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It’s the early 00s. I’ve finally got myself a copy of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on GameCube, having previously done an all-nighter with friends to collectively complete the first game in one sitting. I’m wearing my emo baggy jeans. Linkin Park plays in the background.
Except I’m actually sat playing Sonic X Shadow Generations in the year 2024, a re-release of an anniversary celebration that was all about nostalgia to begin with, but now doubly so with the inclusion of its Shadow campaign. Sonic Generations was released in 2011 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sonic’s first Mega Drive game, but this fresh remaster adds a new, separate set of levels for his edgier nemesis Shadow.
Within seconds it all comes flooding back to me. I’m racing through the Space Colony level, seemingly inspired by the end of Sonic Adventure 2, homing in on enemies, speeding down grind rails, and seeking out hidden routes to maintain flow and speed in search of that elusive S rank. Sonic Adventure is back, baby! “This is sick,” I write simply enough in my notes like a horrible millennial.
