If there's one thing that most Sonic fans know, it's that no matter how divisive or bad the game get, the music will always be great. It's incredible how varied all of Sonic's soundtracks are, but most of them are excellent and manage to evoke the character perfectly:
Sonic The Hedgehog: As someone who grew up with the faster-paced pop rock of modern Sonic, the more laid-back soundtrack to Sonic 1 always felt a bit... lacking. While I still wouldn't call this one of Sonic's better soundtracks, I think I've grown more appreciation for it and what it's trying to achieve. Composed by bass player Masato Nakamura, Sonic 1's soundtrack isn't laid-back, it's funky. Just pay attention to the basslines and you'll realize what tracks like Green Hill, Spring Yard, and Star Light are really going for. I also find it really cute how much this soundtrack uses sound effects in its music, particularly the ring and spring sounds. I'm definitely not as "Genesis twang"-averse as I used to be. There are certainly a lot games that used the sound hardware badly, but Sonic is absolutely not one of them.
That being said, the drum beat in Scrap Brain Zone sucks and still ruins the song for me.
Highlight: I really like the Star Light Zone theme. It's super relaxing and simple, but there's something so nostalgic and happy about it. Coming after the hell that is Labyrinth Zone, it's as if the game rewards you with its best tune.
3/5 Stars
Sonic The Hedgehog 2: Sonic 2's soundtrack is a massive improvement on the first in pretty much every way concievable, and certainly the better of Nakamura's scores. It's just as funky as Sonic 1's music, arguably even moreso in the case of tracks like Chemical Plant and Mystic Cave, but it's also far more fast-paced and propulsive, fitting both the character and the series' tone far better. The only real knock I have against this score is the removal of Hidden Palace Zone's fantastic theme. That alone gets a point off, but the rest is fantastic.
Highlight: Chemical Plant Zone is one of the most iconic themes in the series and for good reason. Coming after the fairly lighthearted Emerald Hill Zone, this is probably the first truly fast-paced and exciting Sonic theme. It's catchy, propulsive, and fits the more mechanical second level pretty much perfectly, and I'd even argue that the punchy Genesis percussion still makes this the best version of the track. Mystic Cave Zone is also an absolute banger.
4/5 Stars
Sonic CD: Here we go! This is the Sonic music I know and love! I have a serious soft-spot for these more jazzy and disco-esque 90s soundtracks, and Sonic CD's Japan soundtrack is the perfect example of that. It feels a bit ahead of its time in certain aspects given how complex the melodies are, so many of my favorite game soundtracks like Freedom Planet, Sonic Mania, and One Step From Eden feel like they took some inspiration from it. Nearly every song is a jamming piece of techno (except the Good Future songs which are usually pretty relaxing and calm), and it somehow manages to fit Sonic to a tee. The Sonic CD JP soundtrack is easily one of the best in the series, definitely my favorite of the soundtracks for the 2D games.
But then there's the US soundtrack, and oh god... I hate this so much. I'm not necessarily averse to the idea of a darker Sonic CD soundtrack, there's potential there, but, no, it just sounds bad. It's generic 90s ambience with little in the way of style, flair, or even a goddamn melody! The JP soundtrack managed to capture its own atmospheric 90s sound while still feeling like Sonic, but this feels like it was made for an entirely different game and then slapped onto this one! Frankly, it feels insulting that the higher-ups thought the JP soundtrack was too "different" and left us with this pile of crap. There are two songs I like in the US soundtrack, the main vocal theme Sonic Boom (which I'd actually say is better than the JP's vocal theme) and the act clear theme, that's it. There's also Metal Sonic's theme, which is admittedly solid, but Kenichi Tokoi's many remixes of it over the past few years tore the original to shreds anyway. The only other songs I like are the Past themes, which were reused from the JP version and blew everything else out of the water (what makes it even funnier is that they were the weakest part of the whole soundtrack, that's how bad this one is). I know some people like this one, I'm sorry, I don't.
Highlight: All of the Stardust Speedway tunes are some of the most banging pieces of music in a video game. They're fast-paced, they're catchy, they're exciting, they're bombastic, they're 90s, and they're all Sonic. Easily some of my favorites in the series.
5/5 Stars - JP
1/5 Stars - US
Sonic 3 & Knuckles: Continuing the upward trend of the Genesis soundtracks, Sonic 3 & Knuckles boasts an even better soundtrack! There are so many catchy and memorable melodies scattered across both halves of the game, from the poppier Sonic 3 tracks that rank among some of the most complex themes on the Genesis, to the more intense and melody-driven Sonic & Knuckles tracks that I actually kinda like even more (even if many of them got surpassed by remixes, oops). Like the game itself, Sonic 3&K's score feel the series' sound living up to its fullest potential on the hardware.
Highlight: For Sonic 3, I'd say Hydrocity Zone 2 is the highlight for being incredibly catchy and fast-paced. As for Sonic & Knuckles, Sky Sanctuary and Flying Battery are two of my favorite themes in the series, the former being grand and majestic and the latter being insanely fun to listen to.
