The Hill Is Always Greener

A show where four friends have chill discussions about Sonic the Hedgehog to distract themselves from the inevitable passage of time and their own rapidly waning ability to relate to the youth.

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Episodes

Krakrakrak

4 days ago

4 days ago

We're once again turning the pages of Sonic the Comic, this time with the arc that introduced everyone's favorite frenemy, Knuckles! In an adaptation of Sonic 3, the red-dreaded one gets bamboozled by the big egg himself into aiding in his sinister schemes! Can Sonic and Tails hold off this newcomer long enough to successfully capture Robotnik? And if so, will that victory come at a much greater cost?
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: STC's Sonic 3 adaptation(0:09:59) The typical STC disclaimer(0:16:56) Knuckles: Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds(0:32:04) Enter Knuckles, Part 1(0:44:59) Enter Knuckles, Part 2(0:52:21) Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 1(1:04:10) Power of the Chaos Emeralds, Part 2(1:14:26) Robotnik's Revenge, Part 1(1:20:53) Robotnik's Revenge, Part 2(1:30:18) Final thoughts(1:35:34) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree

And Sometimes Coconuts

Friday Jan 09, 2026

Friday Jan 09, 2026

A new year means new reasons to look backwards on The Hill Is Always Greener, and we can't think of a better one than to see where it all began for the silliest of Sonic cartoons! That's right, we're taking it back to the Fall of '93 to discuss the origins of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog! But we're not just talking about the first episode, "Super Special Sonic Search & Smash Squad", recounting the birth of our beloved dumb-bots. No, we're also taking a look at the workprint of the original unaired pilot used to sell the show to advertisers! So join us as we see what changed, what stayed the same, and why we still get a good laugh from this show every single time.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: The beginnings of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog(0:10:53) The pilot(0:42:11) Super Special Sonic Search & Smash Squad (1:33:57) Final thoughts(1:45:12) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Pilot
Super Special Sonic Search & Smash Squad

Friday Dec 26, 2025

With 2025 coming to a close, it's important that we end the year on the right note. And by that, we mean an absolutely bonkers game show that quickly descends into madness. Returning guest Prismaeya and Sonic F cast members Kage-Ichihashi and Mystic Pyro Freak are paired up with our hosts in a three-way battle royale to determine the top trivia team. Will speed, fly, or power win out in the end? What kind of devious questions does Faulerro have up his sleeve? And how badly are we going to have to sandbag CyberLink to keep him from running away with the whole thing?
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Mobius Strip Game(0:07:10) Hog Quiz(0:19:56) Fast Four Words(0:31:26) Rise of Lyrics(0:47:33) What's the Verdict: Sonic Edition(1:00:55) Blue Lightning Round(1:09:14) Sonic Survey Says(2:43:08) Results/Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree

Friday Dec 12, 2025

December is here again, and what better way to get into the spirit of the season than with the most unhinged variety show this side of a galaxy far, far away? That’s right, it’s two hours of holiday hijinks and festive foolishness, filled with crackers, carols, and cold reads aplenty. So grab yourself a nice cup of cocoa, cozy up by the fire, and enjoy...whatever the hell this is.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: THIAG Christmas party(0:11:22) Chaotic Crackers(0:23:32) Do You Recall the Most Famous Hedgehog of All?(0:33:13) Wreck the Halls(0:48:56) Sonic’s Secret Santa(1:33:41) Sonic Ride Festivity(1:54:55) Final thoughts(1:57:03) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Sage meets her oshi Miku
 

Friday Nov 28, 2025

We've all asked that question: When is Sega going to remake Sonic's first big 3D outing? And we all know the answer: Probably never. But what if the possibility existed beyond the realm of fantasy? And...what if they asked the four least qualified people in the world to call the shots? That’s right, this episode, we're talking about all the things we'd like to see in a hypothetical remake of Sonic Adventure, one which we've dubbed "Sonic Adventure Kiwami!" (Note: Kiwami means extreme.) From gameplay adjustments to presentational upgrades, new stories and cameos galore, we've opened our hearts to the many possibilities, and nothing is off the table...for better or for worse.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Adventure Kiwami(0:07:18) Gameplay(1:25:41) Story(1:37:34) Voice acting (2:01:29) Graphics(2:09:45) Music(2:48:00) Unrealistic pie-in-the-sky hopes(2:59:35) Final thoughts(3:01:40) Outro 
Amie Waters on Linktree

