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Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)
Encyclopedia
is a seminal 16-bit 1991 platform
video game developed in Japan by Sega
and published
for the Sega Genesis. It is the first installment in Sega's flagship Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and the first title developed by Sonic Team
. The game was released in 1991 in North America
, Europe
, and Japan
. It was an enormous critical and commercial success for Sega, creating a popular, multiple decade franchise, and propelling the Sega Genesis, to widespread popularity.
In the game, Sonic must prevent the evil scientist, Doctor Ivo Robotnik
(named Doctor Eggman in the Japanese release), from collecting the six Chaos Emeralds in an attempt to rule South Island, by instead collecting them himself. The player controls Sonic as he traverses six zones
, each of which is split into three "acts". At the end of the third act of each zone, the player faces Dr. Robotnik in one of his vehicles.
The game plays as a 2D
sidescrolling platformer
. The gameplay
centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speeds with levels that include springs, slopes, high falls and loop-de-loops. The levels are populated with hazards in the form of animals Dr. Robotnik has trapped inside mechanical bodies (named "badniks" in the game manuals). The player must also avoid rows of sharp spikes, bottomless pits, and other obstacles. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, where Sonic curls into a ball which can be performed by jumping in the air, or by pressing down on the D-Pad while moving on the ground. The move is used to destroy enemies and other obstacles in his way.
Scattered around each level map are gold rings, a signature item of the Sonic series. Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life
. Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards as long as Sonic is holding at least one ring, dropping them if he is hit by an obstacle or enemy. However, if he is hit without holding any rings, the player loses a life. Shields and temporary invincibility can also be collected in order to provide additional layers of protection; however, they do not prevent the player from losing a life if Sonic is crushed by a trap, drowned, falls into a pit, or spends over ten minutes in an Act.
Progression through the game is aided by lamp posts that act as checkpoints. If a checkpoint is activated and a life is lost as a result of running out of time, the time at the checkpoint will reset to 0:00. In the case when Sonic loses all his lives, the game is over unless he obtained continues
from Special Stages, in which case Sonic returns to the beginning of the Act with three lives.
When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a Zone with at least 50 rings, the player can jump in a large ring to enter a Special Stage
, consisting of a 360° rotating maze. He bounces or rolls off the bumpers and walls of the stage at all times. The main goal is to obtain the Chaos Emerald at the end of the maze without touching a "goal block", which force the player out of the stage, though the player may also earn continues by collecting 50 rings in these stages. Collecting all the emeralds allows the player to view the good end sequence
.
and started working on Sonic the Hedgehog. Character designer Naoto Ōshima, game programmer
Yuji Naka
and designer
Hirokazu Yasuhara
were the people who developed the game.
The game was originally intended to feature a sound test
menu, with animated graphics based around Sonic break-dancing
to the music of a "Sonic Band" consisting of Sharps Chicken
on guitar, Max Monkey
on bass, Mach Rabbit
on drums, and Vector the Crocodile on keyboard; Vector was later re-designed and re-used for the games Knuckles' Chaotix
and Sonic Heroes
. The development schedule meant that the feature had to be scrapped, and Yuji Naka decided to replace the test with the "Sega!" chant used in TV advertisements, which allegedly took up 1/8 of the 4-megabit
cartridge. The game uses the on-board Yamaha YM2612
synthesizer sound chip to produce a variety of stereo
sound effect
s and music. It has been praised for its dynamic music, composed by Masato Nakamura
, a member of the popular J-pop
band, Dreams Come True.
Akira Watanabe, the illustrator of the character art, said that his sole goal was to depict the characters as "colorful" and to use clear cutting lines and gradation to "finish them neatly." Watanabe said that the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art." Watanabe aimed to create the design "without being particular to conventional packages." Watanabe intended to create an "original, stylish pop game package."
and the Game Gear
. Though based on the original game of the same name, it is a distinct game, with different level design
s, and three of the six zones (levels) based on original themes. The game's manual also gives it a different story, set after the Mega Drive version. It also features a different soundtrack composed by chiptune
musician Yuzo Koshiro
, who adapted several pieces of music from the 16-bit version while the rest of the soundtrack consists of his own original compositions.
The Sega Master System version was the final title for the console released in the United States
and was later rereleased on the Wii Virtual Console
, released in North America on August 4, 2008 and in Europe on September 19, 2008. The Game Gear version was included as one of many unlockable games in Sonic Adventure DX for Nintendo GameCube and PC, and Sonic Mega Collection
Plus for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.
in November 2006 as part of the celebrations of the original game's 15th anniversary. It included a few features, such as the ability to save progress in the game, a level select option, and a special "Anniversary Mode" featuring the Spin-Dash move that hadn't previously been implemented until Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In addition, the view is slightly zoomed in and adapted for the GBA's widescreen aspect ratio. The reception was negative, with critcisms regarding the slow frame rate, music, and glitches.
