Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated

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Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated is an American animated television series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. It was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and Film Roman and animated by AKOM Production, Ltd., Rough Draft Korea, Saerom Animation, Digital eMation, Yeson Animation, Sunmin Image Pictures, Sunwoo Entertainment and The Answer Studio. The series debuted on Nickelodeon on September 8, 2006, and ended on May 24, 2014; running for 174 episodes across eight seasons. It was released alongside IDW's comic adaptation, several games on the Xbox 360 and Xbox Portable System, an Attraction at Paramount’s Tokyo Joypolis Theme Park, 2 Spin-off Series, a 2012 Movie set in the same universe, a Sequel series called Sonic The Hedgehog: Dudes Vs. Evil in 2014 and a toyline by both Hasbro in the US and Takara Tomy in Japan. In Japan, the show debuted on April 6, 2007, MBS, TBS, CBC, NHK. Tokyo MX, BS-TBS, BS11 and Nickelodeon.
==Premise==
The series focuses on the adventures of Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Streaker as they protect the city of Station Square and Salty Cove from attacks by Doctor Eggman and his robot creations, as well as other villains and hostile beings. Each episode mainly features a stand-alone plot that mainly features comedic elements, with characters facing various issues and problems that impact their efforts to defend their homes.
==Episodes==
Main article: List of Sonic The Hedgehog Animated episodes
Season	No. of
episodes	Originally aired 	Originally aired
Season	No. of
episodes	Season premiere 	Season finale
1 	22	September 8, 2006 	May 18, 2007
2 	20	September 21, 2007	May 16, 2008
3 	21	September 26, 2008	May 15, 2009
4 	23	September 25, 2009	May 21, 2010
5 	22	September 24, 2010	May 20, 2011
6 	22	September 23, 2011	May 18, 2012
7 	22	September 28, 2012	May 17, 2013
8 	22	September 27, 2013	May 16, 2014
== Broadcast and streaming ==
In the United States, the show currently airs on Nicktoons and Hub Network. The show was syndicated to Freeform from 2016 until Freeform rebranded to the Fox Cable Network in 2021. The series is available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
In select European Markets, Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated is available to stream on ITVComcast.
Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated premiered in Australia on April 8, 2007, on Network 10, in 2007 on Nickelodeon, and on Eleven on February 27, 2012. Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated is available to stream on Paramount+, 10play and Foxtel Binge.
In Canada, the series premiered December 31, 2006 on YTV.
The show aired in India on Star World Premiere, in Ireland on UTV, and in New Zealand on TVNZ2.
In the United Kingdom, Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated premiered in December 2006, originally on CITV and Sky One. In June 2007, Nicktoons UK began broadcasting the show. Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated is available to stream on Paramount+, ITV Hub and Sky Now.
In South Korea, the show premiered January 11, 2008 on Nickelodeon.
==Reception==
==Franchise==
===Merchandise===
===Video Games===
==== Sonic The Hedgehog (2006 Video Game) ====
Sonic the Hedgehog (commonly referred to as Sonic '06) is a 2006 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It was produced in commemoration of the Sonic series' 15th anniversary, and intended as a reboot for the seventh-generation video game consoles. Players control Sonic, Shadow, and the new character Silver, who battle Solaris, an ancient evil pursued by Doctor Eggman. Each playable character has his own campaign and abilities, and must complete levels, explore hub worlds and fight bosses to advance the story. In multiplayer modes, players can work cooperatively to collect Chaos Emeralds or race to the end of a level.
Development began in 2004, led by Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka. Sonic Team sought to create an appealing game in the vein of superhero films such as Batman Begins, hoping it would advance the series with a realistic tone and multiple gameplay styles. Problems developed after Naka resigned to form his own company, Prope, and the team split to work on Sonic Tropical Rouge (2007). As a result, Sonic the Hedgehog was rushed for release in time for the holiday season. It was released for Xbox 360 in November 2006. Versions for XPS and Windows were canceled. Downloadable content featuring new single-player modes was released in 2007.
