Topic: Sonic The Hedgehog Tutorial
This week, we’re discussing the fastest thing alive, or
atleast as he was billed in Video Games.
Sonic has had an interesting lifespan, a popular and celebrity status in
the 90s, he’s since fallen on to hard times in the transition to 3D and come to
2000s, he’s tried to reinvent himself dozens of time with little success. But he maybe, arguably, more popular than
Mario in some online outlets and circles.
So first, let’s discuss the blue blur and where he came from!
History:
By 1990, Nintendo had firmly planted themselves as the
leader in Video games, and Sega wanted to catch up. They believed that Nintendo’s strength lied
with its mascot, Mario, and his game titles which helped push sales. Up to this point, Sega did not have an
official Mascot, but several unofficial mascots. They decided to hold an internal design
competition to create their own mascot to rival Nintendo, with a heavy focus on
a Mascot that would appeal to a western Audience. Among the considerations, artist Naoto
Ohshima and Programmer Yuji Naka were considered for the project, having
developed a prototype game involving fast moving characters.
They eventually settled on Sonic, a blue hedgehog, that
could roll in to a ball. His color was
chosen as Blue to match the Company’s Logo’s color, and given red and white
shoes to mirror Michael Jackson’s shoes on the cover of his album Bad. The primary antagonist, Doctor Eggman, was
another character initially developed for the mascot, based off Teddy
Roosevelt, but was later reused as the villain.
The initial game, Sonic the Hedgehog was then used as the
company mascot, and tied in with their Sega Genesis (JP: Mega Drive) system,
and became the killer app for the console.
Along with an aggressive marketing campaign that saw Sega Genesis
mocking and claiming to perform better than the Super Nintendo, Sonic helped
start the great console wars of the early 90s.
At one point, the Sega Genesis held a 65% market share of all game
consoles in North America.
When Sega was ready for a follow up, Yuji Naka believed he
received little credit and initially quit, before being hired by US-based STI
(Sega Technology Institute). At this
point, two games were in production, STI was working on Sonic 2, and a team led
by Ohshima in Japan began work on Sonic CD for the soon coming Sega CD Add-on
for the Genesis. Sonic 2 would introduce
Tails, a two-tailed Fox sidekick to Sonic.
Sonic CD would introduce love interest Amy and Rival Nemesis: Metal
Sonic; the game also introduce a mechanic for Time travel, in which Sonic would
travel through time to fix the future, and have various changes to the world
based on actions in either the past or present.
STI would continue to work on Sonic 3, however, the scope of
the game was much larger than initial anticipated. Due to Sega wanting the game to come out
early and limited cartridge space, they initially planned on the game being a
two part game, with the first half of Sonic 3 being released first, and a few
months later, releasing part 2. The
first part, just called Sonic 3 launched with a new rival in Knuckles; an Echidna
with spiked fist gloves who was the guardian of the Chaos Emeralds. A few months later, they released Sonic and
Knuckles, the second half of Sonic 3, this time allowing you to play as
Knuckles. With the added time, they
created a lock on function with the cartridge, allowing the original Sonic 3 to
be connected, and released as a whole. The
lock on function allowed Knuckles to be played on Sonic 3 as originally
intended, but also allowed Knuckles to be played on Sonic 2 as well, swapping
out the original Sonic.
While projects including Sonic continued after the Genesis’s
life span ended and the new Sega Saturn became the main console, few Sonic
Games were released, mostly due to the difficulties of bridging the 2D to 3D
gap and keeping true to the game’s concept and ideals. By 1998, the new Sega Dreamcast console
started the 6th generation of consoles and introduced Sonic
Adventure, the first true sequel to the Genesis games. Sonic was redesigned, and various characters
added to help round out the game’s story and game play experience. With the move to 3D, the game worked hard to
try and keep the sense of speed the game series was known for, with some mixed
results. Sonic Adventure 2 was released
in 2001, introducing a mirror version of Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog. Despite the strong sales of Sonic on the
Dreamcast, the introduction of the PlayStation 2 seemed to be a nail in Sega’s
console coffin, with the announcement that they would stop making the Dreamcast
and get out of the Console market.
Following the demise of the Dreamcast, Sonic and Team began
to appear on rival Nintendo’s GameCube console, along with Sony’s Playstation 2
and Microsoft’s X-Box. Various new games
included Sonic Heroes, mixing the game play of three different characters at
once. They later released Shadow the
Hedgehog, giving the title character a gun and interacting with various other
Sonic characters over time. Several
older titles, including Sonic Adventures, and the various Genesis games were
also ported to various consoles, making Sonic a very easy thing to play despite
the console.
By 2005, nearing Sonic’s 15th Anniversary, Sega
was in a rush to have something ready by the time of the Anniversary. They released Sonic The Hedgehog (2005), a
new game intended to return Sonic to his rightful place and reboot the
franchise. However, the game was riddled
with game breaking bugs and very lack luster story and characters. While some of the game play was fun, the many
bugs in the game usually broke the immersion and fun. It is often considered the worst game in the
franchise and worst game of the year.
