Best Games Like Sonic The Hedgehog

With a history dating back thirty-plus years to 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the longest-running video game franchises and easily the most recognizable SEGA mascot.

And while the blue blur can still be seen sprinting at insane speeds and chowing down chili-dogs as recently as Sonic Mania, the series has definitely taken a hit in terms of new releases.

To fill the void for nostalgic platformers, we’re highlighting the best games like Sonic the Hedgehog to play in 2024, including both 2D and 3D platformers like Sonic on PC and console.

We’ll be updating this list in the future with new titles, so make sure to check back and let us know if we missed any of your favorite games similar to Sonic!

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Kaze and the Wild Masks is an indie 2D platformer that harkens back to 90s classics like Sonic the Hedgehog while introducing its own host of characters, environments, and abilities.

In it, you take on the role of Kaze as she sets out to rescue their friend from a curse spreading chaos around their island home.

Kaze can unlock new powers by collecting different masks throughout the world including one that lets her pounce like a tiger, fly like an eagle, swim like a shark, and sprint like a lizard.

Any franchise as iconic and beloved as Sonic is going to drive some fans to create their own games modeled after it, with Spark the Electric Jester being among the best.

The game takes its cues from Sonic as well as many other 16-bit era staples while introducing the hero Spark, an electric jester who loses his job to robots that later go on to take over the world.

In an attempt to get vengeance, Spark embarks on a worldwide journey to defeat the robots utilizing an array of swift-striking weapons.

Freedom Planet is another Sonic-inspired fan game that manages to hold its own as a throwback to the 16-bit era thanks to beautiful pixel art and a unique character roster.

In it, you take on the role of a dragon girl named Lilac who’s joined by her friends Carol the Wildcat and Milla the Basset Hound as the trio wage war with alien invaders.

Each hero has a distinct move set that switches up the gameplay considerably and could easily fit in alongside Sonic companions Tails, Knuckles, and Amy.

Modeled after challenging run n’ gun games of yesteryear, Cuphead is a tough-as-nails 2D action-platformer that forces players to memorize enemy attack patterns to make it out alive.

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In it, you take on the role of the titular glove-wearing hero Cuphead as he battles various bad guys to repay an outstanding debt with the Devil.

While the majority of the game is focused on boss rush battles with various stages, there are also horizontal-scrolling platforming levels that require accurate timing and motion.

Although 30XX is clearly influenced by the Mega Man series, its fast-paced retro run n’ gun design is not too far off from the blue blur’s platforming adventures.

Billed as a roguelike action platformer, the game combines crisp controls and fluid movement with highly replayable gameplay and progression systems that greatly benefit from local/online co-op.

You play as a robotic hero who awakens after a thousand years to find a world in ruin following the arrival of a malicious Synthetic Mind that’s corrupted the land.

Steel Assault is another retro-inspired side-scrolling platformer with 16-bit graphics that serves as a love letter to classic run n’ gun games.

In it, you take on the role of Taro Takahashi, a rebel soldier seeking revenge against an evil dictator and his army of mechanical minions.

Taro is armed with a zip line grappling hook that allows for fluid, expressive movement that meshes perfectly with dynamic boss battles set in gorgeous pixel art environments.

Drawing inspiration from precision-driven platformers like Celeste and Super Meat Boy, Sunblaze is a 2D indie platformer that will appeal to Sonic fans.

You play as Josie, a superhero in training that finds herself trapped in an alternate world filled with puzzles, lasers, evil robots, and other hazards she’ll have to overcome to make it back and save her dad.

The game offers a wide selection of handcrafted levels with unique challenges that will keep you dying for hours and hours.

Jack Axe is a 2D puzzle-platformer about an adorably tough Viking named Jack who sets out to explore a colorful world using a magical ax that pulls the user forward once thrown.

This allows for tons of incredible-looking platforming feats that require quick reflexes to pull off while also battling enemies.

It’s an excellent alternative for any Sonic fan that enjoys 2D platformers with fast and fluid traversal that also factor into combat and exploration.

Next up we have Katana Zero, a stylish 2D action-platformer that sees you controlling a katana-wielding assassin known as Subject Zero, as he fulfills contracts issued by his psychiatrist.

Zero can deflect bullets with his sword, dodge attacks using rolls, and take drugs that let him slow down time and look into the future.

Like Sonic the Hedgehog, the game is presented as a series of side-scrolling levels that introduce new environments, enemy types, and obstacles blocking your path.

Beard Blade is another 16-bit platformer inspired by retro classics like Sonic the Hedgehog that has you taking on the role of Branson and his shapeshifting beard.

After a gang of thieves ransacks his farm, Branson sets out to recover his stolen livestock and ends up stranded on a strange island where he has to run, jump, swim, and climb his way to victory.

Environments are littered with collectibles and coins that can be used to unlock new moves and upgrades for Branson and his shapeshifting facial hair.

One of the most appealing aspects of Sonic games is their emphasis on movement and interactive environments, a quality found in many modern indie platformers.

Among our favorites is Splasher, a colorful 2D action platformer with hand-drawn visuals and satisfyingly fast-paced gameplay that casts you as a paint-wielding hero on a mission to get revenge against his boss.

Each level features unique puzzles centered on spraying different kinds of paint to climb walls, bounce off platforms, and avoid obstacles as you gain momentum and rescue your fellow workers.

Switching over to games that capture the spirit of Sonic’s later 3D adventures, Mail Mole is a collection-driven 3D platformer about a mail-delivering mole.

One day, the postal worker discovers his home world Carrotland is on the brink of collapse and sets out to save it while still making sure to hit his quota and deliver letters.

Like Sonic the Hedgehog, the game places a big emphasis on traversal, with the mail mole able to dig underground, climb walls, and even soar through the air.

Crash Bandicoot is one of many brand mascots created during the 90s to keep up with Sonic and Mario as well as establish PlayStation as a household name.

The original trilogy of games was made by Naughty Dog, and their 3D platforming gameplay still holds up to this day, as evident by the remake collection Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.

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Much like 3D Sonic titles, each entry features a host of linear 3D platforming stages brimming with collectibles, enemies, and interactive objects.

After Crash Bandicoot, Sony introduced their second mascot in the form of Spyro, a wise-cracking purple dragon that made his debut in the Insomniac-developed platformer Spyro the Dragon.

Similar to Sonic’s switch to 3D, the series is fondly remembered today for the original trilogy of games remade for modern consoles and PC in 2018 as Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

While the series is significantly less demanding in terms of level design and combat compared to 3D Sonic games, they’re still worth checking out for anyone who enjoys classic 3D platformers.

If you’re a lifelong Sonic fan or just enjoy 3D platformers, then there’s a good chance you’re into other SEGA properties such as Super Monkey Ball.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania brings the classic arcade series to modern consoles and PC with 300+ stages from the SMB, SMB2, and SMB Deluxe, along with 12 mini-games and new customization options.

It additionally includes multiplayer assistance that allows a maximum of four players to collaborate in order to rescue Jungle Island or investigate the franchise’s past with an innovative comic book-style narrative mode.

There’s no denying Mario and Sonic’s rocky history, going from rivals in the 90s to cordial competitors in games like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.

And even though many players may feel compelled to pick a side, both mascots have had their fair share of great games released throughout the years, with Mario’s most recent being Super Mario Odyssey.

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Presented as a true successor to 3D Mario titles like Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy, Odyssey takes players on a captivating adventure with some of the best platforming challenges the series has to offer.