| Sonic Adventure | |
|---|---|
 Dreamcast cover art by Yuji Uekawa | |
| Developer | Sonic Team |
| Publisher | Sega |
| Director | Takashi Iizuka |
| Producer | Yuji Naka |
| Designers |
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| Programmers |
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| Artists |
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| Writer | Akinori Nishiyama |
| Composers |
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| Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Platforms | |
| Release | December 23, 1998
|
| Genres | Platform,action-adventure |
| Mode | Single-player |
Sonic Adventure[a] is a 1998platform game developed bySonic Team and published bySega for theDreamcast. It was the first mainSonic the Hedgehog game to feature 3D gameplay. It followsSonic the Hedgehog,Miles "Tails" Prower,Knuckles the Echidna,Amy Rose,Big the Cat, andE-102 Gamma in their quests to collect theChaos Emeralds and stopDoctor Ivo Robotnik from unleashingChaos, an ancient evil. Controlling one of the six characters—each with their own abilities—players completelevels to progress the story.Sonic Adventure retains many elements from priorSonic games, such aspower-ups and thering-basedhealth system. Players can playminigames such as racing and interact withChao, avirtual pet.
Sonic Team began developingSonic Adventure in 1997, after the cancellation of theSega Saturn gameSonic X-treme. Led by directorTakashi Iizuka and producerYuji Naka, the team strove to reinventSonic for the 3D era of video games.Adventure features a stronger emphasis on storytelling androle-playing elements in contrast to previousSonic games, while Yuji Uekawa redesignedthe series's characters for their transition to 3D. Sonic Team attempted to demonstrate the technical prowess of the Dreamcast with realistic graphics and drew inspiration from locations inPeru andGuatemala. The soundtrack was primarily composed byJun Senoue, who preferredrock music over theelectropop of previousSonic games.
Following its reveal at theTokyo International Forum in August 1998,Sonic Adventure was highly anticipated and was released in Japan in December 1998, North America in September 1999, and Europe in October 1999. It received acclaim and became the Dreamcast's bestseller, with 2.5 million copies sold by August 2006. Reviewers consideredAdventure a major technical advancement and praised the visuals and gameplay. Though critics noted glitches and camera problems, and reactions to the audio were mixed, they consideredSonic Adventure exceptional; some speculated that it could help re-establish Sega as the dominant console manufacturer after the unsuccessful Saturn.
Journalists have retrospectively rankedSonic Adventure among the bestSonic games, and it is recognized as an important release in both the series and the platform genre. Many characters and concepts introduced inAdventure recur in laterSonic games.Sonic Adventure 2 was released in 2001.Adventure wasported to theGameCube andWindows in 2003 with modernized graphical choices, more challenges and additional content, while ahigh-definition version was released for theXbox 360 andPlayStation 3 in 2010 and for Windows in 2011. Reviews for these releases were less positive; critics felt the game had not aged well and ran at an inconsistentframe rate.
Sonic Adventure is a 3Dplatform game withaction androle-playing elements.[2] Players control one of sixanthropomorphic protagonists as they venture to defeatDoctor Robotnik and his robot army, who seeks the sevenChaos Emeralds and the entityChaos. Sixplayer characters are unlocked as the game progresses, each with their own story and attributes.Sonic the Hedgehog performs a spin dash, homing attack, and light-speed dash;Miles "Tails" Prower flies, swims, and attacks robots using his tails;Knuckles the Echidna glides, climbs walls, and punches;Amy Rose can defeat enemies using her hammer;Big the Cat is slow and carries afishing rod he can cast; andE-102 Gamma can shoot laser beams.[3][4]
At the start of the game, the player is placed in one of three Adventure Fields, open-endedhub worlds inhabited by advice-givingNPCs. The player is guided and instructed by the voice of Tikal the Echidna. Through exploration, the player discovers entrances tolevels called Action Stages, some of which must be opened using keys hidden in the Adventure Field.[5]: 141–142 Once the player accesses an Action Stage, they are tasked with a specific objective, which is different for each character.[6] Sonic must reach the level's end similarly to priorSonic the Hedgehog games; Tails must reach the end before Sonic; Knuckles must find three hidden shards of the Master Emerald; Amy must solve puzzles and avoid being caught by a robot; Big must fish for his pet frog; and Gamma must fight his way through stages using projectiles as a defense.[4][5]: 140
