References to Sonic in video games

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Donkey Kong Country 2 famously poked fun at Sonic, calling out the mascot as a "no hoper."

The success of Sonic the Hedgehog resulted in the character becoming one of the world's most-recognizable icons and an integral element of Western pop culture. As such, he has appeared in a number of video games outside of the Sonic franchise, including those developed by other companies.

The game's success also kickstarted the mascot platformer genre, inspiring numerous other companies to develop similar games starring an anthropomorphic hero. Some games only take inspiration from the character himself, like High Seas Havoc, Aero the Acrobat, and Jazz Jackrabbit, while some titles leaned more into the series' trademark speedy gameplay, like Bubsy, Awesome Possum, James Pond 3, Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure, Superfrog, and Big Nose Freaks Out, among many others. Additionally, a slew of unlicensed Sonic games (like the infamous Somari) were produced to capitalize on the character's popularity.

This inspiration is not limited to large commercial projects, as a number of smaller titles and Sonic the Hedgehog fangames have paid direct homage to the character's older games. Titles like Freedom Planet and Spark the Electric Jester feature gameplay designed to pay tribute to older Mega Drive entries in Sega's main franchise, while games like Sonic Robo Blast 2 and Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart have reinterpreted classic Sonic into entirely new forms.

Sega games

These are games either published by Sega, or were designed specifically with Sega systems in mind.

