Sonic the Hedgehog (video game)

This article is about the 16-bit video game. For the 8-bit game, see Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit video game). For the film, see Sonic the Hedgehog (film). For the series, see Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic the Hedgehog
Developer	Sonic Team
Publisher	Sega Tec Toy (Mega Drive in Brazil)
Platforms	Android, Arcade, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Genesis, Genesis Mini, iOS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Saturn, Switch, Wii, Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Released	Genesis NA: June 23, 1991 EU/AU: July 1991 JP: July 26, 1991 Brazil: September 1991 Arcade (Mega-Tech and Mega Play) WW: 1991 Saturn JP: 20 June 1997 NA: 22 August 1997 EU: 28 August 1997 GameCube NA: November 10, 2002 JP: December 18, 2002 EU: March 7, 2003 PlayStation 2 and Xbox NA: November 2, 2004 JP: December 9, 2004 EU: February 4, 2005 Windows EU: March 31, 2006 NA: March 9, 2007 WW: October 26, 2010 WW (Sonic Origins): June 23, 2022 Wii JP: December 2, 2006 NA: November 19, 2006 AU: December 7, 2006 EU: December 8, 2006 Xbox 360 WW: July 11, 2007 Nintendo DS NA: March 2, 2010 AU: March 11, 2010 EU: March 12, 2010 Sega Genesis Arcade Motion Dual NA: September 9, 2010 UK/Russia: 2013 Arcade Nano Sonic and Sonic 1 & 2 EU/NA: November 2010 UK: 2011 PlayStation 3 NA: April 19, 2011 EU/AU: April 20, 2011 JP: July 28, 2011 iOS/Android WW: December 12, 2013 Nintendo 3DS JP: September 22, 2015 WW: October 8, 2015 Linux and macOS WW: May 29, 2018 Nintendo Switch WW (Sega Ages): September 19, 2018 Sega Genesis Mini WW: September 19, 2019 PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S WW (Sonic Origins): June 23, 2022 WW (Sonic Origins Plus): June 23, 2023
Added to Museum	Linux, macOS, Windows: March 11, 2016 Android: December 19, 2018 Genesis Mini: May 4, 2019 Switch (Sega Ages): April 14, 2021

Sonic the Hedgehog is the first game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Versions

Sonic the Hedgehog was originally released for the Sega Genesis in 1991.

Also in 1991, two versions of the game were released in arcades. The first version released was for the Mega-Tech System. This hardware played select Sega Genesis games with a time limit, which differed at each level. This worked in a similar fashion as the Nintendo PlayChoice-10. The second version was for the Mega Play hardware. This version was edited from the Sega Genesis version. There were only twelve levels, each of which had strict time limits. The standard settings only had three lives, and there was no way to earn more. The Sonic extra life boxes added five thousand points to the score. Inserting a coin was the only way to earn extra continues.

Sonic the Hedgehog was released in several compilations. Compilations included the Sonic Jam compilation for Saturn in 1997, the Sonic Mega Collection for GameCube in 2002, the Sonic Mega Collection Plus for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004.

It was released for Windows and Wii Virtual Console in 2006, then on Xbox 360 in 2007.

Sonic the Hedgehog was also included in the Sonic Classic Collection for Nintendo DS in 2007.

It was included in Arcade Motion Dual, Arcade Nano: Sonic, and Arcade Nano: Sonic 1 & 2 in 2010. It was also released on PlayStation 3 in 2011.

A remake by Christian Whitehead and Headcannon was released for Android, and iOS in 2013 and for Nintendo 3DS in 2015. This version included Knuckles the Echidna and Miles "Tails" Prower as playable characters as well as the spin dash ability.

An additional compilation, Sega Genesis Classics, was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in 2018.

Also in 2018, the Sega Genesis and Sega Play versions were included in Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog by M2. The Sega Play version acted as a time trial as each level had very small time limits. There was only one life and no extra lives could be earned.

In 2022, the version by Christian Whitehead and Headcannon was included in Sonic Origins for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. An updated version was included in Sonic Origins Plus in 2023 and included Amy Rose as a playable character.