Summary
Sega has shared an official timeline for theSonic the Hedgehogseries that chronicles the order in which certain games take place. TheSonicfranchise has been around for over three decades as of this writing and has been home to various mainline games, spin-offs, and adaptations in other media. Not all of these tie-ins take place in the same continuity, and the placement of certain titles likeSonic CDhas caused much confusion and debate among gamers.
Many of these issues have only intensified after 2022’sSonic Frontiers, which established an official backstory for classic elements like the seven Chaos Emeralds and featured plenty of references to past titles like the equally lore-heavySonic Adventureduology. Othergames likeSonic the Hedgehog 2006andSonic Generationshave dealt with time travel and alternate timelines, muddying the game continuity even further. Luckily, Sega has been making efforts to clear the air about theSonicuniverse in recent years, and now fans have an official timeline to answer some of their most burning questions.
This timeline can be found on theofficialSonic the Hedgehogwebsite, and it chronicles the history of the series from prehistoric times to the altered future presented bySonic the Hedgehog 2006. The first chronicled event is the birth of the cosmic beings Light Gaia and Dark Gaia from 2008’sSonic Unleashed(orSonic World Adventureas it is called in Japan), followed by the arrival ofthe Ancients fromSonic Frontiers. Other prehistoric events include the rampages of Dark Gaia, the arrival of the Babylon Rogues’ ancestors from space, and the fall of the Echidna Tribe as detailed in the originalSonic Adventure.
Official Sonic Timeline Chronicles the Games’ History
TheSonictimeline moves on to more recent historical events like the plight of Professor Gerald Robotnik and the ARK fromSonic Adventure 2and experiments that led to the creation ofSonic Adventure 2006villain Solaris before finally leading into the era of the classicSonic the Hedgehoggames with the 1991 original. It is then finally confirmed thatSonic CDindeed takes placebeforeSonic the Hedgehog 2and the rest of the old 2D games, with the 2017 throwbackSonic Mainaand 2023’sSonic Superstarsbeing slotted in before the Modern Era that begins withSonic the Hedgehog 4.
The rest of the Modern EraSonicgames are more or less placed in order of release, with spin-offs likeMario PartycloneSonic ShuffleandSonic Ridersracing seriesbeing slotted in as well. Not everySonic the Hedgehoggame is included in this timeline, but it does answer many fan questions about where certain games fit. FutureSonic the Hedgehogtitles will likely build on this timeline by adding new lore and characters to the already massive franchise.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game franchise that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Covering both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for speedy movements and interesting platforming mechanics.
