NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Sonic series

The Sonic the Hedgehog series is a franchise of video games released by Sega (usually developed by their Sonic Team division) and starring their mascot character Sonic the Hedgehog. For the list, see list of computer and video games. ... Sega (ã‚»ã‚¬) is an international video game software and hardware developing company, and a former home computer and console manufacturer. ... Sonic Team logo Sonic Team is a computer and video game second-party developer established in 1988 as SEGA AM8. ... Mascots at the Mascot Olympics in Orlando, FL. A mascot is something, typically an animal or human character used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team (the name often corresponds with the mascot), society or corporation. ... Sonics character design has been altered through the years. ...

The series began in 1991 with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. An 8-bit version of the game was also released for the Master System and Game Gear formats. 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sonic the Hedgehog Title Screen Sonic the Hedgehog is the platform game that started off the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. ... Sega Genesis 3, manufactured by Majesco. ... Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed and published by Sega for Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear. ... Sega Master System The Sega Master System (SMS for short) (Japanese: マスターシステム), was an 8-bit cartridge-based gaming console manufactured by Sega. ... The Sega Game Gear was Segas first portable gaming system. ...

Yuji Naka (who would later become head of the Sonic Team division) was the main programmer for the first game. The "game planner" was Hirokazu Yasuhara. The music of the first two Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Mega Drive and Genesis was composed by Masato Nakamura of the Japanese band Dreams Come True. Yuji Naka (ä¸ è£•å¸ Naka YÅ«ji, born September 17, 1965), is a video game designer and head of Sonic Team, a group of Sega programmers/designers. ... Sonic Team logo Sonic Team is a computer and video game second-party developer established in 1988 as SEGA AM8. ... Hirokazu Yasuhara is the stage designer of several of the early Sonic the Hedgehog videogames. ... Original Sega Mega Drive (PAL version) Sega Mega Drive (Japanese: ãƒ¡ã‚¬ãƒ‰ãƒ©ã‚¤ãƒ– Mega Doraibu) is a 16-bit video game console released by Sega in 1988. ... The Mega Drive/Genesis was a 16-bit video game console released by Sega in Japan (1988), Europe (1990) and most of the rest of the world as the Mega Drive. ... Masato Nakamura (ä¸æ‘æ£äºº Nakamura Masato, born October 1, 1958, Japan) is a Japanese musician who is a bassist of the band Dreams Come True. ... Dreams Come True is a Japanese band, though they sing in English too. ...

Story

The premise of the games revolves around Doctor Eggman (called Doctor Ivo Robotnik in the earlier releases in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand) trying to conquer the Earth by turning the animals into robots (often called Badniks, though this is an US/EUR term and hasn't been used since Sonic Adventure). Sonic is charged with saving them. In later games he is joined by Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna, Cream the Rabbit, Team Chaotix and a host of other characters. He usually collects the Chaos Emeralds (usually from the Special Stages) in order to achieve the best ending in the game, as well as become his most powerful form, Super Sonic. In this state, he is completely immune to all enemies and obstacles (although he can still be killed by falling into pits, being crushed and drowning), gains the ability of flight in certain circumstances, and the unique skill of breathing in space. However, Sonic's quest does not necessitate collecting the Emeralds himself; he must only prevent Eggman from getting them and dooming the world with their power. Sonic also has to deal with numerous other foes, such as Metal Sonic, Chaos, Fang the Sniper and Black Doom . The anti-heroes Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat generally oppose Sonic, but will assist him if the situation calls for it. Eggman seen in Shadow the Hedgehog game In the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Doctor Eggman (formerly Doctor Ivo Robotnik outside of Japan), is the archnemesis of Sonic the Hedgehog. ... Dr. Eggman as seen on Sonic X. In Sonic the Hedgehog video games, Doctor Eggman (in modern-day and Japanese versions), or Doctor Ivo Robotnik (early United States and European versions), is the archnemesis of Sonic the Hedgehog. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... A Badnik is a term for an enemy robot in the early North American and European versions of the Sonic the Hedgehog video games. ... It has been suggested that Sonic Adventure DX: Directors Cut be merged into this article or section. ... The name Miles Prower is a pun on miles per hour, a reference to the famed speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. ... Amy Rose (Japanese: ã‚¨ãƒŸãƒ¼ãƒ»ãƒãƒ¼ã‚º EmÄ« RÅzu) (also known as Rosy the Rascal and Amy Rose Blossom) is a fictional character appearing in many of the Sonic the Hedgehog video games released by Sega. ... Knuckles the Echidna is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, television shows and comics. ... Cream as she appears in Sonic Riders. ... Vector, Espio and Charmy as seen in Sonic X. The Chaotix are a group of video game characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... A Chaos Emerald is a mystic item that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, allowing the holder of all seven of them to achieve ultimate power, and certain characters from the Sonic world can transform into a super form as a result of this (see Super Sonic). ... The Special Zone (also called Special Stage) was an important part of the Sega Genesis/Megadrive Sonic the Hedgehog games. ... Super Sonic, as seen in Sonic Adventure. ... Metal Sonic from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Metal Sonic is the robotic counterpart of video game character Sonic the Hedgehog. ... Chaos is the main enemy in the video game Sonic Adventure for the Sega Dreamcast. ... Fang the Sniper from the game Sonic the Fighters Fang the Sniper, also known as Nack the Weasel, is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe. ... Black Doom is a character from Shadow the Hedgehog, voiced by Sean Schemmel. ... Shadow the Hedgehog as he stars in his own game, Shadow the Hedgehog. ... Rouge artwork from Sonic Riders. ...

