Sonic the Hedgehog

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Template:Sonic the Hedgehog infobox

What you see is what you get! Just a guy that loves adventure! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!


— Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Adventure 2 File:QuotSonic.ogg

Sonic the Hedgehog (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ Sonikku za Hejjihoggu?) is the titular main protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series and Sega's mascot. He is an anthropomorphic hedgehog known for his ability to run faster than the speed of sound, hence his name. As his species implies, Sonic can also roll up into a concussive ball, primarily to attack enemies.

Born on Christmas Island, Sonic abandoned his home at an early age to pursue a life of adventures. He has spent most of his life traveling around the world and beyond, usually accompanied by his best friend, Tails. In his journeys, he has defended his world and others from various threats, especially his arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman.

During his many adventures, Sonic has traveled from the ends of the world to the far reaches of space and time, earning many titles, allies, and foes. Known for his attitude and somewhat short temper, yet strong sense of justice and love for freedom, Sonic's victories have made him a celebrated hero. However, he remains indifferent to his fame, preferring to live on his own terms.

Concept and creation[edit | edit source]

Black-and-white sketches featuring a cartoon character that would become Sonic.
Sketches of "Mr. Hedgehog", the character that would become Sonic the Hedgehog.

While several people have been involved in the creation of Sonic, the artist Naoto Ohshima, programmer Yuji Naka, and designer Hirokazu Yasuhara are generally credited with the creation of the character.

In April 1990, Sega sought a new mascot to rival Nintendo's Mario; then-Sega president Hayao Nakayama in particular wanted a character as iconic as Mickey Mouse.[1][2][3] Sega had previously used Alex Kidd as their mascot, but because he was considered too similar to Mario, he was deemed unsatisfactory.[1] The team at Sega's AM8 R&D department submitted several designs, including a wolf, bulldog, robot, and warrior character. However, they focused on speed, inspired by Naka's attempts to complete Super Mario Bros.'s World 1-1 as fast as possible,[4] prioritizing fast creatures such as kangaroos and squirrels.[1] An early idea involved a rabbit who could grab objects with prehensile ears. Although it showed potential, it was too complex for the Sega Mega Drive's hardware. The team later narrowed its search to animals that could roll into a ball, ultimately settling on a hedgehog character drawn by Naoto Ohshima.[3][5][6]

Initially named "Mr. Hedgehog",[note 1][7] Sonic's final name was chosen to represent speed.[8][9] Sonic was originally colored teal;[2] it was later changed to dark blue to match Sega's logo, stand out against certain backgrounds, and symbolize peace and coolness.[10][11] Ohshima combined Felix the Cat's head with Mickey Mouse's body for Sonic's design, with inspiration from Michael Jackson's boots on the album cover for Bad and Santa Claus' red and white color scheme for his shoes.[12][2] Beyond aesthetics, Sonic was designed to be easy for children to draw.[6] His personality drew from Bill Clinton's "get it done" attitude, who Ohshima felt embodied a modern sensibility of wanting to get things done right away.[13][14][15] 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. He was created without the ability to swim because of Naka's mistaken assumption that hedgehogs could not do so.[16]

Early concepts gave Sonic fangs and put him in a band with a human girlfriend named Madonna, ideas scrapped by Sega of America to keep his identity simple.[17][2] To further help sell the idea to Sega, Ohshima pitched a backstory, influenced by World War II-era jackets, framed by a fictional American fighter pilot that had earned the name "Hedgehog", later reflected by the emblem design seen in most Sonic games.[6] Sonic's proportions were adjusted for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, with the original head-to-height ratio changed from 1:2 to 1:2.5.[18] During the series' early years, Western material did some modifications to his design, such as sharper eyes and a mohawk-like hairstyle, but these were slowly phased out as the Japanese canon became the standard.

Four different commissioned concept designs of Sonic for his redesign in Sonic Adventure. The designs feature variations in Sonic's appearance: the top left has thicker outlines; the top right features thin outlines and a subtle shade of green in the eyes; the bottom left has a teal fur, red eyes, and a fire-shaped chest; and the bottom right has him in a dynamic pose.
Proposed redesigns of Sonic for Sonic Adventure, clockwise from top left: by Satoshi Okano, the promotional artist for Sonic Jam; Yuji Uekawa, the character designer of Sonic R; Naoto Ohshima, one of Sonic's original creators; and Takumi Miyake, the designer of Knuckles' Chaotix.

Sonic Team redesigned Sonic and the other characters during the development of Sonic Adventure to make them more suitable for 3D environments and give them an "edgy" look.[19][20][21][22] A contest was held at Sega to determine who would be in charge of the redesigns, with Yuji Uekawa emerging as the winner. His new design was influenced by various styles, including other Sega artists, Akira Toriyama, Susumu Matsushita, and Walt Disney.[23][24] Sonic's new look features taller proportions, green eyes, and a deeper blue color.[21] For Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), his design was further modified to look more adult and taller, with visible fur and a lankier body to fit better with the game's human characters.[25] Template:Clear

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Sonic is an anthropomorphic hedgehog with blue fur that covers most of his body, and peach skin that covers his arms, muzzle, insides of his ears and front torso. He has small, triangular ears on top of his head, six long quills on the back of his head, two spines protruding from his back behind his shoulders, and a short tail. For attire, he wears red shoes and white gloves.

Sonic's original design gives him a short body, with a round torso and black eyes. His current design features him in a taller and thinner body with green eyes. Originally, he was shown to have peach-skinned eyelids, until they were changed to blue in Sonic Heroes.

For a list of Sonic's alternate outfits, see Sonic the Hedgehog/Miscellaneous#Outfits.

History[edit | edit source]

Note: This is an abbreviated look at Sonic's history, focusing primarily on his three most recent mainline adventures. For a complete history of Sonic, see Sonic the Hedgehog/History and appearances (1991 - 2006) and (2007 - present). For his history in the IDW comics and Sonic Prime, see Sonic the Hedgehog/History and appearances (IDW) and Sonic the Hedgehog/History and appearances (Sonic Prime).

Past[edit | edit source]

Sonic was born on June 23 on Christmas Island, but abandoned his home to pursue adventures.[26][27][28] At some point, he met Doctor Ivo Robotnik, a mad scientist seeking global domination. Sonic nicknamed his adversary "Eggman" —a name later picked by the doctor himself—and would consistently thwart his plans.[29][30]

Present[edit | edit source]

In-game screenshot of a Sonic Origins animated cutscene, showing Sonic running on a dirt road in a plain field with Tails following behind him.
Sonic first meeting Miles "Tails" Prower, from Sonic Origins.

At the start of the Death Egg saga, Sonic learned that Eggman had invaded South Island to seek out the Chaos Emeralds resting there, kidnapping the local Animals and turning them into robots called "Badniks".[29] After expelling the doctor from the island,[31] he thwarted his plan to capture Little Planet and adquire its Time Stones to conquer spacetime, meeting Amy Rose along the way.[32] Soon after, Sonic travelled to West Side Island and met Miles "Tails" Prower, who joined him in stopping Eggman from launching his Death Egg space station.[33] However, the Death Egg crash-landed on Angel Island, whose guardian, Knuckles the Echidna, was fooled into thinking Sonic and Tails had evil intentions. The duo traveled through Angel Island, sabotaging the Death Egg's relaunching and causing it to crash into Lava Reef. They eventually befriended Knuckles and destroyed the space station for good, with Sonic transforming into Super Sonic with the seven Chaos Emeralds to chase Eggman into space.[34][35]

In the aftermath, Sonic would find himself facing more schemes from Eggman. Amongst other adventures, he would destroy the Death Egg mk.II,[36] face a bounty hunter known as Fang the Hunter,[37] and meet an older version of himself.[38] Despite Eggman's persistence, Sonic emerged victorious in every situation.

Sonic eventually found out that Eggman was seeking to tame Chaos, an ancient god of destruction, to annihilate Station Square. He teamed up with Tails to acquire the Chaos Emeralds before Eggman did to power up the beast. Along the way, he met the ancient echidna spirit Tikal, and from her learned much of the Chaos's violent history. Ultimately, despite Sonic's efforts, Chaos harnessed the seven Emeralds and transformed into Perfect Chaos. Sonic transformed into Super Sonic and defeated Perfect Chaos, reverting the creature to his original peaceful form.[39]

In-game screenshot of a Sonic Adventure 2 cutscene on the Space Colony ARK, with Sonic and Shadow racing on a road. The subtitles are a sentence from Shadow, and they read "So, there's more to you [Sonic] than just looking like me."
Sonic facing Shadow the Hedgehog on the ARK, from Sonic Adventure 2.

Sonic was later falsely framed as an escapee by the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) military. While fleeing persecution, he discovered that he had been mistaken with Shadow the Hedgehog, who had teamed up with Eggman to adquire the seven Chaos Emeralds. Sonic partnered with his friends to uncover Eggman's plan, which was to hold the world hostage with the Eclipse Cannon, a superweapon held onboard the Space Colony ARK. The heroes infiltrated the colony to sabotage the doctor's scheme. Although they ultimately failed, both parties learned that they had been fooled by an elaborate revenge plan posthumously initiated by Eggman's late grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. With the colony on a rapid collision course with Earth, Sonic teamed up with his friends and foes and saved the world.[40]

Sonic would later form "Team Sonic" alongside Tails and Knuckles to foil Neo Metal Sonic, a transformed version of Metal Sonic that was masquareding as Eggman. After a series of battles against rival teams, the group defeated the robot.[41] Afterwards, Sonic discovered and befriended Emerl, who was later discovered to be an ancient weapon of mass destruction. He was forced to destroy the robot to save the world after Eggman attempted to control Emerl.[42] In another adventure, Sonic met a time traveller known as Silver the Hedgehog and found himself embroiled in a conflict revolving around a sun deity called Solaris that was split into two, leading to him protecting Princess Elise the Third from Eggman and ultimately going to the past to erase Solaris from existence.[43] Later, when Eggman shattered Earth and unleashed an entity called Dark Gaia, Sonic was infused with a Werehog transformation and embarked on a journey around the planet to restore it.[44]

In-game screenshot of a Sonic Generations cutscene, showing the two Sonics fist-bumping each other in White Space. The older, taller Modern Sonic is on the left, while the shorter and younger Classic Sonic is on the right.
Modern (left) and Classic Sonic (right), from Sonic Generations.

