Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the world's most famous video game characters and the mascot of Sega Enterprises Ltd. Sonic was introduced on June 23 1991 with the launch of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. His super speed makes him one of the fastest fictional characters.

Overview[]

Sega's iconic mascot made his first appearance on the Sega Genesis in June 23, 1991, with the game Sonic the Hedgehog. It was Sega's second highest selling Genesis game with 4 million copies sold, second only to Sonic 2, selling 6 million copies. He went on to be featured in several games, cartoons, books, and in two ongoing comic book series. Sonic has also been featured in Super Smash Bros. Brawl along with Snake, and competes head-to-head with long-time rival Mario in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and the Olympic Winer Games.

Creation[]

Sega's iconic mascot Sonic the Hedgehog, was first conceived by the pioneers of the Sonic Team: artist Naoto Oshima, designer Hirokazu Yasuhara and programmer Yuji Naka.

The first game in the franchise was released on June 23, 1991. He was created as a response to Nintendo's Mario, and to replace their current mascot, Alex Kidd.

Some early designs were an armadillo, a dog, a rabbit that could grab objects with its ears (which would later develop into Ristar) and a character resembling Theodore Roosevelt that later became Dr. Eggman. After several designs they came up with Sonic the Hedgehog although he was initially called 'Mr. Needlemouse'. He was colored blue to help players better identify with Sega.

History[]

Sonic the Hedgehog[]

First adventure of Sonic started as he learned Dr. Eggman was attacking to South Island and searching

for Chaos Emerald to make destructive wepons.When Sonic learned Eggman was also capturing animals on th island and turns them into his soldiers he started his journey across the island.He saved the animals, collected the Chaos Emeralds before Eggman and defeated him at his own stronghold.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]

While he was wandering around the world with his plane Tornado he came across with West Side Island and landed there to rest and search the island.While he was on the Island he realized that someone is following him and saw Miles Tails Prower who will become his life long best friend and sidekick.At the beginning he didn't care about him but when he saw that Tails can keep up with him he let him hang around.

At the beginning Sonic suddenly awoke from his nap and found out that Eggman was attacking to the island and turning innocent animals into Badniks while he was searching for the Chaos Emeralds again.He followed Dr. Eggman to his Death Egg which was Dr. Eggman's space station.At there he fought against Mecha Sonic and after Death Egg Robot.

Sonic CD[]

Sonic goes to the Little Planet which cames near his home world once in a year.He later saw that the planet was turned to a mechanic wasteland and learned he can save the planet by collecting the Time Stones.He also came across with a female hedgehog named Amy Rose but after they met she was captured by Metal Sonic.After his long adventure he saved Little Planet and face against Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic and he defeat them with saving Amy.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]

Sonic's new adventure starts with Tails awakens Sonic from his nap at the beach by saying he found a large reaction of Chaos Energy.While Tails told this to him Sonic founds a mysterious ring on the beach and they jump on to the Tornado and starts their new adventure.When they tracked the reaction they found the legendary floating Angel Island but when they arrived it was damaged due to wrecked Death Eggs crash on the island.After seeing this Sonic decided to stop Dr.Eggman.When they came to the island Knuckles the Echidna ambushed Sonic and steal his Chaos Emerald but he tricked was by Dr. Eggman who told that Sonic is going to steal the Master Emerald.Sonic then headed out to restore the Chaos Emeralds and stop Dr. Eggman.When Sonic made it through Eggman's Launch Base he finally defeated Eggman and stopped Death Egg from reaching the orbit.While the duo was on their way to their Mushroom Hill but encountered with Knukcles.After a long battle Sonic was the victor and Knuckles flee to check Master Emerald but it wasn't there and he realized Eggman just tricked him and rebuild the Death Egg with the help of Master Emerald.When Sonic come aboard for the final showdown Dr. Eggman attacked to the hedgehog with his new machine powered by the Master Emerald and as usual it was defeated but Eggman still managed to escape with the Master Emerald.In order to defeat Eggman Sonic powered up himself with the Chaos Emerald and defeated Eggman for the last time in this adventure.

Characteristics & Abilities[]

Sonic resides in the Emerald Hill Zone on the Planet Mobius, which he steadfastly defends. Sonic is best known for his speed; he is able to run so fast that his legs blur and he can run across the surface of water. He is allegedly faster than the speed of sound, and in Sonic CD his pace is so incredible that it facilitates time travel.

Sonic can also roll into a ball to smash through objects, defeat enemies, and crack open discarded computer monitors to obtain bonuses and items. His spin charge attack allows him to build up power and speed. This physical speed also translates to mental alacrity (as he is constantly able to thwart his foes' machinations), and impatience (as when Sonic is left idle by the player for too long he taps his foot impatiently).

