1990s · Platformer
Games like Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog: first released 1991 by Sonic Team.

In the series: Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), Sonic CD (1993), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), Sonic Adventure (1998), Sonic Mania (2017).
33 games inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog
- Freedom Planet: Started as Sonic fan game; Kickstarted original platformer.
- Freedom Planet 2: Sequel to the Sonic-styled Freedom Planet.
- Green Hill Paradise Act 2: Final Mix: 3D reimagining of Green Hill built with the Sonic GDK; praised by Sega.
- Knuckles' Emerald Hunt (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Turns Sonic 2's zones into Sonic Adventure-style emerald hunts for Knuckles, with extra levels, Tikal as a playable character and a race-for-the-emeralds versus mode.
- Metal Sonic Hyperdrive (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): Fan game starring Metal Sonic, rebuilt by Tails, with new levels and music.
- Metal Sonic Rebooted (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): A heavily rebuilt Sonic 2 starring Metal Sonic, with new art, level layouts, mechanics and music.
- Sonic 2 Delta (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Restores the zones cut from Sonic 2 during development as playable levels and adds Knuckles from Sonic & Knuckles.
- Sonic 2 Heroes (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Sonic 2 played as a Sonic Heroes-style team of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles at once, with three-player co-op through the Team Player multi-tap.
- Sonic 2 Retro Remix (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Turns Sonic 2 into an exploration-driven adventure where progress comes from Mario-style missions: emerald hunts, boss battles, speed runs and score attacks.
- Sonic 3 A.I.R. (Angel Island Revisited): Widescreen fan remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles with remastered music and modding; needs the original ROM.
- Sonic 3 Complete (Sonic 3 & Knuckles ROM hack): Combines Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles into one cartridge with restored prototype music, palettes and many options, made to run on real hardware.
- Sonic Boom (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): A heavy rework of Sonic 2 with new zones, art and music, a standout of the Sonic Hacking Contest.
- Sonic Chrono Adventure: Open-world 2D Sonic fan game with time travel, last of the LakeFeperd trilogy.
- Sonic Classic Heroes (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Merges Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 into one game with a Sonic Heroes-style team of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles switching leader on the fly.
- Sonic ERaZor (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): A long-running Sonic 1 conversion with a bizarre story, explosive set pieces and absurd challenge stages; the 2024 Seventh Public Release added Casual and Frantic modes.
- Sonic Gaiden (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): An early Sonic 1 conversion with new levels and a choice of Sonic or Mighty the Armadillo, each with their own ending.
- Sonic Galactic: 32-bit style 2D Sonic fan game with new zones and characters; demos released.
- Sonic Omens: Episodic 3D Sonic fan game in the Adventure style.
- Sonic Robo Blast 2: Open-source 3D Sonic fan game on a modified Doom Legacy engine, in development since 1998.
- Sonic Sunventure (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): A time-travel adventure of nine new acts of exploration and speed, built inside Sonic 1.
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Lost Worlds (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): Rebuilds the zones cut from Sonic 2, some finished from prototype data and others recreated from magazine shots and developer interviews.
- Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): Rebuilds Sonic 1 with new zones, Sonic 3-style abilities and Mighty and Shadow as playable characters; one of the most famous Sonic hacks ever made.
- Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit: 16-bit style reimagining of the Game Gear Sonic Triple Trouble.
- Sonic Utopia: Open 3D tech demo channeling the Sonic CD intro.
- Sonic: After the Sequel: Fan game set between Sonic 2 and Sonic 3, with a celebrated soundtrack.
- Sonic: Before the Sequel: Fan game set between Sonic 1 and 2, first of a trilogy.
- Sonic: Hellfire Saga (Sonic 3 & Knuckles ROM hack): A gothic Sonic adventure mixing Castlevania and Ghosts 'n Goblins themes, with an original story, new zones and heavy focus on boss fights.
- Sonic: Project Revenge (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ROM hack): New level designs and art, reworked Sonic and Tails sprites and original music, all inside Sonic 2.
- Sonic: Scorched Quest (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): A new adventure set after Sonic CD, with new zones and art as Sonic chases Eggman and the mysterious Flame Emeralds across South Island.
- Sonitroid (Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack): Turns Sonic 1 into a Metroid-style exploration game through Brinstar, Kraid's lair and Tourian, with Morph Ball and Spindash upgrades.
- Spark the Electric Jester: Fast platformer by a former Sonic fan-game developer.
- SRB2Kart: Kart racer built on the SRB2 engine with 16-player online races.
- Streets of Rage 2: Robotnik Wars (Streets of Rage 2 ROM hack): Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow brawl through a city taken over by Eggman's robots in a Sonic-themed Streets of Rage 2.