Editing Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)

{{Title|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (universe)}}
{{ArticleIcons|brawl=y|ssb4=y|ultimate=y}}
{{Infobox Series
|title             = Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)
|image             = [[File:Sonic the Hedgehog logo.svg|center|300px]]
|caption           = [[File:SonicSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]
|developer         = [[Sega]]<br>Sonic Team<br>Various
|publisher         = Sega<br>THQ<br>Atari SA<br>[[Nintendo]]<br>Gameloft<br>Tiger Electronics
|designer          = Yuji Naka<br>Akinori Nishiyama<br>Takashi Iizuka
|genres            = Platformer<br>Action-adventure<br>Racing<br>Sports<br>Educational<br>Puzzle<br>Fighting<br>Party<br>Role-playing
|originconsole     = Sega Genesis
|firstinstallment  = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog|1991 video game}}'' (1991)
|latestinstallment = ''[[wikipedia:Shadow Generations|Sonic X Shadow Generations]]'' (2024)
|interwiki         = wikipedia
|interwikiname     = Wikipedia
|interwikipage     = Sonic the Hedgehog
}}
The '''''Sonic the Hedgehog'' universe''' ({{ja|ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ|Sonikku za Hejjihoggu}}, ''Sonic the Hedgehog'') refers to the ''Smash Bros.'' series' collection of characters, stages and properties that hail from the world famous media franchise owned by [[Sega]] and centered on its company mascot, [[Sonic the Hedgehog]]. This had been easily the most anticipated new franchise for inclusion in the Nintendo-based fighting game series and is considered the biggest "rival" franchise to {{uv|Mario}}. Its logo is a silhouette of Sonic's head, similar to the logo of Sonic Team.

==Franchise description==
By 1988, [[Sega]] had released its 16-bit successor to the Sega Master System, the Mega Drive, worldwide. It was renamed as the {{s|wikipedia|Sega Genesis}} for its North American release due to Sega's inability to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in the region. Nintendo's flagship {{uv|Mario}} franchise was at the height of its worldwide commercial success, with the recent release of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' in Japan, a week before the Mega Drive's launch, and both the North American releases of Nintendo's own 16-bit system, the Super Famicom, renamed as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and one of its launch titles, ''Super Mario World'', would be released in 1990. Sega made a conscious effort to directly compete against Nintendo's powerful brand with a reliance on a new mascot for both the console and the company itself, one that would help sell systems and broaden its market demographic, and thus began development of its own platformer in April 1990 (two months after the North American release of ''Super Mario Bros. 3''). The game placed an emphasis on horizontally-lengthy levels that could be navigated with a player-character that could run and roll through at a high velocity, with movements that were dictated by elements of momentum-based physics. The original concept for an emphasis on speed was that most video games in the 1980s did not have save files, and thus players would often memorize level patterns and attempt to speed through them as fast as possible to make any real progress. The screen scrolled as fast as it needed to keep up; it was a very technically difficult process to create the game's graphics engine so that it could allow this speed without sacrificing graphical clarity. The end result was the worldwide debut of the eponymous character [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], whose game was released in June 23, 1991 in North America, 2 months ahead of the SNES's launch in the region.

[[File:Sonic Brawl reveal.png|thumb|Sonic and his "console war" rival, [[Mario]], as seen in Sonic's ''Brawl'' reveal trailer.]]
The game ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog}}'' was both a critical and commercial success, and greatly increased the popularity of the Sega Genesis in North America, especially when it replaced ''Altered Beast'' as the game bundled with the console. This was done as part of the console's notable advertisement campaign led by then-CEO and president of Sega's American division, {{s|wikipedia|Tom Kalinske}}, despite the wishes of the company's Japanese division. As a result, the Genesis outsold the Super Nintendo nearly two-to-one during the 1991 holiday season in North America. The game, which would eventually sell 15 million copies and become the best-selling Genesis game in its lifespan, is credited as single-handedly changing the course of the 16-bit generation of video game consoles and providing a legitimate alternative to ''Mario'' in the eyes of many consumers, as well as influencing the development of various 2D video games in the following years (many of which were centered on their own mascots). For the first time since 1985, Nintendo was briefly overtaken as the leader in the console market. This subsequently gave way to one of the most notable video game rivalries in the industry's history, the fourth-generation "console wars" of Nintendo's SNES versus Sega's Genesis, which were symbolized to some degree by the image of Mario versus Sonic. The stiff competition between the two 16-bit consoles arguably stimulated both companies' stables of video game franchises, and also spawned some famous historical pieces of marketing; the SNES was technically superior in every specification, with the exception of its clock rate, and Sega capitalized on this by advertising how the Genesis had a "faster" speed in its games, but in place of reciting this technical difference in commercials, Sega marketed it under the name of "Blast Processing". The term itself originates from the [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA unit]] in the Genesis' VDP graphics processor's capability of "blasting" data to the latter and the [[wikipedia:Digital-to-analog converter|DAC]] at high speeds, allowing for techniques used to great extent in ''Sonic'' games for the console, such as mid-frame palette swapping.<ref>[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/11/the_man_responsible_for_segas_blast_processing_gimmick_is_sorry_for_creating_that_ghastly_phrase The Man Responsible For Sega's Blast Processing] (''{{s|wikipedia|Nintendo Life}}'')</ref>

Sonic starred in many high-profile follow-ups, not just on Genesis, but on each of Sega's follow-up consoles and handhelds, in a similar pattern to Nintendo customarily releasing a game centered on or involving Mario at or near the launch of each of its own consoles or handhelds. ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 2}}'' was released in November 1992 and introduced a sidekick to Sonic named Miles “[[Tails]]” Prower. The sequel was regarded as a marked improvement over its predecessor and is regarded as one of the best games on the Genesis, while ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic & Knuckles}}'' became the only Genesis game that could have another Genesis cartridge inserted onto the top of it (marketed as "Lock-On Technology"), and this was used to turn the game into a physical expansion of the previous game, ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 3}}'', when it was inserted (''Sonic & Knuckles'' was supposed to be the second half of ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', but schedule constraints forced Sonic Team to develop a separate game to wrap up the story). Both of these games were released in 1994 and put the spotlight on another new character, the titular [[Knuckles]], as a direct rival for Sonic. Following the Genesis era, however, Sega's fortunes as a competitor in the console market began to buckle in as the company's Japanese division began to make a series of questionable decisions for its future hardware plans. Two expensive, separate add-ons were developed for the Genesis, the {{s|wikipedia|Sega CD}} and {{s|wikipedia|Sega 32X}}, and both failed to attain their own significant libraries and stretched the company's resources thin. What was intended to be the appropriate next-generation follow-up, the {{s|wikipedia|Sega Saturn}}, was made after Sega of Japan rejected a number of hardware plans for the Sega Saturn with other companies, which would later spawn the console's two main rivals, the [[Nintendo 64]] and PlayStation. The console was also infamously released four months earlier than anyone anticipated, including other game developers, in an attempt to gain an edge over Sony and its recent PlayStation console. However, the Sega Saturn, like its predecessor’s peripherals, failed to develop a substantial library of games, and  the release of a ''Sonic'' game for the platform occurred considerably late in its lifespan. There were many other problems with the console as well, such as it being highly difficult to develop for, along with it competing with consoles with vastly more notable libraries, which ultimately resulted in its short lifespan and commercial failure. Despite Sonic continuing to star in games intended to sell these consoles, Sega had soured many on its own company brand too much, and while some ''Sonic'' titles during this period such as ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic CD}}'' for the Sega CD and ''{{s|wikipedia|Knuckles' Chaotix}}'' for the Sega 32X are generally considered to be solid entries in the ''Sonic'' series, they were not enough to support Sega alone.

Sega's final console to be released, the {{s|wikipedia|Sega Dreamcast}}, was released in the West on September 9, 1999. As the first console of the sixth generation of video game hardware, it was widely hailed as ahead of its time, both technically and for its pioneering of online console gaming, and is retrospectively agreed to have been a much better-thought-out and executed system by Sega. The one out of its eighteen total launch titles that became the undisputed killer app for the console was ''Sonic Adventure'', the first game in the series to feature free-roaming three-dimensional gameplay. It received glowing reviews at the time for its successful transition of the fast ''Sonic'' style into three dimensions and became the best-selling Dreamcast game, though recent retrospective reviews have been more critical of the game. But despite the console's financial success, Sega was in dire financial straits because of its failed hardware plans in previous years, and when the other high-profile consoles for the sixth generation were unveiled — the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube — Sega discontinued the Dreamcast in the West early March 2001, a year and a half after its launch, and withdrew from the console hardware business altogether and restructured itself as a third-party developer.

