SegaSonic the Hedgehog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SegaSonic the Hedgehog |
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| Developer(s) | Sega AM3 |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Director(s) | Tomosuke Tsuda |
| Composer(s) | Hiroshi Kawaguchi Keitaro Hanada Naoki Tokiwa |
| Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
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| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Sega System 32 |
SegaSonic the Hedgehog is a 1993 arcade game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series by Sega. Controlling Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel, the player must escape an island as quickly as possible after they are kidnapped by series antagonist Doctor Eggman. The game is presented from an isometric perspective and players use a trackball to move the characters while dodging obstacles and collecting rings. The game was developed by Sega's arcade division, Sega AM3; it is one of four Sonic games to bear the SegaSonic name and was inspired by the 1984 game Marble Madness.
The game was released in Japanese arcades in late 1993. It has never been rereleased; plans to port the game to Sega's 32X platform never materialized and the game was cut from Sonic compilation release Sonic Gems Collection (2005) due to problems with replicating the game's trackball control system on a standard controller. At the time of release, SegaSonic the Hedgehog received highly positive reviews from Electronic Gaming Monthly and Computer and Video Games for its graphics and gameplay. Journalists writing in retrospect have been more divided. The game marked the debuts of Sonic characters Mighty and Ray; both have reappeared sparingly in the franchise.
Gameplay
SegaSonic the Hedgehog is a platform game that has been likened in gameplay to Marble Madness (1984). Players control three characters: Sonic the Hedgehog, Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray the Flying Squirrel, who can be controlled by a single player or simultaneously with two others. The story follows the three characters after series antagonist Doctor Eggman traps them on his island. They team up to escape, and must dodge various hazards and dangers to reach Eggman in his base, the Eggman Tower.
The game takes place over seven levels, which must be completed in the fastest time possible. Players use a trackball to control a characters' speed and direction from an isometric perspective, and a button to make a character jump into a Spin Attack. Each character has a health bar, which is depleted when the player falls into traps; players lose a life if the bar empties. Health can be recovered by collecting rings that are littered around the course or hidden inside obstacles or enemies. Players receive bonus rings for use in later levels they collect over a certain percentage of rings within a level. Upon reaching Eggman at the end of the game, he pushes a button that causes the island to self-destruct. The three heroes manage to escape unharmed, while Eggman is left stranded at sea.
Development and release
Before SegaSonic the Hedgehog, Sega had attempted to create two Sonic the Hedgehog-based arcade games, but these were never released because "they were not the specialness that Sonic was." By May 1993, a new Sonic arcade project was in development. SegaSonic the Hedgehog was developed by Sega AM3, an internal Sega division that created games for arcade cabinets, with assistance from Sonic Team. The game is one of four arcade games in the Sonic the Hedgehog series to feature the SegaSonic name.
According to designer Manabu Kusunoki, the idea for trackball controls was conceived after an unspecified member of the development team—who was a fan of Marble Madness—suggested that it would work well with Sonic's style of gameplay. The game uses a Sega System 32 motherboard, which enables the multiplayer option, and a unique isometric graphics system. It features two new characters, Ray the Flying Squirrel and Mighty the Armadillo. Both were designed by Kusunoki, who chose their species since he thought they would control similarly to how Sonic did and that they, like hedgehogs, were obscure. Mighty was likely based on an early prototype of Sonic. The game also features voice acting, with Takeshi Kusao, Hinako Kanamaru, Yusuke Numata, and Masaharu Satō voicing Sonic, Ray, Mighty, and Eggman, respectively.
The game's title in development was simply Sonic the Hedgehog, but was changed to SegaSonic because Sega lost the trademark to the Sonic name during production. Kusunoki could not recall why it was disputed, but according to video game journalist John Szczepaniak, Sega of America failed to turn in its paperwork for the trademark on July 13, 1993. SegaSonic the Hedgehog was featured at the Summer International Consumer Electronics Show 1993 and the Amusement Machine Show 1993. It was released in Japanese arcades later that year. It is unclear if the game was released outside Japan. Hackers discovered English-translated dialogue and sprites based on Eggman's appearance in the American Sonic the Hedgehog animated series hidden within the ROM image, suggesting that there were plans to release it in American arcades to promote the series.
SegaSonic the Hedgehog has never been rereleased. A port for the 32X, an add-on for the Sega Genesis, was reported to be in development in late 1994. Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka said the game was considered for inclusion in the 2005 rarities compilation Sonic Gems Collection for the GameCube and PlayStation 2, but was excluded due to difficulties with emulating the trackball controls on a gamepad. In 2011, Sega's brand manager Ken Balough said there is not much demand for a rerelease; he believes this is because it was not released outside Japan. In 2020, Sega's Yosuke Okunari mentioned the possibility of SegaSonic The Hedgehog being ported if games in the Sega Ages line were successful.
See also
In Spanish: SegaSonic the Hedgehog para niños
