Actions

Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)

From Sonic Retro

"Sonic 1" redirects here. For the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear versions, see Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit). For the 2013 remake, see Sonic the Hedgehog (2013). For similarly titled media, see Sonic the Hedgehog (disambiguation).

n/a

show;hide
  • NTSC-U/PAL
  • NTSC-J
Sonic1 title.png
Sonic1Rev01 MD JP Title.png
Sonic the Hedgehog
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam, RealOne Arcade
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Sound driver: SMPS 68000 (modified) (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Genre: Action[3][4]
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sega Mega Drive
JP
1991-07-26[5][4] ¥6,000 G-4049
Sega Mega Drive
US
1991-06-11[6] $54.95[7] 1009
Sega Mega Drive
US
(classic)
1993 $? 1009C
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Classic; ESRB)
1995 $? 1009
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
US
(sc)
199x $sub ?
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1991-06 €? 1009
Sega Mega Drive
BX
199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
PT
1991  ? MDJ1009
Sega Mega Drive
UK
1991-06-21[9] £34.99[10][11] 1009
Sega Mega Drive
FR
199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(r)
199x  ?kr ?
Sega Mega Drive
AU
199x $? FSON00SMC
Sega Mega Drive
AS
199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
CA
199x $? ?
Sega Mega Drive
BR
1991-09[12] R$? ?
Sega Mega Drive
BR
(Red)
199x R$? ?
Tectoy: Todas as Idades
Sega Mega Drive
AR
1992  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
KR
199x ₩? GM4015JG
Sega Mega Drive
ZA
199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
IN
1994 ₹199x ?


Wii Virtual Console
US
2006-11-19[13] 800[13]pts ?
ESRB: Everyone
Wii Virtual Console
JP
2006-12-02[14][2] 600[5]pts ?
CERO: A
Wii Virtual Console
EU
2006-12-08[15] 800[15]pts ?
PEGI: 3+
Wii Virtual Console
AU
2006-12-07 800[16]pts ?
OFLC: General (G)


RealOne Arcade
US
2002-11-14[17] $? ?
Steam
US
2010-10-26[18] $4.99[19] 71113
ESRB: Everyone
Steam
EU
2010-10-26[18] €4.49[19] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam
DE
2010-10-26[18] €4.49[19] 71113
USK: 6
Steam
UK
2010-10-26[18] £3.99[19] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam
AU
2010-10-26[18] $6.99[19] 71113
OFLC: General (G)
Steam Linux
US
2019-01-31[20] $4.99[21] 71113
ESRB: Everyone
Steam Linux
EU
2019-01-31[20] €4.49[21] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
DE
2019-01-31[20] €4.49[21] 71113
USK: 6
Steam Linux
UK
2019-01-31[20] £3.99[21] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
AU
2019-01-31[20] $5.99[21] 71113
OFLC: General (G)
Steam OS X
US
2019-01-31[20] $4.99[21] 71113
ESRB: Everyone
Steam OS X
EU
2019-01-31[20] €4.49[21] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
DE
2019-01-31[20] €4.49[21] 71113
USK: 6
Steam OS X
UK
2019-01-31[20] £3.99[21] 71113
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
AU
2019-01-31[20] $5.99[21] 71113
OFLC: General (G)

Sonic the Hedgehog (Japanese: ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ) is the first game in the long-running series by video game publisher and former console maker Sega. First released in the United States in June of 1991, it was the premier outing for the character of Sonic the Hedgehog and the group behind his creation, Sonic Team. Though the game only received marginal success in its home country, almost overnight Sonic became a sensation in the West, solidifying Sega's place in Europe and turning the company into a household name in the United States.

For the first time, a company was able to directly compete with console and gamemaker Nintendo, which had dominated the second half of the 1980s. Though Nintendo still reigned supreme in Japan, the highly-contested 16-bit war in the West was a marvel to behold, the big two being neck and neck through almost the entirety of the third generation of console gaming.

The game propelled the creators into the realm of video game superstardom, programmer Yuji Naka for a time becoming the face of Sega much as Shigeru Miyamoto became the face of Nintendo after the success of Super Mario Bros. The franchise took off, with a version of the game being released on the Sega Master System and a series of sequels across Sega's various consoles over the years. It not only became the definitive title for the system and replaced Altered Beast as the pack-in title for the West, but would go on to be released on no less than twenty platforms after its initial release.

