While the jury's still out on Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the 3DS and Rise of Lyric for the Wii U, the first couple of episodes for the animated series aired on Cartoon Network over the weekend, and it's not half bad.
I suppose it all depends on what you were looking for in a Sonic cartoon. If you wanted plot arches and serious business of the sort you'd find in the comic books, best look elsewhere. This is comedy, a series of 52 12-minute episodes that, after watching the first two, don't seem to connect in any way outside of the characters.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
We'll be focusing on episode one, "Sidekick", in which Tails has a horrible accident and nearly dies. Comedy!
The episode opens with a classic Sonic/Eggman confrontation, in which our hedgehog hero pokes fun at the name of his nemesis' latest weapon.
Cute! Soon Tails joins the battle, as a sidekick will, but events take a dark turn. Tails' plane crashes to the ground. Quickly dispatching the mis-labeled Burnbot, Sonic rushes to his pal's side.
Okay, that was a little dark, but Sonic soon lightens up the mood once more by firing his best friend for his own protection and holding tryouts for a new sidekick.
Amy Rose is insane. Knuckles is a self-obsessed dudebro. And who's that cloaked figure in the back?
Why it's Tails, trying to prove he's the best fox for the job. Then Eggman arrives, trying to prove he's the best evil genius for the job. Vowing neither will be his sidekick, Sonic grabs the cowardly beaver thing and holds a sidekick challenge.
I am a huge fan of Mt. Safety now, by the way. I might use the name for my next pet.
Next, conflict occurs! Action happens! I'm pretty sure Sonic Riders gets a nod, though why anyone would nod at that pile of junk is beyond me.
In the end, Sonic and Tails resume being Sonic and Tails, because if they weren't, what would be the point? Eggman is vanquished, the suddenly accurately-named Burnbot destroyed, and the defeated villain rides off into the sunset, craving ham.
It was a pretty entertaining 12 minutes, as was the second episode, which I won't spoil but is titled "Can an Evil Genius Crash on Your Couch for a Few Weeks?"
It's Sonic the sitcom, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Sonic Boom airs on Cartoon Network on Saturday mornings, where cartoons should be. The games come out tomorrow, and I'm frightened.