Sonic the Hedgehog

38 Games like Sonic the Hedgehog that you should try

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Sonic the Hedgehog is hard to replace: few games combine precision platforming, punishing difficulty and melee combat in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 9 gameplay attributes and found 38 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Super Meat Boy, Super House of Dead Ninjas and Mega Man 11 lead the list, with Super Meat Boy reaching a 95/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Sonic the Hedgehog special.

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GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

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HardcoreSolo

Year 1991Dev Sonic Team

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Quick answer

The closest game to Sonic the Hedgehog is Super Meat Boy — scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. Super House of Dead Ninjas and Mega Man 11 follow close behind.

#1Super Meat Boy95 #2Super House of Dead Ninjas97 #3Mega Man 1195 #4Clustertruck95 #5Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time94

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Games like Sonic the Hedgehog

38 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

#1Super Meat Boy

95

Super Meat Boy

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloHardcore2DPixel ArtCasual

Steam👍 94%· 38KIGDB85· 4OC83· 25

Year 2010Dev Team Meat · BlitWorksOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are precision platformers — sharing precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, while skipping melee combat

Steam Epic Xbox

#2Super House of Dead Ninjas

97

Super House of Dead Ninjas

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcore2DPixel Art

Steam👍 96%· 1.7KRAWG👍 62%· 75MC79IGDB80· 1

Year 2013Dev Megadev · Adult Swim GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC

✓ Both are precision platformers — sharing precision platforming, punishing difficulty and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs and procedural generation, while skipping adventure storytelling

95

Mega Man 11

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi2D

Steam👍 89%· 5.3KIGDB80· 12OC81· 115

Year 2018Dev Capcom Development Division 2 · CapcomOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the precision platformers cluster, with precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings shooter, first-person shooting and setting anime, while skipping fantasy world

95

Clustertruck

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreCasualFirst Person

Steam👍 94%· 18KIGDB74· 10OC74· 45

Year 2016Dev Landfall Games · tinyBuildOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of precision platformers: precision platforming, punishing difficulty and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual and visual first person, while skipping adventure storytelling

#5Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

94

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasySci-Fi2D

Steam👍 87%· 3.9KIGDB86· 16OC85· 170

Year 2020Dev Toys for Bob · ActivisionOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of precision platformers: precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: multiplayer gameplay, visual third person and visual 3d, while skipping visual pixel

Steam PS Nintendo

93

Mega Man 9

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi2DPixel Art

Steam👍 84%· 1.8KIGDB88· 7

Year 2008Dev Inti Creates · CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Fits the precision platformers cluster, with precision platforming, punishing difficulty and melee combat

≠ Its own twist: shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus, while skipping adventure storytelling

91

SANABI

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiPixel Art2D

Steam👍 97%· 44KRAWG👍 89%· 34IGDB95· 2OC80· 6

Year 2023Dev SANABI · NEOWIZPlaytime ~3hOn PC

✓ Both are precision platformers — sharing precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: strong narrative focus, linear, story-driven structure and setting cyberpunk, while skipping fantasy world

#8The End Is Nigh

91

The End Is Nigh

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcore2DPixel Art

Steam👍 94%· 3.4KIGDB74· 3OC82· 29

Year 2017Dev Tyler GlaielOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are precision platformers — sharing precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping fantasy world

86

Pizza Tower

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcore2DPixel Art

Steam👍 98%· 71KRAWG👍 79%· 58IGDB90· 1OC91· 10

Year 2023Dev Tour De PizzaPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Same family of precision platformers: precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings multiplayer gameplay and co op, while skipping fantasy world

#10Shovel Knight

85

Shovel Knight

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasy2DPixel Art

Steam👍 94%· 960IGDB89· 19OC89· 100

Year 2014Dev Yacht Club GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

✓ Both are precision platformers — sharing precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: co op and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping setting scifi

#11Trials 2: Second Edition

88

Trials 2: Second Edition

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloHardcore2DMultiplayer

Steam👍 84%· 280RAWG👍 67%· 24IGDB80· 1

Year 2008Dev Redlynx · RedLynxPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of precision platformers: precision platforming, punishing difficulty and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with racing gameplay, sports simulation and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping adventure storytelling

#12Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy

87

Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloHardcore2DNarrativeDark

Steam👍 82%· 81K

Year 2017Dev Bennett FoddyOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Fits the precision platformers cluster, with precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings horror tension, deep simulation and survival mechanics, while skipping melee combat

91

Lugaru HD

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreStealthNarrative

Steam👍 79%· 587RAWG👍 33%· 42

Year 2010Dev Wolfire GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of precision platformers: precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, fighting mechanics and action RPG combat, while skipping fantasy world

83

Spelunky

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasy2D

Steam👍 92%· 17KIGDB91· 10OC87· 25

Year 2012Dev BlitWorks · Microsoft StudiosOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Fits the precision platformers cluster, with precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Stands apart with roguelike runs, survival mechanics and procedural generation, while skipping setting scifi

#15Risk of Rain

81

Risk of Rain

GenrePlatformerSubgenrePrecision Platformer

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasySci-Fi2DPixel Art

Steam👍 93%· 30KIGDB85· 4OC77· 17

Year 2013Dev Hopoo Games · Chucklefish GamesOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Fits the precision platformers cluster, with precision platforming, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and shooter

Games like Sonic the Hedgehog

Mighty No. 9

Mighty No. 9

Platformer · shooter

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

Platformer · Adventure

Ristar

Ristar

Platformer · Adventure

Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Platformer · Adventure

Geometry Dash

Geometry Dash

Platformer · Puzzle

Celeste

Celeste

Platformer · Adventure

Gravity Circuit

Gravity Circuit

Platformer · Fighting

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

Platformer · Adventure

Duke Nukem

Duke Nukem

Platformer · shooter

Sonic Generations

Sonic Generations

Platformer · Adventure

Rankings in the same genre

Best Precision Platformer Games Best Platformer Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Sonic the Hedgehog?: The closest game to Sonic the Hedgehog is Super Meat Boy, scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. They share 6 gameplay attributes, including precision platforming, adventure storytelling and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Sonic the Hedgehog?: The three closest games to Sonic the Hedgehog are: 1. Super Meat Boy (95/100, 6 shared attributes) 2. Super House of Dead Ninjas (97/100, 6 shared attributes) 3. Mega Man 11 (95/100, 7 shared attributes). All share Sonic the Hedgehog's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 38 candidates across 9 dimensions.
Is Super House of Dead Ninjas similar to Sonic the Hedgehog?: Yes, very much so — Super House of Dead Ninjas scores 97/100 similarity to Sonic the Hedgehog. They share 6 attributes, including precision platforming and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Platformer games are similar to Sonic the Hedgehog?: The best Platformer games similar to Sonic the Hedgehog are Super Meat Boy, Super House of Dead Ninjas, Mega Man 11 and Clustertruck. All share the Platformer genre alongside other key Sonic the Hedgehog attributes like precision platforming, adventure storytelling and single-player focus.
How is similarity to Sonic the Hedgehog calculated?: We compare Sonic the Hedgehog against every game in our catalog using 9 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Sonic the Hedgehog experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.