From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, it seemed like only one character could be considered the superstar of gaming – Super Mario. By 1990, five games featured the character and his popularity was only growing. Nintendo might have felt that nothing could knock the Italian plumber off his throne. Enter Sonic the Hedgehog.
In its infancy, Sega was still a while off as a serious contender to Nintendo. While its console the Genesis was selling well, it was still exponentially outsold by Nintendo’s offerings. Sega needed a mascot to carry the company’s flag and make the product a must-buy.
Released in 1991, the first Sonic the Hedgehog game was an instant success, and the character was popular among children who saw him as an edgier and cooler option than other gaming characters, Mario included. The fast-paced gameplay was a big draw, too, as it was able to utilise the Sega Genesis’s faster processing power to reach sonic speeds across the screen.
The task of creating the design of Sonic fell to Naoto Ohshima, Jina Ishiwatari and Rieko Kodama. Ohshima decided on the two main components of the character – his distinctive blue colour and the fact that he would be a hedgehog and not another animal.
Speaking to The National at Animenia, Ohshima says: “At that time, there was a culture of ecology blooming all over the world. And the corporate colour of Sega is blue, so it was a wish that the sky would always be beautifully blue. Why is it a hedgehog? The hedgehog is perfect because Sonic’s characteristic is to curl up into a ball and roll to defeat enemies, and during that time, he is invincible.”
Sega devised an idea for a game where the lead character would morph into a ball, enabling them to move faster, gather collectables and attack enemies with ease. A hedgehog made perfect sense to Ohshima for this character. He adds: “To clearly convey the concept to everyone, the hedgehog was very suitable. Also, when running fast, a hedgehog looks like a shadow.”
The results were undeniable and Sonic was an instant hit with consumers and critics alike. The game scored highly with every gaming publication at the time, even winning Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards. Sales reflected its success, too. It was the bestselling game in the US for several months in 1991, outselling its rival Super Mario.
Sonic the Hedgehog became the bestselling game of 1991, shifting more than two million copies worldwide. It helped Sega generate a gross revenue of $1 billion in console sales, demonstrating just how popular the character had become in just a year.
That was just the beginning for Sonic and since then, there have been more than 90 games that feature the character, with some even teaming up with his once-industry competitor Super Mario.
Ohshima feels grateful to Sega and the fans for keeping Sonic as popular as ever, adding: “The one who has been protecting Sonic at Sega is Takashi Iizuka, who is the general manager of Sonic at Sega. And then there are the fans who have supported Sonic. I can only express my gratitude. Everyone at Sega is kind of like a friend to him. Their friendship is not ending.”
As is a trend in gaming, Sonic has also made his way onto the big screen in game-to-film adaptations. “There have been many films based on games before, but this time, the director was really great, and I think it’s very interesting," says Ohshima of the recent film adaptations directed by Jeff Fowler.
Fowler has now led two Sonic the Hedgehog films, with the third instalment coming later this year. The first was a major success, grossing more than $300 million in box office sales. The sequel took more than $400 million.
Despite designing a character that has gone on to become a phenomenon in gaming, one that is in the upper echelon of gaming characters, Ohshima still feels humble about it, saying: “I really don’t think it’s my power. It’s like having a child, and that child grows up wonderfully. That makes me very happy, but I didn’t raise it by myself. Everyone has raised it, so I want to thank everyone.”
Ohshima is not resting on his laurels though. These days, he is the president and chief operating officer of Arzest Corporation, a video game development company that has made several games including Balan Wonderworld and Hey! Pikmin. Despite his seniority, he promises fans that he will continue to create, even teasing a new character is coming from him soon.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Fight card
1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
