Editing Sonic (SSBU)

|image = [[File:Sonic SSBU.png|x250px]]

'''Sonic''' ({{ja|ソニック|Sonikku}}, ''Sonic'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. His return to the series was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', Sonic is an [[unlockable character]] instead of being a [[starter character]]. Sonic is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #38]].

As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', Sonic's voice clips from ''Brawl'' were repurposed for the Japanese version of ''Ultimate'', while his voice clips from ''Sonic Generations'' and the ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Sonic|series}}'' series were repurposed for other versions of ''Ultimate''.

 

 

*{{s|wikipedia|Alexandre Gillet}} in French.

*Renato Novara in Italian.

*Jonatán López in Spanish, in place of his current Spanish voice actor Ángel De Gracia. ''Ultimate'' is López's last game as Sonic's Spanish voice actor prior to his death in February 2020.

 

Sonic is currently ranked 2nd out of 82 on the ''Ultimate'' [[tier list]], sharing the S+ tier alongside {{SSBU|Steve}}. This is a slight improvement from his 7th/8th out of 54 placement in ''Smash 4'' (where he was tied with {{SSB4|Fox}}), makes him the highest ranking base-game character, and marks his best placement in the series. Sonic's biggest strength is his speed, which allows him to utilize a hit-and-run playstyle. Complementing this speed is his massive array of burst options with a wide window of unreactable range thanks to moves like [[Spin Charge]] and [[Spin Dash]], which are regarded as some of the best neutral options in the game. This grants Sonic unparalleled mobility over the [[stage]] as he is able to weave around enemy defenses, [[bait]] out [[approach|approaches]], and control the overall pace of the game. In addition, Sonic can also play offensively, as his speed allows him to chase opponents across the entire stage while his great recovery also allows him to place pressure on the opponents offstage. All of this allows Sonic to rack up damage fast while keeping damage done towards him at a minimum.

 

However, Sonic has some noteworthy flaws, most notably his KO potential. Many of his best KO moves either require proper positioning to be most effective or have noticeable starting and ending lag; this can lead to opponents surviving up to high percents if Sonic is unable to secure an early KO. In addition, some of Sonic's moves, such as Spin Charge and his up aerial, can occasionally have trouble connecting, which can render situations where the opponent may inadvertently escape one of his combos. Lastly, Sonic’s endurance has been decreased noticeably from his previous incarnation making him more prone to getting KOed.

 

Overall, Sonic is a character that can rack up damage fast and pressure opponents both on and offstage. However, he can often have a tough time closing out stocks if his opponents space him effectively. While initial impressions on Sonic were rather lukewarm,  it has since improved dramatically following the online era and the changes to the metagame. Sonic has since seen competitive success thanks to the efforts of {{Sm|KEN}} and {{Sm|Sonix}}, and he is widely considered to be one of the best characters in the game, if not the best.

Sonic must then be defeated on [[Green Hill Zone]] (the [[Ω form]] is used in World of Light).

Sonic is a [[weight|lightweight]] who, staying true to his home series, has outstanding mobility. He unsurprisingly possesses the fastest [[dash]]ing speed in the game by default (which is surpassed only by {{SSBU|Hero}} while using [[Command Selection|Acceleratle]]), the 7th fastest [[walk]]ing speed, the 12th fastest [[air speed]] (which tied with {{SSBU|Mario}}, {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBU|Little Mac}}, and {{SSBU|Inkling}}), and the highest [[traction]] in the game (surpassed only by [[Winged Form]] {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}). When combined with his above-average [[falling speed]] and jump heights, these attributes allow Sonic to move across the stage at a blisteringly quick pace, even in spite of his average [[gravity]] and low [[air acceleration]]. To round out his attributes, Sonic is also capable of [[wall jump]]ing.

Sonic's special moves are quite useful. [[Spin Dash]] and [[Spin Charge]] allow him to travel across stages at varying speeds, inflict damage on contact, and follow up into an aerial attack or uncharged Homing Attack. Despite appearing very similar aesthetically and mechanically, they both have different strengths and uses for various different situations.

Spin Dash allows Sonic to jump around the stage while charging or holding the charge of the move and can be released in the air, and the hop at the start of the move allows Sonic to "spin shot" on ground as well as in the air, with it being the side special making it more ideal for aiming the spin shot to recover. The initial jump can also help Sonic avoid certain things like projectiles by hopping over them, it, however, loses this initial hop if fully charged. Spin Dash also has a moment of intangibility on startup, which can bypass even [[Wonderwing]]. The intangible fully charged version can pass through most grounded attacks but will clank with projectiles and aerial attacks.

The non-fully charged version with the hop though can bypass if not beat out almost anything due to being aerial. The fully charged version of Spin Dash will also be intangible whenever Sonic turns the move around. Due to the number of branching choices Sonic has when starting Spin Dash, it is his most reliable attack in neutral and one of his best approach options overall. From jumping into cancellation, charging it to alter its timing, switching directions after releasing, and utilizing the spin shot, Spin Dash plays an extremely important role when attempting to play mind games versus Sonic's opponent.

While Spin Dash is a one-hit move that mostly knocks opponents into the air, Spin Charge, on the other hand, hits multiple times, carrying the opponent, and moves a little faster, making it a good alternative for dashing. Jumping out of Spin Charge also has Sonic hop while spinning, making him a jumping hitbox. Also, due to charging up by pushing the Special Move button repeatedly, it can be charged up to full power faster than Spin Dash. Spin Charge can also perform a "spin shot", although it can only be done while airborne and can't be reversed.