As a third-party developer, Sega was now in a position to release its titles for consoles that were formerly its competitors. The first releases of ''Sonic'' games on systems owned by Nintendo, its former archrival, were widely publicized; these included enhanced ports of both ''Sonic Adventure'' and its direct sequel on the [[Nintendo GameCube]], as well as the ''Sonic Advance'' subseries on the [[Game Boy Advance]]. The ''Sonic'' franchise settled into a more stable release schedule, and the series continually branched out into a variety of genres for all of the competing platforms, though there were several releases that were met with notably mixed or negative reception; ''Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)'', for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2006, was notorious for technical issues (resulting from it being rushed into the system's launch window, while also coinciding with the franchise's 15th anniversary), control problems, and a slant towards story and characterization that were negatively received as uncomfortably melodramatic, while ''Sonic Free Riders'' served to highlight control issues with the Kinect peripheral for the Xbox 360.

Nonetheless, there have also been commercially successful forays back into the series' platforming roots, particularly throughout the 2010s. ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 4}}'' releases on modern consoles' downloadable services in an episodic format starting in October 2010, albeit ending prematurely at ''Episode II'' due to both episodes' commercial failure. ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Colors}}'' was released exclusively on Nintendo hardware in November 2010, bringing the focus back to a simple lighthearted story premise and introducing new power-ups to the franchise known as "Wisps". ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Generations}}'' was released for the [[Nintendo 3DS]] and other home consoles in November 2011 and celebrated the franchise's 20th anniversary by revitalizing many levels from the most noteworthy core games in the franchise in both the modern "boost" gameplay and the classic momentum-based platforming gameplay, the latter of which also brought about the reintroduction of "Classic Sonic" as his own entity. The most recent of these back-to-basics forays is ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Mania}}'' for eighth generation consoles in August 2017, including the [[Nintendo Switch]], which was developed by experienced indie developers in the ''Sonic'' fan community and received universal acclaim for its gameplay and presentation, with many outlets claiming ''Sonic Mania'' to be the best game in the franchise in over 20 years.

The legendary scenario of former video game archrivals Sonic and Mario crossing over in the same game was finally realized in late 2007 with the release of a game that pit the two against each other in a very unexpected scenario: a sports-themed minigame collection titled ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games'', where selectable characters from both the ''Sonic'' and ''Mario'' franchises compete against each other in all of the sporting competitions associated with the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China. This became a subseries - developed by Sega, published by Nintendo, and officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee - that would regularly release new installments for both Nintendo's consoles and handhelds at a biennial rate to correspond to each of the subsequent Olympic seasons - the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia; the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, England; the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia; the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, with a new 2D retro mode set at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. The series officially ended by the IOC in favor to explore NFTs and eSports in the 2020s, of which the latter became an official Olympic sport by 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/olympics-ditched-mario-sonic-series-to-explore-nfts-and-esports|title=Olympics ditched Mario & Sonic series to explore NFTs and esports|publisher=Eurogamer|date=July 30, 2024|author=Tom Phillips|accessdate=July 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-enters-a-new-era-with-the-creation-of-olympic-esports-games-first-games-in-2025-in-saudi-arabia|title=IOC enters a new era with the creation of Olympic Esports Games – first Games in 2025 in Saudi Arabia|publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=July 23, 2024|accessdate=July 30, 2024}}</ref> Meanwhile, Sonic was chosen as one of the first two third-party characters to co-star alongside Mario and many other Nintendo characters in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' fighting game series, in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', becoming a mainstay of the series ever since.

''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are set in an Earth-like world populated by wildly anthropomorphized, colorful animal characters, but unlike {{uv|Star Fox}}, humans are a feature in this world as well. The main character is Sonic, a blue hedgehog with an attitude and a pair of striped shoes as his only articles of clothing, and he has the capacity to run extremely fast and curl up into a rolling sphere. In a format similar to both {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Mega Man}}, Sonic's most persistent adversary is a mad human scientist bent on world domination named Dr. Ivo Robotnik (most commonly called "Eggman"), and Sonic speeds his way through levels to defeat him in his various combat machines and free innocent animals that have been transformed into robots by Eggman. Powerful jewels called Chaos Emeralds are both what Eggman covets for his schemes and what Sonic must collect to temporarily transform into an invincible [[Super Sonic|Super state]] that can help him defeat his enemies. Over the chronology of the ''Sonic'' games, Sonic has encountered a vastly-expanded cast of side characters, allies, rivals, and enemies, and has battled even greater threats to the world than Eggman himself in narratives that have become increasingly involved. Meanwhile, Sonic has starred in several animated TV series, two movies distributed by Paramount Pictures with a third in the works, and an expanded alternate universe for Sonic has been the focus of a long-running comic book continuity published by Archie Comics, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest-running comic book based on a video game character, as well as a similarly popular UK-based line of comics by Fleetway. While the Archie comics were eventually cancelled in 2016 after running for over two decades, the series' publishing rights have been picked up by IDW Publishing, which started a brand-new series in 2018, led by the same creative team from the late Archie series.

