Ending Themes in Sonic the Hedgehog

just play the music and stop talking so much

I stand by the fact that if Sonic Forces was a better game, “Light of Hope” would be THE sentimental Sonic song. That song gives me chills and makes me so emotional. Definitely my fav ending theme.

LIVE LIFE really helped me out with dealing with the fact that one of the best years of my life had ended. Black Knight’s whole Story and Message of Having to let go off the Past and live life to the fullest is one of the Most Powerful of whole series in my Opinion.

The piano piece that plays before Never Turn Back is actually a rendition of I Am... All Of Me, the opening theme. You can hear it when you pair up the chorus lyrics with the music.

The reason "All Hail Shadow" from 2005 sounds much more 'soft' is because its in a different key, uses guitar harmonics and synths, which can add up to a much less grungy sound that the 2006 version has. BUT 2005's All Hail Shadow has an amazing guitar solo after the first chorus :)

Endless possibility still hits the hardest for me, and then dear my friend was right after. Those songs tugged at my heart so good because of how good of an ending song endless possibilities is and reminded me of the journey i went through and dear my friend made me really appreciate chip and i missed him already

Nice video. I personally consider One Way Dream from Sonic Frontiers to be the hard mode ending theme, but Dear My Father is pretty great as well.

Honestly when I heard vandalise the first time. I never cry due to Asperger's at music but holy shit it was deep for me. You see since September 2020 I started university. And basically I was grinding for 70-80 hours per week, due to my Asperger's I sacrafised anything due to my tunnel vision and had all the appropriate support but I was only getting average marks for my standards. This created a massive amount of negative emotions include hate, sadness, anxiety and the list goes on and on. As a result of this game coming out when I had seen my marks drop from 50s > 30s (which is a literal fail which forced me to re-do this entire year). Due to this failure and redoing this year in 2022 what came out Vandalise and it was a perfect manifestation about how I personally felt vandalised by working in a university which despite the subject being one I was going at, working and grinding to the point of exhaustion and burnout constantly not to mention all the affects to my sub conscious this grind has caused made me feel vandalised by a thing that my micro-society forced me into and I couldn't escape from just made me feel vandalised both in myself for not living up to what I thought was doing perfect, the university for not being able to appropriately mirror and reciprocate my (albeit very unique problem) & the people who put me into this situation all vandalised me from September 2020 - Janurary 2023 when I finally got the bestest grade possible in one subject which completed my journey. Anyways I just thought I'd share my personal journey with how Vandlise has connected with me.

I’m gonna add my thoughts for a game that wasn’t covered here, if that’s okay. Sonic 3D Blast’s ending themes are amazing too! The Genesis version is funky and groovy, it also kind of reflects the end of Sonic’s Genesis games. The Saturn version, You’re My Hero, is similar to Sonic R in which it’s kind of related to love, though there is more of a focus on the “hero” part.

Not a lot of people talk about the ending themes so I’m glad this video exists. Gonna be watching this in short bursts throughout the week but I look forward to it!

I'm old enough to remember video games before the 3D era, and Sonic 2's ending theme was the moment I learned that video game music could actually evoke real emotions. Video game music was always just simple catchy chiptunes, but Sonic 2's ending was the first time a video game song made me feel something.

It's funny to note that actually Vandalize a song from Eggman's perspective to Sage, to the pain that Sage left in Eggman's heart by leaving him, you can notice that in "Said you'd keep me safe, now you're tearing me down" cuz she said she whold protect him

My Top 5 Ending Themes in no particular order are: Sonic 3 in Moscow Saturn 3D Blast - “You’re My Hero” SA2 - The Last Scene Sonic 06 - “My Destiny” Sonic Advance 3’s Staff Roll as the last one because it really feels like the end of an Era as it was the last game to have the Adventure Voice Cast, coupled with you defeating Gemerl who’s considered to be an upgrade Emerl from Sonic Battle which that game also has a good ending theme, Cream and Vanilla find him washed up on a beach, Tails fixes him up to a good guy and caring friend for Cream that’s also what makes that ending theme feel very special to me personally.

Ah Sonic, such a great franchise, with ups and downs, but it still holds a very big place in my heart, and the music is a great example of what makes it great. Thank you for making this video and talking about the ending songs, it really felt nostalgic, and even more now that I'm going through a rough time, but hearing how you talked about the songs and what they meant, for example "that you should keep going even if the odds are against you" it made me happy and willing to never give up. So thanks again.