Sonic the Hedgehog received praise in prerelease showings, as journalists believed it could return the series to its roots after years of mixed reviews. However, it was a critical failure. Reviewers criticized its loading times, camera system, story, voice acting, glitches, and controls. It is widely considered the worst Sonic game and led to the series' direction being rethought; subsequent games ignored its tone and most characters. In 2010, Sega delisted Sonic the Hedgehog from retailers, following its decision to remove all Sonic games with below-average Metacritic scores to increase the value of the franchise.
==== Sonic Tropical Rouge ====
Sonic Tropical Rouge is a 2007 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Xbox 360. A spin-off to the Sonic the Hedgehog series, it is the first title in the franchise for the system, and follows Sonic the Hedgehog and SpongeBob's quest to stop Plankton and Eggman from Mechanize the Island. In addition to the basic platforming gameplay of previous Sonic titles, Tropical Rouge uses a system of experience points and levels, as well as special moves that are unlocked via leveling up.
Producer, writer, and director Yojiro Ogawa conceived Tropical Rouge to tap into the Wii Remote's capabilities. He chose the theme of Arabian Nights, using many elements of the stories in the game's setting, characters, and Hawaiian-influenced music. Sega changed the title of the game several times, originally being announced as Sonic Salty Cove Burst, before settling on Sonic Tropical Rouge to tie in the theme of Summer Vacation.
Upon release, Tropical Rouge received average reviews. Reviewers praised its visual style and considered the game as a whole to be an improvement from prior entries, but were critical of its controls, which some claimed took time to get used to, and its inconsistent difficulty. Sega released a sequel in 2009, Sonic and the Black Knight. Sonic and the Secret Rings was de-listed from retailers in 2010, following Sega's decision to remove all Sonic titles with sub-average Metacritic scores in order to increase the value of the brand.
==== Sonic Unleashed ====
Sonic Unleashed is a 2008 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The story follows Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser to unleash Dark Gaia, an ancient evil, while dealing with having become a "Werehog", a werewolf-like transformation, which he gains after coming into contact with the energy of Dark Gaia. Gameplay features two distinct styles, with each being played either during daytime or nighttime. Daytime stages incorporate Sonic's traditional platforming and trademark speed, with a combination of behind-the-back third-person viewpoints and 2D side-scroller platforming; gameplay seamlessly transitions between these two views. Night-time levels see Sonic transform into the Werehog; gameplay slows down to accommodate greater platform play, and involves combat against waves of enemies using the Werehog's brute strength.
The game's development began in 2006 and lasted 18 months, after the creation of its game engine, the Hedgehog Engine. It was initially conceived as a sequel to Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), but developer Sonic Team began to introduce enough new innovations that separated it from previous games, and it was renamed The World Adventure in domestic markets. The Werehog gameplay was conceived to help introduce newer gamers unfamiliar with the Sonic franchise to the series and is what influenced the use of Unleashed as a subtitle for western markets. The game's existence was first brought to light when Sega trademarked the Unleashed name in March 2008, and shortly after, images and a gameplay video were leaked. Three versions of the game were developed: one by Sonic Team for High Definition consoles such as the Xbox 360 and one by Sonic Team and Dimps for the Xbox XPS. The game was release worldwide in 2008.
Public anticipation for Sonic Unleashed was high, as video game journalists saw it as a possible return to Sonic's platforming roots. While it was commercially successful, selling 2.45 million units, critical reception was mixed. Reviewers praised certain elements, such as the sense of speed in daylight stages and the graphics and audio that make up the environments, but criticized others, such as the Werehog game mechanic, as well as several gameplay and design concepts. Many felt Unleashed was not the game to reinvigorate the series. Sonic Unleashed was delisted from retailers in 2010, following Sega's decision to remove all Sonic games with below-average Metacritic scores from sale. Despite this, the Xbox 360 version was relisted and made backwards compatible for Xbox One in November 2018.
==== Sonic and The Black Knight ====
Sonic and the Black Knight is a 2009 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega as part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game was released on the Xbox 30). Set in the world of King Arthur, the game combines Sonic's trademark speed with a new sword fighting system, utilizing the Wii Remote's motion-sensing functionality.
Sonic and the Black Knight received mixed reviews, with praise for its graphics, presentation and abundance of bonus content, but criticism of the game's controls, swordplay mechanics and multiplayer aspect. Sonic and the Black Knight was de-listed from retailers in 2010, following Sega's decision to remove all Sonic series titles with sub-average Metacritic scores in order to increase the value of the brand.
