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{{FA}} {{Tab |title1 = Main page |tab2 = Staff |title2 = Credits |tab3 = Manuals |tab4 = Glitches |tab5 = Beta elements |tab6 = Gallery |bg = browntab }} {{Otheruses4|the 16-bit video game|other uses|Sonic the Hedgehog (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox video game |title = ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' |image = <gallery> Sonic1 box usa.jpg|NA S1JPfront.jpg|JP Sonic-the-Hedgehog-Cover.png|EU </gallery> |caption = Regional box artwork |developer = [[Sonic Team]] |publisher = [[Sega]] |series = ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog series|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |designer = [[Hirokazu Yasuhara]] |programmer = [[Yuji Naka]] |artist = *[[Naoto Ohshima]] {{C|character design}} *[[Jina Ishiwatari]] *[[Rieko Kodama]] |composer = [[Masato Nakamura]] |released = '''[[Sega Mega Drive]]''':<br/>{{vgrelease|JP=26 July 1991<ref name="releaseJP">{{Cite web|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html|title=メガドライブ カートリッジ（セガ発売）|accessdate=23 December 2021|publisher=[[Sega]] (JP)|language=Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720095133/https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html|archivedate=20 July 2020}}</ref>|NA=23 June 1991<ref name="releaseNA">{{Cite web|last=Dobson|first=Jason|title=Sonic The Hedgehog Celebrates 15th Anniversary|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9832|publisher=Gamasutra|date=23 June 2006|accessdate=27 August 2009}}</ref>|EU=July 1991<ref name="mm"/>}} '''[[Wii|Wii Virtual Console]]''':<br/>{{Vgrelease|JP=2 December 2006<ref>{{Cite web|title=Virtual Console, page 1|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/01.html|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203100847/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/01.html|archivedate=3 February 2018|language=Japanese}}</ref>|NA=19 November 2006<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sonic the Hedgehog|url=http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/KxiDSMn_ADYC1Vd30TP-FW3yf8Byxwwu|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122221924/http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/KxiDSMn_ADYC1Vd30TP-FW3yf8Byxwwu|archivedate=22 November 2010}}</ref>|EU=8 December 2006|AU=7 December 2006}} '''Browser''':<br/>{{vgrelease|INT=4 December 2008<ref name="PlaySega">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sega.com/news/?n=2744|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015092550/http://www.sega.com/news/?n=2744|date=4 December 2008|archivedate=15 October 2012|title=Play, Win and Escape With SEGA|publisher=[[Sega]]|accessdate=8 June 2023}}</ref>}} '''[[PC]]''':<br/>{{vgrelease|CAN=29 May 2010|INT=26 October 2010}} |genre = Platformer |modes = Single-player |ratings = {{Vgrating|VRC=GA|ESRB=E|CERO=A|PEGI=3|ACB=G}} |platforms = *[[Sega Mega Drive]] *[[Sega Saturn]] *[[Nintendo GameCube]] *[[PlayStation 2]] *[[Xbox]] *[[Nintendo DS]] *[[Wii]] *[[PlayStation 3]] *[[Xbox 360]] *[[Nintendo 3DS]] {{C|backwards compatibility}} *[[PlayStation 4]] *[[Xbox One]] *[[Nintendo Switch]] *[[PlayStation 5]] {{C|backwards compatibility}} *[[Xbox Series X and Series S]] {{C|backwards compatibility}} *[[PC]] {{C|formerly}} |media = *ROM cartridge *CD-ROM *Digital download *DVD-ROM *DVD-DL *Blu-ray Disc *Nintendo DS Game Card *Nintendo 3DS Game Card *Nintendo Switch Game Card |input = *Game controller *Click wheel *Keyboard and mouse |followed = ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]'' }} {{Quote left|This is terrible! Go! [[Sonic the Hedgehog]]. Everyone is waiting for your help.|Japanese manual}} {{Nihongo|'''''Sonic the Hedgehog'''''|ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ|Sonikku za Hejjihoggu}} is a 2D platformer video game developed by [[Sonic Team]] and published by [[Sega]] for the [[Sega Mega Drive]]. It is the launch title of the [[Sonic the Hedgehog series|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series]] and marks the official debut of Sega's current mascot, [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], who can run at supersonic speeds. The game follows Sonic as he thwarts the plans of his arch-nemesis, [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]], who is on the hunt for powerful relics known as the [[Chaos Emerald]]s on [[South Island]]. The game also marked the beginning of the overarching [[Death Egg saga]]. The game was originally released in North America on 23 June 1991,<ref name="releaseNA"/> followed by Europe in July<ref name="mm"/> and Japan on the 26th of the same month.<ref name="releaseJP"/> It set up the foundation of the series' unique gameplay style at the time, centered around Sonic's speed. Due to the Mega Drive's 7.67MHz Motorola 68000 processor, the power of the console would allow for faster gameplay—marketed as "Blast Processing"—and impressive 16-bit graphics, making it much more powerful than Sega's preceding console, the [[Sega Master System]]. ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was widely praised by critics and became a massive commercial success, significantly boosting the popularity of the Mega Drive and Sega itself. The game's success allowed Sega to directly compete with [[Nintendo]], particularly with the ''Super Mario'' series, sparking a heated rivalry throughout the 1990s often referred to as the "console wars". ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' has since been ported numerous times to many other consoles and [[:Category:Compilations|compilations]], with some versions featuring additional content and enhancements. One of the most notable is the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)|2013 mobile remaster]], co-developed by [[Christian Whitehead]] and [[Headcannon]], later included as part of ''[[Sonic Origins]]'' (2022). ==Plot== [[File:Sonic1.png|thumb|left|225px|The title screen of ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.|alt=The game's title screen, set in the first stage, Green Hill Zone. At the center is a blue and yellow emblem adorned with stars, white wings on the sides, and the game's name. Sonic is seen in the emblem, looking at the player with a confident expression and wiggling his left index finger.]] The story is set on [[South Island]], known for housing the [[Chaos Emerald]]s, six powerful gemstones that can bring energy to living beings and power weapons of mass destruction. However, nobody knows how to obtain these gems, as South Island is a moving island, with the Emeralds existing within its natural distortions.<ref name="JPManual1">{{Cite manual |fullgame=Sonic the Hedgehog |link=Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)/Manuals#Japanese |system=Sega Mega Drive |language=Japanese |pages=11-12}}</ref> [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]] learns of the Chaos Emeralds' existence and raids South Island to obtain them, capturing the local [[Animals]] to power his [[Badnik]] robots and building the [[Scrap Brain Zone|Scrap Brain]] as his base of operations. His nemesis, [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], immediately rushes to the island to stop him.<ref name="JPManual1" /> He travels through the various [[Zone]]s, freeing the Animals and defeating Eggman on numerous occasions while hunting for the Chaos Emeralds. [[File:FinalZoneBossEggman.png|thumb|225px|left|[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]]'s final battle against [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]].|alt=Screenshot of the game's final stage, fittingly named "Final Zone". Sonic fights against the boss, the Egg Crusher, which is piloted by Eggman.]] Sonic eventually infiltrates the Scrap Brain. After a few setbacks, he engages in a final fight against Eggman in a room armed with the [[Egg Crusher]]. After defeating the doctor, Sonic returns to [[Green Hill]], where he celebrates his victory with the Animals.<ref name="JamGuide">{{Cite book |title=ソニックジャム オフィシャルガイド |publisher=SoftBank |date=2 October 1997 |page=30 |isbn=978-4797303377 |language=Japanese}}</ref> A post-credits sequence will play depending on the player's actions: *If the player did not manage to collect the six Chaos Emeralds, Sonic will give the player an annoyed look for not completing everything, but then proceeds to jump in the front of the camera to do a victory pose, thus ending the game. Meanwhile, Eggman will have secured the remaining Emeralds for himself;<ref name="JamGuide"/> after the credits, he will be shown laughing on a black screen juggling any of the Emeralds the player has not obtained while the text "TRY AGAIN" appears underneath him. *If the player manages to collect all Chaos Emeralds, Sonic will release the Emeralds, which will disappear after filling the entire Zone with large, colorful flowers. Following the credits, a frustrated Eggman is shown comically jumping on the text "END". ==Gameplay== [[File:The beginning.png|thumb|225px|[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] in [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]], the first [[Zone]] in the game.]] ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' is a 2D side-scrolling platform video game. The only playable character here is [[Sonic the Hedgehog]]. The main goal of the game is to get through a series of Acts for different [[Zone]]s in less than ten minutes. When passing through each Act, the player will be contending with different types of enemies called "[[Badnik]]s" and various terrains that have different gimmicks and obstacles along them. The level designs all vary, each with different types of gimmicks and layouts that may differ between Zones. Along the way, the player can earn [[point]]s by collecting items and defeating Badniks. In order to conclude the first two Acts of a Zone, the player has to pass a [[Goal Plate]] at the end of said Acts. To complete the third and final Act of most Zones on the other hand, the player typically has to open a [[Capsule]] at the end of the Act, after a boss fight. Also upon completing an Act, the player's overall score will be tallied, with bonus points being granted based on their performance, these being the number of Rings held after passing the Goal Plate and how fast the player finishes the Act. Sonic's most basic ability is running, which can reach impressive speeds when momentum is build up, allowing him to run through [[loop]]s or up ramps and launch himself high up into the air. For offensive maneuvers, Sonic has a full body rolling maneuver called [[Spin Attack|Super Sonic Spin Attack]] and a spinning jump called the [[Spin Jump|Super Sonic Spin Jump]]. These techniques allow him to destroy breakable objects and enemies. In ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', the gameplay operates on a [[life]] system, while Sonic takes damage when touching a Badnik or hazard or getting attacked by a boss or Badnik. Throughout the Acts however, [[Ring]]s lie scattered about, which Sonic can pick up by simply touching them. Rings give an [[1-Up|extra life]] after collecting 100 or 200 of them, grant [[point]]s and protect the player from taking damage. If Sonic takes damage, he will drop all of his Rings, though some can be recollected before they disappear. Taking damage without any Rings will cost the player a [[life]]. Sonic will also lose a life, regardless of the Rings he holds, if he spends too long underwater without [[Air bubble|replenishing]] his air supply (air underwater lasts for thirty seconds), falls into a [[bottomless pit]], gets smashed to the ground by a [[crusher]], [[drowning]] or [[Time Over|runs out of time]]. [[Star Post]]s act as checkpoints, and the player will respawn in the last one they touched after losing a life, or from the beginning of the Act if they have not passed any Star Post. If a player loses their last life, [[Game Over|the game will end]], but they can keep playing as long as they have obtained [[Continue|Continues]]. Also scattered throughout each Act are [[Item Box]]es which contain various power-ups beneficial to Sonic's performance. If the player has at least fifty Rings on hand at the end of the first or second Act of a Zone, they will be able to enter one of six [[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Special Stages]] through a [[Giant Ring]] that appears above the Goal Plate. Once the player has cleared all six Special Stages, the Giant Rings will no longer appear. If Sonic does not jump in before the Goal Plate stops spinning, he will automatically run off of the screen, preventing the player from entering the Special Stage. At the end of each Act, the player can also jump through the air during the score tallying to find invisible [[Secret Bonus]]es that are added to the score. Beside the game's main goal, the player can also collect the [[Chaos Emerald]]s, which are earned by completing the different Special Stages. Collecting all six Emeralds and completing the [[Final Zone]] will unlock the game's good cinematic ending. ===Scoring system=== {{main|Point#Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)}} ===Controls=== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" !Button formation ![[File:S1-Sonic-Life.png]] Movement |- |{{Directional Pad}} left/right |Walk/Run |- |{{Directional Pad}} up |Look up |- |{{Directional Pad}} down |Look down/[[Crouch]] |- |{{A Button (Sega Genesis)}}/{{B Button (Sega Genesis)}}/{{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} |[[Spin Jump|Super Sonic Spin Jump]] |- |{{Directional Pad}} left/right + {{Directional Pad}} down |[[Spin Attack|Super Sonic Spin Attack]] |- |'''START''' |Pause |} ===Objects=== ====Items==== *[[Air bubble]] {{1st}} *[[Chaos Emerald]] {{1st}} *[[Giant Ring]] {{1st}} *[[Item Box]] {{1st}} **[[1-Up]] {{1st}} **[[Invincible]] {{1st}} **[[Power Sneakers (power-up)|Power Sneakers]] {{1st}} **[[Shield]] {{1st}} **[[Super Ring]] {{1st}} *[[Movable box]] {{1st}} *[[Ring]] {{1st}} ====Gimmicks and obstacles==== {{Div col |colwidth=15em |content= *[[Bomb (obstacle)|Bomb]] {{1st}} *[[Bumper]] {{1st}} *[[Capsule]] {{1st}} *[[Color Block]] {{1st}} *[[Conveyor Belt]] {{1st}} *[[Dropping platform]] {{1st}} *[[Electrical emitter|Electrical shocker]] {{1st}} *[[Elevator]] {{1st}} *[[Fan]] {{1st}} *[[Fireball (obstacle)|Fireball]] {{1st}} *[[Movable box|Floating stone]] {{1st}} *[[Flywheel]] {{1st}} *[[Giant spear]] {{1st}} *[[Goal (obstacle)|Goal]] {{1st}} *[[Goal Plate]] {{1st}} *[[Iron ball]] {{1st}} *[[Jump Stand]] {{1st}} *[[Reverse]] {{1st}} *[[Saw]] {{1st}} *[[Seesaw]] {{1st}} *[[Spikes (obstacle)|Spikes]] {{1st}} *[[Spring]] {{1st}} *[[Star Post]] {{1st}} *[[Switch]] {{1st}} *[[Up and Down (obstacles)|Up and Down]] {{1st}} }} ==Characters== ===Playable characters=== *[[Sonic the Hedgehog]] *[[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails Fox]] (mobile only) *[[Knuckles the Echidna]] (mobile only) ===Non-playable characters=== *[[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]] *[[Animals]] {{1st}} **[[Cucky]] {{1st}} **[[Flicky]] **[[Pecky]] {{1st}} **[[Picky]] {{1st}} **[[Pocky]] {{1st}} **[[Ricky]] {{1st}} **[[Rocky]] {{1st}} ===Enemies=== {{Div col |colwidth=13em |content= *[[Ball Hog]] {{1st}} *[[Batbrain]] {{1st}} *[[Bomb (Badnik)|Bomb]] {{1st}} *[[Burrobot]] {{1st}} *[[Buzz Bomber]] {{1st}} *[[Caterkiller]] {{1st}} *[[Chopper]] {{1st}} *[[Crabmeat]] {{1st}} *[[Jaws]] {{1st}} *[[Moto Bug]] {{1st}} *[[Newtron]] {{1st}} *[[Orbinaut]] {{1st}} **[[Unidasu]] {{1st}} **[[Uni Uni]] {{1st}} *[[Roller]] {{1st}} *[[Spikes (Badnik)|Spikes]] {{1st}} }} ==Zones== ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' has seven [[Zone]]s. The first six of these Zones contain three full-length Acts, with the third having just a battle against a boss. The final Zone only consists of the final boss fight. #[[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]] #[[Marble Zone]] #[[Spring Yard Zone]] #[[Labyrinth Zone]] #[[Star Light Zone]] #[[Scrap Brain Zone]] #[[Final Zone]] ===Special Stages=== {{Main|Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog) (16-bit)}} [[File:Come_to_papa.png|thumb|225px|A Special Stage in ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.]] Should [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] finish the first or second Act of any of the first five [[Zone]]s with at least fifty [[Ring]]s, a [[Giant Ring]] will appear. If the player jumps into it, they will warp into a "[[Special Stage]]", which conceals one of the six [[Chaos Emerald]]s. In these stages, Sonic falls through a series of rotating mazes while constantly [[Spin Attack|spinning]] himself. The player's goal is to guide Sonic through the maze whilst avoiding the deceiving "[[Goal (obstacle)|Goal]]" obstacles that kick them out of the Special Stage empty-handed. Along the way, they will find different gimmicks that might either assist or hinder their process, such as [[Bumper]]s, [[Up and Down (obstacles)|Up and Down]] blocks that change the maze's rotating speed, or [[Reverse]] blocks that make the level revolve clockwise or counterclockwise. [[Color Block]]s that change color and eventually disappear when touched enough times are common as well. At the end of the Special Stage, there is a Chaos Emerald encased in said Color Blocks. The stage will end in a success when Sonic touches the Emerald. There are a total of ten opportunities to get Chaos Emeralds, meaning the player can fail a Special Stage up to four times if all six Emeralds are to be collected before the end of the game. While obtaining the gems is not necessary to progress through the game, it is needed to do so to unlock the good ending. ==Bosses== #[[Egg Wrecker]] ([[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]]) #[[Egg Scorcher]] ([[Marble Zone]]) #[[Egg Stinger (boss)|Egg Stinger]] ([[Spring Yard Zone]]) #[[Egg Mobile (boss)|Egg Mobile]] ([[Labyrinth Zone]]) #[[Egg Spiker]] ([[Star Light Zone]]) #[[Egg Crusher]] ([[Final Zone]]) ==Development== ===Background and conception=== During the late 1980s, [[Sega]] had limited success with the [[Sega Mega Drive]] ports of its games for [[arcade system]]s. Regardless, they sought a stronger foothold against its main competitor, [[Nintendo]].<ref name="lame title">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-sonic|title=Sonic Boom|last=Kennedy|first=Sam|publisher=[[Wikipedia:1Up.com|1Up.com]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604011401/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-sonic|archivedate=4 June 2011|accessdate=24 September 2014}}</ref> Earlier on, in 1988, [[Sega|Sega of Japan]] started an in-house competition to find a character that could stand his ground against Nintendo's [[Mario]]<ref name="megatech">{{cite journal|title=Sonic: A brief history|journal=[[Wikipedia:MegaTech|MegaTech]]|date=20 January 1994|issue=No. 26|page=24|url=https://archive.org/details/mega-tech-26/page/24/mode/2up}}</ref> in a game capable of selling more than 1,000,000 copies. This led to both programmers and designers at Sega specifically working on a brand new character to rival Mario for the next three years.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Feature: When did you get yours?|journal=[[Wikipedia:Mega (magazine)|Mega]]|date=December 1992|issue=4|pages=16–20|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/1/14/Mega_UK_03.pdf#page=18}}</ref> Eventually, in 1990, Sega ordered its [[Wikipedia:List of Sega software development studios|in-house development studio]] to develop a game that involved a mascot for their company.<ref name="alive">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/01/27/sonic-the-hedgehog-vc-review|publisher=[[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]|last=Thomas|first=Lucas M.|date=20 January 2007|title=Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review|accessdate=23 February 2014}}</ref><ref name="retro">{{cite journal|journal=[[Wikipedia:Retro Gamer|Retro Gamer]]|issue=100|date=February 2012|title=The Making of Sonic the Hedgehog|pages=46–49|location=Bournemouth|publisher=[[Wikipedia:Imagine Publishing|Imagine Publishing]]|issn=1742-3155}}</ref> Sega wanted a character to compete with Nintendo's flagship mascot Mario; Sega president [[Hayao Nakayama]] in particular wanted a character as iconic as [[Wikipedia:Mickey Mouse|Mickey Mouse]].<ref name="lame title"/> Sega had previously used [[Alex Kidd]] as their own flagship mascot during the Sega Master System era, but because he was considered too similar to Mario, he was deemed unsatisfactory.<ref name="alive"/> [[File:Sonic1earlyconcept.jpg|thumb|225px|Early drafts of a game called "''Twin Stars''" that would evolve into ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', by [[Naoto Ohshima]]. The two boys with red and blue hair are twin brothers and the protagonists of this game, while the character in the background is a villain called "[[Thirteen]]".<ref name="TwinStars">{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/NaotoOhshima/status/1616849524710068227 |title= Action game draft |work=Twitter |publisher=@NaotoOhshima |date=21 January 2023 |accessdate=21 January 2023 |quote='''[[Naoto Ohshima]]''': I made a draft of the game. An action game about twin brothers who protect the dream world from Nightmare World's boss 'Thirteen'. It evolved into Sonic. 