References to Sonic in video games

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Sonic the Hedgehog is a very famous character in pop culture, as well as Sega's official mascot, and as such, has appeared in many games, many of which are Sega-published titles, as either cameo, allusion, Easter egg, or playable character(s). The following is a (working) compiled list of appearances by Sonic the Hedgehog, and/or any other character or element related to Sonic the Hedgehog, in non-Sonic video game titles:

Video games

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
A Hard Day's Night	1995	PC-98	A Sonic the Hedgehog-like plushie appears in one of the character's bedrooms.
Action Henk	2015	PC	There's an unlockable outfit called "Blue Blaze Henk" that's basically a Sonic costume.
The Adventures of Quik & Silva	1991-05-10	Amiga	Sonic the Hedgehog appears as one of the game's enemies.
Alien Front Online	2001-08-07	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic appears on a billboard.
Aliens: Colonial Marines	2013-02-11	PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	A locker contains a checkered sphere and smaller red and blue spheres, a reference to the Special Stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Art Alive!	1991	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic appears as "stamps" to be placed.
Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las Vegum	2005	PC, PlayStation 2, PSP	One faction of Roman warriors wears blue headgear that resembles Sonic spines, along with Sonic's trademark red shoes. They carry gold rings.
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II	1992-07-17	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic runs across a menu screen.
Bayonetta	2009-10-29	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Switch	During the game's beginning sequence, Bayonetta and Enzo conduct a funeral for a man named Eggman, with Enzo stating, "Even old Eggman the Destroyer gets scrambled in the end, right?" Originally, game designer Hideki Kamiya did not intend this line to be a reference to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, recalling, "I had just randomly decided to use the word "Eggman". Then I found out it was the name of a character in another famous game. I figured if the fans get a kick out of it, then it is fine to leave it as it is."
Beach Spikers: Virtua Beach Volleyball	2001-07	Arcade, Nintendo GameCube	A giant inflatable Sonic floats above one of the volleyball courts.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg	2003-09-23	Nintendo GameCube	Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and a Chao feature as hidden egg animals.
Blue Stinger	1999-03-25	Sega Dreamcast	The game's Toy Shop area is occupied with various real and fictional Sega products, including copies of Sonic Adventure. Additionally, the minigame Stamp Rally features a character with a very Sonic-like face and eye design.
Bryce's Movement Engine¹	2020-01-17	Windows PC	A hidden area contains the words "WHO IS BRY" spelled in Rings atop a Sonic-esque tiled floor, while another features phrases presented through Mega Drive-era Sonic series stage introductions.
Buck Up And Drive!	2022-01-10	PC	One of the random environments in the game is Green Hilltop, which is based on Green Hill Zone and similar levels in the Sonic series.
Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble	1996-07	Mega Drive	Bugs Bunny comes across sneakers resembling Sonic's shoes, which seem to have been abandoned. The left shoe impatiently taps up and down similarly to Sonic's iconic waiting pose.
Burning Rangers	1998-02-26	Sega Saturn	Lead Phoenix's hockey stick has a Sonic logo on it. Stage 3 contains areas called Greenhill Lounge and Starlight Lounge. Rescuing Naoto Ohshima a second time yields a picture of Sonic.
Bug!	1995-07-28	Sega Saturn, PC	Sonic the Hedgehog makes two cameo appearances in the stage Reptilia; once in a bonus level where the player competes against him in a footrace, and another in a secret area as a visual-only cameo. By enabling the cheat which makes Bug able to move anywhere, you can actually walk up and kill him like a regular enemy.
Candy Land	1998	Windows PC	The famous Ring collection sound effect is used whenever clicking the next available space on the game board.
Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams	1996-11-22	Sega Saturn	One of the unlockable presents is Sonic into Dreams, which sees the player control Sonic, on foot, complete Spring Valley in a similar means to Claris or Elliot in the main game. Additionally, a Christmas-themed Dr. Eggman is fought in place of the boss Puffy.
ChuChu Rocket!	1999-11-11	Sega Dreamcast	Clear all 25 puzzles in the Stage Challenge mode, and you can have the normal ChuChus replaced with Chao (Dreamcast version only).