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
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.
Pro Yakyuu Super League '91	1991-08-30	Mega Drive	Sonic's name appears on billboards above the stadium.
Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football	1991-11	Mega Drive	Sonic occasionally appears on the megatron after a touchdown is scored.
Art Alive!	1991	Mega Drive	Sonic appears as "stamps" to be placed.
Sports Talk Baseball	1992-05	Mega Drive	Sonic appears on the stadium's bigscreen.
Wally wo Sagase!	1992-06	Arcade	The game features a portrait of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II	1992-07-17	Mega Drive	Sonic runs across a menu screen.
Tom and Jerry: The Movie	1992-10-01	Master System	Posters of Sonic the Hedgehog appear on a brick wall in the Master System version.
Pro Yakyuu Super League CD	1992-10-30	Mega-CD	Sonic appears on the loading screens as well as on the field of the SegaSonic Stadium (セガソニック球場).
Sega Game Pack 4 in 1	1992-12	Game Gear	Sonic is the umpire in the tennis game.
Sega MultiMedia Studio	1992	Mega-CD	Sonic and Dr. Eggman make multiple appearances throughout the demo. Sonic would stand on a compact disc and hold another in his hand, and Eggman would appear in his Egg Mobile and flick the disc. Their repeated appearances resulted in several news outlets erroneously confusing the program with the unreleased Sonic the Hedgehog 2 CD.
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.
J. League Pro Striker	1993-04-23	Mega Drive	Sonic is seen at the Sega logo.
OutRunners	1993-05	Arcade	In the intro, Sonic and Tails fly by in their biplane, and Sonic later appears on billboards alongside the track.
Tom and Jerry: The Movie	1993-06-25	Game Gear	Posters of Sonic the Hedgehog appear in the windows of a bookstore in the Game Gear version.
F1	1993-08-27	Master System	Sonic is seen on billboards on some tracks.
Daytona USA	1993-08	Arcade, Saturn	Sonic appears carved in a stone mountain on the Three-Seven Speedway course. He is replaced with Super Sonic in Replay Mode.
Gunstar Heroes	1993-09-10	Mega Drive	The boss Seven Force features an Urchin Force transformation which attacks using an ability named the Hyper Sonic Spin, in which it performs a Spin Dash.
Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin	1993-09	Mega-CD	In the game's ending, a carving of Sonic's head can be spotted on a cave in the background.
Ultimate Soccer	1993-09	Mega Drive	Sonic is seen at the Sega logo, plus the menus.
Shining Force II	1993-10-01	Mega Drive	There is a secret battle after the ending credits on a playfield shaped like Sonic, from the Sonic Software Planning logo.
Wimbledon Championship Tennis	1993-10	Mega Drive	One of the game's courts features advertisements for Sega and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium	1993-12-17	Mega Drive	In the town of Krup, there is a book in Saya's school titled Run, Hedgehog, Run!.
Popful Mail	1994-04-01	Mega-CD	The main character Mail examines a notice board in the game, which has a small drawing of Sonic pinned to it.
Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit	1994-04-23	Mega-CD	Sonic and Tails' heads can be spotted on billboards on some tracks and the background of a menu.
OutRunners	1994-05-13	Mega Drive	In the Japanese Mega Drive release, Sonic and Tails appear on roadside billboards. The game's American publishers, Data East, removed it from their release.
Sega Channel	1994-05	Mega Drive	Sonic appears in the intro when booting up the Sega Channel adapter.
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.
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.
Crusader of Centy	1994-06-17	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。」)
Pro Yakyuu GG League '94	1994-09-30	Game Gear	Sonic appears on a billboard.
Virtua Racing Deluxe	1994-11-21	32X	Driving around the Sand Park track in reverse reveals a sign with "KNUCKLES" written on it.
Virtua Fighter 2	1994-11	Arcade, Saturn, Windows 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.
Wacky Worlds	1994-11	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.
Gale Racer	1994-12	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.
Trivial Pursuit: Interactive Multimedia Game	1994-12	Mega-CD	The Mega-CD version of Trivial Pursuit features an officially-licensed appearance from Sonic the Hedgehog.
GEMS Module Test Program	1994	Mega Drive	Developer Technical Support's 1994 internal Mega Drive test cartridge, the GEMS Module Test Program (which allows developers to test their GEMS-composed music), features unique animations of both Sonic and Tails during music playback. These were used as a rudimentary crash monitor, with their animations halting upon a system crash.
Alien Soldier	1995-02-24	Mega Drive	The boss Seven Force returns from Gunstar Heroes, featuring its Medusa Force transformation, where it turns blue, curls into a spiked rolling ball, and occasionally performs a Spin Dash towards the player.
Metal Head	1995-02-24	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.
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.
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.
Striker	1995-06	Mega Drive	Sonic appears on billboards advertising Sega.
Bug!	1995-07-28	Saturn, Windows 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, it is actually possible to walk up and kill him like a regular enemy.
Clockwork Knight 2	1995-07-28	Saturn	In a hidden movie, a Sonic toy can be seen sitting on a shelf.
SimCity 2000	1995-09-29	Saturn	In the Japanese version, the statue is replaced with Sonic the Hedgehog. In other regions it's the same as the PC version (though a different Sonic statue was planned, and appears on the back of the PAL box).
Hang-On GP	1995-10-27	Saturn	The bike render on the Japanese cover of the game features artwork of Sonic, alongside a Sega logo (though both are cut off). The render can also be seen in Western manuals (albeit in monochrome), but does not appear in the game itself.
Premier Manager	1995-11	Mega Drive	Chaotix logos are available for decoration of the stadium.
Omakase! Savers	1996-02-23	Saturn	Sonic and Tails plushies appear in the game's opening FMV sequence.
Virtua Fighter Kids	1996-03	Arcade, Saturn	Same as Virtua Fighter 2.
Last Bronx	1996-06	Arcade, Saturn, Windows PC, PlayStation 2	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.
NiGHTS into Dreams	1996-07-05	Saturn	All of the default high scores are set by Sonic characters, with Tails being listed as "Miles" in every region.
Neko Dai Suki!	1996-07-19	Game Gear	Sonic appears as a poster in one room.
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.
Fighting Vipers	1996-08-30	Saturn	In the Saturn version's 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.
Premier Manager 97	1996-10-31	Mega Drive	Sonic & Knuckles logos are available for decoration of the stadium.
WaveRunner	1996-10	Arcade	Sonic appears on the back of a racer's lifejacket.
Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams	1996-11-22	Saturn	One of the unlockable presents is Sonic into Dreams, which sees the player control Sonic, on foot, completing Spring Valley in a similar means to Claris or Elliot in the main game. Notably, this was the first time the character could be controlled in a 3D world, predating 1997's Sonic Jam. Additionally, a Christmas-themed Dr. Eggman is fought in place of the boss Puffy.
Fighters Megamix	1996-12-21	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.
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.
Sega Ski Super G	1996-12	Arcade	A Sonic statue appears in the background of the first track.
Virtua Striker 2	1997-06	Arcade	There is a hidden MVP Yuki Chan team, which includes Bean the Dynamite from Sonic the Fighters.
Le Mans 24	1997-09	Arcade	Sonic is a hidden racer.
Motor Raid	1997-10	Arcade	One of the game's tracks features a large statue of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sega Bass Fishing	1997-11	Arcade, Dreamcast, Windows PC, Wii	After a few courses the player can receive a Sonic lure.
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.
Sega Saturn de Hakken!! Tamagotchi Park	1998-01-29	Saturn	If a certain Tamagotchi is raised just right it grows up into the super secret "Sonictchi".
Burning Rangers	1998-02-26	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.
Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 98	1998-03-26	Saturn	Sonic R is advertised in the Tokyo Dome stadium.
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.
Dirt Devils	1998-11	Arcade	Sonic's head is seen on the hood of the Euro-Prototype car.
L.A. Machineguns	1998-12	Arcade	Sonic and the Sonic Adventure logo appear as neon signs in the Las Vegas stage.
KRAD	1998	Dreamcast	Sonic the Hedgehog appears reflected in the demo's Sega logo, and a picture of Sonic later appears hanging on the wall of an interior scene.
Blue Stinger	1999-03-25	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.
Toy Fighter	1999-09	NAOMI	Sonic appears as a plush in the child's playroom between fights.
Toy Commander	1999-10-21	Dreamcast	A page from Sega Calendar 1998 with Sonic the Hedgehog artwork is used as a ramp in one stage, only edited to read 1999.
Derby Owners Club	1999-10	Arcade	The track G1 Sega features a large inflatable Sonic balloon surrounded by spinning rings.