Both give Sonic additional protection when recovering and combo into other moves. The mobility of both in tandem with Sonic's already impressive speed makes him capable of quickly adding on damage to unprepared opponents from anywhere on the stage, and they can clank and cancel out the effects of certain moves (such as [[C4]] or [[Egg Roll]]). Both moves also have Sonic's hurtbox extend beyond the attack's hitbox. Both moves can be blocked by shield, making them a bit unsafe and committal or predictable, as Spin Dash can only be canceled with a jump and Spin Charge can only be canceled by jumping or stopping pressing the Special Move button. However, they can bypass shields if fully-charged and jump over them on initial contact.

[[Homing Attack]] deals a varying amount of damage, homes in on the nearest opponent and is good for punishing laggy moves and [[edge-guard breaking]]. Its uncharged state also has the potential to combo and its charged state has a small amount of KO potential at higher percentages. [[Spring Jump]] is a useful recovery that grants intangibility at the start, goes very high, and is one of few recovery moves that do not cause a [[helpless]] state, enabling Sonic to attack and dodge during his descent and even extend his recovery with a directional air dodge. The spring that is dropped can be useful both on-stage and off-stage by allowing him to pressure and [[gimp]] opponents, respectively.

Sonic also has a powerful air game. Neutral aerial is a great combo starter when [[SHFF]]'d, as a result of its long-lasting hitbox, low landing lag, and launching angle. Forward aerial is useful for [[edge-guarding]] and, in certain instances, it can combo into itself on-stage at low percentages thanks to its generous [[auto-cancel]] window and Sonic's fast air speed. Up aerial's auto-canceling window makes it a useful and deceptively safe combo starter when SHFF'd. Back aerial's clean hitbox is very powerful, to the point that it is one of Sonic's most reliable KO options. Lastly, down aerial is a [[stall-then-fall]] that has noticeably less ending lag compared to other stall-then-falls. When coupled with its initial hitbox's ability to [[meteor smash]] airborne opponents, down aerial can potentially gimp an opponent, if not KO them outright, and yet still allow Sonic to recover immediately afterward, even if he misses.

Sonic's neutral attack, tilt attacks, and throws have mediocre damage outputs, yet their quick speed can make them difficult to [[punish]]. His grab game is decent overall: while none of Sonic's grabs excel in speed and each of them have average ranges, they are still fairly easy to land thanks to his outstanding mobility. Sonic's [[pummel]] is also quick and has an average damage output, allowing him to rack up a fair amount of damage before throwing an opponent. Down throw is a [[semi-spike]] that has high base knockback, which makes it excellent for setting up edge-guards and [[tech-chase]]s. Back throw also has high base knockback and KOs much earlier than his other throws, especially if it is used while near the edge. It also moves Sonic backward, which makes it useful for setting up an immediate edge-guard attempt. Up tilt can be reversed on startup and hit opponents through platforms above Sonic, and his forward smash has a bit of a deceptively large range due to him stepping forward during the punch.

Up throw is a reliable combo starter, having decently damaging combos beginning at 0%, as well as Spring Jump-assisted aerial combos beginning at medium percentages. It also has KO potential, although it only KOs reliably at very high percentages when used on high platforms, such as {{SSBU|Battlefield}}'s top platform, as well as stages with low upper blast zones. Lastly, forward throw is his least useful throw, as its primary utility is for forcing the opponent away from him and setting up an edge-guard.

Mastering Sonic's running game is crucial to Sonic's ability to perform at high-level play; thanks to Sonic having the fastest dashing speed, Sonic mains can take advantage of a variety of dash or dash-related techniques. Dash-dancing is extremely useful for mindgames, such as by running in one direction and then quickly turning the other way around to bait an opponent or catch them off-guard. The ability to use any attack out of a dash further compliments this strategy, as Sonic can retaliate almost immediately to an opponent's attack after dash-dancing. As such, it is often regarded by Sonic players that it is better to run away from the opponent and run back than to use [[roll]]s to avoid opponents.

This allows the player to avoid damage, not be as easily punished, have more control over their actions, and be able to punish their opponent's attacks. Dash-dance pivots (consisting of fox-trotting away from the opponent, then quickly dash-dancing backward) are particularly effective for this, as they can cause almost immediate turnarounds and allow for easy grabs. In general, Sonic arguably has the easiest time winning the neutral game due to his unmatched speed and maneuverability on-stage, and attacks that not only come out fast but can also be used to approach with.

Despite the plethora of strengths, Sonic has some weaknesses however, the most noticeable being his KO potential. It is held back by his best KO moves (his smash attacks and clean back aerial) requiring good positioning and having noticeable startup and ending lag. His forward and up smashes are also burdened with low base knockback, which forces them to be used for KO attempts later instead of earlier, and his down smash, although it has decent startup, has high ending lag, making it easy to punish if missed. While Sonic's damage-racking ability is formidable, his ability to reliably close out stocks is among the worst in the game, which oftentimes results in his opponents surviving beyond 150% and even 200% if he is unable to score an early kill, forcing him to rely on hard reads in order to reliably take stocks at high percents. Despite his outstanding mobility, Sonic may struggle to land due to his very low air acceleration, leaving him susceptible to [[juggling]].

Sonic can also have difficulty dealing with [[camping]], since any ground-level [[projectile]] can severely limit his movement options. While Homing Attack and Spin Dash are his best options in getting through said projectiles, they can be reacted to and even predicted. Some of his attacks are also very punishable should they miss, and thus allow openings for opponents to punish him. Homing Attack can miss if his opponent is moving too fast or is in the middle of an attack when Sonic releases the move. His recovery is also predictable with Spring Jump as his only vertical recovery option, as its linearity makes him susceptible to gimps even at relatively low percentages. Finally, Sonic can be susceptible to early KOs due to being a lightweight.

