Flip the power switch. Blue Blur runs across the screen from left to right. The same Blue Blur runs back across the screen from right to left. Cue the music *SEGA* You remember those days? Sure you do. Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the most recognized video game characters behind a plumber, a space marine and a top-heavy British archaeologist. However Sonic has had a rough transition since the days of remembering what is that Ninten-don’t.

After Sonic 3D blast (1996), let’s look at the storied and accomplished games that sonic has been so fortunate to be associated with in the past:

• Sonic Adventure
• Sonic Shuffle
• Sonic Adventure 2
• Sonic Mega Collection (compilation)
• Sonic Heroes
• Sonic Advance (Sonic Advance 2 and 3 as well)
• Shadow the Hedgehog
• Sonic Riders
• Sonic Rush (Sonic Rush Adventure too)
• Sonic Rivals (and Sonic Rivals 2)
• Sonic and the Secret Rings
• Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
• Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
• Sonic Unleashed
• Sonic and the Black Knight

I’m not here to judge, that’s a job for MetaCritic and NeoGAF. But I think you can tell where all of this is going. The franchise formerly known as Sonic has two (2) options at this point: Extinction or Exile. But if I can channel Stephen A. Smith for a moment….HOW-EVA. If for some reason Sonic will not leave, I think I have a solution.

Eager-Reader. Let me introduce you to the HD Remix/Upgrade. There have been enough examples in the past of games that received an upgrade of visuals, sound, and in some cases straight up game play in their transition to Current Generation Hardware. To be more specific: Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix, Prince of Persia, and Bionic Commando. These games all received a modernization that kept the old school nostalgic gamers and introduced a new generation of gamers at the same time. If Sonic has any chance of survival, this is the only chance it has left.

Sonic 1, 2, 3 and even Sonic and Knuckles can all get an upgrade, be released individually at whatever fair market value is and Sonic can go out on top. There is no need for a warehog, no need for a weapon or some fancy lock-on system. Upgrade the sprites, make the background shiny, maybe tweak the music a bit and then let the consumer have at it. You can even use the Sonic and Knuckles migration into the older Sonic games just like the cartridge did. If you have Sonic 3 on your system and you buy Sonic and Knuckles, you can use Knuckles in Sonic 3. The marketing gurus would milk the crap out of that, but gamers wouldn’t care as long as you don’t mess with the essence of a Sonic game: The Speed. All things considered, I don’t know if Sonic games were really that fast, but I’d like to remember that they were. Keep the speed, just make everything look pretty.

Looking at that list of terrible Sonic games in the past 10 years, maybe Sonic was never meant to do 3D. Sonic has been in direct competition with Mario since what feels like the dawn of time. Especially with Mario’s successes in 3D, Sonic’s transition was inevitable. Anything you can do, I can do better right? Now I have read that Sonic Unleashed was able to capture the essence of what Sonic used to be very well, at least during the daytime scenes. The speed was there, the fun was there, hope was momentarily restored. The heart of Sonic The Hedgehog was able to shine on current generation hardware. The heart that gamers so desperately craved out of a new sonic game, and apparently that heart is no where to be found in the minds of developers. Those abominable night levels of Sonic Unleashed with the dreaded warehog are the epitome of what is wrong with the Sonic franchise. Innovation for Innovation’s Sake. Sonic does not need a gun, a sword, or any other weapon. He does not need an ensemble cast of characters covering the color spectrum with stereotyped characteristics as a result of lackluster development. Sonic has a simple formula. Run, Jump, Roll and occasionally take down some really huge piece of machinery. All of this done really, really fast. It’s a simple formula.

I understand the need for the next big thing in game development, but there should still be some stock in the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke.”