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
It has been verified that nothing to do with Sonic or anything from his franchise exists in ''Melee'' at all, in spite of the infamous rumor detailed below. However, when [[Yuji Naka]] was asked if Sonic had appeared in ''Melee'' in an interview with Edge Magazine, he stated that Sonic could not be included in the game due to time constraints.<ref>[[Media:YujiNakaInterview.jpg|Edge Australia, Issue 04 (p. 24)]], "It was very close, but time constraints did not allow us to continue with the idea."</ref>

==={{h2|List of rumors|Sonic and Tails hoax}}===
In the April 2002 edition of the video game magazine EGM ('''E'''lectronic '''G'''aming '''M'''onthly), an April Fools claim was that Sonic and Tails, the two most famous Sonic the Hedgehog characters, could be unlocked as playable characters in the game ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' by defeating 20 or more [[Fighting Wire Frames]] in [[Multi-Man Melee|Cruel Melee]].

[[File:EGMSonicHoax.png|left|thumb|The picture that came along with the EGM Sonic and Tails article.]]
Players have proven this rumor false both in premise and in practice. It would be highly unlikely that Sega (which, during ''Melee''{{'}}s development, was not yet a full-fledged third-party company, and thus was in competition with Nintendo) would sell its characters for use in a Nintendo game. There are no provisions to include Sonic and Tails in ''Melee''{{'}}s [[All-Star Mode]] (which showcases every playable character in the game), and an [[Notice|in-game message]] also indicates that {{SSBM|Mr. Game & Watch}} is the last unlockable character. In addition, another message tells the player that they have unlocked every trophy. As beating single-player modes with Sonic and Tails would yield new trophies, this is impossible. Along with all of this, analyzing the game data reveals absolutely nothing of Sonic or Tails existing in the game.

Additionally, during an interview with someone at the head of SEGA, they claimed that they had talked to ''Smash'' series director [[Masahiro Sakurai]] about Sonic appearing in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', but had ultimately decided not to put him in the game because the game was nearly complete in its development and Sonic had no existing games on any Nintendo system at the current time, although ''Sonic Adventure 2: Battle'' was currently in development.

Additionally, Cruel Melee strategies showed very quickly that Sonic and Tails did not appear after obtaining 20 KOs - in particular, a video of a Japanese player KO'ing 565 [[Fighting Wire Frames|Wire Frames]] with {{SSBM|Pikachu}}, along with an older video of a Danish player getting 10,000 KOs with {{SSBM|Samus}}, disproved the rumor spectacularly. They can be seen [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur-mLgupG5c here] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsGSvphhVtE here].{{clr}}

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise makes a sensational debut in the ''Smash Bros.'' series in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

===Fighter===
*[[File:SonicIcon(SSBB).png|50px|right|link=Sonic (SSBB)]]'''{{SSBB|Sonic}}''' ([[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]): The eponymous star of the franchise was the most anticipated and requested third-party character for ''Brawl''. His appearance is based off of the "modern" Sonic appearance in the later ''Sonic'' games, such as ''Sonic Adventure'', ''Sonic Adventure 2'', ''Sonic Heroes'', ''Shadow the Hedgehog (game)'' and ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006). Seemingly as expected, he is a character who emphasizes speed, and has been compared to {{SSBM|Fox}} and {{SSBM|Falco}} in ''Melee''. His [[Final Smash]] is [[Super Sonic]], during which he utilizes the seven Chaos Emeralds to transform him and fly around the stage, ramming into opponents at high speeds.{{clr}}

On the final character select screen (after all characters are unlocked), Sonic occupies the ninth column (miscellaneous characters) along with Mr. Game & Watch, Snake, and the random option.

===Stage===
*[[File:Icon-greenhillzone.gif|right|link=Green Hill Zone]]'''[[Green Hill Zone]]''' ([[Unlockable stage|Unlockable]]): Based on the first level of ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. The stage is based almost entirely around a huge crater-like formation at the center.  The bottom areas of the dip are destructible and break away in squares.  A checkpoint Star Post appears at certain places in random intervals which can be struck to make it spin, damaging enemies who touch it, other than the one that attacked it in the first place (unless it's a team battle, where it then it applies for all teammates). Also, Tails, Silver, and Knuckles can appear as cameos in the background of the stage.

