Room 101: 3D Sonic

The transition from 2D to 3D was a logical step for most, allowing developers to expand their visions and to create more dynamic worlds. Nintendo did this effortlessly with their mascot, Mario, while the likes of Rockstar have flourished with the help of this extra dimension. The GTAs are notable benefactors: though they sold well enough before, it was only with the new technology that they became genre-defining - and in turn almost single-handedly created the sandbox genre. Other developers, however, were not so adaptable to this brave new world. In particular, Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast saw the once untouchable Sega begin to lose their relevance. Over a decade ago it set a rot in motion which is still in need of curing.

It was all so simple back in the 90s. Mario was the undisputed king of platformers with little if any competition. Then Sonic burst onto the scene. Sonic offered a different brand of platformer: lightning-quick, with rollercoaster-like levels, and an infectious Japanese techno beat. Quite simply, the blue hedgehog had a cooler vibe than Mario, and this allowed Sega to dominate the teenage end of the market. As the years passed and Sonic's popularity showed no signs of waning, Sega did not re-invent the wheel for the sequels that followed - they did not need to. But with the release of the Nintendo 64 and its flagship title, Super Mario 64, the gaming world was changing. Nintendo blew people away. This was Mario, no doubt, but this was also the next step in video games. Suddenly Sonic and his flat vistas were no longer enough. Sega had to react with a 3D world of their own. In terms of game develoment, it was arguably their most costly mistake.

This is not to say that Sonic Adventure - the eventual rival to Mario 64's throne - was a bad game. It was decent in its own right, but - and this is the dealbreaker - it was just not Sonic any more. The loop-the-loops were still intact but they were broken up by distinctly un-Sonic features, such as talking and, more to the point, walking. No longer was each level a visceral escape for the senses. So long the perfect foil for Mario's ponderous pace, Sonic had lost his mojo.

The saddest thing about Sonic Adventure is not the title alone, more its effect on the franchise. Since its release, and in spite of ever-loudening calls from Sonic fans, Sega have been reluctant to turn back to 2D. The times they have been willing to go back, they have been successful: the 2D sections of Sonic Unleashed were widely celebrated by fans and journalists alike; it was only the werewolf half of the game, in 3D no less, that proved to be the game's downfall.

As time goes on, maybe Sega will return Sonic to the glory he deserves. But this will take some time, and so it hastens me to cry once more: what if Sonic Adventure had never existed?