Sonic the Hedgehog (franchise) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sonic the Hedgehog |
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| Creator |
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| Original work | Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) |
| Owner | Sega |
| Print publications | |
| Books | Printed media list |
| Comics | Comic book list |
| Films and television | |
| Films | Films list |
| Television series | Television series list |
| Games | |
| Video games | List of games |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Toys | Lego Sonic the Hedgehog |
Sonic the Hedgehog is a super popular video game series and media franchise. It was created by Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The main hero is Sonic, a super-fast blue hedgehog. He always battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a crazy scientist.
Most Sonic games are platformers, made by Sonic Team. But there are also many fun spin-off games. These include racing, fighting, party, and sports games. The Sonic world also includes comic books, animated shows, movies, and lots of cool toys.
The first Sonic game came out in 1991 for the Sega Genesis. It was made to give Sega a cool mascot, like Nintendo had with Mario. Sonic became a huge hit! It helped Sega become a top video game company in the early 1990s. Later, Sega stopped making consoles and started making games for other systems like Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Sonic games are known for their super-fast gameplay. They often have special features like collecting rings for health. Levels are full of springs, slopes, and loops. Sonic usually tries to stop Eggman from taking over the world. Many other characters joined the series, like Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, and Shadow the Hedgehog. Some even got their own spin-off games!
Sonic the Hedgehog is Sega's most famous series. It's one of the bestselling video game franchises ever! It has sold over 140 million copies by 2016 and made over $5 billion by 2014. Including mobile game downloads, it reached 1.77 billion by 2024. The early Genesis Sonic games are seen as classics and are loved by many fans.
Contents
The History of Sonic's Adventures
Creating the First Sonic Game (1990–1991)
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In 1990, Sega wanted a big hit for its Sega Genesis console. Nintendo's Mario was very popular, and Sega needed its own star. Sega's president, Hayao Nakayama, wanted a new game that showed off the Genesis's power.
An internal contest was held to find a new flagship game. Artist Naoto Ohshima and programmer Yuji Naka were part of the teams. Naka had created a cool tech demo where a character could roll smoothly on curves. This idea became the start of the first Sonic game.
Designer Hirokazu Yasuhara joined Naka and Ohshima. They first thought of a rabbit character, but it was too hard for the game system. They then tried animals that could roll into a ball. They finally chose Sonic, a teal hedgehog designed by Ohshima.
Sonic's blue color matched Sega's logo. His red and white shoes were inspired by Michael Jackson's album Bad. His personality was based on Bill Clinton's "can-do" attitude. Doctor Eggman was another character Ohshima had designed, and they made him the villain. The team called themselves Sonic Team.
Sonic the Hedgehog was released on June 23, 1991. It was a huge success and made the Sega Genesis much more popular. It helped Sega gain a lot of the video game market.
Sonic's Genesis Sequels (1991–1995)
After the first game's success, Yuji Naka and Hirokazu Yasuhara moved to Sega Technical Institute (STI) in the US. They started working on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992). This game introduced Sonic's famous sidekick, Tails, a fox with two tails who can fly. Sonic 2 was also a big hit.
While Sonic 2 was being made, Ohshima led a team in Japan to create Sonic CD. This game was for the Sega CD, an add-on for the Genesis. It introduced Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog, and Metal Sonic, a robot version of Sonic.
Next, the Japanese team at STI worked on Sonic the Hedgehog 3. This game brought in Sonic's rival, Knuckles, a red echidna who guards the Master Emerald. Because the game was so big, it was split into two parts: Sonic 3 (1994) and Sonic & Knuckles (1994). You could even connect the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge to Sonic 3 to play them as one big game!
Many Sonic games were also made for Sega's 8-bit consoles, like the Master System and Game Gear. These included a simpler version of the first Sonic game. Other games from this time were Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1993), a puzzle game, and Knuckles' Chaotix (1995) for the 32X add-on.
The Saturn Era (1995–1998)
After Sonic & Knuckles, Naka returned to Japan. Sonic Team was officially formed. They worked on a new game called Nights into Dreams for the Sega Saturn console. Because Sonic Team was busy, another studio made Sonic 3D Blast (1996) for the Genesis. It sold well but got mixed reviews.
In America, STI was making Sonic X-treme, a 3D Sonic game for the Saturn. But the game had many problems and was eventually canceled. This was a big disappointment for fans and is thought to have hurt the Saturn's sales.