===Assist Trophy===
*'''[[Shadow]]''': Shadow uses Chaos Control on the battlefield, which causes the movement of opponents to slow down in a more extreme way than the [[Timer]], but it lasts shorter and never backfires. Shadow is unlocked as an Assist Trophy after Sonic has been unlocked.

===Music===
{{main|List of SSBB Music (Sonic The Hedgehog series)}}
====Original Track====
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Angel Island Zone}}''': The theme of Angel Island Zone from ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', completely redone by Jun Senoue, the composer of the music for the ''Sonic Adventure'' titles. It is used in the Green Hill Zone stage. This is the only ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' remix made for ''Brawl''.

====Source Tracks====
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone}}''': The theme of the first level, Green Hill Zone, from ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' for the Sega Genesis.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Scrap Brain Zone}}''': The theme of the last level of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', Scrap Brain Zone.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Emerald Hill Zone}}''': The theme of the first level of ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'', Emerald Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Boom}}''': The main theme of the US version of ''Sonic the Hedgehog CD'', which played during the opening movie. This song is taken directly from said game, as performed by Pastiche.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Super Sonic Racing}}''': The main theme taken directly from the lesser known ''Sonic'' racing game ''Sonic R'', performed by TJ Davis.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Open Your Heart}}''': The main theme of ''Sonic Adventure'' written and performed by Crush 40, this is a looped version of the very same song from said game performed by Crush 40.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Live & Learn}}''': The main theme of ''Sonic Adventure 2'', it was written and performed by Crush 40, the same duo who performed ''Open Your Heart''.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Heroes}}''': Also written and performed by the same band as the above two songs, this was the main theme of said game.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Right There, Ride On}}''': From  the Nintendo DS title ''Sonic Rush'', this is the music for the Leaf Storm level. This particular variant is the "Digital Remakin' Trax" from the game's soundtrack release.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|HIS WORLD (Instrumental)}}''': An instrumental version of Sonic's theme from ''Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)'', more commonly known as ''Sonic '06'', for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is unlocked by playing in the Green Hill Zone stage 10 times.
*'''{{SSBBMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Seven Rings in Hand}}''': Taken directly from Sonic's first [[Wii]] title, ''Sonic and the Secret Rings'', this was the main theme of that game performed by Steve Conte. This song also plays during Sonic's Classic Mode credits.

====Victory Theme====
*'''[[Victory theme#Sonic Victory Theme|Victory! Sonic]]''': Sonic's victory theme is an orchestration of the one from various ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' titles, with it originating in ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3''. This version, entitled "Jingle: Mission Clear", is taken directly from ''Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)'', more commonly known as ''Sonic 06'', for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, making it the only victory theme to be directly imported from another game.

===Trophies===
{{Main|List of SSBB trophies (Sonic the Hedgehog series)}}

===Stickers===
{{Main|List of stickers (Sonic the Hedgehog series)}}

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' is the only third-party series introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' to return in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. Sonic is officially referred to as a "guest character". Content from ''Sonic'' games released between ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' - such as ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Generations}}'' and ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Lost World}}'' - is featured in the games. In general, Sonic has got a high boost in representation compared to ''Brawl'', with a plethora of new music tracks, trophies and other contents.

===Fighter===
*[[File:SonicIcon(SSB4-U).png|50px|right|link=Sonic (SSB4)]]'''{{SSB4|Sonic}}''' ([[Starter character|Starter]]): a speedy {{s|wikipedia|freedom fighter}} who foils the plans of the nefarious {{s|wikipedia|Dr. Eggman}}. He is an iconic video game character created by {{s|wikipedia|Sega}} during the {{s|wikipedia|console wars}} to compete with [[Nintendo]]'s [[Mario]]. He was revealed in October 2013 during a Nintendo Direct highlighting a console-exclusive partnership between Nintendo and Sega. He retains his special moves from ''Brawl'', as well as his Final Smash. However, Sonic has a new down smash and his dash attack was slightly changed: for his down smash he now performs a split-kick, and for his dash attack, he now performs a scissor-kick at the end. His appearance is now based on his refined appearance that debuted in ''Sonic Unleashed'' and has been used for his "modern" design ever since. Like in his original games, Sonic's mouth is now positioned on the side of his face.

