Sonic Team is a Japanese video game development division of Sega. The initial team was composed of developers from Sega's Consumer Development division, including programmer Yuji Naka, artist Naoto Ohshima, and level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara. The team took the name Sonic Team in 1991 with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. The game was a major success, and started the long-running Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

The next several games were developed by Naka and Yasuhara in America at Sega Technical Institute. In late 1994, Naka returned to Japan to become the head of CS3, later renamed R&D #8. During this time, the division was branded with the Sonic Team name but also developed games that do not feature Sonic, such as Nights into Dreams (1996) and Burning Rangers (1998). Following the release of Sonic Adventure in 1998, some Sonic Team staff moved to the United States to form Sonic Team USA and develop Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). With Sega's diversification of its studios, R&D #8 became Sonic Team in 2000, with Naka as CEO and Sonic Team USA as its subsidiary. Sega's financial troubles led to several major structural changes in the early 2000s, the United Game Artists studio was absorbed by Sonic Team in 2003, and Sonic Team USA became Sega Studios USA in 2004. After Sammy Corporation purchased Sega in 2005, Sonic Team was restructured to become Sega's GE1 research and development department, and later, CS2. As of 2019, Sonic Team is a team within CS2.

In addition to the Sonic series, the company has developed other games for Sega, such as Nights into Dreams (1996) and Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003).[1][2] The 1991 release of Sonic the Hedgehog is considered significant in video game history, as it increased the Sega Genesis's sales and Sega displaced Nintendo as the leading video game company.[3] Some Sonic Team games, such as the Sonic games and Nights, are considered among the greatest of all time.[4][5]

On this list, games are gathered that are either on the official Japanese Sonic Team website or titles where it is officially mentioned that Sonic Team is involved.

Games

Game Platforms Release date JP NA PAL Role Producer Director Notes Ref(s)
Sonic the Hedgehog Sega Genesis June 23, 1991 Yes Yes Yes Developer Shinobu Toyoda Hirokazu Yasuhara [6]
Nights into Dreams Sega Saturn July 5, 1996 Yes Yes Yes Developer Yuji Naka Naoto Oshima [7]
PlayStation 2 February, 2008 Yes No No Supervision Makoto Uchida Akira Ogata
Xbox 360 October 5, 2012 Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation 3 Yes Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes Yes
Sonic 3D Blast

(Co-developer)