In a subsequent adventure, Sonic befriended aliens called Wisps and destroyed Eggman's Egg Planet Park, which he was using as a cover-up for world conquest.[45] Sonic would later celebrate his birthday party when he and his friends were kidnapped by the Time Eater, a deity of time later revealed to be controlled by Eggman. Trapped in a void known as White Space, Sonic met a younger version of himself known as Classic Sonic and traveled through various points of his earlier life. The Sonics eventually gathered the seven Chaos Emeralds and destroyed the Time Eater before parting ways.[38] Afterwards, Sonic and Tails pursued Eggman to the Lost Hex, where they were forced to team up with the doctor after the locals, the Deadly Six, took over Eggman's inventions to destroy the world.[46]

In-game screenshot of a Sonic Forces cutscene set in the City. Sonic can be seen lying in defeat, seemingly unconscious. Tails is shown hiding behind some debris nearby, with a concerned expression and extending his right arm towards Sonic.
Sonic after being defeated by Infinite, from Sonic Forces.

Sonic was later defeated by Infinite, Eggman's new right-hand man who was using a mysterious gem known as the Phantom Ruby to empower himself. He was then held captive onboard the rebuilt Death Egg. Without his nemesis to foil him, Eggman conquered the world but was opposed by Sonic's friends, who formed a guerrilla group known as the Resistance, triggering the War to Take Back the Planet. After six months of captivity, Sonic was freed by a Resistance recruit known as the "Avatar" and reunited with Classic Sonic. The trio, alongside the rest of the Resistance, faced off against Eggman's army and Infinite, ultimately overthrowing the doctor's regime.[47]

Screenshot of a Sonic Frontiers CG trailer, showing Sonic on the Starfall Islands at night encountering a floating humanoid figure with red wireframing, white skin and hair, and a black cloak and shoes.
Sonic meeting Sage on the Starfall Islands, from Sonic Frontiers.

During his latest adventure, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy traveled to the Starfall Islands following unusual Chaos Emerald readings.[48] Upon arrival, they were sucked into a wormhole, separating Sonic from his friends. After escaping a digital realm called Cyber Space, Sonic journeyed through the Starfall Islands, encountering his friends in digitized states and suffering from increasing cyber corruption. Guided by a mysterious voice, Sonic was tasked with destroying the islands' Titans to rescue his friends. He also met Sage, an AI created by Eggman, who was trapped in Cyber Space. After destroying the Titans and freeing his friends and Eggman, Sonic inadvertently released a malevolent entity called The End. Transforming into Super Sonic, he teamed up with Sage to destroy The End, leading to Sage's sacrifice.[49]

Personality[edit | edit source]

In-game screenshot of Sonic Jam's profile of Sonic. The text reads "Age: 16; Strong Point: Running Speed (can exceed mach 1); Weak Point: He can't swim!; Likes: Fast moving things, Music; Dislikes: The word "slow", Tears"
alt=In-game screenshot of Sonic Generations's profile of Sonic. The text reads "All spikes and speed, Sonic the Hedgehog is the fastest hedgehog in the world- big on attitude and with a big heart to match. Like the wind, he's always on the move, living a life of excitement and adventure."
Sonic's in-game profiles, from Sonic Jam (top) and Sonic Generations (bottom).

Run daily whenever in the mood.


— Sonic's motto[50][note 2]

Sonic is described as "like the wind",[51] a free-spirited drifter with an insatiable appetite for adventure.[52][53][54] He values freedom above all else and lives by his own rules rather than societal standards.[55][56][57][51] Sonic's primary passion is speed, and he likes anything that is fast.[58]

Sonic loves traveling around the world,[50] interacting with different cultures present on the planet, and tasting regional dishes—particularly chili dogs—considering himself a connoisseur.[54] He never stays in one place for long and always seeks his next challenge, viewing life as a never-ending series of adventures.[57] Sonic hates being constrained,[59] which tends to make him very uneasy and restless. However, he has shown the ability to remain calm even after six months of imprisonment onboard the Death Egg. Despite his love for the outdoors, he enjoys quieter activities, such as reading on rainy days.[60]

Sonic has a calm and carefree demeanor[51][55][57] but can be impatient, impulsive and short-tempered.[61][51][62] He can be reckless and quick to act before thinking, acting before thinking and ignoring others' warnings.[61] Nevertheless, he is honest,[57] fearless,[63] and always keeps his promises.[57]

Those who are all talk are the worst. I don't fight for justice or anything like that; I'm only doing what I like. But I'd never betray you.


— Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) Japanese manual[64][note 3]

Sonic's personality is a juxtaposition of kindness and ferocity.[61] He hates deceit, unfairness, and evil in all its forms,[65][66][57] being enraged when witnessing injustice and doing all he can to stop it.[55][61] For this reason, he has a very strong sense of justice,[51] but fights for the ideal of freedom rather the name of the law.[67] He is also very selfless, always standing for the underdog without expecting anything in return.[51][68][69] He is motivated by personal entertainment, indifferent to his fame, and will always do what he sees as correct, even if it means trouble or being despised by others.[70][68][71] For this reason, he does not consider himself a "hero".[53]

Sonic has very strong will and believes that he can do anything as long as he is brave enough, never doubting himself or giving up.[72] His positive attitude fuels his massive internal ego; he thinks that he and his friends will always find a way out of any situation[73][74] and views himself as unstoppable,[51] taking great pride in his skills.[50] In times of crisis, though, he becomes aggressive and intensely focused.[55][57] It is only in the moments of greatest loss that his carefree appearance falls away, like in the apparent deaths of his closest friends or loved ones.[75]

In-game screenshot of the Sonic Advance 3 bad ending, showing a picture of Sonic and his friends. Clockwise from top left: Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Cream and Cheese, and Tails.
Sonic with some of his closest friends, from Sonic Advance 3.

Sonic deeply cares about his friends[53] and will risk his life for them without any due consideration.[57][61] He maintains that making others unhappy is the worst thing one could do,[76] and shows great trust and acceptance. While he generally assumes he can deal with things on his own,[73] Sonic believes strongly in teamwork and the bonds he has made, having noted that he would not have come as far as he has today without his friends and allies.[77]

Sonic holds everyone to the same level as himself but can often appear rude, specially to authorities.[78] Despite this, he can be a gentleman when he wants to and be modest with fancy titles.[79][80] He also admires his enemies for their strength and the challenges they present.[81]

Sonic often makes quips and jokes to lighten the mood and will take any opportunity to taunt his opponents.[82][83] He is also very competitive, never holding back when pitted against others in a test of skills and abilities.[84] Nevertheless, Sonic is not one to usually hold ill against others in case he loses in an competition to them.[85][86][87] Despite his penchant for sarcasm, Sonic gets irritated when his species is misidentified, always correcting others to emphasize that he is a hedgehog.[88]

Every world has its end... I know it's kind of sad, but that's why we gotta live life to the fullest in the time that we have. At least, that's what I figure.


— Sonic explaining his philosophy on life to Merlina the Wizard, Sonic and the Black Knight

Sonic is very insightful, capable of seeing through deception or noticing things that others would have overlooked.[89][90] He can likewise give valuable and comforting advices that drastically change the outlook of others. He has an adversion for eternity, believing that a world that goes on forever is dull and maintaining that life is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest. He also has a remarkable capacity to forgive, one example of this being when he partnered with Silver and worked with him after the latter had tried to kill him twice.

Stock artwork of Sonic wearing headphones and using a DJ set.
Sonic as a DJ, from Sonic the Hedgehog DJ Style Party.

Sonic loves nature and scenic views,[91][92] and detests environmental pollution as a result.[93] Additionally, he enjoys cool music and frequently breakdances, incorporating such moves in his attacks.

IDW Publishing[edit | edit source]

File:Sonic playfully boasting.jpg
Sonic playfully showing off after defeating some Template:IDWlinks, from Sonic the Hedgehog #1.

Always prepared to put his life on the line to protect others, be they friends or civilians, Sonic is a carefree spirit and a fearless daredevil at heart.[94] He is driven by his own personal code of justice that compels him to respond to any form of evil, no matter how great or how overwhelming its threat is.[95] This attitude sometimes gets him in trouble, but it also makes him the answer to evil anywhere and everywhere.[95] Unlike most others, Sonic finds fun in fighting and thwarting evil, primarily in the form of Template:IDWlink and his Template:IDWlink.[94] Even when locked in a battle to the death, Sonic cannot help finding excitement and entertainment in such situations, namely because he has experienced them so many times that the stakes of such fights hardly faze him anymore.[96] Regardless, he will still confront his enemies with a serious demeanor when the situation warrants it.[97] Despite his usual cocky and laid-back attitude and massive ego, Sonic's defining traits have always been his pure heart of gold and his utter dauntlessness in the face of danger.[94] Despite his ego, Sonic is willing to swallow his pride for the greater good, as shown when he used obsequious flattery to convince his rival, Template:IDWlink, to help him save the world.[98] Also, despite his devotion to the greater good, he is notably rash, often throwing himself into trouble without much of a plan in mind.

It's what I do. Just keep moving, doing good, saving folks, and living as free as the wind. Living by my way. My own way.


— Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog #2

In keeping with his footloose lifestyle, Sonic values freedom above all else and strives to live his life according to his own rules rather than the standards of those around him or for the sake of heroism and duty. As such, despite his loyalty to his friends and allies, Sonic is typically reluctant to commit to anything that requires him to act primarily under the authority of others, including his friends. As a result, he does not consider himself a part of larger organizations like the Template:IDWlink or Restoration, believing that he knows what is best for himself and and can do much more on his own without being tied down by a greater power.[99] At one point, Sonic found error in his ways as he was an indirect catalyst for Eggman's return and the spread of the Metal Virus.[100]

Sonic is an optimistic individual; as mentioned by his friends, he always puts a positive spin on things.[101] He thus refuses to give into despair, even when faced with a hopeless situation, although he has been known to drop his positivity in the darkest moments in favor of a more sympathetic outlook and somber mood.[102][100] Despite this, he never gives up and always fights to the end, believing firmly in the righteousness of his decisions and refuses to compromise his ideals and morals out of fear.[102][103] Also, since he is a hedgehog of action and is constantly looking for new adventures and challenges for himself, having nothing to on an adventure will severely bore Sonic, and staying cooped up for too long tends to make him uneasy due to his hatred of confinement.[104]

File:IDW advert Sonic.png
Sonic the Hedgehog, from Sonic the Hedgehog #1.

