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The best Sonic Team games

The 15 best games from Sonic Team, ranked from 2,575 critic and player ratings.

The best Sonic Team game is Sonic Advance, with a critic score of 85/100. Updated November 2026.

  • Ranked releases span 1992 to 2022.
  • Average critic score across the 15 ranked games: 68/100.
  • 2,575 critic and player ratings behind this ranking.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
  • 15 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,575 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 15

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

01 Sonic Advance Sonic Advance 2001 · 135 ratings Sonic Advance is notable for being the first Sonic game released on a Nintendo console, despite both Sega and Nintendo being well-known rivals on the console market throught the 1990s. Sonic Advance features four playable characters and marks the first playable appearance of Amy Rose on a 2D title. The game borrows elements from the original Sonic the Hedgehog titles for the Sega Genesis, but with the post-Dreamcast artstyle for the characters which was introduced in Sonic Adventure. The game also includes multiplayer features and mini-games. The title was also ported to the Nokia N-Gage under the title "SonicN". 85 /100
02 Sonic Rush Sonic Rush 2005 · 89 ratings Sonic the Hedgehog has a new partner, Blaze the Cat, in this fast-paced platformer, Sonic Rush. You can play as either Sonic or Blaze as you try to track down powerful Sol emeralds. Sonic Rush displays the level over both screens, allowing for screen-spanning jumps and dives. Some gameplay modes include stylus support as well. Designed as a 2.5D side-scroller, Sonic Rush is the first game in the Sonic series to explore both 2D and 3D venues by combining two-dimensional environments with three-dimensional models. In 2007, the game received a sequel, Sonic Rush Adventure. 82 /100
03 Sonic CD (1993) Sonic CD (1993) 1993 · 173 ratings A fast-paced platformer that follows Sonic as he races through time-traveling zones to rescue past and future versions of stages and stop Dr. Robotnik’s time-altering plans. Combining classic Sonic speed and precision with CD-quality music, animated cutscenes, and branching time-based routes, it rewards quick reflexes and exploration to unlock true endings. 85 /100
04 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992 · 626 ratings · finished by 37% Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) has returned, turning helpless animals into robots and forcing them to build his ultimate weapon, the Death Egg! But this time, Sonic has a friend that can help him: Tails! Find the 7 Chaos Emeralds and stop Dr. Robotnik’s evil scheme! 78 /100
05 Sonic Colors Sonic Colors 2010 · 107 ratings Sonic Colors, titled Sonic Colours in European and Australian markets, is a platforming game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2010. The game was released worldwide for the Wii in November 2010. Another version featuring different gameplay was also released on the Nintendo DS at the same time. 75 /100
06 Sonic Generations Sonic Generations 2011 · 243 ratings · finished by 11% Celebrate 20 years of Sonic in an all new adventure that delivers a definitive experience to Sonic fans new and old! 75 /100
07 Sonic Adventure 2 Battle Sonic Adventure 2 Battle 2001 · 114 ratings Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a complete conversion of Sonic Adventure 2 from the Dreamcast with additional features. Exclusive to the Gamecube are improved visuals, new 2 player battle games (including Kart Racing, Hunting and Chao Karate) and the ability to grow your Chao and exchange them to the Game Boy Advance game Sonic Advance for portable training. 73 /100
08 Sonic Frontiers Sonic Frontiers 2022 · 86 ratings Worlds will collide in Sonic the Hedgehog’s newest adventure. An experience like never before, accelerate to new heights and experience the thrill of high velocity open-zone freedom. Battle powerful enemies as you speed through the Starfall Islands - landscapes brimming with dense forests, overflowing waterfalls, sizzling deserts and more! 72 /100
09 Sonic Riders Sonic Riders 2006 · 91 ratings Sonic Riders is the fourth racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, preceded by Sonic Drift, Sonic Drift 2 and Sonic R. The game was released to start off the 15th anniversary of the release of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. For a short while, the Microsoft Xbox version of the game was released with a free Sonic X DVD. This game introduces five new playable characters, the Babylon Rogues and the E-10000 series. A sequel to Sonic Riders, entitled Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, was released in 2008 for the Wii and PlayStation 2, followed by the Kinect-required game Sonic Free Riders for the Xbox 360 in 2010. This was the last Sonic the Hedgehog game for the GameCube and Microsoft Xbox. 66 /100
10 Sonic Unleashed Sonic Unleashed 2008 · 138 ratings Gameplay in Sonic Unleashed focuses on two modes of platforming play: fast-paced levels that take place during daytime, showcasing Sonic's trademark speed as seen in previous games in the series, and slower, night-time levels, during which Sonic's Werehog form emerges, and gameplay switches to an action-based, brawler style of play, in which Sonic battles Gaia enemies 66 /100
11 Sonic Heroes Sonic Heroes 2003 · 233 ratings 62 /100
12 Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut 2003 · 95 ratings · finished by 13% 57 /100
13 Sonic Forces Sonic Forces 2017 · 109 ratings · finished by 12% 57 /100
14 Sonic Adventure Sonic Adventure 1998 · 215 ratings 55 /100
15 Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) 2006 · 121 ratings 44 /100
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Frequently asked questions

What is the best Sonic Team game?

Sonic Advance currently tops the ranking with a score of 85/100 across 135 ratings. Ranking updated November 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.