Friday Nov 14, 2025

Alphanumeric! We're back to the Martin Adams series to check out Sonic and the Silicon Warriors! Robotnik has abducted the Mobian population, and Tails has found himself trapped in a world inside the computer where man has never been! Now it's up to Sonic and his new friend Iggy to bring them back while fending off robots, security programs, and every (lawyer friendly) cameo under the sun! Can our hedgehog hero survive this digital dimension, or is he destined to be deleted like so much junk data? Tune in to find out!
(0:00:00) Intro/Main Topic: Sonic the Hedgehog and the Silicon Warriors(0:09:29) Prologue: Enter(0:12:21) Chapter 1: A Shock to the System(0:21:54) Chapter 2: Mega-Hurtz(0:31:36) Chapter 3: Building Big Brother(0:45:03) Chapter 4: User-Unfriendly(0:56:17) Chapter 5: Silicon Alley(1:02:50) Chapter 6: System Crashes(1:12:10) Chapter 7: Terminate and Stay Resident(1:19:57) Chapter 8: Virtually Reality(1:32:44) Chapter 9: Operating Systems(1:42:29) Chapter 10: Garbage In, Garbage Out(1:53:35) Epilogue: Quit(1:55:00) Final thoughts(2:01:00) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Sonic the Comic the Podcast
STCTP interview with "Martin Adams"
Breakfast of Champions press event

That's a Big Ass Cat

Friday Oct 31, 2025

Friday Oct 31, 2025

You better watch out! She’ll bewitch ya! It’s time to return to the Archie comics... And by that, we mean the LITERAL Archie comics. In celebration of Halloween, we're taking a look back at the multiple late '90s comic crossovers between Sonic the Hedgehog and Sabrina the Teenage Witch! From Super Specials to actual trash comics, we discuss reverse isekais, magical possession, weird mysteries, beloved sitcom animals, and an answer to the question that has long plagued mankind: did Betty and Veronica ever see sense, give up on Archie, and hook up with each other instead?
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic/Sabrina comic crossovers(0:11:04) Archie & Friends: A Halloween Tale(0:51:39) Some Enchantra Evening, Part 1(1:10:29) Some Enchantra Evening, Part 2(1:21:49) Case of the Haunted Comic Shop(1:38:58) Final thoughts(1:45:19) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Thanks Ken Penders - "this but it's the achewood with the motorcycle"

Friday Oct 17, 2025

I ain't gonna let it get to me, I'm just gonna creep, and nothing's creepier than these grisly and ghoulish go-to spots on Sonic's world! Special guests GreenBonesDommy and JellyFilledZombies help us determine the top 10 scariest levels from across the franchise, from Sandopolis with its subterranean specters, to Digital Dimension's screaming soulnado, to the hellish halls of Boo's House, and every other horrifying haunt in between. But don't dwell too long, listener, because if you try trick-or-treating here, all you're going to get is a one-way ticket to the afterlife! ...and maybe a full-size KitKat bar if you're lucky.
0:00:00 Intro/Shay's history with Sonic0:04:37 Main topic: Ranking the haunted theme zones0:08:42 Sandopolis (Sonic and Knuckles)0:13:26 Labyrinth of the Castle (Sonic Labyrinth)0:17:18 Twinkle Park (Sonic Adventure DLC)0:19:48 Pumpkin Hill (Sonic Adventure 2)0:23:57 Aquatic Mine (Sonic Adventure 2)0:25:50 Pyramid stages (Sonic Adventure 2)0:30:48 Hang Castle/Mystic Mansion (Sonic Heroes)0:37:45 Cryptic Castle (Shadow the Hedgehog)0:42:13 Digital Dimension (Sonic Riders)0:45:16 Skeleton Dome (Sonic and the Secret Rings)0:48:42 Mystic Haunt (Sonic Rivals 2)0:51:14 Haunted Ship (Sonic Rush Adventure)0:54:11 Creeper Gorge (Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric)0:57:54 Halloween (Sonic Runners)1:00:17 Haunted Castle (Team Sonic Racing)1:03:13 Boo's House (Team Sonic Racing)1:06:02 Nightmare Maze (Sonic Dream Team)1:09:09 Pinball Carnival (Sonic Superstars)1:12:58 Wonder Museum (Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds)1:15:28 Kraken Bay (Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds)1:17:48 Sand Road (Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds)1:18:25 Finalizing the list1:22:55 Addendum: Pumpkin Mansion (Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds)1:24:36 Final thoughts1:25:40 Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree

Friday Oct 03, 2025

We've gone Bak 2 School for another new Sonic 101 episode! With Jake out on assignment (i.e. kidnapped by Metal Sonic), Jeff Bakalar of Giant Bomb fills the rotating guest chair this week, ready to learn all about McDonald's happy meal toys, outrunning the Big Bang, children's media featuring GWAR, Sonic's secret Jersey upbringing, bloodthirsty unicorn wizards, and all sorts of other nonsense. But the student also becomes the teacher, as Jeff offers up his perspective as the parent of a young Sonic fan, giving us old farts a rare inside look at how the youth of today actually engage with the Blue Blur and his fast furry friends.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Newbie Education 101(0:07:45) Jeff's history with Sonic(0:13:40) The malleability of Sonic(0:18:26) Jeff and Sonic's transition to 3D(0:24:40) Do kids play the old games?(0:35:55) Minigame: A.B.C.D. Station(1:06:25) How did Jeff's kid first find Sonic?(1:18:12) Does Jeff think his kid is starting to outgrow Sonic?(1;26:27) Does Sonic have an origin story?(1:39:09) Minigame: Know More Music(1:57:13) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Giant Bomb
What Lies Below the Lilies
Sonic McOrigins Plus
Windii's translations
John Batiste - Green Hill Zone

Friday Sep 19, 2025

Grab your Heelys, your Blockbuster membership card, and your iPod Nano with the complete Good Charlotte discography on it, because we're embracing the mid-2000s to properly look back at the original Sonic Riders! Team Sonic's inaugural clash with the Babylon Rogues is remembered for its slick aesthetic, its bumpin' tunes, and its gameplay that rides the fine line between deeply nuanced and utterly incomprehensible. Does this high-speed hoverboarder soar through the sky like a bird on the wind, or does it explode on its way to the finish line? Join us as we trick our way through the streets of Metal City to find out! Just make sure your air tank is full...
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Riders(0:06:10) Aesthetic(0:15:15) Gameplay(0:44:31) Characters(0:50:55) Story(1:19:10) Tracks(1:54:00) Other modes(2:06:20) Final thoughts(2:30:28) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
How to Play Sonic Riders
Japanese Heroes Story (Translated)
Japanese Babylon Story (Translated)
Sonic Riders GBA - Lost Media Wiki

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The Hill is Always Greener is a podcast by a group of Sonic fans who have long since come to terms with the fact they aren't the primary audience for Sonic anymore, but still hold a lot of love for the little blue guy and want to talk about him. From the games to the comics to the TV shows and movies and everything in between, hosts GameBuddy, CyberLink, Faulerro and RockTheJake of Sonic F wistfully look back at the blue blur's many adventures over the years while occasionally learning new things even they didn't know about their favorite franchise. So strap on your power sneakers and join us every other week for a chill jog down memory lane as we look back at the little blue ball of attitude that means so much to us all.

Find us on YouTube at SonicFSeries or wherever you get your podcasts.

Copyright 2022 Sonic Paradox, All rights reserved.

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