Silly Sega, Hedgehogs aren't blue! They don't wear gloves and sneakers, either!! Here is an artist's rendition of Sonic — you know, if Sega hadn't deceptively painted him a different color. Liars! Says the artist:

In the end I decided to give him a color-pattern that resembles a West European Hedgehog but facial proportions that stick to Sonic himself. His white gloves and the red shoes he kept as another link to the original, but the shoes underwent a little redesign. In addition his body looks like that of a runner, making it more believable that he can run at such high speeds.

Pretty sure we'll have trouble sleeping tonight. Tomorrow, too.
Sonic The Real Hedgehog [essenmitsosse via Sega Nerds]

The console wars between Sega and Nintendo ended years ago, but the folks of the RemixArtistCollective are bringing it back with a special 4-track remix album of classic tunes from both systems. On the Nintendo side of things you've got Mario and of course The Legend of Zelda, while Sega is represented here by Sonic the Hedgehog and...Sonic the Hedgehog. Does Nintendo win on sheer variety, or can two Sonic remixes stand up to the double threat of Mario and Link? Find out for yourself by downloading the electro dance versions of these classic tunes below. Not bad at all.

NINTENDO VS SEGA EP [RAC]

Found in a drawer and from Sonic's mid-90's heyday comes this, Where's Sonic? It's a picture book where you, un-huh, look for Sonic. The 2D drawings are spectacular! Click through the gallery below to find Sonic. Maybe you won't. There are no guarantees, really.

Haven't gotten your fill? Click over to UK:R, where they've got more — including challenging blurry ones!

Sonic's Thrilling Return to 2D [UK:R]

Cigarettes are bad. They cause cancer. Cancer kills you. But candy cigarettes? Harmless! They only inspire impressionable children to smoke. And who better to rope 'em in young than Sonic the Hedgehog? The "New Tasty 100 percent Stick Candy Cigarettes" were found in the Philippines. Surgeon General warns of serious Sonic attitude!
You Wanna Run Really Fast [UK:R]

Never mind that Sega's crack legal team already confirmed Sonic Unleashed, Official Nintendo Magazine (UK) has a world exclusive! The Wii game will be out this winter, use the Wii-mote and Nunchuk, but won't have online, it seems. Fair enough, the game seems like an old school Sega platformer — a good thing. Says the game's lead designer, Yoshihisa Hashimoto:

In our minds, this game will have more in common with the older Sonic Adventure series. It has no relation to Sonic the Hedgehog [the 360/PS3 game] or Sonice And The Secret Rings... We wanted Sonic fans to love Sonic even more. Also, for people who are not familiar with Sonic, we think that this will be a great way to introduce them to Sonic The Hedgehog.

THANK GAWD. The game is supposedly being developed internally by Team Sonic (and not by a buncha devs all across North America and Europe), and it does feature this possibly worrying element: During the daytime, the game is regular speed-based Sonic ramps and loops and rails. But! At night, Sonic's hairy alter ego (oh dear) comes out, and the game play changes to monkey-like swinging and obstacle manipulation. Well, at least it's better than human kissing. Never forget!

Thanks, Joe for the tip!

Sega has teamed up with Japanese clothes retailer to make, you guessed it, Sega Uniqlo shirts. There are Virtua Fighter, House of the Dead and Sonic shirts. I quite like that hedgehog one right up there. The shirts cost US ¥1,500 (US $14.63). Oh geez, just look at that exchange rate. So sad. The shirts though, they're pretty cool.
Uniqlo Sega Tribute [Uniqlo via Siliconera]

Don't you dare go forgetting about Sonic on the DS just because you've seen hints at a possibly glorious future for the franchise. Instead, take a look at these new screens for BioWare's Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the DS.
[via Gemaga]

And there's more! And it *might* be real, too!! Earlier, we brought word of Sonic Unleashed screenshots that were unleashed off of SEGA's FTP server. Then this alleged Sonic Unleashed clip hit the internet. Now? This character art and more concept art work. We highly approve of this still-rumored-but-unconfirmed art. Apparently, SONIC TEAM as well as developers in the States and Europe are working on this title together. If this is their work, we appreciate them making Sonic not-sucky again. If it's some random internet fakers, we likewise appreciate them making Sonic not-sucky again.

Sonic Unleashed Update [Sega Magazin]

Sure, we've seen stuff like this before, that doesn't mean we're sick of Nintendo character evolution charts. Never! This time around we're tracking the progression that the brawlers from Super Smash Bros. Brawl have undergone. Hit the jump for a look at Samus, Kirby and non-Nintendo character but Wii-favorite Sonic.

So, yeah, Kirby's about the same.
Ninty Retro [Image Shack via Digg via Infendo]

WTF, sure, but lovely WTF! Here's a look at the BioWare developed Sonic RPG for the DS, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. We like BioWare, and the screens look nice enough, and we really liked Sonic — well, before. Definitely interested in this.

Sonic RPG [Videogamer.com]

While I was out grabbing lunch earlier I stopped in X-21, a store that does a lot of prop rentals and has a ton of amazing old furniture that you could never afford. I went down to the basement to see if they might have a cheap desk chair that wouldn't require a bank loan and who should I see but our good friend Mr. Miles "Tails" Prower. He stood about three feet tall and with his tail was about three feet wide. I inquired as to his price and was quoted $300 which considering his size was pretty cheap. So if you live in the SF Bay Area and are looking to take in a has-been video game character, he's waiting for you at the corner of Valencia and 20th. Bring cash.

At the recent AVN (think CES, but with porn), game site GameDaily quizzed a host of adult video actress about video games. Knowledge varied. Take Jenna Haze, who quipped:

Do I like nerds? I am a nerd. I have shelves full of books at home about vampires and werewolves. And I always have my PSP with me. Right now I'm playing Jeanne D'Arc, which is just awesome. Also, I've got a PS3 and I'm dying for the new Final Fantasy to come out. See? I told you I was a total nerd.

Jeanne D'Arc? Hardcore. Other porn stars profess their love for Nathan from Uncharted, desire for a Ratchet and Clank threesome and disdain for Sonic's sneakers. Out of all the things one could hate Sonic for, sneakers?!
Porn Stars Love [GameDaily via Destructoid]

A year year has passed since the Nintendo Wii first burst onto the scene, becoming the simultaneous joy and frustration for gamers around the world, as huge numbers were sold and even bigger numbers of frustrated parents and fans began a year-long struggle to obtain one of the elusive white boxes. While those who didn't get one continuously called game stores asking the question that many clerks still have nightmares about, waking up suddenly in a cold sweat screaming, "We don't have any Wiis, okay!?", we proud owners have been waking up every Monday to a new set of classic games to enjoy. Now fickle Nintendo punishes us for our pride by releasing Sonic 3D Blast. One of the first bad Sonic games, 3D Blast (800 points) was technically neither, featuring pre-rendered sprites and a definite lack of fun. While we also get Super Air Zonk for the TurboGrafx16 CD (800 points) and Wrecking Crew (500 points), one of the few Mario games not named Mario-something, nothing can wash off the stink of Sonic 3D Blast. Happy Birthday Wii! Please don't hurt us anymore.

WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED ON THE WII CONSOLE'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Nov. 19, 2007

Wii™ celebrates its first anniversary today, and big stars from past consoles are coming out to help Nintendo celebrate. Luminaries walking the Virtual Console™ red carpet this week include Mario™ and Luigi™, Sonic The Hedgehog and Zonk. So throw on your best tuxedo or finest gown, and get ready to party with these video game A-listers.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Wrecking Crew™ (NES®, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): In the days before Mario and Luigi became sports stars in their downtime between plumbing and saving the Princess, they tried their hands as one-man wrecking crews. With a hammer as their only tool, players take control of the brothers and set out to destroy ladders, rip out pipes, knock down walls and detonate explosive devices. But make sure to plan your path of destruction carefully, as each building is designed as its own clever puzzle—if you're not careful, you can easily trap yourself in a dead end. Adding to the excitement and challenge are fireballs, enemies and an angry foreman roaming the buildings. They're all trying to stop you from moving on to the next stage. With 100 buildings to demolish and the ability to construct your own, it's a wonder Mario and Luigi ever got back to saving the Mushroom Kingdom.

Sonic 3D Blast™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): The evil Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) stumbles upon an alternate dimension where some odd birds called Flickies have the ability to travel anywhere. In order to get help in his search for the Chaos Emeralds, Dr. Eggman transforms the Flickies into robots that will help him track down his coveted gems. Of course, it's up to our favorite blue hedgehog, Sonic, to step in and save the day. Jump into this 3-D adventure as Sonic or his buddy Tails, and collect the golden rings to help free the Flickies and defeat the doctor.