In all, Sonic has a great offensive play, a strong [[neutral game]], a good off-stage presence, and can very rapidly damage his opponents. However, like other characters of his archetype, he has some trouble KOing and can be difficult to keep track of, even for the player using him, which sometimes leads to accidentally putting him at a disadvantage or even inadvertently [[self-destruct]]ing. Although Sonic's attributes make him a hit-and-run character most of the time, his prowess for using mindgames and switching up tactics encourage multiple playstyles to succeed, which give him a higher learning curve but allows him to match up well against nearly every character in the cast.

Like most other top tier characters, Sonic was often regarded as one of the most potent characters in ''SSB4'' (tying with Fox for 7th out of 55 characters); this was due to a combination of an outstanding ground movement and [[Spin Dash]] granting him a powerful [[neutral game]], and encouraged a borderline oppressive hit-and-run playstyle that benefitted from [[time out]] strategies after gaining a stock/percentage lead. Likely as a result of this, Sonic was given a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition to ''Ultimate'', though while initially considered to be nerfed overall, universal gameplay changes, metagame shifts and game updates have allowed Sonic to keep up with the rest of the cast. All in all, Sonic has been slightly buffed overall.

Several of Sonic's key strengths and moves from ''SSB4'' have been toned down considerably. Arguably his biggest nerf was towards his Spin Dash, as it can no longer be shield canceled and can no longer go through shields unless it is fully charged; this noticeably hinders Sonic's infamous camping ability and mindgames from ''SSB4'', forcing Sonic to rely more on his pure speed to play defensively. [[Up aerial]], known for its status as a strong KO option off of moves like [[Spring Jump]] and Spin Dash, has received angle and knockback adjustments to the first hit that worsen its ability to connect into the second hit as reliably, no longer managing to follow Sonic's momentum when he jumps and hindering its effectiveness and consistency for combos. [[Up throw]], previously able to combo into Spring Jump-assisted setups, now has increased ending lag, effectively removing most of Sonic's Spring Jump-assisted combos off of it. Lastly, Spring Jump's spring now sends opponents at a more horizontal angle, toning down its edge-guarding potency, and has much less intangibility frames, making it easier to intercept Sonic during his recovery. His much lighter weight also worsens his endurance, and combined with his faster falling speed, he is more vulnerable to combos and KOs if the opponent is able to catch up to him.

However, Sonic has been granted notable buffs as well, particularly towards his less impressive attacks. In particular, [[Homing Attack]] has been buffed significantly, with faster startup, less ending lag upon hitting an opponent, better accuracy, and the ability to be charged for longer; this has lead to the move becoming a much more viable combo tool as well as a potential option in the neutral game. His [[down tilt]] launches opponents at a higher angle now, granting it combo potential. All of his smash attacks were improved, with [[forward smash]] gaining more range, and [[up smash|up]] and [[down smash]] having better KO potential. Despite their nerfs, some of Sonic's better moves have been compensated for in various ways. Spin Dash now has the ability to be jump canceled, alleviating some of Sonic's potential mix-up options. Spring Jump now grants Sonic slightly more distance, buffing his already impressive recovery. Several of Sonic multi-hitting attacks (sans up aerial) now link into each other more reliably, including [[Spin Charge]], up smash, [[forward aerial]], and [[forward tilt]].

Sonic also enormously benefits from ''Ultimate's'' universal mechanic changes, moreso than any other returning veteran. His already unmatched mobility has been improved even further, with an even faster initial dash and run speed as well as more serviceable aerial and falling speeds; this notably heightens his camping abilities via simply running away, which nearly fully compensates for the nerfs to Spin Dash. The introduction of [[dash-cancel]]ing also allows Sonic to take advantage of his phenomenal ground movement to mix-up his approach. Known for having high landing lag on his attacks in ''SSB4'', Sonic now possesses much less landing lag on all of his aerials (although still above average relative to the cast); notably, this grants neutral aerial increased combo potential. Finally, the changes to [[air dodge]] mechanics improve Sonic's edge-guarding game while not compromising him much thanks to his great recovery, while the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows Sonic to gain a little extra distance after using Spring Jump.

Overall, Sonic still retains many of his powerful attributes and combo game, though several of his most powerful tools from ''SSB4'' have either been worsened or removed altogether and his worse endurance has given him a newly defined weakness. This has lead to a less oppressive and polarized character, his playstyle shifting into a more offensive and creative one than before where Sonic now makes greater use of his standard moveset and newly buffed Homing Attack instead of relying on Spin Dash and Spin Charge to compensate for his underwhelming attacks, and must now take advantage of ''Ultimate's'' reworked mechanics, which have proven to be extremely benefitial to him. In the end, Sonic has retained his viability in competitive play, and given the nerfs to the previous game's top tiers and in spite of the introduction of powerful DLC characters in game updates, he performs better relative to the cast than he did in ''SSB4''.

{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Sonic}}

==Update history==

Aside from glitch fixes, Sonic was buffed via game updates. Update 2.0.0 improved his forward tilt's consistency and decreased his back aerial's landing lag, while update 3.0.0 ensured that Sonic retains his double jump upon using [[Spin Dash]] or [[Spin Charge]] on a platform. Update 7.0.0 enlarged Sonic's shield as part of a near-universal buff, and significantly improved his up smash's reliability against an opponent standing on a platform, the latter of which was shared with {{SSBU|Roy}} and {{SSBU|Chrom}}'s up smashes.

