Admit it. Playing Sonic the Hedgehog games competitively against others is fun. Adventure 2, Heroes, and many of the handheld games all feature local multiplayer. I have enjoyed booting up Adventure 2 and Heroes when mates are round, and all enjoy the multiplayer mayhem that ensues. But modern Sonic games seem to have just become single player affairs. No chance for multiplayer when Sonic’s the only character playable, after all.
But it needn’t be like that. Imagine how cool it would have been on Generations, racing through Green Hill on a multiplayer mode. Now the exact scene featured in the title card might not be able to be played. After all, City Escape of Adventure 2 cut the last part of its level just after running down the building for the ease of access. After all, multiple GUN trucks on that last part wouldn’t be advised. Just like multiple choppers jumping at the scene in that picture wouldn’t be advised. But why couldn’t that part be bypassed? After all, a new level file needs to be placed if even the slightest change to a level is made, meaning both co-exist peacefully and depending on the number of players one file is swapped for the other.
And there are multiple routes to take, and even if not, they can be made for a possible second player. Take Green Forest and its vines. Because only one person can use the single vine, springs were placed to allow the second player to pass without waiting. For Green Hill on Generations then, the underpass could have been bypassed for multiplayer sake. I wouldn’t know exactly, but surely the part above the waterfall would have made an excellent choice.
As for later levels, Chemical Plant is fully playable, Sky Sanctuary cut just before the falling path. Speed Highway needs no editing, just like Seaside Hill. City Escape, again cut just before the GUN truck part. Crisis City would be a bit more difficult for the player behind, but can be rectified with jumps instead of the usual placement. Rooftop Run is fully playable except for the last part with the blimp and lasers. Planet Wisp can be cut before the dropping walls at the end, or better yet, don’t make them fall.
The appeal for multiplayer is there, but due to the lack of other playable characters (which to be fair isn’t an excuse when everyone needs the same moveset anyway), Sega deem it not neccessary. I seriously hope that the new Sonic game features multiplayer and goes even further with online multiplayer (not counting leaderboards, like with Generations), but even if the new one doesn’t, it will still be an essential purchase. Multiplayer will make it more desirable, though.