===Stages===
====''for Nintendo 3DS''====
*[[File:GreenHillZoneIconSSB4-3.png|75px|right|link=Green Hill Zone]]{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''[[Green Hill Zone]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): staged in the eponymous zone from the original ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog}}''. It is a hilly stage with walk-off boundaries and a mid-section that can give way to a bottomless pit. A Point Marker occasionally erupts from the ground. If struck, its head will spin and cause damage to any opponent within range. Tails, Knuckles, and {{s|wikipedia|Silver the Hedgehog}} occasionally make cameos in the background. This is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 4 of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Sonic. Its [[Ω form]] takes place on a plateau before the normal stage.

====''for Wii U''====
*[[File:WindyHillZoneIconSSB4-U.png|75px|right|link=Windy Hill Zone]]'''[[Windy Hill Zone]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): staged on the eponymous zone from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Lost World}}''. It is a large floating platform flanked by giant bumpers. The bumpers will bounce away fighters on contact. A giant windmill is positioned stage left with a small wooden platform attached to each of its sails. As the windmill rotates, it can carry fighters past the [[blast zone]]. Windy Hill is slanted and has an unorthodox center-of-gravity, similar to [[Mario Galaxy]]. Animals from the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' and ''Lost World'' - Flicky, Pecky, Picky, Pocky, Cucky, Ricky, and Rocky - make cameos in the background of the stage.  It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 4 of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Sonic and it is large enough to accommodate [[8-Player Smash]]. Its [[Ω form]] is columnar. This is the only stage in ''Smash 4'' where the normal form is a floating platform but its Ω form is not.

===Assist Trophy===
*'''[[Shadow]]''': Sonic's rival from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Adventure 2}}'' and the second most popular ''Sonic'' character. When summoned, Shadow harnesses the power of a Chaos Emerald to perform Chaos Control, which slows down all opponents in battle. He cannot be attacked and he does not slowdown the summoner.

===Enemy===
*'''[[Eggrobo]]''': an ovate robot from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic & Knuckles}}'' armed with a large blaster. Its design derives from its appearance in ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Generations}}''. It hovers around the stage and shoots bullet-like beams at opponents. It occasionally will fire a large, continuous beam similar to {{SSB4|Samus}}' {{b|Zero Laser|Samus}}. It exclusively appears in [[Smash Run]] in the Nintendo 3DS version.

===[[Mii Costume]]s===
{{main|Alternate costume (SSB4)/Mii Fighter}}

====Outfits====
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[Tails|Tails Outfit]]''' ([[DLC]]): the outfit is based on Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic's sidekick from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 2}}''. He otherwise appears in the background of the Green Hill Zone stage. The costume was released with a corresponding hat in Tails' likeness as [[downloadable content]] on February 3, 2016. The Mii wears a yellow, two-tailed fox suit and carries a ray gun unique to ''Smash 4'', though Tails has been associated with similar weaponry since ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Championship}}''.

*{{Head|Mii Brawler|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[Knuckles|Knuckles Outfit]]''' ([[DLC]]): the outfit is based on Knuckles the Echidna, an island guardian from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 3}}''. He otherwise appears in the background of the Green Hill Zone stage. The costume was released with a corresponding hat in Knuckles' likeness as downloadable content on February 3, 2016. The Mii wears a red echidna suit and Knuckles' spiked gloves.

====Headgear====
*'''[[Tails|Tails Hat]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[Knuckles|Knuckles Hat]]''' ([[DLC]])

===Music===
{{main|List of SSB4 Music (Sonic The Hedgehog series)}}
====Returning Track====
Arrangements and remixes from previous ''Smash'' titles.
*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Angel Island Zone}}''': an arrangement of "Angel Island Zone Act 1" and "Angel Island Zone Act 2" from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 3}}''  [[wikipedia:lead instrument|led]] by an {{s|wikipedia|electric guitar}}. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.

====Source Tracks====
Compositions and arrangements directly sourced from the ''Sonic'' series with no alterations.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone}}''': from the original ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog}}''. It plays on Green Hill Zone and Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Open Your Heart}}''': the main theme of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Adventure}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Live & Learn}}''': the main theme of ''Sonic Adventure 2''. It plays on Green Hill Zone and Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Escape from the City}}''': "Escape from the City ... for City Escape" from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Adventure 2}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Heroes}}''': the {{s|wikipedia|title track}} of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Heroes}}''. It plays in Windy Hill Zone. It is featured in the trailers "Sonic Joins the Battle!" and "Mii Fighters Suit Up for Wave Six".
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Right There, Ride On}}''': from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Rush}}''. This rendition is the "Digital Remakin' Trax" from the soundtrack ''SONIC RUSH Original Groove Rush''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|His World (Instrumental)}}''': "Theme of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 E3 Version)" from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Seven Rings in Hand}}''': the main theme of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic and the Secret Rings}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Knight of the Wind}}''': the main theme of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic and the Black Knight}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Reach for the Stars}}''': the main theme of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Colors}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Rooftop Run}}''': "Rooftop Run: Act 2" from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Generations}}'', itself an arrangement of "Rooftop Run - Day" from ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Unleashed}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Wonder World}}''': the main theme of ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Lost World}}''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Windy Hill - Zone 1}}''': from ''Lost World''. It plays on Windy Hill Zone.