Some levels includeminigames separate from the main story. These feature different styles of gameplay, among themrail shooting,racing,pinball, andsandboarding. Some minigames can only be accessed with particular characters. Fulfilling certain objectives allows the player to obtain bonus items. Unlocked minigames and stages the player has completed can be accessed from a Trial Mode on thetitle screen.[4]
As with previousSonic installments, players can collect goldenrings, which can grant them protection from a single enemy or hazard as well as an extralife if 100 are collected.[4] Also scattered throughout the levels are canisters containingpower-ups, such as speed shoes, additional rings, temporaryinvincibility, and protective shields, and1-ups. In several stages, the player engages Robotnik or Chaos in aboss fight and must deplete the boss's health meter to proceed.[7][8] Point markers act as checkpoints where the character can respawn after losing a life.[4]
Players may also discover Chao Gardens, hidden, protective environments inhabited byChao, avirtual pet. Players can hatch, name, and interact with multiple Chao,[7] and they can raise the status of their Chao by giving them small animals, which can be collected by defeating enemies within the Action Stages. The Dreamcast's handheldVisual Memory Unit (VMU) allows the player to download theminigameChao Adventure, in which their Chao walks through a course to evolve and improve its skills.[6][9] Evolving one's Chao improves its performance in competitions called Chao Races. Eggs that can produce special types of Chao are hidden throughout the Adventure Fields. Players can earn emblems by playing through Action Stages, searching through the Adventure Fields, or winning Chao Races.[3][10] Each Action Stage has three emblems that can be earned by replaying the stages and fulfilling objectives, such as beating the level within a time limit.[4]
Themad scientist Doctor Robotnik seeks a new way to defeat his nemesis, Sonic, and conquer the world. He learns about Chaos, a creature that, thousands of years ago, helped to protect the Chao and the all-powerfulMaster Emerald, which balances the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. When a tribe ofechidnas sought to steal the power of the Emeralds, breaking the harmony they had with the Chao, Chaos retaliated by using the Emeralds' power to transform into a monstrous beast, Perfect Chaos, and wipe them out. Tikal, a young echidna who befriended Chaos, imprisoned it in the Master Emerald along with herself. Robotnik shatters the Master Emerald to release Chaos and tests its natural form on the city of Station Square.
After police fail to defeat Chaos, Sonic and Tails work to stop Robotnik from empowering it with the Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles, the only remaining echidna, sets out to find the shards of the Master Emerald. Robotnik activates a new series of robots, including E-102 Gamma, and orders them to find Froggy, a frog who ate a Chaos Emerald; Froggy's owner, Big, seeks him as well. Back in Station Square, Sonic's friend Amy protects aFlicky being pursued for its Chaos Emerald. When she and the Flicky are captured, Amy convinces Gamma not to work for Robotnik. Gamma helps her escape before seeking out and destroying the other robots in his series, sacrificing himself in the process. Tails foils Robotnik's contingency plan to destroy Station Square via a missile strike.
Although Sonic disrupts Robotnik's plans, Chaos absorbs the Chaos Emeralds and transforms into Perfect Chaos. It rebels against Robotnik and destroys Station Square. Through flashbacks from Tikal, who was also released from the Master Emerald, Sonic realizes that Chaos has been in constant torment and sorrow, and that imprisoning it again will not stop it. He uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform intoSuper Sonic and defeats Perfect Chaos. Chaos calms down when it sees the Chao living peacefully in Station Square, and Tikal takes it somewhere safe to live in peace. Sonic pursues a fleeing Robotnik.
