Twenty some years ago when Sega released the first Sonic the Hedgehog game for their Genesis console consumers had very different expectations for video games. Graphics back then were simple, at best, so what carried those vintage Sonic games were the story lines and the characters themselves. The lead characters had to be lovable. Sonic fit the bill. He was fun, loveable and came with great stories.

Another thing that made a game interesting was the source of conflict, or the villain. There had to be something to draw you into the game and make you game hard to vanquish over the evil. Sonic’s nemesis, Dr Eggman, was the perfect villain, easy enough to hate, but not too terrifying. Sonic appealed to many genres of gamers and entertainment seekers, from kids to adults, because of its great story line and engaging action.

Sonic was one of the first games to popularize the “health bars,” the indicators where you can tell how many lives you have left, etc. In Sonic the Hedgehog games you gathered rings that would protect you from attack. There was also the Chaos Emeralds that could be turned into specific powers or weapons to suit the need. All these features made Sonic the Hedgehog very new and engaging.

Since 1998 when Sonic the Hedgehog debuted things in the gaming world have come a long way. Technology has changed tremendously, and gamers expect much more from the experience. Today it’s the graphics and audio-visual effects that sell the game.

Sonic the Hedgehog has risen to the occasion and today’s Sonic games are every bit as well designed and graphic-pimped as any other high profile video game would be. Twenty plus years later and Sonic is still one of the best known characters in video games. Sonic was originally designed to be Sega’s competition for Nintendo’s Mario. In recent years Sonic and Mario have teamed up in a few games, including an Olympics themed game. Both Sonic and Mario are so well established and have such wide fan bases that they no longer need to compete.

Today there are many online Sonic the Hedgehog games that can be enjoyed, including remakes of the original classic Sonic games. If you like the old school Sonic games you can enjoy them online, or if you want to check out the latest in Sonic games and happenings the internet has all that’s current as well.