Report: Is The Quality Of A Sonic Game Determined By Its Number Of Characters??

My Initial Answer: NO, that's stupid, but let me get to why.  Reworked this "report" in response to Sonic Stadium:  My comments...

ABSTRACT:

One of the biggest complaints towards the Sonic series is the number of characters that have been implemented into the games.  It has been said that the more characters in the Sonic game, the worse it is.  Angry fans have used "expendable" characters like Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Metal Sonic, Big, Shadow, Rouge, Vector, Espio, Blaze, Silver, Cream, as the reason for the series' downfall.  For instance, read this 1UP article which suggests that Sega needs to rid as many spare characters as possible.

Now personally, I don't believe this is true, but let's see if the number of characters has even the most minute effect on a game's quality.

METHOD:

After acquiring my list of Sonic games, I sought to find TWO specific pieces of data on each.

Number of Characters: The number of unique entities that can be seen at any given part of the game.  For instance, Sonic, Tails, Eggman, you get the idea.  I used this Sonic wiki as help to find out the number of characters in each game.  PLEASE NOTE that I haven't played all of the Sonic games I examined so sometimes I comb the Wiki entry and MAY miss one or two.  If that's the case, then feel free to correct me so I can fix the error.  Some rules of thumb:

* Transformations, such as Super Sonic, Darkspine Sonic, etc. count as individual characters.  So Sonic & Super Sonic are two characters.  The only exception to this rule is Chaos from Sonic Adventure who has eight transformations and TBQH, who cares about all of them...

* The presence of chao and flickies (the birds) in that they have some resemblance to the plot count as an individual character.

* Average robots and bad guys that are not recurring and don't talk don't count as characters.  I'm talking about all the robots Gamma fights in Sonic Adventure, the snowman robot from Ice Cap in Sonic 3, etc.

*  In theory, E-10000G and E-10000R from Sonic Riders are the same character so they both count as one character.  EDIT: This is debatable, I'm not going to change this just yet.

Game Rating: The game's average review score according to links provided on GameFAQs.  Here's an example of what I looked for on GFAQs on pages like these:

I try to find the average of these three numbers, rounded to the nearest tenth.  The FIRST number is determined by the written reviews as submitted to GameFAQs.  The SECOND is the quick number that a user can give to a game without writing any text.  The THIRD is the average of all professional reviews from sites like GameSpot, IGN, Eurogamer, etc.

If a game appears on more than one console, then the averages of the individual numbers will be taken into consideration.  Each of the three types are merged together to create three comprehensive numbers which are averaged.  Numbers are weighed according to the number of entries submitted.  For instance, if a Sonic game for the PS2 gets 100 entries and another for the Wii gets 200 entries, then the Wii version will weigh 67% of that score.  Games on multiple consoles WILL ONLY count if they are released at nearly the same time.  For instance, Sonic Adventure for the Xbox 360 doesn't mesh with the DC version

If this still bewilders you, then look at this example pic I drew (click to enlarge):

Obviously, this reliance on user entries means that there can be some inaccuracy due to fanboys stuffing the votes, but all in all, this is the best way to measure the quality of game.  Besides, as long as we apply the same method to every game, it should be fair (i.e. Sonic Adventure 2 should be better than Shadow the Hedgehog).  Consider the sample size of Sonic Unleashed: 75 reader reviews, 860 user ratings, and 98 Gamerankings reviews which is pretty good in terms of accuracy.

DATA, WARNING LUMP OF TEXT AHEAD...:

These stats were taken as of June 14, 2011 so the GFAQs ratings are subject to change.  Here's FOURTY-ONE Sonic games we're looking at.