NBA 2K	1999-11-10	Dreamcast	Players can create a team called the Hedgehogs, which features Sonic holding a basketball as the logo.
ChuChu Rocket!	1999-11-11	Dreamcast	Clear all 25 puzzles in the Stage Challenge mode, and you can have the normal ChuChus replaced with Chao (Dreamcast version only).
Shenmue	1999-12-29	Dreamcast	Both Sonic the Fighters and Chao figurines are available through the game's gachapon machines.
NHL 2K	2000-02-09	Dreamcast	Sonic appears on the Jumbotron occasionally.
Jet Set Radio	2000-06-29	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.
Phantasy Star Online	2000-12-21	Dreamcast	The game features an evolution Mag known as Chao (acquired by using the item Heart of Chao), and players can acquire a Chao-themed staff titled Striker of Chao. Additionally, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails have made numerous cameo appearances.
Illbleed	2001-03-29	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.
Virtua Striker 3	2001-04	Arcade, Dreamcast	A hidden team has Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Dr. Eggman, and a Chao as players, with Yuji Naka as the coach.
Segagaga	2001-05-31	Dreamcast	Both Sonic and Tails appear in the intro FMV. Sonic is also pictured when Alex Kidd talks to Taroh about his past career.
Beach Spikers: Virtua Beach Volleyball	2001-07	Arcade, GameCube	A giant inflatable Sonic floats above one of the volleyball courts.
Alien Front Online	2001-08-07	Dreamcast	Sonic appears on a billboard.
Shenmue II	2001-09-06	Dreamcast	Sonic the Fighters figurines are available through the game's gachapon machines. Additionally, when Ryo visits the Moon Child Orphanage, a child's drawing of Sonic and Tails appears on the wall.
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 Cop 3	2003-02-18	Arcade	Sonic appears on the tutorial screen.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg	2003-09-23	GameCube	Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and a Chao make cameos as hidden Egg Animals, and must be hatched from Eggs featuring the Sonic Team logo. In multiplayer mode, the four playable characters are based on Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, featuring similar color schemes and poses. Additionally, the game's Western cover advertises it as being "from the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog".
Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution	2003-11-27	GameCube	Two different Chao-themed Cards can be equipped by all classes and races (titled Chao and Chao+) alongside a Card of Omochao.
Virtua Quest	2004-08-26	GameCube, PlayStation 2	A Sonic statue appears in the Twin Axis server.
Sega Superstars	2004-10-22	PlayStation 2	One of the 12 games is based upon a Sonic Heroes-style Special Stage.
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'. Additionally, the minigame Chaser features wide Springs on its courses.
OutRun 2 SP	2004-12-21	Arcade, Windows PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PlayStation Portable	Sonic billboards and statue appear in the Casino Town course.
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.
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.
Phantasy Star Universe	2006-08-31	Windows PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360	The game introduces the recurring Jaggo enemy, which is nearly identical to a Chao in appearance (alongside a special variant named Jaggo Sonichi which wears a Sonic the Hedgehog mask). This enemy became one of the title's more recognizable characters, and even appeared in official artwork for the game's White Day event. Additionally, in-game lobbies are decorated with Sonic statues and rings on Sonic's birthday (23rd June).
Puyo Puyo!	2006-12-14	PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable	The player can unlock "Sonic-style Puyo" which resemble the heads of various Sonic characters.
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 Superstars Tennis	2008-03-18	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Sonic, Tails, Amy, Shadow and Eggman are playable characters.
Sega Splash! Golf	2008-04-23	Windows PC	Sonic and Tails are caddies in a course based on Green Hill Zone.
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.
The Incredible Hulk	2008-06-05	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	If the player jumps to random buildings, they can find a billboard with assorted illustrations of Sonic on it.
Phantasy Star Portable	2008-07-31	PlayStation Portable	Phantasy Star Portable features an appearance from the recurring Chao-inspired Jaggo enemies.
Samba de Amigo	2008-09-23	Wii	Sonic appears in his own themed stage based on Green Hill Zone, and dances with Amigo.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA	2009-07-02	PlayStation Portable	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.
Bayonetta	2009-10-29	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	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."
Phantasy Star Portable 2	2009-12-03	PlayStation Portable	Players are also awarded with Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles-themed items after completing the story. The game also features an appearance from the recurring Chao-inspired Jaggo enemies.
Valkyria Chronicles II	2010-01-21	PlayStation Portable	One of the controllable tanks features artwork from Sonic Channel.
Yakuza 4	2010-03-18	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Sonic, Cream and Cheese appear on a SEGA Changer machine in Club SEGA. Also, Un-gravitify is used as background music in certain buildings.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA 2nd	2010-07-29	PlayStation Portable	Amy's signature Piko Piko Hammer appears in the accessories room, and is unlocked if the player clears "Sound" in easy mode.
Virtua Tennis 4	2011-04-29	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows PC	You can unlock a tennis racket in the shape of Sonic's head.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Extend	2011-11-10	PlayStation Portable	In celebration of Sonic's 20th Anniversary, Hatsune Miku has an unlockable Sonic the Hedgehog costume she can wear. An album that was given to those who pre-ordered the game featured Miku singing Live & Learn.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz	2012-06-14	PlayStation Vita	DLC for the game includes a model of Sonic the Hedgehog which can be placed in Stage Creation Mode.
Phantasy Star Online 2	2012-07-04	Windows PC	From June 10 to June 24, 2015, Phantasy Star Online 2 ran the in-game event Sonic Lobby, featuring decorations such as floating golden Rings, Springs, and statues of Sonic, Tails, and Amy. Collecting Rings from the lobby makes a green Chaos Emerald appear in Sonic's hand. Players can also obtain a ticket which can be redeemed for a Chao-themed mask accessory. During the event, the character of Sonic Nyau can be found as enemies in the game, wielding Extreme Gears from Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. The Extreme Gear can be used as weapon after defeating him.
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit	2012-09-25	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows PC	When Ash is given a radar, he asks "Do I look like I'm trying to collect 7 magic emeralds or something?"
Dragon Coins	2012-11-28	iOS	To promote the Japanese release of Sonic Lost World, Sega held the "Sonic Lost World Special collaboration event" that consisted of a daily mission titled "Eggman Rokuonishu". The event lasted between October 22 to October 30, 2013, and was exclusive to Japanese players and concluded in a special boss fight. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy could all be used as part of the monster team to battle against the Deadly Six and numerous Badniks.
Yakuza 5	2012-12-06	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	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.
Aliens: Colonial Marines	2013-02-11	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows PC	A locker contains a checkered sphere and smaller red and blue spheres, a reference to the Special Stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Puyo Puyo!! Quest	2013-04-24	iOS	A collaboration event with the Sonic the Hedgehog series which was held from January 23 to January 29, 2017. It included a mini-story and character cards of Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles, along with a limited edition Sonic character card that was only available in the Ring Collection Festival event from January 25 to January 29, 2017. A second event called Dr. Eggman Rush began on February 8, 2017. Egg Pawns, Moto Bugs and Crabmeats made appearances as enemies, with Dr. Eggman and Shadow as primary antagonists and Green Hill Zone serving as a background stage. Chili Dogs, Sonic's shoes, and Chaos Drives were collectable items, while the Spin Attack, Energy Ball, Spiral Upper, and Piko Piko Hammer were moves used by Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy respectively. Music, such as the song "Beyond the Speed Of..." from the Sonic Runners Original Soundtrack, played between stages, and special cards of the main Puyo Puyo protagonists wearing costumes of Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Shadow were made available.