In 1997, Sega started "Project Sonic" to make fans excited about Sonic again. They released Sonic Jam, a collection of the old Genesis games. It also had a 3D area where Sonic Team tested ideas for future 3D games. They also released Sonic R, a 3D racing game for the Saturn.
Moving to 3D Games (1998–2005)
Sonic Team used their experiments from Sonic Jam to make a full 3D Sonic game. This became Sonic Adventure, released in 1998 for Sega's new console, the Dreamcast. It introduced new character designs and became a classic.
In 2001, Sega stopped making consoles and became a third-party developer. This meant they would make games for other companies' systems. Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) was released for the Dreamcast and later for Nintendo's GameCube.
Sonic Team then made Sonic Heroes (2003), the first Sonic game for multiple systems: GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2. It brought back elements from the Genesis games. Reviews were mixed, but it was a big step for Sonic.
Sega also kept making 2D Sonic games. Dimps developed the Sonic Advance series (2001–2004) for the Game Boy Advance. These were the first original Sonic games on a Nintendo console, a big change after their rivalry. Dimps also made Sonic Rush (2005) for the Nintendo DS, which mixed 2D and 3D.
Challenges and New Directions (2005–2015)
In 2005, Sega released Shadow the Hedgehog, a spin-off game starring the popular character Shadow. It was aimed at older players and had a darker story. While it sold well, critics didn't like it much.
For the franchise's 15th anniversary in 2006, Sonic Team released Sonic the Hedgehog (often called Sonic '06). This game had many problems during development and was rushed. It became known as one of the worst games in the series because of its bugs and controls.
After this, Sonic Team tried new things. They made Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007) and Sonic and the Black Knight (2009) for the Wii, which used motion controls. They also released Sonic Unleashed (2008), which mixed fast 2D and 3D gameplay, but also added a "Werehog" mode where Sonic turned into a beast.
In 2010, Takashi Iizuka became the head of Sonic Team. He wanted to give Sonic games a clearer direction. They went back to focusing on classic side-scrolling and super-fast gameplay. This led to games like Sonic Colors (2010) and Sonic Generations (2011), which brought back classic Sonic. These games were much better received by fans and critics.
In 2013, Nintendo and Sega teamed up to make Sonic games for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. This included Sonic Lost World (2013) and the Mario & Sonic Olympic Games series. However, some games from this period, like the Sonic Boom games (2014), received poor reviews.
Sega also started making more Sonic games for mobile phones. Sonic Dash (2013), an endless runner game, became very popular. Remakes of classic Sonic games for mobile devices were also released and praised.
Sonic's New Directions (2015–Present)
In 2015, Iizuka said that Sonic Team wanted to make sure their games were high quality. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2016, two new Sonic games were announced for the 25th anniversary: Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces.
Sonic Mania (2017) was made by independent developers who were also big Sonic fans. It looked and played like the classic Genesis games and got amazing reviews. Many called it the best Sonic game in 15 years! Sonic Forces (2017) brought back the dual gameplay of Sonic Generations and let players create their own custom character.
More recently, Sega has released Team Sonic Racing (2019), a kart racing game. For the 30th anniversary in 2021, they announced Sonic Frontiers (2022), the first Sonic game with an open-world design. Frontiers sold well and was well-liked.
In 2023, new games like Sonic Dream Team and Sonic Superstars were released. Sonic Superstars brought back the classic 2.5D style. Iizuka said that 2D and 3D Sonic games will continue to be made, keeping them different and exciting. In 2024, Shadow the Hedgehog was a big focus, with a new game called Sonic X Shadow Generations and a major role in the new Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie.
Sonic's Friends, Foes, and Stories
The Sonic world has many characters! The first game introduced Sonic, the super-fast blue hedgehog, and Doctor Eggman, the round, mad scientist. In some Western games, Eggman was called Doctor Ivo Robotnik. Now, he's known as Eggman everywhere.
Sonic games usually follow Sonic trying to stop Eggman. Eggman wants to get the Chaos Emeralds, which are seven powerful gems. These Emeralds can do amazing things, like warp time and space. Eggman wants them to take over the world, and he traps animals inside his robots.
The series also has themes about nature versus machines. Sonic represents "nature," while Eggman represents "machinery" and "development." This shows the debate between protecting nature and building new things.
Many other characters joined the fun:
- Miles "Tails" Prower: Sonic's best friend, a fox who can fly with his two tails. Introduced in Sonic 2.