Sonic the Hedgehog:
2 Characters: Sonic, Eggman
8.7 Rating

Sonic the Hedgehog 2:
5 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Knuckles (need S&K), Super Sonic
9.0 Rating

Sonic the Hedgehog 3:
9 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Eggman, Super Sonic, Super Tails, Super Knuckles, Metal Sonic, EggRobo
9.0 Rating

Sonic & Knuckles:
7 Characters: Sonic, Knuckles, Eggman, Super Sonic, Super Knuckles, EggRobo, Metal Sonic
9.0 Rating

Sonic Spinball:
7 Characters: Sonic, Eggman, Tails, Bunnie Rabbot, Sally Acorn, Muttski, Rotor Walrus:
7.1 Rating

Sonic CD:
4 Characters: Sonic, Eggman, Amy, Metal Sonic
8.8 Rating

Sonic 3D Blast:
5 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Flicky, Eggman
6.4 Rating

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine:
4 Characters: Eggman, Scratch, Grounder, Coconuts (all from AoStH cartoon)
8.0 Rating

Sonic R:
10 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Eggman, Super Sonic, Metal Sonic, Metal Knuckles, Tails Doll, EggRobo
7.2 Rating

Knuckles' Chaotix:
9 Characters: Knuckles, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Mighty, Heavy, Bomb, Eggman
7.6 Rating

Sonic the Fighters:
11 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Bark, Bean, Fang, Espio, Super Sonic, Eggman, Metal Sonic
8.1 Rating

SegaSonic the Hedgehog:
4 Characters: Sonic, Ray, Mighty, Eggman
9.8 Rating (heavily skewered cause of lack of ratings...I'll address this later)

Sonic Drift:
4 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Amy, Eggman
4.4 Rating

Sonic Drift 2:
7 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Eggman, Amy, Metal Sonic, Fang
7.7 Rating

Sonic Adventure:
16 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, Froggy, Flicky, Eggman, Chaos, Super Sonic, Gamma, Tikal, Chao, Pachacamac, Alpha/Zero, NiGHTS
8.4 Rating

Sonic Adventure DX:
18 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, Froggy, Flicky, Eggman, Chaos, Super Sonic, Gamma, Tikal, Chao, Pachacamac, Alpha/Zero, NiGHTS, Metal Sonic, Cream
7.5 Rating

Sonic Adventure 2:
19 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Eggman, Rouge, Amy, Metal Sonic, Chao, Omochao, Tikal, Chaos, Super Sonic, Super Shadow, Maria, Gerald Robotnik, The President, Secretary, Biohazard Big (EDIT: Eh, forgot about Biohazard, Secretary is irrelevant, I'm not going back to edit the charts yet)
8.3 Rating

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle:
18 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Eggman, Rouge, Amy, Metal Sonic, Chao, Omochao, Tikal, Chaos, Super Sonic, Super Shadow, Maria, Gerald Robotnik, The President, Secretary, Biohazard
8.0 Rating

Sonic Shuffle:
13 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, Chao, Super Sonic, Gamma, NiGHTS, Eggman, Void, Lumina, Illumina
6.1 Rating

Sonic Heroes:
18 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Big, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Eggman, Metal Sonic, Neo Metal Sonic, Omochao, Super Sonic
7.2 Rating

Shadow the Hedgehog:
19 Characters: Shadow, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Eggman, Maria, Rouge, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Omega, Black Doom, The President, GUN Commander, Gerald Robotnik, Super Shadow
6.3 Rating

Sonic Riders:
17 Characters: Sonic, Jet, Tails, Wave, Knuckles, Storm, Amy, Shadow, Rouge, Cream, NiGHTS, Ulala, AiAi, Super Sonic, Eggman, Babylon Guardian, E1000G & E1000R (I refuse to count these as two individual characters)
7.0 Rating

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006):
18 Characters: Sonic, Shadow, Silver, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Omega, Blaze, Amy, Elise, Duke of Soleanna, Eggman, Mephiles, Iblis, Super Sonic, Super Shadow, Super Silver, Solaris
5.3 Rating

Sonic and the Secret Rings:
15 Characters: Sonic, Shahra, Erazor Djinn, Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, Darkspine Sonic, Big, Amy, Cream, Shadow, Blaze, Silver, Omochao, King Solomon, Uhu
6.8 Rating

Sonic and the Black Knight:
11 Characters: Sonic, Merlina, Black Knight, Shadow, Knuckles, Blaze, Silver, Jet, Tails, Amy, Caliburn the Sword (I don't count the medieval versions as separate characters)
6.4 Rating