However, update 9.0.0 brought about Sonic's most significant buffs. His up tilt and dash attack had their ending lag decreased, while the latter's poor damage output was also increased. As a result, both moves are safer on shield. Up smash gained more intangibility, its overall lag was decreased, and its first hit's angle and knockback were adjusted; altogether, these changes improved its consistency and safety. Lastly, up aerial's second hit received another hitbox below Sonic, which improved the move's somewhat infamous inconsistency.

Overall, Sonic fares better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate'', and he continues to achieve excellent results in both offline and online tournaments.

*Sonic continuously receives damage while [[swimming]]. This trait is shared with {{SSBU|Charizard}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, and {{SSBU|Incineroar}}. This is a reference to the classic ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games where Sonic is unable to swim, and needs to constantly collect air bubbles or else he drowns and die instantly.

|neutralname=P / PP / PPK

|neutraldesc=Sonic's Punch and Punch-Kick from ''Sonic the Fighters''. Its first and second hits are capable of [[jab lock]]ing. Holding the attack button will have Sonic perform the first hit repeatedly.

|ftiltname=Horse Kick ({{ja|馬キック|Uma Kikku}})

|ftiltdesc=Sonic's Horse Kick from ''Sonic the Fighters''. It hits twice, has minimal start-up lag, and can be angled. Altogether, these traits make it useful for spacing, starting [[tech-chase]]s, and as an [[out of shield]] option.

|utiltname=Double Air Kick ({{ja|ダブルエアキック|Daburu Ea Kikku}})

|utiltdesc=A {{s|wikipedia|540 kick}}, similar to {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}}'s up smash. Its decent vertical range makes it a fairly useful anti-air attack, although it has poor horizontal range. It resembles Sonic's Skip Kick from ''Sonic the Fighters''.

|dtiltname=Leg Hitter ({{ja|レッグヒッター|Reggu Hittā}})

|dtiltdesc=A legsweep. Unlike in ''Smash 4'', it launches opponents diagonally, which enables it to start combos at low percentages. Its most reliable follow-ups are forward aerial and up aerial. It resembles Sonic's Leg Throw from ''Sonic the Fighters'', and his Foot Sweep from ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006) and ''Sonic Unleashed''.

|dashname=Dash Kick ({{ja|ダッシュキック|Dasshu Kikku}})

|dashdmg=8% (clean), 6% (late)

|dashdesc=A flying kick. A decent follow-up from a down throw, although this requires a read. While its very minimal start-up lag can allow it to pressure unwary opponents, its considerable ending lag makes it quite punishable.

|fsmashname=Wind-Up Punch ({{ja|ぐるぐるパンチ|Guruguru Panchi}})

|fsmashdesc=The Wind-Up Punch, one of Sonic's attacks from ''Sonic the Fighters''. It has high knockback growth and deceptive range, and it can be angled. It's also disjointed and beats several hitboxes because Sonic doesn't have a hurtbox on his hands. Altogether, these traits make it one of Sonic's best KO moves, if not his absolute best one. However, it has low base knockback, and thus should be used for KO attempts later instead of earlier. It also has noticeable start-up (frame 18) and ending lag (28 frames), making it risky if used unwisely.

|usmashname=Short Spin Attack ({{ja|ショートスピンアタック|Shōto Supin Atakku}})

|usmashdesc=A jumping Spin Dash. It has moderate start-up (frame 14) and noticeable ending lag, making it risky if used unwisely. It hits multiple times, with the last hit having extremely high knockback scaling but merely average base knockback. As a result, it should be used for KO attempts later instead of earlier. It is also excellent at shield poking, thanks to its somewhat large hitboxes.

|dsmashname=Split Kick ({{ja|スプリットキック|Supuritto Kikku}})

|dsmashdesc=A split kick, similar to {{SSBU|Fox}} and {{SSBU|Falco}}'s down smashes. It has the lowest amount of start-up lag (frame 12) out of Sonic's smash attacks and hits both in front of and behind himself simultaneously, which make it useful for punishing rolls. It is also a [[semi-spike]], which makes it very useful for edge-guarding. However, it lasts for only 2 frames and, like his other smash attacks, it has considerable ending lag.

|nairname=Air Spin ({{ja|エアスピン|Ea Supin}})

|nairdesc=Sonic's Air Spin from ''Sonic the Fighters''. In addition to being a reliable follow-up from [[Spin Dash]], [[Spin Charge]], and [[Spring Jump]]-assisted combos, its launch angle makes its clean and late hitboxes useful combo starters at low to medium percentages when [[SHFF]]'d.

|fairname=Sonic Turn ({{ja|ソニックターン|Sonikku Tān}})

|fairdesc=A corkscrew [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Battering ram|battering ram]], similar to {{SSBU|Pikachu}}'s forward aerial. It is tied with up aerial for the lowest amount of start-up lag out of Sonic's aerials, coming out on frame 5. When coupled with the last hit's very high knockback growth, it is quite useful for spacing and edge-guarding. It can also combo into itself in certain instances, thanks to Sonic's very fast air speed and the move's fairly large [[auto-cancel]] window. It resembles Sonic's Emerald Dive from ''Sonic the Fighters''.

|bairname=Back Spin Kick ({{ja|バックスピンキック|Bakku Supin Kikku}})

|bairdesc=A hook kick. Its clean hitbox's impressive damage output and high knockback growth make it one of Sonic's best KO moves, especially while edge-guarding. The move is also one of the more powerful of its type when hit clean and has low ending lag. However, it does have moderately high start-up lag (frame 13) for a back aerial, which can make it somewhat challenging to hit with.