Clockwork Knight 2	1995-07-28	Sega Saturn	In a hidden movie, a Sonic toy can be seen sitting on a shelf.
Cookie Run: Kingdom	2021	iOS, Android	From September 17 to October 16, 2021, a special crossover event was held which allowed players to run through Green Hill Zone in a special story event featuring Sonic and Tails as Cookies teaming up with the Cookies to defeat Dr. Eggman. Collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds would unlock Sonic Cookie and Tails Cookie as team members, and Sonic-themed kingdom decorations could be unlocked.
Cool Riders	1995-04	Arcade	When a player finishes a race and reaches the high score table, there are mini-Sonic and Tails head icons that can be used for a player's initials.
Crazy Faces	Unreleased	Sega Game Gear	The first puzzle is based off the European cover for Sonic the Hedgehog.
Crusader of Centy	1994-06-17	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic lays in a lawn chair on Anemone Beach. Talk to Sonic and he says: "Tsk, tsk. I'm a gallant hedgehog. Don't mess or you'll get burned." He says this in the Japanese verison as well (「チッチッチッ！オレは、イナセなハリネズミ。さわると、ヤケドするぜ。」)
Daytona USA	1993-08	Arcade, Sega Saturn	Sonic appears carved in a stone mountain on the Three-Seven Speedway course.
Daytona 3 Championship USA	2017	Arcade	Sonic appears once again in a stone mountain on the Three-Seven Speedway course, this time in his post-Sonic Adventure design.
Death Road to Canada	2016-07-22	Windows PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, Android	If a character with very high dexterity (movement speed) makes it to Canada, they will reference a Sonic quote or mention Sonic or Dr. Robotnik during the epilogue. In addition, one of their possible epilogues states that they nicknamed themselves "Sonic the Hedgehog".
Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax	2014-03-18	Arcade, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita	Green Hill Zone appears as a stage. Sonic appears in the background of another stage, along with a Chao, NiGHTS, Opa-Opa and various pieces of Sega hardware.
Derby Owners Club	1999-10	Arcade	The track G1 Sega features a large inflatable Sonic balloon surrounded by spinning rings.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided	2016	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC	Boxes of a fictional Knuckles the Echidna spin-off game called Knuckles & Knuckles & Knuckles can be found on a shelf.
Dirt Devils	1998-11	Arcade	Sonic's head is seen on the hood of the Euro-Prototype car.
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories	2006-02-23	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable	The character Tink can perform the special ability Sonic Roll, where he curls into a ball to attack in a Spin Dash-like manner. The ability is even accompanied by the corresponding sound effect, although the audio was replaced in the game's subsequent PlayStation Portable release.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest	1995-11-21	Super NES	At the end of the game, Diddy gets rated as a video game hero according to how many of the DK Coins you collect. On the screen is a trash can labeled "No Hopers" with Sonic's shoes next to it (as well as the gun of Earthworm Jim). This was removed in the GBA version.
Ears of the Killer	2020-06-30	Windows PC	ZZ proposes selling an "Orgone Videogame Entity" to increase company profits - which is actually an old Sonic the Hedgehog figurine with a spiral drawn on it.
Exponential Idle	2020	iOS, Android	The game awards the "Gotta Go Fast" achievement for reaching 2.5x speed with the acceleration button (requiring approximately 7 minutes of holding the button down.)
F1	1993-08-27	Sega Master System	Sonic is seen on billboards on some tracks.
F1 Pole Position 2	1993	Super NES	As an officially licensed Formula One game, F1 Pole Position 2 includes cars from the 1993 F1 season. This includes Williams, which was the time was sponsored by Sega, and while the in-game sprites are too small to render any text, Sonic's red sneakers can just about be seen below the cockpit. Additionally, McLaren's roadkill hedgehog decal can be clearly seen on the background car.
Fall Guys	2020	PC, PlayStation 4	There is an unlockable outfit of Sonic for the player's Fall Guy, costing five crowns to unlock. Later, a Knuckles outfit was also added.