; Sega Smash Pack
(2001) for the Dreamcast; Sonic Mega Collection
(2002) for the Nintendo GameCube
; Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004) for the PlayStation 2
, Xbox
and PC; Sega Genesis Collection
(2006) for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable
; Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
(2009) for the Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
; and Sonic Classic Collection (2010) for the Nintendo DS
.
Most compilations feature the game largely unchanged. However, Sonic Jam in addition to featuring the original release; also had a few new "remix" options. "Medium" mode altered the layout of rings and hazards and "Easy" mode removes certain acts entirely from the game. In addition, the game also contained a "time attack" mode and an option setting can alter the game to allow the use of the Spin Dash, a move that did not debut until Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the following year.
. It was released on the Wii
's Virtual Console
service from its launch in 2006. It was ported by Backbone Entertainment
to the Xbox Live Arcade
in 2007. It has options for graphic smoothing, saving and loading current progress in-game and to resize the gameplay window. It was later brought to the Playstation Network March 2011.
Additionally, it has be released digitally on a number of other mediums as well. In 2007 the game was made available on the iTunes Store
as a game for the iPod Nano
with video, the iPod Classic
, and iPod with video. Sega made the first two games available for Apple's iOS in the spring of 2009. The game was also present on GameTap
. In October 2010, Sonic the Hedgehog was also digitally released for Microsoft Windows
.
has described the game as "one of the best platformers of all time" and credited as a game that "revolutionized the platform genre and gave people a legitimate alternative to Nintendo's fat plumber" It received high praise from IGN
as well, stating that it had stood the test of time, stating "And even after 16 years, the game still looks great. You'll be impressed by the clarity and color that come through...Few people realize how difficult it was to create Sonic's graphics engine, which allowed for the incredible rate of speed the game's known for. But the technical achievement impressed back in '91, and still does so today." EGM
gave the game a 9 out of 10.
Despite the original's success, some versions of the game, such as the 2006 port to the Game Boy Advance
was highly criticized for terrible replication of graphics , music, and the overall flow of gameplay in general, rendering the game virtually unplayable.
The game has sold over 15 million copies.
as the game bundled with the console. Bundling Sonic the Hedgehog with the Genesis is credited with helping Sega gain 65% of the market share against Nintendo. In large part due to the popularity of this game, the Genesis outsold the Super Nintendo
in the United States nearly 2 to 1 during the 1991 holiday season. This success led to Sega overtaking Nintendo in January 1992 with control of 65% of the 16-bit
console
market, making it the first time Nintendo was not the console leader since December 1985. It is credited as single-handedly changing the course of the 16-bit generation of video game consoles.
Sonic the Hedgehog added the element of momentum-based physics to the standard platform formula and introduced other unique elements as well, such as the loops, springboards, high-speed devices, and the rings now permanently associated with the series. While the speed contributed to the mix, the execution of the platforming element influenced the development of various 2D video games, including a subsequent wave of similar "mascot-based platforming games", such as Bubsy
, Aero the Acrobat, Ristar
, and many others.
The game spawned numerous sequels. While the first games in the series were platform game
s, the series has expanded into other genres such as action-adventure
, fighting
, racing, role-playing
, and sports
. The series has also expanded into other media, including anime
, cartoon
s, comic book
s, manga
, and toy
s.
remake of the Green Hill level in the 2001 game Sonic Adventure 2
. In 2008, the Green Hill level was included in the fighting game Super Smash Brothers Brawl as an unlockable stage. For the game's 20th Anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations
, which contained a remake of the Green Hill level. Additionally, the game features the entire original game as an unlockable reward in the console and PC versions.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game developed in Japan by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
for the Sega Genesis. It is the first installment in Sega's flagship Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and the first title developed by Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
. The game was released in 1991 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was an enormous critical and commercial success for Sega, creating a popular, multiple decade franchise, and propelling the Sega Genesis, to widespread popularity.
Gameplay
Doctor Eggman
, also known by his alias , is a fictional video game character, the main antagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series created by Sega. Dr. Eggman is a rotund, mad scientist with an IQ of 300 who plans to conquer the world in order to build his Eggman Empire and is the archenemy of Sonic the Hedgehog...