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During the early 1990s,Sega was one of the most successful video game companies due to the rise of itsGenesis console. Genesis sales were driven by the popularity of Sega's flagship franchise of 2D platform games,Sonic the Hedgehog.[11] During this time, series co-creatorYuji Naka worked withSega Technical Institute (STI) in the United States to developSonic games. After the completion ofSonic & Knuckles in 1994, Naka returned to Japan to work withSonic Team.[12] STI began developingSonic X-treme for theSega Saturn, planned as the firstSonic the Hedgehog game to feature full3D gameplay.X-treme suffered a series of setbacks and was canceled in 1996.[13][14] The cancellation is an important factor in the Saturn'scommercial failure, leaving it with no originalSonic platform game.[15] Meanwhile, Naka and Sonic Team developed original Saturn games, such asNights into Dreams (1996).[5]: 67 [16]
Naka wanted a 3DSonic game, but felt that only Sonic Team should undertake the endeavor; his refusal to let STI use theNightsgame engine was instrumental inX-treme's cancellation.[17][18] Due to the lack ofSonic games on the Saturn,[b] according toRetro Gamer, Sonic became part of the "background" by mid-1997, so "it was astonishing to see that, just six years after his debut, Sonic was already retro."[11]Nights into Dreams designerTakashi Iizuka felt thatSonic fans had been let down because Sonic Team was not focusing on the series. Additionally,Kazuyuki Hoshino, who would serve as art director onSonic Adventure, said he thought during the Saturn era Sonic had become outdated.[11]
In August 1996, shortly after the completion ofNights into Dreams, Iizuka proposedSonic Adventure as a role-playing-styleSonic game with a greater emphasis on storytelling.[20][21] Sonic Team started to work on it in April 1997 on the Saturn with a 20-strong team.[5]: 139 [21] Sonic Team created the first prototype using theNights engine,[18] but the Saturn's limited capabilities made development difficult.[5]: 65 Sega presidentHayao Nakayama informed Naka of the Saturn's successor, the Dreamcast, and he believed the new console would allow Sonic Team to create the ultimateSonic game.[5]: 67 When the team learned the Dreamcast was nearing completion, they moved development to take advantage of its greater quantity of RAM, strongerCPU, and the VMU. Not wanting to waste their completed work, they placed it as a bonus in thecompilation gameSonic Jam, the finalSonic game for the Saturn.[5]: 65 [21] Development on the Dreamcast began in July 1997.[21]
Iizuka served as director onSonic Adventure, while Naka produced.[22] One of the largest video games created at the time,[2][23][24] the team had grown to 60 after 10 months,[21] and over 100 developers worked on the game in total.[25] Sonic Team undertook development in conjunction with the Dreamcast, aiming to release the game in December 1998, even if it meant making improvements after release.[5]: 69 [24] DevelopingSonic Adventure at the same time as the system, which was not completed until two months before release,[26] gave Iizuka influence over the console's development;[27] for example, he was able to request moreRAM for the console specifically forSonic Adventure.[24] According to former Sega of America producer Mark Subotnick, Naka canceledGeist Force, anon-rails shooter that was planned as a Dreamcastlaunch game, so he could use itsproprietary software forSonic Adventure.[28]
Sonic Team felt challenged by the new hardware to recreate Sonic and his world in a new way.[29] They began development using the character designs from the Genesis games, but quickly discovered the characters' bodies were too short and their heads too big, making them difficult to see.[29] Retro game characters, such asPac-Man, were also being reborn in a more "urban" fashion around the same time, something that made Sonic Team jealous and feel the original character designs were dated.[11] As such,Yuji Uekawa redesigned each character to suit the transition to 3D and to give them "new, edgy, more Western" design.[29] Looking to the animation ofWalt Disney andLooney Tunes for inspiration, he made Sonic more mature, taller and slimmer, and gave him longer quills. He darkened his blue color and gave him green irises to contrast with the rest of his color scheme, as well as referenceGreen Hill Zone. Uekawa tried to make Sonic look like a comic book character and compared the style to graffiti. After redesigning Sonic, he made the other characters fit this new art style.[29] Hoshino noted that the characters' longer limbs made it easier to recreate their 2D poses in 3D.[11]