Feel the Magic: XY/XX	2004-11-18	Nintendo DS	In the 'Paint' mini game, one of the shapes which requires coloring is a Sonic head. You can also unlock a Sonic wig for your girlfriend, when Sonic Advance is inserted into the GBA cartridge slot. Having Sonic Advance 3 in the GBA cartridge slot will unlock a Chao wig. Both wigs can also be unlocked by completing the game on 'Hell mode'.
Fighters Megamix	1996-12-21	Sega Saturn	Bean the Dynamite and Bark the Polar Bear from Sonic the Fighters appear as playable characters, along with the South Island and Aurora Icefield stages from that game.
Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit	1994-04-23	Sega Mega-CD	Sonic and Tails' heads can be spotted on billboards on some tracks and the background of a menu.
Fighting Vipers	1995-11	Arcade, Sega Saturn	In the intro movie, Sanman's pile of toys contains the Lunar Fox, Honey (in her alternative costume) and a transformed Rocket Metal from Sonic the Fighters. Bark the Polar Bear's legs and feet are also visible.
Gale Racer	1994-12	Sega Saturn	The Sega Saturn port of Rad Mobile features the return of the original game's Sonic-series air fresheners, and adds a slew of additional characters such as Amy Rose and Metal Sonic.
Gem Smashers	2003-07-01	Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console, iOS	One of the game's three playable characters is Bom, a blue hedgehog who boasts the fastest speed of any character.
Gem Smashers	2017-02-24	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Switch, Xbox One	Bom returns in the game's remake, boasting the same superior speed and Sonic-like design.
Goat Simulator	2014	PC	There is a goat called "Blue Streak" that can turn blue and run at great speeds.
Gran Turismo 6	2013	PlayStation 3	On the modern Fuji Speedway tracks (F, GT), there is a Sonic advertisement on the billboard bridge next to the SEGA-Sammy logo right after the start/finish line.
Harley-Davidson & L.A. Riders	1997-12	Arcade	At the gate of the mansion in the Beverly Hills stage, Sonic is featured on several stone blocks.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA	2009-07-02	PSP	In the Miku's Room feature of the game, one of the obtainable items is a Mega Drive and an original Sonic the Hedgehog cartridge.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Extend	2011-11-10	PSP	In celebration of Sonic's 20th Anniversary, Hatsune Miku dressed up as Sonic. An album that was given to those who pre-ordered the game featured Miku singing Live & Learn.
Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX	2015-05-28	Nintendo 3DS	A Sonic statue can be bought and placed in your home. His description is "Everyone knows the blue blur. Gotta go fast!".
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit	2012-09-25	PS3, Xbox 360, PC	When Ash is given a radar, he asks "Do I look like I'm trying to collect 7 magic emeralds or something?"
Hyenas	2023	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Windows PC	Hero-Ki, a character in the game, cosplays as Sonic the Hedgehog, and has plushes of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy attached to the strap on his bag.
Illbleed	2001-03-29	Sega Dreamcast	A boss named Zodick the Hellhog resembles Sonic the Hedgehog (albeit in Demon form) and even spouts rings when hit and Spin Dashes as an attack.
The Incredible Hulk	2008-06-05	PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS	If the player jumps to random buildings, they can find a billboard with assorted illustrations of Sonic on it.
J. League Pro Striker	1993-04-23	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic is seen at the Sega logo.
Jet Set Radio	2000-06-29	Sega Dreamcast	Players can tag various parts of the game's stages with graffiti of Sega character stock art, including Sonic, Dr. Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, E-102 Gamma, Big, and Chao from Sonic Adventure, with Sonic further appearing on a billboard in the game's ending cutscene. Additionally, the character Garam wears a necklace with a peculiarly-shaped skull on it - the game's art director Ryuta Ueda hinted that this is actually the skull of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football	1991-11	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic occasionally appears on the megatron after a touchdown is scored.
Kid Icarus: Uprising	2012-03-22	Nintendo 3DS	One of the weapons in the game is the Hedgehog Claws, which have fast rapid fire, fast charge time and gives the user a large speed boost. Its idol states they are "inspired by hedgehogs".
L.A. Machineguns	1998-12	Arcade	Sonic and the Sonic Adventure logo appear as neon signs in the Las Vegas stage.
Last Bronx	1996-06	Arcade, Saturn, PC, PS2	In Tommy's stage, there is a poster of Sonic on a building in the background. Also, there's a sticker of Sonic on Tommy's outfit.
Le Mans 24	1997-09	Arcade	Sonic is a hidden racer.
Lego Dimensions	2015-09-27	PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U	Sonic is included in the second series of characters that were released for the game.
LittleBigPlanet	2008	PlayStation 3	Five Sonic-themed skins based on Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Dr. Eggman and Sonic the Werehog, along with a set of Sonic decals were released in 2010.
Lost Judgment	2021-09-24	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One	A Sonic the Fighters cabinet appears among a number of other Sega arcade classics.
Malice	2004-04-08	PlayStation 2	During one of the game's scenes, a bird scolds another bird for worshipping a blue hedgehog.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	2014-05-29	Wii U, Nintendo Switch	From v4.0 of the Wii U version onwards, tapping a Sonic amiibo will unlock a Sonic-themed racing suit for the player's Mii.
Megalopolis: Tokyo City Battle	1993-03	AS-1	Numerous references to Sega were included as small cameos in Megalopolis: Tokyo City Battle's ride film; most notably, Sonic the Hedgehog appears on a large advertisement for bottled beer.
Metal Head	1995-02-24	Sega 32X	Sonic appears on a neon sign on a building in the stage Downtown.
Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse	1995-03-31	Mega Drive, Mega-CD	Both Sonic and Tails' names are featured in the game's credits as nicknames for Tony Parks and Phil Snape.
Mission in Snowdriftland	2021-12-01	PC	In the Steam release of the game, the artifact recovered in level 17 is the Hedgehog Ring, which is based on the Rings from the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate	2014	3DS	A Sonic costume for the player's Palico was added to the game as part of free DLC in April 2015. The costume comes with Caliburn as a weapon.
Monster Hunter Rise	2021-03-26	Switch	A number of Sonic-series cosmetic items and armors have been released which allow players to dress as Sonic, Tails, and more.
Motor Raid	1997-10	Arcade	One of the game's tracks features a large statue of Sonic the Hedgehog.
NBA 2K	1999-11-10	Sega Dreamcast	Players can create a team called the Hedgehogs, which features Sonic holding a basketball as the logo.
Neko Dai Suki!	1996-07-19	Sega Game Gear	Sonic appears as a poster in one room.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Iron Maiden	1997-07-11	Windows PC	Sonic appears on a mug in one of the game's settings.
NHL 2K	2000-02-09	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic appears on the Jumbotron occasionally.
NiGHTS into Dreams	1996-07-05	Sega Saturn	All of the default high scores are set by Sonic characters, with Tails being listed as "Miles" in every region.
Ninjala	2020	Nintendo Switch	From September 23 to October 21, 2020, a Ninjala x Sonic Collab took place in which various items including costumes, stickers and Gum Utsusemi based on Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Dr. Eggman were available to purchase from the in-game cosmetics shop.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game	2019-07-24	PlayStation 4	A performer wearing a Sonic the Hedgehog sports-mascot costume is prominently featured in many parts of the game.
Omakase! Savers	1996-02-23	Sega Saturn	Sonic and Tails plushies appear in the game's opening FMV sequence.
OutRun 2 SP	2004-12-21	Arcade, PC, PS2, Xbox, PSP	Sonic billboards and statue appear in the Casino Town course.
OutRunners	1993-05	Arcade, Sega Mega Drive	In the intro Sonic and Tails fly in two versions of their biplane, the Tornado, and sprinkle the Sega logo. In the game, Sonic billboards appear at the side of the track. In the Japanese Mega Drive version they also appear on the Sega logo (the American publishers, Data East, removed it from their release).
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium	1993-12-17	Sega Mega Drive	In the town of Krup, there is a book in Saya's school called "Run, Hedgehog, Run!".