私はゲーム原案書を作った。 ナイトメア世界のボス「サーティーン」から夢の世界を守る双子のアクションゲーム。 ソニックに進化した}}</ref>]] Over time, the team at Sega would develop ideas for characters, an [[Wikipedia:game engine|engine]], and gameplay mechanics. Various characters were proposed to star the game. These included a wolf, a bulldog, a robot, and a warrior character. Around 1989, [[Naoto Ohshima]] also made a concept of a game called "'''''Twin Stars'''''", which saw two brothers protecting a dream world from a dimension known as the "Nightmare World" and a villain called "[[Thirteen]]", who was called that because of the number being [[Wikipedia:13 (number)#Luck|associated]] with misfortune. While this concept was scrapped, aspects such as the smooth terrain, the [[loop]]s, and the speed remained.<ref name="TwinStars"/> ===Creation of Sonic=== As the game development put emphasis on speed in particular, it prompted Sega to consider fast creatures, such as kangaroos and squirrels, while eliminating character designs not associated with fast animals.<ref name="alive"/> One of these ideas involved a rabbit who could grab objects with prehensile ears. It showed potential, but was too complex for the [[Sega Mega Drive]] hardware. Afterward, the team narrowed its search down to animals that could roll into a ball, based on the idea for an attack-based move, which led them to consider armadillos and hedgehogs.<ref name="lame title"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kafka-is-silly.net/sonicworld/angel_island_interviews/interviews/1992/sonic_1992_unknown_1.htm|title=Sega Visions Interview with Yuji Naka|date=October 1992|accessdate=28 June 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010746/http://www.kafka-is-silly.net/sonicworld/angel_island_interviews/interviews/1992/sonic_1992_unknown_1.htm|archivedate=28 September 2007}}</ref> The hedgehog character, which was proposed by Naoto Ohshima,<ref name="retro"/> ultimately prevailed. After that, Ohshima went on vacation to New York, taking sketches with him. There, he went to [[Wikipedia:Central Park|Central Park]], where he would ask locals for their opinions on them, which led to Sonic being deemed the favorite. A man with a mustache, who eventually became [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]], came in second place.<ref>{{Cite web|date=21 March 2018|title=Sonic the Hedgehog's origin story, according to the devs who made him|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/-i-sonic-the-hedgehog-i-s-origin-story-according-to-the-devs-who-made-him|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201110459/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/-i-sonic-the-hedgehog-i-s-origin-story-according-to-the-devs-who-made-him|archivedate=1 February 2022|accessdate=22 February 2022|publisher=[[Wikipedia:Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]}}</ref> [[File:S1 needlemouse super.jpg|thumb|225px|Concept artwork for "Mr. Hedgehog", who would later become [[Sonic the Hedgehog]].]] Initially, Sonic was originally colored teal.<ref name="retro"/> He was later given a light shade of blue, but that got changed to dark blue so he would stand out against certain backgrounds<ref>{{cite web|last=Horowitz|first=Ken|url=http://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/|title=Interview: Mark Cerny|publisher=Sega-16|date=5 December 2006|accessdate=12 October 2014|quote='''[[Mark Cerny]]''': Sonic had been a lighter blue, but he was very hard to see against the ocean backgrounds, so his color was darkened at the last moment.}}</ref> and so that he would match the color of the Sega logo. According to Ohshima, Sonic's basic design was created by combining [[Wikipedia:Felix the Cat|Felix the Cat]]'s head with Mickey Mouse's body.<ref name="facts">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/26/21-crazy-facts-about-sonic-and-the-console-war-he-started|publisher=[[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]|title=21 Crazy Facts About Sonic and the Console War He Started|accessdate=13 February 2014|date=26 June 2014|last=Claiborn|first=Samuel}}</ref> [[Sonic's shoes|His shoes]], on the other hand, had buckles that drew inspiration from [[Michael Jackson]]'s boots on the album cover for ''[[Wikipedia:Bad (album)|Bad]]'' and [[Wikipedia:Santa Claus|Santa Claus]]'s red and white color scheme, whom Ohshima deemed the most "famous character in the world".<ref name="retro"/> Meanwhile, his personality was inspired by then-future president of the United States [[Wikipedia:Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]]'s "get it done" attitude, who Ohshima felt embodied a modern sensibility of wanting to get things done right away, righting wrongs as they presented themselves instead of letting them linger.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Brandon |last=Sheffield |publisher=Gamasutra |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4208/out_of_the_blue_naoto_ohshima_.php?page=2 |title=Out of the Blue: Naoto Ohshima Speaks |accessdate=13 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Yahoo Playback|publisher=Yahoo!|url=http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-94/1380785|title=Yahoo Playback #94|accessdate=13 December 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215060432/http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-94/1380785|archivedate=15 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|publisher=Kotaku|url=http://kotaku.com/5420201/sonics-shoes-inspired-by-michael-jackson|title=Sonic's Shoes Inspired by Michael Jackson|accessdate=15 December 2009}}</ref> According to [[Yuji Naka]], Sonic's color was also meant to symbolize peace, trust, and coolness, which are the attributes of Sonic's character. Sonic's spikes were emphasized to make him look sleeker, and he was given the ability to spin while jumping so that attacking and jumping could be controlled with a single button.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.destructoid.com/review-the-history-of-sonic-the-hedgehog-247079.phtml |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Destructoid|Destructoid]] |title=Review: The History of Sonic The Hedgehog |date=27 February 2013 |last=Ponce |first=Tony |accessdate=11 October 2014}}</ref> This new character was originally named "Mr. Hedgehog",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/nakayuji/status/1353259189389332480|title=Yuji Naka on Twitter|date=24 January 2021|work=Twitter|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124083200/https://twitter.com/nakayuji/status/1353259189389332480|archivedate=24 January 2021|language=Japanese|quote=悔しいのでもう一度挑戦しましたがもっと判らなかった感じです。「セガの看板キャラクターであるソニック。世に出る前に彼に付けられていた名前を選べ」と言う問題が判りませんでした。作った人なのにね。セガい共通テスト受験終了！}}</ref> but the eight-member team<ref>{{cite journal|title=Interview with Yuji Naka: The Creator of Sonic The Hedgehog|journal=Sega Visions|volume=3, no. 9|date=August–September 1992|page=20}}</ref> changed his name to "Sonic" and took the unofficial name [[Sonic Team]].<ref name="lame title"/> Ohshima stated that "Sonic" was chosen because it represented speed.<ref name="OhshimaIntHist">{{Cite book|author=[[Naoto Ohshima]]|year=2013|editor=Les Editions Pix'n Love (ed.)|title=Interview With Naoto Ôshima|chapter=The History Of Sonic The Hedgehog|publisher=UDON Entertainment Corp|pages=96–101|isbn=978-1-926778-96-9}}</ref> However, Sonic was created without the ability to swim because of a mistaken assumption by Naka that all hedgehogs could not do so.<ref name="videogamer swim">{{Cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/revealed_why_sonic_cant_swim.html|title=Revealed: Why Sonic can't swim|date=February 2009|accessdate=27 February 2009}}</ref> Ideas proposed to flesh out the character included placing Sonic in a [[Sonic the Hedgehog Band|rock band]], giving him notable fangs, and giving him a human girlfriend named [[Madonna]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/feature/a798719/14-things-you-didnt-know-about-sonic-the-hedgehog/|title=14 things you didn't know about Sonic the Hedgehog|publisher=Digital Spy|first=Sam|last=Loveridge|date=23 June 2016|accessdate=10 June 2017}}</ref> but [[Sega|Sega of America]] scrapped these ideas to keep his identity simple. Sega of America also expressed concerns that most Americans would not know what a hedgehog is and initially proposed a full-scale recreation of the character. However, compromises with Sonic Team led to them making some simple design changes instead.<ref name="retro"/> Meanwhile, the main antagonist of the game got named "Dr. Eggman" in Japan and "Dr. Robotnik" in other regions due to a dispute between Sega's American and Japanese divisions.<ref name="facts"/> ===Gameplay and programming=== Having completed their protagonist, Sega would turn to Yuji Naka, a programmer who had impressed them with his work on ''[[Wikipedia:Phantasy Star (video game)|Phantasy Star]]'' and the Mega Drive port of ''[[Wikipedia:Ghouls 'n Ghosts|Ghouls 'n Ghosts]]''.<ref name="retro" /> With Naka himself ironically being a fan of ''[[Wikipedia:Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros.]]'', but desired something with a faster gameplay, the game was made to play quickly,<ref name="RGBoom">{{cite journal|journal=Retro Gamer Sega Archives|date=2016|publisher=Imagine Publishing|location=Bournemouth|isbn=978-1-78546-372-3|pages=50–59|title=Sonic Boom: The Success Story Of Sonic The Hedgehog}}</ref> which was where Naka focused most of his effort.<ref name=NakaInt>{{Cite book|author=[[Yuji Naka]]|year=2014|title=Yuji Naka Game Designer|work=Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works|publisher=Read-Only Memory|pages=278-279|isbn=978-0-9575768-1-0}}</ref> Naka explained that the reason he wanted a fast game was that he had ported ''Ghouls 'n Ghosts'', and wanted to work on its movement, but found it slow.<ref name=NakaIntHist>{{Cite book|author=[[Yuji Naka]]|year=2013|editor=Les Editions Pix'n Love (ed.)|title=Interview With Yuji Naka|chapter=The History Of Sonic The Hedgehog|publisher=UDON Entertainment Corp|pages=90–95.|isbn=978-1-926778-96-9}}</ref> The game that would become ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was developed by a team of seven: two programmers, two sound engineers, and three designers,<ref name=NakaIntHist/> although it began with just Naka and Ohshima.<ref name=OhshimaIntHist/> People came onto the team as content for the game increased.