The snarky side of the internet has really been booming today, all thanks to Sega’s reveal of the next big thing in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Similar to Namco Bandai’s Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, Sega is launching a new game, CG animated TV series, and toy line centered around the title of Sonic Boom. The Sonic Boom game is being developed for Wii U by Big Red Button Entertainment and Sanzaru Games for 3DS and will serve as a prequel to the TV show of the same name. Blistering speed will be at the foundation of Sonic Boom as in any other Sonic game, but collaborative play will be the main focus, along with “exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.”
The companion Sonic Boom animated series, co-produced by Sega and OuiDO! Productions, is set to air on Cartoon Network (and CANAL J and GULLI in France) this year, described as “an ensemble comedy consisting of 52 x 11-minute standalone episodes packed full of high-adrenaline action. Every episode starts from a small character-driven story and explodes into an epic tale of saving the world, robot battles and more.”
The third branch of the Sonic Boom empire will be an extensive merchandising program, consisting of toys, apparel, food, beverages and more. Japanese toy company Tomy will lead the way with a licensed toy collection covering a full range of play things, from plushies and action figures to RC vehicles and novelty items.
Of course, the big news–what’s stirred up such a social media and comment section firestorm–is the design aesthetic, particularly as it relates to the new character models for Sonic and his pals Tails, Knuckles and Amy. There are some odd design choices for sure–seriously, what’s up with all the bandages wrapped around their arms and feet?–but overall I think they look fine. The game and show look like they should be good fun to play and watch as well, so that’s all I care about.
But I get it. Sega has done a whole lot to ruin the credibility of its once proud mascot over recent years, to the point that any new Sonic game is going to be met with pessimism. Changing up such recognizable characters with some silly design choices simply makes Sonic Boom an easy target to poke fun of. As always, none of this will matter if the game plays well and the show delivers short bursts of animated comedy.
Check out the Sonic Boom game and TV show reveal trailers below and feel free to sound off in the comments with your thoughts on the new look.
SEGA Launches New Franchise Strategy for Sonic the Hedgehog with Sonic Boom [SEGA Blog]
Matt Litten is the full-time editor and owner of VGBlogger.com. He is responsible for maintaining the day to day operation of the site, editing all staff content before it is published, and contributing regular news, reviews, previews and other articles.
Matt landed his first gig in the video game review business writing for the now-defunct website BonusStage.com. After the sad and untimely close of BonusStage, the former staff went on to found VGBlogger.com. After a short stint as US Site Manager for AceGamez, Matt assumed full ownership over VGBlogger, and to this day he is dedicated to making it one of the top video game blogs in all the blogosphere.
Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary! 
