Sega’s bright blue rodent mascot is finally making his way to the silver screen after a number of false starts, and we couldn’t be happier for the little guy. Sure, the movie looks like it might be… not so great, but Sonic is still an icon in the video game universe and any additional exposure can only lead to better Sonic games, which is the end goal here. As the star of comics, cartoons and more, Sonic has amassed quite a collection of tie-in toys, and here are eleven of our favorites.
Sonic Nendoroid
Frequent readers of this column know how often we lean on Good Smile’s line of Nendoroid figures, because they somehow managed to capture just about every pop culture license known to man for their poseable little guys and gals. Their take on Sonic is solid, with his trademark red sneakers and active posture delivered with aplomb. These things always come with a bunch of accessories, and the hedgehog is no different – you get a ring, one of the Chaos Emeralds, an item box, and even a stand that lets you pose him in dynamic running stances.
Get it ($133) at Amazon.com
Eggman Plush
Eggman – or Dr. Robotnik, if you’re nasty – has always been a hard nemesis to wrap our heads around. Sure, he wants to transform all of Mobius’s animal buddies into robots, or collect Chaos Emeralds, but why? What’s the dude’s motivation beyond just general evilness? We’re sure we could sit down and read like 80 Sonic comics and get an answer, but there are some things even we can’t survive. Take the bad guy home with this extremely funny plush that renders the mustachioed bad guy in SD style for extra huggability.
Get it ($18) at Amazon.com
Sonic Crash Course Board Game
Transferring the frantic speed of the Sonic franchise to the domain of board games seems like it would be a fool’s errand, but Crash Course from IDW actually pulls it off. Up to four players compete in this madcap race that sees the track grow as players lay down cards, creating hazards for the others to overcome as they try to get the Chaos Emeralds before the rest of the pack. Every game is different as the raceway grows and changes, giving this one tons of replayability. It’s a solid addition to your groaning game shelf.
Get it ($26) at Amazon.com
Kidrobot Sonic Action Diorama
Capturing the sheer speed of Sonic in a toy is a fool’s errand, but we have to give props to the artisans at Kidrobot for giving it a shot with this cool desktop diorama. Measuring eight inches high, it has the hedgehog in full spin dash down a gentle slope of Green Hill Zone, about to rocket into a line of rings that will give him protection from whatever bad news lurks down the line. The vibrant colors look like they were ripped straight from the Genesis.
Get it ($52) at Amazon.com
Shadow The Hedgehog Figure
First appearing in Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow was Sega’s attempt to introduce some grim and gritty 21st century flavor to their franchise. A brooding antihero, he was originally only supposed to make one appearance but proved so popular with fans that he was even given his own spin-off game in 2005, which gave us the bizarre image of an anthropomorphic hedgehog wielding a submachine gun. He’s fallen out of favor a little in recent years, but Shadow still has a devoted fanbase. If that describes you, this dope five-inch Japanese statuette will look great on your shelf.
Get it ($23) at Amazon.com
Tails Plush
One of the things that the Sonic franchise has been very dedicated to is creating platforming action that feels different when the player picks a different character. In Sonic 2 Tails played the same as his hedgehog friend, but with 1993’s Sonic Chaos we had the opportunity to use his flight ability for the first time, and that has featured heavily in levels designed for him in myriad games. This 18-inch-plush take on the hovering two-tailed fox will be a boon companion to you on your adventures as well.
Get it ($29) at Amazon.com
Green Hill Zone Pinball Track
One thing that distinguished Sonic from the competition early on was the segments where you’d rocket off a bumper and into a sequence of loops and launches that essentially took all control away from the player, letting you briefly just luxuriate in the wild speeds that Blast Processing could provide. It reached back through the arcade DNA to pinball, a comparison that has featured in numerous Sonic sequels. This dope little setup lets you grab that feeling anew, with a plunger that jets a Sonic Sphere through a loop, to a bumper and beyond.
Get it ($25) at Amazon.com
Super Sonic Statue
Much like his cousin Goku (please do not fact check this), Sonic is capable of attaining a more powerful form in which his hair turns blonde and sticks straight up in the air. Super Sonic first appeared in Sonic 2 after our hero collected all seven Chaos Emeralds and unlocked his true ability, and he’s shown up in numerous games since. Grab the power of the Emeralds for yourself with this First 4 statue that stands over a foot tall and is painted with a special technique that gives Super Sonic a unique reflective yellow sheen.
Get it ($330) at Amazon.com
Sonic Funko Pop With Ring
Has Sega ever offered an explanation for exactly what the iconic gold rings that fuel Sonic and his pals are? They appear everywhere, seemingly out of nowhere, and give the bearer the ability to survive nearly fatal injuries as long as they carry even one of them. But where do they come from? Is there an alternate universe version of Sauron on Mobius who got really ambitious or something? The world may never know, but at least you can own this sweet Funko rendition of our blue speedster holding on to a ring to keep himself safe.
Get it ($15) at Amazon.com
Knuckles Action Figure
One of the most popular of Sonic’s early supporting cast, Knuckles was introduced in Sonic 3 as an antagonist who got bamboozled by Eggman into opposing our heroes, and then became playable in Sonic & Knuckles shortly afterwards. He’s a great illustration of how Sega was already tweaking the formula, because he was a slower character more focused on smashing chumps with his mighty fists than feats of speed. This dope action figure has over a dozen points of articulation for ultra-dramatic posing.
Get it ($13) at Amazon.com
Amy Rose Plush
Wielding a mighty hammer, Amy Rose was introduced as a love interest to Sonic as a result of a request from Sega’s licensing department, who wanted a character that would bring girl appeal to the franchise. She was first introduced in the manga series, where her crush on our hero was front and center. Her first video game appearance, in Sonic CD, was the traditional “damsel in distress” role, but as time went by Amy became more confident, capable and playable. This plush rendition of the pink hedgehog stands over a foot tall and is ready to rocket off for adventure.
Get it ($29) at Amazon.com
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