Sonic and Mario game counterparts
I tried to make the definitive list of Sonic games and their Mario game counter parts. I thought about this for way to long.
- Sonic 1 - Super Mario Bros 1
- Sonic CD - Super Mario Bros 2 (Odd sheep out of the classics.)
- Sonic 2 - Super Mario Bros 3 (Refined and basically perfected the formula.)
- Sonic 3&k - Super Mario World (Contender for goat out of the classics.)
- Adventure - Mario 64 (first jump into 3D)
- SA2/Heroes - Sunshine (Everyone puts Sa2 for their Sunshine counterpart but I honestly think Heroes is more fitting. Both on released on GameCube, and not really universally loved by the fanbase bc of jank and frustration. The only thing I think SA2 has in common with Sunshine is the fact that it was the follow up to the first 3D game, but I put both for funsies.)
- Advance series - New Super Mario Bros DS (Return to classic 2D. I put the entire Advance series bc I think other 2D sonic games have a lot in common with the other NSMB games.)
- Unleashed - Galaxy (Grand new formula and the series' magnum opus, considered to be the best by a lot of fans.)
- Colors - Galaxy 2 (Built on the previous game's formula.)
- Rush series - NSMB 2 (portable, another crack at 2D.)
- Superstars - NSMB WII (The multiplayer one)
- Sonic Generations - 3D World (Not just because of the Shadow Gens/Bowser's Fury expansion, I feel like Gens and 3D World took the previous 2 3D games and refined their formulas. Gens fleshed out boost, and 3D world completely embraced the linear approach to 3D Mario that the Galaxy games started.)
- Lost World - 3D land (Considered to be kind of bland and simple by the fanbase. Not me tho I love these games lol. Also released on 3DS I guess??)
- Sonic 4 I and II - NSMB U (Not objectively terrible games, just not what the fans wanted at the time)
- Mania - Wonder (2D is back and better than ever!! yipee!!!)
- Frontiers - Odyssey (Grand, open, and ambitious new take on the formula)
- Shadow Gens - Bowser's Fury (Expansion to Gens and 3D world.