Summary

• Sonic the Hedgehog has inspired numerous animated shows and movies since its release in 1991, with each iteration adding new elements and expanding the story.
• Some shows, like Sonic Underground and Sonic Prime, took creative liberties and introduced new characters, while others, like Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, stayed true to the original games.
• The 2020 live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie was a success and paved the way for a sequel in 2022, with new characters and continued adventures for Sonic and his friends.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3's story. Unlike the more complex stories of the films, the first video game saw Sonic travel through six zones in order to reclaim the Chaos Emeralds that the evil Dr. Robotnik is seeking to gain control of all the creatures across the islands.

Despite humble beginnings, things began to change when animated shows took Sonic characters and had them star in TV adventures, sometimes forgoing Sonic's video game storylines. From 1993 onward, animated shows and movies were created to popularize the series, with both the games and shows beginning to influence each other. In 2024, the Sonic franchise expanded further to Knuckles. As is expected with extensive franchises, some of these shows and movies were highly successful, while others failed to capture the hearts of Sonic fans.

13 Sonic Underground

1999 - 2000

Sonic Underground is the third animated Sonic series and the last one created by DIC Productions. This show is the biggest departure from other established Sonic lore, as it features Sonic along with two siblings, Sonia and Manic. The trio forms a band and fights the evil robots of Dr. Robotnik. The siblings are royals who were separated from their mother, Queen Aleena, to fulfill a prophecy about restoring the land and overthrowing Robotnik.

Concerning its low placement, it is Sonic Underground's disregard of the source material that sees it rank lower than other stories in the franchise. Sonic Underground is undoubtedly a fun story and strikes a balance of tones unusual for an animated show, its differences from established Sonic the Hedgehog lore cannot be overlooked. The show is very different from anything else in the franchise, and neither of Sonic's siblings has appeared as established characters in any video games since the show ended, highlighting an age-old adage that applies to Sonic Underground: "If it isn't broke, don't fix it."

12 Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog

1993 - 1996

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog was the first animated series to be released, followed by the Sonic the Hedgehog series, which also came out in 1993. The Adventures series established several defining elements of the series, with Sonic's love of chili dogs and his friendship with Miles "Tails" Prower. The story is set in the fictional world of Mobius and sees Sonic and his friends face off against Robotnik once more.

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's dated animation and relative newness within the franchise see it fall short of other stories.

What helps Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog rank above Sonic Underground is the former's slapstick humor. This, combined with a cheeky attitude that made him beloved by fans and inspired later games, allows Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog to connect to the wider franchise in a way Underground did not. Despite these advantages, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's dated animation and relative newness within the franchise see it fall short of other stories.

11 Sonic The Hedgehog OVA

1996 & 1999

In 1996, the first of a two-part original video animation from Japan of Sonic the Hedgehog was released. The story featured Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Robotnik, and a Metal Sonic, who would all continue to appear in future entries. In 1999, due to the success of the two-part special, it received an English dub and was released to coincide with the Sonic Adventures video game release.

Metal Sonic was long-theorized to be the main villain of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in 2024 before Shadow was confirmed in this role.

Like Sonic Underground, the story of this show is different from earlier versions with a new setting on Planet Freedom. However, this show was pivotal in building the franchise with expanded lore and popularizing it in Japan. This expanded lore has since become synonymous with the game series. The handling of these changes allowed Sonic the Hedgehog OVA to stand apart from the other projects ranked below it, though it still does not match up to the best of the franchise.

10 Sonic X

2003 - 2006

Sonic X was another Japanese-animated series that featured Sonic and his friends being stranded on Earth. Sonic befriends a young human boy who helps him to fight back against the evil Doctor Eggman, and eventually return to their home world. In Japan, Robotnik was originally referred to as Eggman, and so this series carried that over into the English dub as well.

In carrying over now-iconic Sonic aspects like this, Sonic X was successful. However, the series overall received mixed reviews. Some audiences found the tone of the series too childlike at times, though many agreed that the show picked up as it went on. The animation improved, the Sonic stories were adapted much better, and the Japanese voice acting was universally liked. That said, the show's other drawbacks and lack of popularity in native Japan are reasons why it ranks lower than more successful Sonic the Hedgehog TV show spin-offs and movies.

9 Team Sonic Racing Overdrive

2019

While Team Sonic Racing Overdrive is fun enough, it simply does not have enough substance to rank above other Sonic the Hedgehog TV shows.