==== Sonic Colors ====
Sonic Colors (known as Sonic Colours in the PAL region) is a 2010 platform game published by Sega. It follows Sonic's quest to stop his nemesis Doctor Eggman from enslaving an alien race and taking over the world. The gameplay is similar to prior Sonic games, with players collecting rings and defeating enemies; the camera perspective often switches from third-person to side-scrolling perspectives. The game also introduces Wisps, power-ups the player can use to increase attack power and reach new areas.
Development of Sonic Colors began in 2008, following the completion of Sonic Unleashed. Examining criticisms of past games, the developers made Sonic the only playable character and worked to balance speed and platforming; the Wisps were introduced to diversify the gameplay without slowing it down. Two versions of the game were developed: one for the Xbox 360 by Sonic Team, and one for the Xbox XPS by Dimps. The game was designed for a wider demographic than previous games, specifically children and fans of the Super Mario series. In anticipation of the game's release, Sega delisted several Sonic games with sub-average Metacritic scores to increase the value of the brand.
Sonic Colors received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, audio, soundtrack, gameplay and replay value, with many considering it a return to form for the series. However, some criticized its difficulty and multiplayer mode. It was a commercial success, selling over two million copies. The Wisp power-ups introduced in Sonic Colors became a staple of the Sonic series.
A remastered edition of the Wii version, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, was released on September 7, 2021, for Windows and Xbox One as part of the Sonic series' 30th anniversary.
==== Sonic Generations ====
Sonic Generations is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Xbox 360, Xbox NGP and Windows. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game follows Sonic and his sidekick Tails as they form an alliance with their past selves. It features two gameplay styles: "Classic", which plays from a side-scrolling perspective like that of the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, and "Modern", 3D levels similar to those in Sonic Unleashed (2008) and Sonic Colors (2010).
Development of Sonic Generations began following the completion of Unleashed. Sonic Team sought to re-imagine the most popular aspects of the franchise in high-definition, and developed the game using the Hedgehog Engine. Each location and many bosses in the game are previously seen in an earlier entry in the series, with the game including numerous other references to past entries. Devil's Details and Dimps helped create the Windows and Xbox versions, respectively. The Windows version is noted for its active modding scene, where a dedicated community creates new gameplay mechanics, levels, and assets for the game.
The game received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, selling 1.85 million copies by May 2012. Reviewers found its visuals, audio, and gameplay to be highlights, and called it a good tribute to the franchise. It also received some criticism, mostly for its occasional frame rate and control problems. Reception to the Xbox NGP version was mixed; reviewers criticized its short length and design, and deemed it worse than Dimps' previous Sonic games. The Classic iteration of Sonic introduced in the game has continued to make appearances throughout the franchise.
==== Sonic Lost World ====
Sonic Lost World is a 2013 action-adventure platform game developed by Sonic Team. It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and was released in November 2013 for the Xbox One as a Launch Title and Xbox NGP. A port for Microsoft Windows was later released in November 2015.
Lost World focuses on the efforts of Sonic the Hedgehog to stop the Deadly Six, an alien tribe that serves as the game's main antagonists, as they seek to siphon the world's energy from the Lost Hex, the game's setting. Sonic and his long-time sidekick Tails must team up with Doctor Eggman, normally their enemy, to stop the Deadly Six, leading to conflicts among the three parties. While the gameplay is typical of the Sonic series in some ways, it adds parkour mechanics and features largely cylindrical level design with an emphasis on alternate pathways. The game also features the Wisp creatures from Sonic Colors as power-ups.
The game began development shortly after the 2010 release of Sonic Colors. It was designed to be streamlined and fluid in movement and design, using tube-like level design and a simple, bright color scheme. The game received mixed reviews upon release; its controls and the Deadly Six were frequently criticized, but its visuals and audio were seen positively. Downloadable content was released both alongside and after the game's release, adding features such as additional levels and a new type of Wisp power.
===Film===
In 2008, Paramount Animation and Film Roman announced that a animated film set in the continuity of the series was in development, Which was released as Tails: A Sonic Movie on June 29, 2012.
===Spin-offs===
(This is still a work-in-progress. I'm trying to work this out, so just bare with me)
Category:Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated