To prepare Sonic for the 3D era of gaming, he underwent a character redesign between March and April 1997. Debuting in his new form in Sonic Adventure, every mainline game since has utilized this character model.
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Similar to Sonic’s character revision is how the games’ soundtracks have been constantly redesigned by Sonic Team’s musicians in this era. From hard rock to classical and cinematic to synth, Sonic’s soundtracks showcase a wide variety of various musical genres. Even if some of these mainline 3D modern-era games haven’t always been held in high esteem, the soundtracks have and are applauded by critics and fans alike.
10 Sonic Lost World Contains No Vocal Themes
Sonic Lost World, released for the Wii U in October 2013, is unique among the mainline games for being the only one without any vocal themes. However, this does not take away from the musical quality of this soundtrack. There are many dramatic and beautiful scores, such as the title theme, "Wonder World," and "Sea Bottom Segue."
The game was highly influenced by the Mario series and mimics the typical locale layout seen in games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Therefore, the music was made to complement the varied locations, from Desert Ruins and Frozen Factory to Silent Forest and Lava Mountain, thus creating a diverse classical soundtrack.
9 Sonic Forces’ Soundtrack Pays Homage To The Sega Genesis Titles
Sonic Forces' synth-based soundtrack, which, in contrast to Lost World, contains numerous vocal themes and has very fast-paced tracks to highlight the sense of urgency the game's plot is following. In a 2019 interview with Sound Director Tomoya Ohtani, he explained his reasons for implementing more synth sounds and fragmented vocals. He even limited Forces’ music to use the same FM as the Genesis!
Whilst the EDM and synth style may not appeal to all, there are some catchy tracks, even remixes of beloved themes from previous games such as "Rhythm and Balance" and "Supporting Me" from Sonic Adventure 2. London Symphony Orchestra also performed on this OST, and tracks like "Fading World," "Nowhere to Run," and "Infinite" are good beaty songs.
8 Sonic Heroes Took A Turn In Musical Direction
Sonic Heroes was the first mainline title to go multiplatform. The story made a return to the playfulness and color of the Classic era instead of tragic tales impacting the present day like in the Adventure games. This meant Heroes embraced a more upbeat, fun, and cheesy musical style.
With Senoue’s rock flair still coming through in tracks like "Ocean Palace," the OST boasts a range of various musical styles as seen in Casino Park and Frog Forest. This pop-rock style is easier to be embraced by a wider audience of listeners and is the kind to put smiles on faces.
7 Sonic Colors/Colors Ultimate Celebrates 3D Sonic’s Musical Journey
Sonic Colors Ultimate is home to a dramatic, upbeat, and elegant soundtrack all in one, another fantastic result from a familiar team of Sonic music veterans. From the funky "Tropical Resort" to the beautiful ambiance of "Planet Wisp," this OST encompasses many musical genres. Indeed, it almost feels like a shoutout to the history of Sonic’s melodic journey in the modern era.
The hard-rock tracks like "Terminal Velocity" and "Asteroid Coaster" are reminiscent of Senoue’s lead in Sonic’s first 3D outings, whereas the orchestral music highlights the present-day Sonic style. The rerelease Sonic Colors Ultimate features remixes and remasters of the tracks and vocal songs.
6 Sonic Generations Takes Fans On A Musical Journey
Released in 2011, this game was a celebration of 20 years of Sonic. Classic and modern Sonic are both playable and zones are taken from the major mainline games up to this point.
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In no way does the soundtrack feel rehashed; the balance of nostalgia, remix, and new themes such as that of the Time Eater is thrilling to listen to. It’s a delight to hear even obscure themes on this album, such as a track from the 32X game Knuckles' Chaotix receiving a beautiful violin rendition.
5 Sonic Frontiers Features Polar Musical Opposites
Sonic’s latest mainline 3D outing in Sonic Frontiers has a refined and elegant soundtrack, whilst also featuring near-screaming vocals and heavy synth tunes. This level of maturity ensures to maintain Sonic’s appeal to older gamers. It balances taking risks and creating entirely new music, while also harking back to the sound of previous Sonic games.
Heavy use of EDM cleverly mirrors the CyberSpace levels and the captivating island themes, which build as players unlock more of the map and enhance the experience of playing through one of the most commended Sonic games. Combined with such intense, adrenaline-fueled boss and vocal themes, it’s clear much consideration went into making Sonic Frontiers' stellar soundtrack.
4 Sonic Unleashed Has One Of The Most Diverse OSTs In The Series
With a grand orchestral theme and cross-cultural instrumentation, Sonic Unleashed has a diverse and moving OST. Following Sonic’s globetrotting adventure, he visits locations based on real-life countries. Therefore, the music reflects a certain country’s cultural sounds, with the soundtrack using instruments native to that nation.
A unique feature is how the typical 2 Act level structure is broken into Day and Night levels. This results in very different musical styles being used even for the same location, adding to the diversity of the soundtrack. With no two pieces sounding the same, the grandeur of Sonic Unleashed's OST is undeniably brilliant, stirring, and emanates emotion.
3 Sonic '06 Has A Darker, Cinematic Style To Its Music
This infamous game was meant to redefine Sonic by creating an overall darker feel and dramatic storyline. Whilst the game may not have succeeded in this, the soundtrack did. Crossing multiple genres but with a solid fusion of rock and orchestral music as its backbone, this is a very strong OST. Tomoya Ohtani was Lead Sound Director for Sonic’06, a position he still holds today.
The sheer variety on offer here in this soundtrack is truly commendable. There are delicate and peaceful melodies juxtaposed against tense violin riffs and dramatic vocal songs. The game’s theme "His World," performed by Ali Tabatabaee and Matty Lewis of Zebrahead, is iconic and well-received by fans. Indeed, the soundtrack is a glimpse into what Sonic ’06 could’ve been.
2 Sonic Adventure Revolutionized The Sound Of Modern Sonic
Part of Sonic’s redesign was to extend his appeal to older gamers by giving him attitude and a cool personality. This meant the music in his next appearance, Sonic Adventure, had to fit this bill. When Jun Senoue took the reins as Sound Director, he brought with him his love of rock music. Thus, one of the most legendary soundtracks in Sonic history was born, guaranteeing Sonic’s appeal to teens and adults.
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There’s so much variety in sound, from ABBA-style pop to funky jazz, and it’s all united by a hard-rock backbone as reflected in fan-favorite tracks like "Welcome to Station Square," "Crank the Heat Up," and "Open Your Heart." High-energy tracks like "Speed Highway" and "General Offensive" are contrasted perfectly against the chilled groove of "Mechanical Resonance" and the dreamy synths in "Windy Hill." Truly, the soundtrack inspires emotion and feeling and emanates the passion Senoue’s team had for Sonic Adventure and its characters. It firmly defines Sonic’s first 3D outing on the Dreamcast.
1 Sonic Adventure 2’s OST Builds Upon What Made Adventures So Great
When Senoue’s band Crush 40 was formed for Sonic Adventure, they immediately became a fan-favorite group and players only wanted to hear more of them in future games. When the sequel Adventure 2 was released, it featured if not the greatest rock song in Sonic’s history, "Live and Learn." This hard-rock track is the game’s main theme, and it doesn’t let fans forget it, as it plays in short riffs even on the game’s start screen. This and another great track, "Escape from the City," are Senoue’s favorite composed songs.
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Much like Adventure’s soundtrack, this OST reflects the passion put into it. However, a new feature is how it serves as a clever way to define the characters. Each playable character has instrumentation unique to them which reflects their personalities. Certainly, this is one of the most applauded soundtracks and has full right to be.