Test Your Knowledge of Sonic the Hedgehog

• Sega wanted to compete with Nintendo's Mario franchise, and its efforts had been stymied by the dominance of Nintendo.

• Sega's president, Hayao Nakayama, decided that Sega needed a flagship series and mascot, and he chose Sonic the Hedgehog.

• Sonic the Hedgehog was created as a Genesis game to compete with Super Mario Bros. 3.

• The first Sonic game was released in 1991 and was a success.

• After a hiatus during the Saturn era, the first major 3D Sonic game, Sonic Adventure, was released in 1998 for the Dreamcast.

• Sonic games typically have unique game mechanics and stories, and the player navigates levels that include springs, slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops.

• The Sonic the Hedgehog series has been successful and has sold over 140 million units.

• The Sonic the Hedgehog series is well-known for its fandom, which produces unofficial media, such as fan art and fangames.

• Sega held a contest to determine a flagship game for the Genesis, and the gameplay of Sonic the Hedgehog originated from a tech demo created by programmer Yuji Naka.

• Naoto Ohshima and Hirokazu Yasuhara joined Naka and created Sonic the Hedgehog, a fast-moving character who was based on Bill Clinton's "can-do" attitude.

• Sonic's first appearance came in Sega AM3's racing game Rad Mobile.

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) in November 1991, but its development suffered from the language barrier and cultural differences between the Japanese and American developers.

• Once development on Sonic 2 concluded, Roger Hector replaced Cerny and STI divided into two teams: the Japanese developers led by Naoto Naka, and the American developers led by Hirokazu Yasuhara.

• Sonic CD was conceived as an enhanced port of Sonic 2, but evolved into a separate project.

• Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Sonic & Knuckles for the Genesis console.

• Sonic Team developed Sonic 3D Blast and Nights into Dreams for the Saturn console.

• Sega canceled Sonic X-treme.

• Sonic Team outsourced 3D Blast to the British studio Traveller's Tales.

• Sonic Team was divided between developing Sonic 3D Blast and Nights into Dreams.

• Sega announced "Project Sonic" in 1997, which aimed to increase market awareness of and renew excitement for the Soni

Sonic Team developed Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast console in 1998. It was the first Sonic game to be developed for a sixth generation console.

• Sonic Adventure was well-received and helped build the reputation of its developers.

• Sega discontinued the Dreamcast in 2001, causing the loss of many of Sonic Team's staff.

• Sonic Team USA developed Sonic Adventure 2 for the GameCube, which was well received.

• However, consumer interest in the Dreamcast quickly faded, and Sega's attempts to spur sales through lower prices and cash rebates caused escalating financial losses.

• Sega released an expanded port of Sonic Adventure 2 for the Nintendo's GameCube in 2001.

• Afterward, Sonic Team USA developed Sonic Heroes for the GameCube, Microsoft's Xbox, and Sony's PlayStation 2.

• Sonic Adventure was the first original Sonic game released for a Nintendo console after Sega and Nintendo's fierce rivalry in the 1990s.

• Sonic Advance was outsourced to Dimps because Sonic Team was understaffed with employees familiar with the GBA.

• Sonic Adventure was well received, but Sonic Heroes was met with mixed reviews.