History of the Sonic Games
This information comes from the official help file that comes with Sonic CD for Windows 95, OUT NOW!
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic debuted in the original game Sonic the Hedgehog for the SEGA Megadrive system in June of 1991.
In this game begins the struggle between Dr. Ivo Robotnik and our hero, Sonic the Hedgehog. Dr. Robotnik the mad scientist, is snatching innocent animals and turning them into evil robots! Only one tough dude can put an end to the demented scientist's fiendish scheme. It's Sonic, the real cool hedgehog with the spiked haircut and power sneakers that give him super speed.
This game was also released for the SEGA Game Gear in December of 1991.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
"Tails" was introduced in the game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Megadrive in November of 1992. This game lets you play either the Sonic or Tails character, or play with a friend and each player can be a character. This game also has a split-screen two-player competition mode.
Miles "Tails" Prower, the fox, can't sit still when Sonic's around. Ever since Miles was a baby fox, he's dreamed of being like Sonic. He loves to run after Sonic, waving his two tails behind him, trying to keep up with his hero!
Mostly, Sonic lets him trail along. But sometimes, just to show off, Sonic explodes in a burst of super speed and leaves him behind. But Miles doesn't give up. He whirls his tails like a helicopter rotor and takes off flying until he catches up!
All the animals call Miles by his nickname, "Tails", because of his two special tails. And one day they saw an astonishing feat... They were all together in the forest, watching Sonic perform. Sonic would run, spin and jump in his Super Spin Attack. Then "Tails" would whirl like a turbo engine and blast off in his Super Dash Attack. What a showoff!
Suddenly, "Tails" just couldn't help himself. He took a running start, curled up his tails, and -- whoosh -- he was spinning like Sonic!
But now something frightening is happening. Sonic's friends are disappearing. In their place, nasty metal robots are popping up all over the island. The mad scientist Dr. Robotnik is at it again!
This time Robotnik's planning a global disaster. He needs workers to create a doomsday machine that can take over the world. So he's trapping all the animals, turning them into robots, and forcing them to build his ultimate weapon, the Death Egg!
Robotnik now rules the factories, refineries and cities! He's grabbed control of everything -- except the seven Chaos Emeralds. These magnificent gems are believed to hold exceptional powers. With them, Robotnik could have the entire world in his grasp. And he'd never let go!
The Chaos Emeralds are buried somewhere on the island. Only one tough dude with spiky hair has the speed to find them first! Sonic must stop the devious scheme of the demented scientist! He spins like a speedball through space, grabs Power Sneakers and loops �til he's dizzy, twirls over twisting speedways, rockets through tunnels, and blasts across a bubbling ocean of oil!
This game was also released for the Game Gear in October of 1992.
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
Those who enjoyed the pinball machine play in levels of previous Sonic games were treated to a full game of pinball play in the game Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, released on Megadrive in November of 1993.
The evil scientist Dr. Robotnik has unleashed his most diabolical plot yet to turn the animals of Planet Mobius into robots. His monstrous contraption, the Veg-O-Fortress, built on Mt. Mobius, is already transforming happy creatures into mindless slaves!
Robotnik's fiendish machine draws its power from the mountain volcano. Fiery lava fuels the lethal Pinball Defense System that protects the fortress.
Sonic and his pal "Tails" mount an air assault on the fortress, only to be blasted in mid-flight by Robotnik's cannons. Sonic is knocked into deep waters near the volcano. But he has friends in wet places -- and is saved at the last moment!
Sonic sneaks into the Toxic Caves below the fortress. From there, he infiltrates Robotnik's vast and deadly defenses. In no time at all, Sonic starts swiping Chaos Emeralds, freeing the animals of Mobius and dishing out hedgehog justice!
Yo, Robotnik! You're in for a mountain of trouble now. Sonic is spinning into action!
This game was also released for the Game Gear in August of 1994.
Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos
Sonic made a special appearance on Game Gear in the game Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos in November of 1993. This game allows you to play as either Sonic or "Tails".
Could this be the end of South Island? That evil maniac Dr. Robotnik has another twisted idea to take over the world! This time he wants to steal the mystical Chaos Emeralds. The emeralds are the source of vitality for all living things. But in the hands of rotten Dr. Robotnik, they could be turned into nuclear bombs and laser weapons!