<ref name=OhshimaIntHist/> After being assigned a project with the code name "Defeat Mario", Naka and Ohshima began working together on the game. However, they eventually encountered problems: Ohshima's Rabbit proved hard to program. In addition, catching items and throwing them broke the action's rhythm. Furthermore, Naka stated that the rabbit was not suitable for his game engine and that he wanted the game to be playable with only one button. As such, [[Hirokazu Yasuhara]] joined the team to supervise Naka and Ohshima and develop levels. Eventually, his greater experience led to him becoming the game's lead designer. He also found the way to make the game playable with only one button by having Sonic [[Spin Jump|do damage while jumping]]. From there, the trio came up with the idea of Sonic [[Spin Attack|rolling into a ball]]. After the hedgehog character was chosen, many characters were redrawn, and the team agreed on the environments' visual complexity, with particular focus on the colors. After this, four people came onto the team to speed up the development.<ref name="Zone1">{{cite book|editor=Les Editions Pix'n Love|title=The History Of Sonic the Hedgehog|date=2013|publisher=UDON Entertainment Corp|location=Ontario|isbn=978-1-926778-96-9|pages=20–33|chapter=Zone 1 Genesis}}</ref> Because of Mario's popularity, Naka wanted Sonic to take over the American market. Sonic's default speed was set to be that of Mario while running. Tests were run using the Mega Drive's tool library, and problems such as flickering, slow frame rates, and shaky animation soon became apparent. In addition, increasing Sonic's speed caused animation problems. However, Naka would solve this issue by developing an algorithm that would retain fluidity. At the end, all that was left was to optimize the game speed to adhere to the staff's expectations. However, the team noticed that different people had different perceptions of the game's speed: some believed it was too fast, which caused disagreements. Ultimately, it was decided to slow the game's pace down.<ref name="Zone1"/> The gameplay originated with Naka's tech demo, who developed an algorithm allowing a sprite to move smoothly on a curve by determining its position with a [[Wikipedia:dot matrix|dot matrix]]. Naka's prototype ended up involving a platform game with a fast-moving character rolling in a ball through a long, winding tube. This concept would be fleshed out with Ohshima's character designs and levels by Yasuhara.<ref name="Yasuhara">{{Cite journal|author=GI Staff|date=August 2003|title=Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara|journal=[[Wikipedia:Game Informer|Game Informer]]|issue=124|pages=114–116}}</ref> Originally, Yasuhara wanted to work on the game for three months due to the delay of his planned move to the United States by the outbreak of the [[Wikipedia:Gulf War|Gulf War]]. However, he ended up being engrossed in the project for nearly a year.<ref name="Yasuhara"/><ref name="Birth">{{Cite journal|last=Thomason|first=Steve|date=January 2007|title=Birth of a Hedgehog|journal=[[Wikipedia:Nintendo Power|Nintendo Power]]|issue=211|publisher=[[Wikipedia:Future Publishing|Future Publishing]]|page=72}}</ref> His designs for levels were intended to attract both hardcore and casual gamers by integrating occasional challenging set pieces into the mostly accessible level design.<ref name="retro"/> The color scheme was influenced by the work of pop artist Eizin Suzuki, and the aesthetics of [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]] were influenced by the geography of [[Wikipedia:California|California]].<ref name="retro"/> When it came to designing the gameplay, Naka was ironically inspired by [[Wikipedia:Shigeru Miyamoto|Shigeru Miyamoto]], the creator of the ''Super Mario'' games, whose games he had enjoyed playing years earlier. Admiring the simplicity of Miyamoto's mechanics in complex environments, Naka decided that Sonic would be controlled with only a directional pad for movement and a single button for jumping. He also wanted his creation to be more action-oriented than the ''Mario'' series;<ref name="edge">{{Cite journal|title=The Making of ... Sonic The Hedgehog|journal=[[Wikipedia:Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|issue=101|publisher=[[Wikipedia:Future plc|Future Publishing]]|date=September 2001|pages=118–121|issn=1350-1593|quote=Sonic was delivering [the kind of] high speed no other [game] was capable of, and the Mega Drive allowed this stunning demonstration of rotation during the bonus stages. This was said to be impossible on the hardware at the time.}}</ref> while playing ''Super Mario Bros.'', he would wonder why the game's levels could not be cleared faster.<ref name="retro"/> Over time, Naka, Ohshima, and Yasuhara would work nineteen hours a day on the project for several months.<ref name="Yasuhara"/> Due to the need to demonstrate the Sega Mega Drive's technological prowess, the game underwent extensive testing and redesign, which took over six months. According to Naka, the game had the fastest-ever character speed in a video game and a rotation effect in the [[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog) (16-bit)|Special Stages]] that had been considered impossible on the console.<ref name="edge"/> The team originally intended to add a two-player mode displayed via [[Wikipedia:split screen (computer graphics)|split-screen]], but Naka's programming knowledge was not enough to implement it. However, a two-player mode would appear in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'', whereby the second player would control Sonic's sidekick, [[Miles "Tails" Prower]].<ref name="retro"/> Sonic Team also intended to include a [[Sound Test]] with animations of Sonic breakdancing to a band of animal characters, dubbed the [[Sonic the Hedgehog Band]]; including a crocodile keyboardist who was later introduced to the series as [[Vector the Crocodile]] in ''[[Knuckles' Chaotix]]''.<ref name="soundtest">{{cite web|url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/articles/654/654750p5.html|title=Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!|last=Kemps|first=Heidi|date=30 September 2005|publisher=[[Wikipedia:GameSpy|Gamespy]]}}</ref> In the end, the Sound Test was scrapped due to time reasons and Naka used the freed up memory to add the "''Se-ga!''" chant used in TV commercials as a start-up sound.<ref name="soundtest"/> [[File:S1concept-eggman.jpg|thumb|left|225px|One of the concepts for the hero of what eventually would be known as ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. This character would later be slightly modified to become the main antagonist of the game, [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]].]] Unfortunately, Naka's relationship with Sega was tenuous during this time, and he received little credit for his work. He left the company shortly after the game's release, although Sega of America hired him later. Before leaving, however, he defied Sega's prohibition of developer credits by displaying a few names in black text on a black background, identifiable only by looking at the code.<ref name="facts"/> Naka stated that level design was a major challenge: he created maps much wider than normal and tried to ensure players would not get lost. It took him around eight months to develop Green Hill Zone as he kept restarting from scratch.<ref name=NakaInt/><ref name="Zone1"/> He stated that he found the process "very interesting".<ref name=NakaInt/> Naka also stated that the team was trying to create smooth maps, and that implementing looping structures was a challenge because Sonic would break through them instead of running around them. The backgrounds were also a challenge, as the game's speed created the impression of going backwards.<ref name=NakaIntHist /> The [[Zone]]s were based on designs by Naka and Ohshima, with the goal of creating the world's fastest action game. According to Ohshima, Eggman was based on [[Wikipedia:Humpty Dumpty|Humpty Dumpty]].<ref name="OhshimaInt">{{Cite book|author=[[Naoto Ohshima]]|year=2014|chapter=Naoto Ohshima Visual Designer|title=Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works|publisher=Read-Only Memory|pages=328-329|isbn=978-0-9575768-1-0}}</ref> Yasuhara wanted the game to appeal to both Japanese and American players, which led to Green Hill Zone being redesigned many times. Sonic Team also wanted the level to portray the character correctly. Its checkered ground was inspired by 3D image rendering from computers, an idea Naka obtained from Sega developer [[Wikipedia:Yu Suzuki|Yu Suzuki]], who used this technique with ''[[Wikipedia:Space Harrier (video game)|Space Harrier]]''. The team read ''[[Wikipedia:Famitsu Magazine|Famitsu]]'' magazines to stay informed of what their rivals were doing so they could avoid their mistakes.<ref name="Zone1"/> ==Promotional== When it came to the packaging and release, game-package illustrator Akira Watanabe stated that his goal was to make the characters "colorful", using clear lines and [[Wikipedia:Gradation (art)|gradation]] to "finish them neatly".<ref name="Sega illustrations">{{cite book|title=Sega Video Game Illustrations|year=1994|publisher=Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Deutschland) GmbH|isbn=3-910052-50-9}}</ref> According to Watanabe, the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art;... without being particular to conventional packages" – something "original" and "stylish".<ref name="Sega illustrations"/> However, the game was not revealed until the January 1991 International [[Wikipedia:Consumer Electronics Show|Consumer Electronics Show]] because Sega wanted to wait until the right time and because they saw an opportunity to "steal the show". At the show, ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was believed to be the most impressive game shown, and won the CES award for innovation.<ref name="Zone2">{{cite book|title=The History Of Sonic the Hedgehog|date=2013|publisher=UDON Entertainment Corp|location=Ontario|isbn=978-1-926778-96-9|pages=34–41|chapter=Zone 2 A New Face In The Magazines|editor=Les Editions Pix'n Love}}</ref> Sega of America CEO [[Tom Kalinske]] wanted reassurance that ''Sonic'' would not fail. The global head of marketing, Al Nilsen, became involved, and play-tested the game across the United States with ''Mario'' fans: they were shown ''Mario'' and then played ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. Ultimately, 80 percent preferred ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', and the game was shown at the 1991 Summer Consumer Electronics Show.<ref name="Blur">{{cite book|last=Stuart|first=Keith|editor-last=Wall|editor-first=Darren|title=Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works|year=2014|publisher=Read-Only Memory|isbn=978-0-9575768-1-0|pages=20–24|chapter=The Blue Blur}}</ref> Eventually, ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was released in North America on 23 June 1991,<ref name="edge"/> and in [[Wikipedia:PAL region|PAL regions]] and Japan the following month.<ref name="mean">{{Cite journal|last1=Leadbetter|first1=Rich|first2=Paul|last2=Glancey|date=July 1991|url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/152/sonic-the-hedgehog.php|title=Mega Drive Review: Sonic the Hedgehog|journal=[[Wikipedia:Mean Machines|Mean Machines]]|issue=10|pages=42–44|issn=0960-4952|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305061318/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/152/sonic-the-hedgehog.php|archivedate=5 March 2016|accessdate=9 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="Mega Drive Master List – Sega">{{cite web|publisher=[[Sega]]|url=http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/soft.html|title=<nowiki>[</nowiki>セガハード大百科<nowiki>]</nowiki> メガドライブ対応ソフトウェア（セガ発売|language=Japanese|accessdate=18 December 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124020335/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/soft.html|archivedate=24 November 2012}}</ref> In November 1991, Sega of America [[Wikipedia:Pack-in game|packaged it with]] American Genesis consoles,<ref name="Chicago">{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=Dennis|title=Super NES, Sega Genesis in 16-bit duel|url=https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/clip/78009949/super-nes-sega-genesis-in-16-bit-duel/|accessdate=8 September 2021|publisher=[[Wikipedia:Chicago Tribune|Chicago Tribune]]|date=29 November 1991}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=puMDAAAAMBAJ&q=sonic+the+hedgehog&pg=PA76|title=Games for Grown-Ups: Speedy sprites|journal=[[Wikipedia:Popular Mechanics|Popular Mechanics]]|issue=168|publisher=Hearst Magazines|date=December 1991|page=76|accessdate=3 January 2017}}</ref> replacing ''[[Wikipedia:Altered Beast|Altered Beast]]''. This tactic enabled Sega of America to sell fifteen million Sega Genesis units.<ref name="Zone2"/> Genesis owners who bought their consoles before the switch could request free copies of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' by mail.<ref name="edge"/> Sega of America created a marketing campaign, making Sonic its new mascot.<ref name="retro"/> ==Soundtrack== {|class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 35%" |[[File:STH1 Green Hill Zone - Masa's Demo version.ogg|center]] |- |[[File:StH1 Green Hill Zone ~Mega Drive Version~.ogg|center]] |- |style="font-size:80%"|Comparison of Masato Nakamura's original composition for the [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]] track (top) and the in-game rearrangement (bottom). |} Having connections to the music industry, [[Sega]] director Fujio Minegishi suggested that his friend [[Wikipedia:Yūzō Kayama|Yūzō Kayama]] wrote the ''Sonic'' score. However, [[Sonic Team]] did not think Kayama's music would fit, and so commissioned [[Masato Nakamura]], bassist and songwriter of the [[Wikipedia:J-pop|J-pop]] band [[Dreams Come True]].<ref name="retro" /><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ASega_Magazine_JP_Issue_03_199701.pdf&page=11|title=ソニックチーム物語|journal=Sega Magazine|publisher=[[Wikipedia:SB Creative|SoftBank Creative]]|date=January 1997|pages=9–13|language=Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217211118/http://shmuplations.com/sonicteam/|archivedate=17 December 2019}}</ref> Nakamura said he was surprised, as he had just started with Dreams Come True, but accepted as he was inspired by the team's desire to outperform [[Nintendo]]. He also stated that the hardest part was working with the limited number of sounds that could play concurrently: being limited to four, he said that his lack of knowledge of music on computers made it "impossible". Regardless, he wrote the soundtrack concurrently with the Dreams Come True album ''Million Kisses''.<ref name="Zone1" /><ref name="SCentral">{{cite web|url=http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|work=Sonic Central|publisher=[[Sega]]|title=Interview with Masato Nakamura|author=[[Sega|Sega of America]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223022942/http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|archivedate=23 December 2008}}</ref> Nakamura would record his compositions on tape, taking into account the number of audio channels available, before sending them to Sega, where members of the company's sound team, Hiroshi Kubota and [[Yukifumi Makino]], would digitize the soundtrack for the Mega Drive hardware using an [[Wikipedia:Atari ST|Atari ST]] and the program Notator.<ref>{{Cite web|author=[[Masato Nakamura|Nakamura, Masato]]|date=17 February 2021|title="Emerald Hill Zone"! DREAMS COME TRUE|url=https://dreamscometrue.com/masablog/2021/02/17/27025|accessdate=24 May 2021|publisher=[[Dreams Come True]]}}</ref><ref name="strafefox">{{Cite web |author = strafefox |date = 23 September 2022 |title = The Making of Sonic the Hedgehog |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69AOVtOUatY |work = YouTube |accessdate = 20 August 2023}}</ref> Makino did the final tweaking of the tracks with Nakamura, and would contribute by making the game's iconic jingles, like the one when an extra [[life]] is obtained and the infamous [[drowning]] countdown one.<ref name="strafefox" /> The main theme of the game, which would play, among others, on the title screen, would be reused in several subsequent games in the ''Sonic'' series and would remain as its hallmark. In addition, another popular song from the game would be the theme for [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]], which would be reused and remixed for several other games in the series. [[File:Sonic1&2 soundtrack front.png|thumb|225px|right|The album cover for ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 1&2 Soundtrack]]''.]] In 2011, twenty years after the release of ''Sonic 1'', a three-disc compilation of music from the game and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' was released in Japan as the album ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 1&2 Soundtrack]]''. The first disc featured original tracks from both games, the second contained Nakamura's demo recordings before they were programmed into the Sega Mega Drive, and the third had songs by Dreams Come True and their associated [[Akon]] remixes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://store.universal-music.co.jp/fs/artist/pocs21032|publisher=Universal Music Japan|title=中村正人 from DREAMS COME TRUE / ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ1&2 サウンドトラック【CD】|language=Japanese|accessdate=20 February 2015}}</ref> ==Achievements== These are the achievements which add to the player's Gamerscore on the [[Xbox 360|Xbox Live Arcade]] and [[PlayStation 3|PlayStation Network]] versions of ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. {|class="wikitable" !Icon !Name !Requirements !Trophy Class !Gamescore |- |[[Image:Clear Green.jpg]] |Clear Green |Clear [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]]. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |5 |- |[[Image:Star Light Zone.jpg]] |Star Light Zone |Get to [[Star Light Zone]]. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |5 |- |[[Image:Spring Yard Zone.jpg]] |Spring Yard Zone |Get to [[Spring Yard Zone]]. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |7 |- |[[Image:Labyrinth Zone.jpg]] |Labyrinth Zone |Get to [[Labyrinth Zone]]. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |8 |- |[[Image:Fast Green.jpg]] |Fast Green |Beat [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]] Act 1 in under 35 seconds. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |10 |- |[[Image:Chaos Emerald.jpg]] |Chaos Emerald |Get one [[Chaos Emerald]]. |{{PSN Trophy Silver}} |10 |- |[[Image:Centurion.jpg]] |Centurion |Get 100 or more [[Ring]]s. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |10 |- |[[Image:Fast Marble.jpg]] |Fast Marble |Beat [[Marble Zone]] Act 1 in under 80 seconds. |{{PSN Trophy Bronze}} |15 |- |[[Image:Win.jpg]] |Win |Beat the game. |{{PSN Trophy Silver}} |25 |- |[[Image:Fast Win.jpg]] |Fast Win |Beat the game in under 40 minutes. |{{PSN Trophy Silver}} |30 |- |[[Image:Chaos Master.jpg]] |Chaos Master |Get all the [[Chaos Emerald]]s. |{{PSN Trophy Silver}} |35 |- |[[Image:Perfect Win.jpg]] |Perfect Win |Beat the game without dying. |{{PSN Trophy Gold}} |40 |} ==Promotion== Sega sponsored the "Wonder 3" tour of ''[[Dreams Come True]]'', painting Sonic on the tour bus, distributing pamphlets advertising the game, and having footage of the game broadcast above stage prior to its release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|work=Sonic Central|publisher=[[Sega]]|title=Masato Nakamura interview|format=Flash|accessdate=7 February 2006|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223022942/http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|archivedate=23 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="SCentral"/> ==Cheat codes== *'''[[Level Select]]''': At the title screen, press {{Directional Pad}} ↑ ↓ ← → then hold {{A Button (Sega Genesis)}} and press '''Start'''.<ref group="note" name="cheats">Does not work on the [[Xbox 360|Xbox Live Arcade]] or [[PlayStation 3|PlayStation Network]] version of the game, nor in the unlockable mini-game in the [[Xbox 360]] version of ''[[Sonic Generations]]''.</ref> *'''[[Debug Mode]]''': At the title screen, press {{Directional Pad}} ↑ {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} ↓ {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} ← {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} → {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} (or {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} {{C Button (Sega Genesis)}} ↑ ↓ ← →) '''Start''' then hold {{A Button (Sega Genesis)}} until the game starts.