Sonic the Hedgehog has had a fantastic time in 2022. From a successful live-action movie sequel at the start of the year to the very well-received Sonic Frontiers, the little blue hedgehog hasn’t had it this good in years. The year 2022 also saw our blue blur receiving a revamped classic collection in Sonic Origins. Indeed, Sega has been doubling down on Sonic the Hedgehog franchise quality ever since the original live-action movie in 2020.
So it is no wonder that a brand new animated show featuring Sonic and company also arrived to fanfare. Choosing unusually to debut the first episode inside Roblox, Sonic Prime released its first season on Netflix a week after the premiere. So, with a new cartoon on the block, it is time to see how it stacks up against Sonic’s other animated adventures.
6 Sonic Underground
The third and final animated Sonic show from DIC Productions. Jaleel White would once again voice Sonic and would only run for one season. Opting to reboot Sonic’s entire world and origin, Sonic Underground did not follow the lore set up in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog or Sonic SatAM. Instead, Sonic Underground gave Sonic a vastly different backstory and supporting cast.
In this third adaptation, Sonic is part of a royal family and has two siblings, Sonia and Manic. As youngsters, the kids were separated from their mother, Queen Alena; the story has the siblings searching for the Queen while fighting Doctor Robotnik and his forces along the way. The series only lasted one season and stands out from every other adaptation before and since for its wild new take on Sonic and his world.
5 The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
The first animated Sonic series had a light-hearted, almost Looney Tunes vibe to it. Featuring Jaleel White as Sonic, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog had its debut in August 1993. With only one season, the 65 episodes would remain in the hearts of 90s Sonic fans to this day. The show would also receive a spin-off video game called Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine; the game was a version of Puyo Puyo but with a Sonic theme.
Sonic was portrayed as rude, mischievous, and comical; each episode was self-contained and followed an adventure-of-the-week style. Sonic, accompanied by his best friend Tails, would have to defeat Doctor Robotnik’s latest scheme to save the planet. Two series staples, Scratch and Grounder, became iconic due to their status as main henchmen for Robotnik. A fun, wacky cartoon very grounded in its era.
4 Sonic Boom
Sonic Boom was set to be a whole new reboot and refresh of the Sonic franchise. Fans were unsure of the new redesigns of Sonic and company, most of all, the new design of Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic Boom ran for two seasons and received 3 spin-off games and a mobile game. The Boom era has ended, with Sega deciding to focus on a different direction for future Sonic shows and games.
Taking the route of a sitcom, Sonic Boom had a rather different feel than other animated entries to the franchise. Sonic and friends had slightly tweaked personalities, even acting more friendly towards Doctor Eggman at times. The writing in the show was clever and humorous, even though the series at times veered away from standard Sonic tropes. A worthwhile watch to see something quite different from an animated Sonic show.
3 Sonic Prime
The first animated show to release after the Sonic Boom era ended, Sonic Prime was released on Netflix in December 2022. With a whole new cast performing the voices and a new multiverse twist on the Sonic story by placing Sonic in alternate worlds throughout the season. Sonic Prime also leaned on the talented Ian Flynn, who also worked on Sonic Frontiers and the Sonic the Hedgehog IDW comic book series.
Flynn was taken on as a story consultant for Sonic Prime and the arcing narrative across the first season certainly shone brightly among other adaptations. Having Sonic travel across the different worlds gives the opportunity for new situations previously unavailable to the shows set on Mobius or Earth. Going forward, this show could emerge as one of the best Sonic adaptations ever.
2 Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM)
An all-time favorite for fans, Sonic the Hedgehog was the second animated show starring the blue blur. Lovingly dubbed SatAM by fans due to it airing on a Saturday morning tv slot when it first aired. SatAM took a much darker tone than Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, with overarching stories and a slightly more adult tone. The game Sonic Spinball also uses the SatAM continuity in its story.
SatAM also was the basis for the long-running Archie Comics adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog. In this universe, Doctor Robotnik ruled planet Mobius. During the show, Sonic and the well-loved Freedom Fighters attempt to overthrow the evil Doctors regime. Sally Acorn featured heavily in the series alongside Sonic and Tails, becoming a fan-favorite character. At the end of the series, Sonic and the freedom fighters actually succeed in defeating Robotnik and his doomsday project for good.
1 Sonic X
Sonic X differs from the other Sonic animated shows as it is done in an anime style. The series brought Sonic to Earth, meeting a boy named Chris Thorndyke. Now, Chris was not best received by fans, meaning many dropped the show before it hit its stride. Sonic X ran for 3 seasons and was more popular in the western world than it was in Japan.
Oddly, Sonic X was released on cartridge for the GameBoy Advance, not as a videogame, but episodes from season one. There was also a lot of merchandise released, such as figures, novels, bedding, and even beach towels. Sonic X really focused on storytelling and was an adaptation of Sonic Adventure, a fantastic show worthy of the top place here.