Sonic the Hedgehog

Sega video game series and associated media franchise
(Redirected from Sonic the Hedgehog (series))

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese platform video game series and media franchise created by Sega and featuring their mascot, Sonic. It is a series of fast platform games. Sonic is the main character. He is a bright blue hedgehog with supersonic speed. Usually, Sonic must stop the villain, Doctor Eggman's, plans for taking over the world. Sonic is often helped by his friends like Tails, Amy Rose, and Knuckles.

Sonic the Hedgehog
GenresPlatform
Developers
PublishersSega
Creators
Artists
Platforms
First releaseSonic the Hedgehog
June 23, 1991
Latest releaseSonic Superstars
October 17, 2023
Spin-offsSonic Boom
2005 event

The first Sonic the Hedgehog game was released in 1991. It was created by Sega's Sonic Team division after Sega wanted a new mascot character. This was because they wanted to replace Alex Kidd, and they wanted to compete with Nintendo's mascot, Mario. Its success made many sequels, and it helped Sega become one of the biggest video game companies during the 16-bit era of the early 1990s. The first major 3D Sonic game, Sonic Adventure, was released in 1998 for the Dreamcast. The first 3D Game is technically Sonic 3D Blast released on November 5, 1996 on the Game Gear.

The series made over $5 billion by 2014.[1] As of 2018, the series has sold 800 million copies. This includes free-to-play mobile game downloads.[2]

Reception and legacy

change
Aggregate review scores
As of 2017.
Game Metacritic
Sonic the Hedgehog (X360) 77[3]
(GBA) 33[4]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (X360) 82[5]
(iOS) 60[6]
Sonic CD (iOS) 93[7]
(X360) 82[8]
(PS3) 80[9]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic & Knuckles (X360) 69[10]
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic Adventure (GC) 57[11]
(PS3) 50[12]
(X360) 48[13]
Sonic Adventure 2 (DC) 89[14]
(GC) 73[15]
(PS3) 65[16]
(X360) 60[17]
Sonic Advance (GBA) 87[18]
Sonic Advance 2 (GBA) 83[19]
Sonic Heroes (Xbox) 73[20]
(GC) 72[21]
(PS2) 64[22]
(PC) 66[23]
Sonic Advance 3 (GBA) 79[24]
Sonic Rush (NDS) 82[25]
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (X360) 46[26]
(PS3) 43[27]
Sonic Rush Adventure (NDS) 78[28]
Sonic Unleashed (PS2) 66[29]
(Wii) 66[30]
(X360) 60[31]
(PS3) 54[32]
Sonic 4: Episode 1 (Wii) 81[33]
(PS3) 74[34]
(X360) 72[35]
(iOS) 70[36]
Sonic Colors (NDS) 79[37]
(Wii) 78[38]
Sonic Generations (X360) 77[39]
(PC) 77[40]
(PS3) 76[41]
(3DS) 66[42]
Sonic 4: Episode 2 (iOS) 66[43]
(PS3) 63[44]
(X360) 61[45]
(PC) 54[46]
Sonic Lost World (Wii U) 63[47]
(3DS) 59[48]
Sonic Mania (PS4) 86[49]
(NS) 86[50]
(PC) 84[51]
(XONE) 83[52]
Sonic Forces (XONE) 62/100[53]
(PC) 58/100[54]
(PS4) 58/100[55]
(NS) 57/100[56]
Year Game Platform(s) Sales
1991 Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Drive / Genesis 15 million[57]
1992 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 6 million[58][59]
1993 Sonic Spinball and Sonic the Hedgehog CD 1 million in US[60]
1994 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles 4 million[61]
(Sonic 3: 1.02 million in US[62]
Sonic & Knuckles: 1.24 million in US)[62]
1995 Knuckles' Chaotix Sega 32X
1998 Sonic Adventure Dreamcast 2.5 million[63]
2001 Sonic Adventure 2 / Battle GameCube 1.7322 million[n 1]
Sonic Advance Game Boy Advance 1.515 million[n 2]
2003 Sonic Mega Collection GameCube 1.453 million[n 3]
Sonic Heroes PlayStation 2/Xbox/GameCube 3.41 million[67][68][69]
Sonic Mega Collection Plus PlayStation 2/Xbox 2.19 million[70][71]
2005 Shadow the Hedgehog PlayStation 2/GameCube/Xbox 2.06 million[69][72]
2006 Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile 8 million in US & EU[73]
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 870,000[74]
2008 Sonic Unleashed PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 2.45 million[75]
2010 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows 1.07 million[76]
Sonic Colors Wii, Nintendo DS 2.18 million[77][78]
2011 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing iOS 16.7 million[79]
Sonic Generations PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS 1.85 million[80]
2012 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS 1.36 million[81]
Sonic Jump iOS 8.8 million[79]
2013 Sonic Lost World Wii U, Nintendo 3DS 710,000[82]
2014 Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal 620,000[83]
2016 Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Nintendo 3DS
2018 Sonic Mania Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows 1 million[79]
2022 Sonic Frontiers Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Mario & Sonic series 22.78 million[n 4]
2007 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Wii, Nintendo DS 11.31 million[89][90]
2009 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games 6.53 million[76][91]
2011 Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Wii, Nintendo 3DS 3.28 million[79]
2013 Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Wii U 65,377 in Japan[n 4]
2016 Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Nintendo 3DS, Wii U 430,033 in Japan[n 4]
Series total 123.32 million[n 5]