Chain Chronicle	2013-07-26	Android, iOS	As part of Sega of Japan's promotion of the first Sonic the Hedgehog film, Sonic was added to the game as a playable character on March 27, 2020.
Puyo Puyo Tetris	2014-02-06	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	The player can unlock "Sonic-style" Puyos and Tetriminos which resemble the heads of various Sonic characters.
Angry Birds Epic	2014-03-17	iOS, Android, Windows Phone	The Sonic Dash event that ran in September 2015 featured Sonic the Hedgehog as an extra playable character. The event took place in Seaside Hill and featured Badniks as enemies, the Egg Mobile as a final boss, and music taken from Sonic Dash.
Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax	2014-03-18	Arcade, PlayStation 4	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.
Yakuza 0	2015-03-12	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	The upgrades which increase character run speeds are called "Gotta Go Fast".
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!".
Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax Ignition	2015-07-28	Arcade	Being an updated version of the original game, Green Hill Zone returns as a playable stage. One of the Sega-themed stages added is Sehagaga Academy from the Sega Hard Girls anime adaptation Hi-sCoool! SeHa Girls, featuring a Sonic statue rotating in the middle of the Academy and a Chao figure sitting on the shelf.
Project X Zone 2	2015-11-12	Nintendo 3DS	At the beginning of Chapter 6, one of Ling Xiayou's lines is "Gotta go fast", and later mentions "The Two-Tailed Fox" in Chapter 21. In Chapter 34, Segata Sanshiro states he should have brought a Spring from Spring Yard Zone.
Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls	2015-11-26	PlayStation Vita, Windows PC	One of the protagonists of this crossover game is Hatsumi "Segami" Sega, whose design is based on Sonic the Hedgehog.On the back of the English Vita box, the phrase "Gotta go dash!" is used to promote the game. Additionally, the final boss, Time Eater, bears a vague resemble to Perfect Chaos from the end of Sonic Adventure.
Yakuza Kiwami	2016-01-21	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.
Monster Gear Burst	2016-01	iOS, Android	Dr. Eggman attempts to conquer the Bukkibakka Kingdom with the Hammer Eggman, drill-missiles, and various weapons. The battlefield is based on Green Hill Zone, and armor sets based on Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow can be obtained. Caliburn, a Knuckles-themed hammer, and a sword based on Shadow's Air Shoes were also available for the event.
Dengeki Bunko Crossing Void	2016-04-26	iOS, Android	One of the music tracks reused from Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax is the arrangement of Seaside Hill's theme titled "Seaside B-Field".
Persona 5	2016-09-15	PlayStation 3	The description for the item Sonic Socks, an equippable accessory available through television shopping, reads, "Socks that let one run as fast as a hedgehog."
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life	2016-12-08	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Dreams of an Absolution is used as background music in certain buildings.
Daytona 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.
Sega Slots	2018-01-18	iOS, Android	Sega Slots contains two slot machines based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The Sonic the Hedgehog machine features Sonic chasing Dr. Eggman through Green Hill Zone to save the captured animals while earning payouts along the way. The "Sonic Casino Nights" machine features a "spin-to-win" mechanism like the one found in Casino Night Zone.
D×2: Shin Megami Tensei Liberation	2018-01-22	iOS, Android	A collaboration with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise was announced on May 28, 2021, in honor of the series' 30th anniversary. Sonic is available as a 4-star demon, and boasts high stats during battle.
Kyoutou Kotoba RPG Kotodaman	2018-04-16	iOS, Android	Sonic, Dr. Eggman, and Shadow are featured as playable characters, all fully-voiced by their respective voice actors. As part of Sega of Japan's promotion of the Sonic the Hedgehog film, Sonic was added as a playable character on March 19, 2020.
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight	2018-05-24	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita	The character Morgana is able to wear a Sonic the Hedgehog costume.
Two Point Hospital	2018-08-29	Windows 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.
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.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD	2019-10-28	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Classic Sonic can be unlocked as a playable character. Instead of Bananas, he collects Rings.
Persona 5 Royal	2019-10-31	PlayStation 4	The description for the item Sonic Socks, an equippable accessory available through television shopping, reads, "Socks that let one run as fast as a hedgehog."
Yakuza: Like A Dragon	2020-01-16	PlayStation 4	In the exam quiz minigame at Ounabara Vocational School, the SEGA Proficiency Tier 1 and Tier 2 exams each feature one Sonic the Hedgehog question which can be randomly chosen for the player to answer. Additionally, an instrumental version of the song "Open Your Heart" is featured as unlockable background music on the in-game Sonic Soundtrack CD.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix	2020-02-13	Nintendo Switch	Hatsune Miku has an unlockable Sonic the Hedgehog costume she can wear.
Persona 5 Strikers	2020-02-20	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch	The description for the item Sonic Socks, an equippable accessory available through television shopping, reads, "Socks that let one run as fast as a hedgehog."
Earth UFO Catcher	2020-06-03	HTML5	The 2020 web browser game Earth UFO Catcher features prizes taken from Sega's various popular game franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2	2020-12-08	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows 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.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis	2021-06-09	Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Steam, Epic Games Store	To mark the release of Sonic Colors: Ultimate, a crossover event was held from September 1 to September 29, 2021. Login bonuses and other collaboration items included stamps originally from Line's Sonic: Easy to Use Stickers set, and Sonic-themed cosmetics and emotes for players to use. In addition, after the conclusion of a Twitter campaign held by the official Phantasy Star Online 2 accounts, a Tails Doll Mag Form item was made available to all players. Both Sonic and Tails make appearances during the event.
PICROSS S MEGA DRIVE & Master System edition	2021-08-05	Nintendo Switch	Several puzzles depict characters and items from the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, including the Spin Attack, Item Box, Metal Sonic, Master Emerald, Super Sonic, Ring, Signpost, Blue Sphere, Amy Rose, and a Bumper. The second set of Clip Picross puzzles is based on the title screen for the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
Lost Judgment	2021-09-24	PlayStation 5, Windows PC	A playable Sonic the Fighters cabinet appears among a number of other Sega arcade classics.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania	2021-10-05	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Both Sonic and Tails can be unlocked as playable characters. The two also appeared in the animated launch trailer for the game, and are depicted based on Tyson Hesse's Sonic Mania style.
404 Game RE:SET!	2023-04-25	iOS, Android	The very first promotional video for the game briefly shown a stoplight bearing the symbols of both the Eggman Empire and Sonic Team.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central	2023-08-29	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". In addition, "Open Your Heart", "Reach for the Stars (Re-Colors)" and "I'm Here" are available as paid DLC.
Astropede	Unreleased	Mega Drive	Alongside a notably Sonic-like mascot character, the unreleased Sega Technical Institute game Astropede once featured a gameplay demo constructed with the platform and background graphics from Sonic the Hedgehog 2's Hidden Palace Zone. As artist Craig Stitt was the primary designer of said Zone, he recycled his graphical assets to facilitate quick construction of the demo stage, although given the project was originally intended to be part of the Sonic universe, there exists the possibility these graphics would have remained in the completed game.
Crazy Faces	Unreleased	Game Gear	The first puzzle is based off the European cover for Sonic the Hedgehog.
Half-Life	Unreleased	Dreamcast	The unreleased Dreamcast port of Half-Life includes small cameos of Sega products in the game's breakable crates; two of the crate's debris models were replaced with a VMU and the game's Dreamcast disc. In earlier builds of the game, this disc is replaced with the Japanese Sonic Adventure disc.
Hyenas	Unreleased	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. Additionally, a Sonic keychain is seen swaying from the roof of a car, a direct reference to the character's appearance in Rad Mobile.

