SONIC - Origem

Summary

This video dives into the fascinating origins of Sonic the Hedgehog, starting with Sega’s quest to create a mascot that could rival Nintendo's Mario. From quirky early designs to Sonic's iconic speed, the video explores how the blue hedgehog became a symbol of gaming. Discover fun facts about Sonic’s first appearance, his design inspirations, and misconceptions about his species. Despite being created as a rival to Mario, Sonic has since become a Nintendo-exclusive character, cementing his place in gaming history. The video concludes by engaging viewers to share their thoughts on super speed and encouraging them to like and subscribe.

Takeaways

• 😀 Sonic was created by Sega in the 1990s to rival Nintendo's Mario in the gaming world.
• 😀 Prior to Sonic, Sega's mascot was Alex Kidd, but he wasn't as popular globally, particularly in Brazil.
• 😀 Sega experimented with several bizarre character designs for their new mascot, including a clumsy rabbit, a goofy wolf, and a Bart Simpson-inspired character.
• 😀 Sonic's design was influenced by the speed of Sega's new Mega Drive console, emphasizing the console's fast processing power.
• 😀 Sonic's early design was known as 'Mr. Needlemouse,' a nod to his spiky appearance similar to a mouse.
• 😀 Sonic's iconic red shoes were inspired by Michael Jackson's footwear on the 'Bad' album cover, while his gloves were modeled after Santa Claus.
• 😀 The success of Sonic led to the creation of similar cool, bipedal animal characters in other games, like Crash Bandicoot and Gex.
• 😀 At one point, Sonic was more well-known than Mickey Mouse, helping Sega surpass Nintendo in the early 16-bit era.
• 😀 Sonic's first appearance was not on the Mega Drive but in an arcade racing game where he appeared as a hood ornament on a car.
• 😀 Despite popular belief, Sonic is not a hedgehog, but an 'ouriço-cacheiro,' a species of hedgehog native to the Americas.
• 😀 Sonic cannot swim in the games, but this is a misconception since real hedgehogs can swim; this idea came from Sega's incorrect information about the risks.

Q & A

What was the main reason Sega wanted to create a new mascot in the early 1990s?

Sega wanted a new mascot to compete with Nintendo's Mario, as their previous mascot, Alex Kidd, was not as iconic or expressive as needed.

What was unique about Alex Kidd's success?

Alex Kidd had greater success in Brazil than in the rest of the world, thanks to the Master System console being released with his game pre-installed.

What were some of the initial character concepts that Sega considered for their new mascot?

Some of the early concepts included a clumsy rabbit, a goofy wolf, and a character resembling a man in a jumpsuit with Bart Simpson-like hair.

How did Sega's new mascot, Sonic, reflect the technological features of the Sega Mega Drive?

Sonic was designed to embody the speed of the Mega Drive's processing power, which was marketed as 'blast processing'.

Why was Sonic originally named 'Mister Needlemouse'?

Sonic was initially named 'Mister Needlemouse' as a playful reference to his appearance, which resembled a spiky mouse.

What was the inspiration behind Sonic's iconic design elements?

Sonic's design was influenced by various sources, including the colors of the American flag, Michael Jackson's shoes from the 'Bad' album cover, and Santa Claus's boots and gloves.

Which other video game characters were inspired by Sonic's success?

Sonic's popularity inspired the creation of other iconic characters, such as Crash Bandicoot, Gex the Gecko, and Croc the Crocodile.

Was Sonic's first appearance in a game on the Sega Mega Drive?

No, Sonic's first appearance was actually in a racing arcade game called 'Invader Mobile,' where he appeared as an accessory on the car's windshield.

Many people mistake Sonic for a hedgehog, but what is he actually?

Sonic is not a hedgehog; he is an 'ourico-cacheiro,' which is the Portuguese term for a hedgehog species with the scientific name that can be seen on the screen.

Why was Sonic unable to swim in the early games, and what was the reality about hedgehogs' ability to swim?

Sega originally gave Sonic the inability to swim due to incorrect information about hedgehogs. In reality, hedgehogs can swim perfectly well.

What was Sonic's role in relation to Mario during the early 1990s, and what happened to him later?

Sonic was introduced as a rival to Mario in the 1990s. However, due to a later partnership between Sega and Nintendo, Sonic became an exclusive character for Nintendo.