 Sega Genesis November 7, 1996 No Yes Yes Co-developer Traveller's Tales Kats Sato Takao Miyoshi
Sega Saturn November 20, 1996 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Jam Sega Saturn June 20, 1997 Yes Yes Yes Developer Yuji Naka Takashi Iizuka
Sonic R (Co-developer) Sega Saturn November 18, 1997 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer Traveller's Tales Masamitsu Shiino
Windows November 11, 1998 Yes Yes Yes
Burning Rangers Sega Saturn February 26, 1998 Yes Yes Yes Developer Naoto Ohshima
Sonic Adventure Dreamcast December 23, 1998 Yes Yes Yes Takashi Iizuka
GameCube June 17, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Kenjiro Morimoto Includes more content, titled Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut.
Windows December 18, 2003 Yes Yes Yes
ChuChu Rocket! Dreamcast November 11, 1999 Yes Yes Yes Yuji Naka
Game Boy Advance March 21, 2001 Yes Yes Yes
Space Channel 5 Dreamcast December 16, 1999 Yes Yes Yes Originally developed by United Game Artist Tetsuya Mizuguchi Takashi Yuda
Samba de Amigo Arcade December 1999 Yes Yes No Developer Yuji Naka Shun Nakamura
Dreamcast April 27, 2000 Yes Yes Yes
Phantasy Star Online December 21, 2000 Yes Yes Yes Takao Miyoshi
Windows December 20, 2001 Yes No No Enhanced version subtitled Blue Burst, which includes a new exclusive episode, released in 2004.
GameCube September 12, 2002 Yes Yes Yes Includes more content, titled Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II. A Plus enhanced version was later published.
Xbox April 15, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Includes more content, titled Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II.
Sonic Adventure 2 Dreamcast June 18, 2001 Yes Yes Yes Takashi Iizuka Developed by Sonic Team USA
GameCube December 20, 2001 Yes Yes Yes Includes more content, titled Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.
Puyo Pop Game Boy Advance October 18, 2001 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Caret House Akinori Nishiyama
Rez PlayStation 2 November 22, 2001 Yes Yes Yes Originally developed by United Game Artist Tetsuya Mizuguchi Jun Kobayashi
Space Channel 5: Part 2 PlayStation 2 February 14, 2002 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Advance Game Boy Advance December 20, 2001 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Yuji Naka, Hiroshi Matsumoto Akinori Nishiyama
Sonic Mega Collection GameCube November 10, 2002 Yes Yes Yes Developer Yuji Naka Yojiro Ogawa Games were compiled by VR-1 Japan
PlayStation 2 November 2, 2004 Yes Yes Yes Includes more content, titled Sonic Mega Collection Plus.
Xbox Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Advance 2 Game Boy Advance December 19, 2002 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Yuji Naka, Hiroshi Matsumoto Akinori Nishiyama
Sonic Pinball Party Game Boy Advance June 1, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Jupiter
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg GameCube September 23, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Yuji Naka Shun Nakamura
Puyo Pop Fever Arcade November 26, 2003 Yes No No Co-developer with MileStone Inc. Takashi Yuda
PlayStation 2 February 4, 2004 Yes No Yes Developer
Dreamcast February 24, 2004 Yes No No
GameCube February 27, 2004 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Yes No Yes
Mac OS X June 24, 2004 Yes No No
Game Boy Advance July 24, 2004 Yes No Yes
Windows September 24, 2004 Yes No Yes
Pocket PC October 24, 2004 Yes No No
Nintendo DS December 24, 2004 Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation Portable Yes No Yes
Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution GameCube November 27, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Yojiro Ogawa
Sonic Battle Game Boy Advance December 4, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Tomoyuki Hayashi
Sonic Heroes PlayStation 2 December 30, 2003 Yes Yes Yes Takashi Iizuka Developed by Sonic Team USA
GameCube Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Yes Yes Yes
Astro Boy PlayStation 2 April 18, 2004 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Tezuka Productions Yuji Naka, Mineko Okamura Hideki Anbo
Sonic Advance 3 Game Boy Advance June 7, 2004 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Yuji Naka, Kochi Sakita Akinori Nishiyama
Sega Superstars PlayStation 2 October 22, 2004 Yes Yes Yes Developer Yuji Naka Yoshihisa Hashimoto
Feel the Magic: XY/XX Nintendo DS November 16, 2004 Yes Yes Yes Yuji Naka, Yojiro Ogawa Takumi Yoshinga
Sonic Gems Collection PlayStation 2 August 11, 2005 Yes No Yes Mizuki Hosoyamada
GameCube Yes Yes Yes
The Rub Rabbits! Nintendo DS October 20, 2005 Yes Yes Yes Takumi Yoshinaga
Shadow the Hedgehog PlayStation 2 November 15, 2005 Yes Yes Yes Yuji Naka Takashi Iizuka Developed by Sega Studios USA
GameCube Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Rush Nintendo DS November 15, 2005 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Yuji Naka, Koichi Sakita Akinori Nishiyama
Puyo Puyo Fever 2 PlayStation 2 November 24, 2005 Yes No No Developer Yuji Naka, Takashi Yuda N/A
PlayStation Portable Yes No No
Nintendo DS December 24, 2005 Yes No No
Sonic Riders PlayStation 2 February 21, 2006 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Now Production Yuji Naka, Takashi Yuda Kenjiro Morimoto
GameCube Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Yes Yes Yes
Windows November 17, 2006 No Yes Yes
Jukugon PlayStation Portable July 13, 2006 Yes No No Developer N/A N/A [8]
Phantasy Star Universe PlayStation 2 August 31, 2006 Yes Yes Yes Yuji Naka, Takao Miyoshi Satoshi Sakai [7]
Windows Yes Yes Yes
Xbox 360 October 25, 2006 Yes Yes Yes
Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach Nintendo DS September 14, 2006 Yes Yes Yes N/A Takumi Yoshinaga
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) Xbox 360 November 14, 2006 Yes Yes Yes Masahiro Kumuno Shun Nakamura
PlayStation 3 December 21, 2006 Yes Yes Yes
Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary Nintendo DS December 14, 2006 Yes No No Akinori Nishiyama Mizuki Hosoyamada
PlayStation 2 March 21, 2007 Yes No No
PlayStation Portable Yes No No
Wii July 26, 2007 Yes No No
