text:
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game. For the 2006 game of the same name, see Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game).
Sonic the Hedgehog
North American box art[a]
Developer(s)
Sonic Team
Publisher(s)
Sega
Designer(s)
Hirokazu Yasuhara
Programmer(s)
Yuji Naka
Artist(s)
Naoto Ohshima
Jina Ishiwatari
Rieko Kodama
Composer(s)
Masato Nakamura
Series
Sonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)
Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, Apple TV
Release
June 23, 1991[show]
Sega Genesis
NA: June 23, 1991
PAL: July 1991
JP: July 26, 1991
Master System
WW: October 25, 1991
Game Gear
JP: December 28, 1991
WW: December 1991
Game Boy Advance
NA: November 14, 2006
Nintendo 3DS
JP: May 15, 2013
WW: December 5, 2013
iOS
EU: May 15, 2013
NA: May 16, 2013
Android
WW: May 16, 2013
Genre(s)
Platform
Mode(s)
Single-player
Sonic the Hedgehog[b] is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis console. The game was first released in North America in June 1991, and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. The game features an anthropomorphic hedgehog named Sonic in a quest to defeat Doctor Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and stolen the magical Chaos Emeralds. Sonic the Hedgehog's gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.
The game's development began in 1990 when Sega ordered its AM8 development team to create a game featuring a mascot for the company. After considering a number of suggestions, the developers decided on a blue hedgehog with spikes along his head and spine and renamed themselves "Sonic Team" to match their character. Sonic the Hedgehog, designed for fast gameplay, was influenced by the games of Super Mario series creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. Sonic the Hedgehog uses a novel technique that allows Sonic's sprite to roll along curved scenery, which originated in a tech demo created by the game's programmer, Yuji Naka.
The game was well received by critics, being considered one of the greatest of all time, with praise given to its visuals, audio, and gameplay. It was also commercially successful, establishing the Genesis as a key player in the 16-bit era and allowing it to compete with Nintendo and their Super Nintendo Entertainment System console. The game has been ported a number of times, and inspired several clones, a successful franchise, and adaptations into other media.
Contents
[hide]
1 Gameplay
2 Plot
3 Development
3.1 Background and character design
3.2 Programming and prototyping
3.3 Music
3.4 Packaging and release
4 Alternate versions and ports
4.1 8-bit version
4.2 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis
4.3 2013 remaster
4.4 3D Sonic the Hedgehog
4.5 Compilation releases
4.6 Downloadable releases
4.7 Cancelled versions
5 Reception
6 Legacy
7 Notes
8 References
8.1 Sources
9 External links
Gameplay[edit]
Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2D side-scrolling platformer. The gameplay centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speed through levels that include springs, slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops.[1] The levels are populated with hazards in the form of robots inside which Dr. Robotnik has trapped animals. Destroying a robot frees the creature, but is not necessary to complete the game.[2] The player must also avoid touching spikes, falling into bottomless pits, and being crushed by moving walls or platforms, as well as drowning, which may be prevented by breathing air bubbles from vents.[3] Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, in which he curls into a ball and rotates, damaging enemies and certain obstacles upon collision. This may be performed by jumping or by rolling on the ground.[4]
A typical in-game screenshot, taken from the first level, Green Hill Zone.
At the start of the game, the player is given three lives, each of which may be lost if Sonic collides with hazardous enemies or objects while in possession of no rings, falls to the bottom of the level screen, or exceeds an act's ten-minute time limit. Signposts that act as checkpoints allow Sonic to return to the most recently activated post when he loses a life.[5] If Sonic loses a life as a result of time running out but has another, the time will reset when he returns to the checkpoint.[6] If all lives are lost, the "Game Over" screen will appear,[7] at which point the player may return to the beginning of the act with three lives if the player has any continues.[6]
Scattered around each level are gold rings.[4] Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life.[4] Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards: if Sonic holds at least one ring when he collides with an enemy or dangerous obstacle, he will survive.[2] However, all rings in his possession will be scattered; they flicker and disappear in a few seconds if not picked up again. If he is hit without holding any rings, he loses a life.[4] Shields and temporary invincibility can be collected to provide additional layers of protection, but certain hazards, such as drowning, being crushed, falling down a bottomless pit or running out of time, will cause Sonic to lose a life regardless of rings or other protection.[1]
The main body of the game is split into six principal zones, followed by a short 'Final Zone'. Each main zone has its own visual style, and while some enemies appear throughout the game, each zone has enemies and obstacles unique to it alone.[8] Each main zone is split into three acts,[1][3] all of which must be completed by the player. At the end of each main zone's third act, the player confronts Dr. Robotnik for a boss fight. For most of the fights, Robotnik's vehicle is fitted with different weapons.[9] After completing the sixth zone, the player continues directly to the single-level "Final Zone" for a last encounter with Robotnik inside a large machine environment.[6] Destroying Robotnik's machine ends the game. A brief animation shows Sonic's return to the game's first zone, with animals liberated from Robotnik.
When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a zone while holding at least 50 rings, a large ring appears through which he can jump to enter a "Special Stage." In the Special Stages, Sonic is continually curled up in his Spin Attack animation, and bounces off the bumpers and walls of a fully rotating maze. In these levels, the player earns a continue with each 50 rings collected, but the main goal is to obtain the Chaos Emerald hidden within the maze. Colliding with any of the blocks marked "GOAL" will instantly end the level.[10][3]
Plot[edit]
In an attempt to steal the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power, the game's antagonist, Dr. Ivo Robotnik,[c] has trapped the animal inhabitants of South Island in aggressive robots and stationary metal capsules. The player controls Sonic, who aims to halt Robotnik's plans by freeing his animal friends and collecting the emeralds himself.[1] If the player collects all the Chaos Emeralds and completes the game, an ending sequence is shown. If all the emeralds are not collected, Robotnik taunts the player while juggling any of the Chaos Emeralds not collected by the player.[6]
Development[edit]
Background and character design[edit]
In 1990, Sega ordered its in-house development studio, AM8, to develop a game featuring a mascot for the company.[1] This was a position already held by the character Alex Kidd, but he was considered too similar to Nintendo's mascot Mario and deemed unsatisfactory;[11] Sega president Hayao Nakayama wanted a character as iconic as Mickey Mouse. Sega had competition with Nintendo, who was dominant at the time (particularly after the release of the successful Super Mario Bros. 3),[12] and Sega wanted a foothold in the industry.[1] Although the company had some limited success with Genesis ports of its arcade titles, it knew this would not be enough.[12]
