Appearances sonic

Sonic the Hedgehog series video games

See also: Sonic the Hedgehog (series), List of games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog, and List of Sonic the Hedgehog video games

Sonic's first appearance in video games was in the racing game Rad Mobile. Sonic's first major appearance was in the platform game Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, which also introduced his nemesis Dr. Robotnik. His two-tailed fox friend Tails joined him in the game's 1992 sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sonic CD, released in 1993, introduced Sonic's self-appointed girlfriend Amy Rose and recurring robotic doppelgänger Metal Sonic as Sonic traveled through time to ensure a good future for the world. Sonic 3 and its direct sequel Sonic & Knuckles, both released in 1994, saw Sonic and Tails battle Robotnik again, with the additional threat of Knuckles, tricked by Robotnik into thinking Sonic was a threat to his home. Sonic 4 (2010) continues where the story of Sonic 3 left off, reducing Sonic to the only playable character and releasing in episodic installments.

Other two-dimensional platformers starring Sonic include Sonic Chaos (1993), Sonic Triple Trouble (1994), Sonic Blast (1996), Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999), Sonic Advance (2001), Sonic Advance 2 (2002), Sonic Advance 3 (2004), Sonic Rush (2005), Sonic Rush Adventure (2007), and Sonic Colors (DS) (2010).

Sonic Adventure (1999) was Sonic Team's return to the character for a major game. It featured Sonic returning from vacation to find the city of Station Square under attack by a new, very powerful foe named Chaos, under the control of Dr. Robotnik (now more commonly known as Dr. Eggman). It was also the first Sonic game to feature a complete voice-over. Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) placed Sonic on-the-run from the military (G.U.N.) after being mistaken for a new enemy, Shadow the Hedgehog. Sonic Heroes (2003) featured Sonic teaming up with Tails and Knuckles, along with other character teams like Team Rose and Chaotix, against the newly rebuilt Metal Sonic, who had betrayed his master with intentions of world domination. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) features Sonic in the city of water, "Soleanna," where he must rescue Princess Elise from Dr. Eggman while trying to avoid a new threat to his own life, Silver the Hedgehog. He is the only playable character in Sonic Unleashed (2008), in which he unwillingly gains a new personality, "Sonic the Werehog," the result of Sonic being fused with Dark Gaia's power. He gains strength and flexibility in exchange for his speed, and new friends including a strange creature named Chip who helps him along the way. In Sonic Colors (2010), Eggman tries to harness the energy of alien beings known as "Wisps" for a mind-control beam. Building on the gameplay used in the daytime stages of Unleashed, Sonic can harness these Wisps to gain temporary new abilities. The upcoming Sonic Generations (2011) will feature two playable incarnations of Sonic: classic Sonic, whose gameplay is presented in a style reminiscent of the Mega Drive/Genesis titles, and modern Sonic, who uses the gameplay style present in Unleashed and Colors.

Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007) features Sonic in the storybook world of 1001 Arabian Nights. A sequel, titled Sonic and the Black Knight (2009), continued the storybook theme, this time taking place within the realm of the Arthurian legend.

Sonic has also been featured in other games of many genres other than 2D and 3D platform games. These include Sonic Spinball, Sonic Labyrinth (1995), the racing games Sonic Drift (1994), Sonic Drift 2 (1995), Sonic R (1996), Sonic Riders (2006), Sonic Rivals (2006), Sonic Rivals 2 (2007), Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (2008), and Sonic Free Riders (2010), the fighting games Sonic the Fighters(1996) and Sonic Battle (2003), the mobile game Sonic Jump (2005), and the role-playing video game Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (2008).

Video games such as Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1993), Knuckles' Chaotix (1995), Tails' Skypatrol (1995), Tails Adventure (1995), and Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) starred supporting characters of the Sonic series, although Sonic himself cameos in most of these titles.

Sonic has appeared in several crossover titles as well, including a playable appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008), one of only two third-party characters (alongside Solid Snake) featured in the game. He appeared in the crossover party game Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as a Speed-type and in its sequel Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games as the fastest character. In the Adventure Mode (DS Version only), he partners with his former rival and friend, Mario, to stop their arch nemeses, Bowser and Dr. Eggman from ruining the Olympic Winter Games. Sonic is also a playable character in all three Sega Superstars titles.

Non-Sonic games

Sonic has made many cameo appearances in different games, most notably in other Sega games, such as being a power-up in Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, walking around the main hallway inPhantasy Star Universe on the anniversary of his first game's release (June 23), and appearing in the 2008 remake of Samba de Amigo (he appears in the background for the songs "Low Rider", "UN Aguardiants" and "Mambo #5"). He is also a playable character in Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams. Sonic has proved to be well liked among other publishers as well, making cameos in such games asArt Alive, Shining Force II, Clockwork Knight 2, Daytona USA, Crusader of Centy, Bug!, Rad Mobile, Ed, Edd n Eddy: Jawbreakers!, The Simpsons Game, The Incredible Hulk, and the video game adaptation of the film Tom and Jerry: The Movie.

Animation

The first animated series to feature Sonic was Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, in which he was voiced by Jaleel White.^[20] The cartoon had a very comical take on Sonic and Tails' adventures battling Robotnik. Pierre De Celles, an animator who worked on Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, described the show as "fun and humorous."^[21]

In the dramatic series Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic was again voiced by Jaleel White.^[22] He lives on the planet Mobius in Knothole Village, where he belongs to a band of Freedom Fighters that fight to free their world from the literally iron-fisted rule of the evil dictator Dr. Robotnik.

Sonic Underground featured the introductions of Sonic's triplet siblings Sonia the Hedgehog and Manic the Hedgehog, as well as his mother Queen Aleena, the four of whom were destined to defeat Robotnik and rule Mobius as the "Council of Four". Jaleel White returned to voice Sonic for the third time as well as voicing Sonic's siblings, with Samuel Vincent providing Sonic's singing voice.^[23] This series is the only Sonic the Hedgehog series with European origins, as it was a co-production between the United States and France.

Additionally, there were two OVAs in Japan that formed a single story which featured Sonic, Tails, Robotnik, Knuckles, and Metal Sonic. Sonic was voiced by Masami Kikuchi in Japan, and Martin Burke in the United States, where the two OVAs were treated as one unique, 1 hour long movie under the name of Sonic the Hedgehog: The movie.^[24]

Sonic X, was an anime in which Sonic is teleported to Earth by Chaos Control, caused by the Chaos Emeralds (though the final season takes place in his own world). Here, he befriends a boy named Chris Thorndyke, and his infamous aquaphobia is made far stronger; in one episode where Sonic and his friends go on a cruise, Sonic is in a constant state of panic and desperately searches for a way to escape. In this series, he is voiced by Jun'ichi Kanemaru in the Japanese version, and by Jason Griffith in the English version.

Sonic: Night of the Werehog is a short film by Sega's VE Animation Studio, released to coincide with the release of Sonic Unleashed. In the film, Sonic and Chip enter a haunted house, and must deal with two ghosts trying to scare them.