Gameplay

2D platform games

Most Sonic titles are platform games viewed from a side-on perspective. Their controls are basic and do not deviate much from the genre standard; the selling point of the series is the sheer speed of the playable characters, who usually have the ability to run on slopes, walls, and even ceilings. Roller coaster-like loops and corkscrews are also common in Sonic games, as are giant pinball machines with flippers and bumpers which knock Sonic around like a ball. The stages are also similar to roller coasters in that many sequences involve Sonic being thrown along pre-set paths with little input from the player, which has led to criticism that the player can complete a Sonic game merely by holding the pad in one direction. However, the games also feature numerous sections involving precise jumping between platforms and avoiding of hazards, although these sections do not require "pixel-perfect" judgement and are perhaps more lenient than most platform games of the era. Sonic The Hedgehog (first) ingame screenshot Template:Game-acreenshot File links The following pages link to this file: Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) ... Sonic The Hedgehog (first) ingame screenshot Template:Game-acreenshot File links The following pages link to this file: Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) ... Sonic the Hedgehog Title Screen Sonic the Hedgehog is the platform game that started off the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. ... Platform games, or platformers, are a very popular genre of video games that originated in the early 1980s. ... The Unique Selling Proposition is a marketing concept that was first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern among successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. ... In mathematics, the slope (or gradient, especially where three or more dimensions are discussed) of a straight line (within a Cartesian coordinate system) is a measure for the steepness of said line. ... This article is about structural, boundary and retaining walls. ... This intricate ceiling is part of the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, designed by architect Walter Burley Griffin. ... A typical roller coaster The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. ... Vertical loop on the Shockwave coaster at Six Flags over Texas The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. ... Two interlocking corkscrew elements side by side on the Superman Krypton Coaster. ... Pinball is a type of coin-operated arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass case. ...

In order to progress through his missions, Sonic must collect rings to protect himself from enemy robots and traps; as long as he has at least one ring he is invulnerable to dangers, although he will lose all of them if an attack does get through. Most Sonic games allow him to recover many of these scattered rings during a brief "invulnerable" period. However, rings do not protect against all hazards: he can still drown, be crushed or fall to his death. In line with many platform games, collecting 100 of these common collectables will reward Sonic with an extra life. Certain titles in the series often reward the collection of other quantities of rings; frequently, 50 must be collected in order to access the Special Stages in which the Chaos Emeralds may be obtained. In the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, one of the most distinctive aspects of gameplay is the inclusion of collectable gold rings throughout the levels. ... A one up, also known to as an extra life or extra man, is a common video game term for an extra chance to play the game. ... The Special Zone (also called Special Stage) was an important part of the Sega Genesis/Megadrive Sonic the Hedgehog games. ... A Chaos Emerald is a mystic item that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, allowing the holder of all seven of them to achieve ultimate power, and certain characters from the Sonic world can transform into a super form as a result of this (see Super Sonic). ...

