I just beat adventure 2 finally. That was a pretty hard game mainly due to the shitty camera and wonky controls. It really soured the whole experience for me. The only redeeming part of that game was the Sonic and Shadow sections. Also Final Hazard was pretty sick. It just makes me realize how much more I enjoyed Adventure 1 more. I felt like everything was better in the first game compared to the sequel. Going from open to linear , controls, camera, story and music (to be fair the music in 2 was fantastic but I still think the original has it beat). If any game deserves a complete remake I feel both these games deserve it. Sega should do it especially after the crash spyro and ctr remakes . I played both games on ps3 which I hear were bad ports.
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Sonic Adventure 1 or 2?
- Thread starter bigstef71
- Start date
I think 1, easily. For as naff as Big was, his story's over extremely quickly and Sonic still makes up the majority of the game - he's barely 1/3rd of SA2, and even with Shadow accounted it's still off balance. Gamma was also far better than the mech stages, since the time attack gimmick actually kept the pace up, and the Emerald Hunting levels didn't have SA2's butchered Radar that only let you track one emerald at a time (in addition to not being the confusing messes SA2 gave us, like Egg Quarters or Mad Space). Sonic's own level design is also much better - it feels a lot more open and there's some really well-hidden stuff.
The story also wasn't as utterly daft in SA1 and actually tied into the lore in the manuals of the Classic games, and the music variety was I think a lot stronger (rather than genre variety being more on a character-by-character basis). SA1's far, far from perfect either, but I'd go back to it anytime over SA2.
The story also wasn't as utterly daft in SA1 and actually tied into the lore in the manuals of the Classic games, and the music variety was I think a lot stronger (rather than genre variety being more on a character-by-character basis). SA1's far, far from perfect either, but I'd go back to it anytime over SA2.
1. The scope was large and they basically pulled it off. It should have been the template going forward, just with control refinements. Adventure 1 with improved control and a better, or more "modern" camera would be pretty great.
Sonic Adventure 1's gameplay is messy but other than Big the various styles all work well enough.
Sonic Adventure 2 is only a third of a good game, when you play as Sonic and Shadow. It's just that one-third of gameplay is the best Sonic has ever played in 3D.
Sonic Adventure 2 is only a third of a good game, when you play as Sonic and Shadow. It's just that one-third of gameplay is the best Sonic has ever played in 3D.
Back in the day I might have said SA2, but playing them now, Adventure 1 has more fun parts. Sonic and Tails basically play the same, Amy is a fun diversion, Knuckles' emerald hunting is way better with all the shards being trackable at once, Gamma is way more enjoyable to control than the second game's shooter characters... The only exception is Big, who at least has a fun story and can be speed run in minutes if you know what you're doing.
In comparison, the only parts of SA2 I really enjoy playing anymore these days are the first 3 or 4 Sonic and Shadow levels. At least it has better music (though it's close) and a better Chao Garden, but that's about it IMO.
In comparison, the only parts of SA2 I really enjoy playing anymore these days are the first 3 or 4 Sonic and Shadow levels. At least it has better music (though it's close) and a better Chao Garden, but that's about it IMO.
They're both great, but Adventure 2 is so much better. It gave characters weight, fleshed out previous gameplay styles, and had way more replayability than SA1. It's also smoother and incorporates classic Sonic gameplay philosophies moreso than 1.
(Also Shadow is awesome lol)
(Also Shadow is awesome lol)
As a kid I loathed Adventure's adventure fields and preferred 2's straight to the level approach. But I also preferred how you stick to the character you picked for the story. It was a toss up now I lean more towards 2 for level design and more refinement in Sonic/Shadow levels.
Tough, Adventure 2 didn't have the forced fishing gameplay, however, it featured more of the shooting gameplay which I absolutely despised. If only they had a better radar in 2 for the exploration segments.
Outside of the soundtracks, I don't care for either game today, but as a kid I played Adventure 2 waay more (enough to unlock Green Hill). So I guess 2.
Sonic Adventure 2 is a much more consistently polished game, and in terms of narrative I find it really underrated. It's a really potent sendoff to the Sonic series as a whole up to that point. It also has the better Chao Garden, which alone made it the most replayed game for me.
Sonic Adventure 1 though, despite being a lot more janky, hits a lot better highs and is just a much more thrilling game between all of its playstyles. It has the closest thing to a 2D-to-3D translation of classic Sonic mechanics, and outside of Big the Cat, all the alternate play styles were made around the principle of speed. While SA2 made the mech and treasure hunting stages clunky despite unique stages being made for them, in SA1 they're snappy and satisfying. Its soundtrack is also timeless to this day, every single track is pretty much iconic.