- Amy Rose: A pink hedgehog who loves Sonic. Introduced in Sonic CD.
- Metal Sonic: A robotic copy of Sonic made by Eggman. Also from Sonic CD.
- Knuckles the Echidna: Sonic's rival and friend, a red echidna who guards the powerful Master Emerald. Introduced in Sonic 3.
- The Chaotix: A group including Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, and Charmy Bee.
Later games, especially Sonic Adventure, gave characters a more modern look. The cast grew even bigger with characters like:
- Big the Cat: A large cat who loves fishing.
- Shadow the Hedgehog: A dark, mysterious hedgehog.
- Rouge the Bat: A treasure hunter.
- Blaze the Cat: A cat from another dimension.
- Silver the Hedgehog: A hedgehog with mind powers from the future.
Small creatures called Chao act like digital pets in some games. Wisps are alien creatures that give Sonic special powers. Even Flicky, a blue bird from an old Sega arcade game, appears in many Sonic games.
Some characters even got their own spin-off games. Tails had his own flying and adventure games. Shadow got his own game, Shadow the Hedgehog, where he used guns.
How Sonic Games Play
Sonic games are all about super-fast platforming gameplay. You control a character, usually Sonic, and race through levels. You jump between platforms, fight enemies, and avoid dangers.
Older games are mostly 2D. They feel like a pinball machine, with simple jumping and attacking. Levels often have many paths, and you need to remember them to keep your speed. Newer games are more 3D. They might have different goals and more moves for your character. Since Sonic Unleashed, many games mix 2D and 3D views.
A special part of Sonic games is collecting golden rings. These rings act like your health. If you have rings and get hit, you lose them all, but you don't lose a life! You have a short time to grab some back. Collecting 100 rings usually gives you an extra life.
Sonic levels have cool features like slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops. Springs and dash panels launch you forward at high speeds. Passing checkpoints saves your progress. Some famous places, like Green Hill Zone, appear in many games.
You can find power-ups in boxes throughout levels. These boxes might contain more rings, a shield, temporary invincibility, or extra lives. Sonic Colors introduced Wisps, alien creatures that give Sonic special powers. For example, yellow Wisps let you drill underground.
Since Sonic Rush, most games have a "boosting" move. This makes Sonic go super fast, letting him smash through objects and enemies. You fill a boost gauge by collecting rings or Wisps.
In most Sonic games, your main goal is to collect the Chaos Emeralds. Getting all of them often leads to the true ending. When you have all the Emeralds, your character can turn into a "Super" form. This makes them faster, jump higher, and invincible! But this form uses up rings quickly.
While many Sonic games share basic gameplay, some have unique features. Knuckles' Chaotix uses a "tether" system where you're connected to a partner. Sonic Unleashed has the "Werehog" mode, where Sonic becomes a strong beast and fights enemies. Some games let you play as different characters, each with their own moves and stories.
Many Sonic games also have multiplayer modes. In some, a second player can join in and control Tails. There are also split-screen races where two players compete to finish a level first.
Sonic's Awesome Music
The music in Sonic games is very important! For the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sega hired Masato Nakamura, the bassist from the band Dreams Come True. He also composed the music for Sonic 2.
For Sonic CD, there were two different soundtracks. The Japanese and European versions had music by Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata. The North American version had music by Spencer Nilsen, David Young, and Mark Crew.
Jun Senoue first worked on the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He has composed music for many Sonic games since Sonic 3D Blast. He often works with his band Crush 40. While early Sonic music was electronic, Senoue's music often features funk and rock music.
Tomoya Ohtani has been the main sound director for Sonic games since Sonic the Hedgehog in 2006. He tries to make the music fit each game perfectly. For example, Sonic Unleashed has diverse and energetic music, while Sonic Colors has a more science fiction feel.
Other famous musicians have also contributed. The band Zebrahead performed the main theme for Sonic '06. Doug Robb from Hoobastank sang the main theme for Sonic Forces. The Japanese rock band One Ok Rock performed an ending theme for Sonic Frontiers.
Other Sonic Adventures
Sonic Crossovers
Sonic and his friends often appear in other video games! Sonic has been a playable character in Christmas Nights and a power-up in Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg.
Sonic characters also star in the Sega All-Stars games. These include sports games like Sega Superstars Tennis and kart racing games like Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.