3D platform games

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, an isometric, pseudo-3D ("2.5D") game, was released for the Mega Drive in 1996. Sega Saturn and Windows PC conversions followed, which had enhanced graphics and a different sound track, composed by Richard Jacques. Sonic 3D was developed by Traveller's Tales, although Sonic Team worked on the Special Stages in the Saturn/PC version. Sonic adventure This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Sonic adventure This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Isometric drawing of a cube Isometric projection is a form of orthographic projection, or more specifically, an axonometric projection. ... Pseudo-3D is a term that means that something uses 2-d graphics to simulate three dimentional graphics. ... 2. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Sega Saturn (Japanese: ã‚»ã‚¬ã‚µã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒ³, Sega Saturn), is a video game console of the 32-bit era. ... Microsoft Windows is a series of popular proprietary operating environments and operating systems created by Microsoft for use on personal computers and servers. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... Richard Jacques is a British composer. ... Travellers Tales logo designed by Rodney Matthews. ...

In 1997, a compilation entitled Sonic Jam was released for the Saturn. In addition to containing Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles, it also included a "Sonic World" mode. This allowed the player to control Sonic in a small 3D recreation of the Green Hill Zone from the original game; it contained no enemies and was mainly a means of accessing the disc's bonus features. 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sonic Jam is a collection of all of the Sonic the Hedgehog series of games on the Sega Mega Drive (in PAL territories and Japan) or the Sega Genesis (in North America) that were created by Sonic Team. ... Sonic the Hedgehog Title Screen Sonic the Hedgehog is the platform game that started off the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 2, or simply Sonic 2, is a platform game developed and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 3, often abbreviated and officially known in Europe as Sonic 3, is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Sonic & Knuckles title screen Sonic & Knuckles is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. ...

The Sega Technical Institute tried to develop a "true" Sonic game for the Saturn called Sonic X-treme. However, due to time constraints and issues between STI and the Japanese division of Sega and Sonic Team, the project was cancelled. The Sega Technical Institute was a video game development division of Sega based in the United States, unlike the AM divisions which were based in Japan. ... Jade Gully Zone. ...

The full leap into 3D platforming was made with Sonic Adventure, a launch title for the Sega Dreamcast console. On 19 June 2001 in North America (23 June in Japan and Europe; the 10th anniversary of the US release of Sonic the Hedgehog), Sonic Adventure 2 was launched. Both of the Adventure titles were later ported to the Nintendo GameCube (under the titles of Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle) when Sega dropped out of the hardware market. DX was also ported to Windows PCs. It has been suggested that Sonic Adventure DX: Directors Cut be merged into this article or section. ... The Sega Dreamcast (Japanese: ãƒ‰ãƒªãƒ¼ãƒ ã‚ãƒ£ã‚¹ãƒˆ; code-named Blackbelt, Dural and Katana during development) was Segas last video game console. ... June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 195 days remaining. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... Sonic the Hedgehog Title Screen Sonic the Hedgehog is the platform game that started off the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. ... Sonic Adventure 2 is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Sega Dreamcast. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ã‚²ãƒ¼ãƒ ã‚ãƒ¥ãƒ¼ãƒ–; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the Sixth generation era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... Sonic Adventure DX (Directors Cut) is a video game for GameCube and PC CD-ROM. Its the basic Sonic Adventure with more stages and some improvements. ... Sonic Adventure 2 is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Sega Dreamcast. ...

The first Sonic game always intended to be multiformat, Sonic Heroes, was released on the GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox in December 2003 in Japan, with American and European releases following soon after, and a PC version the following November. The platforming was largely similar to that of the Adventure titles, although the player now controlled the lead character of a team of three themed characters, with the other two following closely behind. The player could switch to a new leader at any time, in order to make use of each character's special skills. It sold well, but opinions among both reviewers and fans of the Sonic series were mixed. Sonic Heroes is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ã‚½ãƒ‹ãƒ¼) (TYO: 6758 , NYSE: SNE) is a global Japanese consumer electronics, financial services and entertainment corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: ãƒ—ãƒ¬ã‚¤ã‚¹ãƒ†ãƒ¼ã‚·ãƒ§ãƒ³2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, SEHK: 4338) is the worlds largest software corporation, with 2005 global annual sales of close to $40 billion USD and about 64,000 employees in 85 countries and regions. ... The Microsoft Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console first released on November 15, 2001 in North America and Puerto Rico, then released on February 22, 2002 in Japan, and on March 14, 2002 in Europe. ...

