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Merchandise

First look at the official ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 25th Anniversary’ art book from Cook & Becker – available for pre-order

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Thanks to the next-gen art dealers at Cook & Becker, we have a first look at the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog 25th Anniversary art book via an in-depth gallery of images as well as a full press release. So let’s get down to it! The art book, the first ever official art book and design history for the long running series, encapsulates 25 years of history. The book will be made available in a limited Special Collector’s Edition as well as a Standard Hardcover Edition. The Special Collector’s Edition features an outer box, a special inner sleeve that folds into a display stand for the book and an exclusive newly drawn matted art giclee print by Sonic Team’s Yuji Uekawa. The Collector’s Edition is limited to 2,500 copies and sells for $120/€120 respectively. As a pre-order bonus, Cook & Becker offers a 10% discount on the Collector’s Edition if it is ordered before February 2017. The Standard Edition, meanwhile, retails for $45/€45 and consists of the book itself.
Let’s talk about the book! Officially licensed, the book (310mm H x 275mm W) will feature 200+ pages of images and text, including interviews with key Sonic designers including Yuji Naka, Takashi Iizuka and Yuji Uekawa. As seen in the image gallery below, you can expect to find concept art, promotional art, 3D renders, box art and – as revealed in our recent article – original official art and rare collectibles submitted by fans (pending approval from Cook & Becker and SEGA, of course).
After the break, check out a full press release detailing the book as well as a gallery of several images showing off the ins and outs of the book as well as the Special Collector’s Edition. Don’t forget to pre-order the book today at the official Cook & Becker site!
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Merchandise

Attention Sonic the Hedgehog collectors: Cook & Becker are looking for rare original official art and collectibles

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If you haven’t already heard, next-gen art dealers Cook & Becker plan to release a “Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Art Book”. The book will cover the history of Sonic and will include design sketches, official character illustrations, in-game art, pixel art, rare promotional art and game box art. While SEGA has provided Cook & Becker with many great art assets from the company archives, as is the case with original art spanning 25 years there is always more out there in private collections.
Cook & Becker reached out to us asking if we would ask you, the fans, to lend a hand if you can. As the book enters the final stages of design, there is little under a month left before the window closes on what can appear in the book and we are asking any fans with cool rare retro merchandise, rare original promotional art and rare manual scans to reach out to Cook & Becker via their contact page or email maarten [at] candb.com. Cook & Becker is looking for high res photos and scans of what they may not already have. They will credit anyone in the book that sends in material that gets included. I know, for example, that there is some really great original art from the late SEGA Genesis-era artist Greg Martin in several collections.
It should be noted that Cook & Becker are NOT looking for fan art, only rare and original official pieces of artwork and collectibles. More news on Cook & Becker’s book to come, so stay tuned!

Merchandise

Sonic X The Complete Season 3 DVD now available to pre-order

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Sonic X The Complete Season 3 is now available to pre-order on Amazon. Earlier this year, video distribution company Discotek Media announced that they had acquired the rights to release the complete English dub of Sonic X and the Japanese dub of SEGA Hard Girls to North America. While Sonic X complete seasons 1 and 2 is available to pre-order and due out November 8th, season 3 was announced to release a month later on December 6th. Described as “Collection 2 – The Metarex Saga”, the release contains episodes 53 through 78 and will complete Discotek Media’s releases of the series.
Prior to Discotek Media’s acquisition, the series had been released on a variety of DVDs including single disc releases containing three episodes and saga releases. These releases have since gone out of print and many are quite expensive, making it difficult for fans to complete the series. Discotek Media’s release is by far the most simple that Sonic X has received in America with only two collections.

Merchandise

Discotek Media gives update on North American Sonic X DVD releases

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Discotek Media has given fans of Sonic X an update on their North American DVD releases via a Facebook post detailing all of their upcoming titles. The Sonic X Seasons 1 and 2 Collection, which was originally due out September 27th, has been moved to November 8th of this year. The Sonic X Season 3 DVD collection, which will round out the series, is set to release a month later on December 6th. Both Sonic X sets will only feature the English language version of the series, which is sure to annoy purists and delight Mike Pollock fans. This makes Sonic Boom the only animated Sonic the Hedgehog series not available on home video in North America, which is sure to delight purists and annoy Mike Pollock fans.
As for Hi-sCool! Seha Girls (Sega Hard Girls), another SEGA title that Discotek Media has long promised, they still plan on giving the series a DVD and blu-ray release and they will be picking a date soon. Seeing as how the show is about all things SEGA, Sonic makes his fair share of cameos.
You can pre-order the Sonic X Seasons 1 and 2 Collection now. We’ll let you know once the Season 3 Collection appears as well as the date they end up assigning Hi-sCool! Seha Girls.

