Editing Sonic the Hedgehog series (section)

==Overview==
[[File:SG_modern_and_classic.png|thumb|225px|Promotional artwork of ''[[Sonic Generations]]'' with the series' namesake, Sonic, in his "Modern" (left) and "Classic" (right) designs.]]
The mainline games in the series center around conflicts between the titular protagonist and namesake, [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], and his arch-nemesis, [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Ivo Robotnik]], better known as "Dr. Eggman". Sonic is the blue hedgehog noted for his carefree and cool attitude, capable of running at supersonic speeds and [[Spin Attack|curling into a ball]], allowing him to attack enemies.<ref name="TechnicalFiles" /><ref>{{Cite book |title=Sonic Adventure Tokyo International Forum Unveiling Booklet |date=August 22, 1998 |chapter=All Star Cast |page=6}}</ref> Dr. Eggman is a [[human]] mad scientist and Sonic's nemesis with an IQ of 300 who seeks to conquer the [[Earth|world]] to establish a totalitarian regime called the "[[Eggman Empire]]" or "[[Eggmanland]]", where all nature is replaced with machines.<ref name="TechnicalFiles" /><ref>Sora Ltd. (March 9, 2008). ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. [[Wii]]. [[Nintendo]]. Area/level: Trophy Hoard. "'''Eggman''' - A self-proclaimed scientific genius. Dr. Eggman sports an IQ of 300 and wants to conquer the world and build his evil empire of Eggmanland. An expert in his field, Dr. Eggman places robotics over all else in life—a reflection of his selfish personality. He doesn't know when to quit and always comes back for more no matter how many times he is defeated by Sonic."</ref><ref name="JTEE">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDe1b-NGjXk|publisher=[[Sega]]|title=Come Join the Eggman Empire!|work=YouTube|date=2 November 2017|accessdate=26 December 2021}}</ref> Being inspired by the culture of the 1990s, ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' runs on environmental themes, based on the then-growing debates between environmentalists and developers: Sonic represents "nature" and Eggman "machinery" and "development".<ref name="Realcreator">{{Cite web |url=http://www.sega.com/features/allsonic/creator/naka04.html |title=Interview with Yuji Naka: Creator of Sonic the Hedgehog |publisher=[[Sega]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19970605172353/www.sega.com/features/allsonic/creator/naka04.html |archivedate=June 5, 1997 |language=English |quote='''[[Yuji Naka]]''': Robotnik was created to be the opposite of Sonic, and to be the bad guy. At that time, there was opposition between "developers" and "environmentalists", and Robotnik was created to represent machinery and development.}}</ref>

Central to the franchise are the [[Chaos Emerald]]s, seven gemstones with unlimited mystical powers.<ref name="AdventureTokyoInternational">{{Cite web |author=ZedArchive |date=April 10, 2022 |title=Sonic Adventure Production Presentation At Tokyo International Forum (1998) <nowiki>[ENGLISH CC]</nowiki> |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68S3GswZ06U&t=20m10s |language=Japanese |work=YouTube |accessdate=October 7, 2022}}</ref> The Emeralds can respond to thoughts and turn them into power to cause miracles,<ref name="SonicXSilverPart2">{{Cite web|title=ソニック ＆ シルバー 後編|url=https://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/special/coverstory/20211001_002683/|author=[[Sega]]|publisher=[[Sonic Channel]]|work=かべがみカバーストーリー|date=October 1, 2021|language=Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001084211/https://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/special/coverstory/20211001_002683/|archivedate=October 1, 2021}}</ref> such as warping time and space with a technique called [[Chaos Control]],<ref name="Radical Train">[[Sonic Team]], [[Blindlight]] (November 24, 2006). ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. [[Xbox 360]]. [[Sega]]. Area/Level: [[Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog (2006))|Shadow the Hedgehog]]. "'''[[Shadow the Hedgehog|Shadow]]''': With a Chaos Emerald, I control time and space. You can't break free."</ref> energize living beings, and serve as fuel for devices including various types of weapons of mass destruction,<ref>{{Cite manual |game = Sonic the Hedgehog (1991){{!}}Sonic the Hedgehog |link = Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)/Manuals#Japanese |system = Sega Mega Drive |language = Japanese |pages = 4-5}} "The Chaos Emeralds are a super substance that give energy to all living beings. Also, though science and technology, they can be used for nuclear and laser weapons."</ref> which makes Eggman often seek them out in his plots to conquer the world.<ref name="TechnicalFiles">''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Technical Files]]''</ref> When all seven Emeralds are gathered, they can be used to initiate a "[[Super transformation]]", which bestows the user with increased innate talents, virtual invincibility, and new abilities.

The series is notorious for its large cast, much of which was introduced in the early games for the [[Sega Mega Drive]] and its add-ons: [[Miles "Tails" Prower]], a mechanical genius from [[West Side Island]] and Sonic's best friend, first appeared in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' (1992). ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]'' (1993) introduced [[Amy Rose]], a pink hedgehog who is deeply in love with Sonic and is known for wielding her [[Piko Piko Hammer]], and [[Metal Sonic]], a robotic copy of the blue hedgehog created by Eggman to be his equal mechanical match. ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]'' (1993) marked the introduction of [[Knuckles the Echidna]], a gullible and short-tempered [[echidna]] who serves as the guardian of the [[Master Emerald]] on [[Angel Island]], a large gemstone later introduced in ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' that controls the powers of the Chaos Emeralds. ''[[Knuckles' Chaotix]]'' (1995) introduced [[Team Chaotix]], a team of detectives consisting of the leader named [[Vector the Crocodile]], [[Espio the Chameleon]] and [[Charmy Bee]].

