Happy Birthday Sonic!
That’s right, today is Sonic the Hedgehog’s 15th anniversary!
I can’t believe it’s been 15 whole years since I first played Sonic the Hedgehog on my trusty old Mega Drive.
We’d picked up a copy of Mean Machines (before it became Mean Machines Sega) and saw the review of Sonic’s console debut. The buzz surrounding the game was incredible and Mean Machines were suitably excited, making Sonic the cover star for their eighth issue.
They finally reviewed it in their tenth issue (link to PDF of the review), and that was it. We were getting a Mega Drive for this one game. We had to sell our NES to get it, but it was worth it.
I still remember bringing it back from Rumbelows, on that day. I think there’s a jewelry store there now. They gave us a Mega Drive that had clearly been opened, and I noticed because I could not stop staring at the thing. I voiced my eight year old concern to the man in the shop, but we were assured that the unit was fine and that it hadn’t been removed from the box.
Upon making our way back to our house we met my sister in “the snicket”, which is wank-speak for a thoroughfare (next to “the spare field”). She was about half way through her paper round, but managed to finish the rest of it fairly quickly when she saw what we were taking home.
Upon getting home we excitedly gathered round and unpacked the box. I was positive at this point I was going to freak out sometime, and I probably did, but not through excitement. It had been opened in the store and was missing an RF cable.
My stepdad, just as eager as the rest of us to play Sonic, cycled back into town to pick one up and hopefully beat the poo out of that asshat in Rumbelows. It only took him around half an hour, but it was one of the most agonising waits of my life. Imagine being eight years old, with the very latest in cutting edge games hardware sitting in front of you, perfectly functional, yet useless. Imagine what it must feel like for a heroin addict to go cold turkey. How their blood must itch.
My blood was itching.
I think I read the manual for Sonic four or five times before my stepdad returned with vital component.
This was it. We were ready. But who should play first? I can’t remember who did, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t mind. Just watching this game was incredible enough. It was the fastest damn thing I’d ever seen! These days Sonic 1 is almost laboriously slow, but at the time let me assure you that there wasn’t another game that moved so quickly and smoothly.
I remember feeling something life-changing that day. I think the first time I played Sonic was the moment where I knew I’d be playing games for the rest of my life, if only to see what the future holds. After witnessing this incredible transition from 8 to 16bit, I wanted to see where it was going to lead us all.
The 23rd of June 1991 is the day that I became a gamer. And it’s thanks to the little blue guy. Hell, were it not for Yuji Naka and his team I wouldn’t even be called Jonic! My life would very different indeed. I can’t believe it’s been fifteen years.
Happy anniversary to Sonic and Sonic Team, and thanks for the past fifteen years :o)
Incidentally, today is also the sixteenth anniversary of the Simpsons, the tenth anniversary of the N64 (Japan), The fifth Anniversary of the Nintendo Gameboy Advance (UK) and the launch day of the Nintendo DS Lite (UK)! I wonder what it is about this date that Nintendo is so keen on? Three important pieces of hardware at five year intervals. You think they’re were trying to steal some thunder from Sonic’s 5th, 10th and now 15th anniversaries? Anyone got any ideas?
Oh yeah, Sonic 1 screenshots from Console Passion
I spent many hours with Sonic and my Genesis… until my parents discovered it and wouldn’t let me play. :(
That’s harsh.
I’d have started legal proceedings.
It wasn’t a problem… until they got better than me.
I didn’t own one… But I remember reading (multiple times, that is) the badly written greek-journo reviews. Then, a year later, a good friend bought a Megadrive and we all saw the light…
Top quality post.
wow cant believe its 15 years. Sonic was such an amazing game with the high speed thrills of each and every level. Its just a shame that Sonic was unsuccessful (in my opinion) in making a transition to 3D. But hey another 2D Sonic would be fine for me.
the cover star for their eight issue?
Any got any ideas?
that doesn’t make any sense :-P
Sonic was THE reason I got a Genesis and I still remember to this day how beautiful the game was.
Surely it’s not really 15 years? I still remember playing it for the first time, too. In fact, it was one of the first console games I’d played, having previously been limited to the nifty Spectrum Z8K alone.
You’re absolutely right, it is a life-changing game. Seems a little bit of a bizarre thing to say, but it really is :).
Happy Birthday, Sonic! :D
i don’t remember this because i was due to arrive four months later, but i do remember playing this for the first time on my megadrive/ mega cd/ 32x. i treat all of my sega stuff with absolute care, careful not to damage anything as i know if i hold on to it for long enough it will become valuable. they use to sell over here by themselves in New Zealand for $1 if you were in the right place at the right time, now they are about $40 by themselves. if i sold mine i would probably get a good 100+ if the 32x didn’t have ex rental engravings on it. (trying to find a solution, any ideas?)
I just happen to love Sonic the Hedgehog. =D
soi el fan numero 1 de sonic sonic clan al poder
thought first sonic game i played was sonic adventure(i’m13) i LOVE the genesis game.
tho i never get past zone three. T_T
big sonic fan… and ive complete almost ever sonic game thats out that i can get my hands on….
i found out the debug mode on sonic 1,2,3(sonic and knucals)… its cool
vean mis imagenes q estn de boby
jajaja
http://www.fotolog.com/shadow_erizo
:::::::::::::::shadow the hedgehog::::::::::::::::::
i got my mega drive for xmas i was ill over the holadays so i spent most of them in bed that yaer i missed out on all the fine food and partys but i had a mega drive so i was happy to stay in bed playing it sonic was my 1st game . i loved the speed of it and practis till i got faster and faster. i still have a mega drive (not the one i got for xmas i got it from a boot sale for £2) i can do green hill 3 in 38 sec thats my record my avreg is about 40 am alwas looking for a way to shave of another sec. would like to know others best time……….no porky pies now.
oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii sonic
sonic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!alèèèèèèèèèèèèèè sonic!
cool
Sonic is awesome!!!! hes the best hedgehog ever!!!…. Hes wayyy too cool for anyone lmao :P..
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Snort con… sorry any way port snortdic & dom
I have completed all the first 2D games:sonic sonic2 sonic3 sonic & knuckles i love it who is snort?
well i play it on my playstation 2 not a megadrive or genesis I…did…cheat so sorry but o well I am a mario super fan too so do things about mario too please o well.Snort seemes stupid whoevere that is! AY OWELL BYE!!!
Sonic rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday Sonic I hope you will be here in the video game world for a very long time you are the best in my heart and I will play with you forever you are the best Sonic
Happy 15th Birthday Sonic
And hope for many more to come
From Jacob Henry