small rant on newer Sonic games and how most reviewers see them

[bluaki]

Removing classic features from newer Sonic games seems to be praised as being a retro move. Playing the Genesis games, do you have only one linear path you speed through as fast as possible? I doubt it, but looking at what little things Secret Rings was praised for along with Sonic Rush and even Sonic Unleashed, nearly every reviewer seems to claim that the move to be more linear brings Sonic back to his roots. As does removing most or all the playable characters introduced since Sonic 2 and then adding new one(s) (see: Blaze, Were-Sonic, Silver replacing Tails, Knux, etc).
Spin dash also seems to be rendered useless in the newer games if even existing. Sure, Sonic Rush has spin dash, but I haven't once in both Rush games seen a use for it since it is slower than walking and there is even a boost meter. I dunno about 360 but Secret Rings seems to completely lack the spin dash and Unleashed looks like it would abandon it as well. Secret Rings and Unleashed seem to not even have a regular spin anymore (like ducking while running). I used to believe such was the reason that Sonic was originally made a hedgehog.
I'm pretty sure Sonic 1 isn't the only classic Sonic game. If people want a classic feel, I don't think forgetting the existence of S2, S3, and S&K is such a good thing.

On a side note, Metal Sonic should be brought back and all those one-game antagonists suck. I'd rather not continue seeing things like Eggman Nega, Dr. Whiskers, Erazor Djinn, Mephilis, and Black Doom

[Lotos]

I wouldn't mind Metal Sonic making a return (I couldn't finish Sonic Heroes by getting the 7 emeralds and couldn't get passed the first level in CD).  I think they went overboard in adding new characters as well.  There's a new one in each game.  Personally, I think we need another Sonic Adventure 2-esc game, or at least a Sonic Adventure game.  Maybe even removing the grind feature and making a 3-D version of his first adventure (and no gimmick poop on the Wii, like Brawl and Mario Kart, let the classical and GCN controllers be used too).