====Victory Theme====
*'''[[Victory theme#Sonic Victory Theme|Victory! Sonic]]''':  "Jingle: Mission Clear" from ''Sonic (2006)'', itself an arrangement of "Act Clear" from ''Sonic 3''. It is the only fanfare not arranged specifically for ''Smash Bros.''

===Trophies===
{{Main|List of SSB4 trophies (Sonic the Hedgehog series)}}

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise is still well represented in ''Ultimate'' and received a slight boost in representation from the post-''Sonic Lost World'' titles, with one new Assist Trophy, several new music tracks ported from other games, several Spirits, and both stages from past games returning, making the ''Sonic'' series one of the only third-party franchises with multiple stages in one ''Super Smash Bros.'' installment along with {{uv|Final Fantasy}} (after version 10.0.0). With ''Ultimate'', ''Sonic'' has become also the first and only third-party series in the ''Smash'' franchise to have both more than one Assist Trophy and more than one stage in a single ''Super Smash Bros.'' game.

===Fighter===
*38. [[File:SonicIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right|link=Sonic (SSBU)]]'''{{SSBU|Sonic}}''' ([[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]): The iconic Blue Blur returns as an unlockable fighter after being a starter in ''Smash 4''. He is considerably more expressive this time and many of his attacks and animations have been reworked, such as his jab, dash attack, and [[Homing Attack]], he also has a new dash attack, a flying lunge kick. He retains his Final Smash, Super Sonic, but it now has altered functionality; the player has very little control over the movement of the attack, similar to both Pikachu and Diddy Kong's reworked Final Smashes and Pichu's new Final Smash.{{clr}}

===Stages===
*[[File:GreenHillZoneIconSSBU.png|75px|right|link=Green Hill Zone]]{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''[[Green Hill Zone]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): Sonic's iconic grassy stage from ''Brawl'' and ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' returns as a playable stage, with its design and functionality unchanged.{{clr}}
*[[File:WindyHillZoneIconSSBU.png|75px|right|link=Windy Hill Zone]]{{GameIcon|SSB4-U}}'''[[Windy Hill Zone]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): The first Zone from ''Sonic Lost World'' returns from ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' with its functionality unchanged.{{clr}}

===Assist Trophies===
<small>'''''Bold italics''''' denotes an Assist Trophy new to the ''Smash Bros.'' series.</small>
*'''[[Shadow]]''': Sonic's rival from ''Sonic Adventure 2'' and the second most popular ''Sonic'' character. When summoned, Shadow harnesses the power of a Chaos Emerald to perform Chaos Control, which slows down all opponents in battle with a second phase that completely stops the opponents. He cannot be attacked and he does not slow down the summoner.
*'''''[[Knuckles]]''''': Sonic's hotheaded friendly rival since ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles''. He attacks opponents using the Homing Attack and his fists, and he can also dig into the ground, attacking with a rising uppercut. He can be damaged and KO’d. He cannot be summoned on Green Hill Zone due to appearing as a background character on the stage.

===Mii Costumes===
{{main|Alternate costume (SSBU)/Mii Fighter}}
The following Mii costumes returned as {{SSBU|downloadable content}}, as part of version 3.0.0, within the first wave of Mii Fighter outfits along with Challenger Pack 1 and {{SSBU|Joker}}.

====Outfits====
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[Tails|Tails Outfit]]''' ([[DLC]]): Tails's orange haircut seen throughout the franchise since ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'', returns from ''Smash 4''.
*{{Head|Mii Brawler|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[Knuckles|Knuckles Outfit]]''' ([[DLC]]): Knuckles's red haircut seen throughout the franchise since ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', returns from ''Smash 4''.

====Headgear====
*'''[[Tails|Tails Hat]]''' ([[DLC]]): Based on Tails's body, as it appeared since ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'', returns from ''Smash 4''.
*'''[[Knuckles|Knuckles Hat]]''' ([[DLC]]): Based on Knuckles's body, as it appeared since ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', returns from ''Smash 4''.

