shadow Generations really makes up for its flaws as a complete package because Shadow's side of it is just that good. Both games take place at the same time, which just so happens to be on Sonic's birthday. It's a perfect game to play for the occasion as long as you don't think too hard on the date when you beat Shadow Generations. (Bring tissues if you care about Shadow. Seriously.)

1 Sonic Frontiers

Party on the Starfall Isles!

Sonic Frontiers is likely the best game you could celebrate the 35th anniversary with. It gives you the most freedom in a Sonic game in years. Frontiers tells an intriguing story themed around the Chaos Emeralds while keeping every inch of Sonic lore it can close to its chest. It's the big catalyst that took the height the series had after the first two Sonic movies and changed the franchise into the impressive state it's in now.

If that doesn't convince you, Sonic Frontiers had a slew of free updates for the first year after launch, and one specifically celebrated Sonic's birthday. With it, you could have Sonic and his friends wear dedicated birthday outfits and even decorate the entire island for the occasion, complete with a gigantic Sonic-shaped cloud in the sky. It's a great way to party while enjoying one of the most recent and player-focused Sonic experiences while looking forward to whatever's next.