The evil doctor has already snatched the Red Chaos Emerald, causing the other emeralds to lose balance and fly into a parallel universe. Now South Island is sinking into the ocean. Sonic and "Tails" will have to use all their super speed and super stunts to stop Dr. Robotnik and restore harmony to the universe!
"OK, Dr. Robotnik," says Sonic, "You're charged with contempt of hedgehog. There's no time to lose. Gotta slide, Clyde!"
Sonic the Hedgehog CD
Also in November of 1993, Sonic appeared in the premier game for the SEGA Mega CD system. Sonic the Hedgehog CD provided more levels than any cartridge game, and great CD Audio background music.
For the full story of this game, see "A World that Defies Time!"
This game was rewritten for the PC in 1995. (but only just released!)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Knuckles the Echidna first appeared in the game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 for the Megadrive in January of 1994. This game, like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, also allows a single player to choose either the Sonic or "Tails" character, and also includes two-player split-screen competition.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 takes place on the mysterious Floating Island which holds many special powers. The source of these powers are the Chaos Emeralds. In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic and "Tails" thought that they had destroyed the Death Egg, which was Dr. Robotnik's heavily armored ship. Instead, Dr. Robotnik managed to crash land on the Floating Island. After learning that the island is able to float in the sky by harnessing the power of the emeralds, the Doc decides to steal the emeralds so he can repair his Death Egg ship.
To obtain the emeralds, Dr. Robotnik tricks Knuckles, the guardian of the Floating Island's Chaos Emeralds. He also tells Knuckles that Sonic and "Tails" are the ones trying to steal the emeralds. Once Knuckles believes Robotnik's lies, he'll do whatever it takes to stop Sonic and "Tails".
Between battling the new types of Badniks and trying to outsmart Knuckles, Sonic and "Tails" have their work cut out for them once they arrive on the Floating Island and search for Dr. Robotnik.
Knuckles was born and raised on the Floating Island and he knows all of its secrets. He's strong, athletic and clever. Because Knuckles knows every hidden passageway on the island, it's easy for him to block Sonic's path, create extra obstacles, set traps, and steal Sonic's gold rings.
Long ago, an ancient civilization lived on the Floating Island. Before this civilization mysteriously disappeared, it left behind many secrets and mystical powers. Being the only living descendant of this lost civilization, Knuckles has become the guardian of the Chaos Emeralds, which are the source of the island's special floating power.
Fun facts about Knuckles
Age: 15 Years Old
Species: Echidna
Favorite Foods: Fruit (especially Grapes)
Special Abilities: Discovering hidden passageways and using his knuckles to dig.
Sonic and Knuckles
Knuckles returned in the game Sonic and Knuckles for the Megadrive in October of 1994. This unique cartridge also allows you to stack on either Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to add the Knuckles character to those adventures!
The last time Sonic and Robotnik went head-to-head, Sonic blasted Robotnik's Death Egg to smithereens. The explosion heaved Sonic deep into Floating Island's Mushroom Hills!
Sonic knows that many emeralds, including the Master Emerald, are hidden somewhere on Floating Island. He bets this Knuckles character knows where they are! Sonic can't let Robotnik get his hands on the Master Emerald. He'd have Death Egg fuel forever -- and Floating Island would be destroyed!
Now Sonic's got two problems. How to protect the Master Emerald? And how to keep Knuckles off his back? He'll have to deal with that wild Echidna right away!
Knuckles has problems, too. As guardian of Floating Island and all the emeralds, Knuckles has a mission: to wage war on all invaders. Whoever threw that bomb is in DEEP trouble. Knuckles is ready with tricks, traps, and bare-fisted attacks to keep Floating Island safe.
Sonic's not taking any chances. Neither is Knuckles! But while they're going the rounds with each other, who's stopping Dr. Robotnik? Could this be the end of Floating Island?
Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
Another special episode for Game Gear introduced the new enemy, Nack the Weasel, in the game Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble released in October of 1994.
