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April 1990
A programmer, Yuji Naka (Space Harrier, Ghouls N' Ghosts, Phantasy Star) and a character designer, Naoto Oshima, team up to make a Mario-beater for SEGA. A three-month character design process began.
Originally, the character was going to be a rabbit who picked up items and threw them at enemies. However, this was too complex for the kind of smooth gameplay mechanics they wanted, so the items were dropped and speed was increased. The infamous spinning attack was introduced. Eventually, after several character designs were made, a blue hedgehog was chosen. Apparently, he used to go by the moniker 'Mr. Hedgehog' (Or 'Mr. Needle Mouse', being the literal translation of hedgehog from Japanese), but eventually, he was given the more familiar name of Sonic. Sonic was blue (SEGA's house colours), fast and had an edgier attitude to him than his soon-to-be rival Mario. A group who called themselves 'Sonic Team' (they weren't a fully-fledged subsidiary at this point) started to develop his debut game for the Mega Drive.
7/11/1990
Sonic debuts on the 1990 concert tour of the Japanese pop group 'Dreams Come True'. His blue features were painted on their tour trailers.
Game releases:
Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive/Genesis)
North America - 23/6/91
Europe - 6/91
Japan - 26/7/91
Sonic the Hedgehog (Game Gear & Master System/Mark III)
Game Gear-
Japan - 28/12/91
North America - 12/91
Europe - 12/91
Master System-
Latin America - 25/10/91
Sonic Eraser (Mega Drive Mega Modem)
Japan - 1991
Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car (Arcade)
Japan - 1991
Sega Sonic Cosmo Fighter Galaxy Patrol (Arcade)
Japan - 1991
Game releases:
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Game Gear & Master System/Mark III)
Game Gear-
Europe - 10/92
North America - 11/92
Japan - 21/11/92
Master System-
Latin America - 25/10/92
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive/Genesis)
Japan - 21/11/92
North America - 24/11/92
Europe - 11/92
Sega becomes a sponsor of the English Formula 1 Williams team, with Damon Hill (England) and Alan Prost (France). Sonic was on the team's helmets, and his shoes were painted on the cars. Damon Hill in fact won the championship!
A research centre in Europe discovered a new gene with several spikes in its structure. It was named the Sonic Hedgehog gene (SHH gene for short).
February
Sega sponsored the Japanese professional soccer team JEF United. Sonic was on the shirts, kicking a ball. The sponsorship lasted until January 1997.
April
Sega sponsors the thrid F1 GP in the Donington Circuit. A huge Sonic balloon accompanied.
June
Sega and Coca-Cola joined together and had a promotional fleet of 25 trailers stocked with Cherry Coke and Sonic games in the US, lasting until the 31st of October.
Autumn
The Sonic cartoon, 'Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog' (AoStH) was first aired in the US.
November
25/11/93 - A 65-foot Sonic balloon flew in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He was the first game character ever in the show.
More coming soon
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