Sonic the Hedgehog (SMF188's Version)

**Sonic the Hedgehog** is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main Sonic the Hedgehog games are platformers mostly developed by Sonic Team; other games, developed by various studios, include spin-offs in the racing, fighting, party and sports genres. The franchise also incorporates printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise.

## Background Music

* "Spinball Theme" (Sonic the Hedgehog Boom), composeed by Howard Drossin (1993-1997)
* "Splash Hill Zone" (Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games version), composed by Sega Digital Studio (2011-2013)
* ”Theme of Sonic Colors (Orchestral Theme)" (2021)
* "Stars In The Sky - From Sonic The Hedgehog 2", by Kid Cudi (2024-present)

## History with the Parade (Jamal's Style of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade)

**Sonic the Hedgehog (1993-1997)**

Sonic the Hedgehog made his Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 1993, to promote the video game *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* and due to the character's initial popularity at the time, Sonic the Hedgehog was the first-ever video game character to appear in the parade.

The orginal balloon measured at a whopping 64 feet tall and 26 feet wide and he was inflated with 18,900 cubic ft.

The balloon toke it's first public test flight at Balloonfest 1993.

When the large Sonic balloon made its debut, it didn't go well, because the balloon crashed into a lamppost, falling on a 10-year old girl and a police officer, so, because of this, Sonic was removed from the line of march and the balloon was videotaped from its test flight footage on the NBC telecast.

then afterwards the balloon would be patched up and flew at a Sonic 3 World Premiere Event at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (known as Groundhog Day) on February 2nd of 1994, so they can the Sonic the Hedgehog balloon and play the *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* video game for the first time.

Then in November of 1994, the balloon returned to the 1994 Parade, where Sonic was the leading balloon of that year's parade lineup and nothing bad happened to the balloon, the balloon had a perfect and successful flight.

Then in 1995, Sonic's head was punctured by a tree, however he was removed and pulled from the parade, the 1994 broadcast footage was used for him, The 64-foot tall Sonic balloon was accompanied by a Sega Pico Bus, so due to the Sonic removal, the Pico Bus had to travel the entire parade route alone.

Then after the 1995 procession, the Sonic the Hedgehog balloon made another appearance outside of the parade at Balloon-A-Thon 1996.

Sonic would to return to the streets of New York City in 1996, despites 1993 and 1995 being not good years for the sonic balloon, the einds were very calm, So, the Sonic balloon flew perfectly fine but with a partially deflated sock.

Sonic was scheduled to appear at the 1997 Parade, but however the balloon kept falling over repeatedly, even though he started his march at the parade route, but his head had a massive tear making him removed from the lineup for the third time and the balloon was videotaped from the 1994 parade once again and he was retired after that.

A Sonic the Hedgehog mascot costume appeared at the 2001 Parade on the Toon-Balloon-Abration float.

**Sonic the Hedgehog (2011-2013, 2021)**

Sonic the Hedgehog made his grand return to the Parade in 2011, as an all-new balloon, now featuring his modern design and this balloon was created for the parade to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and the video game *Sonic Generations*.

The second Sonic the Hedgehog balloon measures at 50 feet tall, 65 feet long, and 37 feet wide, the second Sonic balloon weighs at 350 pounds.

The second Sonic balloon toke it's first public test flight at Balloonfest 2011 alongside Julius.

When the balloon made it's official debut on Thanksgiving Day 2011, the balloon lead off the parade route, the balloon didn't crash into any lamppost.

Then everyone's favorite spiky blue speedster returned to the 2012 Parade to promote the video game *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed*, just in time for the holiday season.

Then in 2013, the Modern Sonic the Hedgehog dashed through the morning of the parade route, but he promoted the newly-released video game, *Sonic Lost World*, then the balloon was temporarily retired at the time.

In the following year in 2014, Sonic the Hedgehog was referenced through a musical score, Spirit of America Dance Stars performed a video game medley which included the Sonic 1 intro music.

Then seven years later in 2021, Sonic returned to the line of march to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, also to promote the *Sonic the Hedgehog 2* movie sequel, the animated series *Sonic Prime* and the *Sonic Colors: Ultimate* video game and the second Sonic the Hedgehog balloon was retired after that.

**Sonic the Hedgehog (2024-present)**

Details coming soon!

## Trivia

* The orginal Sonic balloon had been removed from the parade three times in the parade's history.