Selections from the Sonic the Hedgehog Franchise (1991-Present)
I have spent the past few days since my last post collecting tracks from Sega video games that attempt to represent music cultures from Spain. Portugal, Latin America, and the Caribbean to varying degrees. Up to this point, I have compiled over sixty VGM tracks, about half of which belong to the Sonic the Hedgehog series (1991-Present). The history behind the series and its beginnings has received constant attention and revisions as the decades have passed. Created by Yuji Naka and released in 1991 as part of what many constantly refer to as the video game "Console Wars," Sonic the Hedgehog initially served as the leading video game mascot for promoting the 16-bit Sega Genesis and Mega Drive consoles. More specifically, the first Sonic the Hedgehog game helped Sega to directly compete with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom in Japan) by demonstrating the graphical power of the Genesis/Mega Drive and visual trickery by emphasizing fast-paced gameplay, as well as pushing Sonic's personality as a video game character with attitude: something that future "Mascot Platformer" video games from the 1990s and beyond would try to emulate.
In the thirty-three years since his debut, the Sonic the Hedgehog series has mostly proven a commercial success by spawning myriad video games, cartoons and spin-off shows, toys, food products, clothing, and live action film adaptations (including a third Sonic film premiering later this year). In terms of music, the Sonic the Hedgehog series contains an eclectic mix of genres in popular music culture, including musical influences from Latin America and the Caribbean. In many instances, such music is often used as thematic material for in-game menu music or tunes that depict islands, some aquatic sections, or areas with festive atmospheres. Through my efforts in compiling the music from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, I have located thirty tracks that draw musical inspiration from several countries and regions: primarily from Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean influences from places like Brazil and the Anglophone Caribbean, as well the Mediterranean. One can hear such influences through the incorporation of instruments like guitars, accordions, marimbas, and lots of drumming percussion. Sometimes, the thematic material for a specific zone in a Sonic game can bear striking resemblances to pre-existing popular music. One could argue that the theme to "Aquatic Ruin Zone" from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) for example, sounds similar to the piece "Spain" by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea (1941-2020) with his group Return to Forever. Other times, a Sonic game can have a completely different soundtrack for the same title based on the region in which it released. Such has been the case for the North American and international releases of Sonic CD (1993) for the Sega CD/Mega CD. The music for "Palmtree Panic Zone" in the North American release uses Afro-Caribbean influences, while the Japanese and European version apply Afro-Brazilian samba or salsa-like music with synthesized instruments and (in some cases) samples of vocal interjections and cheering. I have provided the playlist with Sonic the Hedgehog tracks that I have compiled based on the chronological order of the release per game. Readers can find the playlist through my YouTube channel at ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC via Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in VGM, Part 2a: Sega Games (Sonic). My next blog post will focus on other Sega games outside of the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
In the thirty-three years since his debut, the Sonic the Hedgehog series has mostly proven a commercial success by spawning myriad video games, cartoons and spin-off shows, toys, food products, clothing, and live action film adaptations (including a third Sonic film premiering later this year). In terms of music, the Sonic the Hedgehog series contains an eclectic mix of genres in popular music culture, including musical influences from Latin America and the Caribbean. In many instances, such music is often used as thematic material for in-game menu music or tunes that depict islands, some aquatic sections, or areas with festive atmospheres. Through my efforts in compiling the music from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, I have located thirty tracks that draw musical inspiration from several countries and regions: primarily from Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean influences from places like Brazil and the Anglophone Caribbean, as well the Mediterranean. One can hear such influences through the incorporation of instruments like guitars, accordions, marimbas, and lots of drumming percussion. Sometimes, the thematic material for a specific zone in a Sonic game can bear striking resemblances to pre-existing popular music. One could argue that the theme to "Aquatic Ruin Zone" from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) for