This weekend’s PAX event featured a number of interesting announcements, but one in particular should have Sonic the Hedgehog fans — and Android users — pretty excited.
During the show, Sega announced plans to bring the much-revered but hard-to-find Sonic CD to Android devices by the end of the year, with other platform releases to follow.
According to Sega, the new version of Sonic CD will feature music from its original Japanese soundtrack, and will eventually find its way to Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, iPhone and iPod touch, iPad, Windows PC Digital Download, and Windows Phone later this year.
Originally released in 1993 as part of the ill-fated Sega CD system, Sonic CD is widely regarded as one of the best of the iconic hedgehog’s 2-D, platform-style adventures, despite the fact that very few fans have been able to play it. The game was released on the Sega CD system just before the company’s focus turned to its new Dreamcast console. As a result, the game became available only to those who could locate a working Sega CD system and Sonic CD disc.
The game was later rereleased on Nintendo Gamecube and Playstation 2 as part of the Sonic Gems compilation, but it arrived near the end of both consoles’ popularity.
“Ask any Sonic fan to name their favorite games, and Sonic CD always ranks near the top of their lists,” said Haruki Satomi, Vice President of Digital Business at Sega of America. “Sonic CD marks an important chapter in Sonic’s history, bridging the gap between his oldest adventures and his new digital exploits like Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I. We’ve made sure the re-mastered edition has everything that Sonic fans want to see with all of the original colorful classic zones.”
The company’s announcement also hinted at some new features for the Sonic CD re-release, including widescreen graphics, “special iOS features,” and integration with Xbox LIVE Achievements, PSN Trophies, and PC Achievements.