5/5 Stars
Sonic's Game Gear Games: Here's a quick interlude with my opinions of the soundtracks for Sonic's five mainline Game Gear entries.
Sonic 8-Bit: Yuzo Koshiro is an absolute legend of a composer, so despite this being the "lesser counterpart" of the original Sonic, this first 8-bit entry actually has one of the best soundtracks for a classic Sonic game. Despite being an 8-bit game, the melodies are incredibly jazzy and complex, but the highlight is the surprisingly somber and intense theme for Scrap Brain Zone, genuinely one of my favorite themes in the series. It's just a shame this soundtrack is really short.
4/5 Stars
Sonic 8-Bit 2: While not quite as good as the first game's soundtrack, Sonic 2's music was composed by the same folks who did the Sonic CD soundtrack, so it had to be good. Similarly to the first game's soundtrack, Sonic 2's music is mostly composed of top-notch chiptune jazz, but the best two songs are the ones that divert a bit. Green Hills Zone is basically an 8-bit version of You Can Do Anything from Sonic CD, before that game even came out, and it's just as good as you'd expect. But my personal favorite song in this one is Scrambled Egg Zone's absolutely bonkers theme. Sonic 2's soundtrack is a bit longer than the first games' which is great, but I do have to criticize it for percussion that may be a bit too loud and overbearing at times.
4/5 Stars
Sonic Chaos: Just like the game itself, Sonic Chaos' soundtrack is serviceable and very bland. None of the music really stood out to me and I'm not entirely sure why, maybe it's just that most of the melodies aren't quite as complex and groovy as they were in the previous two games. The previous two soundtracks felt like they pushed the limits of the Game Gear and Master System's capabilities in terms of sound, but Chaos's music is as bogstandard chiptune as you could get. The only real highlight here was the theme for Turquoise Hill Zone, a solid first level theme that pumps you up for the incredibly mediocre game ahead.
1/5 Stars
Sonic Triple Trouble: While still nowhere near as good as the soundtracks for the first two 8-bit games, Triple Trouble's music is a big improvement over Chaos'. Befitting the introduction of Fang The Sniper, a lot of the music here has a bit of a Western vibe, and it gives it all a bit of a darker edge that I can really get behind. However, maybe it's the instruments but a lot of the tunes sound oddly offbeat at points, and it drags the soundtrack as a whole down a bit. The highlights here are Atomic Destroyer Zone, another intense final zone theme that feels like a sequel to Scrambled Egg's theme, and the iconic Sunset Park: Act 3, which is way more atmospheric and epic than a piece of chiptune has any right to be.
2/5 Stars
Sonic Blast: So apparently a lot of people think this game has a bad soundtrack, and I... don't agree in the slightest! It's still not as good as the music of the first two games, but I really like Sonic Blast's soundtrack. A lot of its tunes have an atmospheric and ominous vibe to them that really helped this game stand out music-wise, without the instrumentation issues of Triple Trouble. But the highlight for me was the final boss theme, an intense and dramatic tune that really feels like the end of an era for all these 8-bit games. Criticize the gameplay, criticize the level design, and by all means, criticize this game's awful graphics, but give the music a chance. It's really underrated.
3/5 Stars
Sonic R: I don't care what people say about Sonic R's soundtrack, it's absolutely fantastic. The entire score is comprised of infectiously catchy and upbeat pop songs that feel like they shouldn't fit but absolutely do, helped by the great backing electronic tracks that go along with all of them. I doubt the pop music will appeal to everyone, but there's something so charming about Sonic R's music that I just can't help but adore.
Highlight: Can You Feel The Sunshine is my personal favorite. That beautiful opening, the diabetes-inducing lyrics, the singable chorus, it all makes for a true series highlight. I also want to single out Work It Out's instrumental which takes the backing track of Push The Feeling On and makes it even better.
5/5 Stars
Sonic 3D Blast: Ooo, now this one's interesting. Similarly to Sonic CD, Sonic 3D Blast has two soundtracks. Unlike Sonic CD, I like them both, though for entirely different reasons.
The Genesis 3D Blast soundtrack by Jun Senoue and Tatsuyuki Maeda is my personal favorite of two, and genuinenly manages to rival S3&K for the best Genesis era soundtrack. While Senoue gets the bulk of the credit for this one, it's really Tatsuyuki Maeda who should be praised. He really mastered the Genesis soundchip, and all of his tunes like Rusty Ruins, Gene Gadget, and Diamond Dust end up being super rich and atmospheric. Not to discount Senoue completely though, the themes he made (Green Grove, Panic Puppet 1) are absolute jams as well and were rightfully reused in SA1. It's just a top-notch video game soundtrack, all killer no filler.
The Saturn 3D Blast soundtrack is its own unique beast. You can tell SEGA wanted Jacques to show off the Saturn's improved sound quality, because this whole score runs the gamut in terms of genre. Pretty much every stage has its own unique musical style, but unfortunately, I don't quite think he's able to pull it off. The high points of the Saturn OST are mostly when Jacques is doing his comfortable 90s synth shtick with themes like Green Grove, Rusty Ruins, and Gene Gadget. The more orchestral themes are way more hit-or-miss (though Volcano Valley 1 is so good Jacques obviously reused and iterated on it for Black Knight's Shrouded Forest). I also don't quite love the fact that Jacques used the same leitmotif for every single stage theme. Don't get me wrong, it's a damn good leitmotif, but it's a musical trope I've never been that fond of no matter how well its done. Still, despite being more uneven, this is a good soundtrack in its own right (unlike Sonic CD's US score).
