Sonic the Hedgehogis far from a niche franchise, but even the biggest video game franchises have room to grow.Sonicseems to be doing just that right now. The recentSonic the Hedgehogmovies have generated a ton of publicity for Sega’s star platformer series, and the upcomingSonic Frontiersseems like it could hold some widespread appeal too.Sonic Frontiersappears to be tapping into the current open world trend, at least in part, meaning it could pick up a lot of players who haven’t played manySonicgames in the past. Between these two projects, things are looking up forSonic.
TheSonic the Hedgehogmovies andSonic Frontiersshouldn’t be held as separate entities, though. On the contrary, they’re closely tied, since they’re both refreshing theSonicIP in their own ways.The firstSonicmoviewas a highly positive contribution to the video game franchise’s image, and fans' positive response to the sequel is a good sign for the burgeoning cinematic universe.Sonic Frontierscould see major sales thanks to these films, meaning it should find some way to acknowledge them. Even if it’s only in the form of subtle Easter eggs,Sonic Frontiersought to include a nod or two to its cinematic cousins.
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Possible Sonic Movie References in Sonic Frontiers
Because Sonic Team has shown so little ofSonic Frontiersso far, it’s hard to say what kind of Easter eggs the game might be able to include. At minimum, Sonic Team could probably add some subtle environmental details referencing the film. For instance,Sonic Frontierssupposedly features lots of lost, mysterious technology, so maybe there’ll be a ruin somewhere that looks suspiciously similar toDr. Robotnik’s giant mechfromSonic the Hedgehog 2.Sonic Team could also come up with some subtle dialogue or off-handed joke that references some recognizable moment from theSonicmovies.
Depending on the kinds of mechanicsSonic Frontiersfeatures and how bold Sonic Team wants to get with its references, the game could even feature some kind of cosmetic or collectible item that directly relates to theSonicmovies, albeit in a non-canonical way.Sonic Frontiersprobably won’t get much closer to referencing theSonicmovies than that, since the movies tella different story fromSoniccanon, but it would still be a fun way to tie the two majorSonicprojects together. As long as Sonic Team gets a little creative, there are plenty of ways to establish a relationship betweenSonic Frontiersand the recent movies.
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Why Sonic Movie References Matter
TheSonicmovies deserve a place inSonic Frontiersbecause they’re doing the same thing asSonic Frontiersin a very different way. Both the movies and the upcoming game experiment dramatically with theSonicformula; one tells a highly atypicalSonicstory, while the other reimaginesSonic the Hedgehogmechanics. So far, the response to both of these experiments has been positive.Even if theSonicmovies aren’t perfect, they’re hailed as solid video game adaptations, meaning they create optimism and excitement in the same way asSonic Frontiers' promised innovation.
While it remains to be seen ifSonic Frontiers' big ideas pay off, theSonicmovies are already working out well. Plans for a third movie and a TV show about Knuckles mean that there’sa richSoniccinematic universein the making. FutureSonicshows and movies could maintain a high level of interest inSonic the Hedgehoggames for years to come.Sonic Frontierstherefore owes the movies a lot. While fans wait forSonic Frontiersto release, the movies are keeping fans in high spirits. The least thatSonic Frontierscould do to thank the films for their contribution is to reference them somehow, even if it’s in little ways.
Sonic Frontiersreleases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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