Story

Somewhere in the ocean lies a mysterious island not found on any map, known by its inhabitants as South Island. The reason for it being absent is a simple, yet mysterious one: it does not have a fixed position, instead traveling through the seas on its own course. While the reason for this behavior is unknown, it is rumored that it may have something to do with the legendary gemstones known as the Chaos Emeralds. Though legend says they exist on the island, no one knows exactly where they are or how to get a hold of them. All they do know is of the incredible power they are said to contain, and how they can give energy to all living beings.

Learning of the existence of the Chaos Emeralds, the mad genius Dr. Eggman sets himself on a quest to locate the emeralds for his own use, wanting to harness their power for his many mechanical creations. With the plan in motion, Eggman creates his base in a corner of the island, which he dubs the Scrap Brain Zone. However, he is aware that his evil plans will more than likely be interfered by Sonic the Hedgehog.

Though not a native of the island, Sonic the Hedgehog would often find himself on its mystical shores, and more than once had he run into the evil doctor, foiling an untold number of schemes. Just as Eggman predicted, in no time at all does the blue hedgehog learn of the doctor's intentions, running at sonic speed to confront him.

It doesn't take long for Sonic to realize that something is amiss, and is shocked to learn that Eggman has gone a step further with his evil intentions. Kidnapping the many animals living on the island, he has methodically been placing them in robot shells and using them to scour the island in search of the emeralds. Realizing that Eggman has turned Sonic's friends into his own personal mechanical army, Sonic wastes no time. Running across the island, he must not only stop Eggman's latest scheme and gather the Chaos Emeralds, but free his friends in the process.

"Hurry! Sonic the Hedgehog - everyone is waiting for your help!"

Gameplay

Sonic the Hedgehog facing off against his arch-rival, Dr. Eggman.

At its heart, Sonic the Hedgehog is a platformer. Taken from the same mold as platformers previous, Sonic Team was able to make the experience unique enough to rise it above the numerous Mario clones that had flooded the market. Becoming the standard for the Mega Drive, the game was also developed to showcase the potential of the system, creating a smooth-running and fast-moving game that is simple to pick up but complex and engaging underneath.

Broken up into six "Zones" with three "Acts" each (plus a "Final Zone" at the end, a single Act consisting of a final boss confrontation), the game operates under a very basic platforming premise: to traverse across each of these Acts under a certain amount of time (in this case ten minutes) and overcome whatever enemies and obstacles may be in your way. The flow of each of these Zones presents an interesting duality in terms of playthrough. While it is possible to go through each act slow and methodically, it is just as simple to run through the Zone as fast as possible, playing for the shortest time as opposed to the highest score. Featuring multiple pathways and plenty of secret areas, the eighteen main courses were created specifically with replayability in mind, with game director Hirokazu Yasuhara wanting a game that could stand the test of time, something more than a basic arcade experience.

Thanks to the efforts of Yuji Naka, the engine by which Sonic the Hedgehog is powered focuses not only on the potential speed for the character, but establishes the physics for the world as well. Being one part "pinball" and one part "momentum", the movement of Sonic depends just as much on the unique terrain of each level as it does on the input of the player. When it comes to the now-iconic set pieces of loop-de-loops and curved slopes, Sonic can only run through them if he has built up enough momentum to traverse through it. Running on curved slopes, a player can press downward on the control pad, allowing Sonic to curl up into a ball and gain tremendous speed - the steeper the slope, the higher the max speed at the end. Even the angles for which Sonic bounces off bumpers and springs are determined by the values within, making the Sonic experience unique from what other games were presenting at the time.

Sonic the Hedgehog rolling downward in Spring Yard Zone.

In terms of the moveset, the original Sonic the Hedgehog chooses to keep it simple. A secondary button is not needed to increase Sonic's speed, only time. Each of the three buttons on the Mega Drive controller were mapped to the same action, giving the player the power to make Sonic jump up, curling into a ball in the process. With this spin attack, Sonic can break an enemy from any angle, provided a spiked surface or a fire projectile is not in the way. He can also curl into this ball from on the ground, but can only remain as long as there is some momentum behind it. Once Sonic slows down, he is forced to return to his standing (or crouching) pose.