From 2007 to 2020, Sega and Nintendo teamed up for the Mario & Sonic series. These games brought together characters from Sonic and Mario for Olympic Games-themed sports. The first game, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, came out in 2007.
Sonic is also a playable character in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. fighting games. He first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl in 2008. He was one of the first characters from outside Nintendo to join the Smash roster. Shadow and Knuckles also appear in Smash as non-playable characters.
Sonic characters have even crossed over with mobile games like Angry Birds Epic and Pac-Man. In 2016, a Sonic expansion pack was released for the Lego Dimensions game. In 2021, Sonic and Tails joined Cookie Run: Kingdom.
Sonic in Cartoons
Sega wanted Sonic to be a big cartoon star too! In the 1990s, DIC Entertainment made two Sonic TV shows: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) and Sonic the Hedgehog (1993–1994). Adventures was funny and silly, while Sonic the Hedgehog (often called Sonic SatAM) had a more serious story where Eggman had taken over the world.
DIC also made Sonic Underground in 1999. This show followed Sonic and his siblings, Manic and Sonia, who used music to fight Eggman. In all three of these shows, Sonic was voiced by Jaleel White.
In Japan, an anime series called Sonic X ran from 2003 to 2006. In this show, Sonic and his friends are sent to Earth and meet a human boy named Chris. They try to get back home while fighting Eggman. Sonic X was very popular in the US and France.
Sonic Boom, an animated TV series, started in 2014. It was a funny, satirical take on the Sonic world, and the characters had new designs. It ran for two seasons.
More recently, short animated series like Sonic Mania Adventures (2018) and Sonic Colors (2021) have been released online. These shorts often tie into the games.
Sonic Prime, a new animated series, started on Netflix in December 2022. This show is part of the official Sonic game story. It follows Sonic as he travels through different universes after accidentally breaking an artifact.
Sonic in Comics
Sonic has also had many comic books! In Japan, a Sonic the Hedgehog manga series started in 1992. It featured a shy hedgehog named Nicky who turned into the brave Sonic. Some characters like Amy Rose and Charmy Bee first appeared in this manga before the games!
In America, Archie Comics published the longest-running Sonic comic book series, Sonic the Hedgehog, from 1993 to 2017. This comic had its own unique stories and characters. It was recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-running comic based on a video game.
After Archie Comics, IDW Publishing started a new Sonic comic in 2018. This new series draws its stories from the video games.
In the UK, Sonic the Comic was published by Fleetway Publications from 1993 to 2002. It had stories, news, and reviews for kids.
Sonic Movies
A live-action Sonic movie was planned way back in the 1990s, but it didn't happen.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
In 2013, Sony Pictures Entertainment got the rights to make a Sonic movie. Later, Paramount Pictures took over the project. The movie was directed by Jeff Fowler.
The film, Sonic the Hedgehog, came out in 2020. It stars Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) who teams up with a small-town cop (James Marsden) to escape Eggman (Jim Carrey). Sonic's first design in the movie trailer caused a lot of fan feedback, so the filmmakers changed it to look more like the game character.
The movie was a big success! It got good reviews and made over $310 million worldwide. It became the highest-grossing film based on a video game in US history at the time.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in 2022. In this movie, Sonic and Tails try to stop Eggman, who has teamed up with Knuckles. Idris Elba voices Knuckles.
This sequel included even more elements from the Sonic games. It also showed Shadow the Hedgehog in a special scene at the end. Sonic 2 was also a big hit, making over $402 million worldwide.
Knuckles (2024)
In 2022, Paramount and Sega announced Knuckles, a TV series for Paramount+. It came out in 2024 and follows Knuckles as he trains a new student. Many of the movie actors returned for the show.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to be released in December 2024. Shadow the Hedgehog, voiced by Keanu Reeves, will have a full role in this movie after his short appearance in Sonic 2.
Sonic Merchandise
There are tons of Sonic products you can buy! These include books, clothes, music, board games, and toys like figures and plushies. By 2004, Sonic merchandise had made over $1 billion in sales!
Sega and McDonald's even teamed up for Sonic Happy Meal toys. Sonic was the first video game franchise to be promoted in McDonald's, and over 50 million Sonic Happy Meal toys were sold!
In 2021, Sega and The Lego Group released a Green Hill Zone Lego set. This was so popular that a whole Lego Sonic the Hedgehog theme was launched in 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Sonic the Hedgehog (serie) para niños