Shadow the Hedgehog was no different. Released in the US in November 2005, it had received several good reviews, as countless negative reviews. X-Play, for instance, had given it a 1 out of 5, making it the lowest-scoring Sonic game reviewed on the show. But, despite the mixed opinions, Shadow the Hedgehog is still considered enjoyable. Also, like Sonic Heroes, it was sort of an experiment. One of the greatest controversies revolving around this game is the gunplay; fans insisted that Shadow was the self-proclaimed "Ultimate Life-Form" and did not need a weapon. Shadow the Hedgehog is a video game starring an antihero of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Shadow the Hedgehog. ...

Other gameplay styles

A few Sonic games focus on gameplay styles other than the standard platforming. The first of these was Sonic Spinball (released on the Mega Drive in 1993 and on the Master System and Game Gear in 1994). The concept of Sonic bouncing around as the ball in a giant pinball table had been used in both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedeghog 2; Sonic Spinball made a whole game around that premise. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (also known as Sonic Spinball) is a pinball game combined somewhat with the storyline of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Pinball is a type of coin-operated arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass case. ...

Several racing games starring Sonic characters have been developed. In Sonic Drift and Sonic Drift 2, characters rode go-karts (kart circuits were later included in the two Sonic Adventure games). In Sonic R (1998), most characters ran on foot, while in Sonic Riders (2006), they race on hoverboards. A racing game is any game that involves competing in races through a surrogate playing piece or vehicle, either getting it from one point to another or completing a number of circuits in the shortest time. ... Sonic Drift is a kart racing game for the Sega Game Gear. ... Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow. ... A kart racer takes a turn on an indoor track Kart racing (as the word is so spelled by enthusiasts) or karting is a variant of open-wheeler motor sport with simple, small four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. ... A screenshot of the PC version of Sonic R. Sonic R is a racing game developed by Travellers Tales and Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn and PC, the latter version being ported to the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Sonic Gems Collection. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A Hoverboard is a fictional futuristic hovering deck, resembling a skateboard without wheels or trucks. ...

Sonic Shuffle was a Mario Party-style virtual board game/party game for the Sega Dreamcast, but it was not well-received. Sonic Shuffle is a video game for the Sega Dreamcast and was Segas answer to the successful Nintendo party game, Mario Party. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... A board game is any game played on a board (that is, a premarked surface) with counters or pieces that are moved across the board. ... This is a listing of computer and video game genres with brief descriptions and examples from each genre. ...

Edutainment videogames starring Sonic and Tails have also been released, such as Tails and the Music Maker for the Sega Pico, and the PC title Sonic's Schoolhouse. Edutainment is a recently coined term, a portmanteau, that expresses the union between education and entertainment in a television program, game or website. ... Tails And The Music Maker came out on Pico, Sega system for childrens education. ... The SEGA Pico was an electronic toy by SEGA. The aim was to get more young children to use video game systems. ... Sonics Schoolhouse is an educational computer game that teaches young learners Math, Reading, and Spelling. ...

On the Game Boy Advance is a fighting/platform game hybrid called Sonic Battle. The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is a handheld video game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. ... Sonic Battle is a fighting game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Dimps (under the guise of Sonic Team) and published by THQ for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. ...

In 1993, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine was released for the Sega Genesis. The game was basically a clone of a Japanese puzzle game named Puyo Puyo. This game was also ported to the Game Gear. Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine is a video game within the Sonic the Hedgehog universe. ... The Mega Drive/Genesis was a 16-bit video game console released by Sega in Japan (1988), Europe (1990) and most of the rest of the world as the Mega Drive. ... Puyo Puyo(Ja:ã·ã‚ˆã·ã‚ˆ)is a computer puzzle game made in 1991 by Compile. ... The Sega Game Gear was Segas first portable gaming system. ...

Common features

Chaos Emeralds and Special Stages

The Chaos Emeralds are a recurring feature of Sonic games. They are the basis of most of the games' plots, and the player is frequently required to collect them all in order to fully defeat Eggman and achieve the games' "good endings". The method used to acquire the Emeralds differs between titles in the series. In some games, such as Sonic R and the 8-bit versions of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, they can be found in hidden locations within the main levels. In Sonic Spinball (in which the Emeralds were, unlike most Sonic games, an essential requirement for completing the game) they could be accessed by performing specific actions and solving minor puzzles on the pinball tables that made up each level. A Chaos Emerald is a mystic item that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, allowing the holder of all seven of them to achieve ultimate power, and certain characters from the Sonic world can transform into a super form as a result of this (see Super Sonic). ... A screenshot of the PC version of Sonic R. Sonic R is a racing game developed by Travellers Tales and Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn and PC, the latter version being ported to the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Sonic Gems Collection. ... Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed and published by Sega for Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a side-scrolling platform video game released by Sega for their Master System and Game Gear formats. ... Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (also known as Sonic Spinball) is a pinball game combined somewhat with the storyline of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ...

