Play Ray the Flying Squirrel in Sonic the Hedgehog Online

Ray the Flying Squirrel is one of those weird, forgotten Sonic characters who somehow ended up being way cooler than he had any right to be. First showed up in Knuckles’ Chaotix—that weird, ring-tether game nobody really understood—but his glide mechanic just works. You’re not blasting through levels like Sonic or awkwardly hovering like Tails; you’re riding air currents, skimming over spikes, and pulling off these smooth little dives that make even the jankiest Genesis level layouts feel intentional.

He never got his own game, which is a shame, but modders and romhack fans keep bringing him back because… well, try gliding through Green Hill Zone at sunset with that crunchy Genesis soundtrack and tell me it doesn’t feel magical. It’s like rediscovering a game you’ve played a hundred times, but slower, floatier, and with way more chances to faceplant into a pit if you mistime a jump.

Definitely not for speedrunners, but if you like finding weird little pockets of charm in old games, Ray’s your guy.