|uairname=Air Scissors ({{ja|エアシザース|Ea Shizāsu}})

|uairdesc=A scissor kick. Its very generous auto-cancel window and fairly low landing lag make it deceptively safe, as it autocancels as soon as the hitboxes cease, which is actually due to a coding error that wasn't fixed from the previous games. In addition to being a reliable follow-up from Spin Dash and Spin Charge, it is a useful combo starter when SHFF'd. Due to its first hit's adjusted launching angles and much lower knockback growth, it is noticeably less effective than it was in ''Smash 4'' as both a follow-up from Spring Jump and as a KO option.

|dairname=Shooting Star Kick ({{ja|流星キック|Ryūsei Kikku}})

|dairdesc=A diagonal flying kick. It is a [[stall-then-fall]], but unlike the majority of other stall-then-falls, it is relatively safe to use off-stage thanks to its noticeably lower ending lag in comparison. Its clean hit also [[meteor smash]]es aerial opponents at the beginning of the attack, but not grounded opponents. It resembles Sonic's Stomp Dive from ''Sonic the Fighters'', and his Sonic Rocket from ''Sonic Battle''.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|grabdesc=[[wikipedia:Grappling hold#Clinch hold|Clinches]] the opponent.

|pummelname=Grab Kneebutt ({{ja|つかみニーバット|Tsukami Nībatto}})

|fthrowname=Close Kick ({{ja|クローズキック|Kurōsu Kikku}})

|fthrowdesc=A stretch kick. Due to its launching angle and overall knockback being noticeably lower than in ''Smash 4'', it now functions as a serviceable edge-guard set-up at the very negligible cost of its almost nonexistent KO potential. It resembles Sonic's Top Kick from ''Sonic Battle''.

|bthrowname=Spin Throw ({{ja|スピンスルー|Spin Surū}})

|bthrowdesc=Quickly backflips repeatedly with the opponent in tow before performing the tomoe nage,{{ref|a}} a judo throw. Sonic's strongest throw by far, and his only one that KOs at reasonable percentages.

|uthrowname=Hedgehog Needle ({{ja|ヘッジホッグニードル|Hejjihoggu Nīdoru}})

|uthrowdesc=Heaves the opponent overhead and then stabs them with his quills to launch them upwards. It can combo into neutral aerial, up aerial and inputted [[Homing Attack]] at low percentages. Due to its ending lag being increased since ''Smash 4'', its Spring Jump-assisted follow-ups less consistent. It also has KO potential, albeit only at very high percentages and when used on highly positioned platforms, such as Battlefield's top platform.

|dthrowname=Spinning Gear ({{ja|スピニングギア|Supinning Gia}})

|dthrowdesc=Pins the opponent to the ground and then Spin Dashes onto them. Due to being a semi-spike, it is reliable for tech-chasing and setting up edge-guards. It resembles Sonic's Double Spin from ''Sonic the Fighters''.

|floorfdesc=Spin Dashes in a circle before getting up.

|nsdesc=Curls up into a ball while briefly ascending, homes onto the nearest opponent, and then rams into them. Pressing the special button will execute the move earlier at the cost of it inflicting less damage. It can be used as a follow-up from various moves if executed early.

|ssdesc=Curls up into a ball, performs a short jump, and then starts rolling toward the opponent quickly. Holding the special button [[charge]]s it up and increases its speed. In addition to granting 5 frames of intangibility after the charge is released, it boasts impressive combo potential, thanks to its ability to be followed up with any aerial attack. However, if uncharged, it stops when it hits a shield, making it very unsafe if shielded. When it is charged, however, the move is very safe on shield. It also boasts horizontal recovery potential when it is [[jump-cancel]]ed immediately upon releasing the special button; this turns the dash into a "Spin Shot", a quick, long-ranged short hop that can be performed either on the ground or in the air. Sonic can only hold the charge for two seconds when his Spin Dash is fully charged, but as the move can be jump-canceled, he can still charge it on the ground, cancel the charge with a jump and release it in the air while still keeping its charge.

|usdesc=Bounces off of a Spring. When used on the ground, it remains in place for a few seconds, allowing Sonic and any other character to keep bouncing off of it until it vanishes. Although Spring Jump is used primarily for recovering, it is also useful for partaking in combos. It grants intangibility at the start, while the Spring itself can also be used to [[gimp]] recovering opponents underneath Sonic.

|dsdmg=1.5%-2.4% (loop), 4% (last), 6% (jump)

|dsdesc=A Spin Dash that hits multiple times and has more momentum. It also has slightly different aesthetics compared to Spin Dash, and requires button mashing in order to charge. However, it lacks a short jump at its beginning, cannot be canceled in any way, and it can only become a "Spin Shot" when used in the air. Its charge can only be held for three seconds after Spin Charge is fully charged.

|fsdmg=12% (Chaos Emeralds), 6% (ram), 10% (launch)

|fsdesc=Gathers the Chaos Emeralds and uses them to attain his Super Transformation from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games. When activated while very close to an opponent, the Chaos Emeralds will damage the opponent. Upon being activated, Sonic is invincible during its duration, and flies around rapidly horizontally and can change his vertical position. Any opponents that are near Sonic when he returns to normal will be damaged.

 

*Spin Dashes onto the stage from the foreground and strikes a pose.

*'''Up taunt''': Somersaults and then crosses his arms with his index finger pointing out, one of his signature poses (most notably from ''Sonic Adventure''), while making a "tsk" sound three times.

*'''Side taunt''': Performs the Super Peel Out, a technique that debuted in ''Sonic the Hedgehog CD'', while grinning and saying "Sonic Speed!" ("{{ja|遅すぎだぜ！|Oso sugi da ze!}}", ''You're too slow!'')