(named Doctor Eggman in the Japanese release), from collecting the six Chaos Emeralds in an attempt to rule South Island, by instead collecting them himself. The player controls Sonic as he traverses six zones
Level (video gaming)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
, each of which is split into three "acts". At the end of the third act of each zone, the player faces Dr. Robotnik in one of his vehicles.
The game plays as a 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
sidescrolling platformer
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
. The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speeds with levels that include springs, slopes, high falls and loop-de-loops. The levels are populated with hazards in the form of animals Dr. Robotnik has trapped inside mechanical bodies (named "badniks" in the game manuals). The player must also avoid rows of sharp spikes, bottomless pits, and other obstacles. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, where Sonic curls into a ball which can be performed by jumping in the air, or by pressing down on the D-Pad while moving on the ground. The move is used to destroy enemies and other obstacles in his way.
Scattered around each level map are gold rings, a signature item of the Sonic series. Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
. Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards as long as Sonic is holding at least one ring, dropping them if he is hit by an obstacle or enemy. However, if he is hit without holding any rings, the player loses a life. Shields and temporary invincibility can also be collected in order to provide additional layers of protection; however, they do not prevent the player from losing a life if Sonic is crushed by a trap, drowned, falls into a pit, or spends over ten minutes in an Act.
Progression through the game is aided by lamp posts that act as checkpoints. If a checkpoint is activated and a life is lost as a result of running out of time, the time at the checkpoint will reset to 0:00. In the case when Sonic loses all his lives, the game is over unless he obtained continues
Continue (video gaming)
Continue is a common term in video games for the option to continue the game after all of the player's lives have been lost, rather than ending the game and restarting from the very beginning.-Arcade games:...
from Special Stages, in which case Sonic returns to the beginning of the Act with three lives.
When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a Zone with at least 50 rings, the player can jump in a large ring to enter a Special Stage
Bonus stage
A bonus stage is a special level within a video game designed to reward the player or players, and typically allows the player to collect extra points or power-ups. Often a bonus stage will have no enemies or hazards, or may contain them but the player character is invulnerable to attack from them...
, consisting of a 360° rotating maze. He bounces or rolls off the bumpers and walls of the stage at all times. The main goal is to obtain the Chaos Emerald at the end of the maze without touching a "goal block", which force the player out of the stage, though the player may also earn continues by collecting 50 rings in these stages. Collecting all the emeralds allows the player to view the good end sequence
Outro (computer gaming)
In computer and video gaming, the term "outro" refers to a sequence of graphics and music presented to the player as a reward for successful completion of the entire game. Outros are also commonly referred to as the game's ending...
.
Development
Development for Sonic the Hedgehog began in April 1990, after Sega ordered its AM-8 team to develop a game featuring a mascot for the company. After choosing a hedgehog as the main character, the 5-person group changed its name to Sonic TeamSonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
and started working on Sonic the Hedgehog. Character designer Naoto Ōshima, game programmer
Game programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebase for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer"...
Yuji Naka
Yuji Naka
, is a video game designer and programmer, best known as the former head of Sonic Team, a group of Sega programmers/designers, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog....
and designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
Hirokazu Yasuhara
Hirokazu Yasuhara
Hirokazu Yasuhara is a Japanese video game designer and Sonic Team's 2nd Assistant President.He designed the gameplay and stages of the majority of the initial Sonic the Hedgehog video games for Sega Mega Drive based on technical demos and engines coded by Yuji Naka and characters designed by...
were the people who developed the game.
The game was originally intended to feature a sound test
Sound test
A sound test is a function built into the options screen of many video games.This function was originally meant to test whether the game's music and sounds would function correctly, as well as giving the player the ability to compare samples played in Monaural, Stereophonic and later Surround...
menu, with animated graphics based around Sonic break-dancing
B-boying
B-boying, often called "breakdancing", is a popular style of street dance that was created and developed as part of hip-hop culture among African Americans and Latino youths in New York City. The dance consists of four primary elements: toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes...
to the music of a "Sonic Band" consisting of Sharps Chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
on guitar, Max Monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
on bass, Mach Rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
on drums, and Vector the Crocodile on keyboard; Vector was later re-designed and re-used for the games Knuckles' Chaotix
Knuckles' Chaotix
Knuckles' Chaotix, is a platform game spin-off to the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team, and published by Sega for the Sega 32X. The game was released in North America in March 1995, in Japan on April 21, 1995 and finally in Europe in May 1995. The game's only re-release since then...
and Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
is a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
. The development schedule meant that the feature had to be scrapped, and Yuji Naka decided to replace the test with the "Sega!" chant used in TV advertisements, which allegedly took up 1/8 of the 4-megabit
Megabit
The megabit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega is defined in the International System of Units as a multiplier of 106 , and therefore...
cartridge. The game uses the on-board Yamaha YM2612
Yamaha YM2612
thumb|right|Yamaha YM2612The YM2612, aka OPN2, is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It belongs to Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in several game and computer systems. Developed as a stripped-down version of the YM2608, it lacks its larger sibling's ADPCM channel,...
synthesizer sound chip to produce a variety of stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s and music. It has been praised for its dynamic music, composed by Masato Nakamura
Masato Nakamura
is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record producer.- Life and music career :Nakamura was originally a session musician before forming the "Cha-Cha & Audrey's Project" with Miwa Yoshida. In 1988, they formed the band Dreams Come True....