Super Air Zonk (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, rated E for Everyone - Mild Cartoon Violence, 800 Wii Points): Zonk is back in Super Air Zonk, the sequel to the shooting game spin-off of the Bonk series, Air "Zonk." Now moving to a rockabilly beat and able to transform into nine different characters, Zonk lets loose through seven action-packed stages in another battle against his arch nemesis, SandroVitch. Power up Zonk with the classic Meat item, eventually turning him into the champion of justice, Ultra Zonk, or the fearsome Tyrano Zonk in the latter stages of the game. After rescuing his friends from enemies, Zonk can also morph with them to combine powers. Fight enemies with killer tunes belted out from a trusty microphone. Hurl freshly made sushi at them. With its variety of wacky attacks, Super Air Zonk has a sense of humor all its own.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

That mass of red t-shirts pouring booze into Mario's mouth is Team Mario. Look how happy they appear! They were victorious. Sonic? He and Team Sonic lost in a special competition SEGA UK had to promote Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games. British tabloid The Sun sent along some pin-up girls, who wore red shirts (and thus, were part of the Mario Team by default). Some of the events include thug-of-war, climbing-up-an-inflated-thingy-covered-with-soap and penguin sumo wresting. You think we are kidding about the penguin sumo wrestling? We are so not. That, after the jump.

Something Odd [UKR] Images]

The glowing orb speaks of itself. Let's hear what its creator —-___—__-_ - has to say:

i gotta say, seeing mario, zelda, master chief, toadstool, amaterasu from okami and others' likeness carved into big orange vegetables, I had to make a pumpkin creation with sonic's mug on it, mind you this is the sonic of old side scrolling style, not the abhoration of new school iterations, anyhow, thanks for making me excited about halloween again

That's what we do, make people Halloween kurazy. This isn't nearly as scary as the thought of Sonic losing to Mario in that Wii Olympics game. Thanks for the delightful pumpkin! We hope the folks at UK:R totally steal this amazing Sonic related non-news.

Ack! That Sonic impostor isn't just horrible, but HORRIBLE and FREAKY. Located in a Chinese department store by a gentleman who said:

I recently visited a friend in China when I spotted this distressingly familiar 'cat' in a department store, inexplicably facing the shoe section.

Wonder if this poser could beat Mario in an Olympic race, though... We discovered this shocking bit of non-news over at the delightful UK:R, which, should you care, won "Best Blog" at Games Media Awards. Congrats!
Fake Sonic [UK:R]

While Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have all been duking it out to capture the market this holiday season, an unlikely party has already called it. Yes, Sega is the self-proclaimed victor of this winter because of their upcoming title, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. From senior product manager Phil Lamb:

This will be a leading title at Christmas. We have fully set our sights on it being the number one Wii title but are confident that this title has the potential to also achieve the top slot in the All Formats chart too.

If Sonic and Mario had teamed up, say, seventeen years ago, we'd bet the bank. But in the year 2007, only one thing's for sure: if this game actually becomes the best seller, Michael McWhertor should go pro.

We can win Xmas sales race, says Sega [mcv]

Sure, fifteen years ago, this never ever would've happened — but that's not the point! Sonic and Mario can now beat the snot out of each other. Official SSBB website Smash Bros. DOJO!! has posted a few screenshots if moving images aren't your thing.

Sonic in Brawl [Smash Bros.]

With the Games Convention going strong in Leipzig, screenshots and trailers are flowing like booze at a post convention press event. Sega has released 24 screenshots of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, showing off some of the events and characters we can hope to play with once the game hits this Holiday season. I picked the big pic of Cream because she is my favorite Sonic character for highly NSFW reasons I probably shouldn't go into here. Foul indeed.

Man, we were SO EXCITED when we heard about this. A Sonic and Tails car racing set. How rad is that? Sadly, it's just two little blue and yellow cars with stickers on them. Like so many things Sonic these days, this is a major let down. Writes the dude who found this:

I got this Sonic the Hedgehog racing set years ago at a thrift market. It's not really anything special as it's just a regular race track, but with Sonic and Tails' face pasted onto the cars (and the box). Either way, it DOES have Sonic's name on it, and I assume anything that cashed in on his character from when his games actually were fun might be worth showing, so there you go. BTW I'm selling it if anyone wants it...

Um. No.
So Sad [UK:R]

Last week, Gamestop pics surfaced, showing Sonic on a Super Smash Bros. Brawl mock-up cover. This week? Kotakuite Cody sends up an ad from a Canadian Best Buy that shows Sonic standing between Wario, Samus, Kirby and Link. Is this a marketing foul-up? Is Nintendo sitting on a big announcement and totally forgot to check their fliers? Got me! Though, with Sonic and Mario now making games together, I wouldn't rule this out just yet — especially with Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto and Smash Bros. Masahiro Sakurai saying that Sonic was the character fans want most.

Eds Note: PhotoShop time stamp is ours.

