Sega recently hosted a special presentation called Sonic Central where it pulled the curtain back on its plans forSonic the Hedgehog’s 30th anniversary. As one might expect, Sega is going all-out when it comes to the 30th anniversary of its flagship franchise, releasing a number of new video games and other projects surroundingSonic the Hedgehog.
TheSonic Central eventwas mostly well-received bySonic the Hedgehogfans, especially since Sega has mostly been quiet about the series since the release ofSonic Forces. It has givenSonic the Hedgehogfans plenty to look forward to, with a ton of content dropping in 2021 and a brand new main seriesSonic the Hedgehogvideo game planned for release at some point in 2022.
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Here is allSonic the Hedgehogfans have to look forward to for the 30th anniversary.
30th Anniversary Symphony
A key component in anySonic the Hedgehoggame is the soundtrack. Since the beginning of the franchise, theSonic the Hedgehoggames have prided themselves on having catchy, memorable soundtracks, which was taken to new heights with the jump to 3D and titles likeSonic Adventure 2. As part ofSonic the Hedgehog’s 30th anniversary celebration, Sega is hosting a virtual symphony that will feature a variety ofSonic the Hedgehogtunes.
Along with the symphony, rock band Crush 40 will also be performing some classicSonic the Hedgehogtracks as part of the musical event. AnySonic the Hedgehogfans interested in tuning in should note that they can do so without paying anything. TheSonic the Hedgehog30th Anniversary Symphony will be available to watch completely free of charge on June 23.
More information on theSonic the Hedgehog30th Anniversary Symphony will come before the June 23 event, though. Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest 2021 is kicking off with a special presentation on June 10, and it was teased that more information will come then in the form of a “sneak peek.” Needless to say, it seems as thoughSonic the Hedgehogfans will want to ensure that Summer Game Fest 2021 is marked on their calendars.
Sonic in Other Games
While mostSonic the Hedgehogfans may be more interested in the newSonic the Hedgehogvideo games coming, they should note that they will have the opportunity to play as the Blue Blur in other games this year as well. On June 22, those playingTokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Official Video Gamewill be able to dress their athlete up as Sonic the Hedgehog while they compete in the various Olympic events.
Then on July 30, fans ofTwo Point Hospitalcan dress up their characters as Amy, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails. Not only that, butTwo Point Hospitalplayers will also be able to decorate their hospital with a variety ofSonic the Hedgehog-themed items, including arcade cabinets.
And finally, on September 24, theLost Judgmentvideo gamewill also be getting someSonic the Hedgehogcontent, and it’s rather substantial. InLost Judgment, players will be able to visit the local arcade to play games, and one of the available games will be none other thanSonic the Fighters.Sonic the Fightersis a 1996 fighting game based on theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise, and it will be available to play in its entirety within theLost Judgmentvideo game.
Sega teased that it has even moreSonic the Hedgehogcrossovers up its sleeve to be revealed at a later date, including a possibleMinecraftcrossover. It seems fans will have to standby for more information on these other collaborations, however.
Sonic Colors is Back
One of the most critically-acclaimedSonicvideo games of the last decade is undoubtedlySonic Colors, which launched for the Nintendo DS and Wii in 2010.Sonic Colorsis coming back asSonic Colors Ultimatefor PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on September 7, updating the game for modern audiences.Sonic Colors Ultimatewill include baby Sonic as a pre-order bonus, along with other content based on theSonic the Hedgehogmovie. It will also have a Digital Deluxe edition which includes early access, exclusive music, cosmetic items, player icons, and more.
Besides theSonic Colors Ultimatevideo game, fans ofSonic Colorscan also look forward to the newSonic Colors: Rise of the Wispsanimation. This animatedSonic Colorsproject brings Roger Craig Smith back as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog, with Episode 1 set to drop at some point later this summer.
Sonic Origins
Sega has re-released theSonic the Hedgehoggames numerous times, releasing them as standalone titles while also packaging them together in collections. Well, Sega is doing just that yet again, re-releasing the classicSonic the Hedgehogvideo games together asSonic Origins. This collection will be a bit more comprehensive thanSonic the Hedgehogfans have come to expect, however, as it will feature more than just the originalSonic the Hedgehogtrilogy of games.
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Along withSonic the Hedgehog 1,2, and3, theSonic Originscollectionwill also includeSonic & Knucklesas well asSonic CD. The games will have some updates to make them a bit more accessible to modern audiences, but Sega stopped short of providing specifics on that front. More information onSonic Originsis going to come at an undetermined later date, soSonic the Hedgehogfans should definitely keep an eye out.
Sonic is Coming to the Cloud
Video game streaming services are growing in popularity, and two of the most notable ones will soon be getting a boost from theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise. BothSonic ManiaandTeam Sonic Racingare coming to the Amazon Luna streaming service, whileSonic Mania,Sonic Forces, andTeam Sonic Racingwill all be debuting on Sony’s PlayStation Now service beginning June 1. This should giveSonic the Hedgehogfans even more options when it comes to playing these particularSonic the Hedgehoggames.
Sonic on Mobile
Sonic the Hedgehoghas a significant presence on mobile devices, and Sega is set to release plenty of new content for the variousSonic the Hedgehogmobile games. First up,Sonic Dashis getting pirate-themed cosmetics for players to unlock this month, as well as new birthday items that they can find in the levels.
The mobile version ofSonic Forces, meanwhile, is getting a new playable character in the form of Super Sonic. Whenever players manage to transform intoSuper Sonicwhen playingSonic Forceson mobile, they will be made invincible for a limited time. Players will be able to test this new feature with their friends through the new Party Match mode that is coming toSonic Forcesfor a limited time.
BothSonic ForcesandSonic Dashare getting the Werehog as a playable character “around Halloween,” though Sega didn’t nail down a specific release date for the character. For the uninitiated, the Werehog was an alternate form for Sonic, introduced in theSonic Unleashedvideo game.Sonic Unleashedwas fairly well-received compared to some other modernSonic the Hedgehoggames, so his debut in theSonicmobile games will likely be well-received by the community.
And finally,Sonic Racing, the Apple ArcadeSonicracing game, will be getting some new content as well. Fans ofSonic Racingon Apple Arcade can look forward to a new classic version of Sonic, who comes with a new car, along with some brand new music tracks to listen to while playing. On top of all that, there will reportedly be three new tracks based on a “classic zone,” which, based on the footage shown, seems to be theGreen Hill Zonespecifically.
Sonic in Other Media
While fans may be most excited about theSonic the Hedgehogvideo game projects that are in development, theSonic30th anniversary stream also included reveals for non-video game products. This will includeSonic Prime, aSonicNetflix seriesscheduled to debut in 2022, along with plenty of merch based on the franchise. Fans can look forward to newSonic the Hedgehogtoys from Jakks Pacific, King Ice jewelry based onSoniccharacters, and a comprehensiveSonic the Hedgehogencyclopedia published by Dark Horse comics. There will also be some silver and goldSonic the Hedgehogcoins released by Apmex for collectors to add to their collection.
Sonic 2022
TheSonic the Hedgehog30th anniversary stream capped things off in a big way with the reveal of a new main seriesSonic the Hedgehoggame that’s releasing at some point in 2022. Sega didn’t reveal much about the game, but there are some reputable leaks that point to it being calledSonic Rangers. Leaks also point toSonic Rangersbeing an open world gameinspired byThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it remains to be seen if any of that is true.