References

change
  1. Gaudiosi, John (July 9, 2014). "Sonic the Hedgehog still running fast for Sega". Fortune. Time. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  2. SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS – INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. 2018. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  3. "Sonic the Hedgehog Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  4. "Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  5. "Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  6. "Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  7. "Sonic the Hedgehog CD Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  8. "Sonic the Hedgehog CD Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  9. "Sonic the Hedgehog CD Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  10. "Sonic & Knuckles Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  11. "Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  12. "Sonic Adventure Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  13. "Sonic Adventure Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  14. "Sonic Adventure 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  15. "Sonic Adventure 2 Battle Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  16. "Sonic Adventure 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  17. "Sonic Adventure 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  18. "Sonic Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  19. "Sonic Advance 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  20. "Sonic Heroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  21. "Sonic Heroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  22. "Sonic Heroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  23. "Sonic Heroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  24. "Sonic Advance 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  25. "Sonic Rush Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  26. "Sonic the Hedgehog Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  27. "Sonic the Hedgehog Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  28. "Sonic Rush Adventure Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  29. "Sonic Unleashed Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  30. "Sonic Unleashed Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  31. "Sonic Unleashed Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  32. "Sonic Unleashed Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  33. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  34. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  35. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  36. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  37. "Sonic Colors Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  38. "Sonic Colors Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  39. "Sonic Generations Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  40. "Sonic Generations Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  41. "Sonic Generations Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  42. "Sonic Generations Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  43. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  44. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  45. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  46. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  47. "Sonic Lost World Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  48. "Sonic Lost World Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  49. "Sonic Mania". Metacritic. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  50. "Sonic Mania". Metacritic. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  51. "Sonic Mania". Metacritic. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  52. "Sonic Mania". Metacritic. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  53. "Sonic Forces for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  54. "Sonic Forces for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  55. "Sonic Forces for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  56. "Sonic Forces for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  57. Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 3/4. Event occurs at 1:21.
  58. Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 3/4. Event occurs at 3:19.
  59. Boutros, Daniel (August 4, 2006). "Sonic the Hedgehog 2". A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games. Gamasutra. p. 5. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2006.
  60. "BUSINESS WIRE: SALES YEAR FOR SEGA'S GENESIS, GAME GEAR AND SEGA CD". Accessed via factiva. Business Wire. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
  61. Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 4/4. Event occurs at 1:39.
  62. 62.0 62.1 62.2 62.3 62.4 "US Platinum Videogame Chart". The Magic Box. December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on January 6, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2008.
  63. Daniel Boutros (August 4, 2006). "Sonic Adventure". A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2006.
  64. 64.0 64.1 "Sonic". Garaph (Japan). February 4, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  65. 65.0 65.1 "ELSPA Sales Awards". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  66. "2003 Japan Charts". Geimin. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  67. "Annual Report 2004". Sega Sammy Holdings. March 31, 2004. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  68. "SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS ANNUAL REPORT 2006" (PDF). July 2006. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  69. 69.0 69.1 "Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 Full Year Results" (PDF). May 14, 2007. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  70. "Financial Results". Sega Sammy Holdings. May 25, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  71. "Annual Report 2005". Sega Sammy Holdings. May 25, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  72. "Full Year Results Presentation" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 16, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  73. Ben Parfitt (May 29, 2008). "Sonic rings mobile success". MCV. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  74. "Full Year Results" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 14, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  75. "Financial Results" (PDF) (in Japanese). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 13, 2009. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  76. 76.0 76.1 "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2010" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 14, 2010. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  77. "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2011" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 13, 2011. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  78. Tom Ivan (February 4, 2011). "Vanquish sells 820,000 copies". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  79. 79.0 79.1 79.2 79.3 A franquia Sonic vendeu aproximadamente 80 milhões de unidades desde junho de 2011: Ver http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/sonic_generations/news/sonic_the_hedgehog_celebrates_his_20th_birthday.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |acessodata= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |data= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |obra= ignored (|work= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |primeiro= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |título= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |último= ignored (help) Adicionalmente, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games vendeu 3,28 milhões de cópias e Sonic Generations vendeu 1,85 milhões de unidades até de março de 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed vendeu 1,36 milhões de unidades até o final de março de 2013, Sonic Lost World vendeu 710,000 unidades até março de 2014, e Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric/Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal vendeu 620,000 unidades até março de 2015. Ver "Archived copy" (PDF). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 29, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessodata= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |data= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |obra= ignored (|work= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |título= ignored (|title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link); "Archived copy" (PDF). p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessodata= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |data= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |obra= ignored (|work= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |título= ignored (|title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link); "Archived copy" (PDF). p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessodata= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |data= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |obra= ignored (|work= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |título= ignored (|title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link); e "Archived copy" (PDF). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessodata= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |data= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |obra= ignored (|work= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |título= ignored (|title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  80. "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2012" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 8, 2012. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 29, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  81. Kuo, Li C. (May 10, 2013). "Sega Sammy posts fiscal net profit". joystiq. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  82. "FY Ended March 2014 Full Year Results Presentation" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 12, 2014. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  83. "FY Ended March 2015 Full Year Results Presentation" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. March 31, 2015. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  84. 84.0 84.1 Annual Report 2011 (PDF). 2011. p. 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  85. "London's Calling Mario & Sonic" (Press release). Sega/Nintendo. April 21, 2011. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2011.)
  86. "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements: Year Ended March 31, 2012" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 11, 2012. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  87. "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games". Japan Game Sales Database. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  88. "Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games". Japan Game Sales Database. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  89. "The 'Godfather' of Gaming is Back!". Guinness World Records. May 2010. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
  90. Crecente, Brian (July 18, 2008). "Another Mario Sonic Collaboration in the Works?". Kotaku. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  91. Ivan, Tom (February 5, 2010). "Sega Posts Decline In Nine Month Game Sales". Edge. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  92. "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2012" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 11, 2012. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 29, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  93. "FY Ended March 2013 Full Year Results Presentation" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 13, 2013. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  94. "FY Ended March 2014 Full Year Results Presentation" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 12, 2014. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  95. "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2015" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 11, 2015. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  96. "Delivering Quality Games to Even More Customers". Annual Report 2013. Sega Sammy Holdings. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  97. Sato. "Sonic Mania Reaches 1 Million In Worldwide Sales". Sliconera. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  1. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle: 1.44 million in US,[62] 192,186 in Japan,[64] 100,000 in UK[65]
  2. Sonic Advance: 1.21 million in US,[62] 204,542 in Japan,[64] 100,000 in UK[65]
  3. Sonic Mega Collection: 1.38 million in US,[62] 72,967 in Japan[66]
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mario & Sonic series:
  5. The Sonic franchise (including Mario & Sonic) had sold over 89 million units by March 2011.[84] In addition, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games sold 3.28 million copies and Sonic Generations sold 1.85 million units as of March 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed sold 1.36 million units as of March 2013, Sonic Lost World sold 710,000 units as of March 2014, and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric & Shattered Crystal sold 620,000 units as of March 2015.[92][93][94][95] The iOS games Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (released June 23, 2011) and Sonic Jump (2012) sold over 16.7 million and 8.8 million paid downloads, respectively, as of 2013.[96] Sonic Mania (2017) sold over 1 million units as of March 2018.[97]