Reader Discussion: Can Sonic Be Redeemed?

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has been on the ropes for a number of years. Whether you're talking Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) or the failed attempt to dramatically change things up with 2014's Sonic Boom, it's been a rough go for one of gaming's most recognizable mascots.

Since the Sonic Adventure series delivered a good experience for the time, the franchise has brought a couple of brighter moments (Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations) amidst a sea of poorly-received releases across multiple platforms. Even Sonic Lost World, a game that had such promise prior to release, fell well short of expectations when it released in 2013.

As someone who grew up loving the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, I would be very happy to see the series return to its roots and deliver a game that feels more like Sonic 3, but if the developers insist on continuing with 3D games as well, I wouldn't mind seeing a return to the Sonic Adventure style of storytelling and gameplay. A few of my Twitter followers suggested that Sonic Team take the Sonic Generations engine and develop an all-new experience using it; an idea I would enthusiastically embrace.

What do you think? Does Sonic have some gas left in the tank? Could the right team take the Blue Blur and make him a force within the industry once again? What approach would you like to see in the next Sonic game?