Highlight: For the Genesis soundtrack, it's gotta be Rusty Ruins Zone 2. Simultaneously a massive jam and super atmospheric at the same time, I absolutely adore it. For the Saturn soundtrack, it's either Green Grove Zone or the Special Stage. The former is Sonic at his best, and the latter is Jacques at his best.
5/5 Stars - Genesis
4/5 Stars - Saturn
Sonic Adventure: One of my favorite games in the series, Sonic Adventure's soundtrack is just plain iconic to me. If there's anyone who can make Sonic sound "cool", it's definitely Jun Senoue (and the rest of the Sega Sound Team). The first game in the Adventure series has a soundtrack that's mostly a blend of electropop and rock that gives it a really distinct and somewhat nostalgic vibe. Each character has their own memorable vocal theme, even Big The Cat's theme is surprisingly great, and most of the level and hub themes let Senoue go completely crazy on the guitar, at least when they're not ridiculously banging techno.
Highlight: While Azure Blue World (Emerald Coast) and At Dawn (Speed Highway) are probably the most memorable themes in the game for me, both providing that 90s Sonic Adventure vibe, my favorite song is actually Crazy Robo, which plays during the final Gamma fight. It's a unique blend of synth and jazz that manages to jump between being a fast-paced final boss theme and a melancholic theme for Gamma's last stand.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Adventure 2: Sonic Adventure 2 takes a big risk by giving each of its six playable characters entirely different genres in music, which I feel makes it a bit less disjointed than the first game's score. Not that it's bad, though, I actually think most of the characters have fantastic music. Sonic's rock themes are energetic and rank among some of the series's best, Rouge's smooth jazz is a joy to listen to, Knuckles's rap songs toe the line between goofy and genuinely slick, and while it took some time, Shadow's distorted techno really warmed up to me. However, the music for Tails and Eggman is a bit more uneven, with both characters having some fantastic themes but also some of the most unmemorable songs in the game. However, the majority of Sonic Adventure 2's soundtrack is phenomenal, and with so many fantastic tracks, a bit more consistency would've been enough to push it up to one of my favorite scores in the series.
Highlight: I mean, come on, could it be any more obvious? Live And Learn is the Sonic vocal track and it's not just one of the best themes in the series, it's one of the best final boss themes of all time. The singing is great, the guitar is phenomenal, and the moment it starts playing during the final boss is one of the most hype moments in the series. But outside of that, I'd say Keys The Ruin for Sonic, On The Edge for Tails, Space Trip Steps for Knuckles, Vengeance Is Mine for Shadow, Trespasser for Eggman, and I'm A Spy for Rouge. Oh, and one more honorable mention for the haunting Supporting Me.
4.5/5 Stars
Sonic Heroes: While the soundtracks for the Adventure games are great and all, Heroes probably has my favorite of Senoue's Sonic OSTs and another one of my favorites in the series. I got into Sonic at the point when most of its games referenced Heroes (2010 Winter Olympics, All-Star Racing), so I have a lot of nostalgia for many of its themes. But listening to the soundtrack as a whole made me realize just how diverse it is. We have easily my favorite selection of vocal themes, from the rock-heavy Sonic Heroes and What I'm Made Of to the pop rock Follow Me to the Ghostbusters-esque Team Chaotix, along with an eclectic selection of memorable level themes like the upbeat Seaside Hill, the distorted Hang Castle, the synthy and stress-inducing Bingo Highway, and the shockingly intense Final Fortress. Even the character select theme manages to be one of my favorite songs in the series! I don't care how divisive this game is, it's one of my favorites in the series and the soundtrack is a big reason why.
Highlight: What do I even pick here? For level themes, I'd say the frantic and chaotic Bingo Highway is probably my favorite, along with the bopping techno Mystic Mansion. For the vocal tracks, Sonic Heroes and What I'm Made Of are easily some of Crush 40's best songs, but I also have a soft spot for Team Rose's theme Follow Me, an energetic and adorable tune bolstered by Kay Hanley (of Letters To Cleo fame) really putting her heart and soul into the vocals.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Advance: Like the game itself, the soundtrack to the first Sonic Advance game is ridiculously comforting to listen to, and not just because I'm nostalgic for the GBA's soundchip. Advance 1's soundtrack is very heavy on the jazz, with many of its tracks sounding super laid-back and casual, which does suit the game itself. The first Sonic Advance game is meant to be a simple, familiar return to the Genesis formula, so the music being as wonderfully nostalgic as it is really works. All the main zone themes boast super memorable melodies, and in the case of some of the later stages, there are actually some pretty strong melancholic tunes like Ice Mountain 1. That being said, compared to its more energetic-sounding sequels, Advance 1's soundtrack can at times feel like the sleightest of the trilogy in terms of its music. And once again, much like the game itself, it boasts what are probably the worst final boss themes in a 2D Sonic game by quite a while.
