When Sonic The Hedgehog joined video game ranks in 1991, he became the face of Sega. Kids and adults alike made their way through different zones as a little blue hedgehog with super speed. As game systems and gameplay have changed, Sonic has increased his allies (or playable characters), and the stories have evolved. Now, he’s finally got a shot at the big screen in live-action.
Any time an existing property makes its way to the screen, creators provide fans with nods to the original. In the case of Sonic, some nods are obvious, like the circle of rings around the Paramount Studios logo instead of stars, or the numerous pop culture nods to properties like Men In Black. Others set up the possibility of sequels, like the mid-credits scene hinting at the inclusion of more characters. Still other Easter eggs can be easy for fans to miss while they’re watching the action unfold, which is what lands here.
Note: This list does assume that the reader has seen Sonic The Hedgehog before reading. There will be spoilers for the movie.
Green Hill And Sonic’s Island
When the game debuted in 1991, players began their journey in level one, or Green Hill Zone. As the movie opens on Sonic’s island, it looks an awful lot like the game play. Eagle eyed fans won’t just notice the more obvious checkerboard pattern of the rocks or the abundance of palm trees and waterfalls. There are also totems along Sonic’s path and sunflowers designed exactly like the images in the original game.
That’s not the only nod. The more obvious recognition for Green Hill Zone is just where Sonic ends up on Earth. He spends his time living in Green Hills, Montana. The town gets name checked so often that even casual game players will remember it.
Need For Speed
Sonic’s super speed in the movie makes him unique, even on his alien home. There are plenty of references to just how fast he is, like his love for The Flash comic books in the cave where he lives. Another Easter egg that doesn’t get quite as much screen time, however, is also in his cave.
One of the many objects on his wall is a license plate with “ND4 SPD” as its lettering. That’s a nod to the phrase “need for speed,” of course. Top Gun fans will recognize it as part of the adrenaline junkie mantra, but it’s also the name of a racing video game franchise that got a movie adaptation in 2014.
Hill Top
This one is a slightly harder to miss Easter egg since it made an appearance in most of the trailers for the movie. As Sonic plays table tennis by himself in his cave, he does it with his own makeshift board, created out of a sign for Hill Top Rd.
Hill Top Zone is the fifth zone in the second Sonic video game. Like Green Hill Zone, it’s one of the most popular levels with fans thanks to its distinct look.
Sonic’s Headband
Sonic doesn’t spend much time fully clothed in the movie. He dons a cowboy hat and coat while trying to blend in, but other than that, he seems to prefer just his sneakers. That’s not entirely the case when it comes to his workout routine though.
In just one scene in the movie, Sonic sports a headband while training with his nunchucks. That headband should look familiar to longtime game fans. It has the same logo the original game did. The logo has changed over the years, featuring additional characters or sharper wings, but the headband designed is the same as the original - just without Sonic’s own face in the middle of it.
Gopher Broke
When Sonic and “Donut Lord” have to stay in a hotel overnight, their stay has a few fun Easter eggs in it. One can be spotted when Sonic turns on the television.
One of the programs that flashes across the screen is Gopher Broke. That’s actually an animated short film. At just four minutes long, it follows a gopher trying to get produce from highway trucks. That short was written and directed by Jeff Fowler, who happened to make his feature film directing debut with Sonic The Hedgehog. It’s a nice nod to where he started.
Sonic’s Balancing Act
In the same hotel room sequence, Sonic runs around the room at top speed trying to get to as many things on his bucket list as he can within the confines of the room. His movements provide fans with another small Easter egg.
The image of Sonic running across the top of a frame on the wall also features him having to balance on the edge of it with one foot. The animation as he teeters on the edge is the same used for the way he balances on the edge of a cliff in the video games.
A Dr. Robotnik Cameo
Jim Carrey plays Dr. Robotnik for this big-screen venture, but it’s not the first time the character has been on-screen -- and he’s not the only Robotnik to make it into the movie.
In 1999, Sonic Underground aired on television around the world. The animated series only lasted for 40 episodes, but it featured the voice of Garry Chalk as Dr. Robotnik. He returned to the Sonic franchise with a cameo role in the live-action movie. Fans can spot him as the Navy Chief Of Staff when government and military officials discuss the massive energy surge and power outage Sonic causes at the Green Hills baseball field.
“I Guess I Had A Bonus Life.”
When Sonic rolls into a ball and plows into Dr. Robotnik’s creations in the middle of the highway, he takes quite a beating, but still gets up and keeps going. At one point, he makes the remark, “I guess I had a bonus life,” after a particularly hard hit.
Not only is this a nod to his video game origins, but it’s also a nod to how ridiculously overpowered Sonic really is. All he has to do to take out a bad guy is roll into a ball and release a burst of energy.
The Planet Of Mushrooms
Fans unfamiliar with the vast range of Sonic video games might have thought a planet of mushrooms was a nod to another video game franchise that features fungi: Mario Brothers. That’s not the case.
Mushroom Hill Zone is actually the first level in the game Sonic & Knuckles. It’s appeared in several games that followed as well. While Knuckles doesn’t feature in the movie, and it’s said that the planet is completely uninhabited, fans do see a tribe of echidnas on Sonic’s home planet. Knuckles is an Echidna, so he's one character who could still make an appearance in a potential sequel.
Robotnik’s Final Look
Throughout the movie, Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik goes from cool and collected arrogant scientist to completely unhinged supervillain. As the movie progresses, he also gets closer and closer to his video game look.
He starts the movie in basic black suits and lab coats, but he wears his signature goggles and a red and black flight suit once he mans his machines (which are sleeker versions of his video game creations). By the time he’s abandoned on the planet of mushrooms, his mustache has expanded significantly, he’s lost more of his hair, and his color scheme is fully in place.
Likewise, Sonic becomes closer to his video game visual as the movie progresses, even getting his iconic red sneakers by the end.