*'''Down taunt''': Performs the {{iw|wikipedia|windmill|b-boy move}}, a breakdancing move, while saying "Come on!"

*Looks at the camera and wiggles his finger in a patronizing manner while smirking. It resembles the animation he performs after clearing an Act or defeating a boss in ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic Mania'' or his introduction in many 2D ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games and in the [[wikipedia:Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog|three]] [[wikipedia:Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)|American]] [[wikipedia:Sonic Underground|DIC Entertainment]] cartoons as well as the animation he does before jumping offscreen in ''Sonic CD'' if the game is left idle for three minutes.

SSBUSonicIdle1.gif|Sonic's first idle pose.

SSBUSonicIdle2.gif|Sonic's second idle pose.

*'''Left:''' Sprints off-screen and then sprints back on-screen before giving a thumbs up while saying "That was almost too easy!" ("{{ja|モタモタしてると置いてくぜ!|Motamota shi teru to oite ku ze!}}", ''Lag behind and get left behind!''). It is possibly a reference to the Sega logo at the opening of the 16-bit version of ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2''.

*'''Up:''' Runs up to the camera and grabs the blue [[Chaos Emerald]], then poses with it while saying "Piece of cake!" ("{{ja|A piece of cake! 楽勝だぜ!|A piece of cake! Rakushō daze!}}", ''A piece of cake! An easy win!''). His Japanese line comes from ''Sonic Heroes'' and ''Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)'' after battles.

*'''Right:''' Performs a break dance move that resembles his ''Sonic Flare'' from ''Sonic Battle'', then strikes a pose and says "Let's do that again sometime!" ("{{ja|Hey guys! また遊んでやるぜ!|Hey guys! Mata asonde yaru ze!}}", ''Hey guys! I'll play again next time!''). His Japanese line comes from ''Sonic Adventure'' after defeating a boss.  

[[File:SonicVictoryUltimate.ogg|thumb|[[wikipedia:Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006)]]'s orchestrated remix of the tune that plays when a character has passed an Act in ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 3}}'', entitled "Mission Clear", albeit with a slightly abridged ending.]]

==In [[competitive play]]==

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

''See also: [[:Category:Sonic players (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|KEN|Japan}} - The second-best Sonic player of all-time, and the definitive best from 2019 to 2021. He was the first Sonic player to win a major, doing so at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}}.

*{{Sm|Peli|UK}} - The best Sonic player in Europe. He was the first European player to eliminate Glutonny at a national-level European tournament, doing so at the superregional {{Trn|VCA 2021}} and winning the event in the process. He has also seen several strong results at majors, including 5th at {{Trn|e-Caribana}} and 7th at {{Trn|VCA 2022}}.

*{{Sm|Sonido|USA}} - One of the best Sonic players in the United States. Placing well at several events, including 5th at {{Trn|Come to Papa 3}} defeating {{Sm|Samsora}}, 9th at the major {{Trn|DreamHack Atlanta 2019}}, and 17th at the supermajor {{Trn|CEO 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Sonix|Dominican Republic}} - One of the [[Four Horsemen]] and is the best Sonic player of all-time, and one of the best players since 2023. He won the major {{Trn|CEO 2022}} and the supermajors {{Trn|Get On My Level 2023}} and {{Trn|Port Priority 8}}, making him the only Sonic player to ever win a supermajor.

*{{Sm|Taikei|Japan}} - The second-best Sonic player in Japan who consistently places highly at Japanese events, including 5th at the major {{Trn|Seibugeki 12}} and 7th at the major {{Trn|KOWLOON 5}}.

*{{Sm|Wrath|USA}} - The best Sonic player in the United States. Although his activity is lower compared to other top Sonic players, he has placed highly at most events he attended, including 5th at the supermajor {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}}, 7th at the major {{Trn|DreamHack Atlanta 2019}}, as well as a win at the superregional {{Trn|MomoCon 2024}}.

Upon the release of ''Ultimate'', Sonic was initially seen as a far less viable fighter than he was in ''Smash 4'' due to a number of changes to his moveset, particularly to [[Spin Dash]] and [[Spin Charge]], that nerfed his biggest strengths from the previous game. On the other hand, Sonic retained his superb mobility and long-distanced recovery, while his combo game remained mostly useful. As a result, despite being weaker compared to his previous iteration, Sonic's "hit-and-run" playstyle still remained viable, allowing multiple top players to resort to [[time out]] strategies. Although early opinions placed him as a mid-tier, as a result of retaining his notorious playstyle as well as results from players such as {{Sm|Sonido}}, {{Sm|Wrath}}, and especially {{Sm|KEN}}, opinions on the character have shifted towards being a high-tier by the time of the online metagame.

The community's perception on Sonic began shifting even further during the online metagame due to the meteoric rise of {{Sm|Sonix}}, who became one of the metagame's best players. Sonic also received buffs to his moveset, most notably an additional hitbox to his up air that made the move more consistent, improving his KO power. These positive changes to Sonic's representation were brought into the offline metagame, as Sonix and KEN saw strong performances at many majors and supermajors. These players often utilized Sonic's hit-and-run playstyle to its fullest, with their sets often going to or close to a time-out. On the other hand, Sonix has also showcased Sonic's more oppressive nature, such as overwhelming his opponent or utilizing Sonic's speed and strong recovery to relentlessly edgeguard opponents. Due to all of this, the general consensus has since reassessed Sonic as a top tier character, with several players believing he could be the best character in the game. This was reflected in his placement on the first tier list, where he is ranked 4th, with eleven panelists ranking Sonic as 1st.