After the Sonic The Hedgehog(2005), Sonic has been in a
constant space of trying to rebooting and reimagining itself. These include:
Sonic Riders – A racing game
Sonic and the Secret Rings – Set in Arabian Nights, an on
rail runner
Sonic and the Black Knight – Sonic in Medieval times with a
sword
Sonic Colors – Similar rail runner
Sonic Unleashed – What if Sonic turns in to the Hulk
Sonic Lost World – Similar to Mario Galaxy, but with a tube
world
By 2011, for Sonic’s 20th anniversary, Sega
released Sonic Generations, a mix of the classic 2d Sonic with the more recent
Adventure 3d Sonic. Classic levels were
recreated, with some elements purely 2d over some elements 3d. This concept was much better received over
others.
Sonic also began partnering with Nintendo more frequently,
with Sonic being introduced in to Smash Brothers Brawl. Sonic and the gang then joined with Mario and
company for Olympic style games for both winter and summer, and have released
periodically.
In 2014, Sonic was re-imagined and rebooted again in to a
new series known as Sonic Boom: Rise of lyric, with an accompanying TV Show
called Sonic Boom. The game was just as
poorly received as Sonic’s 2005 reboot, while its accompanying TV show fared
better than the game. The game became
the lowest rated in the Franchise, as well as the worst selling.
By 2016, for the 25th Anniversary, Sega released
Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania. Sonic
Forces allowed players to create their own Sonic-universe character for the
first time, allowing you to play as them, but with added gadgets and abilities;
the game also brought back many elements from Sonic Generations. Sonic Mania is a pixel based sequel to the
early classic 2d Sonic Games, created by a team primarily consisting of Sonic
Fans who has been making their own custom Sonic games and levels. Forces had mixed reception, mostly due to the
short length, as where Mania was praised as a return to form.
Premise:
Nearly All Games in the Sonic Franchise take place on a
fictional Planet of Mobius, where the evil Doctor Eggman (Doctor Ivo Robotnik)
is trying to conquer the world. To do
so, Dr. Eggman seeks the Seven Chaos Emeralds: gems with mystical powers that
can do just about anything (Think Infinity Stones/Gems). Dr. Eggman uses an army of Robots with
trapped animals inside to carry out his plans.
Sonic is always tasked with Stopping Dr. Eggman as a result.
Typical Sonic games have Sonic running through the level to
get to the end as quick as possible. This can be through loops, corkscrew
pipes, grinding rails, and if Sonic gets himself in to a ball, he goes even
faster. As Sonic progressed through the level, he’ll hit various check points,
allowing Sonic to return should he lose a life along the way, with a final
checkpoint/banner that Sonic hits at the end of the Act/level. As Sonic’s main goal is speed: the faster he
completes a level, the more points he will receive. Various Badniks, robotic bad guys, litter the
level, and Sonic can typically roll through them as a ball, or Jump on to them
in a ball form. At the end of each Zone,
there is typically Dr. Eggman as a final boss of the Zone, usually in some
vehicle/machine intended to finish off Sonic.
If Sonic beat Eggman, he can run to the end of the stage and free
animals that have been trapped.
Littered throughout the world of Sonic are Golden Rings, or
just Rings, that Sonic can collect.
Rings serve three different functions:
one as a collectable to receive additional points at the end of the
level, secondly by collecting 100 rings, Sonic gets an extra life, and lastly,
as a health pot. If Sonic gets hit, land
on spikes, or lava, all of the rings he had collected get lost and are
scattered throughout the area; players have a limited window in which to
collect some of them again, otherwise they are lost. So long as Sonic has atleast one Ring, he
won’t lose a life to damage. Sonic can
also find various item boxes through the game that provide power ups and
bonuses. Common boxes include additional
rings, some include Shields so that Sonic won’t lose his rings to damage, short
term invincibility, or extra lives.
Sonic can also enter the mysterious Special Stage area,
which allows Sonic to transverse the stage and collect additional rings for
lives. At the end of each Special Stage
is a Chaos Emerald. Upon collecting all
Chaos Emeralds, Sonic gains the ability to transform in to Super Sonic, which
gives unlimited in invincibility, he accelerates much faster and has a higher
top speed, and turns golden. Sonic must
have atleast 50 ring to turn in Super Sonic, and each second, he loses a single
ring. If Super Sonic loses all of his
rings, he’ll revert back to regular Sonic, and have no rings left.
Later games give the ability to play as various characters,
with new game play abilities:
Tail – Can Fly and even lift Sonic up.
Knuckles – Can punch enemies and climb up walls
Amy – Carries a hammer and can strike enemies
Shadow – Plays just like Sonic
Characters:
Sonic The Hedgehog – a Blue, anthropomorphic hedgehog, and
series protagonist. Sonic is described
as a wild drifter and a staunch defender of freedom. He can be a trickster and rebel, but always
does the right thing. He is best known
for his running speed, of which makes him the fastest thing in the world.