Phantasy Star Online	2000-12-21	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails have cameoed online numerous times.
Phantasy Star Universe	2006-08-31	PC, PS2, Xbox 360	Lobbies are decorated with Sonic statues and rings on Sonic's birthday (23rd June).
Pizza Tower	2023-01-26	Windows PC	The 2023 indie PC game Pizza Tower is littered with numerous homages to pop culture, video games included. The protagonist Peppino (as can his uncanny clone Fake Peppino) can perform a taunt move which pays homage to Sonic's circular pose on the cover of Sonic Adventure. Additionally, the music track "Pumpin' Hot Stuff" uses a number of musical motifs inspired by Sonic CD's soundtrack, such as the repeating siren sample which begins "Stardust Speedway 'B' Mix" and the construction of melodies using orchestra hits from "Metallic Madness 'G' Mix", and the track "Move It, Boy" is composed almost entirely around the original "work that sucker to death" sample featured in "Boss!!!" Most well known, however, is the character Snick. A demo released during SAGE 2019 introduced a character called Snick the Porcupine, a parody of Sonic who runs his own version of SAGE that Peppino accidentally attends instead of the real SAGE. Completing all three of the levels in the demo will unlock the Snick Challenge, where Peppino must get through all three levels under a 10-minute time limit while being chased by Snick.exe, and completing it will unlock Snick as a playable character. Snick is shorter than Peppino and can achieve mach speeds without holding the dash button (the dash button instead lets him do a Super Peel Out), however he will lose all his points when hit (akin to losing Rings) and dies when hit with 0 points. Originally intended for the SAGE 2019 demo, Snick made cameos in later demos, such as dressing up as a ghost in the Noise's Hardoween demo and appearing during the Noise's boss fight in the Peppino's Xmas Break demo. In the final game, one of Gustavo's taunts has Brick the Rat become Snick, a missing persons poster for Snick can be found in the Slum, and Snick himself can be found in a secret room in Staff Only wearing his ghost costume.
Popful Mail	1994-04-01	Sega Mega-CD	The main character Mail examines a notice board in the game, which has a small drawing of Sonic pinned to it.
Premier Manager	1995-11	Sega Mega Drive	Chaotix logos are available for decoration of the stadium.
Premier Manager 97	1996-10-31	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic & Knuckles logos are available for decoration of the stadium.
Pro Yakyuu GG League '94	1994-09-30	Sega Game Gear	Sonic appears on a billboard.
Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 98	1998-03-26	Sega Saturn	Sonic R is advertised in the Tokyo Dome stadium.
Pro Yakyuu Super League '91	1991-08-30	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic's name appears on billboards above the stadium.
Pro Yakyuu Super League CD	1992-10-30	Sega Mega-CD	Sonic appears on the loading screens as well as on the field of one of the selectable ballparks.
Puyo Puyo!	2006-12-14	PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP	The player can unlock "Sonic-style Puyo" which resemble the heads of various Sonic characters.
Puyo Puyo Tetris	2014-02-06	PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, 3DS, Wii U, Switch, PC	The player can unlock "Sonic-style" Puyos and Tetriminos which resemble the heads of various Sonic characters.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2	2020-12-08	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC	As of version 1.1.0, Sonic is a playable character, with Jun'ichi Kanemaru and Roger Craig Smith reprising their roles for Japanese and English respectively. Avatars based on various Sonic characters, Sonic-themed items for Skill Battle, and Tropical Resort Act 1's music track are also included.
Quik the Thunder Rabbit	1994	Amiga, Amiga CD32	In the introductory cutscene, a tiny blue hedgehog is slowly making his way across a desert road before Quik zooms around the corner, causing the rodent to scurry away and leap off a nearby cliff.
R-Tuned: Ultimate Street Racing	2008-05-20	Arcade	The cars in the game can be customized, with some featuring a Sonic the Hedgehog-themed paint job.
Rad Mobile	1991-02	Arcade	A cute Sonic the Hedgehog air freshener hangs from the car's rear-view mirror during gameplay. Notably, this is Sonic's first appearance in a game, predating even the first title of his own series.