When Sonic collects all 7 Chaos Emeralds he transforms into ' Super Sonic' - a faster golden Hedgehog with invulnerability and the ability to fly. Sonic can also collect golden rings which are littered around Mobius' several zones. 50 rings will allow sonic to enter the bonus level which grants him the chance to reach a Chaos Emerald. An extension of this power is his ability to become 'Hyper Sonic', a being impervious to all damage save being crushed or falling into bottomless pits. This form is accessed when Sonic collects all 7 Super Emeralds in the Sonic 3 & Knuckles game. He also gains the ability to cause the screen to flash, killing all on-screen foes.

According to the Sonic the Hedgehog comic books, Sonic obta

ined his green eyes when he originally fought the monster Chaos. When jumping through Chaos, part of the monster was absorbed by Sonic, turning his eyes from black to green.

100 Rings grants Sonic an extra life. If Sonic is hit by an enemy he will drop all his rings, and has only a short amount of time to collect them before they fade away. If Sonic is hurt when he has no rings, he will lose a life and be dropped back to the latest checkpoint.

Relationships[]

Relatives[]

Sonic has a deep rooted bond with his pal and closest friend Miles Prowler aka Tails as a younger brother. Sonic is consequently joined by Tails in many of his adventures subsequent from Sonic 2. Tails has the ability of flight, and in Sonic 3 Tails can lift Sonic for short periods of time to access hard to reach areas.

Close Friends[]

As the female counterpart, a pink colored hedgehog by the name of Amy Rose was the solution for Sonic, He is constantly being chased Amy, who had no secret in hiding her admiration for him, professing her profound love with a devotion to marry him off as her wedded husband.

Friendly Rivalry[]

Despite getting off to a rocky start (having been tricked easily of the stolen Chaos Emeralds' captors), Knuckles the Echidna has earned the title as a close friend and is consistently a friendly rival to Sonic.

Villains[]

Sonic's nemesis is Dr. Ivo Robotnik (aka Dr. Eggman), an evil scientist who seeks to enslave the inhabitants of Mobius. Though clever as Robotnik may be, he is time after time thwarted by Sonic's interference with plans carried out throughout Sonic's adventures.

There are rare occasions in which Robotnik is akin sides with Sonic to unite their force against a larger threat stand between his own efforts. Such is the case when Robotnik takes heed of Biolizard's presence as an apocalyptic threat to the entire Earth when the creature takes on a crash land collision course towards the planet.

In Sonic Adventure, Sonic ridiculed and teased Robotnik of his round shape, taunting him with the name " Eggman". It began when Sonic had placed name on him for being a "Giant Egg", in which case Robotnik counter-responded that his full name is Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Neglecting the recent claims of Robotnik, Sonic goes on to reply, " Whatever, Eggman!", and so his name since that encounter has been been left as Eggman, rather than an alias.

Other Media[]

Animation[]

Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog - A lighthearted series of adventures where Sonic and Tails are aided by a mad professor to battle Dr. Robotnik and his clumsy sidekicks Scratch and Grounder - a mechanical Rooster and Mole respectively. Sonic was voiced here by Jaleel White (most famous for portraying Steve Urkel in Family Matters).
Sonic The Hedgehog - An edgier series in which Sonic forms a band of freedom fighters to battle Dr Eggman on Planet Mobius.
Sonic Underground - A spin-off where Sonic and his two siblings Sonia and Manic form a rock band and battle Dr. Robotnik using magical instruments. Sonic plays guitar, Manic is on drums, Sonia plays the keyboard. The Sonic family are destined to rule the Planet Mobius with their mother Queen Aleena and must battle Dr Robotnik to do so.
Sonic X - An anime series in which Sonic is teleported to earth using the power of the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic The Hedgehog: The Movie (Sonic OVA) - takes place on Mobius as Sonic faces up against Metal Sonic.

Comics[]

Sonic The Comic (UK) (1993-2001)
Sonic The Hedgehog (1993-present) - Nearly the longest running licensed comic in American Comic Book history, second only to Conan
Sonic X (2005 - 2008)
Sonic Universe (2009-present) - A companion series to Sonic The Hedgehog, featuring multiple-issue side stories to the main series

Manga[]

Sonic The Hedgehog
Dash & Spin / Super Fast Sonic!!

Trivia[]

Sonic cannot swim due to mistaken assumption taken by Yuji Naka that the hedgehog is naturally unable to do so by its own will.
In 1996 Sonic became the first video game character to feature in a Rose Parade.
The Anime TV show Sonic X is heavily edited in the US to make the show more child friendly.The episodes were edited to be shorter, removing all of the music and other material presumed to be offensive to its younger age group.
Sonic became one of the first video game characters to feature as a balloon in a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Sonic was featured in the inaugural "Walk Of Game" class in 2005.
In October 2008 Sonic was voted the most popular Video Game character in the UK with 24% of the votes. (Mario only got 21%)
There is a Gene discovered in fruit files that deals with the proper growth of digits on limbs as well as brain formation called the Sonic Hedgehog gene.