example, sounds similar to the piece "Spain" by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea (1941-2020) with his group Return to Forever. Other times, a Sonic game can have a completely different soundtrack for the same title based on the region in which it released. Such has been the case for the North American and international releases of Sonic CD (1993) for the Sega CD/Mega CD. The music for "Palmtree Panic Zone" in the North American release uses Afro-Caribbean influences, while the Japanese and European version apply Afro-Brazilian samba or salsa-like music with synthesized instruments and (in some cases) samples of vocal interjections and cheering. I have provided the playlist with Sonic the Hedgehog tracks that I have compiled based on the chronological order of the release per game. Readers can find the playlist through my YouTube channel at ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC via Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in VGM, Part 2a: Sega Games (Sonic). My next blog post will focus on other Sega games outside of the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Music by Masato Nakamura
“Aquatic Ruin Zone”
“Emerald Hill Zone (2-Player)”
“Mystic Cave Zone (2-Player)
“Results”
Sonic CD (1993) (North American Release)
Music by Spencer Nilsen, David Young, and Mark “Sterling” Crew
“Palmtree Panic (Present)”
“Palmtree Panic (Good Future)”
“Palmtree Panic (Bad Future)”
Sonic CD (1993) (Japanese/European Release)
Music by Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata
“Palmtree Panic”
“Palmtree Panic ‘P’ Mix”
“Palmtree Panic ‘G’ Mix”
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Music by Brad Buxer and Sega Sound Team (Michael Jackson)
“File Select”
“Angel Island”
Sonic Labyrinth (1995)
Music by Atsuko Iwanaga
“Act 1 BGM”
Sonic 3D Blast/Sonic 3D: Flickies’ Island (Sega Saturn and Windows Versions) (1996)
Music by Richard Jacques
“Green Grove Zone, Act 1” (Sega Saturn and Windows Version)
Sonic Shuffle (2000, 2001)
Music by Yoshitaka Hirota
“Blizzard of Coast”
Sonic Advance (2001)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda and Yutaka Minobe
“Neo Green Hill Zone (Act 1)”
Sonic Advance 2 (2002)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda, Yutaka Minobe, and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Music Plant Zone (Act 1)”
Sonic Rush (2005)
Music by Hideki Naganuma and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Ska Cha Cha”
“Ska Cha Cha” (Blazy Mix)
“Vela Nova”
Sonic Rush Adventure (2007)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Seirou Okamoto, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Village Mode 1”
Sonic Unleashed (2008)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi, Hideaki Kobayashi, Takahito Eguchi, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Isle (Day)”
“Windmill Isle (Night)”
“Apotos (Day)”
“Apotos (Night)”
“Spagonia (Day)”
“Spagonia (Night)”
Sonic Mania (2017)
Music by Tee Lopes
“Green Hill Zone, Act 2”
“Sunshine Cassette (Save Select”)
Sonic Superstars (2023)
Music by Jun Senoue
“Speed Jungle Zone”
Music by Masato Nakamura
“Aquatic Ruin Zone”
“Emerald Hill Zone (2-Player)”
“Mystic Cave Zone (2-Player)
“Results”
Sonic CD (1993) (North American Release)
Music by Spencer Nilsen, David Young, and Mark “Sterling” Crew
“Palmtree Panic (Present)”
“Palmtree Panic (Good Future)”
“Palmtree Panic (Bad Future)”
Sonic CD (1993) (Japanese/European Release)
Music by Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata
“Palmtree Panic”
“Palmtree Panic ‘P’ Mix”
“Palmtree Panic ‘G’ Mix”
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Music by Brad Buxer and Sega Sound Team (Michael Jackson)
“File Select”
“Angel Island”
Sonic Labyrinth (1995)
Music by Atsuko Iwanaga
“Act 1 BGM”
Sonic 3D Blast/Sonic 3D: Flickies’ Island (Sega Saturn and Windows Versions) (1996)
Music by Richard Jacques
“Green Grove Zone, Act 1” (Sega Saturn and Windows Version)
Sonic Shuffle (2000, 2001)
Music by Yoshitaka Hirota
“Blizzard of Coast”
Sonic Advance (2001)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda and Yutaka Minobe
“Neo Green Hill Zone (Act 1)”
Sonic Advance 2 (2002)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda, Yutaka Minobe, and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Music Plant Zone (Act 1)”
Sonic Rush (2005)
Music by Hideki Naganuma and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Ska Cha Cha”
“Ska Cha Cha” (Blazy Mix)
“Vela Nova”
Sonic Rush Adventure (2007)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Seirou Okamoto, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Village Mode 1”
Sonic Unleashed (2008)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi, Hideaki Kobayashi, Takahito Eguchi, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Isle (Day)”
“Windmill Isle (Night)”
“Apotos (Day)”
“Apotos (Night)”
“Spagonia (Day)”
“Spagonia (Night)”
Sonic Mania (2017)
Music by Tee Lopes
“Green Hill Zone, Act 2”
“Sunshine Cassette (Save Select”)
Sonic Superstars (2023)
Music by Jun Senoue
“Speed Jungle Zone”
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