AM8 developed ideas for characters, an engine, and gameplay mechanics. Development emphasized speed, so AM8 eliminated character designs not associated with fast animals, as well as fast creatures like kangaroos and squirrels.[1] One idea, a rabbit able to grasp objects with prehensile ears, showed promise at first but was too complex for the available hardware. The team narrowed its search to animals that can roll into a ball, their idea for an attacking move. Designers then realized that this would not seem aggressive enough, so they focused on two animals with spikes: armadillos and hedgehogs.[12] The hedgehog character, first proposed by Naoto Ohshima,[11] prevailed, although the armadillo would later become the basis for Mighty the Armadillo, who later appeared in 1993's SegaSonic the Hedgehog.[1] Ohshima has admitted since that he created Sonic's basic design by combining Felix the Cat's head with Mickey Mouse's body.[13] Ohshima explained that his inspiration for creating Sonic was Sega wanting a game that would be successful in the United States and a new mascot concurrently. He was working with Naka with a prototype game, and Ohshima was thinking of design ideas with the toy and stationery department. Before Sonic was chosen, other characters, including a rabbit and a bearded man who would ultimately become Dr Robotnik, were created. One summer, Ohshima went on vacation to New York, taking sketches with him. He went to Central Park and asked locals for their opinions on them, and Sonic was the favorite. Ohshima explained that this was because he wanted support for his ideas. On the name, Ohshima stated that "Sonic" was chosen because it represented speed.[14]
Sonic was originally teal-colored,[11] then a light shade of blue, but he was changed to dark blue so he would stand out against certain backgrounds[15] and to match the Sega logo. His shoes were colored red through the inspiration of Michael Jackson's boots on the album cover for Bad and the outfit of Santa Claus, whom Ohshima saw as the most "famous character in the world".[11] Sonic's spikes were emphasized to make him look sleeker, and he was given the ability to spin while jumping (so attacking and jumping could be controlled with one button).[16] The new character was originally named "Mr. Needlemouse", but the eight-member[17] AM8 changed his name to "Sonic" and their studios to Sonic Team.[12] Ideas proposed to flesh out the character included placing him in a rock band, giving him vampire fangs, and giving him a human girlfriend named Madonna,[18] but Sega of America scrapped these ideas to keep his identity simple. Sega of America also expressed concerns that most Americans would not know what a hedgehog is and initially proposed a full-scale recreation of the character, but compromised with Sonic Team to simply make design changes.[11] The antagonist ended up being named "Dr. Eggman" in Japan and "Dr. Robotnik" in other regions as a result of a dispute between Sega's American and Japanese divisions.[13]
Programming and prototyping[edit]
With a satisfying protagonist completed, Sega turned to esteemed programmer Yuji Naka, who had impressed them through his work on Phantasy Star and the Genesis port of Ghouls 'n Ghosts.[11] Naka was a fan of Super Mario Bros. but desired something faster, so the game was made to play quickly,[19] which was where he focused most of his effort.[20] Naka explained that the reason he wanted a fast game is because he ported Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and wanted to work on its movement but found it slow.[21]
Sonic the Hedgehog was developed by a team of seven: two programmers, two sound engineers, and three designers,[21] although it began with just Naka and Ohshima.[14] People came onto the team as the need for content increased.[14] After being assigned a project with the code name "Defeat Mario", Naka and Ohshima began work, but encountered problems: Ohshima's Rabbit proved hard to program. Catching items and throwing them caused the action's rhythm to break. Naka stated that the rabbit was not suitable for his game engine, and he also wanted the game to be playable with only one button. Hirokazu Yasuhara came onto the team to supervise Naka and Ohshima and develop levels. He became the lead designer due to his greater experience, and found the way to make the game playable with only one button by having Sonic do damage by jumping. The trio came up with the idea of him rolling into a ball. After the hedgehog character was chosen, many characters were redrawn, and the team agreed on the environments visual complexity, with particular focus on the colors. After this, four people came onto the team to speed development up.[22]
Due to the popularity of Mario, Naka wanted Sonic to take over the American market. Sonic's default speed was set to that of Mario while running. Tests were run using the Genesis' tool library, and problems such as flickering, slow frame rates, and shaky animation soon became apparent. Increasing Sonic's speed caused animation problems. Naka solved the problem by developing an algorithm that enabled the animation to retain fluidity. Sonic was able to cross levels quickly without the animation slowing down, and all that was left was the optimization of the game's speed to adhere to the staff's expectations. The team then noticed that different people had different perceptions of the game's speed: some believed it was too fast, which caused disagreements. As a result, the game was slowed down.[22]
The gameplay originated with a tech demo by Naka, who developed an algorithm allowing a sprite to move smoothly on a curve by determining its position with a dot matrix. Naka's prototype was a platform game with a fast-moving character rolling in a ball through a long, winding tube, and this concept was fleshed out with Ohshima's character designs and levels by Yasuhara.[23] Yasuhara originally intended to work on the game for three months due to the delay of his planned move to the United States by the outbreak of the Gulf War, but was engrossed in the project for nearly a year.[23][24] His designs for levels were intended to attract both hardcore and casual gamers by integrating occasional challenging set pieces into the mostly accessible level design.[11] The game's color scheme was influenced by the work of pop artist Eizin Suzuki, and the aesthetics of Green Hill were influenced by the geography of California.[11]
In designing the game mechanics, Naka was inspired by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, whose games he had enjoyed playing years earlier. Admiring the simplicity of Miyamoto's mechanics in complex environments, Naka decided that Sonic would be controlled with only a directional pad for movement and a single button for jumping. He also wanted his creation to be more action-oriented than the Mario series;[25] while playing Super Mario Bros., he had wondered why the levels could not be cleared more quickly.[11]
Naka, Ohshima, and Yasuhara worked 19 hours a day on the project for several months.[23] Due to the need to demonstrate the Genesis' technological prowess, the game underwent extensive testing and redesign, a process taking over six months. The developers' efforts were rewarded; and according to Naka, the game had the fastest-ever character speed in a video game and a rotation effect in the special stages that had been considered impossible on the console.[25]