While the evil genius Dr. Robotnik is testing the ultimate destructive weapon, one of his assistants makes a big mistake. The resulting explosion scatters five of the Chaos Emeralds across the planet Mobius and sets off a high-speed emerald hunt!
Our Hunter Heroes
Sonic: Otherwise known as Sonic the Hedgehog, the blur of blue with an attitude, and the hero of Mobius. He's quick of wit and fleet of feet. Whenever the peaceful world of Mobius is threatened, he's the hedgehog to call.
"Tails": This little fox got his nickname because of his two tails. The other animals used to tease him until he became friends with Sonic and learned to use his tails to fly. He idolizes Sonic, and follows him everywhere.
The Triple Trouble
Dr. Robotnik: This bad egg is trouble incarnate, always stirring up problems for the inhabitants of Mobius with his latest twisted schemes. The doctor has one of the Chaos Emeralds, and he thinks he knows the perfect way to get the other five emeralds back and keep that meddling hedgehog and his fox friend from interfering.
Knuckles: Knuckles the Echidna was the guardian of the Chaos Emeralds on the Floating Island. He's strong and smart. Like Sonic, he knows how to Spin Dash. He can also Power Glide through the air, and when he uses his knuckles to tunnel and climb, there's no place he can't go. Dr. Robotnik has tricked him into thinking that Sonic and "Tails" are out to steal the Chaos Emeralds, and Knuckles is determined to stop them.
Nack the Weasel: Nack the Weasel is a treasure hunter who is after the Chaos Emeralds. Though he doesn't know the true power of the emeralds, he thinks those big pretty jewels will score a handsome price on the market. And the easiest way to get them is to steal them from someone else. He may not be as fast as the others, but he's tricky, and has a speedy little airbike to help him get around.
Knuckles Chaotix
Knuckles reappeared in the game Knuckles Chaotix for the 32X system in March of 1995. This game introduced us to four new characters.
Carnival Island's in chaos! Tomorrow's the big opening day for Carnival Island, a huge amusement resort with the latest in high-tech rides and games. As guardian of the island, it's Knuckles' job to make sure nothing goes wrong before the grand event.
Unfortunately, the evil Dr. Robotnik has other plans. He needs fuel for his latest diabolical devices, and the Power Emerald that supplies electricity to the entire island fits the bill perfectly. His awful new invention, the Combi Confiner, should help him get rid of that annoying echidna and his friends.
When Knuckles returns from patrolling the far end of the island, he discovers that Dr. Robotnik has imprisoned all of his friends: Espio the Chameleon, Mighty the Armadillo, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee.
After he chases the doctor off, Knuckles discovers that he can rescue one friend at a time by using Ring Power... only the power that sparks between the rings holds the two partners together like a magical rubber band. Never held back for long, Knuckles finds that with a little teamwork, he can use the stretching and snapping action of the Ring Power to double, even triple, the partners' speed.
And they need all the speed they can get. As Dr. Robotnik drains the power from Carnival Island, everything on the island begins to break down! Robotnik must be stopped, or by tomorrow morning, the morning of Carnival Island's big opening day, the grand amusement park will lie in ruins!
About Knuckles' Friends
Espio the Chameleon: This colorful chameleon values his freedom above all else, and after he was freed from Dr. Robotnik's Combi Machine, he decided he must stop the evil doctor at all costs. He has a hot temper and an intense drive in everything he does, and sometimes his friend Charmy Bee has to remind him of his manners. Espio is quick and strong, and his whirling attack is just the thing you need to get out of a tight spot.
Mighty the Armadillo: Mighty is just that. He's strong, smart, and confident, and he can't stand weakness in anything. He's one of Knuckles' good friends, and is determined to help save the island from Robotnik.
Vector the Crocodile: This cool croc loves the rush of running when he isn't jammin' with his friends, doing fancy footwork to the tunes on his headset, or investigating the local food courts.
Charmy Bee: Surprisingly sophisticated for his sixteen years, Charmy came to the island in search of new types of flowers, and found a ton of trouble. But he handles things in his usual quick, cool and charming way.
Please send your comments to
Andy Watts! ([email protected])
See me on IRC at weekends/UK evenings in #Solo_uk (DALNET) as SonicHHog, or ICQ# 667911