, a member of the popular J-pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
band, Dreams Come True.
Akira Watanabe, the illustrator of the character art, said that his sole goal was to depict the characters as "colorful" and to use clear cutting lines and gradation to "finish them neatly." Watanabe said that the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art." Watanabe aimed to create the design "without being particular to conventional packages." Watanabe intended to create an "original, stylish pop game package."
8-bit version
This version was released for the Sega Master SystemSega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
and the Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
. Though based on the original game of the same name, it is a distinct game, with different level design
Level design
Level design, environment design or game mapping is a discipline of game development involving creation of video game levels—locales, stages, or missions. This is commonly done using level editor, a game development software designed for building levels; however some games feature built-in...
s, and three of the six zones (levels) based on original themes. The game's manual also gives it a different story, set after the Mega Drive version. It also features a different soundtrack composed by chiptune
Chiptune
A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...
musician Yuzo Koshiro
Yuzo Koshiro
is a Japanese video game music composer and audio programmer. He is regarded as one of the most influential innovators in chiptune music and video game sound design...
, who adapted several pieces of music from the 16-bit version while the rest of the soundtrack consists of his own original compositions.
The Sega Master System version was the final title for the console released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was later rereleased on the Wii Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
, released in North America on August 4, 2008 and in Europe on September 19, 2008. The Game Gear version was included as one of many unlockable games in Sonic Adventure DX for Nintendo GameCube and PC, and Sonic Mega Collection
Sonic Mega Collection
is a video game compilation for the Nintendo GameCube.The compilation contains twelve to fourteen games depending on the region, all originally released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console...
Plus for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.
Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis
A new version of the game, retitled Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis, was released for the Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
in November 2006 as part of the celebrations of the original game's 15th anniversary. It included a few features, such as the ability to save progress in the game, a level select option, and a special "Anniversary Mode" featuring the Spin-Dash move that hadn't previously been implemented until Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In addition, the view is slightly zoomed in and adapted for the GBA's widescreen aspect ratio. The reception was negative, with critcisms regarding the slow frame rate, music, and glitches.
Compilation releases
Compilations that include the game are Sonic Compilation (1995) and Genesis 6-Pak (1996) for the Sega Genesis; Sonic Jam (1997) for the Sega SaturnSega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
; Sega Smash Pack
Sega Smash Pack
Sega Smash Pack is a series of game compilations featuring mostly Sega Mega Drive games. Sega Smash Pack games have been released for the PC, Dreamcast, and the Game Boy Advance.-PC:The first Sega Smash Pack was released in 1999 for the PC...
(2001) for the Dreamcast; Sonic Mega Collection
Sonic Mega Collection
is a video game compilation for the Nintendo GameCube.The compilation contains twelve to fourteen games depending on the region, all originally released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console...
(2002) for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
; Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004) for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and PC; Sega Genesis Collection
Sega Genesis Collection
The Sega Mega Drive Collection is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, compiled and emulated by Digital Eclipse and released in the U.S. in 2006 and Europe and Australia in 2007...
(2006) for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
; Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions, is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles...
(2009) for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
; and Sonic Classic Collection (2010) for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
.
Most compilations feature the game largely unchanged. However, Sonic Jam in addition to featuring the original release; also had a few new "remix" options. "Medium" mode altered the layout of rings and hazards and "Easy" mode removes certain acts entirely from the game. In addition, the game also contained a "time attack" mode and an option setting can alter the game to allow the use of the Spin Dash, a move that did not debut until Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the following year.
Digital releases
Sonic the Hedgehog has been available for all three main seventh generation video game consolesHistory of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
. It was released on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service from its launch in 2006. It was ported by Backbone Entertainment
Backbone Entertainment
Backbone Entertainment is an independent video game development company located in Emeryville, California.Backbone Entertainment is the result of a 2003 merger between Digital Eclipse Software and ImaginEngine...
to the Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
in 2007. It has options for graphic smoothing, saving and loading current progress in-game and to resize the gameplay window. It was later brought to the Playstation Network March 2011.
