Those first few games were good enough to stand toe to toe with Mario, and give Nintendo an accelerated run for its money.
The reputation of Sega's one-time figurehead is now so tarnished by endless reinventions and poorly conceived new directions that it can be hard to recall just how vibrant, innovative and refreshing Sonic the Hedgehog was when it blazed onto the Megadrive back in 1991. It's a feeling Sonic fans have become all too familiar with over the last decade. That malaise that sets in when you realise there's not much point hoping and instead start bracing for the worst.
There are few things more dispiriting than diminished expectations.