Highlights: Ice Mountain Zone: Act 1 is an absolutely beautiful piece, super serene and melancholic, but I also need to give credit to the dramatic and climactic-sounding theme for Egg Rocket Zone as well.
4/5 Stars
Sonic Advance 2: Sonic Advance 2 probably has my favorite overall soundtrack in the trilogy. While Advance 1 is a bit more memorable and Advance 2 reaches higher highs, Advance 2's score always stuck out to me for just how consistently thrilling it is. Right from the very first act of the very first zone, Advance 2's music is fast-paced, energetic, and exhilirating. Leaf Forest, Hot Crater, Music Plant, Ice Paradise, Techno Base, the Egg Utopia Boss, it's a relentlessly fast soundtrack that doesn't just fit the game well but makes for a very adrenaline-pumping listen.
Highlights: The GBA has a pretty strong track record with techno-themed music, so it only makes sense that Techno Base Zone: Act 2 would be an absolute banger. It's frenetic and tense, perfectly capturing the mood of the zone and the internet as a whole, but what really elevates are all the DnB inserts and amen breaks.
Sonic Advance 3: Sonic Advance 3's soundtrack is actually quite interesting. For starters, the composers have pretty much completely changed from the last two games. Advance 1 and 2 were primarily done by Yutaka Minobe and Tatsuyuki Maeda, while Advance 3 was primarily done by Kenichi Tokoi and Hideaki Kobayashi, who usually do the scores for 3D Sonic games. Kobayashi in particular tends to stick to cutscene and boss music, but he got to do the music for half the zones... and I kinda wish he got to do that more often. Kobayashi's music in Advance 3 is incredible, easily some of the best in the trilogy. From Ocean Base to Twinkle Zone to Chaos Angel to Nonaggression, he displays a mastery over the GBA soundchip unlike that of any other composer. The whole soundtrack has this uniquely dark and dramatic feel to it too, primarily thanks to Kobayashi who's mostly known for his dramatic orchestral style. That being said, Tokoi's tracks are a bit more hit-or-miss for me, though, usually do to some really harsh instrumentation choices (particularly the drums). He's great in other games, but I just don't think he has the same grasp of the GBA that Kobayashi has. And the fact that each zone theme has four different variations mean they often blend together unlike the far more noticeably different act themes in Advance 1 and 2. Still, when Advance 3's soundtrack goes off, man does it go off!
Highlights: Chaos Angel Zone: Act 1 is incredible. Easily the best theme in the Advance trilogy, probably one of the best 2D Sonic themes period. Kobayashi managed to conduct a full-on symphony entirely on the GBA, filled with so many moving parts and phases that it can only be accurately described as his Dancing Mad. It's filled with so much gravitas and intensity that it works perfectly as a final level theme, probably better than any other final level theme in the series. And the fact that Twinkle Snow: Act 2, Ocean Base: Act 1, and Nonaggression are relegated to honorable mentions is a testament of how good Kobayashi's work was here.
4/5 Stars
Shadow The Hedgehog: I actually like Shadow The Hedgehog, even with its tonal and story issues and flawed progression system, I think the core gameplay and level design continues and even iterates on the strengths from Sonic Heroes. And this applies to the soundtrack too, I actually think it's really solid. A large portion of Shadow's score is composed of fairly hardcore and edgy rock, but it's the addition of the electronica elements that really lends the music its variety. From the weird vocal samples in The Ark and Final Haunt, to the Genesis-esque sound effects in Circus Park, to the calm aura of Lost Impact, to the soaring synths of Sky Troops, there are plenty of really unique tracks in here. However, I can't deny that there are also plenty of very derivative and homogenous rock themes that do drag Shadow's score down from being as great as the soundtracks that came before and after it. But slightly weaker than average for a Sonic soundtrack is still really damn good, and the electronic elements really help to elevate it.
Highlight: Obviously, Crush 40's new theme I Am... All Of Me is the highlight here, they really are the kings of vocal Sonic tracks. However, I also really love the theme for The Ark, an absolutely jamming remix of Final Rush's theme from Sonic Adventure 2 that blows it out of the water. Lava Shelter's theme also holds up as the best rock-centric level theme of the game.
4/5 Stars
Sonic Rush: This soundtrack was made by the composer of Jet Set Radio and it absolutely shows. Sonic Rush's music is almost entirely made with a blend of samples and a great backing track, and while this may not appeal to everyone, I think it works wonders here. Sonic Rush's tunes are insanely funky and fast-paced that lend a new perspective on Sonic's cool factor. Rather than a more optimistic soundtrack like what we're used to, Sonic Rush's music oozes style and creates the image of Sonic doing tricks in the air.
Highlight: It's really hard to single out a favorite here given how consistent the quality is, but What U Need is a classic and the first song I go to when thinking about my personal fav. I also really like the badass riffs of Vela Nova (aka Blaze's theme) as well as Wrapped In Black which somehow manages to sample a Malcolm X speech into a final boss theme and make it sound intense and operatic, one of the most bonkers songs I've ever heard in any video game ever.