<ref group="note" name="cheats" /> ==Adaptations== [[File:Sonic The Hedgehog -288.jpg|thumb|225px|The regular cover of [[Archie Comics|Archie]]'s [[Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 288|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #288]].]] Numerous adaptations and references to ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' have been made in several spin-offs series for the [[Sonic the Hedgehog series|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series]]. In the games initial release, two separate tie-in comic books were produced. Sega Of America commissioned a one-off promotional comic simply called ''Sonic The Hedgehog'' #1 (often referred to as the ''Sonic The Hedgehog Promo Comic'' to prevent confusion with the later Archie Comics Sonic series), which used the old internal ''[[Sonic Bible]]'' as the foundation for it's story but had no involvement whatsoever from Sonic Team and features significant differences in story from the canon lore of the games, most notably with the backstory of Dr. Robotnik/Eggman within. A separate one-off manga adaptation, called ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic]]'', was released solely in Japan, and sticks closer to the tone and story of the game despite having its own divergences (and has no ties to later manga adaptations of the Sonic series). It has been stated that the events of the Promo Comic have taken place in the ''[[Sonic the Comic]]'' series published by [[Fleetway Editions]], while otherwise did not directly adapt the events of the first game due to its later release date. The events of the Promo Comic are directly referenced in [[Sonic the Comic Issue 26|''Sonic the Comic'' #26]], "Kintobor spelled backwards is...". An adaptation of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was later made in the ''[[Sonic X (comic series)|Sonic X]]'' comic series published by [[Archie Comics]] in [[Archie Sonic X Issue 10|''Sonic X'' #10]]-[[Archie Sonic X Issue 11|#11]], as part of the "No Thanks for the Memories!" storyline. Unlike in the original game however, this adaptation takes place within a virtual world. Archie Comics later made another adaptation of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' as part of their "[[Sonic: Genesis|Genesis]]" arc, in [[Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 226|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #226]]-[[Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 227|#227]]. It has also been stated that the events of the game have taken place within the [[post-Super Genesis Wave timeline]]. An adaptation of the game's events in that timeline was later made in [[Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 288|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #288]] as the first part of the "Genesis of a Hero" storyline. ==Reception== {{Video game reviews |GR = 90.14%<ref name="gr">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/454495-sonic-the-hedgehog/index.html|title=Sonic the Hedgehog for Genesis|publisher=[[Wikipedia:GameRankings|GameRankings]]|accessdate=23 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309165303/http://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/454495-sonic-the-hedgehog/index.html|archivedate=9 March 2009}}</ref> |IGN = 8/10<ref name="IGN">{{Cite web|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2007/01/27/sonic-the-hedgehog-vc-review|title=Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|publisher=[[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]|date=26 January 2007|accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref> |GSpot = 7.3/10<ref name="Gamespot>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-review/1900-6162058/|title=Sonic the Hedgehog Review|first=Greg|last=Casavin|publisher=[[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]]|date=19 November 2006|accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref> |CVG = 94%<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Boone|first1=Tim|last2=Rand|first2=Paul|title=Review: Sonic the Hedgehog|journal=Computer and Video Games|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/5e/CVG_UK_117.pdf#page=16|pages=16-19|issue=117|date=August 1991}}</ref> |EGM = 9/10<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Review Crew: Sonic the Hedgehog|journal=[[wikipedia:Electronic Gaming Monthly|Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/4/4b/EGM_US_024.pdf#page=24|pages=24|issue=24|date=July 1991}}</ref> |NLife = 8/10 {{C|[[Wii]]}}<ref name="NLife">{{Cite web|last=Dillard|first=Corbie|title=Sonic the Hedgehog Review (MD)|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2006/11/sonic_the_hedgehog_virtual_console|publisher=NintendoLife|date=19 November 2006|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128220327/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2006/11/sonic_the_hedgehog_virtual_console|archivedate=28 November 2019}}</ref> |BeepMD = 9.25/10<ref>{{Cite journal|title=BE Mega Dog Race: ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ|journal=[[wikipedia:Gemaga|Beep! Mega Drive]]|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/60/BeepMD_JP_1991-08.pdf#page=35|pages=33|volume=3|date=August 1991|language=Japanese}}</ref> |SPower = 97%<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Mega Drive: Sonic the Hedgehog|journal=[[wikipedia:Sega Power|Sega Power]]|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/8/85/SegaPower_UK_22.pdf#page=9|pages=9-11|issue=22|date=September 1991}}</ref> |MM = 92%<ref name="mm">{{Cite journal|title=Megadrive Review: Sonic the Hedgehog|journal=[[wikipedia:Mean Machines|Mean Machines]]|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/b/bb/MeanMachines_UK_10.pdf#page=42|pages=42-44|issue=10|date=July 1991}}</ref> |rev1 = ''[[wikipedia:Entertainment Weekly|Entertainment Weekly]]'' |rev1Score = A+<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strauss|first=Bob|title=Sonic The Hedgehog|url=https://ew.com/article/1991/08/23/sonic-hedgehog/|publisher=[[wikipedia:Entertainment Weekly|Entertainment Weekly]]|date=23 August 1991}}</ref> |award1Pub = [[wikipedia:Golden Joystick Awards|Golden Joystick Awards]] |award1 = Overall Game of the Year<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Douglas|first=Jim|title=News: Luvvies! Dahlings!|journal=[[wikipedia:The One (magazine)|The One]]|url=https://archive.org/stream/theone-magazine-44/TheOne_44_May_1992#page/n16/mode/1up|pages=17|issue=44|date=May 1992}}</ref> |award2Pub = ''[[wikipedia:Electronic Gaming Monthly|Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' |award2 = Best Game of the Year<ref>{{Cite journal|title=EGM's Best and Worst 1991|journal=Electronic Gaming Monthly|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/e/e5/EGM_US_BuyersGuide_1992.pdf#page=60|pages=60,61|issue=1992 Video Game Buyer's Guide|date=January 1992}}</ref> }} The original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was very well received by critics, scoring 90.14% on [[Wikipedia:GameRankings|GameRankings]].<ref name="gr"/> The game was an instant success that allowed Sega to wrap their video game business around and have a potential platformer to compete with [[Nintendo]]'s ''Super Mario'' franchise.<ref name="NLife"/> The gameplay, audio and graphics were praised by reviewers. [[wikipedia:IGN|IGN]] reviewer Lucas M. Thomas gave ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' an 8/10, praising the simple but fast gameplay, the soundtrack and commended that "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. The technical achievement impressed back in '91, and still does so today."<ref name="IGN"/> [[wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] reviewer Greg Kasavin gave the game a 7.3/10, praising the great soundtrack and memorable sound effects, the fast-paced, responsive platformer action and cute, colorful graphics that have a good deal of charm and personality, although he felt that the later levels can get frustrating tough, requiring meticulous memorization.<ref name="Gamespot"/> ''Mean Machines'' called the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' "the best platform game on the Megadrive!"<ref name="mm"/> ''[[wikipedia:Sega Power|Sega Power]]''{{'}}s rating of 97% was their highest score as of September 1991, ending their review by stating that, "if you're a Master System owner, then by{{sic}} a Mega Drive just for this!" ==Re-releases== {|class="wikitable" !Image !Title !Platform !Description |- |[[File:Sonic Classics 3 in 1 - Sega Genesis.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Compilation]]''<br/>(later re-released as ''Sonic Classics'') |rowspan="4"|[[Sega Mega Drive]] |Included along with ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' and ''[[Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine]]'' in 1995. |- |[[File:Sega Classic.png|70px]] |N/A |Re-released in 1995 in a new package under a "Sega Classics" logo. |- |[[File:Mega6.jpg|70px]] |''[[Mega 6 Volume 3]]'' |Released in 1995 consisting of six [[Sega]] games, one of which was ''Sonic the Hedgehog.'' |- |[[File:SixPackNA.jpg|70px]] |''[[6-Pak]]'' |Released in 1996 consisting of six [[Sega]] games, one of which was ''Sonic the Hedgehog.'' |- |[[File:Arcade title screen.png|70px]] |N/A |[[Arcade system|Arcade]] |This was one of the games adapted for release in arcades using MegaPlay and MegaTech technology in 1993. The game is almost identical to the console version, except each Act has a strict time limit before the player loses a life, Sonic cannot enter Special Stages, all of [[Marble Zone]], all of [[Labyrinth Zone]], and [[Scrap Brain Zone]]'s Act 3 have been removed, and a high score table is added after a [[Game Over]] or defeating the [[Egg Crusher]]. |- |[[File:Sonic Jam USA Cover.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Jam]]'' |[[Sega Saturn]] |Playable in the 1997 game, with a new [[Spin Dash]] option being added that also changes the mechanics of spikes to the same as the later REV01 release. |- |[[File:Sega Smash Pack (DreamCast).jpg|70px]] |''[[Sega Smash Pack Volume 1]]'' |[[Dreamcast]] |Included in this compilation that released in 2001. |- |[[File:Sega Genesis Collection.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sega Genesis Collection]]'' |[[PlayStation 2]]/[[PlayStation Portable]] |Released in 2006, including 28 different [[Sega Mega Drive]] games. |- |[[File:Sonic mega collection.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'' |[[Nintendo GameCube]] |Released in 2002. |- |[[File:Sonic Mega Collection plus.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' |[[PlayStation 2]]/[[PC]]/[[Xbox]] |Released in 2004. |- |[[File:Sonic Mega Collection Plus, Super Monkey Ball Deluxe 2 in 1 combo pack.jpg|70px]] |''[[2 in 1 Combo Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus/Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]'' |[[Xbox]] |Released in 2005. |- |[[File:Gc sonic gems collection p o5pa9w.