Sonic Adventure

Yes, it had some iffy voice acting and lip syncing. Yes, there were some bugs and collision issues. But the first time I saw that cinematic with Chaos wreaking havoc in Station Square as “Open Your Heart” played, I knew Sonic Adventure would be incredible. It offered gorgeous Action Stages to explore in Emerald Coast, Windy Valley, and Speedy Highway while each playable character offered their own unique gameplay hook.

E-101 with its lock-on shooting, Knuckles with the exploration and Chaos Emerald hunting, Amy and her struggle to escape ZERO – there was plenty of good and a bit bad, as seen with Big the Cat’s mercifully short fishing stages. Nevertheless, Sonic Adventure served as an incredible transition from 2D to 3D with its sense of speed, unforgettable music and gameplay.

True Knightfall Protocol – Batman: Arkham Knight

By the end of Batman: Arkham Knight, everyone is aware that Batman is actually Bruce Wayne. As a result, the Dark Knight looks to initiate the Knightfall Protocol, which requires completing seven of the major side quests. Once that’s done, Bruce Wayne removes the cowl, enters Wayne Mansion – which explodes – and is seemingly dead. To get the true ending, you need to apprehend all of Gotham’s villains. So along with dismantling the militia’s Road Blocks, Mines and Watchtowers to eventually face off and defeat Deathstroke, you also need to collect all 243 Riddler Trophies to bring in the Riddler.

Once this is done, the same ending will play out and Batman is seemingly gone. However, it’s followed by a new epilogue wherein Jim Gordon becomes the new Mayor of Gotham and Timothy Drake looks to marry Barbara Gordon. Cut to a scene of criminals attempting to rob a family in a back alley but instead of Batman, a fiery version of the Dark Knight descends on the crooks, instilling a new age of fear.

The identity of this figure is unknown – perhaps we’ll learn more in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League since it’s set in the same universe – but at the very least, it does paint a much more positive picture for the future (for the non-criminally inclined at least).

Halo: Combat Evolved

From being a third person shooter on the Mac to a first person shooter exclusive to Xbox, Bungie’s IP saw its fair share of changes. When it debuted, it presented incredible gun play, well-crafted missions and large sandbox-like levels that rewarded all kinds of play-styles. All of this along with Marty O’ Donnell’s stellar score turned Halo into a juggernaut and Microsoft into a venerable gaming force for years to come.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Okay, yes, The Force Unleashed did make us experience a rather uneven story with the stupidly named “Starkiller” as the protagonist. However, the opening allowed for playing as Darth Vader, feeling every bit as powerful and domineering as the movies made him out to be. Well, the good movies, that is.

Dr. Breen – Half Life 2

When the Combine came down to take earth, it was the diplomacy of Dr. Breen that ensured that the human race would survive, if as a slave race to the aliens. Or were his intentions so noble? The unsettling tone and persona of Dr. Breen and his convenient appointment to Earth’s Administrator by the Combine really lean into suggesting that the good doctor screwed you and all of humanity for his own, selfish ends of ruling earth, even if it is as a defacto leader.

Gaming is something that deserves to be celebrated, and fan service nods to the history of a series or this pastime can be an amazing way to highlight how far we’ve come or how our characters and their stories have grown alongside our own. We would like to share 15 of our favourite moments, but of course there is way, way, way too many to fit onto a single list. In the spirit of community, make sure to share and discuss your favourite fan service moments just below in the comments. Also, last warning, there will be spoilers. Big ones, so click ahead if you intend to play anything we discuss, since these are too good to spoil for you.

Sonic Adventure 2 – Green Hill Zone

The last official Sonic game to release before the unavoidable collapse of the Dreamcast and Sega’s foothold in the console scene is still an undeniable favourite among series fans, though new players may find it hard to stomach in 2018. Should players have been crazy enough to comb through each and every level, conquer those Chao events and collect every last emblem in the game, one final stage would be unlocked. A fully 3D recreation of Green Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 1 became open for play as a bonus for those faithful enough to 100% the game, and a great way to put a capstone on the Sega dynasty.

Besides featuring new remastered, high-definition graphics, both games will feature full support for achievements and trophies on their respective systems. Check out the launch trailer for more details, along with special themes for either game on PS3.

Sonic Adventure 2 was one such title, and arguably one of the most controversial. Besides introducing Shadow, which spawned off the horrendous Shadow the Hedgehog video game, the game was infamous for pushing side-characters ahead of the mainstay Sonic.

Nonetheless, it was a solid effort. And Sega is looking to bring it back in full force for the new generation of gamers.

At the 2012 Sonic Boom community fan-fest during Comic-Con, Sega announced an HD remake for Sonic Adventure 2. It will be available for Playstation 3’s Playstation Network and XBox 360’s XBox Live Arcade.

No word yet on a release date or the cost, but it’s definitely an interesting update. The HD graphics will warrant a look alone, and hopefully it’ll look more 2012 than 2001.