More frequently, a Chaos Emerald may be earned in a Special Zone or Special Stage. Special Stages usually take place in surreal environments and feature alternate gameplay mechanics to the standard platforming of the main levels: the 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog consisted of a giant rotating maze (which many considered a major technical achievement); Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3D, Sonic Heroes and Sonic Rush featured "in your face" segments with the hedgehog running along a long tunnel; Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles used the same perspective but had Sonic collecting all the blue-coloured orbs on the surface of a giant sphere. Sonic Chaos (Sonic and Tails in Japan) utilised a variety of gimmicks for its levels. The Special Zone (also called Special Stage) was an important part of the Sega Genesis/Megadrive Sonic the Hedgehog games. ... A cow standing on a pole. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 2, or simply Sonic 2, is a platform game developed and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis. ... Sonic 3D Blast (alternatively Sonic 3D: Flickies Island, or according to the minimized PC version, Sonic 3D Blast: Flickies Island) is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series that appeared in several different platforms. ... Sonic Heroes is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Sonic Rush is a Sonic the Hedgehog game for the Nintendo DS. It was developed by Dimps, and published by Sega. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 3, often abbreviated and officially known in Europe as Sonic 3, is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Sonic & Knuckles is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. ... Blue Sphere is the secret easter egg game created by locking on Sonic & Knuckles to Sonic the Hedgehog. ... Sonic Chaos (known as Sonic & Tails in Japan) is a video game for the Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System, developed and published by Sega in 1993. ...

Some Sonic titles include Special Stages, but not as a means of collecting Chaos Emeralds. As the Emeralds of the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog were hidden in the main stages, the game's spring-filled Special Stages were merely used as a means of adding variety, and for a player to increase their score. Similarly, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, in addition to their main Special Stages, featured entirely optional bonus stages, one of which combined the rotating maze of the 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog with the pinball gambling of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. High score of the Commodore 64 game Great Giana Sisters. ...

Just as the design of the Special Stages has changed, so has the means of accessing them. In Sonic 3 & Knuckles, giant rings were hidden in levels to take the player to the Stages, but most other titles involve the collection of a certain number of rings, usually 50. In both the 8- and 16-bit versions of Sonic the Hedgehog, they were reached by finishing a level with more then 50 rings; in the 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog 2, reaching a Star Post when they held this number would create a warp of stars which would take a player to the Special Stage when jumped through. Sonic 3D required the player to deliver rings to Knuckles and Tails, who could be found within each level. Sonic Chaos changed the figure, with access to a Special Stage being the reward for collecting 100 rings. Knuckles the Echidna is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, television shows and comics. ... The name Miles Prower is a pun on miles per hour, a reference to the famed speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. ...

Super Sonic

Since the 16-bit version of Sonic 2, Sonic has had the ability to transform into the extremely fast and invulnerable Super Sonic once all seven Chaos Emeralds are collected. (Sonic 3 & Knuckles, with its greater emerald count, featured an even more powerful form known as Hyper Sonic.) After that, Super Sonic can be used in any of the following levels once 50 rings have been collected, although one ring is lost for every second Sonic remains in this form. Super Sonic, as seen in Sonic Adventure. ...

In the Sonic Adventure titles, the Special Stages were omitted entirely and Chaos Emeralds were collected in non-interactive cut-scenes as part of the story, with Super Sonic only appearing in the climactic final boss fights. This dismayed many fans, who appreciated the additional replay value offered by retrying a game's levels with Super Sonic's additional abilities. Despite several games since returning to the emerald-collecting of the 2D platform titles (including the Advance series, Heroes, and Rush), Super Sonic was again only playable at the end of the game in an extra zone. A cut scene or cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no control. ...

In Sonic R, Super Sonic was the fastest racer in the game, a secret character again unlocked by collecting all the Chaos Emeralds. A secret character (not to be confused with an unseen character) is a playable character in a video game that can only be played by completing some task in the game. ...

In "Sonic Riders", Super Sonic is also an unlockable character, playable outside the final level for the first time since the Sega Genesis games. As with previous games, Super Sonic consumes rings as you play, and you revert to standard Sonic when you run out of rings. He is playable by unlocking the Chaos Emerald gear.

