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SegaSonic the Hedgehog

From Sonic Retro

For the LCD game, see SegaSonic the Hedgehog (LCD game).

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SegaSonic title.png
SegaSonic the Hedgehog
System(s): Sega System 32
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1-3
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Arcade (System 32)
JP
1993-10[1] ¥? ?
Arcade (System 32)
US
1993-09 $? ?
Arcade (System 32)
UK
1993-09 £? ?

SegaSonic the Hedgehog (セガソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ) (often referred to as SegaSonic Arcade) is an arcade game created by Sega AM3, and released Sega System 32 arcade hardware in 1993. SegaSonic the Hedgehog was the first arcade Sonic the Hedgehog game to be released and one of the few that has never been released on a home platform in any form.

There are three known revisions of this game (A, B and C, respectively), and a prototype for it as well.

Gameplay

Gameplay shown during the game's attract mode.

In SegaSonic the Hedgehog, players can choose from three characters: Sonic the Hedgehog, Mighty the Armadillo, or Ray the Flying Squirrel. This is Mighty's first appearance in a video game and aside from occasional references in newer titles, the only game in which Ray has appeared until the duo's reintroduction in Sonic Mania Plus. Despite appearances, all three play identically in SegaSonic the Hedgehog, and all three can be controlled on-screen at once as the cabinet supports three players.

Similar to other Sonic games, the objective of the game is to reach the end of each level without dying, however in SegaSonic there the levels are designed to have less focus on platforming and instead focuses on pressing the player forward to complete the levels as fast as possible. While there are few enemy encounters, the majority of the game involves avoiding environmental hazards including giant boulders, lava flows, rogue gears, falling stalactites, and many others.

When the player loses health it can be replenished by collecting Rings, which can be found around the arena or inside certain destructible objects. Upon completing each level, the game tallies up how many Rings were grabbed, and extra points are received if over half of the level's Rings were found. The game only has one boss, which appears midway through the game.

The characters were controlled by trackballs combined with one action button, allowing the player(s) to perform a jumping Spin Attack, while the trackball is used to move around. Each of the trackballs and their corresponding action buttons are color-coded (blue for Sonic, red for Mighty and yellow for Ray).

SegaSonic the Hedgehog is also one of the first games to give the characters voice actors, as well as on-screen dialog.

History

30th anniversary artwork from Sonic Channel, drawn by Yui Karasuno.

Legacy

While often rumoured to be receiving a home port for the Sega 32X[2][3], SegaSonic the Hedgehog has never left the arcades, and given that it was distributed in relatively small numbers (particularly outside of Japan), is becoming increasingly rare to find in the wild.

The game was initially planned as a title to be included in Sonic Gems Collection but was left out due to problems with emulating the trackball control scheme[4].

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: SegaSonic the Hedgehog/Production credits

Magazine articles

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: SegaSonic the Hedgehog/Magazine articles

Promotional material

Artwork

Photo gallery

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments


References


SegaSonic the Hedgehog
SegaSonic title.png

Main page


Magazine articles
Reception


Development
Hidden content

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Arcade
 1991  Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog | SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | SegaSonic the Hedgehog     1996  Sonic the Fighters     2011  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Arcade     2015  Sonic Dash Extreme‎‎     2016  Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition     2020  Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition    
Arcade
 1992  UFO SegaSonic     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog | SegaSonic Popcorn Shop     1994  Sonic no Space Tours | SegaSonic Wataame Scramble | Sonic Canball | Air Circus | Curling Holiday     1997  Sonic the Hedgehog AWP     2002  Sonic & Tails Spinner     2003  CR Sonic     2007  Sonic Spinner     2008  Sonic Live!     2009  Sonic Hopper!     2010  Sonic Sports Basketball     2012  Sonic Sports Air Hockey | Oh! Ring | In the Barrel     2013  Sonic Athletics | Sonic Ghost Shooting | Sonic Brain Ranking‎‎     2016  Sonic Blast Ball‎‎     2019  Sonic Sports Kids Basketball‎‎    
 Unknown date  CoroCoro Fever (199x) | Darts Shot (199x) | Mogu-Mogu Rush (201x) | Neo Target (201x) | Circles Shoot (201x)