Opinions on Sonic only further improved following the first tier list as Sonix established himself as one of ''Ultimate''{{'}}s [[Four Horsemen]]. In addition, players began realizing that Sonic was likely one of the best counters to {{SSBU|Steve}}, the highest-ranking character in the game, as Sonic's ability to overwhelm opponents exploits Steve's poor mobility. This became more evident with Sonix's track record against Steve players, which includes dominantly defeating {{Sm|acola}} at {{Trn|Port Priority 8}} and {{Trn|Watch The Throne}}. Finally, the metagame began heavily favoring a campier, more patient playstyle that was perfect for Sonic players. As a result, many players now consider Sonic to be the second-best character in the game, which led to Sonic's rise to 2nd, ranking alongside Steve in the S+ tier.

Sonic's opponents reference characters from a variety of {{uv|Sonic the Hedgehog}} games. Each Round also proceeds in the chronological order of each console generation to feature Sonic, starting from the 4th generation (Sega Genesis) to the 8th generation (Wii U), complete with Rounds 1 through 6 playing music from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series (regardless of what universe the stage originates from). The title of Sonic's Classic Mode route also references a portion of the lyrics of "Escape from the City" from ''Sonic Adventure 2''.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{CharHead|Fox|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Green Hill Zone]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone}}''||Fox references [[Miles "Tails" Prower]], a fox who is Sonic's best friend and sidekick.

|2||{{CharHead|Captain Falcon|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Figure-8 Circuit]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Super Sonic Racing}}''||Captain Falcon, the stage, and the music all reference ''Sonic R'', a racing game.

|3||Giant Metal {{CharHead|Sonic|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Fourside]] ([[Ω form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Open Your Heart}}''||The stage and the music likely reference the boss battles against Chaos in ''Sonic Adventure'', particularly the one against Chaos 0. Giant metal Sonic and the stage could also reference the Metal Sonic boss fight at the end of Stardust Speedway Zone in ''Sonic CD''. Giant metal Sonic will also use Sonic's default appearance, albeit while clad in metal, even if the player is also using Sonic's default appearance.

|4||{{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}{{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}{{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} {{SSBU|Kirby}} (×3)||[[Halberd]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Heroes}}''||The Kirbys represent the character types in ''Sonic Heroes'': Speed (Blue), Flight (Yellow), and Power (Red). The stage likely references Final Fortress, the final level of said game.

|5||{{CharHead|Sheik|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Mushroomy Kingdom]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Seven Rings in Hand}}''||Sheik, the stage, and the music all reference ''Sonic and the Secret Rings'', which has an Arabian setting.

|6||Giant {{CharHead|Incineroar|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Windy Hill Zone]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Wonder World}}''||Giant Incineroar references Zavok, the leader of The Deadly Six, who debuted in ''Sonic Lost World''.

During the opening cutscene, Sonic was present on the cliffside when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light. While attempting to run away, Sonic noticed {{SSBU|Pikachu}} doing the same and reached his hand out to Pikachu in an attempt to save it. However, before Sonic could grab a hold of Pikachu, both were vaporized and placed under Galeem's imprisonment alongside the rest of the fighters, excluding {{SSBU|Kirby}}.

Sonic was one of the many fighters that fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat. He appears in the [[Sacred Land]] sub-area as one of the fighters that block the [[Master Sword]], making him one of the obligatory unlocks.

Sonic is later seen standing next to {{SSBU|Mario}} as the other heroes prepare their last stand against Galeem and Dharkon.

{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

!style="width:5%;"|No.

!style="width:5%;"|Image

!Name

!Type

!Power

!Stage

!Music

|38

|[[File:Sonic SSBU.png|center|108x108px]]

|{{SpiritType|Attack}} <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>

|9,800

|[[Green Hill Zone]] ([[Ω form]])

|''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone}}''

{{clr}}

Sonic's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Sonic has been unlocked. Unlocking Sonic in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Additionally, Sonic makes an appearance in a few primary spirits in other forms.

SSBU spirit Sonic the Hedgehog.png|775. '''''Sonic the Hedgehog'''''

SSBU spirit Super Sonic.png|778. Super Sonic

SSBU spirit Sonic the Werehog.png|796. Sonic the Werehog

==In Spirit Battles==

|{{SpiritTableName|Super Sonic|link=y|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Metal Sonic|link=y|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|•Metal {{SSBU|Sonic}} {{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}} (100 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|•Timed [[stamina battle]] (2:00)<br>•The enemy is metal<br>•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Rocket Belt]]

|{{SpiritTableName|Chaotix|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Shadow the Hedgehog|link=y|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|•Assist Trophy Enemies (Shadow)<br>•Item: [[Timer]]

|[https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog]

|{{SpiritTableName|Silver the Hedgehog|link=y|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Infinite|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|•Metal {{SSBU|Sonic}} {{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}} (140 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Able Sisters|size=64}}

|''Animal Crossing'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Sonic}} {{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}{{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}{{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Purple}}

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{iw|Nookipedia|Labelle}}, {{iw|Nookipedia|Mabel}}, and {{iw|Nookipedia|Sabel}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Dillon|link=y|size=64}}

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|[[Midgar]] (hazards off)

|•Assist Trophy Enemies (Dillon)

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Frontier Battle}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Rayman|size=64}}

|''Rayman'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Sonic}} {{Head|Sonic|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}} (160 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}

|•Assist Trophy Enemies ([[Sukapon]])

|{{SpiritTableName|Dr. Eggman|link=y|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|•[[Bob-omb]] Festival<br>•Item: Shooting Types

|{{SpiritTableName|Nico Fire|size=64}} {{Flag|North America}}<br>Nico Flame {{Flag|PAL}}

|''StreetPass Mii Plaza'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Wii Sports Resort}}

|StreetPass Cats

===Fighter Showcase Video===

*One of the [[List of tips (SSBU)#Sonic|in-game tips for Sonic]] states that using his down aerial after a jump and Spring Jump in succession can allow for "no landing delay". However, this is incorrect, as Spring Jump actually incurs 10 frames of landing lag, which persists even if Sonic auto-cancels his down aerial by using it from high enough as stated by the tip.

