The Many Identity Crises of Sonic the Hedgehog

This June marks the 30th anniversary of an iconic and timeless video game mascot: Sonic the Hedgehog. After arriving on the Sega Genesis--the 16-bit little console that could--on June 23, 1991, the game quickly became a buzzworthy system seller and corporate mascot. It was a defining character of the '90s, and a phenomenon the company needed to stand a chance against rival Nintendo. The brainchild of Yuji Naka, Sonic the Hedgehog touted vibrant graphics and innovative level design. The speed of its gameplay ran rings around Mario and became the emphasis of Sega's famously angsty and clever "Sega Does What Nintendon't" marketing campaign.