Here's the set-up: Some dude visits Osaka. He finds a Sonic The Hedgehog popcorn machine at the Tennoji Zoo. He emails it to game site UK:RESISTANCE, noting, "if I send this information to you in an overly-detailed email, Kotaku will make a post about it next week." We couldn't wait a week, so we're posting it now. Onward! Called "SEGASONIC POPCORN SHOP", this wonder is a blend of arcade game and vending machine. The dude writes:

If I remember correctly (it was a month ago, so surely I can be forgiven for forgetting minor details), you play as Sonic, trying to deliver popcorn to the customer. Robotnik, however, is a dick, and tried to stop Sonic by placing him on a treadmill. You have to make Sonic run faster than the treadmill, so he can jump off the end and deliver the popcorn. You have to make Sonic run by turning the wheel on the front of the machine as fast as you can. The machine I was playing was outside, and the wheel had rusted to fuck, so it made an incredible high-pitched screeching noise as I turned it faster. This only attracted the attention of surrounding Zoo visitors, and made me feel quite uncomfortable in the children's area of the park.

So a video game occupies the time while your popcorn is popping. Fascinating. The popcorn comes in salt, butter and curry flavors. And it was dispensed in an Anpanman paper cup. There's even a video of this beautiful machine in action. Find that after the "more >>"

Mental note: Visit the Tennjoi Zoo this weekend.
SEGASONIC POPCORN SHOP [UK:R]

Mario beating Sonic in a hundred yard dash? Implausible. That sums up the upcoming Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, which makes it possible for Mario to beat Sonic in a foot race. Blasphemy! Sega's UK Product manager Grant Gie explains:

The great thing about this is it's similar to Mario Kart in leveling the playing field. Sonic isn't always going to win the 100-meter dash; it's really up to the players and how well they use the Nunchuk and Wii Remote.

Wha? No. It's Sonic. It doesn't matter if you put the Wii-mote on the coffee table and disconnect the Nunchuk, he should beat Mario. It's friggin's Sonic, dude.
Olympics Sonic [Games Radar]

What's better than retro games? Retro gaming food! Over at website UK:RESISTANCE, where all the cool kids get their SEGA news, they've posted pics of Daddies Tomato Ketchup featuring Sonic the Hedgehog. The pics are recent, but the bottle dates from 1991, back when Sonic was HUGE. What's in a bottle of Sonic ketchup? Tomatoes, sugar, spirit vinegar, salt, modified starch, spices, pectin, minimum tomato solids 7 percent. I gotta agree with the UK:R commenters on this one; I am very disappointed that "attitude" was not an ingredient. Glorious pics after the jump. Brian Ashcraft

Daddies Tomato Ketchup [UK:R]

"What? Two game cakes in one day? How incredibly fortunate we all are!" These are probably the words that are running through your mind right this minute. Or at least some form of those words, possibly rearranged with some added expletives.

Apparently, a gal named Ana who is a friend of faithful Kotakuite Grap3fruitman made this Sonic cake in honor of Sonic's recent sixteenth anniversary. Well done, Ana. If more people made cakes for fictional video game character's anniversaries, the world would be a better place. Flynn De Marco

Received at a Tokyo SEGA HI-TECHLAND arcade, this free wetnap reminds customers that, yes, the 23rd day of every month is Sega Day. So don't forget: We're less than a week and a half away! Brian Ashcraft

Free wet tissues [UK Resistance]

We don't doubt that Sega will milk its back catalogue dry. No, we don't doubt that at all. But we do doubt these screenshots from Dutch site SegaOnline that depict the "Sega Vintage Collection" for the Xbox LIVE Arcade. Call it a hunch, but what tipped us off was written at the bottom:

"SEGA. ALL THE RIGHTS MOVE."

What the heck does that mean?! We contacted Sega, who replied, "Nope they didn't come from us, that's for sure. Thanks for checking." There you have it. These screens are apparently fake, not from Sega, and this rumor is smashed. Brian Ashcraft

SEGA Vintage Collection For Xbox LIVE Arcade [SegaOnline]

Kotakuite, Chad had the pleasure of attending Free Comic Book Day yesterday and came upon a Sonic the Hedgehog comic book.

This Saturday was Free Comic Book Day, and Archie Comics released an exclusive issue of Sonic The Hedgehog as a lead-in to Sonic #175. In the issue, Robotnik captures Sonic, attaches a "Neuro-Transceiver", and controls him via a video game pad against his friends.

Sonic #175? I'll just let my confusion and horror go on that one. But the real meat of the story, if you can call it that, is what happens when Robotnik actually starts playing his Sonic game. (I apologize for the poor quality of the attached picture, but that's how it came to us) If you can't read it, Robotnik exclaims

It's not my fault! The controls are horrendous! I should've spent more time in development.

I love it when a company has enough of a sense of humor to be able to make fun of itself. Now let's talk about Shadow of the Hedgehog... Flynn De Marco