Non-Sega games

These are third-party games for non-Sega platforms, "unofficially" referencing the Sonic the Hedgehog series or any of its characters.

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
The Adventures of Quik & Silva	1991-05-10	Amiga	Sonic the Hedgehog appears as one of the game's enemies.
Tiny Toon Adventures	1991-12-20	Famicom	Stage 3 of Tiny Toon Adventures features a Sonic-like hedgehog enemy which defends itself by performing a spin attack.
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".
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.
F1 Pole Position 2	1993-12-24	Super Famicom	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.
Ball Bearing	1993	Amstrad CPC	The 1993 Amstrad CPC game Ball Bearing features in-game graphics significantly inspired by the first Sonic the Hedgehog game on the Mega Drive (particularly Labyrinth Zone and Scrap Brain Zone, among others), and puts players in control of a bouncing blue ball which must collect Rings.
Oscar	1993	Amiga	The mascot-platformer Oscar begins with a title card directly inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, featuring the main character encircled in a decorative ring and holding his finger upward in a similar display of "attitude".
Jazz Jackrabbit	1994-08-01	IBM PC	The manual for the original 1994 release of the IBM PC version contains a small Jazz Jackrabbit comic, in which Sonic the Hedgehog appears and threatens to call his lawyer over the game's similarities to Sega's flagship franchise. In the CD-ROM version of the game (released three months later), the boss of Episode A, "Outta Dis World", is a character named Zoonik, who is a parody of Sonic and Zool.
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".
Kid Chaos	1994	Amiga	Frequently marketed as the Amiga's answer to Sonic the Hedgehog, the 1994 Magnetic Fields action-platform title Kid Chaos takes numerous inspirations from Sega's titular franchise. In particular, the game's protagonist was initially known by the names Cosmic Kitten and Claws the Cat, and was an anthropomorphic cat which took direct design cues from Sonic. The game's artist, Edward Morris, was forced to change the design late into development due to fears of a lawsuit from Sega.
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.
World Heroes 2	1994	Famicom	The unlicensed Famicom fighting game World Heroes 2 features Sonic the Hedgehog as a playable character, and his head appears on the main menu as a selection marker. Additionally, arrangements of the title screen and Chemical Plant Zone themes are used as background music.
A Hard Day's Night	1995-10-06	PC-98	A Sonic the Hedgehog-like plushie appears in one of the character's bedrooms.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest	1995-11-21	Super Famicom	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.
Sonic Dragon	1995	Super A'Can	Sonic Dragon clones classic Sonic the Hedgehog titles in both gameplay and appearance.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Iron Maiden	1997-07-11	Windows PC	Sonic appears on a mug in one of the game's settings.
Candy Land	1998	Windows PC	The famous Ring collection sound effect is used whenever clicking the next available space on the game board.
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."
RuneScape	2001-01	Windows PC, macOS PC, Linux PC	There is a chance that players may obtain a dragon named Dulcy from an unchecked dragon egg, which in turn can be raised in a player-owned farm. A skill achievement titled Sonic Crystal was released on November 5, 2018, where players must catch a grenwall (a hedgehog enemy). An additional exploration achievement, Gotta Go Fast, was released on July 8 2019, obtained when players unlock the double Surge and double Escape ability upgrades.
Awexome Cross	2003-02-04	Flash	In the Homestar Runner Flash game Awexome Cross, The Cheat performs a Spin Dash in an old tire throughout various parts of the game.
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.
Malice	2004-04-08	PlayStation 2	During one of the game's scenes, a bird scolds another bird for worshipping a blue hedgehog.
Stinkoman 20X6	2005-03-21	Flash	The Homestar Runner Flash game Stinkoman 20X6 features a compressed FMV intro directly referencing the opening to Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
Reset Generation	2005-07-25	Windows PC, N-Gage 2.0	Reset Generation stars a parody of Sonic the Hedgehog.
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.
Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las Vegum	2006-06-30	Windows PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable	One faction of Roman warriors wears blue headgear that resembles Sonic spines, along with Sonic's trademark red shoes. They carry gold rings.
Zoey 101	2007-02-26	Game Boy Advance	The phrase "Gotta go fast!" is displayed at the beginning of a running minigame.
Bangai-O Spirits	2007-03-19	Nintendo DS	A blue enemy named Fast Bot is able to curl into a ball and perform a Spin Attack.
Crash of the Titans	2007-10-02	Xbox 360	The Ratnicians occasionally say, "You'd think he was a fast moving blue hedgehog or something."
The Simpsons Game	2007-10-30	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	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.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl	2008-01-31	Wii	Sonic is a playable character.
Crash: Mind over Mutant	2008-10-07	Xbox 360	The Ratnicians occasionally say, "You'd think he was a fast moving blue hedgehog or something."
Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon	2008-12-01	Xbox 360	After completing the 23rd mission, Crypto and Pox begin brainstorming ideas for potential video games. Crypto suggests a video game about "A hedgehog who can run really fast and... uh...", before being rejected by Pox.
Taiko no Tatsujin	2008	iOS	Sonic, Dr. Eggman, and other franchise characters appear in the game's iOS port.
Pogo Bunny	2009	Windows PC	While the in-game character only bares a basic resemblance to Sonic the Hedgehog, its appearance on the game's box art seems to have taken much more direct inspiration from Sega's mascot. Notably, it sports blue skin with white cartoon gloves, an exaggerated eye shape with pupils identical to Sonic's Sonic Adventure redesign, and distinctly Tails-like fur.
Transformice	2010-05-01	Browser	In the game's shop, players are able to buy hats with quills shaped like Sonic and Shadow's and a skin based on Tails. There is also an achievement title named "Sonic The Mouse".
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game	2010-08-10	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 2021 re-release parodies the cover of Sonic Adventure.
Hyperdimension Neptunia	2010-09-19	PlayStation 3	A turn-based JRPG that stars Neptune, an amnesiac who represents Sega, as she travels with her newfound companions to save the world of Gamindustri from an unknown threat. After waking up in a seemingly empty void, Neptune mentions that she will not be blamed for "collecting rings floating by the ground." Later, a "herd of speedy blue hedgehogs" is described as running past the heroines. The group observes that they went to a pachinko-looking building, referencing the franchise's frequent casino levels. These references are were removed from the game's remake, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 1.
Poker Night at the Inventory	2010-11-22	Windows PC	Strong Bad comments that Tycho's hair looks like "a greasy hedgehog", but quickly says it's not associated with any particular video game license.
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".