Sonic Adventure features two new playable characters, Big and Gamma.[11] Sonic Team had already implemented an in-game fishing rod with no context or use, leading to the creation of Big.[30] Big was designed to be giant and relaxed so the player would not expect something more intense.[11] Gamma and his playstyle were created in response to fans who wanted elements of ashoot 'em up inSonic[20][23] and because of Iizuka's desire to include "some type of satisfying gameplay that couldn't be done with Sonic".[11] Neither Big nor Gamma were intended to play a large role, so both of their campaigns were short.[31] The antagonist, Chaos, had been conceived forSonic X-treme.[5]: 264 Iizuka wanted a villain who would have been impossible on older hardware and settled on something liquid and transparent. He presented the concept to Naka, who was impressed.[20] Chaos was intended to have realistic blue scales in his final form, but this was abandoned because of the technological constraints of the Dreamcast.[32]
While someSonic games, such asSonic CD (1993), contained limited voice work,Sonic Adventure was the firstSonic game to feature extensivevoice acting.[2] The decision was made early in development as the game was more story-focused than previousSonic games. Sonic Team's staff had differing opinions about how Sonic should sound. Iizuka recalled that the only element they agreed on was to avoid using ananime voice actor, favoring a film actor with an "over-the-top" voice.[24] Sonic Team castJun'ichi Kanemaru as Sonic. In an interview celebrating his 30th anniversary as a voice actor, Kanemaru said one reason he was cast was because of his ability to speak English.[33] After Sonic Team USA was formed, they hired American actors to translate the Japanese script. The English-language voice cast consists ofRyan Drummond as Sonic,[34] Corey Bringas as Tails,Michael McGaharn as Knuckles, Jennifer Douillard as Amy,Jon St. John as Big and E-102 Gamma, and Deem Bristow as Robotnik.[22] Iizuka usedSonic Adventure to introduce Robotnik's Japanese name, "Dr. Eggman", to western audiences;[35] he accomplished this by having Sonic insult Robotnik when they meet for the first time in-game.[36] Similarly, he avoided referring to Tails as "Miles", which he was commonly called in Japan.[11]
BecauseSonic Adventure was a Dreamcast launch game, the team strove to demonstrate the console's capabilities with realistic graphics. To achieve a more realistic feel for the environments, the core members of Sonic Team visited temples, jungles, and ancient ruins inMesoamerican landscapes, includingCancún,Guatemala, andPeru. While Sonic Team members had to draw artwork by hand for games in the past, forSonic Adventure they were able to use photographs taken during their visits astextures.[11] The greatest influences were theTikal ruin in Guatemala andMachu Picchu in Peru.[27] The character Tikal was inspired by Peru and took her name from the Guatemalan ruins.[5]: 68 [20] The 3D visuals were created using aVoodoo2 graphics chip.[21]
The levels were designed to feature gameplay similar to the original Genesis games and to take at least five minutes to complete.[23] One of the biggest challenges theAdventure designers faced was transitioningSonic's 2D style to 3D.[24] In the GenesisSonic games, the player simply had to go right to reach the end of a level, but inSonic Adventure they could move in every direction. The designers createdmodels for the stages before testing it as the player character, resulting in trial and error. This made Iizuka realize the importance of the game'scamera.[11] Some levels, such as the Lost World, were rebuilt dozens of times.[20][37] Sonic Team split levels into parts to save memory.[11] One particular difficulty was defeating enemies; in the 2D games, enemies were beaten simply by jumping on them, but this was harder to achieve in a 3D game. Therefore, Sonic was given the ability to target enemies in mid-air.[20]
Iizuka said the cinematic sequences were conceived to take advantage of the environments, "giving the player an element of discovery in addition to the platforming".[24][27] The team also wanted to add elements unexpected in a platform game; for example, the level in which Tails sandboards was inspired by a group of sandboarders inIca, Peru.[5]: 68 [20] Some levels reference past Sega games, such as Ice Cap (1994'sSonic the Hedgehog 3) and the Tornado levels (1995'sPanzer Dragoon).[5]: 142 When seeing the completed level designs, Iizuka and Naka decided to repurpose them for other player characters.[23] Iizuka said they felt it would be "a waste if Sonic just quickly ran through the levels that we spent so much time creating". After Sonic, the first characters added were Tails and Knuckles; Tails's stages turned portions of Sonic's levels into races, while Knuckles's treasure-hunting missions were designed to contrast with the others' straightforward ones.Sonic Adventure was the first time Amy was playable in aSonic platformer, and Iizuka aimed to use her to add tension, such as hiding from pursuers, that Sonic's gameplay could not offer.[11]