5/5 Stars
Sonic 06: Despite its general quality, Sonic 06 has easily one of my favorite soundtracks in the Sonic series. It's the first one that Tomoya Ohtani composed for, and he absolutely killed it here. Sonic 06's music is grand and dark, blending together orchestra, hard rock, and drum-and-bass into a truly distinct vibe. I love how some of the themes get a bit glitchy near the end of the game as the stakes rise even more. Every stage has a main theme that shifts depending on the part of the level, slowly building up to a crazy climax at the end like in Kingdom Valley and Crisis City. The boss themes are epic and exciting, the hub themes are calm and light-hearted, and the character themes are just plain excellent. I love how complex this soundtrack is, it surpasses pretty much everything Sonic has ever done, and I seriously wish it got a better game.
Highlight: Crisis City and Kingdom Valley are my favorite level themes, for sure. They both slowly evolve throughout the course of level, slowly gaining intensity. Crisis City in particular is one of my favorite video game songs ever. I also love the main theme, His World, it's super dramatic and intense, pumping me up everytime I listen to it. But my favorite theme of them all has to be End Of The World, a seven-stage progressive masterpiece that manages to simultaneously be a bleak reflection of the grief of the main cast and a banging piece of techno. Amy's section in particular punches me in the gut every time I listen to it.
5/5 Stars
Sonic And The Secret Rings: This one took a while to grow on me. I've been tolerant of most of Sonic's buttrock, but when I first heard Secret Rings' soundtrack, I thought Runblebee's vocals were a step too far. It was too stupid for me. But over time, those damn vocal tracks started to worm into my head, and now I adore them. Seven Rings In Hand and Worth A Chance still aren't great, especially given how overplayed the first one is, but everything else is an absolute banger, especially thanks to the top-notch instrumentals from Fumie Kumatani and Kenichi Tokoi. This was the first and only Sonic soundtrack they headed and they knocked it out of the park, with Kumatani deserving special mention for her catchy Adventure-esque minigame themes. However, my biggest gripe aside from Seven Rings are the cutscene themes, which are really just assorted pieces of Arabic music. They're definitely accurate, Jun Chikuma's band did some of them and she definitely knows what they're doing, but with their short length and lack of any driving melodies, they kinda blend together a lot. So mixed soundtrack, but I have been growing more fond of it over time.
Highlight: High And Broken is the only level theme to not have any vocals, and it's probably my favorite. It's a beautiful theme with guitar and piano used to great effect that perfectly captures the grand nature of one of the coolest looking levels in the game. As for my favorite vocal tracks, it would have to be between The White Of Sky (that instrumental), Unawakening Float (so freaking powerful), and It Has Come To This (stupid but a banger), they really saved the best for last in this one.
3/5 Stars
Sonic Unleashed: Sonic Unleashed rivals 06 as my favorite soundtrack for a 3D Sonic game, and it manages to pull off variety probably better than any other entry in the series. Every location in this game is based off of a part of the world, and each theme of said location captures it perfectly. The daytime themes are always incredibly energetic and exciting, the nighttime themes are chill and intense, and the hub themes are calming. Despite this variety, the whole soundtrack feels cohesive and just exudes the happy-go-lucky vibe of Sonic that Ohtani always goes for. It's a grand and sweeping score with hardly any weak tracks in its lineup, with something for pretty much everyone. I'm also a big fan of its main theme, Endless Possibilities, which just fits Sonic's character to a tee. As a whole, I think it's the consistently best 3D Sonic soundtrack of the bunch, which is a pretty high bar.
Highlight: Rooftop Run - Day is my favorite song in the series and one of my favorite video game themes of all time, it's fast-paced, optimistic, and perfectly Sonic, but there's so much more for me to talk about in this game. For the Day stages, we have Windmill Isle and Dragon Road, for the Night stages, we have Cool Edge and Jungle Joyride, for the Hub stages, there's Shamar (try not to start dancing while listening to this one) and Apotos, and for the Boss themes, there's the godly Egg Dragoon theme.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Rush Adventure: Sonic Rush Adventure's music only suffers from having to follow the fantastic first game's soundtrack. With Naganuma gone, Rush Adventure was always going to have the weaker score of the Rush games, though by no means is it bad. Tomoya Ohtani (this game's composer) has flirted with samples in his previous soundtracks (The Ark, especially), so this game was a chance for him to really let loose with some great experimental pieces. While not as consistent as Sonic Rush's soundtrack, the music is probably even more varied, from the DnB-heavy Deep Core to the rave-like Coral Cave.
Highlight: I already mentioned how great Deep Core and Coral Cave were, so I'll list Sky Babylon as the highlight. It's an incredibly blend of genres that somehow sounds great. Some of it feels like it comes straight out of Splatoon while other parts feel more like Klonoa or Touhou, yet it's all cohesive and incredibly fun to listen to. More songs like this, please!