Dragon City	2012-05	Browser	During the Video Game Island event in the summer of 2017, dragons modeled after game characters can be collected. One of them is Bluebolt, modeled after Sonic the Hedgehog (and whose baby form resembles Classic Sonic. Its description reads, "When a cursed black smoke kidnapped his friends, the Bluebolt Dragon spent years on a mission to rescue them. Now that he's finished, he's come to Dragon City to show off his talent and speed!" At an unknown date, BlueBolt was later replaced with a new dragon named Nineties Dragon.
Retro City Rampage	2012-10-09	Windows 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".
Game Dev Tycoon	2012-12-10	Windows PC	The words written on the office whiteboard reference Sonic's characteristics: "cool", "edgy", and "hedgehog" - with the last word struck through.
Grand Theft Auto 5	2013-09-17	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	One of the game's background stores is a jewelry business named SuperSonic, boasting the tagline "The Ultra Fast Ring Specialist" beside an image of a golden Ring.
Star Wars: Tiny Death Star	2013-10-12	Android, iOS	In the Workout Center, a Nautolan jogging on a treadmill has tentacles which strongly resemble Sonic's spines.
Gran Turismo 6	2013-12-06	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.
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.
Action Henk	2014-07-08	Windows PC	There's an unlockable outfit called "Blue Blaze Henk" that's basically a Sonic costume.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U	2014-09-13	Wii U, Nintendo 3DS	Sonic is a playable character.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel	2014-10-14	Windows PC	A unique enemy known as the Phonic Kraggon is the target of the "Phonically Challenged" challenge, where it has a small chance of appearing in Serenity's Waste. While other Kraggons are fire or ice elemental enemies, the Phonic Kraggon is of the electric element, and has the ability to attack players with a Spin Dash. When hurt and defeated, money spills from the Kraggon in a similar manner to Sonic's Rings. In True Vault Hunter Mode, the golden Phuper Phonic Kraggon appears in its place instead.
Goat Simulator	2014-04	Windows PC	There is a goat called "Blue Streak" that can turn blue and run at great speeds.
Megadimension Neptunia VII	2015-04-23	PlayStation 4	During one of the sub-events exclusive to the promotional DLC character God Eater, Uzume invites God Eater out to eat along with the Planeptune sisters. Neptune and Nepgear lead the group near to a jazz club called the "Blue Hedgehog", which is the nation's most-popular chili-dog restaurant. Uzume later challenges God Eater to a chili-dog eating contest, but due to the amount of chili-dogs ordered, Neptune asks Nepgear if Basilicom can cover the cost (labeling it as "business lunch expense") - a request which is denied. This event is absent in Megadimension Neptunia VIIR, the VR-compatible remake of the game.
Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World	2015-06-25	Wii U, Nintendo 3DS	Tapping a Sonic amiibo will unlock a Sonic design for Yoshi.
Super Mario Maker	2015-09-10	Wii U	By using the Sonic amiibo or by acquiring a random unlockable by clearing the 100 Mario Challenge on Expert or Super Expert, Mario can use the Mystery Mushroom to transform into an 16-bit of Sonic the Hedgehog. The transformation uses sounds from the original Mega Drive games, including "Act Clear" and "Game Over" from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. This feature is only available when the player is designing a level in the original Super Mario Bros. style.
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies	2015-10-15	PlayStation Vita	While playing with English voice acting enabled, one of Neptune's lines when she dashes is "Gotta go fast."
Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 5	2016-03-29	Windows PC, macOS PC, iOS, Android	In episode 5, "Order Up!", one of the optional potions Jesse can take to defeat Aiden is a speed potion which allows them to move faster and slow their perception of time. Their one-liner for taking the potion is "Gotta go fast".
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades	2016-04-05	Windows PC	As part of a 2023 April Fools update, a special version of the MP5 SMG was introduced. Named the MP5 Shadow, it is explicitly stated to be based on the widely-mocked SMG shown in the first few seconds of the intro to the game Shadow the Hedgehog (where Shadow infamously cocks his gun like a pump-action firearm, despite it being a submachine gun).
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).
Death Road to Canada	2016-07-22	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	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 earned the nickname "Sonic the Hedgehog".
Starbound	2016-07-22	Windows PC, macOS PC, Linux PC	Players can enable the "Sonic Sphere" tech to transform into a ball and perform a Spin Dash-like ability by holding the transformation button. Additionally, the Spikefist Mech Arm item is taken directly from Dr. Eggman's Death Egg Robot.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided	2016-08-23	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Boxes of a fictional Knuckles the Echidna spin-off game called Knuckles & Knuckles & Knuckles can be found on a shelf.
PewDiePie's Tuber Simulator	2016-09-29	iOS, Android	One of the unlockable items is a shelf of collectibles, among which is a boxed figurine of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony	2017-01-12	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita	During the fourth Class Trial, Monokuma indirectly references how Sonic the Hedgehog always loses his rings when taking damage, and his hate for the character's games. He also says "I hate that Hedgehog!", a common catchphrase used by Dr. Eggman in various Sonic media. The official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account later replied to Monokuma's opinions in agreement.
Gem Smashers	2017-02-24	PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Bom returns in the game's remake, boasting the same superior speed and Sonic-like design.
Macbat 64: Journey of a Nice Chap	2017-03-17	Windows PC, Nintendo Switch	In the level "Strangely Familiar Jungle", there is a warp that leads to a flooded city and beach resembling Station Square and Emerald Coast. In this area, a green anthropomorphic animal says, "Aw yeah, this is happening! I'm the fastest fisher in the world" - a reference to Sonic's first line in Sonic Adventure. Another character resembling Dr. Eggman mentions taking over the world with their flying masterpiece.
Yooka-Laylee	2017-4-11	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	A move Yooka uses called "Reptile Rush" is described as "ssspindash just like ssspeedy gaming icon".
Cuphead	2017-09-29	Windows PC, Xbox One	One of the game's earlier enemies is a blue, spiky-haired creature wearing red shoes, which runs towards the player with its arms dangling being its body. A later boss fight, Dr. Kahl's Robot, features an appearance from the eponymous Dr. Kahl: a Dr. Eggman-type villain who flies in a machine similar to the Egg Mobile and attacks with a magic diamond.
Hanjuku Hero: Aa, Sekaiyo Hanjukunare...!	2017-10-19	iOS, Android	Dr. Eggman is featured as an exclusive boss in the game's mobile remake.
Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back	2017-10-31	Windows PC, PlayStation 4	Official artwork depicts Bubsy mimicking Sonic's trademark pose from the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Additionally, the game's launch trailer depicts Bubsy answering the door to a child wearing a Sonic costume.
Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning	2018-03-31	Windows PC, macOS PC, Linux PC	While the majority of the game is directly inspired by the surreal presentation of Sonic's Schoolhouse, the appreciation .gif of Baldi giving a thumbs up (released in celebration of the game reaching over 100,000 downloads in 2018), is a direct reference to Schoolhouse's level clear screen.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	2018-12-07	Nintendo Switch	Sonic is a playable character.
Super Neptunia RPG	2018-12-20	PlayStation 4	One of the swords that Neptune can equip is named Omochao.
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.
Black Mesa	2020-03-06	Windows PC, Linux PC	On a whiteboard where Black Mesa scientists are proposing names for the Houndeye creature, the name "Sonic the Bull Dog" is suggested.
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.
Evan's Remains	2020-07-11	Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android	During Dysis' interrogation of Andre, the later begins to nervously sing the lyrics to "Can You Feel the Sunshine" from Sonic R. The lyrics are kept in English for the Spanish and Italian translations, but are completely translated for the French, Russian, Brazilian Portugese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean translations.
The Henry Stickmin Collection	2020-08-07	Windows PC	In Stealing the Diamond, Henry can use an item similar to a Shield. In another path, when Henry chooses a mushroom, a Ring can be seen. In Infiltrating the Airship, Henry uses a machine called the Robo Helper that resembles Tails. In the same game, choosing the Boost option during one of the paths has the Fail prompt state "Gotta Go Fast". In Fleeing the Complex, Henry can use a Spring. In another path, he can use Power Sneakers. In Completing the Mission, Henry breaks a teleporter which transports him to many places, including Green Hill Zone. Finally, in the same path, Henry can attempt a "super transformation", only for it to fail (instead performing an Insta-Shield) because he does not have "six more Emeralds."
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time	2020-10-02	PlayStation 4, Xbox One	In the final Flashback Tapes level, "The Gauntlet", Neo Cortex says "Maybe next time I'll try a hedgehog... or a bobcat... or a gecko". This is a clear reference to other 90s mascot platformers; Sonic the Hedgehog, Bubsy (the bobcat) and Gex (a gecko).
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.)
Antonball Deluxe	2021-03-05	Windows PC	Snick, a Sonic the Hedgehog parody from Pizza Tower, appears as a playable character in the SAGE 2020 demo of Antonball Deluxe.
Balan Wonderworld	2021-03-26	Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	In the opening movie, when Balan runs, his feet make a exaggerated spinning motion like that of Sonic's from the original Mega Drive games. He also makes a pose similar to the artwork from Sonic Adventure. Additionally, the playable character Leo has spiky hair which resembles Sonic's spines. Also, when the Chrono Bunny costume is equipped, the player performs Sonic's signature finger wagging.
Skullgirls	2021-04-10	PlayStation 3	A number of characters have alternate palettes based on characters in the Sonic franchise. Fukua's default palette is based on the green, glitched version of Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (which later inspired Surge the Tenrec), and one of her alternate palettes is based on Shadow the Hedgehog. Big Band has an alternate palette based on Big the Cat, Annie has one based on Cream the Rabbit (with a Cheese-themed Parasite Sagan), and Umbrella has one based on Amy Rose (with a Piko Piko Hammer-themed Living Weapon Hungern). Black Dahlia also has an alternate palette based on Sonic 2's glitched green Sonic, but this time drawing inspiration from the newly-created character of Surge the Tenrec directly.
Skullgirls Mobile	2021-04-10	iOS, Android	The character Annie was introduced to the game on October 19, 2020. In a similar vein to characters from the original game, one of her palettes is a reference to a Sonic character, in this case Cream the Rabbit, with her Parasite Sagan being based on Cheese.
Fun Run	2021-09-05	iOS, Android	Players can purchase an item called "Sanik", which is a pair of Sonic's shoes.
Deltarune: Chapter 2	2021-09-17	Windows PC, macOS	In the game's second chapter, an enemy named Mauswheel says the line, "(Rolling around at the speed of mouse...)", a direct reference to the song "Escape from the City" from Sonic Adventure 2.
Forza Horizon 5	2021-11-09	Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X	In the Hot Wheels Academy, there is an Expert Rank mission named "Green Thrill Zone"; a pun on the name Green Hill Zone.
Mission in Snowdriftland	2021-12-01	Windows 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.
Buck Up And Drive!	2022-01-10	Windows 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.
Vampire Survivors	2022-10-20	macOS, Windows	The game's fourth challenge stage, Bat Country, features a number of Sonic references, including a Green Hill Zone inspired background consisting of grass-topped checkerboard terrain, stage elements constructed from the multi-colored destructible squares found in the first game's special stage, and a further background of a familiar checkerboard cube which rotates in the direction the player runs. Additionally, a weapon named Sonic Bloom is a likely reference to the game of the same name.
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 can perform a taunt move which pays homage to Sonic's circular pose on the cover of Sonic Adventure. Peppino's uncanny clone Fake Peppino, encountered later in the game, is able to perform the same taunt. 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". Additionally, the track "Move It, Boy" is composed almost entirely around the original "Work That Sucker to Death" sample featured in Sonic CD's "Boss!!!", and the tracks "Tropical Crust" and "Tubular Trash Zone" (the latter of which is an allusion to Zone names) feature the original "C'mon!" sample from the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 soundtrack. 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 (a parody of Sonic.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.
Idol Showdown	2023-05-05	Windows PC	One of the unlockable color palettes for Inugami Korone is based on her Sonic-themed outfit that she uses for playing Sonic games. Said outfit, upon which the color palette was based, was officially commissioned by Sega for Korone in celebration for her becoming the official brand ambassador for the Sonic franchise.
Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine	2023-06-22	Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X	The game's name and gameplay style take direct inspiration from the Mega Drive puzzle game Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine.
Skullgirls 2nd Encore	2023-06-23	Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Introduced on March 4, 2021, one of Annie's alternate palettes is a reference to a Sonic character, in this case Cream the Rabbit - with her Parasite Sagan being based on Cheese.
Antonblast	2023-10-07	Windows PC	A comical June 2023 trailer for the upcoming game Antonblast features the character of Anton referring to himself as a single father to a little pink hedgehog girl.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore	2024-02-14	Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5	A Sonic the Hedgehog-inspired character named Fleetus speaks with a notable attitude and has a passion for running fast.