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Wii November 22, 2007 Yes Yes Yes Supervisor Osamu Ohashi Eigo Kasahara
Nintendo DS January 17, 2008 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic and the Secret Rings Wii February 20, 2007 Yes Yes Yes Developer Yojiro Ogawa Yojiro Ogawa
Onsei Kanjou Sokuteiki: Kokoro Scan Nintendo DS August 16, 2007 Yes No No N/A Takumi Yoshinaga
Sonic Rush Adventure Nintendo DS September 13, 2007 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Akinori Nishiyama Sakae Osumi
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams Wii December 13, 2007 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Takashi Iizuka Developed by Sega Studios USA
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity PlayStation 2 January 8, 2008 No Yes Yes Co-developer with O-Two Kenjiro Morimoto Kenjiro Morimoto
Wii Yes Yes Yes
Phantasy Star Portable PlayStation Portable July 31, 2008 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Alfa System Satoshi Sakai, Tatsuya Sasaki Katsuya Kira
Sonic Unleashed PlayStation 2 November 18, 2008 No Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps, O-Two Akinori Nishiyama Yoshihisa Hashimoto
Wii Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps
Xbox 360 Yes Yes Yes Developer Toshiyuki Nagahara
PlayStation 3 December 9, 2008 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic and the Black Knight Wii March 3, 2009 Yes Yes Yes Tetsu Katano Tetsu Katano
Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games Wii November 5, 2009 Yes Yes Yes Supervisor Osamu Ohashi Takashi Iizuka
Nintendo DS Yes Yes Yes Eigo Kasahara
Puyo Puyo 7 Nintendo DS July 30, 2009 Yes No No Co-developer with h.a.n.d. Mizuki Hosoyamada Takumi Yoshinaga
PlayStation Portable November 26, 2009 Yes No No
Wii Yes No No
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Wii October 11, 2010 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Takashi Iizuka, Hiroyuki Kawano Toshiyuki Nagahra
PlayStation 3 October 12, 2010 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox 360 October 13, 2010 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Free Riders Xbox 360 November 4, 2010 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with O-Two Kenjiro Morimoto Kenjiro Morimoto
Sonic Colors Wii November 11, 2010 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Morio Kishimoto
Nintendo DS Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Takashi Iizuka, Hiroyuki Kawano Takao Hirabayashi
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Wii November 15 2011 Yes Yes Yes Supervisor Osamu Ohashi Eigo Kasahara
Nintendo DS February 9 2012 Yes Yes Yes Koji Shindo
Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary Nintendo DS July 14, 2011 Yes No No Co-developer with h.a.n.d. Mizuki Hosoyamada Takumi Yoshinaga
PlayStation Portable December 15, 2011 Yes No No Co-developer with O-Two
Wii Yes No No
Nintendo 3DS Yes No No Co-developer with h.a.n.d.
Sonic Generations PlayStation 3 November 1, 2011 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Hiroshi Miyamoto
Xbox 360 Yes Yes Yes
Windows November 3, 2011 No Yes Yes
Nintendo 3DS November 22, 2011 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Takashi Iizuka, Hiroyuki Kawano Tetsu Katano
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II PlayStation 3 May 15, 2012 Yes Yes Yes Makoto Suzuki
Xbox 360 May 16, 2012 Yes Yes Yes
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Wii U November 8, 2013 Yes Yes Yes Supervisor Eigo Kasahara, Nobuya Ohashi Hiroshi Miyamoto
Sonic Lost World Wii U October 18, 2013 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Morio Kishimoto
Nintendo 3DS Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Dimps Takashi Iizuka, Hiroyuki Kawano Takao Hirabayashi
Windows November 2, 2015 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Morio Kishimoto
Puyo Puyo Tetris PlayStation 3 February 6, 2014 Yes No No Co-developer with O-Two Mizuki Hosoyamada Koji Shindo
Nintendo 3DS Yes No No
PlayStation Vita Yes No No
Wii U Yes No No
Xbox One December 4, 2014 Yes No No Developer
PlayStation 4 Yes Yes Yes
Nintendo Switch March 3, 2017 Yes Yes Yes
Windows February 27, 2018 Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Wii U November 11, 2014 Yes Yes Yes Supervision Stephen Frost, Lisa Kapitas Bob Rafei
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal Nintendo 3DS Yes Yes Yes Jenny Huang Bill Spence
Sonic Runners Mobile February 25, 2015 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Hardlight Takashi Iizuka Takao Hirabayashi Discontinued on July 27, 2016.[9] [10]
Sonic Forces Windows November 7, 2017 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka, Shun Nakamura Morio Kishimoto [11]
Nintendo Switch Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation 4 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox One Yes Yes Yes
Sakura Wars PlayStation 4 December 12, 2019 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Sega CS2 Tetsu Katano Tetsuya Ohtsubo Developed the battle portion, and lent the Hedgehog Engine 2 [12]
Sonic Origins Nintendo Switch June 23, 2022 Yes Yes Yes Developer Takashi Iizuka Katsuyuki Shigihara Games ported by Headcannon and Christian Whitehead [13]
PlayStation 4 Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation 5 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox One Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Series X/S Yes Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Frontiers Nintendo Switch November 8, 2022 Yes Yes Yes Takashi Iizuka, Sachiko Kawamura Morio Kishimoto [14]
PlayStation 4 Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation 5 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox One Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Series X/S Yes Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes Yes
Sonic Superstars Nintendo Switch October 17, 2023 Yes Yes Yes Co-developer with Arzest Takashi Iizuka, Naoto Ohshima, Yasuyuki Tsuzuki Shunsuke Kawaraduka
PlayStation 4 Yes Yes Yes
PlayStation 5 Yes Yes Yes
Xbox One Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Series X/S Yes Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes Yes