The team intended to add a two-player mode displayed via split-screen, but Naka's programming knowledge was insufficient to implement it. A two-player mode appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), whereby the second player controls Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower.[11] Sonic Team also intended to include a sound test with animations of Sonic breakdancing to a band of animal characters; including a crocodile keyboardist who was later introduced into the series as Vector the Crocodile in Knuckles' Chaotix in 1995.[26] The sound test was scrapped for time reasons and Naka replaced the test with the "Se-ga!" chant used in TV commercials; the sound sample used one eighth of the memory of the four-megabit cartridge.[26]
Naka's relationship with Sega was tenuous during this time; he received little credit for his involvement in the game. He left the company shortly after the game's release, although Sega of America hired him later. Before leaving, however, he defied Sega's prohibition of developer credits by displaying a few names in black text on a black background, identifiable only by looking at the game's code.[13] Naka stated that level design was a major challenge: he created maps much wider than normal and tried to ensure players would not get lost. It took him around eight months to develop Green Hill Zone as he kept restarting from scratch.[20][22] He stated that he found the process "very interesting".[20] Naka also stated that the team was trying to create smooth maps, and that implementing looping structures was a challenge because Sonic kept breaking through them instead of running around them. The backgrounds were also a challenge, due to the game's speed causing them to give an impression of going backwards.[21] The zones were based on designs by Naka and Ohshima, with the goal of creating the world's fastest action game. According to Ohshima, Robotnik was based on Humpty Dumpty.[27]
Yasuhara wanted the game to appeal to both Japanese and American players, which was why Green Hill Zone was redesigned many times. Sonic Team wanted the level to portray the character correctly. Its checkered ground was inspired by 3D image rendering from computers, an idea Naka obtained from Yu Suzuki, who used this technique with Space Harrier. The development team read each issue of Famitsu to stay informed of what their rivals were doing so they can avoid making the same mistakes.[22]
Music[edit]
The music for Sonic the Hedgehog was composed by Masato Nakamura, bassist and songwriter of the J-pop band Dreams Come True.[11] Nakamura stated that he was surprised when asked to create the soundtrack for Sonic the Hedgehog, as he had just started with Dreams Come True. He wanted to do it because Sega said the game was going to be better than Mario, and was inspired by the team's desire to outperform Nintendo. He adapted the Genesis' sound chip, and believed the hardest part of creating the soundtrack was the number of sounds that could play concurrently: he was limited to four, and said that his lack of knowledge of music on computers made it "impossible". Nakamura wrote the soundtrack concurrently with "Million Kisses", a studio album for Dreams Come True.[22]
On October 19, 2011, over 20 years after the game's release, a three-disc compilation of music from Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in Japan. The first disc features original tracks from both games, the second contains Nakamura's original demo recordings before being reprogrammed into the Genesis, and the third has songs by Dreams Come True and their associated Akon remixes.[28]
Packaging and release[edit]
Game-package illustrator Akira Watanabe said that his goal was to make the characters "colorful", using clear lines and gradation to "finish them neatly".[29] According to Watanabe, the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art ... without being particular to conventional packages" – something "original" and "stylish".[29] The game's title was not revealed until the January 1991 International Consumer Electronics Show because Sega wanted to wait until the right time and because they saw an opportunity to "steal the show". At the show, Sonic the Hedgehog was believed to be the most impressive game shown, and won the CES award for innovation.[30]
Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske wanted reassurance that the character would not fail. The global head of marketing, Al Nilsen, became involved, and playtested the game across the United States with Mario fans: they were shown Mario and then played Sonic the Hedgehog. 80 percent preferred Sonic the Hedgehog, and the game was shown at the 1991 Summer Consumer Electronics Show.[31] The game was released in North America on June 23, 1991,[25] and in the PAL regions and Japan the following month.[32][33] Sega of America packaged it with American Genesis consoles,[34] replacing Altered Beast. This tactic enabled Sega of America to sell 15 million Genesis units.[30] Genesis owners who bought their consoles before the switch could request free copies of Sonic the Hedgehog by mail.[25] Sega of America created a large-scale marketing campaign to promote the game and Sonic as a mascot for the company.[11]
Alternate versions and ports[edit]
8-bit version[edit]
While sharing a similar plot and gameplay elements, the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog differs considerably from the Genesis version
A version of Sonic the Hedgehog was developed by Ancient and released in late 1991 for Sega's 8-bit consoles, the Master System and Game Gear. Its plot and gameplay mechanics are similar to the 16-bit version, though some level themes and digital assets are different and Chaos Emeralds are scattered throughout levels rather than special stages.[35] Gameplay as a whole is simplified; the level design is flatter and has a larger focus on exploration, with no vertical loops, and Sonic cannot re-collect his rings after being hit.[36] The game has a different soundtrack composed by Yuzo Koshiro, which includes adaptations of music from the original version.[37] It was the final game released for the Master System in North America.[38] The Master System version was re-released for Wii's Virtual Console service in North America and Europe in August 2008.[36][39] The Game Gear version was re-released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console on June 13, 2013,[40] and included as an unlockable game in Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut for GameCube and Windows[41] and Sonic Mega Collection Plus for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows.[42] This version received a positive reception, with critics complimenting the efforts of the development team to bring the game to less powerful devices.[43]
Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis[edit]
To mark the game's fifteenth anniversary, a port for the Game Boy Advance, titled Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis, was released on November 14, 2006. While the port is mostly identical to the original, it includes several new features not seen in the original Genesis release, such as the ability to save game progress, a level select option, and inclusion of the Spin Dash move.[44] This version of the game, unlike others, received poor reviews, with a Metacritic score of 33/100.[45] The chief complaints concerned its poor conversion to the Game Boy Advance, resulting in a bad performance and poor implementation of the original music and gameplay.[46]
As a response to the poor reception and claims that the system could not handle the original game, Simon Thomley, who later assisted with the development of the 2013 mobile port, released an unofficial, proof-of-concept version of Sonic the Hedgehog for the system. The unofficial version contains a complete Green Hill Zone and two special stages, as well as Tails and Knuckles as playable characters.[47]
2013 remaster[edit]
A remastered mobile port was released on iOS on May 15, 2013, with an Android version following the next day. This version was developed by Christian "Taxman" Whitehead and Simon "Stealth" Thomley from scratch using the Retro Engine, previously used in the 2011 remaster of Sonic CD. This port features several enhancements, such as widescreen graphics, the optional ability to Spin Dash, an additional special stage, a time attack mode, and the unlockable option to play as Tails or Knuckles; it additionally features a heavily expanded debug mode which allows for use of unused elements and elements from more recent games (such as the character's super forms).[48][49] The iOS version was updated in 2016, adding compatibility with Apple TV.[50]
3D Sonic the Hedgehog[edit]
A Nintendo 3DS version of the game, titled 3D Sonic the Hedgehog, was released as part of the 3D Classics line in 2013.[51] This version, unlike most downloadable re-releases of the game, is not emulated; rather, the game's code was restructured to allow it to take advantage of the 3DS system's stereoscopic 3D graphics and comes with additional enhancements, such as the option to use the Spin Dash move, a CRT-style filter, and the option to start the game from any level.[52]
Compilation releases[edit]
See also: List of Sonic the Hedgehog compilations
With its sequels for the Genesis, Sonic the Hedgehog has been ported for a wide range of home and handheld consoles and personal computers through compilations.[53] The first collection the game appeared in was Sonic Compilation (1995) for the Genesis.[54] The game has since appeared in Sonic Jam (1997) for the Sega Saturn,[55] Sonic Mega Collection (2002),[56] Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004),[42] Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,[57] Sonic Classic Collection (2010) for the Nintendo DS,[53] and Oculus Arcade for the Oculus Rift.[58]
Downloadable releases[edit]
Sonic the Hedgehog has been available for all three major seventh-generation video game consoles. It was part of the Wii Virtual Console at the service's 2006 introduction,[1] and was released for the Xbox Live Arcade[59] and PlayStation Network shortly afterwards.[60] The game was released for the iPod Classic, iPod video, and video-capable iPod Nano models in 2007[61] and for Apple's iOS in April 2009.[62] Sonic the Hedgehog became available on GameTap in September 2009.[63] In October 2010, it was released on Microsoft Windows via Steam.[64][65] The game was ported to Android and released in December 2012.[66][67] Additionally, the game is an unlockable reward in the console versions of Sonic Generations.[68] The game was also made available on the Sega Forever service on iOS and Android in June 2017.[69]
Cancelled versions[edit]
U.S. Gold acquired the rights to make a version of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Amiga, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and Atari ST personal computers, but this version ultimately went unreleased.[70] Several screenshots exist, some of which resemble the 8-bit version.[71] An enhanced port for the Sega CD was also planned, but was scrapped in favor of Sonic CD.[72]
Reception[edit]
Reception
Aggregate score
Aggregator
Score
GameRankings 86% (Genesis)[73]
70% (iOS)[74]
Review scores
Publication
Score
CVG 94%[3]
Dragon [75]
EGM 36/40[76]
Eurogamer 9/10 (X360)[77]
GameSpot 7.3/10[78]
IGN 8/10 (Wii)[79]
Mean Machines 92%[32]
Génération 4 97% (Genesis)[80]
Awards
Publication
Award
Golden Joystick Award Overall Game of the Year[81]
Electronic Gaming Monthly Game of the Year[82]
Sonic the Hedgehog was praised by critics, with an 86 percent rating at the review aggregator GameRankings.[73] The game was considered Sega's answer to Nintendo's widely popular Mario series, as it was a platformer featuring the company's mascot.[3][75] Paul Rand of Computer and Video Games compared the two in depth and characterized Sonic the Hedgehog as being faster, with brighter colors, and Super Mario World as having more "depth of play".[3] Frank Ladoire of Génération 4 believed Sonic the Hedgehog was part of a new generation of games that demonstrate that the Genesis is capable of "beautiful things" in the technical department.[80]
Reviewers noted the game's colorful, detailed graphics. Rand called its color scheme "lively, but never garish", praising the interaction of color with detail in the sprites, backgrounds, and animations and describing its graphics as the best available for the Genesis.[3] Reviewer Boogie Man of GamePro called the intricate backgrounds "eye-popping" and "gorgeous",[83] which was echoed by Mean Machines.[32] The Lessers (Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk) of Dragon claimed that the game's graphics made the game a possible contender for the best game of 1991[75] and GameZone called the animation "some of the smoothest and fastest ... ever seen".[84] The music and sound effects were also well received; Dragon called them "great",[75] and GameZone "amazing".[84] Rand noted the game's "catchy" soundtrack, calling some of the sound effects "absolutely brilliant".[3] Although Mean Machines called the songs "vaguely appealing", the game's sound effects were better appreciated.[32]
Critics cited the fast gameplay, unprecedented in platformers.[83][76] The game's difficulty was disputed, described as "impossible" by Rand[3] and "average" by EGM.[76] Rand said about the gameplay in general that it "plays like a dream";[3] according to GameZone it would enchant players for hours,[84] and Boogie Man praised Sonic Team's ability to provide an engaging experience primarily from running and jumping.[83] Although EGM, Dragon, and Paul of Mean Machines praised the level design (especially the hidden rooms),[75][76][32] Paul found losing all of one's rings frustrating.[32]
Sonic the Hedgehog has maintained its popularity, and has since been considered one of the greatest video games of all time. Frank Provo of GameSpot described the game as "one of the best platformers of all time", noting that despite technical issues in the Game Boy Advance port "after all these years, the underlying graphics, audio, and gameplay still hold up".[46] Lucas M. Thomas of IGN agreed that it stood the test of time.[79] Writing in The Guardian, Keith Stuart observed that Sonic the Hedgehog's emphasis on speed and pinball mechanics dramatically departs from generally accepted precepts of game design, requiring that players "learn through repetition rather than observation" as "the levels aren't designed to be seen or even understood in one playthrough." However, Stuart concluded that "sometimes in Sonic, when you get better, or through sheer luck, things take off, every jump is right, every loop-the-loop is perfect, and you're in the flow, sailing above the game's strange structure ... Sonic is incorrect game design and yet ... it's a masterpiece."[85] Mega ranked the game its third-favorite Genesis title,[86] and in 2001 Game Informer called it the 24th-greatest game of all time.[87] Sonic the Hedgehog has been a commercial success; the original Genesis version sold over 15 million copies by February 2009,[88] and the mobile version had eight million paid downloads by 2008.[89]
Legacy[edit]
Primarily because of its Genesis bundling, Sonic the Hedgehog contributed to the console's popularity in North America.[12] During October–December 1991, the Genesis outsold the Super NES by a two-to-one ratio, and at its January 1992 peak claimed 65 percent of the market for 16-bit consoles.[88] Although Nintendo eventually again overtook Sega, this was the first time since December 1985 that the company did not lead the console market.[90]