BecauseSonic Adventure had a stronger emphasis on storytelling than previous games in the series, the team implemented hub worlds to "draw the players deeper into the world." The hub worlds' emphasis on exploring to find new areas and power-ups was inspired byThe Legend of Zelda.[11] When seeing the completed level designs, Iizuka and Naka decided to repurpose them for other player characters.[23] According to Iizuka, the team tried to include as much content as possible.[24] One addition was the Chao-raising system, which Iizuka conceived to take advantage of the VMU.[5]: 70 Sonic Team had used a similar virtual pet system, the "A-Life", inNights into Dreams;[20] Iizuka used the A-Life as a base, while improving it with the VMU and the option to improve its skills.[5]: 71 Iizuka hoped it would be made into a character players could touch and raise.[27] It was also designed to appeal to casual gamers not familiar with games likeSonic,[20] and to addreplay value.[38] The design took considerable time to finalize and had to be made as simple as possible because the virtual pet's look changes form as it evolves.[27]
Sonic Adventure's score was primarily composed byJun Senoue, with additional music by Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi, andMasaru Setsumaru.[39][40]Adventure was Senoue's first project as sound director and its scope meant he had many more responsibilities, including schedule management, compared to his previous games. Despite this, Senoue said he did not feel much pressure, as he was aSonic fan and had contributed to previous games' soundtracks.[41]
In contrast to previousSonic games, which featuredelectropop soundtracks, theAdventure sound team preferred "hot,funky, androck 'n' roll" music.[12][23] Iizuka noted that Sonic Team's primary goal withAdventure was "to evoke the essence of Sonic by going from 2D to 3D", and felt the music needed to exceed fan expectations due to previousSonic soundtracks' popularity.[41] He stated a new style was adopted because the Dreamcast's sound was a significant advance from that of the Genesis;[24] Senoue added he felt more comfortable composing rock music and wanted to create music everyone could enjoy.[41] Despite the different styles, Senoue did retain some music from the GenesisSonic games: the music for the Windy Valley and Twinkle Park levels were rearranged fromSonic 3D Blast (1996), while the level clear jingle was taken fromSonic 3.[11] He chose to reuse his3D Blast tracks because he felt they were strong enough to be more widely heard, as they were only used for the Genesis version (which was not released in Japan).[42]
Senoue composed several songs with English lyrics to highlight the various characters' personalities, and collaborated with Tokoi and Kumatani to polish them.[41] The main theme, "Open Your Heart", was performed byHardline'sJohnny Gioeli;[11] other songs were performed by Gioeli, Marlon Saunders, Dred Foxx,Ted Poley, Nikki Gregoroff, andTony Harnell.[5]: 143 Sonic Adventure marked Senoue's first collaboration with Gioeli; the two later formed the bandCrush 40 (originally known as Sons of Angels), and continue to make music together.[11] Iizuka was inspired to use "Open Your Heart" as thefinal boss music by films, which he noted often use main themes during dramatic events. Iizuka also felt that the songs helped define Knuckles and Amy's personalities, as they had not received much character development inSonic games untilAdventure.[41]
Sonic Adventure was kept a secret during production,[21][23] though screenshots were leaked in mid-1998 and plans for a 3DSonic game had long been rumored.[23][43] It was unveiled by Naka and the rest of Sonic Team on August 22, 1998,[23] at theTokyo International Forum. The team showed off several dynamic elements, such as a chase sequence from the first level and Tails's sandboarding sequence.[5]: 69 The presentation ended with a live performance of "Open Your Heart" alongside aRealVideo clip montage.[44] Naka described the debut as intense, having "[given his] all" to make it fit for release.[5]: 69
On December 23, 1998,Sonic Adventure was released in Japan.[45][46] The Japanese version shipped with manyglitches; according to Iizuka, Sonic Team did not have time to fix them due to the tight schedule.[11] Several members of Sonic Team flew to Sega of America to establishSonic Team USA andpatch and translate the game.[5]: 69 Prior to the launch of the Dreamcast in the United States, Sega made an exclusive deal withHollywood Video to allow customers to rent the Dreamcast console along with a non-retail version of the game,Sonic Adventure: Limited Edition.[47][48] The promotion began on July 15, 1999, and took place at 1,055 Hollywood Video stores across the country.[49]
The localized version was released in North America on September 9, 1999, as a launch game,[50] and in Europe on October 14, 1999.[51] It includes Japanese and English-language audio and Japanese, English, Spanish, French and German subtitles.[52] Online features—including Chao daycare anddownloadable content (DLC) such as minigames and new level assets—were also added.[53] The American release ofStudio Pierrot'sSonic the Hedgehog (1996)original video animation coincided with the Western release ofSonic Adventure,[54] whileDIC Entertainment'sSonic Underground (1999) was commissioned to help promote the game.[55] The localized version was released in Japan asSonic Adventure International.[5]: 69 [56]
