Roger Craig Smith has voiced Sonic the Hedgehog since 2010, but even he was surprised by the tonal shift required for Sonic Frontiers. In a recent interview with Polygon, Smith discussed how he approaches the role, the influence of improvisation on Sonic’s personality, and his reaction to the game’s more restrained vocal direction.
“It’s literally what I think of [when] trying to do the voice. It’s like, ‘You gotta go fast,’” Smith joked, referencing the unofficial catchphrase long associated with Sonic. Despite having voiced the character for more than a decade, Smith said his background in improv comedy continues to shape his performance, particularly Sonic’s humor and timing.
That approach was especially visible in projects like Sonic Boom, where the character leaned heavily into sarcasm and self-aware humor. According to Smith, flexibility is key to keeping Sonic feeling fresh across different interpretations.
Sonic Frontiers, however, required something very different. The game’s quieter, more reflective tone called for a deeper and more subdued performance, which Smith described as “such a vocal departure” from previous portrayals. He recalled reacting cautiously during recording, saying, “Oh, OK, this’ll be interesting to see how this lands.”
Smith acknowledged that fan reactions were divided. Some players welcomed the more mature take on Sonic, while others felt it clashed with the character’s traditionally energetic personality.
He also emphasized that voice performances are shaped collaboratively, guided by writing and direction rather than actor preference alone. “Our job is to take the work and bring it to life vocally, bring it to inhabit the character, give it character through the vocal process. And that usually requires a little bit of a loosey-goosey approach,” Smith explained.
Although Smith has not personally played Sonic Frontiers, he expressed curiosity about how the final performance came together, comparing it to seeing “school pictures” of something you helped create but did not directly experience yourself.
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