Sonic the Hedgehog (video game)

''This entry is about the original Genesis/Mega Drive game. For other uses, see Sonic the Hedgehog (disambiguation)''

Sonic the Hedgehog (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ, Sonikku za Hejjihoggu) is the platform game that launched the career of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Team. It was released on June 23, 1991 in North America for the Sega Genesis. The European Sega Mega Drive version was released later in June 1991 and the Japanese Sega Mega Drive version was released on July 26, 1991.

This game was the first game to propel the Genesis into mass popularity in North America. After it was released, it eventually replaced Altered Beast as the bundled game with the console. The game featured many novel elements which contributed to its popularity and helped to promote the uptake of 16 bit consoles.

Sonic The Hedgehog added the element of speed to the standard platform formula and introduced other unique elements as well, such as the loops, springboards, hi-speed devices, and rings now permanently associated with the game series.

Re-releases

 * Compilations that include the game are Sonic Compilation (1995) and Sega 6-Pak (1996) for the Genesis; Sega Smash Pack (1999) for the Sega Dreamcast; Sonic Mega Collection for the GameCube; Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC, and Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable (2006).


 * In November 2006, Sega re-released a version of Sonic The Hedgehog entitled Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis for the Game Boy Advance. This game includes the original game as well as an Anniversary Mode, wherein the player can use the Spin Dash.


 * It has also been released on the Wii's Virtual Console download service.