Before release, Sega projected to sell a million copies ofSonic Adventure.[25]Sonic Adventure is the bestselling Dreamcast game; by August 4, 2006, it had sold 2.5 million copies, including 440,000 in Japan and 1.27 million in the US.[5]: 143 [57] In Europe, it sold 86,000 copies during its first five days on sale.[58] In the UK, it was the top-selling Dreamcast launch game,[59] and topped the all-formats chart.[60] After the North American release, there were complaints of a number ofSonic Adventure discs failing to load. Sega of America determined that this was a software problem due to errors at one manufacturing facility and tracked the faulty software. Most copies were unaffected, and customers with defective copies could trade for working ones at retailers.[61][62]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 87%[63] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame | 4/5[9] |
| Computer and Video Games | 5/5[51] |
| Edge | 8/10[64] |
| GameSpot | 9.2/10[8] |
| IGN | 8.6/10[7] |
| Next Generation | 4/5[65] |
As the first fully 3DSonic platform game,Sonic Adventure was highly anticipated.[7][23] It received critical acclaim,[5]: 143 [63] andComputer and Video Games (CVG) called it one ofthe greatest video games of all time.[51][66]Sonic Adventure won aBlockbuster Entertainment Award in the "Favorite Sega Dreamcast Game" category,[67] and was a runner-up forGameSpot's annual "Best Console Platform Game" award, which went toRayman 2: The Great Escape (1999).[68] It was a finalist for "Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering" during the3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which went toUnreal Tournament.[69]
The visuals and presentation attracted acclaim.[7][70]Arcade described it as a "quantum leap forward" in aesthetics and visual detail in video games,[70] andHyper estimated it exceeded graphics of high-end personal computers.[71]IGN called it the most graphically impressive platform game released up to that date, praising its cinematic sequences and describing it as "engrossing, demanding, and utterly awe-inspiring".[7]GameSpot agreed and said onlySoulcalibur's graphical quality surpassed that ofSonic Adventure.[8]Edge felt the graphical features showed off the Dreamcast's potential to the fullest and that the game was a "perfect" showcase.[23]
The audio received mixed responses.[6][8]GameSpot andGame Revolution called thefull-motion video (FMV) cutscenes and voice acting well-produced and fitting, thoughGameSpot noted poor lip-synching.[6][8]IGN thought the cutscenes were repetitive and described the voice acting as "a complete joke" and "downright awful", particularly Tails's voice, and later naming it among the most annoying to feature in a video game.[7][72]AllGame was conflicted; they appreciated Tails's portrayal but found Sonic's and Knuckles's voices unfitting.[9]GameSpot andAllGame praised the rock-style music,[8][9] butGame Revolution described the score as "absolutely horrible".[6]
The gameplay was generally praised.[37][73]GameSpot admired the straightforward, linear approach to the 3D platform genre and particularly praised it for keeping the basic gameplay of the original Genesis games.[8]IGN said the game would keep players busy even after completion, noting its internet connectivity and other extras.[7] However,Game Revolution said apart from being quicker, it did not advance the platform genre's design.[6] Retrospectively,1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die called its environments vast and twisted, stating it "brilliantly" captured traditionalSonic elements.[37] The Chao minigame was noted as a major departure from the gameplay of the series.[6][9]GameSpot wrote that "while really just a diversion", the Chao were an interesting, fun addition, singling out their internet functions as a highlight.[8]AllGame said the Chao helped increase the replay value, although it was "strange", required patience, and did not provide bonuses in the main game.[9]Game Revolution called the Chao "a neat addition" and praised its use of the VMU.[6]
Some critics comparedSonic Adventure toSuper Mario 64—Nintendo's "groundbreaking" 1996 game that propelled theNintendo 64 and the 3D platform genre.[9][23]Edge saidSonic Adventure was a worthy rival toSuper Mario 64,[23] butAllGame wrote thatSonic Adventure was not as ambitious and that those looking for exploration would be disappointed with its linear gameplay. They compared it to the similarly linearCrash Bandicoot but feltSonic Adventure was more confined. Still, they praised the gameplay as varied and said its replay value was strong.[9] The journalists Rusel DeMaria and Johnny L. Wilson retrospectively wroteSonic Adventure was not as strong asSuper Mario 64 and "failed to catch on with players in nearly the way that [Mario] had done", though it had fascinating features, such as "the use of theTamagotchi-like memory card to incubate eggs for little pet creatures" and "some good action segments".[74]