The game would also inspire a large number of similar "animal mascot" based platformers on the Genesis and SNES, including Bubsy,[91] Aero the Acro-Bat,[12] James Pond 3,[92] Earthworm Jim,[93] Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel,[94] and Radical Rex.[95] Even in the subsequent generation of consoles, the developers of "animal with attitude" titles Crash Bandicoot and Gex for the PlayStation cited the game as a major inspiration.[96][97][98]
The game's success led Sega to develop an extensive media franchise, with a sequel released the following year, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, being the first of many games in the series. Sonic the Hedgehog has generated dozens of additional games and a large cast of recurring characters, keeping Sonic and Robotnik as mainstays, surviving the end of Sega console manufacturing after the Dreamcast.[99] The series has ventured from platformers to fighting,[100] racing,[101] role-playing,[102] and sports games,[103] and has also expanded into anime,[104] manga,[105] cartoons[104] comic books,[106] novels,[107] and toys.[108] Sonic the Hedgehog has become one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time,[109] with over 150 million copies sold by May 2014.[110] The game's first stage, Green Hill Zone, has also been re-purposed for use in several other titles such as Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Generations,[111] Sonic Mania,[112] Sonic Forces, and the Super Smash Bros. series.[113]
The game's popularity inspired a number of unofficial variants as well, including Somari, a pirated Nintendo Entertainment System conversion of the game featuring Nintendo's Mario character in levels from the original Sonic game,[114] Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix, a total conversion mod of the original game,[115] and Sonic 1 Boomed, a ROM hack which implements Sonic's redesign from the Sonic Boom animated series.[116]
Notes[edit]
Jump up ^ While this cover was also sold in some parts of Canada, a Canadian exclusive variant, which models the PAL cover, does exist
Jump up ^ Sonic the Hedgehog (Japanese: ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ, Hepburn: Sonikku za Hejjihoggu)
Jump up ^ Known as Dr. Eggman in the Japanese version
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Thomas, Lucas M. (January 26, 2007). "Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review". IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b Mariott, Scott Alan. "Sonic the Hedgehog". Allgame. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j "Sonic The Hedgehog". Review. Computer and Video Games. No. 117. August 1991. pp. 16–19. ISSN 0261-3697.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Official player's guide, p. 12.
Jump up ^ Certain Victory Guide Book, p. 8.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Sonic Team (June 23, 1991). Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega.
Jump up ^ Sega (1991). Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Drive Manual (PAL ed.). p. 30.
Jump up ^ Certain Victory Guide Book, pp. 3,4.
Jump up ^ Official player's guide, pp. 20,28,36,44,52.
Jump up ^ Official player's guide, p. 61.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l "The Making of Sonic the Hedgehog". Retro Gamer. No. 100. Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. February 2012. pp. 46–49. ISSN 1742-3155.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Kennedy, Sam. "Sonic Boom". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on November 25, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b c Claiborn, Samuel (June 26, 2014). "21 Crazy Facts About Sonic and the Console War He Started". IGN. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b c Naoto Ohshima (2013). Les Editions Pix'n Love, ed. "Interview With Naoto Ôshima". The History Of Sonic The Hedgehog (Interview). UDON Entertainment Corp. pp. 96–101. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9.
Jump up ^ Horowitz, Ken (December 5, 2006). "Interview: Mark Cerny". Sega-16. Retrieved October 12, 2014. Mark Cerny: Sonic had been a lighter blue, but he was very hard to see against the ocean backgrounds, so his color was darkened at the last moment.
Jump up ^ Ponce, Tony (February 27, 2013). "Review: The History of Sonic The Hedgehog". Destructoid. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Interview with Yuji Naka: The Creator of Sonic The Hedgehog". Sega Visions. Vol. 3 no. 9. August–September 1992. p. 20.
Jump up ^ Sam Loveridge (June 23, 2016). "14 things you didn't know about Sonic the Hedgehog". DigitalSpy. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Sonic Boom: The Success Story Of Sonic The Hedgehog". Retro Gamer Sega Archives. Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. 2016. pp. 50–59. ISBN 978-1-78546-372-3.
^ Jump up to: a b c Yuji Naka (2014). "Yuji Naka Game Designer". Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works (Interview). Read-Only Memory. pp. 278,279. ISBN 978-0-9575768-1-0.
^ Jump up to: a b c Yuji Naka (2013). Les Editions Pix'n Love, ed. "Interview With Yuji Naka". The History Of Sonic The Hedgehog (Interview). UDON Entertainment Corp. pp. 90–95. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Les Editions Pix'n Love, ed. (2013). "Zone 1 Genesis". The History Of Sonic the Hedgehog. Ontario: UDON Entertainment Corp. pp. 20–33. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9.
^ Jump up to: a b c GI Staff (August 2003). "Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara". Game Informer. Vol. 13 no. 124. pp. 114–116.
Jump up ^ Thomason, Steve (January 2007). "Birth of a Hedgehog". Nintendo Power. Vol. 20 no. 211. Future Publishing. p. 72.
^ Jump up to: a b c d "The Making of ... Sonic The Hedgehog". Edge. No. 101. Bath: Future Publishing. September 2001. pp. 118–121. ISSN 1350-1593. Sonic was delivering [the kind of] high speed no other [game] was capable of, and the Mega Drive allowed this stunning demonstration of rotation during the bonus stages. This was said to be impossible on the hardware at the time.
^ Jump up to: a b Kemps, Heidi (September 30, 2005). "Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!". GameSpy. Retrieved September 23, 2004.
Jump up ^ Naoto Ohshima (2014). "Naoto Ohshima Visual Designer". Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works (Interview). Read-Only Memory. pp. 328,329. ISBN 978-0-9575768-1-0.
Jump up ^ "中村正人 from DREAMS COME TRUE / ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ1&2 サウンドトラック【CD】" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Sega Video Game Illustrations. Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Deutschland) GmbH. 1994. ISBN 3-910052-50-9.
^ Jump up to: a b Les Editions Pix'n Love, ed. (2013). "Zone 2 A New Face In The Magazines". The History Of Sonic the Hedgehog. Ontario: UDON Entertainment Corp. pp. 34–41. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9.
Jump up ^ Keith Stuart (2014). "The Blue Blur". In Wall, Darren. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works. Read-Only Memory. pp. 20–24. ISBN 978-0-9575768-1-0.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Leadbetter, Rich; Paul, Glancey (July 1991). "Mega Drive Review: Sonic the Hedgehog". Mean Machines. No. 10. pp. 42–44. ISSN 0960-4952. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
Jump up ^ [セガハード大百科] メガドライブ対応ソフトウェア（セガ発売） (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on November 24, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
Jump up ^ Magazines, Hearst (December 1991). Popular Mechanics. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
