SONICTHE GLOBALICONOF SPEED
How Sonic crushed Mario in the console wars
Did you know that Sonic is past his 30s?
And still living life at the same speed? Or that he was created for a very specific reason? Or even that his edgy look was chosen by the people walking in Central Park, New York City?
There is so much more that needs to be said about this little ball of speed. Sonic is still considered
the coolest video game character around.
The fans love him, and in this article,
we will discover his history.
Past, present, and future included! Come along for the ride, and we promise you will not be disappointed!
The incredible speed that came to be!
Sonic the Hedgehog is at the top of the list of iconic video game characters. He is loved and recognized all over the world by both early and current gamers. He was created over 30 years ago in a competition created by Sega. Naoto Ohshima was the one who won the competition and created the soul of Sega. You might think he was created just like any other game character. For a game.
Not Sonic, though. He was created
for a purpose, and with a purpose.
To be the coolest of all the game
characters, the one destined to
outrun them all.
“Nothing starts until you take
action. If you have time to
worry, then run!”
Mission defeating the Plumber!
Before he became an icon, Sonic was the outcome of a very high-stakes competition. Sega needed a hero to compete with a certain cute mustachioed plumber, and Sega knew that safe and boring was not going to cut it. They needed a character that was fresh, cool, and had mind-blowing speed to show off the new Sega 16-bit technology. Easy task, right?
Sega held an internal competition across
all its branches. The designers tried their
hardest to deliver their best work so they
could win the competition. All kinds of
creations were made, and a few made
it past the drawing sheet.
Created by
Sarovsky and Iv
Date: 24/03/2026
Finding the Sega soul
Before the edgy and spiky hedgehog was officialized, several other concepts were seriously in the running to be the winner. Some were successful, some not so much. Sonic could have been a rabbit that would pick things with his oversized ears and throw them at his enemies. Or the “Pajama Man,” a rejected design that portrayed a round, mustachioed man in pajamas.
The designers loved it so much that they modified it to be Sonic’s arch-nemesis, Dr. Robotnik. A few of these designs were kept and used later for different Sonic games. In the end, it was Naoto Ohshima who won the competition by creating the soul of Sega.
“Ask not what others can do for you, but what you can do for others.”
Mixing dreams and business
Naoto Ohshima wanted to create a character that children could draw. But he also had to follow Sega’s two rules for the contest. To create a “Mario Killer” but also more than that, to showcase the speed of
the 16-bit Sega Genesis console.
The blueprint of speed
Once Naoto provided the “soul” as well as the visual of the company, it was time for other figures to turn drawing Sonic into 16-bit speed Sonic with
an amazing game. With friends included!
Sonic has three very distinctive things that make him easy to spot anywhere. His shape, that is very easily drawn because it is mostly round shapes and spikes. His color, specifically, is cobalt blue, the exact same one as the Sega logo. And finally, his attitude, fierce, cool, and crazy fast. Naoto Ohshima nailed the job
and delivered exactly what Sega needed.
Conclusion
As Sonic races through his third decade, it has been proven that the franchise is way more than just a relic from the 90s. What truly keeps the series alive is its heart. Sonic is defined as much by his friends as he
is by his speed. The bond between Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and even rivals like Shadow provides
“Hey, Sonic! Enjoy your future, it’s gonna be great!”
a bonding anchor that fans have latched onto across the games, comics, and films. As long as there are robots to bust and rings to collect, Sonic and his friends will keep running and proving that justice
is better served fast.