===Music===
{{main|List of SSBU Music (Sonic The Hedgehog series)}}
====Returning Track====
*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Angel Island Zone}}''': An arrangement of the music that plays in both Acts of the first Zone, Angel Island Zone, from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 3}}''.

====Source Tracks====
Tracks sourced directly from the ''Sonic'' games.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone}}''': The theme of Green Hill Zone, sourced from the original ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog|1991}}''. Heard during Sonic's character trailer.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Scrap Brain Zone}}''': The theme of Scrap Brain Zone, sourced from the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Emerald Hill Zone}}''': The theme of Emerald Hill Zone, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog 2}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Boom}}''': The theme from the opening cinematic, sourced from the U.S. version of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic CD}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Super Sonic Racing}}''': The title theme that also played on Radiant Emerald while playing as Super Sonic, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic R}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Open Your Heart}}''': The main theme, plays during the final battle against Perfect Chaos, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Adventure}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Live and Learn}}''': The main vocal theme, plays during the battle against the Finalhazard, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Adventure 2}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Escape from the City}}''': The theme of City Escape, the first stage in Team Sonic's campaign, sourced from ''Sonic Adventure 2''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sonic Heroes}}''': the main vocal theme, plays during the opening movie, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Heroes}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|His World (Theme of Sonic the Hedgehog - 2006 E3 Version)}}''': An instrumental version of Sonic's main theme, taken from the E3 2006 trailer for ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic the Hedgehog|2006}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Seven Rings in Hand}}''': The main vocal theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic and the Secret Rings}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Knight of the Wind}}''': The main vocal theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic and the Black Knight}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Reach for the Stars}}''': The main vocal theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Colors}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Rooftop Run}}''': The Modern Sonic rendition of Rooftop Run, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Generations}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Wonder World}}''': The main theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Lost World}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Windy Hill - Zone 1}}''': The background track of Zone 1 of Windy Hill, sourced from ''Sonic Lost World''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Lights, Camera, Action! (Studiopolis Zone Act 1)}}''': The background track of Act 1 of Studiopolis Zone, sourced  from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Mania}}''. Heard during the Tails and Knuckles Mii costumes reveal.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Fist Bump}}''': The main vocal theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Sonic Forces}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Sunset Heights}}''': The background track of Stage 15, Sunset Heights, sourced from ''Sonic Forces''.

====Victory Theme====
*'''[[Victory theme#Sonic Victory Theme|Victory! Sonic]]''': An abridged and faster version of the stage clear jingle from ''Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)''.

===Spirits===
{{main|List of spirits (Sonic the Hedgehog series)}}

==Media with elements appearing in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
{{main|Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)/Elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series}}
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' universe has media represented throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series with a total of 50 games and media. The latest game represented in this universe is ''{{s|wikipedia|Sonic Forces}}'', released on November 7, 2017.

==Trivia==
*''Brawl'' refers to the ''Sonic'' universe completely in capital letters, for example, naming the [[List of SSBB Music (Sonic The Hedgehog series)|musical category]] '''SONIC THE HEDGEHOG''' in the [[Sound Test]]. This is likely a reference to most ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games being capitalized in full.
**This is a similar case to how ''SSB4'' and ''Ultimate'' refer to the {{uv|Pac-Man}} and {{uv|Final Fantasy}} universes completely in capital letters as well, in both the trophies gallery and in the stage builder music selection.
*The ''Sonic'' and ''Final Fantasy'' universes are the only third party universes to have more than one stage in a single game.
**Along with the ''Pac-Man'' universe, ''Sonic'' and  ''Final Fantasy'' are the only three third-party universes to have more than one stage.
*''Sonic'' and {{uv|Mega Man}} are the only third-party universes with more than one [[Assist Trophy]].
*''Sonic'' has the most trophies of any third-party universe, having 23 in total between both versions of ''Smash 4''.
*In every ''Smash'' game where the ''Sonic'' series is represented, the universe has the most games represented by music of any third-party franchise.
*''Sonic'' and {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} are the only universes to have music originating from video game trailers which did not appear in the games themselves. {{uv|Kirby}}, {{uv|Pikmin}}, and {{uv|Final Fantasy}} share this distinction when considering music originating from non-gaming media, while {{uv|Kingdom Hearts}} features the trailer version of a song that appears in-game within its series.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*Article on the [https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_series Sonic Wiki].

{{Universe}}
{{Sonic universe}}

[[Category:Sonic the Hedgehog universe| ]]
[[Category:Sega]]
[[Category:Third-party universes]]
[[es:Sonic (universo)]]
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