I have to make a little love letter to the Sonic 3 ending theme, that song is my favourite song from that entire game soundtrack, and yes i love Ice Cap, Hydrocity, and Flying Battery, but man, how that song resonates with me is on another level! glad to see it finally mentioned. Great video too btw!

Just out of curiosity, did you consider "One Way Dream" from Frontiers? It might not count as ending theme but I thought it was strange it wasn't mentioned at all. Great video btw, you are very underrated

I really can't understand anyone who doesn't like a certain thing in sonic because it's "too corny." Like, dude, do you even know who the main character is? Blue hedgehog that routinely breaks the sound barrier who kills eldritch gods every other month and destroys space stations any other time? I think corn is just part of the package with this game series, and i am far more than fine with that, haha! This game series brings me back to my childhood, even though i actually never played a full sonic game as a kid. The only sonic content i had growing up was sonic X, and the ds rereleases of the classic games. But playing these games, listening to this music, and hanging with these characters brings me back to those early years before everything that adulthood threw at me. Brings me back to playing by myself in my room, brings me that same indescribable feeling of opening up a new story. This whole game series encapsulates the feeling of childhood, and then of growing up and eventually moving on to new frontiers, but still holding these times, feelings, and memories close to your heart. That's who sonic is -- he blazes into your life with an adventure, and then he may leave, but he'll always be around, on another adventure, maybe even with someone else, but he'll always come back for you when you need it. That's just how i feel about it, in my admittedly short tenure as a fan, but i love this world, these characters just the same as any longtime fan might. They've helped me through a lot, and i'm thankful for this music for giving me that joy especially now. Thank you for the great video, it's amazing to see someone put words to those otherwise indescribable feelings, have a good one <3 Edit: dumb spelling error lol

This is awesome!!! I loved how you covered every end theme. One way dream would’ve been a perfect end off song because it’s the true ending song of sonic frontiers as a message from Sega themselves. Also this is a SUPER underrated channel, this is great content.

I think sonic cd jp ending theme is perfect it has the same unique vibe as the game itself, for me sonic cd was always favourite sonic game, playing it since being a little kid, i feel this game differently from other, in every other sonic game i see the levels the way the are but in sonic cd they come to live my brain images it differently it reminds me of a dream, i have very weird dreams, basically my most normal dream is someone weirdest, i even had sonic cd in my dreams ones, and yes believe in yourself was playing and it was perfect despite all it’s flaws this game is under appreciated gem of sonic, sometimes i think only i can understand the vibe i feel myself, and only i imagine the levels in this unique way.

I used to think Sonic eds were not that great on the whole wit a few bright spots here & there, but this vid made me realize a lot of these songs R ones I've loved for years & even changed my mind on a couple. I see All Hail Shadow in the 1st game to be presented as a sort'v "lie" cus the endings for that song don't actually happen in the end, it's jus a possibility that never comes to pass but could've. The context is also diff than 06 as that song is hinged on Shadow followin down the path set by Maria in SA2 as a "pure hero" but as u said in the vid shadow forgoes that in favor of doin his own thing wit never turn back. So the 06 version now done by C40 (magni-fi did the 1st 1 I believe) is recon-textualized as the (as u stated) sequel to never turn back. imo it's a pretty great reuse of the song (even though I like the OG version more) & fits shadow well in 06 since his arc in that game is like 80% a repeat of his arc in his game but wit a new perspective of him tacklin the same ideas wit his experience & new found confidence in his new path he chose for himself for once. As someone who quite likes Elise & gets her affection for sonic, even if I do agree parts could've been done better (namely in sonics' case) AND I DON'T DISLIKE THE KISS IN THE LEAST those lyrics, R SO INSANE LIKE THEY DIDN'T LEAVE SHIT TO THE IMAGINATION & WIT HOW INTENTIONAL MOST OF THESE SONGS R IN CONNECTIN TO THEIR STORYLINES DID THE PPL WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER KNO WUT THEY WERE MAKIN THIS FOR!? I'm glad ppl don't tend to pay attention to lyrics in songs as much as they maybe should cus if they did BACK THEN.......... OH GOD!!!!!!!😭😭😭😭😭😭 It's pretty hard to choose but CDs' 2 eds might be my fave at least for rn. great vid. I'd love more like this💙