Review: Sonic Prime Season 1 – Not A Prime Hedgehog Adventure

Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog will most certainly enjoy anything involving the speedy blue hedgehog, regardless of how good or bad it may be. But is Sonic Prime on Netflix interesting enough to be a fun show to watch for non-fans of Sonic? A lot of the enjoyment you get from the show will entirely depend on what you go into it looking for, especially if you know anything about Sonic. Unfortunately, this show is just another average and shallow outing added to Sonic’s ongoing legacy. While it may have a few good moments, the show just isn’t as great as some may have hoped it would be.

The first aspect of Sonic Prime that will either hit or miss with some viewers is the voices of every character. While some voices work well, like Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog’s voices, others sound very out of place. The worst of the bunch is the voice of Knuckles the Echidna, which sounds like a very hard attempt at a unique accent that just doesn’t work. Other voices like Dr. Eggman also sound very weird in comparison to previous iterations of the character. Most of the cast is new to the franchise, but not all of them work with these parts for this story.

Speaking of which, the main plot of the show is not that great either. It’s a good attempt at trying something different for the character but doesn’t end up being good in many ways. Sonic fans will like the fun nods to past games and throwbacks that are littered throughout the show, but beyond that the story is mediocre.

During a battle with Dr. Eggman, Sonic and his friends come across a mysterious crystal called the Paradox Prism. While trying to destroy Eggman’s robots, Sonic shatters the Paradox Prism and is sent across multiple realities with alternate versions of Green Hill Zone. While trying to get home, Sonic comes across multiple versions of his friends and their problems with Eggman and the changes to their world.

The biggest issue with this plot is that we don’t spend enough time in the Green Hill Zone we know, let alone Sonic and his friends the way we know them. The premise of the show feels like something that can be done within a few episodes rather than an entire season. Parts of the variations seem interesting at first, while others aren’t as much, but by the time things are established the show is ready to move on.

It would’ve been far better to spend more time within Green Hill Zone with Sonic and his friends battling Eggman before jumping into the alternate dimensions. The moments we get everyone interacting together in the original Green Hill, the show ends up being a better Sonic the Hedgehog show.

One thing Sonic Prime does get right is the action. Every battle and fast-paced scene that Sonic finds himself in is pretty good to watch. Sonic’s speed is on full display and every other side character gets moments to shine in their own way. Tails uses his tech to his advantage, Knuckles and Rogue the bat glide through the air, and Amy hammers away at her enemies. Alternate versions of the characters have fragments of their original counterparts, but never as good overall.

If you just want another show about Sonic the Hedgehog to watch while tuning out, then Sonic Prime will be fine. But if you were hoping for the show to be a great outing for Sonic and his friends, then this isn’t the show that will do so. At its best, Sonic Prime is an average show with a few good moments that aren’t enough to make it stand out from the rest of the franchise.

Are you a big Sonic the Hedgehog fan? Have you gotten to watch Sonic Prime on Netflix yet? Post a comment down below and let your voice be heard!