The Sonic Hype Contest: The 5 Finalists and Winner

Well, the results are in and I have decided the winner for my Sonic Hype Contest (I stopped calling it a giveaway since that usually implies several winners). There was some really good posts and I had to narrow it down quite a bit. I’m surprised at just how many of you had Sonic Adventure 2 Battle as your first Sonic experience. I guess most of you guys are the newer generation of Sonic fans…YOU’RE RUINING EVERYTHING! (Kidding, kidding.) You can scroll down to read who’s the winner but first, why don’t you check out the top writers? And the nominees are…

Jeffhog

I’m looking forward to both Sonic Generations and CD by the time they release. I fell in love with the franchise as soon as I first boarded down ridiculous declines in City Escape once I had the Gamecube for my birthday. Before I moved, I used to be a part of a little league baseball team [cute, huh?]. I’ll forever remember my coach as Coach Kevin. One time, we had a party at my place and he brought his kids over. His daughter lent me her pink GBA and I first played Sonic Advance. But when I finally had a Sonic game of my own, over all other franchises, I felt hooked. No, I became hooked. I fell in love with the Sonic franchise and wanted to play more. Hell, I spent over 250 hours on Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. And I still play it to this day. Over the years, Mega Collection was added to my collection and then I was exposed to the Genesis goods. To this day, I played nearly each and every Sonic title already conceived. Sonic CD is the only one I haven’t really had a chance playing, so I’ll gladly pay double for it, for at home and on the go! I’ll finally get the chance to experience Sonic CD! Metal Sonic’s debut and Stardust Speedway! The different ways to beat the game, through Good Futures or Time Stones, or just run through a metallic madness of a Little Planet! Generations, on the other hand, I and nearly every other Sonic fan, long time and new, young and old, will share the same feelings for that wonderful blue hedgehog on November 1st, and by December it will be worldwide. Sonic Generations isn’t just a game, it’s a celebration of all the fun that we have been provided, of that sense of gaming that no other franchise can provide, of everything Sonic and what’s made Sonic the Hedgehog still unstoppable to this day. And I wish to enjoy it with everybody. Hell, to some this could be their first Sonic game! Like 1991, why not start off with a blast for everyone? Some fans have been around since the beginning and Sonic still has plenty more coming. With Generations being the culmination of everything Sonic, there’s no way people can’t enjoy this title. Sonic Generations, I count down the days until your release with great anticipation!

Not only a great post, but the fact that the guy below you took away his own bid by nominating your post went a long way.

Dr. Robotnik

I’m most excited for Sonic Generations because of the endless possibilities of the gameplay. It’s finally showing the fans What he’s made of. We’ve lived and learned in His World and I can’t wait to experience it all over again. It doesn’t matter that his past games haven’t been a dream of an absolution this game will be awesome. Once this releases it will be a lazy day livin’ in paradise! 

That post was absolutely melodic!

Chica

Being that it’s the 20th Anniversary for our hero Sonic the Hedgehog, I’m excited to see the game Sonic Generations the most; I’m always excited and grateful to see new Sonic
games come out, but this was different when seeing classic/retro Sonic pop out of nowhere when modern Sonc was leaping into the air after the shuttle loop scene from the first trailer. I didn’t realize how much I miss seeing classic Sonic’s design, though I love both designs, and Sonic will always be Sonic, it’s really special and nostalgic to be having both Sonic’s together in the most beloved zones and levels, it’s a chance to re-live the moments, but with new mixes! It gives a chance for the younger generation that missed out on the classics to see what we fell in love with. I have faith in this game that it will be the start of Sonic’s success once more. But the real reason I’m excited about the game is a little melancholy, but seeing how far
Sonic has come and how much he’s been the biggest impact of my life, growing up with Sonic; of course the 20th anniversary game is going to be the most exciting thing for me! Sonic was
my friend when I didn’t have any and when I had nobody. He’s in my happiest memories, even the most simplest times of just playing video games of Sonic’s adventures, they brought me
much joy and still do. And how just looking at a poster of Sonic, his cocky smile some how reached me, it saved me from my most sorrowful moment of my life. And even though he’s just
a cartoon, he’s real to me. I just wish for Sonic to have as much of an impact as I did to others. Just complete happiness and how he’s still running after 20 years! I’m thankful for being
able to be apart of this time and hope to see Sonic run another 20 years for sure! That’s why I’m so excited for Sonic Generations, seeing Sonic on his next big adventure! (And seeing that Metal Sonic will be a boss again!) 

D’AWWW! Great post, but I wish I could get it to format correctly. Can’t seem to fix it right.

Solstice of Gravity

In all of my years growing up, Sonic has always been a majority of my life. Probably the biggest majority there is. With Sonic Generations coming out and more Sonic games to come, I finally get to look back at all parts of my childhood in one game. Just seeing how two different sets of Sonic fans can come together under one game chills me down to the very bone. I spent my life playing the Sonic series and Sonic Generations is sure to be a true fan favorite for years to come. As if it wasn’t enough, Sonic is a bigger part of my life than I have mentioned so far. Being a fan who has collected a great amount of the games, I decided to go to college and learn anything I could on being a video game concept artist for trying to one day achieve my dream job of joining SEGA’s Sonic Team. I’ve learned there is more to the job than that though. Roughly enough, I finally came to realization that I need to do more than be a concept artist if I ever hope to join the Sonic Team. I’ve come to accept whatever it is in life I need to do to achieve my dream, no matter what anyone thinks about me. Thank you Sonic for being the inspiration to my life. Thank you SEGA for giving me a childhood. Lastly, thank you fans all enjoying what can be considered the greatest gaming hero in history. Sonic is only as big as his fans, and I hope he continues to have fans for years to come. Long live Sonic.