Jump up ^ Earth Angel (March 1992). "Sega Master Pro Review: Sonic Boom". GamePro. pp. 57–58.
^ Jump up to: a b Thomas, Lucas M. (August 4, 2008). "Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System Version) Review". IGN. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
Jump up ^ Greening, Chris; Kotowski, Don (February 2011). "Interview with Yuzo Koshiro". Square Enix Music Online. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
Jump up ^ McFerran, Damien. "Retroinspection: Master System". Retro Gamer. No. 44. London, UK: Imagine Publishing. pp. 48–53. ISSN 1742-3155.
Jump up ^ "Search Result". Pan European Game Information. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
Jump up ^ Sleeper, Morgan (June 15, 2013). "Sonic the Hedgehog (3DS eShop / Game Gear)". NintendoLife. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
Jump up ^ Sonic Team (June 18, 2003). Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut. Sega. Description: (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG) This is Sonic's first action game on GAME GEAR. Stop Dr. Eggman from getting his hands on the Chaos Emeralds! One Chaos Emerald is hidden in each zone. Collect them all to view the true ending.
^ Jump up to: a b Goldstein, Hilary (November 3, 2004). "Sonic Mega Collection Plus: Step into the way-back machine to the days of 16-bit brilliance.". IGN. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sega Master Force Issue 2" (2). September 1993: 12. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
Jump up ^ Metts, Jonathan (June 23, 2006). "News Article: Sonic on GBA for 15th Anniversary". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b Provo, Frank (November 20, 2006). "Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Review". GameSpot. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Thomley, Simon. "Sonic 1 GBA/DS". stealth.hapisan.com. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
Jump up ^ Mitchell, Richard (May 16, 2013). "Sonic the Hedgehog speeds to Android today". Joystiq. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
Jump up ^ Nelson, Jared. "A Guide to 'Sonic the Hedgehog' 2.0's Hidden Level-select, Debug Mode, and Many More Secrets". TouchArcade. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
Jump up ^ Dotson, Carter. "'Sonic the Hedgehog' Remaster Now on Apple TV, 'Sonic 2' and 'Sonic CD' Later This Month". TouchArcade. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
Jump up ^ "3D Sonic the Hedgehog". NintendoLife. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
Jump up ^ "3D Sonic the Hedgehog review". Official Nintendo Magazine UK: 87. February 12, 2014. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ Jump up to: a b Harris, Craig (March 5, 2010). "Sonic Classic Collection Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
Jump up ^ Sonic Compilation instruction manual, p. 3.
Jump up ^ Nutter, Lee (August 1997). "Review: Sonic Jam". Sega Saturn Magazine. EMAP. pp. 68–69.
Jump up ^ Mirabella, Fran (November 12, 2002). "Sonic Mega Collection: A stellar compilation with plenty of trimmings.". IGN. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
Jump up ^ Miller, Greg (February 12, 2009). "Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
Jump up ^ Lang, Ben (November 10, 2015). "Oculus Arcade Now Available on All Gear VR With 21 Titles".
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog Arcade". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic The Hedgehog™". PlayStation.com. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Cook, Brad. "Sonic The Hedgehog: Grab the rings". Apple.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Buchanan, Levi. "Sonic the Hedgehog iPhone Review". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog – Play Now – GameTap". GameTap. Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
Jump up ^ "SEGA Genesis Classics: Series III on PC!". SEGA Blogs. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog on Steam". Valve Corporation. October 26, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic The Hedgehog". Google. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic The Hedgehog". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Fahey, Mike (October 26, 2011). "There's a Little Extra Classic Sonic Lurking in Sonic Generations". Kotaku. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
Jump up ^ Vega, Nick. "Free versions of 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and other classic Sega games are coming to iPhone and Android". Business Insider. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Unreleased Sonic the Hedgehog Games". UGO. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Jump up ^ Pasquali, Gabriele (September 1, 1991). "Magicamigamente Sonic!". The Games Machine. No. 34. p. 87. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
Jump up ^ "Coming Attractions". MegaPlay. 3 (11): 30. August 1992. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ Jump up to: a b "Sonic the Hedgehog for Genesis". GameRankings. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog for iOS". GameRankings. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia & Lesser, Kirk (October 1991). "The Role of Computers". Dragon. No. 174. pp. 57–64. ISSN 1062-2101.
^ Jump up to: a b c d "Genesis – Sega / Sonic the Hedgehog". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 24. July 1991. p. 24. ISSN 1058-918X.
Jump up ^ Reed, Kristan (July 16, 2007). "Sonic the Hedgehog Review". Eurogamer. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
Jump up ^ Kasavin, Greg (November 19, 2006). "Sonic the Hedgehog Review". GameSpot. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b Thomas, Lucas M. (January 26, 2007). "Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review". IGN. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b Frank Ladoire (July 1991). "Sonic The Hedgehog". Génération 4 (in French). No. 35. pp. 118–121. ISSN 1624-1088.
Jump up ^ "News: Luvvies! Dahlings!". The One. No. 44. EMAP. May 1992. p. 17.
Jump up ^ Electronic Gaming Monthly's 1992 Video Game Buyer's Guide, pages 60–61
^ Jump up to: a b c Boogie Man (June 1991). "Genesis Pro Review: Hedgehog Heaven" (PDF). GamePro. pp. 42, 43. ISSN 1042-8658. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Mega Drive: Sonic the Hedgehog". GameZone. No. 1. November 1991. p. 97.
Jump up ^ Stuart, Keith (July 27, 2017). "Why Sonic the Hedgehog is 'incorrect' game design". The Guardian. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog". Mega. No. 1. October 1992. p. 76.
Jump up ^ Cork, Jeff (November 16, 2009). "Game Informer's Top 100 Games Of All Time (Circa Issue 100)". Game Informer. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 3/4 (YouTube). GameTap (user gametap). February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
Jump up ^ Parfitt, Ben (May 29, 2008). "Sonic rings mobile success". Market for Home Computing and Video Games. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
Jump up ^ "This Month in Gaming History". Game Informer. Vol. 12 no. 105. January 2002. p. 117.
Jump up ^ Cifaldi, Frank. "Gamasutra – The Art & Business of Making Games". Gamasutra.
Jump up ^ Edge staff (August 25, 2010). "Making Of: James Pond II – Robocod". Edge. Future Publishing. p. 2. Retrieved October 19, 2014. Unfortunately, I pretty much forgot all that when working on James Pond 3, and I spent too much of the development time chasing after what Sonic had just achieved.
Jump up ^ Kalata, Kurt (October 10, 2008). "Earthworm Jim". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Ledford, Jon (September 6, 2013). "10 Worst Video Game Mascots". Arcade Sushi.