Downloadable content

Some games have partnered with Sega for special downloadable content (DLC). The dates indicate the DLC release date, not the base game.

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
LittleBigPlanet	2008-10-27	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.
Spiral Knights	2011-06-14	Windows 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.
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2	2011-08-18	PlayStation 3	One of Nepgear's Rush combo skills is named "Blue Sonic". This combo skill would become a recurring combo skill in later entries in the franchise.
Farm Hokkorina	2011-09-28	Unknown mobile phone	Sonic the Hedgehog appeared in the game during a special promotion from February 21 to March 30, 2012.
Minecraft	2011-11-18	Windows PC, macOS PC, Linux PC	On June 22, 2021, the Sonic the Hedgehog DLC was released for the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft, containing a custom world which includes recreations of Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, and Sky Sanctuary Zone, alongside a Chao Garden and 24 Sonic-themed skins. From July 12 to July 26, 2021, an additional event was held on the officially-endorsed Minecraft server, The Hive. The event allowed players to collect Rings in a Green Hill Zone-themed hub to unlock an additional Sonic skin for exclusive use in the server, alongside cosmetics for minigames and a special Sonic-themed minigame, where players interacted in 6 Sonic-themed levels. On May 23, 2023, a texture pack was released which replaced several Mobs and objects with elements from the Sonic franchise. This pack later received an update named Trails & Tails on July 14, 2023, adding several new objects and three new Mobs - two being Chao-themed.
Angry Birds Friends	2012-02-13	Browser, iOS, Android, Windows PC	During the "Retro Games Tournament" that ran during May 2021, there are three Minion Pigs dressed as Sonic characters: one as Sonic, one as Super Sonic, and another as Dr. Eggman.
Samurai & Dragons	2012-03-29	PlayStation Vita	On November 29, 2012, a Samurai & Dragons: Deluxe Package set was released which contained Sonic the Hedgehog-themed cards.
Candy Crush Saga	2012-04-12	Browser, iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows Phone, Windows PC	To promote the film Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic and special blue-colored Sonic Candies appeared during the Great Adventure Season from March 31 to April 5, 2022. An exclusive Sonic badge was also obtainable by completing one of two Sonic-themed events.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate	2013-09-14	Nintendo 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.
Lego Dimensions	2015-09-27	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC	Sonic is included in the second series of characters that were released for the game.
Monster Super League	2016-09-04	iOS, Android	In 2019, an event called Monster Super League X Sonic Festival was announced, where Sonic, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles, Shadow, and Silver can be collected as Astromons.
Pac-Man	2016	iOS, Android	As part of a February 2018 cross promotion with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise (in which Pac-Man became a playable character in Sonic Dash) a Sonic themed maze pack titled "DASH!" became available for play. The mazes were designed to resemble Green Hill Zone, with Pac-Man being replaced by a sprite of Sonic. The ghosts were replaced with red, orange, blue, and pink Moto Bugs while Rings replaced Pac-Dots, Item Boxes replaced Power Pellets, and animal friends replaced bonus items. The maze was only available until March 20, 2018, unless players managed to beat each maze beforehand.
Neon FM	2017-04-13	iOS, Android	Two music tracks from Sonic Mania, "Friends" and "Time Trials", appear as in the game as purchasable tracks.
Fist of the North Star: Legends ReVIVE	2019-09-05	iOS, Android	From June 18 to July 5, 2021, Sonic the Hedgehog was available to unlock as a playable character.
Ulala: Idle Adventure	2019-09-11	iOS, Android	From May 24 to June 22, 2021, a crossover event with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise was held, where players could control Sonic through a rainbow-themed level, with gameplay similar to Sonic Dash. Sonic and Dr. Eggman-themed cosmetics for their avatar.
KartRider Rush+	2020-05-12	iOS, Android	A number of Sonic the Hedgehog characters appear as racers, with most running on-foot as opposed to the go-karts of other racers. Playable characters include Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Dr. Eggman, and a Chao. Sonic is the only one who can be unlocked for free by completing in-game missions and collecting shards. Tails and Chao are available through the Season Pass, Knuckles and Shadow can be unlocked with Red Star Rings, and Dr. Eggman is unlocked after unlocking all the characters in the series. The game also added cosmetic items related to Sonic, which could be unlocked by entering a special code which would be valid until May 3, 2022.
Ninjala	2020-06-24	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.
Fall Guys	2020-08-04	PlayStation 4, Windows PC	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.
Cookie Run: Kingdom	2021-01-19	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.
Monster Hunter Rise	2021-03-26	Nintendo Switch	A number of Sonic-series cosmetic items and armors have been released which allow players to dress as Sonic, Tails, and more.
Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat	2021-04-02	iOS	In July 26, 2022, update 1.8.0 added a music track named "Sonic the Hedgehog Medley" (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ メドレー), a mashup of Masato Nakamura's Title Screen, Green Hill Zone, Invincible, and Stage Clear tracks, along with numerous sound effects, all taken from the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
Roblox - Nickverse	2022-03-31	iOS, Android, Windows PC, macOS, Xbox One	An update to the game brought the addition of a Sonic-themed obstacle course in promotion of the film Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Hidden and deleted references

These are references that are unused within the games they are found in, or were removed at some point during development.

Game	Release date	System	Description	Screenshot
Streets of Rage 3	1994-03-18	Mega Drive	Sonic appears on a billboard in one of the unused motorbike levels in the Japanese version of the game.
Mega Turrican	1994-03	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.
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.
Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution	2003-11-27	GameCube	The staff Striker of Chao, a Chao-themed item introduced in Phantasy Star Online, was set to make a return in Card form as a reward from a special event. While programmed into the game, said event appears to have never happened, and the Striker of Chao Card was left unused.
Need for Speed: ProStreet	2007-10-31	Xbox 360	Various unused vinyl decals (located in "VINYLS.BIN") feature a neon-green Chao.	File:References NeedForSpeedProStreet PS3 chao 2.svg
Skullgirls	2021-04-10	PlayStation 3	As seen in concept artwork, the DLC character Robo-Fortune was going to have a palette based on Metal Sonic, which was left unused. In the final game, one of the character's pre-round introduction lines is "I will battle you as many times as it is necessary", a reference to Metal Sonic's quote when rematched by Sonic the Hedgehog in Sonic Generations.
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 creepypasta Sonic.exe.