Welcome again! We’re mere days away from the releases of Sonic Superstars and Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel. (Properly I believe Sonic Superstars got here out right this moment, really) so it’s time to complete off our Mario vs. Sonic battle extravaganza! 

Final time we ranked every of those collection primarily based solely on their mainline video games. Their bread and butter, their cash and rings, because it have been. Mario got here out forward, however solely by two factors, which isn’t an insurmountable lead. And this time, we’re pitting their non-traditional video games in opposition to each other. Can Sonic mount a comeback, or is Mario really the superior franchise? Let’s discover out, however first, I’ve to remind everybody that these are merely my private opinions! There isn’t a definitive winner within the Mario vs Sonic debate! 

Okay, let’s decide a definitive winner. 

Racing video games

We’re kicking issues off with a really shut contest. Clearly, everybody is aware of Mario Kart. It’s been round for ages, and has seen 8 (or extra for those who depend cellular and arcade) extraordinarily well-loved releases. They’re online game staples, and the Mario Kart model itself has change into one of the profitable in all of gaming. Mario Kart is an icon, and could be extraordinarily troublesome for Sonic to topple. 

Good factor Sonic has a fairly dang spectacular racing profession himself, however for a really totally different motive. Sonic has one thing Mario doesn’t on this enviornment, range. Sonic hasn’t simply executed kart racing. (Properly technically Mario hasn’t both if you wish to embrace cameo stuff like 3D Sizzling Rally for Famicom and F-1 Race for Recreation Boy, however we aren’t doing that.) Sonic did Kart racing in Sonic Drift for Recreation Gear. However he additionally did foot racing in Sonic R and Sonic Rivals. He did futuristic hoverboard racing in Sonic Riders. And he did loopy cool arcade-style racing within the Sonic & Sega All-Stars video games. And you recognize what? Most of these are on the very least fairly good, and a few are even spectacular. Sonic’s racing profession is killer, and positively stands as much as Mario Kart. 

However in the long run, for as shut as it’s, I nonetheless have to offer the purpose to Mario on this one. There’s simply one thing so good in regards to the Mario Kart collection, and for as nice and fascinating as Sonic’s racing makes an attempt have been, they nonetheless aren’t Mario Kart. 

Winner: Mario

Tennis

This one’s just a little lopsided, however it’s a Mario vs. Sonic enviornment that each characters have competed in, so let’s see how issues land! 

Mario Tennis has been round for ages, and has some really glorious entries. It’s additionally had some actual let downs. Mario’s Tennis for Digital Boy did an awesome job of displaying what the VB may do, however its lack of multiplayer and actually any form of fascinating Mario-style mechanics go away it feeling fairly lackluster. Mario Tennis: Extremely Smash for Wii U was so threadbare that it actually left folks questioning if the sport was even accomplished earlier than releasing. 

Sonic although, has solely actually been featured in a single tennis sport, Sega Superstars Tennis, and it’s really fairly good. The Wii model lacked on-line play, however on the 360 and PS3, it was a very enjoyable and intelligent Tennis sport. It’s no Virtua Tennis, however then once more, what’s? 

However for as stable as Sonic’s providing is, Mario as soon as once more takes the purpose right here. Mario Tennis for N64 is a bonafide treasure. The RPG mode within the Recreation Boy Coloration sport is basic. Aces for Swap is a blast. On the subject of tennis, Mario wins. 

Winner: Mario

Puzzle video games

You may have a look at Mario’s numbers right here and assume that is a straightforward win for the plumber, however you’d be mistaken. Yoshi, Yoshi’s Cookie, and Wrecking Crew 98 are good video games, however they aren’t the sort which have a ton of endurance. 

Alternatively, Sonic Eraser isn’t actually a lot to put in writing dwelling about both. 

No, this contest comes right down to Dr. Mario, Mario’s Picross, and Wario’s Woods in opposition to Dr. Robotnik’s Imply Bean Machine. 

