Sonic the Hedgehog
Serving as the Sega's mascot for nearly two decades, Sonic has appeared in many games, both on and away from Sega's consoles. While the transition to 3D has not been kind to the hedgehog and recent outings have been fairly mediocre, the original Genesis games are still classics that stand on their own.
The last Sonic game I really enjoyed was Adventure on the Dreamcast, so, that's as far as the Sonic History will go here. Besides, there are tons of other sites that will do the same thing I do, only better.
Sonic's debut into the gaming foray was Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis in 1991. You can find information, codes, and more on any Sonic-related game here.
History
1990
| April | Somewhere inside Sega's HQ, it was decided that their new mascot would be not Teddy Roosevelt or a retarded dog, but a blue hedgehog. |
| September 11 | Sonic gets a proper introduction to the world, as his likeness is plastered all over the trailers of Japanese pop group Dreams Come True. |
1991
| June | Sonic the Hedgehog is released in Europe for the Mega Drive. |
| June 23 | Sonic the Hedgehog is released in the U.S. for the Sega Genesis. |
| July 26 | Sonic the Hedgehog is released in Japan for the Mega Drive. |
| October 25 | Sonic the Hedgehog is released in Latin America for the Master System |
| December | Sonic the Hedgehog is released for the Game Gear in the U.S. and Europe. |
| December 28 | Sonic the Hedgehog is released for the Game Gear in Japan. |
1992
| October | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| October 25 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in Latin American on the Master System. |
| November | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in North America on the Game Gear. |
| November | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in Europe on the Mega Drive. |
| November 21 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in Japan on the Mega Drive and Game Gear. |
| November 24 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is released in the U.S. on the Genesis. |
1993
| | Sega officially sponsors Formula 1 team Williams, painting Sonic on the cars' sides and his red sneakers on the cars' pedals, not to mention his mug on the sides of the helmets. With the extra boost, team Williams becomes the F1 champs for the year. |
| | Upon discovering a new gene, European scientists noted its spikey structure and thusly named it "SONIC." |
| February | As Sega continues to spread the Sonic cheer, they sponsor Japanese soccer team "JEF United" and slap a hedgehog on their uniforms. |
| April | Sega sponsors the third F1 GP of the year, by plastering Sega billboards and a huge Sonic balloon over the Donnington Circuit. |
| June | Proving that Sonic was Sega's only source of cash, they continue the corporate sponsorship by teaming up with Cherry Coke to send 25 trailers of Coke and Sonic throughout the United States. |
| June | Sega Sonic Arcade is released in Japan. |
| Fall | Sonic's reputation is forever marred when he appears in his own daily cartoon show. |
| September | Sega Sonic Aracde is released in the U.S. and Europe. |
| September 23 | Sonic the Hedgehog CD is relased in Japan on the Mega CD. |
| October | Sonic the Hedgehog CD is released in Europe on the Mega CD. |
| October 25 | Sonic Chaos was released in Latin America on the Master System. |
| November 11 | Sonic Spinball is released on the Genesis in the U.S.SonicChaos is released for the Game Gear. |
| November 19 | Sonic the Hedgehog CD is released in North America on the Sega CD.Sonic & Tails (Sonic Chaos) is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
| November 23 | Sonic Chaos is released in North America on the Game Gear. |
| November 25 | Becoming the first video-game character to do so, Sonic was made into a 65-story balloon and flown at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. |
| November | Sonic Chaos is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| November | Sonic Spinball is released in Europe on the Mega Drive. |
| November | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is released in North America and Europe on the Genesis and Mega Drive. |
| December 10 | Sonic Spinball is released in Japan on the Mega Drive. |
| December | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is released in North America on the Game Gear. |
1994
| January | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| February 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is released in the U.S. |
| February | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is released in Europe on the Mega Drive. |
| March 18 | Sonic Drift is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
| May 27 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is released in Japan. |
| July 26 | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is relased in Latin America on the Master System. |
| August | Sonic Gameworld is released on the Pico in Japan. |
| August | Sonic Spinball is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| September | Sonic Spinball is released in North America on the Genesis. |
| November | Sonic Spinball is released in Europe on the Mega Drive. |
| September | Tails and the Music Maker is released in North America on the Pico. |
| October | Teaming up with MTV, Sega grabs the top 25 players out of 100,000 worldwide entries and flies them to Alcatraz to compete to be win $25,000 and earn the title of "World's Most Hard-Core Gamer," all the while promoting the upcoming Sonic & Knuckles. |
| October 18 | Sonic & Knuckles is released simultaneously in the U.S. and in Japan. |
| November | Sonic Gameworld is released in North America. |
| November | Sonic & Knuckles is released in Europe. |
| November 11 | Triple Trouble (Sonic & Tails in Japan) is released in North America, Europe and Japan on the Game Gear. |
1995
| March | Knuckles Chaotix comes out for the 32X and amazes the world with its suckiness. Not only does it sell poorly, but foreshadows what the 32X will ultimately become - a complete failure. |
| March 17 | Sonic Drift 2 is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
| March | Sonic Drift Racing (SD2 in Japan) is released in Europe. |
| April | The fun continues as Japan gets Chaotix. |
| April 28 | Tails Sky Patrol is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
| May | Europe, too. |
| July | Sonic Compilation is released in Europe on the Mega Drive. |
| September 22 | Tails Adventure is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
| September | Tails Adventure is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| October | Sonic 2 in 1 is released in Europe on the Game Gear. |
| October | Sonic Labyrinth is released in Europe on the Gmae Gear. |
| November | Sonic LabyrinthSonic Drift 2 makes its to North America on the Game Gear. |
| November 17 | Sonic Labyrinth is released Japan on the Game Gear. |
| November 25 | Sonic Spinball is released in Latin America on the Master System. |
| November | Tails Adventure is released in North America. |
1996
| | The British Film Institute announces that Sonic the Hedgehog will be the first video game included in the National Film and Television Archive. |
| January | In Japanese tradition, two Sonic movies are made based off of the videogame. |
| June | Sonic the Fighters is released in Japan. |
| July | Sonic Championship (Sonic the Fighters) is released to North America arcades after its original title is deemed too violent. |
| November | Sonic 3D Blast is released on the Genesis/Saturn in North America. In Europe it is released on the Mega Drive as Sonic 3D Flickies Island. |
| November | Sonic 3D Blast is released on the Game Gear in North America and Europe. |
| December | G Sonic (Sonic 3D Blast) is released in Japan on the Game Gear. |
1997
| February | Europe has to wait an extra two months to get Sonic 3D Flickies Island on the Saturn. |
| June 20 | Sonic Jam is released in Japan. |
| August | Sonic Jam is released in the U.S. |
1998
| December 23 | Sonic Adventure is released in Japan. |
1999
| September 9 | The Dreamcast is released in the U.S. with a massive party in Times Square. Among the launch titles is Sonic Adventure. |
Most of this data is directly from Sonic Jam or from a Sonic feature on Sega's website from 1998.
12/2/2008