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Gems Collection]]'' |[[Nintendo GameCube]]/[[PlayStation 2]] |Includes only the final boss of this game in the museum mode. If the [[Final Zone]] is beaten in under the time limit, the player can continue on to the beginning of the game until the timer runs out. |- |[[File:Sonic1-2005-cafe-title.png|70px]] |''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2005 Sonic Cafe)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |rowspan="2"|Mobile |In 2005, this game was ported to mobile phones and was offered on the ''[[Sonic Cafe]]'' service in Japan. |- |[[File:Sth Mobile 2.PNG|70px]] |''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile]]'' |An emulated version of the game that was released for download on Mobile phones in 2005, under the ''[[Sega Mobile]]'' banner. However, the game is split into two parts. Part 1 contains the first three zones, while Part 2 contains the last three. |- |[[File:Sega Mega drive collection 1.JPG|70px]] |''Sega Mega Drive Collection Vol. 1'' |rowspan="2"|Play TV Legends |This is a game console which is part of the Play TV Legends plug-and-play series. It has six built-in games that can be played when the console is connected to the TV, with the title game being ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. This was released in Europe and the United States in 2005. |- |[[File:Super Sonic Gold.jpg|70px]] |''Super Sonic Gold'' |This is a console that has four built in games and no cartridge slot. Released in the United States and Europe in 2005. |- |[[File:Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis]]'' |[[Game Boy Advance]] |While it added [[Spin Dash]] and save features, the port is considered to be extremely poor quality due to incompetent programming. |- |[[File:Sth iPod.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (iPod)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |[[Wikipedia:IPod|iPod]] |[[iTunes]] released a "Click Wheel Game" version of the game for download under the [[Sega Mobile]] banner. It was compatible with the iPod Nano (3rd, 4th, 5th Generation) and iPod classic (5th Generation). Not to be confused with the iOS port. |- |[[File:Sonic iphone.png|70px]] |rowspan="4"|N/A |[[iOS]] |Ported to [[iOS]] in May 2009. This version's distribution has been discontinued, replaced by [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)|an entirely different port]] using the [[Retro Engine]]. |- |[[File:Sonic download.jpg|70px]] |[[Wii]] |Available for download on the [[Wii]]'s Virtual Console. |- |[[File:Boxsonichedgehog.jpg|70px]] |[[Xbox 360]] |Available for download on the [[Xbox 360]]'s Xbox Live Arcade service, released on 7 November 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Xbox LIVE Arcade: Sonic The Hedgehog|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080715142112/http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/games/s/sonicxboxlivearcade/default.htm|archivedate=15 July 2008|publisher=Xbox|url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/sonicxboxlivearcade/default.htm}}</ref> As of 20 May 2022, the game has been delisted from the service.<ref name="Delisted">{{Cite web|title=Standalone Sonic titles to be delisted May 20th ahead of Sonic Origins release|url=https://delistedgames.com/standalone-sonic-titles-to-be-delisted-may-20th-ahead-of-sonic-origins-release/|work=Delisted Games|date=20 May 2022|accessdate=2 August 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802142714/https://delistedgames.com/standalone-sonic-titles-to-be-delisted-may-20th-ahead-of-sonic-origins-release/|archivedate=2 August 2022}}</ref> |- |[[File:Sonic1PlaySEGA.jpg|70px]] |Browser |Made available for the [[PlaySega]] browser game service on 4 December 2008.<ref name="PlaySega"/> |- |[[File:SUGC boxart.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]'' |[[PlayStation 3]]/[[Xbox 360]] |Released in 2009. |- |[[File:SonicPCCollection.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic PC Collection]]'' |[[PC]] |Released in only New Zealand and Australia in 2009. This compilation includes ''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'', which features ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. |- |[[File:SCC FRONT 12 2 lrg.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sonic Classic Collection]]'' |[[Nintendo DS]] |Released in 2010. |- |[[File:Mega-Drive Classic Collection Volume 1 (UK).jpg|70px]] |''[[Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection - Volume 1]]'' |[[PC]] |This collection includes a total of ten classic [[Sega]] titles. |- |[[File:Sonic1 PS3 Icon.jpg|70px]] |rowspan="2"|N/A |[[PlayStation 3]] |Available for download on the PlayStation Network service. Available to PlayStation Plus Members (for Free) from 1 March to 5 April 2011. Available to regular users on 29 March 2011. As of 20 May 2022, the game has been delisted from the service.<ref name="Delisted"/> |- |N/A |[[Android]] {{C|Kyocera Echo only}} |Available for download on Kyocera Echo via G-Gee by Gmo. It was available for free (including other games by G-Gee and Sega's Super Monkey Ball) for a short period of time. |- |[[File:Gens.png|70px]] |''[[Sonic Generations]]'' |[[Xbox 360]]/[[PlayStation 3]] |Playable from the hub world, being unlocked after a Genesis controller is purchased from the Skill Shop. This version keeps track of time (similar to the release of ''[[Sonic Jam]]''). In addition, a new bonus feature can be unlocked via the Skill Shop - infinite continues. The Xbox 360 version lacks the level select code, but the PlayStation 3 version has it intact. It is removed from the PC version in favor of slightly enriching the core game experience. |- |[[File:VC3DS 3DSonic1.png|70px]] |''[[3D Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |rowspan="2"|[[Nintendo 3DS]] |As a celebration of the [[Sega Mega Drive]]'s 25th anniversary in Japan, Sega released another port of the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', which is part of series of Mega Drive games re-released to take advantage of 3D. The port also features Spin Dash as an optional move, [[Level Select|Stage Select feature]], input settings, sound settings, the option to toggle the original revisions, and separate display settings with stereoscopic sense to create a 3D experience. It was released in Japan on 15 May 2013,<ref>{{Cite web|title=3D Sonic the Hedgehog|publisher=[[Sega]]|url=http://archives.sega.jp/3d/sonic/}}</ref> and in North America and PAL Regions on 5 December 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sega 3D Classics Confirmed for Western Release|url=http://www.sonicstadium.org/2013/07/sega-3d-classics-confirmed-for-western-release/|publisher=Sonic Stadium|date=19 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tssznews.com/2013/12/05/3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-altered-beast-hits-domestic-eshop/|title=3D Sonic the Hedgehog Altered Beast Hits Domestic eShop|publisher=TSSZ News}}</ref> |- |[[File:Sega-3d-classics-collection-656x584.jpg|70px]] |''[[Sega 3D Classics Collection]]'' |This compilation title takes advantage of stereoscopic 3D to create a unique experience. |- |[[File:Sonic-1-Android-1.png|70px]] |''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |[[iOS]]/[[Android]] |Developed by [[Christian Whitehead]] and [[Headcannon]], this remastered edition of the original game runs on [[Retro Engine]] and includes several new features; an optional [[Spin Dash]], [[Miles "Tails" Prower]] and [[Knuckles the Echidna]] being playable characters, and an expanded Level Select and Debug Mode. |- |[[File:Sonic_the_Hedgehog_-_Sega_Ages.png|70px]] |''[[Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |[[Nintendo Switch]] |Re-released as part of the Sega AGES line for the Nintendo Switch, this version includes some features such as the [[Spin Dash]] and [[Drop Dash]] from ''[[Sonic Mania]]'', along with two new modes: Ring Keep Mode and Time Attack. It was released on 20 September 2018. |- |N/A |N/A |[[Tesla Arcade]]<ref name="Tesla Arcade">{{cite web|url=https://www.sonicstadium.org/2021/12/soon-teslas-will-be-able-to-play-sonic-1-for-some-reason/?unapproved=305649&moderation-hash=4d4e5341c63a67352001184ff3ed967f#comment-305649|title=Soon, Teslas Will Be Able To Play Sonic 1 For Some Reason|date=14 December 2021|publisher=Sonic Stadium|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref> |On 12 December 2021, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' would be coming to Tesla infotainment systems.<ref name="Elon Musk">{{cite web|url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/269264/20211212/tesla-evs-feature-sonic-hedgehog-infotainment-elon-musk-mocking-sen.htm |title=Tesla EVs to Feature 'Sonic, the Hedgehog' on Infotainment Says Elon Musk, After Mocking Sen. Sanders|first=Isaiah|last=Richard|date=12 December 2021|publisher=Tech Times|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="Model S and X">{{cite web|url=https://game-news24.com/2021/12/13/you-can-play-the-hedgehog-in-teslas/|title=You can play the Hedgehog in Teslas|date=13 December 2021|publisher=Game-News24|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref> The inclusion of the game is part of the partnership between Sega and Tesla, as the game would be available in all Tesla models around the world via the built-in display screen in conjunction with a handheld controller connected through the car's USB ports.<ref name="Tesla">{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendoenthusiast.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-1-tesla-cars-sega-partnership/|title=Sonic the Hedgehog 1 is coming to Tesla cars via Sega partnership|first=John|last=Friscia|date=14 December 2021|publisher=Nintendo Enthusiast|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref> The port was released on 22 December 2021 in limited form during the Tesla's 2021 holiday update.