Ratchet & Clank	2016-04-12	PlayStation 4	One of the unlockables in the game lets you change the bolts, which is the collectable currency in the game, into currency from other games. One of which being rings (called "Adorable Toruses" in the game).
Reset Generation	2005-07-25	Windows, N-Gage 2.0	Reset Generation stars a parody of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Retro City Rampage	2012-10-09	PC	One of the game's primary antagonists is named Dr. Von Buttnick (an homage to Dr. Ivo Robotnik), and players can acquire power-ups in the form of "speed shoes" that unlock a quick dash tackle ability (described as being from "the Green Hills".) Additionally, every area in Theftropolis ends in the word "Zone".
Samba de Amigo	2008-09-23	Wii	Sonic appears in his own themed stage based on Green Hill Zone, and dances with Amigo.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central	2023-06	Nintendo Switch	Sonic appears in his own themed stage based on City Escape, and dances with Amigo to "Escape from the City" and "Fist Bump".
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game	2010	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	There is a powerup in the form of a game called "Speedy the Porcupine". By entering the level select cheat from Sonic 3, enemies will explode into a flurry of woodland creatures when defeated. A later release parodies the cover of Sonic Adventure.
Scud Race	1996-12	Arcade	Sonic and Tails appear on a billboard in the Beginner (Day) track, and Sonic appears on smaller signs throughout the game. In the Xbox port of OutRun 2 (which features the tracks of Scud Race), this billboard has been replaced with a generic Sega logo, but is still present in the Dreamcast development kit track models.
Secret of Mana	1993-08-06	Super Famicom	The game features enemies called Pebblers - blue-quilled hedgehogs with red feet who attack by curling into balls.
Sega Bass Fishing	1997-11	Arcade, Dreamcast, PC, Wii	After a few courses you receive a Sonic lure.
Sega Channel	1994-05	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic appears in the intro when booting up the Sega Channel Adaptor.
Sega Game Pack 4 in 1	1992-12	Sega Game Gear	Sonic is the umpire in the tennis game.
Sega Rally Revo	2007-09-27	Windows PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	The third livery for the Citroën C2 Super 1600 is themed on Sonic the Hedgehog, while the third livery for Toyota Celica VVTi is themed on Shadow the Hedgehog. Each are unlocked by driving their respective cars 50 miles (32km).
Sega Saturn de Hakken!! Tamagotchi Park	1998-01-29	Sega Saturn	If a certain Tamagotchi is raised just right it grows up into the super secret "Sonictchi".
Sega Ski Super G	1996-12	Arcade	A Sonic statues appears in the background of the first track.
Sega Splash! Golf	2008-04-23	PC	Sonic and Tails are caddies in a course based on Green Hill Zone.
Sega Superstars	2004-10-22	PlayStation 2	One of the 12 games is based upon a Sonic Heroes-style Special Stage.
Sega Superstars Tennis	2008-03-18	PS2, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii	Sonic, Tails, Amy, Shadow and Eggman are playable characters.
Segagaga	2001-05-31	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic appears in the intro FMV.
Shenmue	1999-12-29	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic the Fighters character figurines are available.
Shenmue II	2001-09-06	Sega Dreamcast	Same as Shenmue.
Shining Force II	1993-10-01	Sega Mega Drive	There is a secret battle after the ending credits on a playfield shaped like Sonic, from the Sonic Software Planning logo.
The Simpsons Game	2007-10-30	PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, DS	Sonic appears in the "Enter the Cheatrix" level as a washed-up has-been, spouting funny lines such as "I miss the 90's, everybody loved me then". He also appears at the end, escaping the video game world with the Simpsons.
Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin	1993-09	Sega Mega-CD	In the game's ending, a carving of Sonic's head can be spotted on a cave in the background.
Spikeout	1998-09	Arcade	In one of the game's stages, a large statue of Sonic the Hedgehog appears near an elevator (a lower-poly model of his Sonic Jam render), and is featured alongside artwork of a previously-unused Sonic Adventure design concept - notably depicting Sonic in a style roughly halfway between his classic and modern designs.