Scattered throughout each level are also a variety of items, the most famous of these being the spinning golden rings. While collecting 100 of these will award Sonic with an extra life, they serve a much more important function: as long as Sonic has at least one in his possession, he can not be killed by an enemy or spikes, though he can still succumb to crushing or drowning. Being hit while having rings causes them to scatter, making Sonic temporarily invincible to give the player time to recover and try to collect the scattered rings before they disappear.

Another prominent item featured in each Zone are the variety of item boxes. Resembling computer monitors, each give Sonic a different reward depending on the image inside. If a ring is pictured, for instance, the player gets an extra 10 rings added to their ring count. If the icon is a group of stars, Sonic is awarded with temporary invincibility. A shoe icon allows the character to temporarily run even faster than what can normally be achieved, and a shield icon gives Sonic a barrier that will protect him from a hit, either maintaining his ring count or not killing the player if no rings are available. Another common item found on the playfield are Lamp Posts, allowing Sonic to start at that point in the level in the case of the player losing a life, as opposed to starting the act from the beginning again. These, along with other level features such as springs, spikes, and bumpers, create a landscape that would be featured again and again within the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Dr. Eggman taunting the player when you complete the game without all six Chaos Emeralds.

At the end of the first two Acts in each Zone, a Signpost with Eggman's face is there to greet you, as you run by it and turn it to Sonic's profile signaling your victory. However, at the end of each third Act, the player is greeted with an appearance from the main antagonist in his Eggmobile hovercraft, modified to present the player with a new challenge, with each Zone. Needing eight hits to be defeated, the doctor scurries away, allowing Sonic to open the animal capsule and free his friends, signaling the end of that particular Zone.

Though entirely optional in a standard runthrough of the game, there is another element to the Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay experience. With the exception of the Scrap Brain Zone, at the end of the first two Acts of each Zone, a Giant Ring will appear to the right of the ending Signpost if a player is able to complete the Act with at least 50 rings. Floating silently just as the standard rings do, if Sonic jumps into the ring in time, he will be transported to the Special Stage, a maze rotating 360 degrees. If traversed correctly, the player will be rewarded with a Chaos Emerald. Collecting all six emeralds is the only way to witness the true ending to the game. Failing to do so, Eggman will taunt the player at the end, juggling the missing emeralds, asking you to "try again".

Scoring

Hitting Bumpers: 10 points for each of the first ten hits on any given bumper; after that no more points can be gained from that bumper

Hitting enemies :

  • First Enemy = 100
  • Second Enemy = 200
  • Third Enemy = 500
  • Fourth through Fifteenth Enemies = 1000 each
  • Sixteenth and all Subsequent Enemies = 10000 each

(A "chain" refers to all enemies destroyed until the next time Sonic lands on some form of ground, or stops spinning.)

Dr. Eggman Boss: 1000 points each

End Level Ring Bonus: 100 points for each ring held

End Level Time Bonus:

  • 0:29 or less = 50000
  • 0:30 to 0:44 = 10000
  • 0:45 to 0:59 = 5000
  • 1:00 to 1:29 = 4000
  • 1:30 to 1:59 = 3000
  • 2:00 to 2:59 = 2000
  • 3:00 to 3:59 = 1000
  • 4:00 to 4:59 = 500
  • 5:00 or more = 0

End-of-level flags: Where the Signpost stands, there are sometimes flags you can trigger. These flags are hidden, but if you hit them they will appear and show either 100, 1000, or 10000. The flags that say "100" are really only worth 10 points each, but the 1000 and 10000 flags report their values accurately. There are no flags in Scrap Brain Zone Act 2.

Special Stage: 100 points for each ring held

Music and sound

Utilizing the onboard Zilog Z80 microprocessor, Yamaha YM2612 synthesizer and Texas Instruments SN76489 PSG sound chips, Sonic the Hedgehog was able to create a sound that was also unique, with the jumps, springs, and ring collecting sounds being an intergral part of the Sonic experience. These audio effects created by the sound team would be reused in subsequent entries, the classic ring sound still being heard with each new Sonic game. The music to the game, composed by Dreams Come True artist Masato Nakamura, also became a highly praised game soundtrack. Instead of treating it as a video game, Nakamura went into the project with the same mindset he would have if he were to compose the music to a feature length film. The first two songs written, the Green Hill Zone theme and the title screen jingle, would be alluded to in subsequent games, becoming the quintessential score of Sonic the Hedgehog. The popularity of the soundtrack has also made it a standard in live videogame music performance tours such as Video Games Live and Play! A Video Game Symphony.

