Sonic Lost World

Sonic Lost World brought to the 3DS a variant of the game that Sega released simultaneously for the Wii U, but with adjustments matching the handheld's performance and control scheme. The central new feature was a system of movement along angular, tube-like tracks that lets the hedgehog run along walls and ceilings and change direction using parkour elements, which moved the game away from the purely speed-focused approach of previous entries toward more thoughtful spatial navigation and more precise route planning. Sonic can also inhale and control alien creatures called Wisps, which grant him temporary special abilities, from drilling through the ground and explosive bursts to transforming into a small fireball or bubble.

The story revolves around the villainous sextet the Deadly Six, led by Zavok, who use stolen technology in an attempt to take over the world, and the player moves through a series of thematically distinct worlds with striking visual stylization and a rich color palette, from desert canyons to icy kingdoms. The handheld version adjusts the camera and level design to work better on the smaller display and with touch controls, while the sound design offers the energetic orchestral score typical of the series' more modern era.

The reception at launch was mixed - the new parkour mechanic divided both players and reviewers, with some praising the ambition to take the series in a different direction while others missed the traditional sense of speed the series was known for. The handheld edition nonetheless earned praise for how well it handled the 3DS's technical limitations, and it remains an interesting, if not entirely unproblematic, detour in the series' history. For long-time followers of the series, Lost World represents an interesting experimental stepping stone between the classic emphasis on speed and later attempts to find a new, functional way for Sonic to move through space, and as such it tends to be judged more generously today than it was upon release.