Spikeout: Battle Street	2005-03-24	Xbox	The same Sonic the Hedgehog statue appears in Spikeout's expanded Xbox port, this time replacing with a new model sporting his modern design.
Spiral Knights	2011-06-14	PC	A Metal Sonic costume was given to those who purchased Sonic CD on Steam before January 31, 2012, and later became available for purchase. Tails' tails also appeared as a wearable accessory.
Sports Talk Baseball	1992-05	Mega Drive	Sonic appears on the stadium's bigscreen.
Spyro: Year of the Dragon	2000-10-10	PlayStation	If you decline Moneybags' offer in the Crystal Islands level, he will threaten to "turn you into a blue hedgehog or something."
Stack Columns	1994-05	Arcade	The background for the Las Vegas tournaments depicts a "SegaSonicS" casino, with a statue of Sonic the Hedgehog standing above one of its entrances.
Super Mario Maker	2015-09-10	Wii U	Using the Sonic amiibo will spawn a Mystery Mushroom that turns Mario into Sonic.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD	2019-10-28	PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC	Classic Sonic can be unlocked as a playable character.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania	2021-10-05	PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC	Both Sonic and Tails can be unlocked as playable characters.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl	2008-01-31	Wii	Sonic is a playable character.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U	2014-09-13	3DS, Wii U	Sonic is a playable character.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	2018-12-07	Nintendo Switch	Sonic is a playable character.
Taiko no Tatsujin	2008	iOS	Sonic, Dr. Eggman, and other franchise characters appear in the game's iOS port.
Tiny Toon Adventures	1991-12-20	NES	Stage 3 of Tiny Toon Adventures features a Sonic-like hedgehog enemy which defends itself by performing a spin attack.
Tom and Jerry: The Movie	1992-10-01	Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System	An ad for Sonic appears on the windows of a bookstore in one level. In the Master System version, posters of both Sonic and Opa-Opa adorn a few walls in the third level.
Torarete Tamaruka!?	1994-06-03	Game Gear	An in-game store features Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman plushies, alongside boxed Japanese Mega Drive systems.
Toy Commander	1999-10-21	Sega Dreamcast	Sonic appears on a calendar on the floor in some stages.
Toy Fighter	1999-09	NAOMI	Sonic appears as a plush in the child's playroom between fights.
Two Point Hospital	2018-08-29	PC	Arcade Machine objects sport SEGA logos on their sides, display a loop of the Flying Battery Zone on their screens, and play Sonic sound effects and music when used. Patients afflicted with the "8-Bitten" condition express boredom with a leaning-forward foot tap and shake of a finger.
Ultimate Soccer	1993-09	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic is seen at the Sega logo, plus the menus.
Uniracers	1994-12	Super Famicom	If players attempt to enter their name as either "SONIC" or "SEGA", an error appears stating the name is "NOT COOL ENOUGH".
Virtua Cop 3	2003-02-18	Arcade	Sonic appears on the tutorial screen.
Virtua Fighter 2	1994-11	Arcade, Sega Saturn, PC	When Jacky Bryant and Sarah Bryant fight, a hidden stage called Chicago is chosen. There's a brick wall in the background with graffiti, including a doodle of Sonic.
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution	2002	Arcade, PlayStation 2	Quest mode includes a "Sonic Cup" tournament, with a logo of Sonic with some rings. Additionally, a shot of Sega World Papillon Plaza appears.
Virtua Fighter 5	2005-11-26	Arcade, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	In Quest Mode, various locations based on actual Sega venues (like SegaWorld or Club Sega) can be visited, with most venues decorated with images of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Virtua Fighter Kids	1996-03	Arcade, Sega Saturn	Same as Virtua Fighter 2.
Virtua Racing Deluxe	1994-11-21	32X	Driving around the Sand Park track in reverse reveals a sign with "KNUCKLES" written on it.
Virtua Striker	1995-05	Arcade	The game's match ball, designed after the Adidas Questra (the 1994 FIFA World Cup ball), has Sonic drawn into its black triskelions.