Sonic's personality is a juxtaposition of kindness and ferocity. Extremely benevolent, Sonic's heroism is an extension of his philosophy;[105] preferring to keep things simple, Sonic lives for the moment and wants to see the world and enjoy all the thrills and adventures that come from that.[96] Sonic lives his life according to this sense of freedom and wants everyone else to have the freedom to do that too. As such, if he were to take a life, he would be taking away that person's freedom too, which goes against his own rules. Similarly, the peace he has made with several of his enemies in the past has taught him that there are better alternatives to neutralizing a threat than eliminating it, having experienced difficult cases of villains who wanted to destroy the world but were reformed by him and his allies.[96] As such, while he does everything he can to snuff out evil, he is always willing to give people that he has "a rocky start" with a chance to rebound and reform themselves so they can restart their relationships on better terms, a philosophy that he is willing to extend even to villains like Dr. Eggman or Dr. Starline.[96] He similarly cannot turn away when someone is in need of aid. Most noticeably, after helping defeat Template:IDWlink, he compassionately had the robot repaired in hopes he could convince him to abandon his evil ways.[101] He likewise believes that even the worst person has good in them.[102] Far from a pacifist, however, Sonic refuses to let anyone take away the freedom of others, even when they follow his own philosophy, and will willingly resort to physical methods when a peaceful route is not feasible.[96] As such, he recognizes that peaceful methods do not always work, especially when dealing with an unpredictable enemy.

If Sonic has a flaw besides recklessness and a certain disregard for authority, it is that he tends to take things too much upon himself.[106][107] Another flaw of his is that he puts a lot of faith in the belief that everyone, even villains like Eggman, has some good in them and are redeemable, something that he himself sometimes regrets and individuals like Template:IDWlink and Template:IDWlink challenge.[102][108][100] Also, because he knows that giving others a choice cannot prevent them from making poor decisions, Sonic tends to become disappointed when those he gives a second chance to choose an undesirable path.[96] This does not make him naïve, because he is still aware when enemies pose too much of a threat to be reasoned with.[98]

Sonic cares deeply for his many friends. Despite his loyalty to them, though, he never lingers too long in one place. However, his friends know he will be cruising back into their lives in no time.[95]

As the amnesiac Mr. Needlemouse, Sonic was a more aloof and relaxed individual, taking great interest in learning new things he had not heard of before.[107]

Powers and abilities[edit | edit source]

Despite not having undergone any known training, Sonic's years of battles have made him a skilled and powerful fighter. He has defeated giant robots, demons, and god-like beings on his own; gone up against and bested those with far more combat experience; and even beaten individuals who equally match his abilities. It has also been noted that Sonic is steadily growing stronger;[109] during the Time Eater incident, Sonic could beat the Egg Emperor and Perfect Chaos on his own where he previously required additional power to defeat them. Sonic even told Infinite upon holding his own against the latter compared to the previous time they fought that he becomes more powerful every second.[110] It is safe to assume that Sonic is far more powerful than he lets on.[111] His victories over Emerl at the Gizoid's maximum potential and Perfect Chaos in his base form are prime examples of his true power.

File:Sonic-unleashed-20081008095524256 640w.jpg
Sonic running through various Egg Fighters at supersonic speeds, from the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed.

Sonic's greatest strength is his super speed.[58] He has proven himself to be in a class of his own with his speed, having been credited as "the fastest thing alive" and even the fastest being in the universe.[112] He has the ability to instantly accelerate to the speed of sound and run at speeds that exceed Mach 1,[50][58][113] which is at the blistering speed of about 768 mph, and can run backward just as well as he can forwards.[114] Due to such speed, he can scale vertical surfaces and ceilings, run over water, out speed lasers, and even cause the ground to explode and lift off in his wake.[115][116] This speed also allowed him to restore the time and space erased by the Time Eater during that incident. Even then, Sonic can take his speed even further. By revving up in one place, he can take off at turbo speeds in an instant. He can also envelope himself in a blue energy field that lets him accelerate beyond the sound barrier on both the ground and in midair for a short time,[117] allowing him to not only smash straight through enemies and obstacles like a living projectile, but also fly immense distances through midair. Using certain techniques, he can even momentarily reach the speed of light.

It is unknown what Sonic's unaided top speed is. During the Emerl incident, it was stated he can move several times the speed of sound and when facing Emerl at his maximum potential, he went at least ten rounds with him in less than thirty seconds. He is also able to run in circles around an enemy at such speeds that he can stun it.[118] Some sources claim that Sonic's maximum speed is Mach 1.2.[70] It has also often been stated that Sonic can move at supersonic speeds[50][61][note 4] (which ranges from 915-3,840 mph). There are as well records stating that Sonic can instantaneously reach the speed of light (about 671,000,000 mph);[119][120][121] E-123 Omega himself calculated that Sonic's speed could potentially exceed light speed and the hedgehog has boasted that light speed is "small time" to him.[122] Additionally, during the Little Planet incident, Sonic was able to enter the Time Warp, which required him to run at speeds exceeding the speed of light.[123]

File:Sonic dodging Egg Fighter.jpg
Sonic easily avoiding an Egg Fighter at high speed, from Sonic Unleashed.

Sonic has demonstrated complete mastery of his speed in any environment and can use it for both high-speed offense and defense.[124] Not only can he run at maximum tilt in straight lines, but also in full tight circles and through sharp turns with full control over his momentum. As far as stamina goes, Sonic's is seemingly limitless as he is never winded from running. His speed also allows him to perform several impressive feats; he can heal at rapid speeds, launch shockwaves by spinning rapidly, leap in midair, launch stunning waves with fast kicks, increase the force of his blows by striking with increased momentum, and create barriers of super speed. He can also spin in circles or rotate his extremities at super speed to create winds strong enough to attack or blow away opponents, similar to aerokinesis.

Sonic possesses astounding kineticism and precision, and has the reaction time to match his speed. He has profound acrobatic skills and agility, along with incredible reflexes that lets him avoid any incoming obstacles with precise and delicate movements. As seen in his first meeting with Silver, Sonic can even detect attacks beyond his field of vision due to his sharp reflexes.[125] When launched into the air, he can also pull off several tricks before landing. He also has incredible jumping skills,[115] capable of jumping up to several hundred meters, even with extra weight.[126]

Sonic possesses notable strength. He can push and lift things bigger and heavier than himself, run without extra weight slowing him down, smash through metal and rock, and damage foes countless times his size. However, it is debatable whether the latter's power comes from his speed, strength, or a combination of both. Sonic's strength particularly lies in his legs; with a single kick, he can topple the Egg Golem[127] and send Badniks flying. This does not mean that Sonic's arms are not strong either; he has enough strength to tear robots apart by hand[118] and punch through a collapsed wall.[128]

Sonic has frequently demonstrated extreme resilience to damage. He can survive getting caught in the crossfire from all angles by Eggman's robots (which only knocked him out cold briefly), withstand the force of a massive explosion and a Hyper-go-on-based void unscathed, being pummeled with swords, resist a powerful punch from Knuckles from his foot, smash through several robots with his fist without discomfort, and take a ruthless pummeling from the Time Eater.[129] Additionally, Sonic has more than once survived impacts from falls at extreme heights, bordering at the edge of space, only to shake it off when landing, and has even withstood atmospheric entry.

Even at night, when I'm like this, I'm still myself. Not like all the other people we've seen. You must have been protecting me this whole time.
I haven't done anything, Sonic. You're the reason you haven't changed at all. You're too strong to lose yourself!
I'm the reason?
Yeah! You never doubt yourself, no matter what. You never give in to the night, or to the darkness inside your heart.


— Sonic the Werehog and Chip, Sonic Unleashed

Sonic possesses an unbreakable and incorruptible spirit; in situations where most others would give up and where he is severely outnumbered and outgunned, Sonic never loses faith in himself and never surrenders. This trait enables him to keep on fighting when utterly exhausted or after taking an abnormal amount of damage.[130] His will even lets him withstand mind-controlling powers, like the corruptive influence of Dark Gaia. Even when possessed by the Ifrit, Sonic was arguably able to occasionally regain control.

Sonic has also demonstrated the ability to harness Chaos Emerald energy for his own use; with a Chaos Emerald, Sonic can perform the chaos power Chaos Control, and occasionally gain a boost in power.

File:Sonic 23.png
Sonic performing the Spin Attack, from Sonic Labyrinth.

Sonic's core offensive maneuver is the Spin Attack, a technique where he curls into a concussive ball or cutting disk and directs himself at his targets. With it, Sonic can shred or burrow through just about any substance given enough speed and hit with enough force to pierce colossal boulders.[131] Highly adept in its usage, Sonic can utilize several variants of the Spin Attack for both grounded and aerial maneuvers, including the Spin Dash, Spin Jump, Homing Attack, the super-charged Focused Homing Attack, and the Light Speed Attack, which attacks at the speed of light.

Even without his Spin Attack, Sonic is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. He mostly relies on his fast footwork since the majority of his power lies in his legs, though he has been known to use his fists and arms from time to time, albeit in a rather straightforward manner. His fighting style is mostly derived from breakdancing moves[132][133] which utilize Sonic's legs to their fullest, allowing him to deliver swift, wide-ranged kicks. He has also been known to use flying forward kicks, split kicks, and scissor kicks.[134] Sonic was also shown during the scabbard of Excalibur incident to excel in swordsmanship. Even as a rookie swordsman, Sonic could beat a dragon and after receiving formal training, he could best master swordsmen like the Knights of the Round Table. In addition to using advanced techniques, Sonic can apply his speed to his swordplay for quick and swift slashes, and become a buzzsaw by spinning with his sword, enabling him to slice clean through enemies. He has also learned the martial art of Linshao Kung Fu from Shuifon, though he is yet to be seen using it.

File:Sonic pose 62.png
Sonic delivering a powerful kick, from Sonic Battle.

Sonic has extraordinary skill in operating vehicles. He has excellent skills when it comes to piloting planes like the Tornado, and water bike surfing on vessels like the Wave Cyclone. He is also experienced in a variation of sports such as boarding and surfing, and other recreational activities like grinding. As shown during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, Sonic is also an expert at driving sport cars like the Speed Star. He has even demonstrated that he is capable of driving his car sideways and backwards just as well as he can forwards, and can keep up with other expert drivers like Shadow while driving from these directions.[135]

Sonic has proven himself as a world-class Extreme Gear rider. He is said to move faster than he can run on an Extreme Gear[136] and can go head-to-head with legendary Wind Masters like Jet the Hawk. Sonic seemingly has a knack for Extreme Gear riding, quickly grasping the controls on his first try and later developing advanced techniques despite being self-taught. After the second World Grand Prix, Sonic can be considered the best Extreme Gear rider in the world, having beaten Metal Sonic in a race, who at that point was an "unbeatable" rider with the skills of the world's finest Extreme Gear riders at his disposal.

It appears that Sonic can control the strength and durability of his otherwise soft quills at will.[137] While he is spinning, they appear to be extremely hard like buzzsaw blades; as demonstrated during the Neo Metal Sonic incident, his quills (and body) are durable enough to slice through battleships without even moving at the speed of sound. In addition, Sonic's quills can sense nearby dangers, which they warn him about by creating a tingling sensation.[138] A similar precognitive ability of his that allows him to sense nearby danger comes in the form of sneezing.[50] Sonic has also demonstrated the ability to transfer his speed throughout various parts of his body, allowing him to immediately set off from stationary positions and even channel it into objects to speed up their movements and make them pierce through solid objects as he does while running. He can also create an effect reminiscent of a time halt, even though it is unknown what it is derived from.

Equipment[edit | edit source]

File:SatBK Sonic02.png
Sonic wielding Caliburn, from Sonic and the Black Knight.

Though he does not prefer to use weapons, mainly dissing firearms,[139] Sonic has wielded a number of tools during his adventures, albeit never permanently. During the Space Colony ARK incident, Sonic used Grind Shoes, which were specifically made for grinding.[140] Also, during the Emerl incident, he utilized deployable landmines in battle, and one time, he would wield his own version of the Piko Piko Hammer. During the World Ring incident, he also wore Shahra's Ring, allowing him to harness Shahra's magic for himself. Similarly, during the scabbard of Excalibur incident, Sonic would wield swords; he initially wielded Clarent, but later exchanged it for Caliburn, a sapient sacred sword with magical properties.

IDW Publishing[edit | edit source]

File:IDW42Sonic.jpg
Sonic breaking the sound barrier as he runs to Restoration HQ, from Sonic the Hedgehog #42.

Sonic's trademark ability is his super speed. He can travel up to speeds surpassing Mach 1, which is at the blistering speed of about 768 mph(1234 km/h). He also utilizes this in hand-to-hand combat as shown when facing Template:IDWlink, giving him quick reflexes and reaction time. While running, Sonic resembles a blue streak from a distance that leaves a blue trail behind him.[141][97] At the same time, he is experienced enough with his speed to turn easily while maintaining his speed.[94]

While Sonic's top speed is unknown, glimpses of Sonic's prowess are shown in his tendency to routinely scale vertical walls,[142] effortlessly knock down enemies in his path,[94] run over water,[99] and ability to build up enough momentum to throw spears with such force that they can pierce large metal structures while exerting enough air pressure to blow said structures apart.[141] His speed also allows him to perform several impressive feats, such as creating small tornadoes by running around in circles at super speeds.[143][144] Sonic's speed is so great that he could eventually outpace a spatial maze reality that folds back in on itself ad infinitum, which even Dr. Eggman knew could not hold Sonic for long.[145][146] Sonic can also use the Boost to not only increase his speed but also barge through obstacles in his path.[99]

Sonic has demonstrated complete mastery of his speed at nearly any level. Not only can he run at a maximum tilt in straight lines, but also through sharp turns with full control over his momentum, and without recklessly crashing into unintended targets. To match his super speed, Sonic also has immense, though not quite limitless,[143][102] stamina that allows him to run at high speed for days without rest.

Sonic is also a skilled acrobat with quick reflexes and reaction time to match. He is able to perform a variety of aerobatic moves and techniques, even while running.[94] Despite his size, he also has great physical strength; he is able to easily fling Amy Rose and her Piko Piko Hammer several feet into the air singlehandedly,[99] overpower Master Overlord's giant grip alongside Template:IDWlink and Template:IDWlink,[147] and set off with enough power to bend thick metal armor.[99] Sonic can also ascend hundreds of meters into the air with a single jump.[99] He is also incredibly durable, being capable of taking a hit from an artillery shell and emerging from it without a scratch,[141] as well as enduring several powerful blows from Template:IDWlink without any serious injuries.[148]

Sonic possesses the ability to harness the power of the Template:IDWlinks. With them, Sonic can give himself a boost in power.[149] He is also a capable aerial pilot, able to properly pilot the Template:IDWlink at high speed, although he is not nearly as skilled as Tails.[150]

Sonic's core offensive maneuver is the Spin Attack, a technique where he curls into a concussive ball or cutting disk and directs himself at his targets. With it, Sonic can shred or burrow through just about any substance given enough speed, and perform moves like the Spin Dash, Homing Attack and Rolling Combo, though the last one requires the aid of Template:IDWlink.[94][99]

Transformations[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/Miscellaneous#Transformations

Super Sonic[edit | edit source]

Main article: Super Sonic
File:SFSBSuperSonic.png
Sonic transformed into Super Sonic, from Sonic Forces: Speed Battle.

By harnessing the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds, Sonic can enter a Super State, transforming him into Super Sonic. Easily his most used transformation, Super Sonic is one of Sonic's strongest forms. In this state, all of Sonic's abilities far surpass his normal ones. He is also able to fly and is nearly invulnerable.[151] However, this transformation consumes a lot of energy, meaning it cannot be maintained for long.

Super Sonic 2[edit | edit source]
Main article: Super Sonic 2
File:Starfall supersonic-profile.jpg
Super Sonic transformed into Super Sonic 2, from Sonic Frontiers.

By harnessing the power of the Cyber corruption at half its potential, Super Sonic can enter a superior state, transforming him into Super Sonic 2. Being a "successor" of Super Sonic, this form retains the same traits as it, except Super Sonic 2 gains a power and speed increase.

Color Powers[edit | edit source]

Main article: Color Power
File:Lazer-Wisp.png
Sonic as the Cyan Laser, from the Wii version of Sonic Colors.

By harnessing different variants of Hyper-go-on from Wisps, Sonic can use specific Color Powers to transform into a certain form, such as a drill, a laser or even a fireball, each one possessing its own unique abilities. So far, Sonic has been able to transform into the Cyan Laser, Yellow Drill, Blue Cube, Green Hover, Pink Spikes, Purple Frenzy, Violet Void, Orange Rocket, Red Burst, Indigo Asteroid, Magenta Rhythm, Crimson Eagle, Ivory Lightning, Gray Quake, Black Bomb, and Jade Ghost. However, these transformations require a steady supply of Hyper-go-on to be maintained.

Weaknesses[edit | edit source]

While not aquaphobic,[152] Sonic is a very poor swimmer,[63][58] and he is incapable of swimming properly.[153][50][154] Furthermore, whilst underwater, Sonic's speed will be greatly decreased.[153]

It has been stated that if Sonic does not sleep for eight hours during the night, it will spoil his running.[155] In addition, he has trouble keeping his balance when coming to a sudden halt when running at high speed.

Because of Sonic's giant internal ego, he often banters and plays around with his enemies. This usually makes him underestimate his opponents and leave his guard down, as seen during his encounter with Infinite in Mystic Jungle during the War to Take Back the Planet and when he got trapped by Eggman onboard the Chaos Energy Cannon at the start of the Dark Gaia incident. Also, his impulsiveness and recklessness can often cause trouble, such as during the Lost Hex incident where he got rid of Eggman's Cacophonic Conch, which Eggman used to keep the Deadly Six in line, before listening to Tails' warnings about the conch.

IDW Publishing[edit | edit source]

Although well-versed in his own super speed, Sonic has trouble building up his speed in unfavorable environments, like in deep snows where it is hard to get traction or inside small rooms.[156][104] Additionally, Sonic's stamina is not unlimited; if pushed to run often for several days on end with little to no sleep, Sonic's stamina can reach its limits, causing him to feel actual fatigue and exhaustion.[143][102]

Relationships[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/Relationships

In other media[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/Miscellaneous#In other media

Sonic Prime[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/History and appearances (Sonic Prime)
File:PrimeSonicStanding.png
Sonic the Hedgehog, from Sonic Prime.

After Sonic does a mistake that causes his reality to shatter, he must go on an adventure of redemption and self-discovery to save the friends he once took for granted. He quickly learns that these new worlds and its inhabitants are not as friendly as his usual friends, but that doesn't stop the energetic and charismatic hedgehog to try and befriend them. Sonic also needs to befriend his old rival Shadow once again, which proves to be a difficult task.

Paramount[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount)
File:SonicMovie SonicPoint.png
Sonic the Hedgehog, from Sonic the Hedgehog (film).

In the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs, Sonic is an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog from Mobius who was born with immense powers that are desired by many people. He lived with his parental figure, Longclaw, until he was forced to leave his home planet to go to planet Earth. He lived hidden from the society for ten years, until he was forced to leave his home again, since he was wanted by Dr. Robotnik. Trying to escape, Sonic hid in Tom Wachowski's garage, but is discovered and shot by a soothing dart from the police officer, causing him to lose his Rings, his only way to escape. Both had to recover the Rings and escape from the evil Robotnik, who wished to obtain Sonic's powers to conquer the world, but Sonic heroically defeats Robotnik and banishes him into the Mushroom Planet and resettled in Green Hills with the Wachowski family. Later, Sonic found himself in a race to recover the Master Emerald with his newfound partner Tails before it fell into the hands of Robotnik and Knuckles the Echidna. Later teaming up with Knuckles as well, Sonic managed to defeat Robotnik and began to swore to protect the Master Emerald with Tails and Knuckles while they resided with him and the Wachowskis.

IDW Publishing[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/History and appearances (IDW)
File:IDWSonic.png
Sonic the Hedgehog, from Sonic the Hedgehog #1.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing, Sonic's past is virtually identical to his video game counterpart's, up until after the events of Sonic Forces. After the Eggman War, Sonic traveled the world to destroy the remaining Badniks, who had been left directionless following Dr. Eggman's disappearance. It later turns out that Eggman had lost his memory, and that Neo Metal Sonic had taken control of Eggman Empire. Together with his friends, Sonic defeated Metal Sonic, but let him go, convinced that without Eggman, he would be harmless. Sometime later, Sonic became infected with the Metal Virus, a Zombot-producing virus created by Eggman, who had his memories restored by Dr. Starline. In spite of the incoming pandemic, Sonic managed to cure himself and save the world from the Deadly Six's attempt to use the Zombot hordes to destroy the world, but he had to join forces with his enemies to succeed. In the aftermath, Sonic went missing for a while by accidentally ending up in Blaze's dimension. However, he returned in time to save his friends from Eggman. Over the next period, Sonic would clash with Dr. Starline, Eggman, and the Deadly Six.

Reception and legacy[edit | edit source]

As Sega's mascot and one of the key reasons for the company's success during the 16-bit era of consoles, Sonic is one of the most recognizable video game characters in the world. In 1996, Sonic was the first video game character to be seen in a Rose Parade. Sonic is also the first video game character to have a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Sonic was one of the three game characters inducted on the inaugural Walk of Game class in 2005, along with his Nintendo rivals Mario and Link.[157] One of a class of genes involved in fruit fly embryonic development, called hedgehog genes, has been named "Sonic hedgehog" after the character.[158]

Sonic has been acknowledged as, undoubtedly, the most recognizable and famous character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series according to an official popularity poll.[159] As Sega's mascot, Sonic has also been used as a symbol for the company's various sponsorships. Between 1993 and 1997, Sega sponsored the JEF United Ichihara Chiba football team, during which period Sonic appeared in the team's uniform. During the 1993 Formula One championship, Sega sponsored the Williams Grand Prix team, which won the Constructors' Championship that year, as well as the team's lead driver, Alain Prost, winning the Drivers' Championship. Sonic was featured in the cars, helmets, and rival McLaren used to paint pictures of a squashed hedgehog after winning races over Williams.[160] The 1993 European Grand Prix featured a Sonic balloon and Sonic billboards, and the race's trophy was in the shape of a hedgehog. Sonic also appears on some versions of the willow video store logo.[161]

In 2008, Sonic was voted the most popular video game character in the UK with a 24% vote.[162] His old rival, Mario, came second with 21% of the vote.[162]

Quotes[edit | edit source]

For more quotes, see Sonic the Hedgehog/Miscellaneous#Quotes
"Talk about low budget flights, no food or movies? I'm outta here! I like running better."
—Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Adventure 2 File:SA2 Sonic intro.mp3
"Every world has its end. I know that's kinda sad, but... That's why we gotta live life to the fullest in the time we have. At least, that's what I figure."
—Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic and the Black Knight File:Sonic - LiveLifeToTheFullest Quote.ogg
""Careful?" Where's the fun in that?"
—Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Frontiers

Trivia[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/Miscellaneous#Trivia