Sound test

The level select to Sonic the Hedgehog, also containing the sound test.

Below is a listing of the songs available to played through the sound test within the game, accessible through the level select code:

Graphical style

The graphical style of Sonic the Hedgehog was extremely impressive for its time, especially for the Mega Drive hardware (the Super Nintendo being technically superior in terms of graphic capabilities). With a color pallette expanded beyond what 8-bit systems could do, each zone was given a unique and rich look. The graphical style was inspired by the then-new world of "computer generated" graphics, the visuals of the Green Hill Zone being the most prime example. Even the sprites of Sonic, Eggman, the enemies, and the rings reflected on this, each richly animated object jumping out of the screen. While other games of the era can look dated, Sonic the Hedgehog has been able to maintain a timeless feel, emphasized by the visual work of Naoto Ohshima and the fact that the original game still sells, albeit on modern hardware.

History

Sales data

Unless otherwise specified, it is not known whether these figures include sales of Mega Drive/Genesis bundles containing the game.

Copies sold Date Platform(s) Regions Cumulative sales References Notes
2,000,000 1991-12-31
Sega Mega Drive
WW 2,000,000 [22]
1,700,000 1992-10
Sega Mega Drive
WW 3,700,000 [23]
10,300,000 1997-06-11
Sega Mega Drive
WW 14,000,000 [24][25] By this point, the game had sold over 14 million copies.
1,000,000 2009-02-17
Sega Mega Drive
WW 15,000,000 [26][27] The figure specifically refers to sales of Mega Drive/Genesis consoles that included the game as a pack-in title. This number makes Sonic the Hedgehog the system's best-selling game.

Versions

Shortly after the original release of the game (known as REV00), Sega reissued the game (REV01) with various enhancements, bug-fixes and general tweaks. REV01 added extra layers of scrolling to most parallax backgrounds where many had been flat before, added moving clouds (Green Hill Zone), rippling water (Labyrinth Zone), corrected the level select screen's arrangement, among other minor changes. REV01 is most commonly found on Japanese cartridges, where the game was released slightly later than in Europe and North America, and was also made available in later production runs internationally.

A complete list of changes between REV00 and REV01 was compiled by Hivebrain, by disassembling both versions and comparing the resultant code.

  1. "clr.l" used instead of "move.l #0" in ClearScreen.
  2. Garbage removed from CalcSine.[28]
  3. "TM" on Sega screen is hidden if the console is Japanese.
  4. "TM" on title screen isn't loaded if the console is Japanese.
  5. AddPoints gives you an extra life for every 50000 points if the console is Japanese.
  6. Level select stage order is correct.
  7. Level select code is UDDDLR (instead of UDLR) if the console is Japanese.
  8. Moved restart level flag check in Level_MainLoop.
  9. Added background scroll check to LZWaterFeatures.[29]
  10. d2 is cleared in a slightly different way in MoveSonicInDemo.
  11. Added gamemode check in SS_MainLoop.
  12. Tidied EndSTH (obj89).[30]
  13. Layer scrolling changed.
  14. Tile drawing changed.
  15. Stuff added to DLE_MZ1.
  16. Blank frame added to rings mappings.[31]
  17. Added check in monitor contents item to prevent interruption of drowning music.[32]
  18. Lamppost time is cleared after game over (obj39).[33]
  19. Tidied MarbleBrick (obj46).[34]
  20. Tidied FloatingBlock (obj56).[35]
  21. Minor change to DrownCount (obj0A).[36]
  22. Changes to Caterkiller (obj78).[37]
  23. Minor change to Labyrinth boss (obj77).[38]
  24. Minor changes to Final boss (obj85), including 1000 point bonus for killing it.[39]
  25. Ending sequence debug list changed.
  26. Some unneeded things removed from Pattern Load Cues.
  27. Sega logo graphics and mappings slightly different.
  28. Unused graphics data removed.
  29. MZ & SBZ 256x256 tiles modified.
  30. SS5 & SS6 layouts modified.
  31. SYZ background modified.
  32. Minor change to SolidObject subroutine.[40]

A final modification was made to the original game by Sega for the 2002 compilation Sonic Mega Collection, which revised the spike damage behavior to be like that of later titles. This version is referred to as "JP2" in the game's menu, and is actually REV01 with extra code patched directly onto the ROM file.