Virtua Striker 2	1997-06	Arcade	There is a hidden MVP Yuki Chan team, which includes Bean the Dynamite from Sonic the Fighters.
Virtua Striker 3	2001-04	Arcade, Sega Dreamcast	A hidden team has Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Dr. Eggman, and a Chao as players, with Yuji Naka as the coach.
Virtua Quest	2004-08-26	Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2	A Sonic statue appears in the Twin Axis server.
Virtua Tennis 4	2011-04-29	PC, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, Xbox 360	You can unlock a tennis racket in the shape of Sonic's head.
Wacky Worlds	1994-11	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic and Tails are on the game's cover, Sonic is in a spaceship and is your cursor to select a world to play in, and Tails is a stamp in the jungle area.
Wally wo Sagase!	1992-06	Arcade	The game features a portrait of Sonic the Hedgehog.
WaveRunner	1996-10	Arcade	Sonic appears on the back of a racer's lifejacket.
Wimbledon Championship Tennis	1993-10	Mega Drive	One of the game's courts features advertisements for Sega and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Yakuza 0	2015-03-12	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One	The upgrades which increase character run speeds are called "Gotta Go Fast".
Yakuza 4	2010-03-18	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One	Sonic, Cream and Cheese appear on a SEGA Changer machine in Club SEGA. Also, Un-gravitify is used as background music in certain buildings.
Yakuza 5	2012-12-06	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One	The same SEGA Changer machine from Yakuza 4 with Sonic artwork appears in Club SEGA. Also, A New Venture is used as background music in various M-Stores.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life	2016-12-08	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One	Dreams of an Absolution is used as background music in certain buildings.
Yakuza Kiwami	2016-01-21	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC	Sonic, Cream and Cheese appear on a Sega Changer machine in Club Sega, along with other minor appearances from Sonic on various signage.
Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World	2015-06-25	Wii U, 3DS	Tapping a Sonic amiibo will unlock a Sonic design for Yoshi.
Zool	1992-10	Amiga	The ending of the original Amiga version of Zool has the eponymous character kicking away a tiny blue hedgehog wearing red shoes. Additionally, one of the game's music tracks is titled "Sonic Basher".

Hidden and deleted references

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
Mega Turrican	1994-03	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic and Mario are in the VRAM tiles of the first stage, but never used in actual game. However, they are used and visible in one of the game's prototypes.
Streets of Rage 3	1994-03-18	Sega Mega Drive	Sonic appears on a billboard in one of the unused motorbike levels in the Japanese version of the game.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island	1995-08-05	Super Famicom	While the final game's Harry Hedgehog enemies eschew any meaningful references to Sonic the Hedgehog (including not curling into a ball), development scratchpads reveal an early hedgehog enemy did in fact curl into a spiny ball as an attack.
Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge	1998-05	Arcade	A hidden texture loaded when booting up the game displays a photograph of an unknown Sega developer alongside a crude doodle of Sonic the Hedgehog, the name "Sega Uniparsal Studios" (an Engrish misspelling of "Universal Studios"), and Japanese text saying "Coming Soon" - a reference to the GameWorks chain of arcade-restaurants established by Sega and Universal Studios. This texture was removed in the game's later update, Daytona USA 2: Power Edition.
Pocket Monsters Gold / Pocket Monsters Silver	1999-11-21	Game Boy Color	In leaked development scratchpads for the second generation of Pokémon designs, the Pokémon Sneasel appears with an alternate design which features a distinctly Sonic-like head.
Need for Speed: ProStreet	2007-10-31	Xbox 360	An unused vinyl decal (located at ID 0xE6240FE8 in "VINYLS.BIN") features a neon-green Chao.
Pizza Tower	2023-01-26	Windows PC	Alongside the bevy of Sonic the Hedgehog references which appear in the released version of Pizza Tower, the character Snick was once imagined to have a gang of close friends during development. Included are Tail (Tails), Boots (Knuckles), Shadow Snick (Shadow), Dr. Bad Breakfast (Dr. Eggman), and three unnamed representations of Amy, Metal Sonic, and the meme creepypasta Sonic.exe.