[quote name='dothog']As convinced as you are, you're wrong. The "Sonic vs. Mario" bullshit didn't appeal to most people 12 years and older at the time. I'd guess that debate was mostly elementary school playground fodder.
Though I played the games, I didn't care for him then and I don't care for him now. For me the lack of appeal was the whole "mascot with attitude" thing. It's the same reason I don't like the Rare Kongs. It's a dumb marketing gimmick designed to appeal to kids without much else behind it (well, the something behind Sonic was speed, just as the something behind DKC was the graphics). There's not so much creation and imagination in the character as there is well-considered marketing that's looking to appeal to as many members of a target demographic as possible.
Whenever I think of Sonic (or any phony attitude character) I can't help but think of the board meeting in the Poochie episode of the Simpsons:
I would imagine similar meetings sprung up around Sonic. "He's fast, and he runs to blazing guitar rock. It's totally in your face, hip, and fresh. And we have assurances that it is rad."[/quote]
The fact that the Sonic vs. Mario rivialry was more of a kiddie thing had nothing to do with the fact that it was, as zerowing said, the symbol of the biggest, in my opinion greatest, console war of all time.
But more importantly, Sonic 1-3 were just plain good. While Mario clearly outshines Sonic in the modern games, that doesn't change the fact that the Genesis games are simply classics.