So I've had at least two (2) Youtubers make a similar statement. Basically talking about Sonic and how it peaked with Green Hill/Emerald Hill Zones. It's hard to explain to a new generation where they have access to millions of games even ones that haven't even been invented yet, but in the early console generations that really wasn't the case outside of the Sega Channel. You tended to just replay the games you did have over and over. Take a game like Sonic. It ain't easy. No save, limited # of lives and continues and you had to do it all in one go. As a result you ended up playing those first few levels (zones) a ton. I myself never managed to beat Metal Sonic, let alone the actual final boss. My brain just couldn't wrap around the idea of hitting that bitch on it's dome. Yes some enemies required more precision, but this combined with 0 rings and usually sweaty ass palms for making it (arms r heavy mom's spaghetti) to the dance... always lost.

Then I'd return to the first stage and it was fun all over again. There's gotta be more kids that can relate or with other games. Are there games out there that you just could never find a way to beat but through circumstances you just played the sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeet out of those first parts? Sonic, Sonic 2, the seaweed TMNT game, Contra, etc. for me in those early days. You can argue MK2 as well up until Kintaro.

I've never beaten any of the traditional classic Sonic games, but I loved those intro levels. It kinda peaks after that. I'll play the new ones, but something is always missing about Sonic. Is it wrong to think it don't get much better than those first zones?

I remember the first time I ever played Sonic 2 as Knuckles was blown away, all those secret items hidden in the high spots you can glide or climb to as Knuckles it's like WTF!? How would Sonic have ever got up there to get that?

There are a couple of games in which I've only experienced the first few levels:

Tomb Raider 1 - Played the first three levels endlessly, to the point where I knew all the secrets. It took me a long time to figure out how to beat the third level, then the fourth level introduces these gorillas that kill you pretty quickly. The furthest I got was the first screen of the fourth level.

Contra - Never got past the second level.

I read an interview with Amy Hennig and she was explaining it’s a bit disheartening writing a games story knowing most players don’t see the end to the story.

Saw someone online saying that you aren’t a true gamer if you don’t 100% all your games when in reality most gamers don’t even see the credits roll in most finishable games.

That’s why it baffles me when so many companies make tedious unskippable tutorials as their first level when you need to hook players in. I could never beat the first level of Tomb Raider III without cheats as I could never get that flying Fox to work.

One of the best intro levels is from Mega Man X as it teaches everything through regular gameplay. Really takes you out of it with a slowed down tutorial telling you to do x, as if once you gain control you're only gonna hit jump when it says hit x. Nah once you hit x you circle through all the buttons homie.

Going against the spirit of the thread, but what about a Super Mario World situation?

Are you a slave to numerical order, or are you going straight to Stage 2 to take on Iggy?

Yoshi Island 2 is my Green Hill Zone. Koopa Bowling, Yoshi Riding, Whack-a-Monty - it feels way more relaxing than having to dodge a massive bullet right from the start.

Know what's crazy about Sonic. There are areas in Green Hill and Emerald Hill that you haven't explored. I wonder if there's a hack (gotta be) where you play through the stage as a normie, just like Mario.