Sonic the Hedgehog is the titular protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series of games. He is a blue, anthropomorphic hedgehog best known for his super speed and ability to spindash. Sonic was created as the result of Sega's attempt to create a mascot character to rival Nintendo's Mario. Sonic has since risen to be one of the most famous and recognizable video game characters. Initially, Sonic's design was much simpler with no irises and a short, stubby body. This was changed to look more mature and appeal to older players, which included the introduction of green eyes.
Biography[]
Not much is known about Sonic's in game history. Sonic is a famous hero in his world (often referred to as earth or Sonic's World), and often must protect it from Dr. Eggman and other threats.
Sonic's best friend is Tails , a two tailed fox. Sonic first met Tails on West Side Island, in which Tails followed Sonic. At first Sonic was unimpressed, but Tails showed his determination, Sonic began to grow fond of him. When Dr. Eggman attacked West Side Island, Tails offered up his help to Sonic. This lead to a close relationship between Sonic and Tails, to the point that Sonic views Tails as a younger brother.[4]
Super Sonic[]
Super Sonic is a state Sonic reaches by harnessing the power of the Chaos Emeralds. First appearing in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Super Sonic can be achieved by collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds. Sonic will stay in his super form for as long as he has rings. Since its first appearance, Super Sonic has become even more important to the series, being a sort of trump card Sonic uses against the most powerful of his opponents.
In Sonic the Comic, Super Sonic is portrayed as an uncontrollable evil state Sonic enters after exposure to chaos energy, and occasionally intense stress. Sonic must fight for control during this state, as his newfound sadistic nature and evil tendencies can be a danger for all those around. This version is sometimes referred to as Fleetway Super Sonic in order to differentiate from the game versions.
Classic Sonic[]
Classic Sonic is the name used to refer to Sonic's original design. Although originally just an iteration of Sonic, Classic Sonic has since become his own character. In Sonic Generations, Classic Sonic is portrayed as a past version of Sonic from his younger days. After being sent so the White Space by the Time Eater, Classic Sonic meets up with modern Tails. Classic Sonic would later meet up with Sonic in a fight with Dr. Eggman, where he would also reunite with Classic Tails.
In Sonic Forces, Classic Sonic once again appears in the modern world through a warp created by the Phantom Ruby. After appearing, Classic Sonic saves Tails from a Chaos replica created by Infinite.
Appearances[]
For the full list of Sonic's appearances in video games, see Sonic/Appearances.
Non-Video Game Appearances[]
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie) | November 22, 1992 | Comic |
| Sonic the Comic | May 29, 1993 | Comic |
| Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog | September 6, 1993 | Cartoon |
| Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic SatAM) | September 18, 1993 | Cartoon |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | January 26, 1996 | OVA |
| Sonic Christmas Blast | November 24, 1996 | TV Special |
| Sonic Underground | January 6, 1999 | Cartoon |
| Sonic X | April 6, 2003 | Anime |
| Sonic Universe | February 24, 2009 | Comic |
| Wreck-It Ralph | October 29, 2012 | Film |
| Sonic Boom | November 8, 2014 | Cartoon |
| Sonic Mania Adventures | March 30, 2018 | Web Series |
| Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) | April 4, 2018 | Comic |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | January 25, 2020 | Film |
Artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Sonic was among the first characters to be inducted into the Walk of Game, alongside Mario and Link.[5]
- In the Archie Comics comics series, Sonic's real name is Olgilvie Maurice Hedgehog. This is not considered canon to the game's continuity.[6]
- Although currently voiced by Roger Craig Smith, Sonic has been voiced by numerous other people as well. These include:
- Jason Griffith: 2003–2010, Sonic X
- Ryan Drummond: 1998–2004
- Jaleel White: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Underground
- Martin Burke: Sonic OVA
- Ben Schwartz: 2020 film
- Sonic's personality was partly inspired by Bill Clinton's "Get it done" attitude.[7] In addition to Clinton, Sonic's creators also drew inspiration from Michael Jackson.[8]
References[]
- ↑ The Essential 50: Sonic the Hedgehog. 1Up (August 22, 2004). “The hedgehog ultimately won and a character, code named "Mr. Needlemouse," was born.”
- ↑ Elvy, Craig (February 15, 2020). Sonic The Hedgehog’s New Alien Movie Origin Explained. Screen Rant. “with Sonic himself said to hail from the unseen Christmas Island. Other than that, Sonic's background remains a mystery.”
- ↑ Testing, Ss is (December 30, 2004). Original Story. Sonic Retro. “Sonic was born on a small island called Christmas Island.”
- ↑ Sonic Characters. Sonic Central. “Sonic has taken Tails under his wing and treats him like a younger brother.”
- ↑ Chattha, Vijay S. (March 17, 2006). Six Videogame Industry Icons Honored with Stars on Walk of Game, Thursday, March 16 at the Metreon; San Francisco's Landmark Destination for Gamers Inducts Sid Meier, John Carmack, Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), EverQuest(R), FINAL FANTASY(R) and StarCraft(R). Business Wire. “Nolan Bushnell (co-founder of Atari and creator of Pong), 2005 inductee for Lifetime Achievement, headlined the event along with SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog. Adam Sessler, host of G4's "X-Play" emcee'd the Induction Ceremony.”
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog (character). cs.mcgill.ca (2007).
- ↑ Ali, Zuhaad (November 28, 2019). Sonic the Hedgehog: 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Big Blue Blur. TheGamer. “In the early days of Sonic in 1992, many of the Sega employees were inspired by Clinton's "Get it done" attitude during his election campaign which they decided to replicate these attitudes into Sonic's Character.”
- ↑ Lunning, Just (April 30, 2019). How Sonic The Hedgehog Was Directly Inspired By Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson. Newsweek. “He certainly doesn't share his appearance with Teddy Roosevelt, but the team did still characterize the nascent hedgehog with a few U.S. icons: Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson”