Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series. It is published by Sega, with entries developed by Sega, Sonic Team, Traveller's Tales, Dimps, SIMS Co., Ltd., BioWare, Hardlight, Aspect, Sumo Digital, Gameloft, Gamefam Studios, and Arzest. The series debuted in 1991 with the video game, Sonic the Hedgehog, released for the Mega Drive video game console (named Sega Genesis in North America). In its earliest history, most Sonic the Hedgehog games had been platform games released for Sega video game consoles and handheld game consoles (handhelds), dating from the Sega Genesis to the Sega Dreamcast. However, some of the original games were ported into versions on newer third-party home consoles and developed by various companies. As of March 2011, the series has collectively sold 89 million copies worldwide across both the platform games and spin-offs.
Sonic the Hedgehog | |
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Genre(s) | |
Developer(s) | |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Creator(s) | |
Platform(s) | List
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First release | Sonic the Hedgehog June 23, 1991 |
Latest release | Sonic Dream Team December 5, 2023 |
Spin-offs | Sonic Boom |
The most popular games in the franchise are platform games, although the series also includes other genres such as racing games, fighting games, action-adventure games, role-playing video games, and sports video games. Each game focuses on the titular protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog. It also features a large cast of other characters such as Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Shadow the Hedgehog, and the Chao creatures.
2D platformers
Title | Details |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1991 – Mega Drive/Genesis 2006 – Game Boy Advance, Wii Virtual Console 2007 – iOS, Xbox Live Arcade 2013 – Android, Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1991 – Game Gear, Master System 2008 – Wii Virtual Console 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1992 – Mega Drive/Genesis 2007 – Wii Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade 2010 – iOS 2013 – Android 2015 – Nintendo 3DS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1992 – Game Gear, Master System 2008 – Wii Virtual Console 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1993 – Sega CD 1995 – Windows 2011 – PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, iOS 2012 – Android 2013 – Ouya |
Notes:
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1993 – Master System, Game Gear 2009 – Wii Virtual Console |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1994 – Mega Drive/Genesis 2007 – Wii Virtual Console 2009 – Xbox Live Arcade |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1994 – Mega Drive/Genesis 2009 – Xbox Live Arcade, Wii Virtual Console |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1994 – Game Gear 2012 – 3DS Virtual Console |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1995 – 32X |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1995 – Game Gear 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1996 – Game Gear 1997 – Master System 2012 – 3DS Virtual Console |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1999 – Neo Geo Pocket Color |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2001 – Game Boy Advance |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2002 – Game Boy Advance |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2005 – Nintendo DS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2007 – Nintendo DS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2010 – iOS, PlayStation Network, WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade 2011 – Windows Phone 2012 – Android, Windows 2013 – Ouya |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2012 – Android, iOS, PlayStation Network, Windows, Xbox Live Arcade, 2013 – Ouya |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2014 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2016 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2017 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2023 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
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3D platformers
Title | Details |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1996 – Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn 1997 – Windows 2007 – Wii Virtual Console |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1998 – Dreamcast 2003 – GameCube, Windows 2010 – Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network 2012 – Onlive |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2001 – Dreamcast, GameCube 2012 – Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Windows |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2003 – GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox 2004 – Windows 2012 – PlayStation Network |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2005 – GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2006 – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2007 – Wii |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2008 – PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 2009 – Mobile phone |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2009 – Wii |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2010 – Wii, Nintendo DS 2021 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2011 – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Windows |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2013 – Wii U, Nintendo 3DS 2015 – Windows |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2014 – Wii U |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2017 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2022 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2023 – Apple Arcade (iOS, macOS, tvOS) |
Racing games
Title | Details |
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1994 – Game Gear |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1995 – Game Gear |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1997 – Sega Saturn 1998 – Windows |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2006 – GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2006 – PlayStation Portable |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2007 – PlayStation Portable |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2008 – PlayStation 2, Wii |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360, Mobile phone |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2010 – Xbox 360 |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2012 – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation Vita 2013 – Windows, Nintendo 3DS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2019 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows |
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series
Title | Details |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2007 – Wii 2008 – Nintendo DS |
Notes:
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Original release dates: June 2008 | Release years by system: 2008 – Mobile phone |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2009 – Wii, Nintendo DS |
Notes:
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Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2010 – iOS |
Notes: | |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2011 – Wii 2012 – Nintendo 3DS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2013 – Wii U |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2016 – Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Arcade |
Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2019 — Nintendo Switch 2020 — Arcade |
Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2020 – Android, iOS |
Arcade games
Title | Details |
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Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1991 – Arcade |
Notes:
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1993 – Arcade |
Notes:
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SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter Galaxy Patrol Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1993 – Arcade |
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SegaSonic Popcorn Shop Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1993 – Arcade |
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SegaSonic Cotton Candy Scramble Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1993 - Arcade |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1996 – Arcade 2005 – PlayStation 2, GameCube 2012 – PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade |
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Sonic Athletics Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2013 – Arcade |
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Educational games
Title | Details |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1994 – Sega Pico |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1994 – Sega Pico |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1996 – Windows |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2007 – Leapster |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2008 – Didj |
Sonic Cafe Games
Title | Details |
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Sonic Tennis Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2001 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Golf Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Fishing Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Billiards Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Good Friend Chao! Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Bowling Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Racing Shift Up Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Racing Kart Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2003 – Mobile phone |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2005 – Mobile phone 2012 – Android, iOS |
Notes:
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Sonic Kart 3D X Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2005 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Speed DX Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2006 – Mobile phone |
Sonic's Casino Poker Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2007 – Mobile phone |
Sonic Jump 2 Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2008 – Mobile phone |
Other spin-offs
Title | Details |
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Sonic Eraser Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1991 – Mega Drive/Genesis |
Notes: A falling block puzzle video game, it became available for download in Japan in 1991 and in Brazil in 1995 on Sega Meganet, a Japan-exclusive Sega Mega Drive add-on released in 1990 and later released in Brazil in 1995 that enabled players to download a select library of games via dial-up internet. Sonic the Hedgehog, controlled by the player, must arrange randomly selected falling clusters of shapes of the same variety to align on a grid in order to erase them. The falling shapes used in gameplay include a red tetrahedron, a pink cross, a green gemstone, an orange octahedron, a white gemstone, a yellow tetrahedron and a blue sphere. The general aim for all game-modes is to align two or more of identical shapes in any fashion as long as they lie adjacent to each other inside a 13x7 grid. When this happens, the shapes disappear, give the player a sum of points to add to their score, and subsequently make empty space on the grid for other shapes. The erasure of some shapes may cause other shapes on top of it to gravitate directly downwards in their column. If the fallen shapes also align with other shapes, it causes a chain reaction, giving the player more points. Inevitably, the grid will become filled with shapes, and when the shapes hit the top row of the grid, the game is over. The game also has two boxes labelled 'Next', which show the shape cluster being deployed after the one currently falling. The game also features multiple modes, those being a competitive two-player mode, a single-player mode against a computer, and a two-player cooperative mode. In the versus mode, players can attack each other like in Puyo Puyo. In the two-player co-op mode, there are four game types; 'Round', 'Normal', 'Doubt' and 'Block'. | |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1993 – Mega Drive/Genesis 1994 – Game Gear, Master System 2007 – Wii Virtual Console |
Notes:
| |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1993 – Game Gear, Mega Drive/Genesis 1994 – Master System 2006 – Wii Virtual Console |
Notes:
| |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 1995 – Game Gear |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1995 – Game Gear 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2000 – Dreamcast |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2003 – Game Boy Advance |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2003 – Game Boy Advance |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2008 – Nintendo DS |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2013 – Android, iOS 2014 – Windows Phone |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2014 – Android, iOS |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2015 – Android, iOS |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2015 – Android, iOS |
Notes:
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2017 – Java ME, Android, iOS |
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Sonic Forces: Speed Battle Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2017 – Android, iOS* |
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2022 – PC, Android, iOS, Xbox One |
Notes:
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2023 – PC, macOS |
Notes:
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2023 – Android, iOS |
Notes:
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Sonic Rumble Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2024 – Android, iOS |
Notes: |
Compilations
Title | Details |
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Sonic Classics 3 in 1 Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1995 – Mega Drive/Genesis |
Notes:
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Sonic & Knuckles Collection Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1997 – Windows |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1997 – Sega Saturn 1998 – Game.com |
Notes:
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2002 – GameCube 2004 – PlayStation 2, Xbox 2007 – Windows |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2005 – GameCube, PlayStation 2 |
Notes:
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2009 – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
Notes:
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Sonic PC Collection Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2009 – Windows |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS |
Notes:
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2022 – PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows |
Notes:
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Cancelled games
Title | Details |
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Sonic the Hedgehog Cancellation date: 1991 | Proposed system release: 1991 – Amiga |
Notes:
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Sonic's Edusoft Cancellation date: 1991 | Proposed system release: 1991 – Master System |
Notes:
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SegaSonic Bros. Cancellation date: 1992 | Proposed system release: 1992 – Arcade |
Notes:
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Cancellation date: 1993 | Proposed system release: 1993 – Sega CD |
Notes:
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Sonic Jr. Cancellation date: 1994 | Proposed system release: 1994 – Sega Pico |
Notes:
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Cancellation date: 1994 | Proposed system release: 1994 – Mega Drive/Genesis |
Notes:
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Cancellation date: 1997 | Proposed system release: 1997 – Sega Saturn |
Cancellation date: 2002 | Proposed system release: 2002 – Xbox |
Sonic DS Cancellation date: 2004 | Proposed system release: 2004 – Nintendo DS |