Over thirty years have passed since Sonic the Hedgehog first came into the lives of gamers everywhere, and since then, SEGA has released 17 2D side-scrollers and 14 3D platformers Sonic titles. And throughout those games, players have seen the strength and, more importantly, Sonic's impressive lightning-type speed, which makes Sonic among the most powerful heroes in video game history.
Moreover, Sonic the Hedgehog has cameoed in dozens of games across various platforms, most of which are video games. And while many of the cameos were minor, there are some that stand above the rest and give Sonic a proper tribute.
10 Monster Hunter Rise – 2021
With over eight million copies sold, Monster Hunter Rise is a follow-up to the 2018 Monster Hunter: World. But, Monster Hunter Rise introduced new gameplay features that revamped previous titles, like a new companion (Palamute). Moreover, the character build system is more sophisticated than its predecessors, so it is highly recommended to use a character build guide.
Monster Hunter Rise introduced Sonic's cameo as a crossover event where players would have to collect Rings that would unlock a costumed titled "Sonic Wear." On top of that, players could equip a "Sonic Costume" on their Palicos, transforming them into Sonic the Hedgehog. Finally, Capcom presented an armor for the Palamute that resembles Miles 'Tails' Prower.
9 Secret of Mana – 1993
Players who are hardcore action RPG fans will have undoubtedly played Secret of Mana since it introduced real-time battles into the genre. Moreover, Secret of Mana also had one of the most influential soundtracks, so much so that Square Enix's 30th-anniversary celebration concert will feature many songs from the game.
And one of Secret of Mana's enemies (The Pebbler or Molebear) has a very close resemblance to SEGA's lightning-fast hedgehog since it has a spikey blue set of quills and wears red shoes. On top of that, its attack animation is spinning into a ball, which is a classic Sonic the Hedgehog attack move.
8 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout – 2020
Without any doubt, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout took the gaming world by storm since it took features from platformer and battle royale games and mixed them into one crazy game. And while Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout seems like an easy game, in reality, players will need to learn some essential tips if they want to score a Golden Crown.
For SEGA's 30th-anniversary bonanza, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout presented players with an equipable costume that made them look like Sonic the Hedgehog. Sadly, the event only lasted two days, but perhaps Sonic will cameo again in Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout in the future.
7 Shenmue – 1999
Arguably, one of the first true open-world games, Shenmue is an action-adventure game released for SEGA's Dreamcast. And while critics praised Shenmue for its outstanding environmental details, sophisticated day-and-night system, and changing weather, it received numerous criticisms for its controls. Players were forced to "button mash" their way through the game, which is why it's one of the most popular button-mashing games for the Dreamcast.
Despite being a commercial failure, Shenmue still paid a unique tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog. Players who participated in the Dobuita Tomato Store raffle would have a chance of obtaining the rare Super Sonic or Metal Sonic figurine.
6 Spiral Knights – 2011
Spiral Knights is a top-down action RPG, relatively similar to The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures but much less popular. Players that enjoy a good old-fashioned hack and slash will find Spiral Knights fun, but they should keep in mind that it's an MMO, so they need to team up with other players to defeat mobs and tough bosses.
Metal Sonic cameos in Spiral Knights as an equipable costume, which players could obtain through an in-game event in 2012. Since then, Three Rings has rereleased Metal Sonic as an in-game purchase alongside Miles 'Tails' Prower.
5 The Simpsons Game – 2007
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This game made quite the uproar during its development phase since it wanted to parody dozens of video games, which some companies like Rockstar Games weren't too happy about. But, apart from the parodies, The Simpsons Game was a run-of-the-mill platform game that featured all of Springfields' favorite characters.
SEGA and specifically Sonic the Hedgehog formed part of the video game parodies EA Redwood Shores included in the game. Players could find an odd-looking Sonic walking on a hamster wheel in the level "Enter the Cheatrix." Perhaps if Simpsons: Hit & Run gets a remake, fans can see another Sonic cameo.
4 Gran Turismo 6 – 2013
With the release of Gran Turismo 7, fans of the racing simulation genre can't help but remember experiencing first-hand the Goodwood Festival of Speed from Gran Turismo 6 (even if it's not the best entry in the Gran Turismo series).
Moreover, in 2015 Polyphony Digital released an update that allowed players to create their own racecourse, with thousands of players creating new content within hours of release. Sonic the Hedgehog made a slight cameo in Gran Turismo 6 at the Fuji Speedway tracks, where players could see a billboard with Sonic on it.
3 Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel – 2014
Despite not living up to fans' expectations, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel allowed players to peer into the intricate (and insane) world of Vault Hunting. And just as its predecessors, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel featured hundreds of easter eggs and cameos that kept players busy for a long time.
One cameo that stands above the rest was that of Sonic the Hedgehog, better known as Phonic Kraggon. This unique enemy has spiky blue crystals on its back and red-tinted legs. On top of that, if a player killed the Phonic Kraggon, money would scatter all around it, reminiscent of what happens when Sonic dies.
2 LEGO Dimensions – 2015
One of Traveller's Tales most ambitious projects, LEGO Dimensions is an action-adventure platform game that features characters from over 30 different franchises. Moreover, LEGO Dimensions had actors like Elijah Wood, Nick Offerman, and even Gary Oldman voice certain characters.
With so many franchises included in LEGO Dimensions, Sonic the Hedgehog could not be left out. Players could play as Sonic by purchasing a Level Pack that included Sonic, Miles "Tails" Prower, and Amy Rose. On top of that, the Level Pack also included the classic Green Hill Zone map.
1 Rad Mobile – 1990
SEGA's last game to use sprites (future games began to use 3D polygons), Rad Mobile, was a fun arcade racing game that was later ported to the commercial failure known as the SEGA Saturn. Fortunately, the arcade version of Rad Mobile was the fourth highest-grossing arcade game of 1991, which made up for the loss.
Players could see Sonic the Hedgehog dangling from the rearview mirror, but at the time of Rad Mobile's release, no one knew who that little blue hedgehog was. And that's because Rad Mobile was released on October 3, 1990, while Sonic the Hedgehog was released on June 23, 1991, for the Sega Genesis. This was Sonic's first cameo and his first-ever appearance in a video game...truly the best Sonic cameo in history.