Rereleases and ports

The success of Sonic the Hedgehog has led to the game being released for numerous systems, and included in most compilations of Mega Drive games. The 2000s also saw the game sold through a number of download services.

Standalone cartridges, sold in bundles:

Direct ports from source code, sold individually:

Direct ports from source code, sold in compilations:

Emulated, sold individually:

Emulated, sold in compilations:

Recreated from scratch:

Superficially similar:

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Production credits

Manuals

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Manuals

Promotional material

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Promotional material

Artwork

Physical scans




Sega Mega Drive
83 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 1 review
Publication Score Source
Famitsu (JP) 83
Mega Drive, JP
Sonic1 box jap.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Printed in Japan)
Sonic MD US Printed In Japan Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic1USCart2.JPG
Cart
Sonic MD US Printed in Japan manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Made in Japan)
Sth md us cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; Made in Japan)
Sonic MD US NFR Made In Japan Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic ND US NFR Made In Japan Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US Printed in Japan manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; Made in Taiwan)
Sonic MD US NRF Made In Taiwan Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD US NFR Made in Taiwan Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US Printed in Taiwan Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; Made in China)
Sonic MD US NFR Made in China Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD US NFR Made in China Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US Printed in Hong Kong manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; -01; Made in Japan)
Sonic1 box us nfr1.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; -01; Made in Taiwan)
Sonic MD US NFR-01 Made in Taiwan Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD US NFR-01 Made in Taiwan Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US Printed In Taiwan-01 Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Not for resale; -01; Printed in USA)
Sonic1 MD US nfr2 cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Classic; K-A rating)
Sonic1 md us classic cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD US Assembled in USA Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US Classic KA Rating Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Classic; GA rating, Printed in Japan)
Sonic1 MD US classic ga cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Classic; GA rating, Printed in USA)
Sonic1 MD US classic ga cover Printed in USA.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (K-A rating)
Sonic MD US KA Rating Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD US KA Rating Assembled in USA Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD US KA Rating Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (Made in China cover)
Sonic1 box eu.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU (Made in Japan cover)
Sonic1 MD EU mij cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD EU MadeInJapan Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD EU PrintedInJapan Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (Made in Malaysia cover)
Sonic1 MD EU mim cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD EU MadeInMalaysia Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD EU PrintedInMalaysia Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (Made in Thailand cover)
Sonic1 MD EU mit cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU (Alt Manual)

Sonic MD EU CodeOnBack Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (?)

Sonic1 MD EU p22 pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, EU (?)

Sonic1 MD EU f pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, FR (US Import)
Sonic MD FR Box.jpg
Cover
Sonic MD FR Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT
Sonic1 MD PT Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, PT (alt)

Mega Drive, PT (alt 2)

Mega Drive, BX
Sonic1 MD BX Box.jpg
Cover
S1-md-eu-cart.jpg
Cart
Notavailable.svg
Manual
Mega Drive, SE (Rental; Hent; Black)
Sonic MD SE Rental Hent Black Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSonic MD SE Rental Hent Black Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, SE (Rental; Hent; Black ALT)
Sonic md se rental back1.JPGNospine.pngSonic MD SE Rental Hent Black ALT Box.JPG
Cover
Mega Drive, SE (Rental; Hent; Orange)
Sonic MD SE Rental Hent Orange Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSonic MD SE Rental Hent Orange Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, GR (Zegetron)

S1-md-eu-cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, CZ (Datart)

S1-md-eu-cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic1 MD CZ manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, LT[41]
Sonic1 box lt.jpg
Cover
S1-md-eu-cart.jpg
Cart
Notavailable.svg
Manual
Mega Drive, AU

Sonic1 MD AU Cart Top.jpg
Sonic1 MD AU Cart Back.jpgSonic1 MD AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU (Horizontal manual)
Sonic1 MD AU classics cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU (Horizontal manual; "SPO1")
Sonic1 MD AU spo cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU (Vertical manual)

