Sonic the Hedgehog is racing back into the limelight with a new video game, animated TV series, and a fresh toy line. It’s all being introduced under a new Sonic brand called Sonic Boom.
The game is being developed by Big Red Button Entertainment and Sanzaru Games for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, respectively, in collaboration with Team Sonic. According to a blog post, the game will “introduce exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.” A launch date for the title has not been announced yet.
The game serves as a prequel to the TV series which is also called Sonic Boom and is being co-produced by SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. The CG show is 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.” Sonic Boom is schedule to premiere during the during the 2014/15 season on Cartoon Network.
The Sonic Boom franchise features classic characters like Tails, Knuckles, and Doctor Eggman but with a twist; their physical attributes have been updated–as you can see in the image above Knuckles has bulked up quite a bit and Sonic wears a brown scarf around his neck. Toy partner TOMY “will develop a comprehensive toy range across a broad number of categories including plush, action figures, RC, role play, vehicles and novelty.”
Sega’s John Cheng commented on the latest Sonic revival: “We want to ensure that the Sonic brand continues to evolve and appeal to new generations of Sonic fans and this different look introduces a fresh approach that will be at once both familiar and new to consumers. We are committed to supporting this initiative to provide great entertainment to fans for all aspects of their lives.”
Check out clips from the upcoming game and TV series after the break. The title looks extremely engaging and I’m excited to see how the development teams tap into the unique Wii U GamePad and 3DS’ functionality repertoire to control Sonic and friends. The show looks like a ton of fun. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view concept art from the game and the show.
[Via Sega]