Sonic The Fighters (Sonic Championship in US arcades) is a fighting game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game's original title is used in North American and European releases of Sonic Gems Collection. The game was once planned for release on the Sega Saturn but was cancelled for that console.
Masahiro Sugiyama, a character designer at AM2, added Sonic and Tails into the fighting game Fighting Vipers. Yu Suzuki saw this and decided to present the idea of a 3D Sonic fighting game to Hiroshi Kataoka. Suzuki then presented the idea to Yuji Naka. Initial thoughts about the game were that the game would give Sonic a negative and violent image, and Kataoka thought that Naka would not approve, but Naka loved the idea and approved of the game's development. This was Sonic's first 3D debut and had Naka's full support. The game was released in Japanese arcades in June 1996, running on Sega Model 2 hardware.
Super Smash Bros. series
Many elements from this game are used for Sonic in Super Smash Bros Brawl.
- Sonic's A attacks are based on the "punch, punch, kick" move he used in this game.
- Sonic's Dash attack is based on a similar move from this game in which the player has to run and attack.
- All of Sonic's tilts are based on moves he used in this game.
- Sonic's Neutral, Forward, and Down air attacks are based on moves he used in this game.
- Sonic's Forward Smash is based on a move he used in this game.
- Sonic's Down throw is based on a move he used in this game.
- Sonic first wall-jumped in this game; thus, that ability is given to him in Brawl.