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://teslanorth.com/2021/12/22/first-look-sonic-the-hedgehog-in-tesla-arcade/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223030633/https://teslanorth.com/2021/12/22/first-look-sonic-the-hedgehog-in-tesla-arcade/|date=22 December 2021|archivedate=23 December 2021|title=First Look: Sonic the Hedgehog in Tesla Arcade|publisher=Tesla North|last=Lee-Jones|first=Sarah|accessdate=27 December 2021}}</ref> |- |[[File:Sonic-Origins-Cover.png|75px]] |''[[Sonic Origins]]'' | rowspan="2" |[[Xbox Series X and Series S]]/[[Xbox One]]/[[PlayStation 5]]/[[PlayStation 4]]/[[Nintendo Switch]]/[[PC]] ([[Steam]]/[[Epic Games Store]]) |Released on 23 June 2022 to celebrate the [[Sonic the Hedgehog series|''Sonic'' series]]' [[Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary|30th anniversary]]. In addition to a remaster version of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', this game in the compilation contains additional modes, new cutscenes, and [[Mission (Sonic Origins)|Missions]]. Additionally, the game includes [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]], [[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails]], and [[Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles]] as playable characters, and the [[Drop Dash]] for Sonic. |- |[[File:SO Plus Key art.jpeg|75px]] |''[[Sonic Origins Plus]]'' |An expanded re-release of ''Sonic Origins''. Now featuring [[Amy Rose]] as a playable character & all the ''Sonic'' [[Sega Game Gear|Game Gear]] titles. Released on 23 June 2023 (exactly one year after the original version). Unlike ''Sonic Origins'', ''Sonic Origins Plus'' was released physically and digitally. |} ==Trivia== *There are two versions of the game. The revision is common in Japan, but contrary to popular belief it was also released worldwide in smaller quantities. This update makes some very minor changes to the game's programming, as well as adds some visual effects such as scrolling clouds in [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]] or [[water]] ripples in [[Labyrinth Zone]]. It also corrects the [[Zone]] order on the [[Level Select]]. The later version of the game is used for most subsequent re-releases. In addition, the scrolling clouds return in most appearances of Green Hill Zone.[[File:Chaos emeralds.PNG|thumb|111x111px|The six Chaos Emeralds.]] *The iconic boxart for the US release of the game was created by illustrator [[Greg Wray]], though the work is sometimes misattributed to the late illustrator [[Greg Martin]], who has a similar illustration style to Wray and likewise drew various illustrations for the box artwork of the US Sonic games. The Japanese box artwork was illustrated by Akira Watanabe, who based his rendering off of a sketch by Naoto Oshima. *Due to the way memory is stored in the ''[[6-Pak]]'' and ''[[Sonic Compilation|Sonic Classics]]'' cartridge rereleases of the game, regular Game Genie codes for ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' will not work with those specific releases. A distinct set of codes is required instead. *While the majority of the games soundtrack was composed by [[Masato Nakamura]], there are three distinct exceptions: Yukifumi Makino (credited as "Macky"), composed the iconic 1-Up, Drowning and Chaos Emerald jingles. *''Sonic the Hedgehog'' only featured six Chaos Emeralds, as the seventh emerald (turquoise) was introduced in the [[Sonic the Hedgehog 2|sequel]]. Therefore, [[super transformation]] did not yet officially exist in the original release. However, in [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)|Android re-release ports]] of this game, this emerald was added, allowing Sonic to be able to transform into [[Super Sonic]]. This also applies to [[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails]] and [[Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles]], as they themselves and their respective Super States are included in the 2013 remaster. **The Sonic The Hedgehog Promo Comic does allude to the existence of a 7th Emerald, even though the comic was made well before Sonic 2 entered production, and no such Emerald existed in the first game at the time. *The original cartridge release of ''Sonic The Hedgehog'' does not have an age rating, as it predates the creation of both Sega's short-lived [[Videogame Rating Council]] (VRC) and the ESRB rating system. Rereleases of the game would graft the ESRB's K-A (Kids To Adults) rating and it's successor (E for Everyone) onto it. **Strangely, the PlayStation Network port of the game was rated E10+ by the ESRB. However, that was changed to an E rating in 2013. *The original US manual for the game mistakenly implies in its story synopsis that Sonic The Hedgehog's speed comes solely from his "Power Sneakers", even though there is absolutely no evidence in the games, whether in the Western or Japanese branch of the series, or any adaptation thereof, that this was ever the case. Sonic Team have confirmed that Sonic was born with his speed as a natural ability. Note that the Japanese manual for the game makes no mention of this peculiar bit of lore. However, it is likely that the writer of the manual simply made the mistake of assuming that the Speed-Up Shoes Monitor (which does make Sonic go even faster) was the source of Sonic's speed, or simply used poor phrasing that wasn't meant to imply that it was the actual source of his speed. *A very common misconception is that Sonic's preliminary design sketch was named "Mr. Needlemouse", which became a common running joke among Sonic aficiandos and even Sega themselves. However, Yuji Naka later clarified that the name was an overly literal mistranslation of the Japanese word for "Hedgehog" (ハリネズミ, or Harinezumi) and that the original name was actually "Mr. Hedgehog". *Rui Sousa holds the world high score record for ''Sonic the Hedgehog'': 1,559,180. He achieved this on 21 March 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Highest Score In "Sonic The Hedgehog" With Five-Life Limit (Sega Genesis)|url=https://recordsetter.com/world-record/highest-score-sonic-tthe-hedgehog-five-life-limit-sega-genesis/40618?autoplay=true|publisher=Record Setter|date=21 March 2015}}</ref> *Curiously, [[Scrap Brain Zone]] Act 3 and [[Final Zone]] do not reward players with extra [[Point#Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)|Point]]s in the original cartridge release--Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 simply ends with a quick transition to Final Zone, and the game quickly cuts to the ending after Robotnik's defeat. The Time Trial versions of the levels in the ''[[Sonic Origins]]'' remaster rectify this. *Despite the games manual enticing players with a massive 50,000 point bonus if they complete a level in under 30 seconds, there are many levels in the game that are impossible to complete in such a short time without--or in some cases even with--exploiting glitches and cheats such as Debug Mode. Final Zone is a notable example, as there is no known way to defeat Robotnik in any time shorter than over a minute. *There are 4,093 [[Rings]] total dispersed throughout the games Acts and Special Stages in the original cartridge release. The Sonic Jam port would add a few more Rings to Final Zone if a certain difficulty setting is selected. *In the G4 special ''Top 100 Video Games of All Time'', the game was ranked at #50.<ref>{{Cite web|title=#50 Sonic the Hedgehog (Top 100 Video Games of All Time)|work=YouTube|date=21 May 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz7hBxtZU2E}}</ref> *The game was listed in the book ''1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die''. In addition, ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' and ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' were also listed.<ref>{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223164410/http://www.listology.com/adambc13/list/1001-video-games-you-must-play-you-die|archivedate=23 February 2011|date=21 February 2011|author=AdamBC13|title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die|url=http://www.listology.com/adambc13/list/1001-video-games-you-must-play-you-die}}</ref> *The release date of this game, 23 June, is also the canonical [[Sonic's birthday|birthday]] of [[Sonic the Hedgehog]] himself. *The Spanish and Italian translation present in the European manual of ''Sonic The Hedgehog'' erroneously call Sonic a porcupine. *So far, this is the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog series|Sonic]]'' game with the most ports and re-releases, with more than a dozen of them. *Differing from the gameplay, all of [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]]'s appearences on the American artworks for the game have him lacking glasses, and instead depicting him with beady black eyes, with an additional lack of gloves. This design would continue on in western artworks for later classic ''Sonic'' games and other western ''Sonic'' media, and specifically using the black eyes in [[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog|all]] [[Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)|three]] [[Sonic Underground|cartoons]]. *Although the European cover of the game depicts Dr. Eggman with his Japanese design, later Sonic artworks in said continent would use the same one as the American. ==Videos== <tabber> US commercial #1 = [[File:Sega Genesis Sonic Commercial (1991)|350px|left]] |-| US commercial #2 = [[File:Sonic the Hedgehog commercial (SEGA Genesis)|350px|left]] |-| US commercial #3 = [[File:Sonic the Hedgehog 'The hot new game from Genesis games' commercial|350px|left]] |-| Japanese commercial #1 = [[File:Japanese commercial 1|350px|left]] |-| Japanese commercial #1 (short version) = [[File:メガドライブ ソニックザヘッジホッグCM 1991年 60fps|350px|left]] |-| Japanese commercial #2 = [[File:Sonic The Hedgehog Japanese Commercial (1991)|350px|left]] |-| Japanese commercial #3 (Mega Drive Bundle) = [[File:Sega Mega Drive Sonic The Hedgehog 1 Bundle Japanese TV AD 1991|350px|left]] |-| UK commercial = [[File:SEGA UK TV Ad - Sonic The Hedgehog|350px|left]] |-| French commercial = [[File:Sonic the Hedgehog French Commercial|350px|left]] |-| Toys "R" Us commercial = [[File:Toys-R-Us Sonic the Hedgehog Commercial 1991|350px|left]] </tabber> {{-}} ==Notes== {{Notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{Sonic 1 info}} {{Sonic games}} {{Italic title}} [[de:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[es:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[fr:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[it:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)]] [[ja:ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ (1991年のゲーム)]] [[lt:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[nl:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[pl:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[pt:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[pt-br:Sonic the Hedgehog (jogo eletrônico de 1991)]] [[ru:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-бит)]] [[sr:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[uk:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)]] [[zh:刺猬索尼克(1991)]] [[Category:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)| ]] [[Category:1991]] [[Category:2D platformers]] [[Category:Arcade games]] [[Category:Games developed by Sonic Team]] [[Category:PlaySega games]] [[Category:PlayStation Network games]] [[Category:Rated E games]] [[Category:Sega Mega Drive games]] [[Category:Steam games]] [[Category:Wii Virtual Console games]] [[Category:Xbox LIVE Arcade games]] [[Category:PlayStation Now games]]
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