While developing the series' first 3D entry, ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' (1998), [[Sonic Team]] realized that the characters' designs were unsuitable for a 3D environment.<ref name="2Dto3D">{{Cite web |author=[[Cook & Becker]] |date=April 17, 2017 |title=How Sega moved Sonic from 2D to 3D |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/4/17/15099400/how-sega-moved-sonic-from-2d-to-3d |publisher=Polygon |accessdate=December 12, 2022}}</ref> Much of the cast was thus redesigned with sleeker bodies, longer limbs, and colored eyes. ''[[Sonic Generations]]'' (2011) retroactively referred to the designs prior to ''Sonic Adventure'' as "Classic", and the ones after as "Modern". Various new characters have been introduced from ''Sonic Adventure'' onwards, including [[Big the Cat]], a large cat who fishes with his best friend [[Froggy]]; [[Chaos]], an immortal mutant chao who serves as their guardian and a god of destruction who is peacefully departed to heaven with [[Tikal]]; [[Shadow the Hedgehog]], the "Ultimate Life Form" created by Eggman's grandfather [[Gerald Robotnik]] who shares Sonic's abilities and is known for harnessing [[Chaos Emerald energy]] to perform [[Chaos powers]]; [[Rouge the Bat]], a treasure hunter and spy for a fictional country called the [[United Federation]] and the military organization called [[Guardian Units of Nations|G.U.N.]]; [[Cream the Rabbit]], a kind hearted girl with a strong friendship with her [[Chao]] named [[Cheese]]; [[E-123 Omega]], a vengeful [[E-Series]] robot who turned against Eggman after feeling like he was abandoned after being deactivated and place to defend Shadow; [[Blaze the Cat]], a princess from a parallel universe called the [[Sol Dimension]] and guardian of the [[Sol Emerald|Sol Emeralds]] who posses the ability of pyrokinesis; The [[Babylon Rogues]], a group of [[Babylonians|Babylonian]] thieves that specialize in piloting [[Extreme Gear]] consisting of [[Jet the Hawk]], [[Wave the Swallow]] and [[Storm the Albatross]]; [[Silver the Hedgehog]], a white hedgehog from [[Silver's future|the future]] with [[Psychokinesis|psychokinetic]] powers; [[Orbot]] and [[Cubot]], a pair of E-series robots who serve as Eggman's henchmen; [[Infinite]], a mercenary hired by Eggman who can manipulate the power of the [[Phantom Ruby]]; [[Sage]], an artificial intelligence created by Eggman who she refers to as her father. Many of the aforementioned characters have starred in spin-offs.

[[File:Sonicgenerationsskysanctuaryzonescreenshots2.jpg|thumb|225px|An example of 2D ''Sonic'' gameplay, from the console/[[PC]] version of ''[[Sonic Generations]]''.]]
Two-dimensional (2D) ''Sonic'' titles are side-scrolling platform video games viewed from a side-on perspective. Their controls are fairly basic and do not deviate much from the genre standard; the selling point of the series is the incredible speed of the playable characters, who usually have the ability to run uphill, walls and even ceilings. Golden, bracelet-like [[Ring]]s are the main health system for the characters. Holding them, even one, prevents players from losing a [[life]], and gaining a hundred of them generally grants a [[1-Up]]. The games also feature various momentum-based elements, such as [[loop]]s and [[corkscrew]]s. The stages have several sequences which involve a character being thrown along preset paths with little input from the player. However, there are also numerous sections involving precise jumping between platforms and avoiding of hazards (e.g. [[Spikes (obstacle)|spikes]] and [[bottomless pit]]s), although these are more lenient than other games of its genre. The enemies are normally robots created by Dr. Eggman ("[[Badnik]]s") and are destroyed by simply [[Spin Jump|jumping]]/rolling onto them. Items and power-ups (such as [[Shield]]s and [[Power Sneakers (power-up)|bursts of speed]]) are contained in television [[monitor]]s and can be obtained by breaking them open. In most games, the levels themselves are divided in two to three "Acts", depending on the game, and are named "[[Zone]]s". [[Star Post]]s normally act as checkpoints once a life is lost (8-bit ''Sonic'' games feature a variation of the Star Posts in the form of [[Star Post#Arrow Monitor|Arrow monitors]]), which often allow access to the [[Bonus Stage]]s after getting a predetermined number of Rings. [[Goal Plate]]s usually signal the end of an Act. [[Special Stage]]s are another common feature in ''Sonic'' games, being dimensions far from the games' setting which allow the player to gain Chaos Emeralds, extra lives, and [[Continue]]s, usually entered through [[Giant Ring]]s. A boss, an enemy with much higher HP, is often fought at the end or in the middle of a Zone.

Three-dimensional ''Sonic'' entries do not restrict movement as much, controls are slightly more advanced, and the frequency of automated events is increased. Those games, while sharing several of the same components with their 2D counterparts, also modify some of those concepts to accommodate them into the 3D perspective; they also put a greater emphasis on the game's plot and character development.