Sonic Unleashed:
10 Characters: Sonic, Supersonic, Sonic the Werehog, Chip, Amy, Tails, Eggman, Professor Pickle, Dark Gaia, SA/55 / Ergo
7.0 Rating

Sonic Colors (Wii):
9 Characters: Sonic, Super Sonic, Robo-Sonic, Eggman, Tails, Yacker, Orbot, Cubot, Mii
8.2 Rating

Sonic Colors (DS):
23 Characters: Sonic, Super Sonic, Robo-Sonic, Eggman, Tails, Yacker, Orbot, Cubot, Mii, Knuckles, Amy, Silver, Blaze, Omega, Rouge, Shadow, Charmy, Vector, Espio, Cream, Big, Chao, Mother Wisp
8.1 Rating

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity:
20 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Jet, Wave, Storm, Eggman, Cream, Cheese, Rouge, Shadow, Silver, Blaze, SCR-GP & SCR-HD (one character), Amigo, NiGHTS, Billy Hatcher, Super Sonic, Master Core
6.8 Rating

Sonic Free Riders:
19 Characters: Sonic, Jet, Amy, Metal Sonic, Shadow, Blaze, Super Sonic, Tails, Wave, Cream, Silver, Rouge, Knuckles, Storm, Eggman, Vector, E-10000G & E-10000B, XBL Avatar, Omochao
7.0 Rating (skewed because of one 9 GFAQs written review)

Sonic 4: Episode 1:
4 Characters: Sonic, Eggman, Super Sonic, Metal Sonic
7.4 Rating

Sonic Advance:
7 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Chao, Eggman, Super Sonic
8.0 Rating

Sonic Advance 2:
9 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Eggman, Chao, Super Sonic
8.2 Rating

Sonic Advance 3:
9 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Eggman, Gemerl, Omochao
8.2 Rating

Sonic Rush:
11 Characters: Sonic, Blaze, Eggman, Eggman Nega, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Tails, Knuckles, Super Sonic, Burning Blaze
7.9 Rating

Sonic Rush Adventure:
10 Characters: Sonic, Blaze, Tails, Marine, Captain Whisker, Johnny, Eggman, Eggman Nega, Super Sonic, Burning Blaze
8.3 Rating

Sonic Rivals:
10 Characters: Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow, Metal Sonic, Silver, Tails, Amy, Rouge, Eggman, Eggman Nega
6.6 Rating

Sonic Rivals 2:
14 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge, Silver, Espio, Metal Sonic, Eggman, Eggman Nega, Ifrit, Metal Sonic 3.0, Ghost, Omochao
6.8 Rating

Sonic Battle:
11 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Rouge, Amy, Knuckles, Cream, Shadow, Emerl (no E-121), Eggman, Gamma, Chaos
7.5 Rating

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games:
22 Characters: Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles, Vector, Tails, Eggman, Amy, Blaze, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Waluigi, Bowser, Wario, Yoshi, Daisy, Cream, Toad, Charmy, Lakitu, Espio, Shy Guy
7.1 Rating

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games:
36 Characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Blaze, Vector, Eggman, Metal Sonic, Silver, Jet, Omega, Eggman Nega, Rouge, Charmy, Espio, Cream, Big, Chaos, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Donkey Kong, Bullet Bill, King Boo, Dry Bowser, Dry Bones, Toad, Lakitu, Birdo...(does anyone care?)
7.7 Rating

WHOA THANK GOD THAT'S OVER...

RESULTS:

Games With Number Of Characters In Ascending Order:

2......8.7......Sonic 1
4......8.8......Sonic CD
4......8.0......Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
4......9.8......SegaSonic the Hedgehog
4......4.4......Sonic Drift
4......7.4......Sonic 4: Episode 1
5......9.0......Sonic 2
5......6.4......Sonic 3D Blast
7......9.0......Sonic Knuckles
7......7.1......Sonic Spinball
7......7.7......Sonic Drift 2
7......8.0......Sonic Advance
9......9.0......Sonic 3
9......7.6......Knuckles' Chaotix
9......8.2......Sonic Colors (Wii)
9......8.2......Sonic Advance 2
9......8.2......Sonic Advance 3
10......7.2......Sonic R
10......7.0.....Sonic Unleashed
10......8.3......Sonic Rush Adventure
10......6.6......Sonic Rivals
11......8.1......Sonic the Fighters
11......6.4......Sonic and the Black Knight
11......7.9......Sonic Rush
11......7.5......Sonic Battle
13......6.1......Sonic Shuffle
14......6.8......Sonic Rivals 2
15......6.8......Sonic and the Secret Rings
16......8.4......Sonic Adventure
17......7.0......Sonic Riders
18......7.5......Sonic Adventure DX
18......8.0......Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
18......7.2......Sonic Heroes
18......5.3......Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
19......8.3......Sonic Adventure 2
19......6.3......Shadow Hedgehog
19......7.0......Sonic Free Riders
20......6.8......Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
22......7.1......Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
23......8.1......Sonic Colors (DS)
36......7.7......Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

Games Ratings In Descending Order:

4......9.8......SegaSonic the Hedgehog
5......9.0......Sonic 2
7......9.0......Sonic Knuckles
9......9.0......Sonic 3
4......8.8......Sonic CD
2......8.7......Sonic 1
16......8.4......Sonic Adventure
10......8.3......Sonic Rush Adventure
19......8.3......Sonic Adventure 2
9......8.2......Sonic Colors (Wii)
9......8.2......Sonic Advance 2
9......8.2......Sonic Advance 3
11......8.1......Sonic the Fighters
23......8.1......Sonic Colors (DS)
4......8.0......Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
7......8.0......Sonic Advance
18......8.0......Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
11......7.9......Sonic Rush
7......7.7......Sonic Drift 2
36......7.7......Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
9......7.6......Knuckles' Chaotix
11......7.5......Sonic Battle
18......7.5......Sonic Adventure DX
4......7.4......Sonic 4: Episode 1
10......7.2......Sonic R
18......7.2......Sonic Heroes
7......7.1......Sonic Spinball
22......7.1......Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
10......7.0......Sonic Unleashed
17......7.0......Sonic Riders
19......7.0......Sonic Free Riders
14......6.8......Sonic Rivals 2
15......6.8......Sonic and the Secret Rings
20......6.8......Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
10......6.6......Sonic Rivals
5......6.4......Sonic 3D Blast
11......6.4......Sonic and the Black Knight
19......6.3......Shadow Hedgehog
13......6.1......Sonic Shuffle
18......5.3......Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
4......4.4......Sonic Drift

ALL OF THIS DATA COMPRESSED INTO THE BEST GRAPH YOU'LL EVER SEE:

The top black dot is SegaSonic the Hedgehog, the bottom black dot is Sonic Drift, and the right black dot is Mario & Sonic Olympic Games.  These are extremities and should be ignored, really.  OOPS, screwed up the X and Y-labels.  Well, let's remove those black dots and zoom in a bit.

Ah yes, I can see more clearly now!  The fat dot at (9 , 8.2) is three games in one (Sonic Colors Wii, Sonic Adv. 2, Sonic Adv. 3).  There seems to be a cloud of dots scattered every which way with the only notables are the five games in the 8.5-9.0 range (which are all Genesis games) and Sonic 2006 which is the only game below 6.0.  Otherwise, the results remain rather evenly distributed between the 6.0-8.5 range.

Make your own scatter graphs here...

CONCLUSION:

Let me wrap this up quickly...

Do more Sonic characters equal a worse game?

No, that's phony baloney. 

To prove the hypothesis true, you need overwhelming proof that it's true.  Otherwise, it is labeled false.  Yes, the highest rated Sonic games (the Genesis series) ARE on the lower-end of the X-axis, but otherwise, it's randomly scattered about with no real correlation.  There are more factors that explain the quality of a Sonic game, such as the talent level of the game designers and so forth.

I know this is a ridiculous study since even if the result was "true," you can't truly prove that the burden lies on the number of characters.  This is to get those picky people at 1-up and whatnot to shove it.  That's all I got to say.  Leave a hate comment below if you're not satisfied. REALLY, if there's something I can do to improve this study, feel free to LET ME KNOW.