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog/Gallery

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Due to a mistranslation of Ohshima's notes by English-speaking fans, it was believed that Sonic's original development name was "Mr. Needlemouse" until it was corrected by Yuji Naka in 2021.
  2. ↑ Original text: 気分のおもむくままに ( Kibun no omomuku mama ni?)
  3. ↑ Original text: 口ばっかの奴、サイテー。正義のためなんて、やなこった。好きだからやってるだけさ。だけど、ぜったい裏切らねーよ ( Kuchi bakka no yakko, saitē. Seigi no tame nante, ya na kotta. Sukidakara yatteru dake sa. Dakedo, zettai uragirane ̄yo?)
  4. ↑ Due to a mistranslation, the English version of the instruction booklet for Sonic Adventure calls Sonic "the world's fastest, hypersonic hedgehog" when the Japanese instruction booklet for the same game states that Sonic can reach supersonic speeds.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Thomas, Lucas M. (January 20, 2007). Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review. IGN. Retrieved on February 23, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "The Making of Sonic the Hedgehog". Retro Gamer (Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing) (100): 46–49. February 2012. ISSN 1742-3155.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kennedy, Sam . Sonic Boom. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved on September 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Making of ... Sonic The Hedgehog". Edge (Future Publishing) (101): 118–121. September 2001. ISSN 1350-1593. "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."
  5. ↑ Sega Visions Interview with Yuji Naka (October 1992). Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved on June 28, 2007.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Wawro, Alex (21 March 2018). Sonic the Hedgehog's origin story, according to the devs who made him. Game Developer. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved on February 22, 2022.
  7. ↑ Yuji Naka / 中　裕司 on Twitter (Japanese). Twitter (January 24, 2021). Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. "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！"
  8. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog – Developer Interview Collection. Retrieved on May 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ Naoto Ohshima (2013). "The History Of Sonic The Hedgehog". in Les Editions Pix'n Love]. Interview With Naoto Ôshima. UDON Entertainment Corp. pp. 96–101. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9.
  10. ↑ Horowitz, Ken (December 5, 2006). Interview: Mark Cerny. Sega-16. Retrieved on October 12, 2014. "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."
  11. ↑ Ponce, Tony (February 27, 2013). Review: The History of Sonic The Hedgehog. Destructoid. Retrieved on October 11, 2014.
  12. ↑ Claiborn, Samuel (June 26, 2014). 21 Crazy Facts About Sonic and the Console War He Started. IGN. Retrieved on February 13, 2014.
  13. ↑ Sheffield, Brandon . Out of the Blue: Naoto Ohshima Speaks. Game Developer. Retrieved on December 13, 2009.
  14. ↑ Yahoo Playback . Yahoo Playback #94. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 15, 2009. Retrieved on December 13, 2009.
  15. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian . Sonic's Shoes Inspired by Michael Jackson. Kotaku. Retrieved on December 13, 2009.
  16. ↑ Revealed: Why Sonic can't swim (February 2009). Retrieved on February 27, 2009.
  17. ↑ Loveridge, Sam (June 23, 2016). 14 things you didn't know about Sonic the Hedgehog. Digital Spy. Retrieved on June 10, 2017.
  18. ↑ Sega Video Game Illustrations. Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Deutschland) GmbH. 1994. ISBN 3-910052-50-9.
  19. ↑ Thomason, Steve (January 2007). "Birth of a Hedgehog". Nintendo Power (Future Publishing) (211): 72.
  20. ↑ Summer Of Sonic 2011 - Takashi Iizuka & Yuji Naka Q&A (18:20). YouTube (March 25, 2012). Retrieved on July 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Cook & Becker (April 17, 2017). How Sega moved Sonic from 2D to 3D. Polygon. Retrieved on December 12, 2022.
  22. ↑ Retro Game staff (December 28, 2018). "The Making Of: Sonic Adventure". Retro Gamer. Archived from the original.
  23. ↑ Aitchison, Sean (April 28, 2020). The Unsung Artist Who Defined the Look of Sonic the Hedgehog. Fanbyte. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020.
  24. ↑ Okano, Satoshi (August 11, 2020). OKN/Satoshi Okano/岡野聡 on Twitter. Twitter. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020.
  25. ↑ E3 2006: Sonic Team Interview. GameSpy. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved on May 14, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Profile: Sonic". Sonic the Hedgehog Super Interactive Annual 2014. Pedigree Books. September 17, 2013. p. 14. ISBN 978-1908152077. "Sonic's birthday is June 23rd and he was born on Christmas Island."
  27. ↑ Devra Newberger Speregen (September 2016). "5: Sonic's Friends and Foes!". Sonic: His Amazing History!. Scholastic. p. 55. ISBN 978-1338033236. "BIRTHDAY: June 23"
  28. ↑ Yuji Naka / 中　裕司 on Twitter (Japanese). Twitter (June 23, 2020). Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved on January 27, 2021. "Happy birthday Sonic!! 今日でソニックも29周年ですね。 6月23日をソニックの誕生日って僕が決めたのですが、今思うと色々と気になります。 ソニック誕生日にソニックナノブロックが届きました。 日本では今週映画ソニック公開で楽しみです。 みなさんソニックを長く愛してくれてありがとうございます"
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Mega Drive) Japanese instruction booklet, pgs. 8-11.
  30. ↑ Sega (December 10, 2021). スーパーソニック ＆ Dr.エッグマン キャラクター紹介 (Japanese). かべがみカバーストーリー. Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021.
  31. ↑ Sonic Team (June 23, 1991). Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega Mega Drive. Sega.
  32. ↑ Sega (November 23, 1993). Sonic the Hedgehog CD. Sega CD. Sega.
  33. ↑ Sega Technical Institute (November 24, 1992). Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sega Mega Drive. Sega.
  34. ↑ Sega Technical Institute (February 2, 1994). Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Sega Mega Drive. Sega.
  35. ↑ Sega Technical Institute (October 18, 1994). Sonic & Knuckles. Sega Mega Drive. Sega.
  36. ↑ Sonic Team, Dimps (May 15, 2012). Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II. PC. Sega.
  37. ↑ Aspect (November 1994). Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble. Sega Game Gear. Sega.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Sonic Team (November 1, 2011). Sonic Generations. PC. Sega.
  39. ↑ Sonic Team (September 9, 1999). Sonic Adventure. Dreamcast. Sega.
  40. ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega.
  41. ↑ Sonic Team USA (January 6, 2004). Sonic Heroes. Nintendo GameCube. Sega.
  42. ↑ Sonic Team (January 5, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega.
  43. ↑ Sega Studio USA (November 14, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega.
  44. ↑ Sonic Team (November 18, 2008). Sonic Unleashed. Xbox 360. Sega.
  45. ↑ Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega.
  46. ↑ Sonic Team (October 29, 2013). Sonic Lost World. Wii U. Sega.
  47. ↑ Sonic Team (November 7, 2017). Sonic Forces. Nintendo Switch. Sega.
  48. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog (September 22, 2022). TailsTube #3 (feat. Knuckles). YouTube. Retrieved on October 2, 2022.
  49. ↑ Sonic Team (November 8, 2022). Sonic Frontiers. PlayStation 4. Sega.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 50.5 50.6 (in Japanese) ソニックジャム　オフィシャルガイド. SoftBank. October 2, 1997. p. 99-100. ISBN 978-4797303377.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 51.5 51.6 Sega of America . Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic Characters. Sega of America. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved on October 26, 2017. "Like the wind Sonic never stands still and is always on the move. Sonic is cool under pressure, particularly when faced with his arch enemy, Dr. Eggman. He thinks that saving the world is no big feat, and he always protects and fights for the underdog. Sonic hates boredom and is constantly looking for his next adventure. Sonic lives and dies by his own rules. He never thinks twice about what others think or say; he is driven by his own sense of justice and fair play. Sonic was born to run and loves to cover as much ground as fast as he can. His demeanor is always cool and calm. When he finds himself in a pinch, he acts as though no thing can stop him. When faced with a serious situation, Sonic bears down on the task at hand, focused on the challenge."
  52. ↑ Sega . Sonic Heroes official website (Japanese). Characters: Team Sonic. Sega. Archived from the original on December 7, 2004. Retrieved on May 25, 2021.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ【公式】 on Twitter. Twitter (January 15, 2023). Retrieved on January 16, 2023.
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TailsTube1
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 Sonic Heroes (PlayStation 2) United States instruction booklet, pg. 4.
  56. ↑ Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo GameCube) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7.
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 57.3 57.4 57.5 57.6 57.7 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SC
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 58.3 Sonic Jam (Sega Saturn) Character House, "Sonic the Hedgehog"
  59. ↑ Sora Ltd. (March 9, 2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Wii. Nintendo. Area/level: Trophy Hoard. "Sonic - The world's fastest hedgehog, who can run at supersonic speeds. Generally speaking, he loves being able to do what he wants and loathes being constrained. Holding still is something he would never consider. He's got a bit of an attitude but can't pass by someone in trouble. When he collects the seven Chaos Emeralds, he transforms into the mighty, gold Super Sonic."
  60. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 2013Joypolis
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 61.5 Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360) United States instruction booklet, pg. 4.
  62. ↑ "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" (in Japanese). Sonic Adventure Stylebook. p. 9. "自由気ままが大好きで、曲がったことが大キライ。 直情的で短気だが、困っている人がいると放っておけない優しさも併せ持っている。 とにかくじっとしちゃいられない。 サウンドにはうるさい。[He loves freedom and hates crookedness. He is impulsive and short-tempered, but also has a kindness that can't be ignored when someone is in trouble. He just can't sit still. He is picky about sound.]"
  63. ↑ 63.0 63.1 Sumo Digital (February 23, 2010). Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. PlayStation 3. Sega. Area/level: Character Select screen. "Sonic the Hedgehog - Sonic is the world's fastest hedgehog, capable of running at the speed of sound (768 mph). His other abilities include a 'Spin Attack', a 'Spin Dash' and his 'Super Sonic' transformation which makes him indestructible and gives him the gift of run-flight. Sonic is not an expert swimmer, but is fearless – even of Dr. Eggman. Alongside his best friend Tails, Sonic runs around the world stopping Dr. Eggman's schemes."
  64. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Mega Drive) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 2.
  65. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Hidden
  66. ↑ Sonic Generations (Xbox 360) United Kingdom instruction booklet, pg. 4.
  67. ↑ Flynn, Ian; Sega (December 8m 2021). "Sonic The Hedgehog (16-bit)". Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia. Dark Horse Books. p. 13. ISBN 978-1506719276. "Sonic is usually laid back and cool, but he's driven to fight injustice - not in the name of the law, but for the ideal of freedom."
  68. ↑ 68.0 68.1 Sega (June 23, 2016). Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Wii U. Nintendo. Area/level: Collectibles (Flags). "A blue hedgehog with a penchant for high speed, Sonic is a free spirit with a love for adventure. He despises anything that is unfair and will get into trouble to help anyone in need. For Sonic, saving the world is just another thrilling episode in his life."
  69. ↑ Sonic Team (November 14, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Running through the plains. "Elise: I have no words to express how grateful I am for your help... You're hurt! / Sonic: It's nothing. / Elise: Don't say that. I'm sorry. It's all my fault... / Sonic: Smile. Your smile... That's all I need."
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 "All Star Cast". Sonic Adventure Tokyo International Forum Unveiling Booklet. August 22, 1998. p. 6.
  71. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Area/level: Misty Lake. "Merlina: Are you ready? / Sonic: Ready for what? / Merlina: If you remove that sword and defeat King Arthur with it... You shall forever be the worst of knights, slayer of kings... / Sonic: Guess I can't be the hero every time."
  72. ↑ Sonic Team (December 9, 2008). Sonic Unleashed. PlayStation 3. Sega. Cutscene: No Reason. "Werehog: I'll bet it's thanks to you. / Chip: Hmm? / Werehog: Even at night, when I'm like this. I'm still myself. Not like all the other people we've seen. You must have been protecting me this whole time. / Chip: I haven't done anything, Sonic. You're the reason you haven't changed at all. You're too strong to lose yourself! / Werehog: I'm the reason? / Chip: Yeah! You never doubt yourself, no matter what. You never give in to the night, or to the darkness inside your heart."
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 Sonic Team (November 4, 2011). Sonic Generations. PlayStation 3. Sega. Cutscene: The Final Battle!. "Sonic: Destroy me? You [Eggman] and what mustache? I beat you all the time by myself, and now there's two of me!"
  74. ↑ Sonic Team (November 7, 2017). Sonic Forces. Nintendo Switch. Sega. Area/Level: World Map. "Shadow: Exactly. As it stands, there's no way we can win this. / Sonic: Of course we can win this! We always do! We just haven't figured that part out yet."
  75. ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (November 24, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. PlayStation 3. Sega. Cutscene: Battleship explosion (Sonic Episode).
  76. ↑ Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Gimme Shelter (Cream's Episode). "Emerl: Ha! Fodder! You're just fodder! Ha ha ha ha! / [...] / Cream: Emerl, please stop! / Emerl: Haa haa... ...Why? Cream? / Cream: *sniffle* *sobs* / Emerl: Cream... Are you 'sad'? / Cream: Yes... / [...] / Emerl: 'There's nothing worse than making a girl cry!' That's what Sonic said..."
  77. ↑ Sega (December 3, 2021). スーパーソニック ＆ Dr.エッグマン 後編 (Japanese). かべがみカバーストーリー. Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021.
  78. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Cutscene: Search for the Lady of the Lake. "Caliburn: Onward, my young knave. / Sonic: Stop calling me 'knave!' I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! / Caliburn: Very well then, I shall call you Knave the Hedgehog. / Sonic: Whatever, you oversized letter opener."