Sonic Adventure 1 though, despite being a lot more janky, hits a lot better highs and is just a much more thrilling game between all of its playstyles. It has the closest thing to a 2D-to-3D translation of classic Sonic mechanics, and outside of Big the Cat, all the alternate play styles were made around the principle of speed. While SA2 made the mech and treasure hunting stages clunky despite unique stages being made for them, in SA1 they're snappy and satisfying. Its soundtrack is also timeless to this day, every single track is pretty much iconic.
Tough call. I would need to replay them but I recall thinking 2 was cooler back in the day for some of the characters and set pieces. Escape from the city was an awesome way to start the game and is way more memorable than SA1's intro.
I'd like to say Adventure 2 since I enjoyed it more, but only the Sonic and Shadow stages were always 100% solid. Many Tails and Eggman stages were boring affairs that consisted mainly of holding a button and swirling the analog stick to lock on to targets. Meanwhile for every awesome Rouge and Knuckles stage like Pumpkin Hill or Security Hall, you had frustrating ones like Aquatic Mines and Egg Quarters.
Sonic Adventure has its fair share of problems (not everyone enjoys Big's Sega Bass Fishing style stages, Omega is about as boring as Tails and Eggman in 2, Amy's stages scared me as a child, etc.) but it's a more consistently fun game throughout.
So probably Adventure 1, but my personal pick is Adventure 2.
Sonic Adventure has its fair share of problems (not everyone enjoys Big's Sega Bass Fishing style stages, Omega is about as boring as Tails and Eggman in 2, Amy's stages scared me as a child, etc.) but it's a more consistently fun game throughout.
So probably Adventure 1, but my personal pick is Adventure 2.
I consider the first game (especially the Dreamcast original) to be the stronger version. And barring Big's "waste of time" fishing sim sections, I don't really dread playing any particular character.
The treasure hunting style of play in SA2 losing the ability to track any emerald piece, as soon as you got near it, was a change that was both unnecessary and screwed over the player.
The treasure hunting style of play in SA2 losing the ability to track any emerald piece, as soon as you got near it, was a change that was both unnecessary and screwed over the player.
I was going to say SA2 but this thread has made me want to go back to SA1. Whenever I get the itch to play I always play 2, the first one I only ever played through once. I still think I'll end up saying 2 is better though, even if only for the garden.
1 for me. It's the one which defined "next gen". That killer whale scene alone blew people's minds back in the day. It was the first time Sonic and friends had a redesign and everything was new and fresh, and 3d and rpgish. Introduced the original chao, which I loved before they fucked them up with that angel/devil evolution. Also the music was top tier buttrock/rap.
Sonic Adventure 2 had better sonic/shadow stages, but mecha stages and emerald hunt stages were worse than SA1's. Music wasn't as good -excluding a few highlights like city escape, metal harbor and a few others-
Also Sonic Adventure 2 introduced Shadow, my most hated Sonic character, right above Silver.
Sonic Adventure 2 had better sonic/shadow stages, but mecha stages and emerald hunt stages were worse than SA1's. Music wasn't as good -excluding a few highlights like city escape, metal harbor and a few others-
Also Sonic Adventure 2 introduced Shadow, my most hated Sonic character, right above Silver.
Honestly baffled that some think 2 is better than 1. If just counting the Sonic/Shadow levels sure I can see that.
But the Knuckles stages got way more tedious and the Tails/Eggman stages were just longer, slower versions of E102.
But the Knuckles stages got way more tedious and the Tails/Eggman stages were just longer, slower versions of E102.
Sonic Adventure 1 is still to this day the most ambitious Sonic game. 2 improved certain aspects and has the best ranking system in the series even still, but ultimately has way less going for it. The level diversity in 2 is especially poor.
I love them both, but as a 11 year old I was put off by how lanky Sonics proportions were in SA2 over SA1.
I don't like either, but 1 gives me more nostalgia because of the exploration and you can just play the sonic levels in order. And perfect Chaos is a more gratifying final boss because of the build up.
I mean, they suck in both.
In regard to the Sonic/Shadow stages, I find it hard to prefer the level design in one over the other. But at least SA2 doesn't have Big levels.
Are you referring to the bad world hubs? What levels are noticeably more open?
The treasure hunting missions are awful in both games.
Disagree here. That gameplay doesn't belong in either game but it controls better in SA2.
Nope. SA2 OST is way better than SA1.
Anyway, the moral of the story is that both games were kind of fun when they came out but they actually suck.
2006 clearly is meant to be more of a spiritual successor to the Adventure games. And I'm aware that Unleashed started development as a sequel to Adventure 2.
But neither of them are SA3 or SA4. They are Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Unleashed. No one refers to them as SA3 or SA4.