The camera system and glitches were criticized by many reviewers.[75]IGN called the camera "incredibly" frustrating and inconsistent, andGameSpot noted it caused problems withcollision detection.[7][8]Edge complained the camera sometimes goes behind walls.[64] Authors fromGamesRadar retrospectively wrote thatSonic Adventure was "horrendously buggy", singling out falling through floors and getting stuck, but also said the sheer amount of content made up for this.[75]
GameSpot thoughtSonic Adventure redefined the possibilities of the platform genre,[8] and according toCVG, "many things you thought were impossible to see and experience in computer games are now here".[51] According toNext Generation, "Expert gamers may beat the game in only a day or two but, even then, the ride is worth the price of admission."[65]AllGame wrote that the game was an impressive showing of the Dreamcast's potential and that it was among the best of the series.[9]Edge said its criticisms such as scenery pop-up and instances of poor collision detection are "minor flaws in an otherwise very fine piece of work".[64]Arcade andCVG speculated thatSonic Adventure could save the Dreamcast,[70][76] which had not sold well by the end of 1998.[70]CVG also thought it could re-establish Sega as the dominant console manufacturer after the relatively unsuccessful Saturn.[76]
AlthoughSonic Adventure was a success, Dreamcast sales struggled to meet Sega's expectations, and theAdventure team was downsized. Sega directed a team of 11—significantly smaller thanAdventure's team of 120—to begin working onSonic Adventure 2.[77]Adventure 2 made its debut atE3 2000[78] and was released in June 2001.[79] The sequel was designed to be more action-oriented than the slower-paced, story-centricAdventure and to give all the characters equal playtime.[31]Sonic Adventure 2 received positive reviews,[80] but prior to its release, Sega announced it would transition from a first-party to a third-party software publisher, in response to the international failures of the Saturn and Dreamcast.[81][82]
In June 2003, Sega releasedSonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, aport ofSonic Adventure for theGameCube andWindows.[5]: 141 [20] While mostly identical to the original release,Sonic Adventure DX features updated graphics, including updated textures and more detailed character models,[10] aims for aframe rate of 60 instead of 30,[3] and sports a redesigned Chao-raising system that uses connectivity with theGame Boy Advance (GBA). It includes 60 new missions and the option to unlockemulations of all 12Sonic games released for theGame Gear.[10] Additionally,Metal Sonic can be unlocked as a playable character if all 130 emblems are collected.[83] These features were added to appeal to players of the original game.[5]: 141
In September 2010, Sega rereleasedSonic Adventure as a downloadable game for theXbox 360 andPlayStation 3, followed by a Windows release in March 2011 viaSteam.[84][85][86] This version is based onSonic Adventure DX and supportshigh-definition visuals at a 4:3 aspect ratio.[84]Sonic Adventure DX's additional content was removed,[84] but the mission mode and Metal Sonic can be reimplemented by purchasing additional DLC.[87] The game was also included in theDreamcast Collection compilation in 2011[88] and isbackwards-compatible with theXbox One andXbox Series X/S.[89]
A two-disc soundtrack,Sonic Adventure "Digi-LOG Conversation" Original Sound Track, was released in Japan in January 1999.[90] In May 2011, the soundtrack was rereleased to commemorate theSonic franchise's 20th anniversary.[91] A two-volume digital soundtrack was also released oniTunes andSpotify in September 2014 and January 2017, respectively.[92][93][94]Brave Wave Productions released avinyl LP version of the soundtrack including interviews with Senoue and Iizuka in 2018.[95]
With most contemporary 3D platform games focusing on exploration and collecting items,Sonic Adventure stood out with its linear gameplay.[8] According toGamesRadar, as one of the firstsixth-generation console games, it changed theindustry "forever".[75]Joystiq wrote that bothAdventure and the originalSonic the Hedgehog had innovated—in 3D and 2D games, respectively—through effective linear level design and by feeling "good to play".[96]
In 2009,GamePro listedSonic Adventure as the seventh-best platform game of all time, saying that it had not aged well in certain aspects but that its core gameplay remained among the best of theSonic series.[73] Several journalists ranked the game among the series's best,[97][98] butKotaku argued the addition of voice acting and greater focus on plot changed Sonic into "a flat, lifeless husk of a character, who spits out slogans and generally has only one personality mode, the radical attitude dude, the sad recycled image of vague '90s cultural concept".[99]