Jump up ^ Joest, Mick. "Games No One Remembers: RADICAL REX". GameTyrant.
Jump up ^ "From Rags to Riches: Way of the Warrior to Crash 3". Game Informer. No. 66. United States: Funco. October 1998. pp. 18–19.
Jump up ^ "Making Crash Bandicoot – part 1". All Things Andy Gavin.
Jump up ^ Buchanan, Levi (December 2, 2008). "What Hath Sonic Wrought?, Vol. 4". IGN.
Jump up ^ Buchanan, Levi (February 20, 2009). "Where Did Sonic Go Wrong?". IGN. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Harris, Craig (January 13, 2004). "Sonic Battle". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ MacDonald, Ryan (December 22, 1997). "Sonic R Review". GameSpot. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Bozon, Mark (September 24, 2008). "Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Review". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Thompson, Scott (November 8, 2013). "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Review". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b GamesRadar_US (April 23, 2008). "The absolute worst Sonic moments". GamesRadar. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Kenji Terada (w). "エイミー姫をすくえ!" Sonic the Hedgehog (1992), Shogakukan
Jump up ^ Yehl, Joshua (July 16, 2014). "Archie to Publish Sonic Boom Comic Book Series". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
Jump up ^ Fullerton, Charlotte (March 1, 2007). Desperately Seeking Sonic. Grosset & Dunlap. ISBN 978-0-448-44479-6.
Jump up ^ "McDonald's and SEGA Reveal Details of New Happy Meal Promotion Featuring Sonic and 'Search for the Silver Game'". GameZone. December 2, 2004. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
Jump up ^ Aamoth, Doug (November 15, 2012). "All-TIME 100 Video Games". Time. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
Jump up ^ Parker, Kellie (May 29, 2014). "Introducing Sticks to the Sonic Boom Franchise". Sega Blog. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Parker, Kellie (October 26, 2011). "Play Sonic 1 in X360 & PS3 Versions of Sonic Generations". Sega Blog. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
Jump up ^ Goldfarb, By Andrew. "Comic-Con 2016: Sonic Mania Announced". IGN. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
Jump up ^ Sora, Ltd. (March 9, 2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Nintendo. Level/area: Stage select screen. Description: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: GREEN HILL ZONE
Jump up ^ Totilo, Stephen. Mario, Sonic Facing Off For Game Of Olympic Proportions. MTV News. March 28, 2007.
Jump up ^ Cavalli, Earnest. "Sonic Megamix: Welcome Back to 1991". Destructoid. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
Jump up ^ McWhertor, Michael. "ROM hack brings Sonic Boom's Annoying Qualities To The Original Sonic the Hedgehog". Polygon. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
Sources[edit]
Faitingusutajio (1993). ソニックザヘッジホッグ1 & 2必勝攻略法 Sonikku za hejjihoggu ichi to ni hisshō kōryakuhō [Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 Certain Victory Strategy Guide] (in Japanese). ISBN 978-4-575-28232-0.
Sonic the hedgehog 1 & 2 : Sega's official player's guide. Hayward, CA: Sega. 1993. ISBN 1-55958-335-5.
External links[edit]
Official website
Official 3DS version website
[show]
v
t
e
Sonic the Hedgehog
List of games
List of features
Main series
Console
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
2
CD
3
Sonic & Knuckles
3D Blast
Adventure
Adventure 2
Heroes
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
Unleashed
4: Episode I
Colors
Generations
4: Episode II
Lost World
Mania
Forces
Handheld
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Chaos
Triple Trouble
Blast
Pocket Adventure
Advance
Advance 2
Advance 3
Rush
Rush Adventure
Colors
Generations
Lost World
Spin-offs
Platformers
Sonic Boom
Rise of Lyric
Shattered Crystal
Fire & Ice
Other
Knuckles' Chaotix
Tails' Skypatrol
Tails Adventure
Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic Rivals
Secret Rings
Rivals 2
Black Knight
Mobile
Jump
Fever
Dash
Runners
Runners Adventure
Racing
Drift
Drift 2
R
Riders
Riders: Zero Gravity
All-Stars Racing
Free Riders
All-Stars Racing Transformed
Mario & Sonic
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Olympic Winter Games
London 2012 Olympic Games
Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Other
SegaSonic the Hedgehog
Spinball
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Sonic Labyrinth
Sonic the Fighters
Sonic Shuffle
Pinball Party
Battle
Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Cancelled games
Sister Sonic
Sonic X-treme
Sonic Extreme
Characters
Sonic the Hedgehog
Doctor Eggman
Tails
Amy Rose
Knuckles the Echidna
Shadow the Hedgehog
Chao
Animation
Adventures of Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog
OVA
Underground
episodes
characters
X
episodes
Boom
episodes
Printed media
Sonic the Comic
Sonic the Hedgehog
Knuckles the Echidna
Sonic Universe
List of Archie Comics Sonic the Hedgehog publications
Related
Video games
Flicky
Ristar
Game Gear
Sega All-Stars
Segagaga
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
Lego Dimensions
Other
Green Hill Zone
Sonic Team
Retro Engine
Unlicensed
Somari
Sonic: After the Sequel
Sonic Dreams Collection
[show]
v
t
e
Sonic Team
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
2
CD
3
& Knuckles
3D Blast
Jam
R
Adventure
Adventure 2
Advance
Advance 2
Pinball Party
Battle
Heroes
Advance 3
Shadow the Hedgehog
Riders
'06
Secret Rings
Riders: Zero Gravity
Unleashed
Black Knight
4: Episode I
Free Riders
Colors
Generations
4: Episode II
Lost World
Runners
Forces
Nights
Nights into Dreams...
Nights: Journey of Dreams
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star Online
Online: C.A.R.D. Revolution
Phantasy Star Universe
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Pop Fever
Fever 2
15th Anniversary
7
20th Anniversary
Tetris
Other games
Ristar
Burning Rangers
ChuChu Rocket!
Samba de Amigo
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Astro Boy
Sega Superstars
Feel the Magic: XY/XX
The Rub Rabbits!
Key people
Hirokazu Yasuhara
Jun Senoue
Naoto Ohshima
Shun Nakamura
Takashi Iizuka
Tomoya Ohtani
Yuji Naka
List of games
Category
Sonic portal
Video games portal
1990s portal
Sega portal
Japan portal
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonic_the_Hedgehog_(1991_video_game)&oldid=808389946"
Categories:
1991 video games
Android (operating system) games
Game Boy Advance games
IOS games
IPod games
Nintendo 3DS eShop games
Pack-in video games
Platform games
PlayStation Network games
Sega Genesis games
Side-scrolling platform games
Sonic Team games
Sonic the Hedgehog video games
Tiger handheld games
Video games developed in Japan
Virtual Console games
Windows games
Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
Hidden categories:
Articles containing Japanese-language text
CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
CS1 uses Japanese-language script (ja)
Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL
CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown
CS1 French-language sources (fr)
Use mdy dates from August 2017
Good articles
Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters
Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images
Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Languages
العربية
Azərbaycanca
Буряад
Català
Čeština
Ελληνικά
Español
فارسی
Français
한국어
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Magyar
مصرى
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk
Norsk nynorsk
Polski
Português
Русский
Саха тыла
Scots
Simple English
Suomi
Svenska
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 2 November 2017, at 15:54.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

