User blog:MrSmartyMax/Ruined Forever

Fans realize something Sega does not, that robust 20-year-old billion-dollar franchises, while seemingly healthy, are in actuality as fragile as two bricks tied together with tissue paper. One mistake, one bad mis-step will cause the entire thing to shatter and fall apart; and Sonic the Hedgehog would be ruined forever.

Fortunately, there is hope. The Sonic fanbase has resolved to remain ever vigilant against something that could Ruin Sonic Forever, and call out a warning if they see something that could potentially do so.

Some Sonic conservationists suggest a more extreme approach, that the Sonic franchise should abandon all attempts at re-invention and instead cater exclusively to the old-school collectors. Though attractive, this approach may prove impractical as a long-term solution.

Ruined Forever remains a serious threat to Sonic now and in the foreseeable future, though it's possible a proposed initiative requiring all Sonic fans to purchase an annual "game offset" could ensure our fragile brand's existence through the mid-21st century.

Things that have Ruined the Sonic franchise in the past

 * The decision to add a sidekick


 * Making the sidekick just a burden


 * Adding a love interest


 * Not releasing an arcade game with two more scrapped characters overseas


 * Crazy CD capabilities


 * Using clunky control for an already crappy game system


 * Making a silly, mind-screwy cartoon series


 * Making a more serious cartoon series, then cancelling the third season


 * Making a comic book out of said cartoons


 * Putting off, then cancelling, a weird, fisheye B.S. game


 * So much shading


 * Making a racing game when there's already been not one but two racing games


 * Teaming Sonic up with his brothers to form a band


 * That big transition onto 3D


 * Ripping off Mario Party


 * Introducing another hedgehog in the likeness of Sonic


 * Making Sonic go portable (again)


 * 4Kids dubs


 * Anime


 * Conceiving a wimpy kid who takes up more screen time than Sonic


 * Letting characters (well, at least one, anyway) actually use armed weapons


 * Replacing the entire voice cast with dummies who can't act


 * Giving us lots of loading time and making things more realistic


 * Adding an even sillier looking thing with a fringe on his head


 * Putting Sonic in Arabian Nights


 * Having the characters ride surfboards and wear goggles and face off against birdies


 * Refusal to Ryan Drummond return as Sonic


 * Splitting up the whole world


 * Turning Sonic into a monster


 * Partnering Sonic up with a goofy little... thing


 * Sonic in the Middle Ages


 * Returning Sonic to his original roots with some things changed


 * Replacing the voice cast yet again (except for Eggman)

In other words, pretty much everything...

Things that will/may ruin Sonic in the future

 * The next episode of Sonic the Hedgehog 4


 * A 20th anniversary game

Things that may have countered those

 * Super transformations


 * Giving an environmental message that is subtle


 * A video-game based movie that doesn't suck


 * Kick-ass music!


 * More kick-ass music!


 * He did get better


 * Winning back the crowd