Series guide
All Sonic games in order
Sonic has run for over thirty years, and a flat list of everything is unreadable. The series actually falls into five eras — classic, Adventure, handheld, Wii and modern — and that is how it is listed below, in release order, with the Nintendo versions marked, because those are the ones we stock and test.
The short answer
Classic: Sonic 1 (1991) → 2 → CD → 3 & Knuckles (1994). Adventure: Adventure 1–2 → Heroes → Shadow. Handheld: Advance 1–3 (GBA) → Rush 1–2 (DS). Wii: Secret Rings → Unleashed → Black Knight → Colours. Modern: Generations → Lost World → Mania & Forces (2017) → Frontiers (2022) → Superstars → X Shadow Generations (2024). There is no story you must follow — pick an era and start.
The classic era (1991–1994)
The Mega Drive originals that made the series. We are a Nintendo shop, so we do not stock Sega hardware — but every one of these is playable on Switch via Sonic Origins, which is exactly what it exists for.
- Sonic the Hedgehog · 1991 · Mega Drive
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 · 1992 · Mega Drive
- Sonic CD · 1993 · Mega-CD
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 · 1994 · Mega Drive
- Sonic & Knuckles · 1994 · Mega Drive
The Adventure era (1998–2005)
Sonic goes 3D. On Nintendo this era lives on the GameCube: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is the version of Adventure 2 most Europeans actually grew up with.
The handheld line (2001–2007)
A parallel 2D series that never dipped in quality: the three Advance games on GBA, then the two Rush games on DS. Loose cartridges make this the cheapest way into classic-style Sonic.
- Sonic Advance · 2001 · Game Boy Advance
- Sonic Advance 2 · 2002 · Game Boy Advance
- Sonic Advance 3 · 2004 · Game Boy Advance
- Sonic Rush · 2005 · Nintendo DS
- Sonic Rush Adventure · 2007 · Nintendo DS
The Wii era (2007–2010)
Motion-controlled experiments and the return to form. Wii discs are plentiful and inexpensive, which makes this the budget entry into 3D Sonic.
The modern era (2011–today)
From Generations onwards everything ships on Nintendo hardware, mostly Switch. Mania is the love letter to 1994; Frontiers is the open-zone reinvention.
- Sonic Generations · 2011 · 3DS version
- Sonic Lost World · 2013 · Wii U + 3DS
- Sonic Boom (Rise of Lyric / Shattered Crystal) · 2014 · Wii U + 3DS
- Sonic Mania · 2017 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic Forces · 2017 · Nintendo Switch
- Team Sonic Racing · 2019 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic Colours: Ultimate · 2021 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic Origins · 2022 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic Frontiers · 2022 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic Superstars · 2023 · Nintendo Switch
- Sonic X Shadow Generations · 2024 · Nintendo Switch
Buying Sonic second-hand
The Wii shelf is the cheapest way into 3D Sonic
Secret Rings, Unleashed, Black Knight and Colours sold in big numbers and second-hand prices have stayed friendly. If you want to try 3D Sonic without committing, start here — and Colours is the one that holds up best.
GameCube Sonic keeps creeping up
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle in particular has been climbing for years — it is the nostalgic favourite of a whole generation and the Chao Garden never returned. Complete-in-box GameCube copies are the collector target in this series.
The GBA and DS games play identically loose
A loose Sonic Advance or Sonic Rush cartridge plays exactly like a boxed one at a fraction of the price. If you want to play rather than display, loose is the sensible buy — we list both and say plainly which you are looking at.
Check which version a listing actually is
Several Sonic games exist in multiple versions that differ a lot: Generations on 3DS is a different game than on the big consoles, Colours on DS is its own game, and Unleashed differs per platform. Every listing of ours names the exact platform version — read that line before comparing prices.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, saving, label, disc surface — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
Browse tested Sonic gamesQuestions we get asked
Do I need to play the Sonic games in order?
No. Apart from direct story pairs (Sonic 3 & Knuckles, or Frontiers before X Shadow Generations if you want the references) every Sonic game stands on its own. The order above is release order per era — pick the era that appeals and start there.
What was the first Sonic game?
Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Mega Drive, in 1991. On Nintendo hardware the series arrived a decade later, once Sega stopped making consoles — Sonic Advance (GBA) and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube) were the first.
Which Sonic game should I start with?
For classic 2D: Sonic Mania (Switch) — it is the best game in the classic style, including the originals. For 3D: Sonic Colours (Wii, or Ultimate on Switch) or Sonic Frontiers if you want the modern open-zone one. For the originals themselves: Sonic Origins on Switch collects 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles and CD.
Can you play the classic Mega Drive Sonic games on a Nintendo console?
Yes — Sonic Origins (Switch, 2022) contains remastered versions of Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD. Older compilations like Sonic Mega Collection did the same job on the GameCube.
Why is Sonic ’06 not in the list?
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 only — it never appeared on a Nintendo platform, so you will not find it in our shop. Its reputation means you are not missing much.
Are old Sonic cartridges and discs still reliable?
Generally yes. The GBA and DS games do not rely on fragile save batteries, and GameCube and Wii discs hold up well if they were stored properly. Every copy we sell is play-tested on real hardware first, including the save.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the first worldwide release; European dates were sometimes a few months later. Onze Sonic-collectie in het Nederlands.