  79. ↑ Sonic Team (February 20, 2007). Sonic and the Secret Rings. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Sand Oasis. "Shahra: 'When darkness descends upon the Arabian Nights - the legendary blue hedgehog from another world shall come.' / Sonic: Me? Legendary? You've got to be kidding! You're gonna make me blush!"
  80. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Cutscene: Head to Avalon. "Merlina: The King is on an island known as Avalon. You have become a fine knight. / Sonic: Aw, cut it out. Anyways, I guess I'll go end this thing, then."
  81. ↑ Sega of America . Sonic Q and A. Sega of America. Archived from the original on June 13, 2004. "Jake B.: Which bad guy is the biggest pain in your neck? Dr. Eggman, Metal Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog, Other? / Sonic: Well I really don't consider any of these guys my enemy in the true sense. Dr. Eggman has always found a way to make life an adventure for me and I love spoiling his evil plans. As for Shadow and Metal Sonic, I just enjoy testing my skills against them too. You know me, I love adventures!"
  82. ↑ Sonic Team (November 7, 2017). Sonic Forces. Nintendo Switch. Sega. Area/Level: Infinite. "Sonic: See, Infinite? Now we're getting to know each other! So, what's your favorite color? Do you like long, romantic walks on the beach? What's the source of your power? You can skip the first two questions if you like."
  83. ↑ Sumo Digital (May 21, 2019). Team Sonic Racing. PlayStation 4. Sega. Area/Level: Chapter 5: The Race Continues. "Silver: Right, yeah, okay. Winning. You ever have one of those feelings? Like... like... / Sonic: Like you're about to get your car fed to you by a blue hedgehog? No, never. / Silver: I'm not hungry, but thanks. / Sonic: Wow dude, you take all the fun out of trash talking."
  84. ↑ Sonic Team (November 4, 2010). Sonic Free Riders. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Cutscene 2 (Team Heroes' story). "Amy: Yeesh, Sonic! Would it have killed you to go a little easy out there? / Sonic: Hey, this is a serious competition, Amy. / Amy: Chivalry is serious business, too! I'm a LADY! / Sonic: Hey Tails, Knuckles... Back me up on this, would you? / Tails: You know that Sonic never holds back, Amy. I thought you liked that about him?"
  85. ↑ Sonic Team (November 4, 2010). Sonic Free Riders. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Cutscene 7 (Team Babylon's story). "Sonic: Looks like you win this time around, Jet. / Jet: You're awfully calm about it. Aren't you ashamed at being beaten?? / Sonic: Why? Luck is a big part of victory? This just means you were the lucky one today."
  86. ↑ Sonic Team (November 4, 2010). Sonic Free Riders. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Cutscene 8 (Team Babylon's story). "Sonic: I gotta hand it to you, Jet. I couldn't touch you out there today. / Jet: Then get training. I'll give you a rematch any day of the week."
  87. ↑ Sonic Team (November 4, 2010). Sonic Free Riders. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Cutscene 5 (Team Dark's story). "Rouge: Well that was certainly over fast. / Sonic: You've improved, Shadow. Next time it's my turn to surprise you. / Shadow: No matter how many times you try, you can't win."
  88. ↑ Sonic Team (February 20, 2007). Sonic and the Secret Rings. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Lost Prologue. "Erazor: You... you must be that blue rat that just got added to the story... / Sonic: Don't you know anything? I'm not a rat! I'm a hedgehog."
  89. ↑ Sega (July 29, 2021). ソニック ＆ ルージュ 前編 (Japanese). Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved on October 26, 2021.
  90. ↑ Sega (August 17, 2021). ソニック ＆ ルージュ 後編 (Japanese). Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved on October 26, 2021.
  91. ↑ Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Sonic: He [Eggman] loves to hear his own lips flap, but I gotta hand it to the Eggster, this place is epic. Everyone and their brother is gonna want to come here. / Tails: No doubt but now I'm not sure why we're here? This place looks totally harmless. / [...] / Sonic: Plot or not, you can't be mad at this view. This place is takin' beauty to the next level."
  92. ↑ Sega (March 31, 2023). The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog. Steam. Sega. Area/level: Dining Car. "Sonic: Aw man! The windows are all covered up now... I never got to look at the pretty views... / *Barry the Quokka: W-what? What's wrong?? / Sonic: Amy was saying the train's sights couldn't be beat. I was excited!"
  93. ↑ Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Planet Wisp. "Sonic: You know, as alien as this place is, there is something very... Eggmanish about it. / Tails: I think he's transforming it somehow. Making it part of his theme park. / [...] / Sonic: It looks like the 'theme' of his park is universal domination and conquest of alien races. / Tails: It's more than a theme; it's a reality. He's using them like some kind of living intergalactic gasoline. / Sonic: That's pretty low, even for a sleazeball like Eggman."
  94. ↑ 94.0 94.1 94.2 94.3 94.4 94.5 94.6 Sonic the Hedgehog #1, "Fallout, Part 1"
  95. ↑ 95.0 95.1 95.2 Sonic the Hedgehog Trading Card.
  96. ↑ 96.0 96.1 96.2 96.3 96.4 96.5 Sonic the Hedgehog #50, "Battle for the Empire"
  97. ↑ 97.0 97.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #42, "Zeti Hunt, Part 2"
  98. ↑ 98.0 98.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #25, "A Sudden Shift"
  99. ↑ 99.0 99.1 99.2 99.3 99.4 99.5 99.6 Sonic the Hedgehog #2, "Fallout, Part 2"
  100. ↑ 100.0 100.1 100.2 Sonic the Hedgehog #24, "The Last One Out"
  101. ↑ 101.0 101.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #12, "The Cost of the Battle for Angel Island"
  102. ↑ 102.0 102.1 102.2 102.3 102.4 102.5 Sonic the Hedgehog #23, "The Last Minute, Part 3"
  103. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #44, "Zeti Hunt, Part 4"
  104. ↑ 104.0 104.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #34, "Chao Races and Badnik Bases, Part 2"
  105. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2021, "Race to the Empire"
  106. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #16, "Infection"
  107. ↑ 107.0 107.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #31, "Recovery, Part 1"
  108. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #6, "The Fate of Dr. Eggman, Part 2"
  109. ↑ Sonic Team, Dimps (November 12, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/Level: Sweet Mountain. "Sonic: Heh! That was barely a warm-up! / Silver: Not half bad, Sonic. / Blaze: You're even sharper now than when we last met."
  110. ↑ Sonic Team (November 7, 2017). Sonic Forces. Nintendo Switch. Sega. Area/Level: Vs. Infinite. "Infinite: Impossible! Your abilities exceed your previous data! / Sonic: Unlike mechs, I can grow. I get more powerful every second!"
  111. ↑ Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Emerald Beach (Rouge's story). "Rouge: You've got much stronger... / Sonic: I've got something to protect..."
  112. ↑ Sonic Rivals (PlayStation Portable) United States instruction booklet, pg. 8.
  113. ↑ Sega of America . Sonic Q and A. Sega. Archived from the original on June 13, 2004. "From Your Ultimate Fan: How fast can you go (MPH) and how long would it take you to run around the world once? Also, who could beat you in a race, Knuckles, Tails, Shadow, Cream, Rouge, Amy or Dr. Eggman? / Sonic: I have the ability to instantly accelerate to the speed of sound. That's about 760 MPH at 59*F...pretty fast, huh? The only character that would really have a chance against me would be Shadow…but then again, I've never lost a race!"
  114. ↑ Sonic Team (February 6, 2004). Sonic Heroes. PlayStation 2. Sega. Cutscene: Opening (Team Sonic).
  115. ↑ 115.0 115.1 Sonic R (Sega Saturn) United States instruction booklet, pg. 17.
  116. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Cutscene: Opening.
  117. ↑ Sonic Unleashed (PlayStation 3) European instruction booklet, pg. 12.
  118. ↑ 118.0 118.1 Sonic Team (November 19, 1993). Sonic the Hedgehog CD. Sega CD. Sega. Cutscene: Credits sequence.
  119. ↑ "ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ" (in Japanese). ソニックアドベンチャー オペレーションガイド. SoftBank. January 1999. p. 24. ISBN 978-4757203006.
  120. ↑ Audureau, William; Petronille, Marc (January 1, 2013). The History of Sonic the Hedgehog. UDON Entertainment. ISBN 978-1926778563. "During the day, he was his usual self, able to run anywhere at the speed of light; but at night, he became a slow and savage 'werehog', prone to giving his enemies violent smackdowns."
  121. ↑ "Profile: Sonic". Sonic the Hedgehog Super Interactive Annual 2014. Pedigree Books. September 17, 2013. p. 8. ISBN 978-1908152077. "Sonic runs faster that the speed of light and according the Guinness Book of Records, he is officially the fastest video game character of all time!"
  122. ↑ Sonic Team, Dimps (November 12, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/Level: Asteroid Coaster. "Sonic: Too Easy! / Omega: Data 130% higher than previous entry. Suspected error... / Tails: Nice run, Sonic! / Omega: Impossible... At this rate, light speed will be exceeded. / Sonic: Light speed? That's small time. There's no challenge! / Omega: Does not compute..."
  123. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Mega-CD) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 16.
  124. ↑ Sonic Rivals 2 (PlayStation Portable) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7.
  125. ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (November 14, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Silver appears (Sonic Episode).
  126. ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (November 14, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: The Chaos Emeralds entrusted (Sonic Episode).
  127. ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/Level: Egg Golem (Dark story).
  128. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Cutscene: World Destruction.
  129. ↑ Sonic Team (November 4, 2011). Sonic Generations. PlayStation 3. Sega. Cutscene: The Final Battle!.
  130. ↑ Sonic Team (March 13, 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Sega. Cutscene: Queen of the Underworld.
  131. ↑ Sonic Team (November 19, 1993). Sonic the Hedgehog CD. Sega CD. Sega. Area/Level: Opening sequence.
  132. ↑ Sonic Battle (Game Boy Advance) United States instruction booklet, pg. 3.
  133. ↑ Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Sonic Flare: Sonic's heavy attack. He performs a Downward Kick using breakdance moves, which knocks opponents away."
  134. ↑ Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
  135. ↑ "Dangerous Distractions". Team Sonic Racing Overdrive. Season 1. Episode 1. March 16, 2019. YouTube.
  136. ↑ Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Wii) United Kingdom instruction booklet, pg. 4.
  137. ↑ Sonic's Up Throw, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
  138. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TinglingQuills
  139. ↑ Sonic Team (November 15, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Area/Level: Westopolis. "Sonic: To swap your weapon for another weapon that's on the ground, just press the X Button! Personally, I wouldn't be caught dead using those things!"
  140. ↑ Sega of America . Sonic Q and A. Sega of America. Archived from the original on June 13, 2004. "Darrell C: Why did you change your shoes in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle? / Sonic: Those were special shoes that were specifically made for grinding. It was something that I've always wanted to try and it sure came in handy! Look forward for some more intense and extreme grinding in my next adventure, Sonic Heroes."
  141. ↑ 141.0 141.1 141.2 Sonic the Hedgehog #7, "Meet the New Boss"
  142. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #3, "Fallout, Part 3"
  143. ↑ 143.0 143.1 143.2 Sonic the Hedgehog #19, "Crisis City, Part 1"
  144. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #51, "Escaping the Empire"
  145. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #37, "Test Run, Part 1"
  146. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #40, "Test Run, Part 4"
  147. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #11, "The Battle for Angel Island, Part 3"
  148. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #43, "Zeti Hunt, Part 3"
  149. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #8, "Silent Support"
  150. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2019, "Jet Set Tornado"
  151. ↑ Sonic Team . Sonic Channel (Japanese). Characters: Super Sonic. SEGA. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved on June 25, 2008.
  152. ↑ "Characters". The History of Sonic the Hedgehog. Les Editions Pix'n Love. September 6, 2013. p. 225. ISBN 978-1-926778-96-9. "Trivia - Sonic's creators have admitted that the hedgehog a very bad swimmer, and this fact can be seen in several of his games. Sonic is not afraid of water, but he has a tendency to sink right into the bottom of any body of water he enters."
  153. ↑ 153.0 153.1 Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Game Gear) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 20.
  154. ↑ Sonic Team (December 9, 2008). Sonic Unleashed. PlayStation 3. Sega. Area/Level: Adabat. "'Brenda: Is there anything you CAN'T do, Sonic? Any weaknesses? / [Answer is revealed to be 'I can't swim.] / Brenda: Great! What a scoop! This matches all my other data perfectly!"
  155. ↑ Sega of America (February 2004). Sonic Central. Sega of America. Archived from the original on January 24, 2004. "'Sega.com: Sonic sure is busy -- how many hours of sleep does he need per night? / Yuji Naka: Hmm, I suppose he sleeps the ordinary eight hours a night or so, because unless he sleeps well, lack of sleep will affect his run..."
  156. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog #14, "Misdirection"
  157. ↑ Walk of Game 2005: Sonic the Hedgehog Commemoration. YouTube. The Sonic Stadium (September 2, 2015). Retrieved on June 11, 2022.
  158. ↑ Yarris, Lynn (November 5, 2005). Sonic the Hedgehog and the Fate of Neural Stem Cells. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Retrieved on June 23, 2006.
  159. ↑ Sonic Channel (June 23, 2006). Official Popularity Poll results (Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013.
  160. ↑ Formula One Motor Racing FAQ (modified 3/14/97), Part 2/2. Internet FAQ Archives. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved on June 11, 2022.
  161. ↑ Matte, Jared . 1993: Year of the Mega Drive. The Green Hill Zone. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved on June 11, 2022.
  162. ↑ 162.0 162.1 Moore, Matthew (October 21, 2008). Sonic the Hedgehog voted favourite computer game star. Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved on June 11, 2022.

