"Sonic was originally supposed to be this impertinent, cheeky character. However, once he blew up in popularity, his image gradually morphed into something more cutesy. Sonic has now appeared in 29 games across different platforms, and Sonic merchandise and goods have proliferated around the world. Because of that, [his creators] kind of lost some control over his image. So when it came time to do Sonic Adventure in 1998, we were worried that if he became too cutesy, he would end up just like every other cute, cloying character mascot. So for the Dreamcast, we deliberately tried to strengthen his original 'bad boy' image."
— Yuji Naka on Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog
Tails: Sonic... am I a burden to you?
Sonic: Wow. And how did you come to this well-thought-out concern?
Tails: Whenever there's a crisis, I'm either running away or standing on the sidelines! You're always rescuing me when all I do is follow you around!
Sonic: Hey! Who was it who stopped Eggman from blowing up Station Square? Huh? And who broke me out of prison, or saved me from the Deadly Six's trap?
Tails: I... then, I'm wildly inconsistent!
Sonic: Dude! Relax! You've got brains like Eggman, speed like me, and can fly with your butt. It's okay if you still need help sometimes. That's just part of growing up.
Tails: When did you get to be so insightful?
Sonic: I have my moments.
Sonic: Wow. And how did you come to this well-thought-out concern?
Tails: Whenever there's a crisis, I'm either running away or standing on the sidelines! You're always rescuing me when all I do is follow you around!
Sonic: Hey! Who was it who stopped Eggman from blowing up Station Square? Huh? And who broke me out of prison, or saved me from the Deadly Six's trap?
Tails: I... then, I'm wildly inconsistent!
Sonic: Dude! Relax! You've got brains like Eggman, speed like me, and can fly with your butt. It's okay if you still need help sometimes. That's just part of growing up.
Tails: When did you get to be so insightful?
Sonic: I have my moments.
"There's a reason people praise the writing of Sonic and the Black Knight. Because Sonic's personality is the driving force of the game's story. The entire plot centers around the juxtaposition of a character like Sonic ending up in a world that directly opposes his way of thinking. (…) But nowadays, you could replace him with any other character, and you wouldn't miss anything. He's just… the hero, and he's not allowed to be anything more. Sonic isn't a character that can be tied down to a specific role; he's wild and unpredictable. But he's lost that energy, that spirit. So how do we fix him? Well, that's easy! We kill him! …Let me explain.
"The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is a free visual novel murder mystery game released as an April Fools' joke. And it's the best-written Sonic story in over a decade.
"I don't believe it! I actually like seeing these characters interact! They're actually saying things that they would say! Is it perfect? No, I still think some of the characters still feel a little subdued, but the difference in quality is astounding. Modern Amy actually got me to smile! Sonic himself is great here, too; maybe still a little too soft for me, but he's not giving TED Talks every five minutes, so I'll take it.
"This is what I want from Sonic. That one-of-a-kind spirit that you can't find anywhere else."