4/5 Stars
Sonic And The Black Knight: Unlike in Secret Rings, Crush 40 took the helm this time and made a much better soundtrack for Black Knight. The level themes are instrumental, thank goodness, so the vocals are saved for the important themes, like the main, final boss, and credits themes, and they're fantastic! The rest of the soundtrack is an absolutely top-notch fusion of celtic and rock that only gets better and better as the game goes on, some of these themes sound like they're straight out of an RPG and I'm here for it. Black Knight also has a feeling of finality to it, it's the last "Dark Age" game, the last game with the 4Kids cast, and the last game fully composed by Crush 40, and it kinda shows. Some tracks feel like melancholic callbacks to the Adventure era, and that really helps with the soundtrack.
Highlight: Molten Mine is my favorite song in the game, and one of my favorite video game tracks of all time, though it has quite the story behind. So, Molten Mine is a remix by Jun Senoue of a theme from a Sega Saturn game called Black Dawn, presumably originally composed by Tommy Tallarico. However, it turns out that Tallarico is kind of a liar and that someone else named Todd Dennis may have made the music, with Tallarico claiming he made it before giving it to Senoue to remix. Regardless of who actually made it, what's for sure is that Senoue manages to give the song a great dose of energy that not only slots it in perfectly with Black Knight's more medieval style but the Sonic series as a whole.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Colors: While 06 and Unleashed may be a bit more grand and sweeping, Colors's soundtrack has an incredibly level of consistency to it. It's not just that every song here is good, nearly every song in Sonic Colors is just plain amazing! From the groovy Tropical Resort, to the disco-esque Starlight Carnival, to the beautiful Planet Wisp, to the calming Aquarium Park, nearly even level in the game has an iconic theme of its own. And even the map themes manage to stand out, especially those for Sweet Mountain and Asteroid Coaster. It may not have the most variety in the series, but Sonic Colors's soundtrack manages to stand out as one of the series' best scores regardless.
Highlight: Aquarium Park - Act 1 is definitely up there with some of my favorite songs in the series. It's an excellent drum and bass theme that manages to simultaneously feel calming and exciting at the same time, constantly juggling instruments and melodies so it never gets old.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Generations: Generations's soundtrack is an odd one for me because most of its themes are remixes of pre-existing tracks, and they end up being a bit hit or miss for me. Most of the Modern Sonic remixes are fantastic, completely blowing the original out of the water such as Sky Sanctuary, Rooftop Run, Seaside Hill, Chemical Plant, and especially Crisis City. However, there are some cases like City Escape and Rooftop Run where the remix just can't surpass the original. And then there's the Classic Sonic themes which I generally find pretty meh. There are some highlights there too, like Crisis City and Rooftop Run, but most of them just feel like worse versions of the Modern tracks. Still, the love for the series shines through in pretty much every aspect of Generations and that includes the music, even if it doesn't quite make for my favorite soundtrack.
4/5 Stars
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: This soundtrack absolutely pains me for multiple reasons. First, the attempt at coming up with a Genesis-like soundfont fell flat as it ended up being incredibly high-pitched and hard to listen to. Second, the composition of most of these tracks are actually pretty good! Senoue composed 4's music and there's obviously a ton of potential for a lot of these tunes, I just wish he used actual instruments for most of them. The Mega Man X3 of Sonic soundtracks.
Highlight: The Splash Hill themes are great, but even better is the Tee Lopes/Jun Senoue remix that I highly recommend listening to. I also thought the Metal Sonic theme from II is easily the best song in both games, it's intense and actually utilizes the soundfont very well to make it sound robotic.
1/5 Stars
Sonic Lost World: Sonic Lost World's soundtrack has a bit more of a Nintendo-vibe to it, much like the game, with more light-hearted and peppy themes than fast-paced and exciting. However, as a Nintendo fan myself, I'm perfectly fine with this as it's not only still great but it fits the game perfectly. There's a great variety to a lot of this game's tunes, from the soaring Wonder World, to the calm Sea Botton Seque, to the propellant Honeycomb Highway, to the mystical Dragon Dance. We even get an amazing Sonic-esque remix of the Zelda theme for the DLC that just sounds so good. It's not one of the best soundtracks of the series, but Lost World's music manages to be consistently strong and incredibly catchy and fun.
Highlight: Honeycomb Highway is probably my favorite song in the game. It's super jazzy, upbeat, and fast-paced and fits the game's auto-running level pretty much perfectly.
4/5 Stars
Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric: Rise Of Lyrics's soundtrack is often derided for being generic orchestral music and tends to be singled out as one of the few "bad Sonic OSTs". But honestly, I don't hate it? Yeah, it's not the same high energy fare you'd expect from a Sonic game, but it does fit the specific identity the Boom series carved out for itself, as in it sounds like a 3D platformer from the PS2 era. Seriously though, a soundtrack being orchestrated doesn't automatically make it generic, and there are some genuinely effective pieces like the main theme and some of the more atmospheric tracks like Ocean Purification, Sky Citadel and Bygone Island. That being said, it's the more tense and action-y tracks that do start to really blend together. I don't think the orchestral direction was inherently a bad idea, but the execution needed a bit more fleshing out.