Miles “Tails” Prowler – a two tailed Fox that is Sonic’s
best friend and sidekick. Tails is often
portrayed as a child science prodigy, making various inventions to help out
Sonic. He can use his two tails to
create a helicopter like effect, which allows him to be lifted off the ground
for short period of time. He can also
point them horizontally, acting like a fan boat to propel him forward.
Knuckles the Echidna – a bright Red Echidna with enlarged
fists with spikes on the end, he is the guardian of Angel Island and the Master
Emerald, which controls the chaos Emeralds.
One believing that Sonic had stolen the Chaos Emeralds, he later becomes
a friend to Sonic and Company.
Amy Rose – a Bright Pink Female hedgehog who wears a red
dress and gold bracelets. She is known
for following Sonic around and acting as his love interest, even if Sonic
doesn’t reciprocate. She is known for
her huge hammer, which she uses to smash down on to enemies and alike.
Dr. Eggman (Dr Ivo Robotnik in America) – An evil genius
with an IQ over 300, he is depicted as being portly/overweight, wearing a red
jacket and black slacks. He is most well
known for his bald head, goggles, and comically large, red/orange/brown mustache. He is the primary Antagonist of all games in
the Franchise and is seen riding around in his Egg-mobile.
Metal/Mecha Sonic – A mechanical creation by Dr. Eggman,
Metal Sonic mimics the look of Sonic, albeit in a robotic form, and mirrors his
abilities. Though cold and emotionless,
the robot seeks to only compete with Sonic and defeat him for his master.
Shadow the Hedgehog – Initially thought to be the most
powerful experiment ever, he is revealed to possibly be a clone of a
clone. A black and red Hedgehog, he
wears hover boots and appears to skate to gain speed. His abilities match Sonic, though he has
greater knowledge and control over the Chaos Emeralds.
Rouge the Bat – a white female Bat introduced in Sonic
Adventure 2. She acts as a femme fatale
like character, claiming to be the world’s greatest jewel hunter. She can fly and is renowned for her ability
to find/steal jewels. She a Freelancer,
working for either good guys or bad guys, depending on the right amount of
money.
Other Media:
TV: Sonic has had several Tv Series over the years. These include:
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog(1993) – a Satirical take on
Sonic and his many adventures. It was
known for a very slapstick animation style and often nonsensical story
lines. Each episode was a standalone
episode and did not play into a larger narrative.
Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) (1993-1994)- This series more
closely follows the Video Game and related Archie-Comics version of Sonic that
was currently running at the time. The
narrative follows Sonic and a collection of freedom fighters who fight against
Dr. Robotnik, who is bent on capturing the various people(Who are animals) and
turning them into robots. The story is
typically more dramatic and darker than the more light hearted adventure series
that ran along the same time. It’s on as
SatAM as it was typically shown only during Saturday Morning Cartoons.
Sonic Underground (1999) – This series had a separate canon
and continuity from other Sonic media at the time. It starred Sonic and his siblings, the last
of Mobius’s ruling family, as they fight against Dr. Robotnik and attempt to
reunite with their mom, in order restore her to the Throne. To Aid the siblings, they’re given magical
pendants that transform into musical instruments. Each episode was known for having its own
song. The series is not well regarded, mostly due to an overly complex plot,
not following established lore/continuity, and lacking any feeling from the
original games.
Sonic X (2003-2006) – Created by Japan, It’s Sonic as an
Anime. Much of the characters are
transplanted in to modern day Japan, using a majority of their Sonic Adventure
designs/models. The series even
replicates the two adventure games at one point, along with several original
stories. The show has generable
favorable response to it.
Sonic Boom (2014-2017) – Meant to coincide with the 25th
Anniversary, it star Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles on Seaside Island,
Protecting the island from Dr. Eggman.
The series garnered favorable reviews for the most part, and was notable
for being made entirely in 3d.
Comics: Sonic has had a long running Comic series through
Archie Comics. The story is reminiscent
of the Saturday Morning Cartoon Incarnation of Sonic, but expands on the mythos
and storyline. The comics continued well
into the 2000s, adding elements of the games in to the world as the popped
up. The Comic is known for having darker
tones than other series, and is a fitting follow up to Sonic SatAM.
Movie: Sonic the Hedgehog movie came out in 2020. The film was originally intended to be
released in late 2019, however, after the release of the trailer, fans were upset
about the look and design of Sonic, remarking how Human he looked. A major overhaul of the character postponed
the movie to early 2020, with a much more cartoony and videogame inspired look. The movie is also notable for having Jim
Carrey as Dr Robotnik, who basically chews up the scenes every time he’s on
screen.
Homework
Sonic Movie
Any Sonic Games
Recommend: Sonic Mania/Classic Sonic
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