I've never liked comparing this game to Super Mario 64, because there is so much different about them that it inherently is unfair, even once you get past the simple fact that this is a childhood-defining game for me, whereas Mario 64 just isn't.

But one thing I think both games share is that when you are willing to engage with them on their terms, they are fantastic and fun games. There's a genuine earnestness and sincerity to them, even within the constraints of early 3d, and that is something that I think no amount of teraflops and traced rays can really replicate.

Sonic Adventure does live up to its name. It's an adventure, a game that feels absolutely massive, with three hub worlds and levels that span these hubs, visited by each character at different times, interacted with in different ways. Mario 64 can feel like a big game, but I think when you are shown tangible connections between each part of the world and the levels, it adds something to the scope of the map. Eschewing the traditional act structure of earlier Sonic games for one larger level, defined more by the moment to moment and the setpieces you visit, adds to this, but certain levels can have their superfluous moments.