Mario VS Sonic: Mario is the Winner

Since the 1990's, one battle has defined the platforming industry more than any other. Super Mario VS Sonic The Hedgehog. I love the old Sonic games, and as exciting as Sonic Forces (coming this November) looks, frankly in my eyes, this battle ended a long time ago with Mario being the undisputed winner. More honestly, even if Sonic Forces is a great game, Super Mario Oddessy is a masterpiece as the reason to pick up a Nintendo Switch! The number don't lie! The Sonic series has become so emaciated and on the brink of death, that it remains undeniable:

You know that franchise has completely gone down the toilet when one of the largest gaming retailers in the world is only charging $40.00 for the latest Sonic game, but Super Mario Odyssey is being billed at $60.00. I expect Sonic Forces to release at $40.00 and stay that way because SEGA themselves have already admitted that Sonic The Hedgehog is a dying franchise. Sonic Forces now has a feature Sonic fans have demanded for decades. The ability to create your own Sonic character. But its too little, far too late.

Just looking at these two screenshots tells me everything I need to know about why Mario has won this battle. SEGA has given up on trying to innovate with the Sonic series and is now going back to the old formula and sticking to it, while Super Mario Odyssey has Mario crossing worlds between the Mushroom Kingdom and Earth seamlessly. One feels natural, the other is scared to leave its comfort zone and evolve. The Sonic The Hedgehog series has ceased growing because the backlash was so swift at every convoluted new direction for the franchise that now they are playing it safe. Whereas Nintendo continues to innovate with the Super Mario series time and time again, just as they accomplish with The Legend of Zelda, without sacrificing the original qualities that make Super Mario a household name. 

The facts don't lie, Sonic The Hedgehog has no relevance as a franchise anymore. And this is coming from a gamer who loved Sonic Generations, but the only reason Generations and Sonic Mania are good games is because SEGA has given up on innovation within the Sonic franchise to play it safe, keeping the franchise stagnated as Mario continues to evolve and grow its legacy as a gaming powerhouse. SEGA has admitted defeat, and playing it safe and giving up on innovation is the death of any franchise. The battle is over, and Super Mario officially won. Prove me wrong SEGA, prove me wrong.