Recent announcements forSonic the Hedgehogtend to be pointing toward a shift in Sega’s most famous brand.Sonic Originssees the first four Sonic games remastered and enhanced for a new generation, with cutscenes added to tie them together. Fans have noticed thatSonic OriginslistsSonic CDbetweenSonic 1andSonic 2. For many years, whereSonic CDfalls in the timeline has been a big debate among fans, and nowOriginshas shined new light onto the discussion.
It’s understandable whySonicfans have questioned whereSonic CDfits into the timeline, as it sits in an awkward position aesthetically, as well as in terms of its development.Sonic 2andSonic CDwere developed at the same time, with the general idea behindSonic CDbeing “Sonicon the Sega CD” rather than being a direct sequel, according to Naoto Ohshima. Ohshima is the director ofSonic CD, and has mentioned that the factCDwasn’t a numbered title changed how Sega treated it during development compared toSonic 2, which released first. The way the development of these titles differed puts them both in unique spots, but this hasn’t helped with the question about which comes first.
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The Case for Sonic the Hedgehog 2
InSonic the Hedgehog, players can only get the true ending if they manage to collect all the Chaos Emeralds from Special Stages. The same secret ending applies toSonic 2, and the sequelalso introduces Super Sonicas a reward for completion. With howSonic CDfocused on the Time Stones rather than the Chaos Emeralds, some fans feel it makes no sense for Dr. Robotnik to drop the endeavor of finding the Chaos Emeralds between adventures for different gemstones altogether.Sonic the Hedgehog 4also made a case thatCDhappened afterSonic 3 and Knucklesas part of its marketing, butSonic Maniaseems to have changed that.
However,Maniaalso left outSonic CD, implying it might take placeafterSonic Mania. There is also the curious case of the silver Mecha Sonic seen in the Death Egg inSonic 2. Having Mecha Sonic come after Metal Sonic by puttingCDfirst in the timeline has been somewhat controversial for many fans, appearing like a downgrade for the character. Ohshima has agreed with this claim, saying Mecha Sonic was succeeded by Metal Sonic later on. This would mean thatSonic the Hedgehog 2comes beforeSonic CD.
The Case for Sonic CD’d Timeline Placement
While many fans think Dr. Eggman taking a detour for the Time Stones is weird in the overall narrative, the lack of Tails inSonic CDis a good reason why it may come beforeSonic 2. Sonic also lacks the iconic Spin Dash inCD, which was said to betaught to Sonic by Tailsin aSonic 2manual. Due to it being only in an American manual, this fact may be outdated. However, there is also a hidden image found in the Sega CD title’s sound test that features Tails saying, “See you next game,” implyingSonic 2comes afterCD.
Yasushi Yamaguchi, the creator of Tails who also worked onSonic CD’sspecial stages, said the way the game is presented may make players thinkCDcomes beforeSonic 2. This is because it reusedSonic 1sprites and aesthetics, which leads to many fans feeling as ifCDis out of place if it didn’t follow the first title.Sonic 4, despite its marketing, also offers a great reason as to why Metal Sonic is absent from the other titles. Little Planet, the place where Metal Sonic was destroyed, only appears once a year. WithSonic 2andSonic 3 and Knucklesthere to pad out the time betweenSonic CDandSonic 4, it gives ample opportunity for Little Planet’s return.
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What Sonic Origins Gives to the Series
While there are plenty of reasons for both sides of the argument,Sonic Originsseems to insist thatSonic CDcomes beforeSonic 2. Considering how the collection aims to create a more cohesive narrative between games, the order is most likely for the sake of keeping things consistent. This is being done as part of an attempt to revitalizeSonicin the build-up toSonic Frontiers.The writer forSonic Frontiers, Ian Flynn, has also been tasked with writingOrigins' cutscenes, which Flynn is helping Sega set up a properSonictimeline.
After 30 years of leaving the Classic Sonic timeline vague, Sega choosing to suddenly fill in the blanks isn’t something it decided without a bigger reason. Between theTailsTube series that answers lore questions, as well as Flynn being a writer for the latest official guidebook,Sonic Originsis one step toward establishing brand stability for the franchise. While some fans may disagree with the waySonic CDis placed on the new timeline,Origins' cutscenes may provide evidence or story beats that make the placement more sensible. All fans need to do now is wait forSonic Originsto release.
Sonic Originswill release on June 23 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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