8. Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1993, Sega CD)
I love Sonic CD and hate how it sometimes gets overlooked as an all-time great Sonic game. The time-travel element, the speed, the music, the absolute bitchin’ boss race with Metal Sonic—this game whips ass. Did I mention the music? I could rank this game as high as it is on the strength of its (Japanese) soundtrack alone. Hell yeah, “Work that sucker to death!” Metal Sonic has, to me, always been a more compelling and sinister villain than Robotnik / Eggman; I think that’s because of his character in the Sonic Saturday morning cartoon, which child-Ash lived for. His race against Sonic is one of the greatest boss fights in all of Sonic history and I’m glad it was revisited in Mania and Generations.
