Good year, TGM Family!

I’m reporting live after seeing Sonic the Hedgehog 3! But before diving into my Graveyard Review, let me take you back in time. I played Sonic on the SEGA Genesis in the early ’90s, around 1994, during my orphanage days. Back then, I had supervised family visits under the watchful, Sauron-like gaze of a caseworker. That’s when I first encountered Sonic—the vibrant noise, the energetic gameplay, the unforgettable scenes. Sonic was simply awesome. For me, he even outshone Mario. Both were great, but Sonic? Sonic was better.

I’m certain I’m remembering this right because I played Sonic & Knuckles, which had just released the day after my fifth birthday. This memory is like one of those crummy but charming 3D images from the ’90s—the ones with red dots that made you say “Cool!” just to fit in. The Sonic boom of my generation tapped me, but it didn’t stick. I never became a gamer. The only games I truly devoured were Pokémon (Red/Blue/Yellow/Silver), Madden, and a mishmash of PS1/PS2 classics like Twisted Metal, Tenchu, and GTA: Vice City. Gaming wasn’t my world, and I was fine with that.

So, the Sonic movies didn’t initially catch my attention. It took my ace college student kiddo’s persistent enthusiasm to spark my interest… nearly 30 years later! The first movie? It was “cute.” It took me two viewings to appreciate its campy charm—a Scooby-Doo-esque blend of CGI-meets-reality. But the second movie? Oh, that one got me. I rewatched it over Christmas break, and it tugged on my golden rings and twirled my imaginary diabolical mustache. Knuckles was a standout, the story was solid, and the action was a blast. Plus, my kid made me sit through an hour of Sonic game lore. Clever knucklehead—he knows how to access my creative dojo.

By the time we heard about Sonic 3, we were hyped—because… Keanu aka Shadow! I had no idea who Shadow was until my kid schooled me. Turns out, Sonic has a sprawling roster of characters from different dimensions, planets, or whatever. It’s actually pretty neat. And then there’s Amy Rose. Seriously, they went with “Amy”? With names like Sonic, Shadow, Blaze, Knuckles, Tails, Rouge, and even Cream, Amy feels… bland. But hey, my daughter loves her (“Poppa, who’s that gurl?”), and she shares my daughter’s middle name, so it’s all good.

Now, let’s talk Sonic 3, aka SEGA’s Anthropomorphic Avengers Assemble. It was freaking awesome. The action was intense, beautifully designed, and thrilling. But the real emerald of the movie? The heart. Without spoiling anything, they gave serious writing love to Robotnik and Shadow. I’ll admit, there was a moment I almost teared up… or maybe it was the stinky popcorn mutation my daughter unleashed.

Sonic 3 is a joyful, high-speed ride that reminds us why we love sharing these experiences with the next generation. It’s got heart, humor, and more power bumps than expected. Watching my kids light up felt like collecting golden rings of nostalgia that I never had, each one a reminder that fandom lives on through them because my fandom died in 2024. And if I can pass on a little of that magic, then that’s the ultimate score—the kind that makes you feel like you’ll live forever, just so you can keep telling stories about a time they’ll never experience just to make you feel better.

Good night and remember what Sonic always says – “Time to eat those chili dogs!” – Sonic