Mega Drive, BR/AR/UY/PY
Sonic1-box-bra.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR (newer)
Sonic1 MD BR Box Newer.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, CA
Sonic1 MD CA Box.jpg
Cover
Sonic1cacart.jpg
Cart
Sonic MD CA PrintedInTaiwan Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, CA (Not For Resale)
Sonic1 MD CA nfr cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD CA nfr cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, KR
Sonic1 MD KR cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR (Gold)
Sonic1 MD KR gold cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD KR gold cartback.jpgSonic1 MD KR gold cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, KR (Gold, alt)
Sonic1 MD KR gold alt cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR (newer)
Sonic1 MD KR Box 2.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD KR cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AS
Sonic1 MD AS cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD AS cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, IN
Sonic1 MD AS cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic1 MD AS cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic1 MD IN SWC label.png
Shaw Wallace seal
Mega Drive, ZA

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 f9394e97
MD5 1bc674be034e43c96b86487ac69d9293
SHA-1 6ddb7de1e17e7f6cdb88927bd906352030daa194
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (US/EU) REV00
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 afe05eee
MD5 09dadb5071eb35050067a32462e39c5f
SHA-1 69e102855d4389c3fd1a8f3dc7d193f8eee5fe5b
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (JP) REV01
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 6382b2c5
MD5 c6c15aea60bda10ae11c6bc375296153
SHA-1 95b6aac7e11bb2d908aafa06973ffeb45817a992
512kB 1991-04 Sonic Mega Collection disc JP2
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 917c9ca9
MD5 b06578c3412de1c5be765a59dec5ff1f
SHA-1 0b38a66d5e2ffa2394fccb41e4871419cd0a077d
512kB 1989-01 EPROM cartridge[42] Download.svg (269 kB) (info) Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 7a093f0b
MD5 e5e4eea000240b7bc675cf148b5b897b
SHA-1 ad7502fa15b1819eeb4089783b4a850d898bc71e
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (pirate) Sonic The Hedgehog (W) (REV00) [p5][!].bin
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 2ad86af1
MD5 0b5cc06bcce7f2b7907b7357266bbfa7
SHA-1 a56c2f98d891eb6aa69c8169d806acf996325810
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (pirate) Sonic The Hedgehog (W) (REV00) [p4][!].bin
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 964e15de
MD5 fced4cdb489c59300ae1b1330ff265cb
SHA-1 6a90e740a96d413d8bc01e9b6fbe990316a93380
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (pirate) Sonic The Hedgehog (W) (REV00) [p3][!].bin
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 5ce8f5cf
MD5 0ec2d91d212bb486f6d7e80cf7767fa5
SHA-1 d1f80dbf4083273b7de427ca50b69399d5b7e6d8
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (pirate) Sonic The Hedgehog (W) (REV00) [p2][!].bin
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 0d770284
MD5 4dc697b98100a9ba6b8d99d9b471ea74
SHA-1 4c3b606bec697b0b934ba2f650a8b83c0e3b77c7
512kB 1991-04 Cartridge (pirate) Sonic The Hedgehog (W) (REV00) [p1][!].bin

ROM hacking

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main page: SCHG:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)

During the 1990s and early 2000s, modifying Sonic the Hedgehog involved directly editing the ROM file with tools such as hex editors and Tile Layer Pro. Such efforts were somewhat crude by today's standards, and generally only produced straightforward changes to the game's data (graphics, levels etc.). In 2004 the first disassembly was produced, which allowed code and data to be restructured in any conceivable way, and then recompiled into a fully working ROM file. Subsequent years of refinement has produced a completely labelled and commented disassembly, which is hosted on GitHub.

Emulation

At present, Sonic the Hedgehog is emulated perfectly by all major Sega Mega Drive emulators. Older emulators such as Genecyst suffered a visual bug on the game's title screen. The Mega Drive could only display a limited number of sprites per scanline, and the game's programmers had placed dummy sprites on the title screen to exploit this weakness. The dummy sprites were intended to make Sonic appear to be behind the logo by rendering him partially invisible. Genecyst doesn't emulate this limitation, and so Sonic appears in front of the logo.Media:Sonic1 title Genecyst bug.png[43]

See also

  • Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic - A three volume comic released in Japan used to advertise the game. Contained in the narrative are elements there were eventually changed or removed from the final product.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog (promotional comic) - A standalone story commissioned by Sega of America using the westernized story no longer considered canon.

External links

References

  1. @U1_Toyama on Twitter (archive.today)
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://www.mtwo.co.jp/development/retrogame-2/ (Wayback Machine: 2023-03-06 07:18)
  3. File:Sonic1 box jap.jpg
  4. 4.0 4.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
  5. 5.0 5.1 http://vc.sega.jp:80/vc_sonic/ (Wayback Machine: 2007-02-09 19:24)
  6. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/paAgJy9q1dA/m/geqhMS8zzNIJ (Wayback Machine: 2022-04-24 21:48)
  7. [vgce, issue 29, page 32 vgce, issue 29, page 32]
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MERwuwZK9YM (Ghostarchive)
  9. [ctw, issue 343, page 17 ctw, issue 343, page 17]
  10. [raze, issue 11, page 76 raze, issue 11, page 76]
  11. [segapower, issue 22, page 11 segapower, issue 22, page 11]
  12. [ag, issue 4, page 22 ag, issue 4, page 22]
  13. 13.0 13.1 http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/KxiDSMn_ADYC1Vd30TP-FW3yf8Byxwwu (Wayback Machine: 2010-11-22 22:19)
  14. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/01.html (Wayback Machine: 2017-11-23 05:03)
  15. 15.0 15.1 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/megadrive/sonic_the_hedgehog (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-08 00:20)
  16. http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=41&prod_id=19772&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-03-28 00:58)
  17. http://games.real.com/allgames.php?mode=spnav (Wayback Machine: 2004-08-02 23:32)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 https://steamdb.info/app/71113/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-16 22:42)
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 http://steamdb.info/app/71113/ (Wayback Machine: 2013-05-22 20:19)
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 20.9 https://steamdb.info/app/71113/history/?changeid=5749722
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 21.8 21.9 http://steamdb.info/app/71113/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-16 22:42)
  22. "Naka was just 25 years old in 1991 when he created “Sonic the Hedgehog” [...] The game sold 2 million copies the year it was released[.]", https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-13-tt-45191-story.html (archive.today)
  23. File:MeanMachinesSega02UK.pdf, page 12
  24. File:SSM UK 21.pdf, page 36
  25. File:SSM UK 22.pdf, page 68
  26. "We gave Sonic away, eventually, to over 15 million households with our hardware system.", https://youtube.com/watch?v=7mFs2v7XM4o&t=81s (Ghostarchive)
  27. "We gave Sonic away, eventually, to over 15 million households with our hardware system.", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ij_RcEzcI&t=760s (Ghostarchive)
  28. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/sub%20CalcSine.asm
  29. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_inc/LZWaterFeatures.asm
  30. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/89%20Ending%20Sequence%20STH.asm
  31. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_maps/Rings%20(JP1).asm
  32. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/2E%20Monitor%20Content%20Power-Up.asm
  33. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/39%20Game%20Over.asm
  34. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/46%20MZ%20Bricks.asm
  35. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/56%20Floating%20Blocks%20and%20Doors.asm
  36. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/0A%20Drowning%20Countdown.asm
  37. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/78%20Caterkiller.asm
  38. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/77%20Boss%20-%20Labyrinth.asm
  39. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/85%20Boss%20-%20Final.asm
  40. https://github.com/sonicretro/s1disasm/blob/master/_incObj/sub%20SolidObject.asm
  41. Mickey Mouse #35 "1/1996" Puiki naujiena Sega gerbejams!
  42. Hidden Palace: Sonic the Hedgehog (Prototype)
  43. File:Sonic1 title Genecyst bug.png


Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)
Sonic1 title.png

Main page (Gen|2013|3D|Ages)
Comparisons (Gen) (2013)
Maps (2013)
Achievements
Credits


Manuals
Promotional material
Magazine articles (Gen)
Video coverage
Reception (Gen)
Merchandise


Development
Hidden content (Gen) (2013)
Bugs (Gen)
Region coding
Hacking guide
Bootlegs

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
 1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2024  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (promotional cartridge)    
Steam
 2010  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Spinball | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | Sonic Adventure | Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2     2013  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2015  Sonic Lost World     2017  Sonic Mania | Sonic Forces     2019  Team Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Origins | Sonic Frontiers     2023  Sonic Colours: Ultimate | The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Superstars     2024  Sonic X Shadow Generations    
filler
Mac OS X

Mac App Store
Steam OS X
 2013  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2019  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Dream Team    
Wii Virtual Console
WiiWare
 2006  Sonic the Hedgehog | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine     2007  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2008  Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)     2009  Sonic Chaos | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I