Highlight: As a kid, I only ever played the demo for Sonic Boom and I remember getting to the end of the Ocean Purification Plant segment where Sonic and Amy finally go outside and see a massive scenic cliffside filled with stuff to platform on, all the while a soaring orchestral track played in the background. It was the one moment where I could kinda see what the devs at Big Red Button were trying to achieve with this game, and while hardly anything else in Sonic Boom would live up to this moment, that aforementioned orchestral track is one of the few Sonic Boom tracks that really stuck with me.
2/5 Stars
Sonic Mania: Sonic Mania boasts one of the best soundtracks in the series all thanks to Tee Lopes, who's an absolute revelation. So many composers have interpreted Sonic's character in different ways through their music, but Tee Lopes manages to bring together all of these interpretations. It has the funk of Naganuma, the rock of Senoue, the fast-pace of Ohtani, and the 90s style of Jacques, but most of all, it takes a ton of inspiration from the already amazing Sonic CD score and expands on it further with musical flourishes and more instruments. This entire soundtrack is excellent and nearly every song is an absolute banger, from the amazing remixes that categorically improve on the originals to the excellent and iconic original themes. Now I want to see Lopes make an entirely original Sonic soundtrack, I think he'd absolutely kill it.
Highlight: For the remixes that manage to improve on the original, Flying Battery, Lava Reef, Stardust Speedway, and Hydrocity are particular highlights. As for the new themes, I found myself loving Lights Camera Action, Rogues Gallery, Tabloid Jargon, and Hi Spec Robo Go.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Forces: Sonic Forces's soundtrack is easily the most divisive in the series and I totally get why. If you're not a fan of electronica, this game's music must sound awful to you, but personally, I really like Forces's music. Some of these themes are genuine techno bops, especially the ones for Infinite, and the vocal themes for the Avatar strike that perfect balance of cheesy and legitimately great. Honestly, this game has some of the best vocal themes in the series, right behind Heroes and R. Even the orchestral map themes are awesome! However, my one major gripe that prevents it from a 5/5 is the Classic Sonic themes which are like the Sonic 4 themes but so much worse. Once again, the composition is solid, great even in the case of Death Egg, but the soundfont is so ear-piercing that it's hard to listen to. Not everyone will love Forces's music, but I think it's an head-banging and energetic score and a unique experiment for the series. As for the main theme, Fist Bump is cheesy as hell, but it's fun to listen to regardless.
Highlight: Given the game's massive variety, I'll pick my favorite theme for each gameplay style. The best Avatar theme is Moonlight Battlefield with beautiful vocals and even more beautiful piano. The best Modern Sonic theme is the incredibly hype Metropolitan Highway. The best Tag Team theme is the rave-like Arsenal Pyramid - Interior. The best Classic Sonic theme is none of them (okay, maybe Death Egg). And the best boss theme is the first Battle With Infinite which is, once again, incredibly rave-like.
4.5/5 Stars
Team Sonic Racing: What a perfect way to end this retrospective off, with a soundtrack that manages to bring nearly every composer from Sonic's history back for one of the series' absolute best. I think the sheer diversity in composers makes the soundtrack a bit disjointed, but there are just too many great songs to really care. From Tee Lopes's phenomenal Sandopolis remix, to Hyper Potions's upbeat Rooftop Run remix, to Ohtani's Forces-esque Sky Road, to Senoue's killer riffs throughout the game, to Jacques' beautiful tribute to 90s Sonic in Ocean View, to some great debuts from entirely new composers like Tyler Smyth's Frozen Junkyard and TOREINA's Bingo Party, there are so many amazing songs both original and remixed that make Team Sonic Racing's soundtrack a true love letter to the series. Even Crush 40 gets their first main theme in nearly a decade!
Highlight: So I already mentioned most of the songs I love from this game, so I think I'll list Ice Mountain as my highlight. I absolutely adore Hyper Potions's music and this tune from them is a relentlessly optimistic blend of Cool Edge and Reach For The Stars that's easily one of the happiest video game tunes I've ever heard. While many see Sonic as cool, I've always seen him as incredibly carefree regardless of his depiction, and this song depicts that perfectly, as do the many other genres he's seen himself in throughout the series.
4/5 Stars
Sonic Frontiers (updated 2022): Sonic Frontiers's soundtrack took a while to grow on me since it kinda feels both super limited and all over the place at the same time. You really have to be into somber piano, hard metalcore, and a variety of EDM to vibe with the music here, with a few assorted Adventure-esque minigame themes thrown in for good measure. However, it grew on me and while it still isn't one of my absolute favorites, I would definitely it's one of the better soundtracks especially lately. The island themes are all super haunting and, at times, chill-inducing. The metalcore boss themes make for the best vocal themes since Heroes and rival Metal Gear Rising Revengeance in terms of sheer edginess and intensity. Tracks like Break Through It All and Undefeatable feel right out of the early 2000s in the best way possible.
