Warning: This list contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The latest Sonic The Hedgehog film has indicated that there's so much more to explore in this SEGA video game-inspired world. With Knuckles, Tails, and the titular hero on the scene and Shadow about to debut, there's no limit to the storytelling potential of this franchise. But the TV shows have already tread this ground before.
There are numerous series aimed at kids that have captured the essence of the video game experiences fans are familiar with. With gorgeous animation and fun narrative arcs for its characters, these TV shows are amongst Sonic's best outings on the small screen and clearly pay homage to the source material where he debuted. Please note that while there have been digital projects released on the character, it's only those that are made up of more than one part that are considered here.
Sonic Underground (1999-2000)
Sonic Underground is still a cult hit but perhaps wasn't received quite as well as shows since. With strange animation visual choices that felt very stylized and rounded at times, the series didn't look like the iconic Sonic that audiences would have gotten to know.
The premise of the series was intriguing, with Sonic accompanied by his two loyal siblings as they try to free their mother from the evil Dr. Robotnik, but many of the usual narrative beats were replaced with something quite different. It's definitely original, but doesn't play upon the common tropes or indeed memories of the SEGA games.
Sonic X (2003-2006)
Another instance of the classic Sonic series being crafted into something new, the famous character got the anime treatment with Sonic X and it was definitely a change of pace. Visually it was stunning, relying on some of the aesthetic elements that fans of the genre know so well.
It even enjoyed a three-season run, clearly with a strong performance from younger viewers. The teleportation from their usual world though, so that they could be paired with a human child meant that in the early days meant some of the fantastical elements of the saga were reduced. The mission to help Sonic and his friends return home is a classic piece of storytelling though.
Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog (1993-1996)
It's important that the TV series feels like some of the best Sonic games and that's what the team attempted with Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog. It obviously aimed to be the definitive portrayal of the character, but the animation techniques and technology of the time held back its visuals.
Rather than boasting an overall arc, which has become the formula for plenty of these Sonic series, Adventures opted for an escapade of the week format, which largely saw the team face off against the same antagonists. It became repetitive quickly but is the epitome of most kids' cartoons from the era.
Sonic The Hedgehog (1993-1994)
Where Adventures failed, Sonic The Hedgehog seemed to succeed, even if it had a much more limited run. The animation was slightly improved, although the stylized characterizations of Sonic Underground made their debut here. Regardless, many would look back on the series with great fondness.
For the era, it is perhaps the most memorable of the Sonic series thanks to its combination of human characters and the mythological world and Kingdoms of Sonic himself. It manages to find a perfect balance, pitting Sonic alongside a number of new characters while acting as freedom fighters to protect their home. Some exciting games in the years since likely took inspiration from the conflict.
Sonic Colors: Rise Of The Wisps (2021)
Modern Sonic has been portrayed in a variety of forms, but the digital series surrounding the character has allowed the creators to have a lot more freedom in their storytelling, especially when the project has to tie into a game. The YouTube miniseries Sonic Colors: Rise Of The Wisps is a great example.
Of course, based upon the game of the same name, this two-part special sees Sonic and Tails team up to rescue the Wisps that have been trapped by Robotnik. It is paced perfectly thanks to its limited run and follows a simple yet promising premise. There might not be any other animated shows from the character that can compare in regards to the vibrancy and beauty of the art.
Sonic Boom (2014-2017)
A show that actually had a game based upon it in an instance of supreme rarity, Sonic Boom is one of the defining pieces of Sonic media in the modern age. It uses a CGI animation style that's managed to update the characters and draws from all kinds of Sonic lore.
This feels like a love letter to the earlier series, but the two-dimensional storytelling has been replaced just like the art itself. The voice acting is top-notch, which is an element often overlooked, and it could arguably be considered to be a real character piece. The veteran Sonic has to find his place in the world again alongside new and familiar allies.
Team Sonic Racing Overdrive (2019)
Team Sonic Racing was another video game that inspired a digital animated series; in this case, another two-parter that featured characters like Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. The idea behind the narrative was to put as much focus on the game itself as possible, relying on some of those same beats.
That meant that the two episodes were centered around various races that Sonic was involved in, with the fast-paced action becoming an exciting display of the kind of tension and conflict the franchise could produce. The animation isn't quite as stellar as other examples, but it's vibrant, fun, and pure to the source material. The writers clearly had a rich understanding of the characters themselves.
Sonic Mania Adventures (2018)
Another digital series based upon the video game of the same name, plenty of episodes of Sonic Mania Adventures have been released, boasting a visual style that feels like an amalgamation of the various animation choices from throughout Sonic history.
If there was ever a legacy show that paid homage to the timeline of Sonic on TV it would perhaps be this, with great storylines and a range of intriguing antagonists including Metal Sonic. It's interesting that each episode is so short, but this limitation was clearly perfect for the kinds of adventures that the team wished to achieve as the group searches for more Chaos Emeralds.