**This tip is recycled from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', where it is correct, as Spring Jump in said game does not incur additional landing lag.

***It could, however, mean that no landing lag persists from the aerial move itself, and only occurs from Spring Jump, which was possibly added due to the universal landing lag reductions in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.

*Sonic's stock icon in ''Ultimate'' bears a striking resemblance to several logos and icons in the {{uv|Sonic the Hedgehog}} series, namely:

**The logo for {{s|wikipedia|Sonic Team}}.

**Sonic's [[mariowiki:File:MyS emblem Sonic.png|character icon]] in some ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' spin-off games.

***It is also one of six to show the character's eyes, the others being {{SSBU|R.O.B.}}, {{SSBU|Kirby}}, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, [[Steve (SSBU)|Zombie, and Enderman]].

****This is not counting {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} and [[Bowser Jr. (SSBU)|Larry]], as the eyes depicted for the former are not his actual eyes, and the latter lacks his irises.

*Sonic is one of three third-party fighters in ''Ultimate'' with more than one [[Green Hill Zone|home]] [[Windy Hill Zone|stage]] representing their series, the others being {{SSBU|Cloud}} and {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}.

*Sonic's shoes and cuffs in his Player 7 and Player 8 alternate costumes were swapped in the transition from ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate'', but his fur color was not.

*Unlike other installments in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, Sonic slowly receives damage if he falls in any body of water, which is a nod to his inability to [[swim]] in his own series.

**This makes Sonic the only third-party fighter to have this trait.

*''Ultimate'' is the first game where Sonic was the first third-party character announced. {{SSBB|Snake}} was announced before him in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', and {{SSB4|Mega Man}} was announced before him in ''Smash 4''.

*Sonic is one of only four fighters to face a metal opponent in Classic Mode, facing a giant metal version of himself. The others are {{SSBU|Bowser}} (who faces [[Metal Mario]] upon normal Mario's defeat in the Final Round), {{SSBU|Kazuya}} (who faces a metal version of himself upon defeating his normal self in the Final Round), and {{SSBU|Sora}} (who faces a metal version of himself in the Round 6).

*Interestingly, {{SSBU|Little Mac}} is absent from Sonic's Classic Mode route despite possessing the 3rd fastest dashing speed in the game.

*Sonic is the only fighter who travels to [[Green Hill Zone]] and [[Figure-8 Circuit]] in Classic Mode.

*Prior to update 2.0.0, there was a glitch that allowed {{SSBU|Ridley}} to instantly KO Sonic. On 2D stages, if Ridley grabbed Sonic with his [[Space Pirate Rush]] while Sonic was recovering from a Homing Attack near the edge, Sonic would be instantly sent into the horizontal blast line.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyylKx0Jgg8</ref>

**These voice clips are also used in the French, Italian, German, and Spanish versions of the game, as Sonic was not voiced in these languages in ''Brawl''.

*The Chaos Emerald that appears in Sonic's victory pose is oddly more solid and less crystalline than the models used for his Final Smash and the one used by [[Shadow the Hedgehog]] as an Assist Trophy.

**In the 2020 film, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog|film}}'', Sonic avoids one of Dr. Robotnik's attacks while striking a very similar pose to his official ''Ultimate'' render. According to Sonic's voice actor in the film, {{iw|wikipedia|Ben Schwartz}}, this was an intentional reference.<ref>https://comicbook.com/gaming/2020/02/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-super-smash-bros-ultimate-easter-eggs/</ref>

***This pose is additionally referenced in the 2022 sequel film, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 2|film}}'', in a dance scene.

**In a promotional image of the collaboration between the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series and the 2020 action game ''{{iw|wikipedia|Ninjala}}'', Berecca (who wears a Sonic costume) strikes a pose identical to Sonic's official ''Ultimate'' render.<ref>https://www.sonicstadium.org/2020/09/sonic-x-ninjala-collaboration-details-revealed-costumes-eggman-utsusemi-and-more/</ref>

*In World of Light, Sonic is the only fighter unlocked in [[The Dark Realm]] with a power level lower than 10,000.

*When Sonic gets KO'd in [[Stamina Mode]], his downed pose is similar to the pose he strikes in his 3D games when he is hit by an enemy while lacking Rings.

*When fighting off the fifty puppet fighter army as Master Hand in World of Light, Sonic is one of the eight fighters fought there, being affiliated with Dharkon.

*If Sonic's size changes due to a [[Super Mushroom]], [[Poison Mushroom]], or something else while charging [[Homing Attack]], Sonic will no longer gain height.

*In {{SSBU|Steve}}'s reveal trailer, Sonic's forward smash launches {{SSBU|Mario}} through blocks into a ''Minecraft'' cave (transitioning to a cinematic), which led to many jokes and memes about Sonic being able to "punch people into ''Minecraft''". The official Sonic Twitter page [https://twitter.com/sonic_hedgehog/status/1407383749377945602?s=20 referenced this meme] when an official ''Minecraft'' collaboration with the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series occurred.

:1.{{note|a}}translates to "Circle Throw"

[[Category:Third-party characters]]