But the highlight for me is absolutely the Cyberspace themes. If you took the Cyberspace themes on their own, you'd just have a perfect EDM album, one that spans pretty much every genre you could think of. Want rave music? You got it. Want trance? You got it. Want lofi? You got it. Want dubstep? You got it. Want Snail's House-esque kawaii future bass? You fucking got it. Best of all, there's a hell of a lot of DnB, one of my favorite genres of music and one that I have been hoping comes back to video game soundtracks for years. They even brought in actual rhythm game composers to work on some of the music here and it really shows. These tracks feel straight-out of the PS1 era with games like Ridge Racer, Tekken, or DDR. I need Sonic Team to continue in this direction with the music, especially with more fitting stages than the limited Cyberspace settings.
Highlights: My absolute favorite song is definitely Break Through It All. The way the intense first half gives way to a far more triumphant second half is just peak Sonic, this might just be the best vocal track in the entire series. For the Cyberspace music though, where the hell do I even begin? Ephemeral is probably my favorite for the serious Sonic 06 vibes it gives off, but there's also the absolute headbanger that is Dropaholic, the Sonic-Rush-meets-Vocaloid Fog Funk, the killer breakdown at the end of Rumble Rave, the climactic All Reality, and the ridiculously upbeat Go Back 2 Your Roots.
5/5 Stars
Sonic Superstars (updated 2023): Uggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Sonic Superstars's soundtrack makes me sad because there are hints of a phenomenal soundtrack here, but the whole ends up being way less than the sum of its parts. Sonic Team brought in over a dozen composers to work on the music here and it shows, because it leads to a super disjointed score with a ton of styles clashing against each other. While there are a lot of stellar tunes in isolation, as a whole, Superstars' score simply can't decide if it wants to be a Saturn-inspired with energetic CD audio pieces or yet another nostalgic throwback to the Genesis era. And what does help is that a fair amount of those latter FM tracks are once again by Jun Senoue, who has repeatedly shown that he can't handle a Yamaha chip to save his life. It really is a shame because Tee Lopes said that his work for Superstars is some of his best work for Sonic yet and I see it, all his tracks are phenomenal. I just wish Sonic Team called him in as music director instead of Senoue.
Highlights: Lagoon City Act 2 is Tee Lopes's ode to the new jack swing stylings of mid 90s Sonic soundtracks and it is absolutely heavenly, it sounds so Saturn and I wish the rest of the score went for this kind of vibe. Honorable mention to every Speed Jungle track for showing the high bar that the other tracks should've been able to reach, and Sand Sanctuary for being an honorary Shantae theme.
3/5 Stars
Okay, so before I finish off the Sonic series, here's my ranking of the main vocal themes of the series:
- Live And Learn (Sonic Adventure 2) - It has everything you'd want from a Crush 40 song, perfectly cheesy lyrics, killer guitar riffs, and one of the most beltable choruses ever
- His World (Sonic 06) - The cliché epic Sonic song, His World is unapologetically dramatic in the best way possible
- Endless Possibility (Sonic Unleashed) - Bowling For Soup knows how to write a song around a carefree protagonist (note: Phineas And Ferb), this is Sonic's theme for me
- I Am... All Of Me (Shadow The Hedgehog) - Sure it's edgy but that chorus is peak Crush 40
- Open Your Heart (Sonic Adventure) - This track syncs with the Perfect Chaos fight so well, they really improve each other
- Sonic Boom (Sonic CD US) - I may not love the US soundtrack but this track is fantastic, it's intense and really sets the tone for the game
- Knight Of The Wind (Sonic And The Black Knight) - The melody is already really good but it's those lyrics that really steal the show. Hey all!
- Super Sonic Racing (Sonic R) - Just as high energy and fun as the rest of the Sonic R soundtrack, and that hook is just so addicting
- Sonic Heroes (Sonic Heroes) - Probably the most "anime opening" theme in the whole series, really just a feel-good theme
- Fist Bump (Sonic Forces) - Really dumb and cheesy but in an endearing way, such a fun chorus to belt out at the top of my lungs
- You Can Do Anything (Sonic CD JP) - I may not understand the lyrics a lot of the time but the sheer energy makes me believe I can do anything
- I'm Here (Sonic Frontiers) - It's fiiiiiiinnneeee. Its somber tone does fit the tone of the game, but it feels a bit too low energy for a Sonic theme
- Green Light Ride (Team Sonic Racing) - That opening riff is the highlight of the song, just don't listen to the Wall5 version, for your own sake
- Reach For The Stars (Sonic Colors) - I love the melody and all of its remixes but the autotune drags it down for me
- A New Venture (Sonic Rush Adventure) - Cute and perky but not anything special
- Literally anything
- Seven Rings In Hand (Sonic And The Secret Rings) - So... annoying...
And here's my Top 15 soundtracks in the series, because there's way too many great Sonic soundtracks for just a simple Top 10:
- Sonic 06
- Sonic Unleashed
- Sonic CD (JP)
- Sonic Mania Plus
- Sonic Adventure
- Sonic Rush
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic R
- Sonic Colors
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Frontiers
- Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)
- Sonic And The Black Knight
- Sonic Forces
- Sonic Lost World
Finally, to end off the series, let's look at one of my favorite indie game series of all time, Touhou, which boasts dozens of phenomenal soundtracks...