Sonic Adventure DX received mixed reviews.[100]GameSpot was disappointed the rerelease did not address the problems of the original version, iterating the graphics were only marginally different, and dissatisfied with its collision detection.GameSpot offered some praise for the extra features, such as the missions, but concluded players were better off playing the Dreamcast version.[3]IGN agreed, calling it "a sloppy port of a game that has long been undeserving of its high praise."IGN noted its frequent frame rate drops and described its camera one of the worst in a video game.IGN said the connectivity to the GBASonic games added depth but concluded this was not enough to compensate for the port's problems.[10]Nintendo World Report was more positive, praising the Game Gear games for retaining theirmultiplayer support and finding Sonic and Tails' gameplay enjoyable.[101]
Reviews of the 2010 rerelease were generally unfavorable,[102] with criticism directed at the perceived lack of effort put into the port.[84][103]IGN called it "so fundamentally flawed that it borders on unplayable", observing that the sections that worked best required the least input from the player.IGN criticized the lack ofwidescreen support but offered minor praise for its steady frame rate.[103]1UP.com lambasted the port for what they called its slapdash quality, criticizing its display, controls, and dated design, and saying that it "feels like it wasn't even tuned for the Xbox 360 controller and its analog sticks."[84]Destructoid was less harsh, writing that fans of the franchise would be able to enjoy the game but warning casual players that "all you'll find is a relic that was once considered greatness."[104]
Many ofSonic Adventure's designs and concepts were reused in laterSonic games. The direction, basic gameplay, and Uekawa's modernized character designs became series staples.[29][105] The first level in the 2006Sonic the Hedgehogreboot heavily referencesSonic Adventure's Emerald Coast stage.[106] To celebrate theSonic series's 20th anniversary in 2011, Sega releasedSonic Generations, which reused aspects from past games in the franchise. The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows versions contain reimagined versions of the Speed Highway level and the Perfect Chaos boss fight,[107][108] and theNintendo 3DS version contains a remake of Emerald Coast.[109]
Several characters that first appeared inSonic Adventure appeared in later games. As well as appearing inSonic Generations, Chaos is an antagonist in the 2017 entrySonic Forces;[110] it and Gamma are playable characters in the 2004fighting gameSonic Battle;[111] and a recreation of its boss fight appears inMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.[112] The Chao creatures also feature predominantly in later games.[31][113] One of the characters introduced inAdventure, Big the Cat, became infamous for his negative reception.Game Informer considered his gameplay painful and boring,[114] whileDestructoid decried his portrayal as a "mentally handicapped imbecile" and his voice actor's incoherent performance.[104] Big is widely considered by video game journalists the worst character in theSonic franchise,[114][115][116] and was named one of the worst game characters in a poll conducted by1UP.com.[117]
A concept forSonic Adventure 3 was reworked into the 2008 gameSonic Unleashed.[118] In 2017, Iizuka stated there were no plans for a thirdSonic Adventure game, saying it would not advance the series's design. He did not rule out the idea, saying "If we can get the gameplay to evolve and get to a place whereAdventure 3 makes sense, then you might see anAdventure 3 come out".[119] In 2018, Iizuka expressed interest inremakingSonic Adventure,[120] but had ruled out the prospect by 2025. He said that bringingAdventure to modern standards would take the same effort as developing a new game, which he preferred.[121]
Sonic Adventure was adapted in the second season of the 2003Sonic the Hedgehoganime seriesSonic X. The Japanese voice cast from the game reprised their roles, but the American licensing corporation4Kids Entertainment hired a new cast for the English-language dub.[122] The American publisherArchie Comics adaptedAdventure in itsSonic the Hedgehog comic book series, which accounted for the altered character designs and established that Station Square was hidden beneath Sonic's planet, Mobius.[123] AnAdventure adaptation was the last original story published in the British publisherFleetway'sSonic the Comic before its cancellation.[124]
The reason why there wasn't a Sonic game on Saturn was really because we were concentrating on NiGHTS. We were also working on Sonic Adventure—that was originally intended to be out on Saturn, but because Sega as a company was bringing out a new piece of hardware—the Dreamcast—we resorted to switching it over to the Dreamcast, which was the newest hardware at the time. So that's why there wasn't a Sonic game on Saturn. With regards to X-Treme, I'm not really sure on the exact details of why it was cut short, but from looking at how it was going, it wasn't looking very good from my perspective. So I felt relief when I heard it was cancelled.
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