Music

The music of the Sonic series is considered one of its strongest aspects. Sonic games have featured tunes composed by a variety of people; Masato Nakamura of J-pop band Dreams Come True was responsible for the music of the first two 16-bit games. Ys/Streets of Rage composer Yuzo Koshiro composed the music for the first 8-bit title, barring what was taken from the 16-bit title. Sega's in-house music company, Wavemaster, did the majority of the music in later titles. One Wave Master employee, Jun Senoue, is part of the band Crush 40, and through his ties to the band they have played the main theme tunes of the two Sonic Adventure games, Sonic Heroes, and Shadow the Hedgehog. Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog also featured other bands, such as Julien-K. Richard Jacques, a frequent composer of music for Sega's games, contributed to the soundtracks of Sonic R and the Saturn/PC version of Sonic 3D Blast: Flickies' Island. Outrun (1986) is an arcade game with a memorable soundtrack. ... Masato Nakamura (ä¸æ‘æ£äºº Nakamura Masato, born October 1, 1958, Japan) is a Japanese musician who is a bassist of the band Dreams Come True. ... J-pop is an abbreviation of Japanese pop. ... Dreams Come True is a Japanese band, though they sing in English too. ... Flight of King Gradlon, by E. V. Luminais, 1884 (MusÃ©e des Beaux-Arts, Quimper) Ys (also spelled Is or Ker-Ys in Breton) is a mythical city built in the Douarnenez bay in Brittany by Gradlon, King of Cornouaille, for his daughter Dahut. ... Streets of Rage (known in Japan as Bare Knuckle) was a popular beat em up series developed by Sega. ... Yuzo Koshiro Yuzo Koshiro (å¤ä»£ç¥ä¸‰ Koshiro YÅ«zÅ, born December 12, 1967, in Tokyo, Japan) is one of the well-known faces of Japanese video game music. ... Jun Senoue (born August 2, 1970 in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan) is a video game composer and musician, well known for some of his contributions in many Sonic the Hedgehog games. ... Crush 40 First CD Cover Crush 40, a band originally known as Sons of Angels, was created to create music for the SEGA arcade racing game NASCAR Rubbin Racing/EA Sports NASCAR. The core of the group is the hard rock guitarist Jun Senoue and the melodic rock legend Johnny... The theme music of a radio or television program is a melody closely associated with the show, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits. ... Shadow the Hedgehog is a video game starring an antihero of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Shadow the Hedgehog. ... Julien K is a musical band who are known for performing the theme song This Machine for Team Dark in the Sega game Sonic Heroes and Waking Up in Shadow the Hedgehog. ... Richard Jacques is a British composer. ... Soundtrack refers to the recorded sound accompanying a visual medium such as a motion picture, television show, or video game. ... A screenshot of the PC version of Sonic R. Sonic R is a racing game developed by Travellers Tales and Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn and PC, the latter version being ported to the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Sonic Gems Collection. ...

Regional variations

In the Japanese manuals it is said that the Mega Drive games are set on Earth, on South Island (Sonic the Hedgehog), Westside Island (Sonic the Hedgehog 2) and Angel Island (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles). When these manuals were translated the stories were changed. According to the western Mega Drive manuals the games were set in a different world called Mobius. But beginning with Sonic Adventure the Japanese story became the international one and the old western story was scrapped. Sonic the Hedgehog Title Screen Sonic the Hedgehog is the platform game that started off the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 2, or simply Sonic 2, is a platform game developed and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis. ... Sonic the Hedgehog 3, often abbreviated and officially known in Europe as Sonic 3, is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. ... Sonic & Knuckles title screen Sonic & Knuckles is a platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. ... Detailed Map of the planet Mobius, made by Sonic RPG fangame groups Mobius is the planet that the Sonic the Hedgehog characters are from in the comic book series made by Archie Comics (United States) and Fleetway (Europe), and in all three American cartoons, including the light-hearted Adventures of...

Contents

Story

Gameplay

2D platform games

3D platform games

Other gameplay styles

Common features

Chaos Emeralds and Special Stages

Super Sonic

Music

Regional variations

See also

External links

Contents

Story GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Gameplay

2D platform games

3D platform games

Other gameplay styles

Common features

Chaos Emeralds and Special Stages

Super Sonic

Music

Regional variations

See also

External links

Story