Team Sonic Racing Overdrive is a set of two shorts that were produced to tie in with the 2019 game, Team Sonic Racing. The shorts do not have any dialogue, but the story is entertaining, the animation is fantastic, and it is a great way to and expand on the game. The game is largely like a Mario Kart-style video game where the central characters use small cars to compete in races and compete.

While Team Sonic Racing Overdrive is fun enough, it simply does not have enough substance to rank above other Sonic the Hedgehog TV shows. The lack of voice acting and thus short, albeit entertaining, story mean the show cannot quite match its peers. That said, it is still a fun show in its own right, one that gets more correct than the likes of Sonic Underground as a story within a popular franchise.

8 Sonic Boom

2014 - 2017

The Sonic Boom series was released to coincide with and complement the Sonic Boom video games as a spin-off from the mainline series. The show includes a larger cast than those previously mentioned, with Sonic working together with friends Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, and Sticks to defeat Doctor Eggman. The show was developed as a series of one-off adventures that saw the team overcome a series of challenges.

Despite humor being Sonic Boom's strong suit, the less serious tone means other Sonic stories rank above it.

More so than any of the other Sonic shows mentioned to this point, Sonic Boom is light-hearted and fun. These simple aspects shine brightly in the show, making it easy to watch and easy to invest in. This ease of investment is driven largely by the colorful cast of characters Sonic Boom includes in its story. These characters are depicted perfectly with their own quirky personalities, some of which have become iconic in the world of online Sonic discourse. Despite humor being Sonic Boom's strong suit, the less serious tone means other Sonic stories rank above it.

Sonic Boom has gained a cult following on social media apps like TikTok or X due to many of the show's scenes being turned into memes.

7 Sonic Prime

2022 - 2024

The most recent iteration of Sonic the Hedgehog was made in association with Netflix and consists of 23 episodes over three seasons, titled Sonic Prime. In Sonic Prime, Sonic and Eggman have a showdown that results in a catastrophic shattering of the multiverse, and Sonic the Hedgehog travels through several alternate versions of reality to restore the universe. Many of Sonic's established friends appear throughout, albeit with alternate reality versions who aid him in his adventure.

What helps Sonic Prime stand above the others below it on this ranking is the show's dedication to balancing the old and new versions of Sonic the Hedgehog's iconic character. The series puts a spin on the usual story by introducing the multiverse, allowing familiar characters to appear in new and different ways. This combines with the classic iterations of Sonic characters found in Sonic Prime and the fantastic quality of animation to make the show a well-crafted, fun time filled with iconic Sonic characters.

6 Sonic Colors: Rise Of The Wisps

2021

Another set of shorts released to tie in with a video game, Sonic Colors: Rise of the Wisps, has some incredibly unique and beautiful artwork. The series does feature dialogue with Sonic and Tails learning about a plot by Doctor Eggman to harness the power of small creatures known as Wisps. The series also features the popular antagonist Metal Sonic, who works with Eggman to achieve their nefarious goals, but Sonic eventually gains the upper hand and frees the Wisps.

These shorts are exactly that, short but sweet. The animation quality is great, the voice acting works as it needs to, and the action is satisfying. This all centers around a great villain in Metal Sonic, who often features on Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

5 Knuckles

2024

The first live-action spin-off of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is Knuckles. Knuckles centers on the titular Echidna as he seeks to train a sheriff's deputy named Wade Whipple to become a warrior worthy of carrying on the Echidna tribe. Knuckles at its best is fun, and hilarious, and features some fantastic action that beautifully integrates the CGI the Sonic live-action movies have become known for. With a short, undemanding story, Knuckles never outstays its welcome and entertains those of all ages.

Where Knuckles pales in comparison to Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, however, is in its game elements. Knuckles is largely devoid of any video game storylines for the Echidna, instead focusing on the human-related story of Wade Whipple. This unfortunately means that Knuckles himself takes a back seat in most episodes, with the show focusing more on Wade than the titular character. This continues the weak human subplots of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, meaning that, while the show is fun and breezy, it cannot rank among the best Sonic TV shows or movies.

4 Sonic Mania Adventures

2018

Sonic Mania Adventures was a series of 5 shorts that tells a complete Sonic the Hedgehog story. From freeing captured creatures to finding and ing forces with his best friends, and facing off against his rivals, Metal Sonic and Eggman. The series may be short, but it contains all the key elements of the earliest animated shows with flare, fun animation, and typical Sonic quirkiness.