That’s nonetheless a 3 on 1, however let’s see what we’ve got cooking right here. Dr. Robotnik’s Imply Bean Machine is successfully Puyo Puyo, top-of-the-line puzzle video games there may be. It’s a basic for a motive, and whereas dressing it up in characters from that bizarre Sonic cartoon from the 90s is an odd selection, it doesn’t detract from the general expertise. That is nonetheless Puyo Puyo, and it’s nonetheless the sport to beat. 

Wario’s Woods I’m biased on. I like that sport, and I believe it is good as heck. However I perceive that I’m form of within the minority there, so Sonic continues to be on prime. 

Mario’s Picross is a real masterpiece, nevertheless it’s strictly a solo affair. The shortage of any form of multiplayer possibility I’m afraid places it juuuuust beneath Sonic. 

However then there’s Dr. Mario. That is one other color-matching sport, like Puyo Puyo, and it has endured simply as lengthy, if not longer. It’s had some actually fascinating iterations just like the tragically defunct Dr. Mario World on cellular and Dr. Luigi on Wii U. Is Dr. Mario higher than Puyo Puyo? No, I don’t assume it’s. I prefer it higher myself, but when I’m being sincere, Puyo is king. 

The one drawback is, whereas Dr. Robotnik’s Imply Bean MAchine is in truth technically higher than these different video games, it’s not higher than all of them mixed. This time Mario takes it in sheer numbers. A well-met battle, however the plumber wins once more. 

Winner: Mario

Pinball video games

Ahh, pinball video games. Pinball video video games are nice. Particularly after they reap the benefits of the online game format and incorporate all kinds of issues that might by no means occur in an actual pinball desk. So let’s see what we’ve received right here. 

Mario Pinball Land is a good sport. It doesn’t do something mistaken, per se, nevertheless it does not actually really feel all that particular, you recognize? It’s a enjoyable distraction, nevertheless it by no means fairly reaches Kirby’s Pinball Land ranges. 

Sonic Spinball, alternatively, is freaking nice. Properly, it’s virtually freaking nice. It’s a spectacular concept that doesn’t fairly stick the touchdown, nevertheless it’s nonetheless an extremely cool sport, notably the Poisonous Caves space and its phenomenal theme tune. Truthfully, that alone could be sufficient to beat Mario’s Pinball Land, however Sonic Pinball Occasion simply occurs to ALSO be incredible. It’s additionally on the GBA and handily outdoes Mario’s providing in nearly each means. It’s a blast, and greater than sufficient to earn Sonic the purpose. 

Winner: Sonic

Occasion Video games

Yeah, this one actually isn’t truthful, so I gained’t dwell on it an excessive amount of. Sonic Shuffle on Dreamcast is sort of a catastrophe, and Sonic Superstars was mainly an Eye Toy minigame compilation that was at greatest “okay.” 

Mario Occasion is a freaking establishment. Sega did attempt to compete on this enviornment, and I give them credit score for that, however that is unquestionably a degree for Mario. 

Winner: Mario

RPGs

Once more, this one’s a massacre. I actually want it wasn’t although as a result of contemplating all of the bonkers lore the Sonic comics have provide you with through the years, a Sonic RPG is a good thought. Get the appropriate group to make it, and it might be spectacular. However sadly, we do not dwell in that world. Sonic Chronicles for Nintendo DS is a good sport, however Tremendous Mario RPG? All the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi collection? Even accounting for the Paper Mario video games folks have a bizarre hatred for, it’s not even shut. 

Winner: Mario

Cell video games

Ahh, the cellular Mario vs. Sonic enviornment. Now it is a playground that Sega has much more expertise in than Nintendo, and it reveals. 