Merchandise

Amazon Offers Limited Edition Sonic Mania T-Shirts

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Sonic Mania still has a way to go, but we’re already getting merchandise rolling in with limited edition T-shirts available through Amazon. These shirts are available for a limited time only, until the end of the month, sporting two designs for both US and UK regions.
Both shirts come in a set of colors for men and women of multiple sizes. One features a beautiful poster-esque image of Studiopolis and the other featuring profiles of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles; the triple threat. Oddly enough, the triple threat shirts appear to be different between regions, with the UK version sporting the Sonic Mania logo, and the US one featuring just their heads.
Gorgeous designs they are, although I’m holding out for a poster of Studiopolis myself!
US: [Studiopolis] [Triple-Threat]
UK: [Studiopolis] [Icon Shirt]

Merchandise

Fastest Food Alive: A Look back at 1995’s Sonic the Hedgehog Franco-American Pasta


Fastest Food Alive returns as we look at more food promotional items from Sonic the Hedgehog’s past! On this episode, Franco-American’s Sonic the Hedgehog Pasta with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce is on the menu. SEGA’s partnership with Franco-American, a subsidiary of Campbell’s, kicked off in 1995 and carried through to 2000. Click play on the video above and take a trip down memory lane as we check out this food promotion and give a short history lesson on canned pasta.
If you enjoyed the video make sure to like, share and subscribe on YouTube if you haven’t already. Thanks for the support!

Game News, Merchandise, Opinion, Podcasts, Previews

SEGA News Bits: Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Impressions


Pre-recorded just hours after Sonic the Hedgehog’s 25th Anniversary Party wrapped at the San Diego House of Blues, it’s Barry and George’s first impressions of the night! Hear how the event went down, from the literal all the way around the block line to the game announcements to the final curtain call. How did the audience react to the return of Taxman and Stealth? Why do people faint when they hear the opening guitar licks to Crush 40’s “What I’m Made Of”? Where was the computer room? These questions and more are answered in this very special episode of SEGA News Bits!
SEGA News Bits is a production of SEGAbits, covering all things SEGA and Sonic the Hedgehog. When we touch on Sonic stories, you’ll be seeing them here on Sonic Retro as well. If you enjoyed this episode of the SEGA News Bits, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and never miss an episode!

Merchandise

Discotek Media announces Sonic X seasons 1 and 2 English dub release date

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Earlier today, American based anime and asian films DVD and blu-ray company Discotek Media announced on Facebook details on their upcoming “Sonic X” DVD. First revealed back in April of 2015, Discotek Media plans to release the first two seasons of the “Sonic X” English dub to DVD in a 52 episode collection with a release date of September 27th, 2016. Season 3, containing the remaining 26 episodes, will be released in another collection at a later date. I really love the SEGA Mega Drive inspired cover art, which has been confirmed to carry over to the menus.
It should be noted that there are no plans at this time for the original Japanese version of the show.

Merchandise

“Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Selection” Track Listing Announced

sound_160610_01_01In 13 days, Sonic the Hedgehog is turning 25 years old. That’s something crazy to think about – I still remember the first time I spotted the hedgehog, running wildly in the Marble Zone on a game kiosk in a department store that no longer exists, my parents probably silently hoping that it wouldn’t become yet another childhood obsession.
In the build up to this gaming milestone, we’ve been slowly getting a trickle of hedgehog-related news: the latest Fire & Ice trailer, Sonic in Lego form, Archie’s next Sonic Special. While we wait on baited breath for the next big Sonic game reveal, Jun Senoue and Wave Master have given us more information on the next soundtrack release regarding the fastest thing alive. On Jun’s “Believe in Myself” column over at Japan’s Sonic Channel, the official track list for the 2-CD, 1-DVD set has been revealed, celebrating the entire scope of the Sonic gaming franchise.
Check out the full listing after the jump.
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Merchandise

Fastest Food Alive: A look back at the 1993 & 1995 Sonic the Hedgehog Cookie Crisp Cereal promotions


Our Fastest Food Alive video series continues as we look at more food promotional items from Sonic the Hedgehog’s past! Last time we took a trip to McDonald’s, this time we’re staying home and having breakfast. What’s on the menu? Cookie Crisp Cereal! In 1993 and 1995, Sonic was a toy surprise in specially marked boxes of the chocolate chip cookie inspired cereal. First as a plastic figure in 1993, oddly standing on a skateboard, and again in 1995 as a set of 16 POGS. Remember those things? Click play on the video above and take a trip down memory lane as we check out this food promotions and give a short history lesson on Cookie Crisp Cereal.
If you enjoyed the video make sure to like, share and subscribe on YouTube if you haven’t already. Thanks for the support!