See also

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Sean (2006). "Company Profile: Sonic Team". Retro Gamer. No. 26. Imagine Publishing. pp. 24–29.
  2. ↑ Casamassina, Matt. "Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg". IGN. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "This Month in Gaming History". Game Informer. Vol. 12, no. 105. January 2002. p. 117.
  4. ↑ Cork, Jeff (November 16, 2009). "Game Informer's Top 100 Games Of All Time (Circa Issue 100)". Game Informer. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  5. ↑ "100 Greatest Games of All Time". Computer and Video Games. Future plc (218): 53–67. January 2000.
  6. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (June 5, 2014). "Who Makes the Best Sonic the Hedgehog Games?". USgamer. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "SEGA | ソニックチーム | プレイステーション2 専用ソフト". www.sonicteam.com. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  8. ↑ Jukugon ジュクゴン [ULJM-05139] PPSSPP Gameplay Test, archived from the original on 2021-12-20, retrieved 2021-06-26
  9. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (May 28, 2016). "Sonic Runners, SEGA's Mobile Release by the Sonic Team, is Getting Shut Down". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ Musgrave, Shaun (February 26, 2015). "Sonic Team's 'Sonic Runners' Soft Launches In Japan And Canada". TouchArcade. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Project Sonic 2017 Confirmed for Nintendo NX Release". Nintendo Life. 2016-07-23. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  12. ↑ "『新サクラ大戦』に『龍が如く7』！ 2020年に向けて飛躍するセガゲームスの取り組みを名越氏に訊く【電撃PS】". 電撃オンライン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  13. ↑ Sonic Origins Credits Reel, retrieved 2022-08-02
  14. ↑ Shea, Brian (2022-08-23). "Sonic Frontiers Release Date Set For November". Game Informer. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
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