Tremendous Mario Run is a fairly stable sport. I had a blast with it, and I really feel I received my cash’s price. I assume we may throw Mario Kart Tour in right here, in addition to Dr. Mario World, however even when we do, I nonetheless assume this class belongs to Sonic. Nintendo will get credit score for actually making an attempt to place one thing totally different on the planet, however these Sonic cellular video games are, nicely, cellular video games. They perceive the platform higher, and whereas they do not attain any form of spectacular highs, I believe they take it in numbers. I’m not an knowledgeable right here, so I’m going with my intestine. Sonic owns cellular gaming. 

Winner: Sonic

Traditional compilations

And right here we’re once more with one other massacre, however in the other way. On the subject of basic compilations, Sega has been doing an impressive job of maintaining their basic Sonic adventures available. 

Nintendo, alternatively, solely actually began correctly re-releasing their basic Mario video games on the Wii by way of their Digital Console service, however there they have been solely offered one after the other. In fact, earlier than that they gave us the completely wonderful Tremendous Mario All-Stars, which consisted of 16-bit remakes of Mario’s legendary NES outings, however that was actually about it. 

Tremendous Mario All-Stars was re-released on Wii in pitiful kind, as a easy ROM dump on a Wii disc. Tremendous Mario 3D All-Stars was good on Swap, with added widescreen help to Mario Sunshine and conventional controls for Galaxy, however for nearly as good as that and the unique All-Stars was, let’s have a look at Sega’s output. 

Sonic Jam on Saturn had the unique Genesis video games and a loopy cool playable 3D Sonic enviornment. Sonic Mega Assortment on GameCube had a ton of video games in it, and it was adopted up by the Gems Assortment that had a bunch of Recreation Gear video games and different oddities. Sonic’s Final Genesis Assortment doesn’t simply have a bunch of Sonic classics, however different Genesis video games as nicely, however the true killer right here, in my humble opinion, is Sonic Origins. 

Now, I’m conscious that Sonic Origins has its points. I’m heartbroken by the music adjustments in Sonic 3, and whereas I’ve by no means observed something mistaken with its physics, I do know some Sonic die-hards on the market have been lower than happy. However for my cash, these are a small value to pay for what’s really on show right here. They took the unique Sonic video games, however as a substitute of doing what Mario All Stars did and remaking them with fashionable visuals, they utilized fashionable sensibilities to the unique video games as a substitute and simply enhanced them. These are the unique video games, with their authentic graphics and sounds (largely) with crystal clear visuals, native widescreen gameplay, and a few wonderful enhancements that overcome the Genesis’s limitations, just like the 3D half pipe bonus phases from Sonic 2 working at 60fps. Sonic Origins is wonderful, and I might LOVE to see Nintendo do one thing much like their basic Mario video games. There’s a fairly spectacular widescreen mod for Tremendous Mario World on the market, and I would like that in an official method. 

However that’s not going to occur. Nintendo can’t even make Tremendous Mario World match a widescreen TV correctly on Swap for some motive. 

The winner right here is unequivocally Sonic

Winner: Sonic

Alright, let’s tally up these factors. 

Mario: 5

Sonic: 3

And if we add them to final week’s whole

Mario: 11

Sonic: 7

And there you will have it. Seems like Mario reigns supreme, however significantly, that rating is way nearer than I believe some people might have anticipated. Sonic isn’t precisely recognized for his high quality merchandise anymore, and has been the star of some true stinkers, however he actually outdoes Mario in just a few areas. I do know Sonic might be checked out as a little bit of a joke by some, nevertheless it deserves respect. 

And Mario, nicely, Mario is fantastic. I do want Nintendo would take a web page our of Sega’s ebook by way of retro stuff, however all in all I couldn’t be happier with the place Mario is true now, particularly with Marvel trying so darn good. 

So with that, I’m going to place this to relaxation and clear my schedule for the weekend. Between Marvel and Superstars, I’ve received my palms full! What do you assume? Will you be enjoying Superstars and Marvel? Do you agree with my assessments? Let me know!