Additionally, it has be released digitally on a number of other mediums as well. In 2007 the game was made available on the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
as a game for the iPod Nano
IPod nano
iPod Nano is a digital media player designed and marketed by Apple Inc.. The first generation of iPod Nano was introduced on September 7, 2005 as a replacement for iPod Mini. It uses flash memory for storage. iPod Nano has gone through six models, or generations, since its introduction...
with video, the iPod Classic
IPod classic
The iPod Classic is a portable media player marketed by Apple Inc...
, and iPod with video. Sega made the first two games available for Apple's iOS in the spring of 2009. The game was also present on GameTap
GameTap
GameTap is an American online video game service established by Turner Broadcasting System . Dubbed by TBS as a "first of its kind broadband gaming network", the service provides users with classic arcade video games and game-related video content...
. In October 2010, Sonic the Hedgehog was also digitally released for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
.
Reception
The game was both a critical and commercial success. GamespotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
has described the game as "one of the best platformers of all time" and credited as a game that "revolutionized the platform genre and gave people a legitimate alternative to Nintendo's fat plumber" It received high praise from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
as well, stating that it had stood the test of time, stating "And even after 16 years, the game still looks great. You'll be impressed by the clarity and color that come through...Few people realize how difficult it was to create Sonic's graphics engine, which allowed for the incredible rate of speed the game's known for. But the technical achievement impressed back in '91, and still does so today." EGM
EGM
EGM can stand for:* Electronic Gaming Monthly, an American video game magazine* Extraordinary General Meeting, a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders, or employees, which occurs at an irregular time...
gave the game a 9 out of 10.
Despite the original's success, some versions of the game, such as the 2006 port to the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
was highly criticized for terrible replication of graphics , music, and the overall flow of gameplay in general, rendering the game virtually unplayable.
The game has sold over 15 million copies.
Effect on the industry
Sonic the Hedgehog greatly increased the popularity of the Sega Genesis. It eventually replaced Altered BeastAltered Beast
Altered Beast is a 1988 beat 'em up arcade game developed and manufactured by Sega. The game is set in Ancient Greece, and follows a centurion who is resurrected by Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena, and to do so become able to turn into beasts such as the werewolf with usage of power-ups...
as the game bundled with the console. Bundling Sonic the Hedgehog with the Genesis is credited with helping Sega gain 65% of the market share against Nintendo. In large part due to the popularity of this game, the Genesis outsold the Super Nintendo
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in the United States nearly 2 to 1 during the 1991 holiday season. This success led to Sega overtaking Nintendo in January 1992 with control of 65% of the 16-bit
History of video game consoles (fourth generation)
In the history of computer and video games, the fourth generation began on October 30, 1987 with the Japanese release of Nippon Electric Company's PC Engine...
console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
market, making it the first time Nintendo was not the console leader since December 1985. It is credited as single-handedly changing the course of the 16-bit generation of video game consoles.
Sonic the Hedgehog added the element of momentum-based physics to the standard platform formula and introduced other unique elements as well, such as the loops, springboards, high-speed devices, and the rings now permanently associated with the series. While the speed contributed to the mix, the execution of the platforming element influenced the development of various 2D video games, including a subsequent wave of similar "mascot-based platforming games", such as Bubsy
Bubsy
Bubsy is a series of video games created by Michael Berlyn and released by Accolade for the SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari Jaguar, the PC and PlayStation in the early and mid-1990s....
, Aero the Acrobat, Ristar
Ristar
Ristar, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis in 1995. A Sega Game Gear version, which features different levels than the Mega Drive version, was also released in the same year.The game stars a humanoid cartoon star...
, and many others.
The game spawned numerous sequels. While the first games in the series were platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
s, the series has expanded into other genres such as action-adventure
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
, fighting
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
, racing, role-playing
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
, and sports
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
. The series has also expanded into other media, including anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s, comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s.
In other games
For the game's 10th Anniversary, Sega included a 3D3D
3D or 3-D may refer to:*Three-dimensional space, the physical universe*Stereoscopy, any technique capable of recording three-dimensional visual information or creating the illusion of depth in an image-Music:*3D...
remake of the Green Hill level in the 2001 game Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel...
. In 2008, the Green Hill level was included in the fighting game Super Smash Brothers Brawl as an unlockable stage. For the game's 20th Anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations
Sonic Generations
is a 2011 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, produced by Sonic Team for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo 3DS...
, which contained a remake of the Green Hill level. Additionally, the game features the entire original game as an unlockable reward in the console and PC versions.