key: html

type: local

value: div

attrs: id class

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: a

value: img

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: This is a good article. Click here for more information.

attrs: href title

attrs: class id

attrs: id class lang

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

attrs: role class

values:
note
hatnote navigation-not-searchable

values: Sonic the Hedgehog 1 Genesis box art.jpg

attrs: href class

value: sup

values:
/wiki/Video_game_designer
mw-redirect
Video game designer

values:
/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_(series)
mw-redirect
Sonic the Hedgehog (series)

values: list-style: none none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;

values: list-style: none none; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; font-size: 105%; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: inherit; display: none;

values:
NavFrame collapsed
border: none; padding: 0;
NavFrame1

values: width:22em;float: right; width: 264px; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; border-spacing: 3px;

values:
/wiki/PAL_regions
mw-redirect
PAL regions

values:
/wiki/Doctor_Robotnik
mw-redirect
Doctor Robotnik

values:
/wiki/Chaos_Emeralds
mw-redirect
Chaos Emeralds

values:
/wiki/Rings_(Sonic_the_Hedgehog)
mw-redirect
Rings (Sonic the Hedgehog)

values: List of Sega software development studios

values: History of video game consoles (fourth generation)

attrs: alt src width height class srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
/wiki/Checkpoint_(video_gaming)
mw-redirect
Checkpoint (video gaming)

values:
/wiki/Continue_(video_gaming)
mw-redirect
Continue (video gaming)

values: Edit section: Background and character design

values:
/wiki/Mighty_the_Armadillo
mw-redirect
Mighty the Armadillo

values:
/wiki/Sega_of_America
mw-redirect
Sega of America

values: Edit section: Programming and prototyping

values:
/wiki/Vector_the_Crocodile
mw-redirect
Vector the Crocodile

values:
/wiki/Space_Harrier_(video_game)
mw-redirect
Space Harrier (video game)

values:
/wiki/Famitsu_Magazine
mw-redirect
Famitsu Magazine

values:
/wiki/Pack-in_game
mw-redirect
Pack-in game

values: Edit section: Alternate versions and ports

values:
/wiki/Sega_Master_System
mw-redirect
Sega Master System

values:
/wiki/Sega_Game_Gear
mw-redirect
Sega Game Gear

values:
/wiki/Sonic_Mega_Collection_Plus
mw-redirect
Sonic Mega Collection Plus

values: Edit section: Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis

values:
/wiki/Super_Sonic
mw-redirect
Super Sonic

values:
/wiki/Video_game_emulation
mw-redirect
Video game emulation

values:
/wiki/Sonic_Compilation
mw-redirect
Sonic Compilation

values:
/wiki/Sonic_Classic_Collection
mw-redirect
Sonic Classic Collection

values: History of video game consoles (seventh generation)

attrs: alt src title width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
/wiki/Golden_Joystick_Award
mw-redirect
Golden Joystick Award

values: background:transparent;padding:0em;margin:0em 1em 1em 1em;text-align:center;float:right;clear:right;width:23em

values:
/wiki/James_Pond_3:_Operation_Starfish
mw-redirect
James Pond 3: Operation Starfish

values: List of best-selling video game franchises

values:
/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Megamix
mw-redirect
Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix

values:
/wiki/Total_conversion_(gaming)
mw-redirect
Total conversion (gaming)

values:
reflist mw-references-wrap
list-style-type: lower-alpha;

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3697

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1742-3155

values:
/wiki/Future_Publishing
mw-redirect
Future Publishing

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1350-1593

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/0960-4952

values:
nofollow
external text
http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/soft.html

values:
/wiki/Nintendo_World_Report
mw-redirect
Nintendo World Report

values: Category:CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1062-2101

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1058-918X

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1624-1088

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/issn/1042-8658

values: Market for Home Computing and Video Games

values:
/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_(manga)
mw-redirect
Sonic the Hedgehog (manga)

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

values: Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

values: Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

values: Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

values: List of Sonic the Hedgehog printed media

values: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values:
/wiki/Nights_into_Dreams...
mw-redirect
Nights into Dreams...

values: Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution

values:
noprint metadata navbox
navigation
Portals
font-weight:bold;padding:0.4em 2em

values: Category:Android (operating system) games

values: Category:Articles containing Japanese-language text

values: Category:CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)

values: Category:CS1 uses Japanese-language script (ja)

values: Category:Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL

values: Category:CS1 French-language sources (fr)

values: Category:Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters

values: Category:Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images

values: Category:Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: القنفذ سونيك (لعبة فيديو 1991) – Arabic

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) – Azerbaijani

values: Sonic The Hedgehog(16-бит) – Russia Buriat

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (βιντεοπαιχνίδι) – Greek

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive) – Spanish

values: سونیک خارپشت (بازی ویدئویی ۱۹۹۱) – Persian

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (jeu vidéo, 1991) – French

values: 소닉 더 헤지호그 (1991년 비디오 게임) – Korean

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (videogioco 1991 16-bit) – Italian

values: סוניק הקיפוד (משחק וידאו, 1991) – Hebrew

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (videojáték) – Hungarian

values: سونيك ذا هيدهوج (فيديو لعب 1991) – Egyptian Arabic

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (computerspel) – Dutch

values: ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ (1991年のゲーム) – Japanese

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (videospill fra 1991) – Norwegian

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (gra komputerowa) – Polish

values: interlanguage-link interwiki-ru badge-Q17437796 badge-featuredarticle

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video gemme) – Scots

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (video game) – Simple English

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (videopeli) – Finnish

values: โซนิคเดอะเฮดจ์ฮ็อก (วิดีโอเกม) – Thai

values: Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video oyunu) – Turkish

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Sonic_the_Hedgehog_1991_video_game rootpage-Sonic_the_Hedgehog_1991_video_game vector-experimental-print-styles vector-nav-directionality skin-vector action-view