3/5 ★ – PenguinKiddo's review of Sonic and the Secret Rings.

Before returning to this game to beat it again, I was anxious about how I’d feel in the end. Would I come out hating this came like the majority, or could this game possibly win me over despite its flaws? Pfft… who am I kidding. This game is a guilty treat. Secret Rings oozes in style and charm, even if its core gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. As I learned to adapt to the controls as best as I could, I realized how fun the could be when everything came together. The stages could feel exhilarating and it was rewarding when I was able to find hidden bonus using all of my skills. And unlocking various upgrades to create a robust Sonic move-set only added to the replayability of the missions. Combine that with a rocking OST and a fun, cheesy story and I’ll tell you this is a underrated game in the series. Do the controls always do what I want them to do? Oh ho ho ho… no. Does the voice acting constantly deliver? I wish. Can the game feel repetitive, tedious, and even frustrating? Like I’d deny any of that. But I can’t keep it a secret any longer, Secret Rings is a personal favorite among this wild series. And as I look to Frontiers, it’s nice to see a bit of Secret Rings’ soul live in it. -10/23/22