Found something interesting about cliches or common themes. (Thank tvtrops for this.) Its called tropes and it applies to TV, anime, and games. Some of these are actually pretty funny. For this topic, request a video game (or series) and I will write all the tropes (and examples) that the game is guilty of. This seems like a fun topic so lets give it a go.
My first highlight will be the Sonic series. Sonic actually has a trope named after it, "Sonic Syndrome" which represents a gradual or immediate fall from grace when transistioning from 2d to 3d. Other tropes include (stuff from the comics and tv shows are ignored:
1. Arabian Nights Days (SSR)
2. Because Destiny says (prophecy junk)
3. Character Derailment (Knuckles and Egg Man)
4. Classic cheat code
5. Clingy jealous girl (Amy)
6. Colony Drop (Ark)
7. Compliation release
8. Cool shades (Egg Man)
9. Dark Magical Girl (Shadow, one of the extremely rare male examples) This trope is an anime one that embodies the fear of being alone and its effects are manifested in someone who can be best described as a dark twin of the main character (often more powerful in combat). These character types are almost always redeemed through an emotional heart to heart talk.
10. Darker & Edgier
11. Dead Little Sister (Maria)
12. Death Course (hazards in most unlikely of places)
13. Eleventh Hour Super power (need I say it)
13. Enemy Mine (hero and villian work together)
14. Executive Meddling
15. Five Man Band (the main 5)
16. Flanderization (too many examples)
17. Floating Advice reminder (SA and beyond)
18. Genre Roulette
19. Goggles do nothing (Egg Man)
20. Gratitous English (voice acting)
21. Green Hill Zone (lush, green easy stage, Sonic's is the one its named after)
22. Half Dressed Cartoon animal
23. Hostage for Mc Guffin (SA2)
24. It seemed like a good idea at the time (Knuckles tactics with the emerald)
25. Killer App (Genesis and Dreamcast games)
26. Lets you and him fight (Sonic vs whatever character Sega throws at him)
27. Mac Guffin Delivery service (Egg Man does this in SA)
28. Mad Scientist
29. Mecha Monster (Metal Sonic)
30. Mercy invincibility (rings)
31. Multiple Endings
32. Pallete Swap (Hedgehogs)
33. People Jars (animals in robots)
34. Personality powers (Sonic, Knuckles)
35. Plot coupon (Chaos emeralds)
36. Power Trio (Team Sonic)
37. Punny Name (Tails and Egg Man)
38. Strange Bedfellows (Cannon's Core)
39. Underwater Ruins
40. Villian Decay (Egg Man)
41. Wave Motion Gun (Eclipse Cannon)
42. Wheel o Feet
43. White Gloves