Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie is a real treat for video game fans. Despite the initial controversy over the main character's design, the finished product turned out surprisingly well (check out our Sonic the Hedgehog review for more). And just as we hoped, the movie is a treasure trove of Easter eggs and hidden references to the iconic video game series. From Sonic's love of chili dogs to a reference to one of the most infamous Internet memes ever, here are all the Easter eggs we spotted in Sonic the Hedgehog. Check out the slideshow gallery below or scroll down to see them all. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=sonic-the-hedgehog-all-the-easter-eggs-and-hidden-references-from-the-movie&captions=true"]
A Mega Drive Down Memory Lane
During the freeze frame shot in the opening of the movie, eagle-eyed viewers may notice a road sign reading "Mega Dr." This is a reference to Sega's Mega Drive console. Or as American gamers know it, the Sega Genesis.
Sonic Music Veterans
The opening song in the movie is composed by a band called Hyper Potions. Sonic fans will probably remember them for providing the music for 2017's Sonic Mania. Otherwise known as "the good modern Sonic game."
The Chao Cameo
While the movie avoids drawing in most of the supporting characters from the Sonic games, it does include a quick nod to the Chao, the cutsey virtual pets introduced in 1999's Sonic Adventure. During the highway chase scene, a Chao figurine can be spotted on the dashboard of the family van.
A Familiar Tune
The movie features an action scene where Sonic outruns a barrage of missiles and uses a pair of them as drumsticks to play a catchy tune. If the tune in question sounds familiar, that's because Sonic is playing the "level complete" music featured in so many of the games.
Hunting Chaos Emeralds
Many Sonic games revolve around Sonic's efforts to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds. While the movie doesn't really deal with these powerful artifacts, it does include a hidden reference in the form of a Chaos Emerald drawn on Sonic's map.
Going Super Sonic
Similarly, we never actually see our hero undergo his Super Sonic transformation in the film, which usually happens when Sonic assembles the Chaos Emeralds and morphs from blue to gold. But Sonic does allude to "going Super Sonic" during his final showdown with Dr. Robotnik. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/12/sonic-the-hedgehog-official-trailer-2"]
The Blue Devil
Sonic is nicknamed "Blue Devil" in the movie, which is a reference to the car driven by his robotic nemesis Metal Sonic in the kart racing game Sonic Drift.
Sanic the Hedgehog?
We all love Sanic, the crudely drawn Internet meme version of Sonic who lives by the mantra "Gotta go fast." As we hoped, the movie pays tribute to that meme in a hilarious way. Crazy Carl shows off an image of Sonic that's actually lifted straight from that meme.
Sonic's Headband
Sonic wears a martial arts headband with a logo that should be instantly recognizable to gamers. The logo is the same one used in many of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, albeit without Sonic face's plastered in the middle.
A Nintendo Easter Egg
In a roundabout way, the movie features a reference to an iconic Nintendo franchise. While dashing through the streets of San Francisco, Sonic strikes a pose that seems directly lifted from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Here's hoping this is the first step towards a shared Sonic/Mario cinematic universe.
Sun/Sunshine Valley
During the baseball sequence, the opposing team can be seen wearing uniforms with the initials SV. This could be a reference to either Sun Valley or Sunshine Valley, locations introduced in Archie Comics' Sonic the hedgehog series.
Sonic Loves Chili Dogs
Just as mutant turtles are obsessed with pizza, Sonic loves him some chili dogs. We're not sure how he runs so fast on a diet of junk food, but regardless, the movie pays homage to this long-standing character trait when Sonic scarfs down some chili dogs during the bar fight scene.
Mushroom Hill Zone
At one point in the film, Dr. Robotnik finds himself on a strange world full of giant mushrooms. This could well be Mushroom Hill Zone, a world featured in the Genesis games Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Sadly, Knuckles himself doesn't put in an appearance. For an even deeper dive into the new movie, see star Ben Schwartz react to a Sonic 2 speedrun and test his Sonic trivia knowledge. Then see how the movie is faring with other critics. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
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A Mega Drive Down Memory Lane
During the freeze frame shot in the opening of the movie, eagle-eyed viewers may notice a road sign reading "Mega Dr." This is a reference to Sega's Mega Drive console. Or as American gamers know it, the Sega Genesis.Sonic Music Veterans
The opening song in the movie is composed by a band called Hyper Potions. Sonic fans will probably remember them for providing the music for 2017's Sonic Mania. Otherwise known as "the good modern Sonic game."The Chao Cameo
While the movie avoids drawing in most of the supporting characters from the Sonic games, it does include a quick nod to the Chao, the cutsey virtual pets introduced in 1999's Sonic Adventure. During the highway chase scene, a Chao figurine can be spotted on the dashboard of the family van.A Familiar Tune
The movie features an action scene where Sonic outruns a barrage of missiles and uses a pair of them as drumsticks to play a catchy tune. If the tune in question sounds familiar, that's because Sonic is playing the "level complete" music featured in so many of the games.Hunting Chaos Emeralds
Many Sonic games revolve around Sonic's efforts to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds. While the movie doesn't really deal with these powerful artifacts, it does include a hidden reference in the form of a Chaos Emerald drawn on Sonic's map.Going Super Sonic
Similarly, we never actually see our hero undergo his Super Sonic transformation in the film, which usually happens when Sonic assembles the Chaos Emeralds and morphs from blue to gold. But Sonic does allude to "going Super Sonic" during his final showdown with Dr. Robotnik. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/12/sonic-the-hedgehog-official-trailer-2"]The Blue Devil
Sonic is nicknamed "Blue Devil" in the movie, which is a reference to the car driven by his robotic nemesis Metal Sonic in the kart racing game Sonic Drift.Sanic the Hedgehog?
We all love Sanic, the crudely drawn Internet meme version of Sonic who lives by the mantra "Gotta go fast." As we hoped, the movie pays tribute to that meme in a hilarious way. Crazy Carl shows off an image of Sonic that's actually lifted straight from that meme.Sonic's Headband
Sonic wears a martial arts headband with a logo that should be instantly recognizable to gamers. The logo is the same one used in many of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, albeit without Sonic face's plastered in the middle.A Nintendo Easter Egg
In a roundabout way, the movie features a reference to an iconic Nintendo franchise. While dashing through the streets of San Francisco, Sonic strikes a pose that seems directly lifted from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Here's hoping this is the first step towards a shared Sonic/Mario cinematic universe.Sun/Sunshine Valley
During the baseball sequence, the opposing team can be seen wearing uniforms with the initials SV. This could be a reference to either Sun Valley or Sunshine Valley, locations introduced in Archie Comics' Sonic the hedgehog series.Sonic Loves Chili Dogs
Just as mutant turtles are obsessed with pizza, Sonic loves him some chili dogs. We're not sure how he runs so fast on a diet of junk food, but regardless, the movie pays homage to this long-standing character trait when Sonic scarfs down some chili dogs during the bar fight scene.Mushroom Hill Zone
At one point in the film, Dr. Robotnik finds himself on a strange world full of giant mushrooms. This could well be Mushroom Hill Zone, a world featured in the Genesis games Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Sadly, Knuckles himself doesn't put in an appearance. For an even deeper dive into the new movie, see star Ben Schwartz react to a Sonic 2 speedrun and test his Sonic trivia knowledge. Then see how the movie is faring with other critics. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.Continue reading...