External links[edit | edit source]

Relationships Tails (best friend) · Eggman (arch-nemesis) · Knuckles (frenemy) · Amy (self-proclaimed girlfriend;admirer) · Metal Sonic (robotic doppelgänger) · Big (close friend) · Shadow (arch-rival) · Rouge (close friend) · Cream (close friend) · Chaotix (Vector, Espio, Charmy) (close friends) · Omega (ally) · Blaze (close friend) · Silver (friendly rival) · Jet (rival in speed)
Transformations Super Sonic (Super Sonic 2 (Super Sonic Cyber)) · Hyper Sonic · Darkspine Sonic · Excalibur Sonic · Werehog · Shatter Sonic
Equipment Sonic's shoes, Custom Shoes, Stomping Shoes, Wall Jump Shoes, Air Boost Shoes (footwear) · Grind Shoes (grinding footwear) · Rings · Light Speed Shoes/Light Chip, Crystal Ring, Bounce Bracelet, Flame Ring, Magic Gloves, Mystic Melody, Antigravity (Level Up Item) · Red Gem, Blue Gem, Green Gem, White Gem, Yellow Gem, Sky Gem, Purple Gem (Gems) · Blue Star, Blue Star II (Extreme Gear) · Speed Star, Cyclone (race cars) · Tornado (biplane)
Moves Spin Attack · Spin Jump · Spin Dash · Super Peel Out · Insta-Shield · Homing Attack · Jump Dash · Light Dash · Light Attack · Somersault · Fire Somersault · Bound Jump · Speed Up · Sonic Wind · Time Stop · Chaos Control · Skid · Blue Tornado · Kick · Boost Mode · Gun Drive · Homing Smash · Mach Speed · Scale · Slow · Thunder Guard · Tornado · Trick Action · Boost · Hop Jump · Humming Top · Air Boost · Slide · Stomp · Quick Step · Cartwheel · Drift · Wall Jump · Foot Sweep · Drift · Double Jump · Side Step · Vault · Vault Dash · Wall Climb · Wall Run · Wall Spin Dash · Drop Dash · Cyloop (Quick Cyloop) · Parry · Dodge · Sonic Boom · Wild Rush · Phantom Rush · Homing Shot · Spin Slash · Loop Kick · Recovery Smash · Grand Slam · Cyclone Kick · Cross Slash ·
Major games Rad Mobile (cameo appearance) · Sonic 1 (first major appearance) ·  · Sonic CD · Sonic 2 · Sonic 3 & Knuckles · Sonic 3D Blast · Sonic Adventure · Sonic Adventure 2 · Sonic Advance · Sonic Advance 2 · Sonic Battle · Sonic Heroes · Sonic Advance 3 · Shadow · Sonic Rush · Sonic Riders · Sonic '06 · Sonic & the Secret Rings · Sonic Rush Adventure · Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity · Sonic Unleashed · Sonic & the Black Knight · Sonic Free Riders · Sonic Colors · Sonic 4: EP I · Sonic Generations · Sonic 4: EP II · Sonic Lost World · Sonic Mania · Sonic Forces · Sonic Frontiers · Sonic Superstars · Sonic Dream Team
Key people Yuji Naka (co-creator) · Naoto Ohshima (co-creator) · Hirokazu Yasuhara (co-creator) · Yuji Uekawa (redesigner)
Voice actors English Deven Mack (Sonic Prime) · Roger Craig Smith (2010 - present) · Jason Griffith (2005 - 2009) · Ryan Drummond (1999 - 2004)
Japanese Tomokazu Seki (Werehog) · Jun'ichi Kanemaru (1998 - present)
Theme songs "It Doesn't Matter" · "We Can" · "His World" · "Endless Possibility" · "Knight of the Wind" · "Live Life" · "Reach for the Stars" · "Speak with Your Heart" · "Fist Bump" · "I'm Here" · "Second Wind"
Related Alex Kidd · Chili dog (favorite food) · Christmas Island (birthplace) · June 23 (birth date) · Statue in Japan · Team Sonic
V·T·E · Category · Infobox

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Sonic the Hedgehog
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Miles "Tails" Prower
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Knuckles the Echidna
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Amy Rose
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Espio the Chameleon
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Big the Cat
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Cream the Rabbit
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Cheese
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Blaze the Cat
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Silver the Hedgehog
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Tikal
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Vanilla the Rabbit
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Chocola
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Emerl
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Gemerl
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Princess Elise
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Shahra
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Chip
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Caliburn
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Sir Percival
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Yacker
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Mother Wisp
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Sticks the Badger
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Barry the Quokka
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Ariem

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Dr. Eggman
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Metal Sonic
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Orbot
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Cubot
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Silver Sonic
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Mecha Sonic
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Mecha Sonic Mk. II
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Eggrobo
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Metal Knuckles
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E-105 Zeta
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E-100 ZERO
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King Boom Boo
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Biolizard
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Mecha Knuckles
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Black Doom
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Eggman Nega
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E-10000R
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Babylon Guardian
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Iblis
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Solaris
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SCR-HD
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Metal Sonic 3.0
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Captain Whisker
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Johnny
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Mini & Mum
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Ifrit
File:Ix transparent.png
Imperator Ix
File:Erazor Djinn.png
Erazor Djinn
File:Captain Bemoth model.png
Captain Bemoth
File:Vlc 2017-06-06 16-25-17-807.png
Dark Gaia
File:EggmanAssistantRobot.jpg
SA-55
File:SBK KingArthur.png
King Arthur
File:Time-eater-sonic-generations.png
Time Eater
File:TSR Zavok.png
Zavok
File:Zazz Speed Battle.png
Zazz
File:Sonic Lost World - Zomom.png
Zomom
File:Deadly Six ZIK.png
Master Zik
File:ZeenaRunners.png
Zeena
File:Deadly Six ZOR.png
Zor
File:SM PC DIGITAL MANUAL UK KING.png
Heavy King
File:SM PC DIGITAL MANUAL UK GUNNER.png
Heavy Gunner
File:SM PC DIGITAL MANUAL UK SHINOBI.png
Heavy Shinobi
File:SM PC DIGITAL MANUAL UK MAGICIAN.png
Heavy Magician
File:SM PC DIGITAL MANUAL UK RIDER.png
Heavy Rider
File:Jimmy Nav.jpg
Jimmy
File:SFSB Infinite Render.png
Infinite
File:SF The END Model.png
The End
File:The Murder of Sonic Mirage Express.png
Mirage Express
File:BlackDragon-Appearance.png
Black Dragon
File:Superstars Metal Tails.JPG
Metal Tails
File:Metal Trip.png
Metal Trip
File:Superstars Metal Amy.JPG
Metal Amy

File:SSSBigT.png
Froggy
File:SXSG Gerald Robotnik.png
Gerald Robotnik
File:SXSG Maria Render.png
Maria Robotnik
File:President Shadow the Hedgehog.png
President
File:President's Secretary.png
Secretary
File:NavHeavy.png
Heavy the Robot
File:NavBomb.png
Bomb
File:Honey the Cat.png
Honey the Cat
File:SA Birdie Model.png
Birdie
File:Lumina-sonic-shuffle.png
Lumina Flowlight
File:Void-sonic-shuffle.png
Void
File:Illumina Artwork.png
Illumina
File:Tabby.png
Tabby
File:Colonel.png
Colonel
File:Kylok.png
Kylok
File:Daikun.png
Daikun
File:Gradon Profile v2.png
Gardon
File:Norman.png
Norman
File:Pickle, Professor.png
Professor Pickle
File:Su Ghost Tale image.png
Su
File:Uh Ghost Tale image.png
Uh
File:King Sharayer.png
King Shahryar
File:AliBaba.png
Ali Baba
File:Sinbad.png
Sinbad the Sailor
File:SBK NimueLadyoftheLake.png
Nimue
File:Tails Pose 37.png
Blacksmith
File:SFSB Sir Galahad Render.png
Sir Galahad
File:Jet knight.png
Sir Lamorak
File:TSR story Dodon Pa 1.PNG
Dodon Pa
File:Fox Bullies.jpeg
Fox Bullies
File:Frontiers render Giganto.png
Giganto
File:Frontiers render Wyvern.png
Wyvern
File:Knight Transparent Back.png
Knight
File:SF Supreme (The END) Model.png
Supreme
File:SupremePilotAncient.png
Crane
File:DragonAncient.png
Dragon
File:Snake (Ancient).JPG
Snake
File:Tiger (Ancient).JPG
Tiger
File:MasterKing AncientProfile.png
Master King
File:Elder Ancient.png
Elder
File:MoSConductor1.png
Conductor
File:Conductor's wife image.jpg
Conductor's wife
Sage

File:MSG CG 3Chara02.png
Team Sonic
File:SonicHeroes TeamDark.png
Team Dark
File:Team rose.png
Team Rose
File:SSBU Spirit Chaotix.png
Team Chaotix
File:FaunaOfWindyHillZoneTrophyWiiU.png
Animals
File:DashFlicky.png
Flicky
File:DashPocky.png
Pocky
File:DashRicky.png
Ricky
File:DashRocky.png
Rocky
File:DashCucky.png
Cucky
File:DashPicky.png
Picky
File:DashPecky.png
Pecky
File:Badnik collage.png
Badnik
File:Sonic 2 GG JP manual p28.jpg
Master Robots
File:Modern icon face Eggman.png
Eggman Empire
File:ChaoTrophyWiiU.png
Chao
File:VectorAgency.jpeg
Chaotix Detective Agency
File:SFProlouge 14.png
Knuckles Clan
File:Sonic Comic E-Series.png
E-Series
File:Eseriesnew front.png
E-100 Series
File:Gun logo578px-.png
Guardian Units of Nations
File:MHDC9.PNG
Beetle Series
File:WCGC14.png
Hawk Series
File:EEGC6.png
Hornet Series
File:WBGC1.png
Hunter Series
File:WCDC9.PNG
Rhino Series
File:Artificial Chaos P1.png
Artificial Chaos
File:Sonic Heroes Pawn Series.png
Pawn Series
File:SonicXShadowShadowMark.png
Black Arms
File:LAVASHELTER38.png
Juggler Series
File:HEXAeco 1.png
HEXAeco
File:Tails Adventure main art.png
Battle Kukku Empire
File:MSG 2D groups - Babylon.png
Babylon Rogues
File:MeteoTech Logo.jpg
MeteorTech
File:Coconut crew with blaze.png
Coconut Crew
File:Ringscon17.png
Djinn
File:Satbk townsperson.png
Townsperson
File:SFSBRapidRecapKnights.jpg
Knights of the Round Table
File:Merlina 7.png
Knights of the Underworld
File:Nocturnus Warriors.png
Nocturnus Clan
File:EmerlBattleGetEmerald.png
Gizoid
File:Kron transparent.png
Kron
File:Nrrgal Warrior Artwork clipped rev 5.png
N'rrgal
File:Voxai.png
Voxai
File:Zoah.png
Zoah
File:Funny People 2.png
Humans
File:Gwekprofilewiiv2.png
Gaia Temple guardians
File:Dark Gaia's Minions.jpg
Dark Gaia's Minions
File:SCU main art characters.png
Wisp
File:SONIC LOST WORLD E3 FINAL COLOURS THE DEADLY SIX RGB 1.png
Deadly Six
File:SMTR52.png
Hard Boiled Heavies
File:Heavy-Rider-Titanic-Monarch-Zone-Sonic-Mania.png
Phantom Heavies
File:JackalSquad-0.jpg
Jackal Squad
File:Sonic Forces Vilains Wallpaper -1440x2560-.jpg
Eggman Army
File:SFpc pic 07.png
Phantom Copy
File:SF Resistance.png
Resistance
File:TSRBlazeSilverVector.jpg
Team Vector
File:TSR-TeamEggman.jpg
Team Eggman
File:SonicFrontiers Ancients Planet Explosion.png
Ancients
File:NavKoco is Eating Your Soul.png
Koco
File:Elder Koco.png
Elder Koco
File:NavHermitKoco.png
Hermit Koco
File:Frontiers render Ninja.png
Guardians
File:SonicFrontiers Titans in Space.png
Titans
File:Dragon Koco.JPG
Master Koco
File:Prototype (Sonic Superstars).PNG
Metal Fighter

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