Since the release of the first game on June 23rd 1991, Sonic has become one of the world's best-known video game characters, with the series having sold over 45 million copies. Naoto Oshima's spiky cerulean hedgehog, initially codenamed "Mr Needlemouse" was redesigned in 1998 and it is the original Sonic the Hedgehog that we offer here, as he was before the redesign for Sonic Adventure.