25 essential video games every gamer should know

10. Sonic the Hedgehog

This Sega Genesis classic is as much of a must-play as any Mario game, as Sonic the Hedgehog is one of most recognizable video game characters to date. The super fast hedgehog has had a whole slew of games released since the original, including different genres such as pinball, 3D platformers, puzzle games and racing games. There have also been several cartoon shows and a long-running comic book series that go into more detail of the ongoing battle against Dr. Robotnik (or Dr. Eggman which was his name in the original Japanese version).

The original game is a side-scrolling speed-focused platformer and it even spawned a fan-made reboot with Sonic Mania, which remixed popular retro Sonic levels and was released digitally in August 2017 with a physical release titled Sonic Mania Plus releasing this month. Surprisingly, the original game, while retro, does not suffer from many gameplay troubles older games can experience with modern gamers, such as being dated or containing clunky controls or camera angles. The levels are gorgeously designed with vibrant colors, the music is catchy, while Sonic can only attack by jumping on enemies, the boss battles are each unique enough to be entertaining without being repetitive.