The fact that Sonic inspired you to get yourself into college and fight for your dreams is more than enough to get you a nomination. Hope you succeed in your endeavors.

Shade Vortex

I am very excited for Sonic Generations, because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relive Sonic’s history in a new, but nostalgic way by reinventing everything from the 20 years of the franchise’s existence, including the most recent adventures, in an almost brand new way! When I found out this game existed, I was more excited than I ever had been before for a Sonic game- not because the others were bad, but because this one seemed to be the all-encompassing, definitive experience fans and non-fans alike could experience and know that “this is Sonic the Hedgehog, the way it is meant to be- bright, colorful, not too serious, and most importantly, fun!”. This game may be the one game that actually triumphs as my absolute-favorite, and that’s because it’s a nice blend of new and old while trying its hardest to represent the original playstyle in the original games (Sonic 1, 2 and 3 & Knuckles, and even CD) as accurately as it can, and also give us the best of the modern playstyle as well, with an improved drift, and improved controls at slower speed, and even more 3D and platforming! With each piece of info revealed about this game, officially or accidentally, I find myself becoming more and more excited, and was lucky enough to even play the game, not only on the PS3 with the limited home demo that’s expired by now, but also the 360 and 3DS versions at the Penny Arcade Expo. This game represents what it means to be a Sonic fan to me, and I couldn’t express my joy any better than saying that Sonic Generations is the ultimate celebration of a franchise.

I liked this one because it was well written and straight to the point. The exact kind of post I was looking for.

Soenaz

Two words, Sonic Generations
As I sit here remembering and jotting down the best moments of my childhood, many are filled with the colorful pixilated zones of Sonic the Hedgehog. If it was one thing I loved as a kid it was speed, so much so that my family and I used to be hooked on racing our ATV’s while we spent weekends camping by the shoreline somewhere in Ensenada, Mexico. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the first video game I ever owned, I remember plugging in my fresh-out-of-the-box Genesis and putting the cartridge in. The first thing that came up was a licensing screen for Sega’s hardware and what followed after was one of the most iconic presentation screens in the golden age of video games. A blue blur shoots to the left and right of the screen at high-speed, the television chants Sega in a static harmony, the screen darkens and then begins to sparkle, and a familiar Blue Hedgehog pops of out of the title emblem with his two tailed friend. At that moment I smiled and pushed the start button, the rush of flying down the long grassy stretches and the checkered corkscrew bridges of Emerald Hill was some of the most fun I had as a kid and after days of memorizing every cheat code and learning about the different secret pathways. I took a heavy interest in the creative design of the series, I would desperately attempt to draw Sonic and capture the speed he obtained going down the steep incline in Chemical Plant Act 2 with a cheap golf pencil and a dozen sheets of white copy paper. I was 5 years old and 14 years later I’ve applied to the Art Institute here in my hometown of San Diego, CA hoping to major in Illustration and Animation. Sonic Generations brings back so many cherished memories, watching the initial trailer practically brought a tear to my eye. Playing the demo of the classic and modern Stage at the San Diego Comic Con was breath taking. It’s everything old and new fans dream for. As I wait impatiently for the release of Sonic Generations I think of the different games I’ve played in the franchise and how we as sonic fans have been through the great and the ugly (I put a huge emphasis on ugly) of the series and have finally been treated to a great renaissance in the series. Sonic is making his return back on the gaming scene and I know Sonic Generations will set it in stone.

Dude! (Yes, I tend to say “dude” a lot. I’m from California so sue me.) I probably met you at the Con. I was at Archie’s booth several times and interviewed Aaron Webber there. I hung out there a lot on Sunday watching others play the game. Great post, but I gotta say, why didn’t you just buy the stuff I’m giving away? You were there! XD

Cola

Asking me to choose one game that I’m hyped about is kinda like asking someone to choose between children. However, I’m probably gonna have to go with Sonic Generations. Why? Well, it all goes back… See, I’ve been captivated by the Blue Blur ever since I first saw him, in an ad for Sonic X. I know, I know, horrible show, but whatever. Seeing him run across the screen was awesome, and I immediately stopped watching my Saturday morning cartoons and went and told my mother of the awesomeness that had just graced my 6 year old mind. I ended up getting both Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle a bit later. Due to this, I’ve never had a problem with Classic and Modern. They’re just two playstyles, two different but amazingly fun playstyles. For crying out loud, I didn’t even know there were different designs! I just thought that was how Sonic was drawn in sprite form! But I digress. For years, Sonic has been an intergral part of my life ever since that one day. Seeing as I’ve never had an older sibling, Sonic filled that role for me, teaching me many things. To see him hit that roadbump with Shadow and 06 (Heroes is debatable) really hurt me, and I always hoped for the better. Sonic Generations is a celebration of 20 years for Sonic, but for me, it’s a celebration of the one who has made me who I am today, through his games and his character. My friends may think that Sonic’s too childish, but I disagree, because he’s given me so much. So here’s to Sonic, and another 20 years of all things blue.

This is a good example of a younger, more modern Sonic fan who has his head straight. He likes both the modern and classic games, but knows a bad Sonic game when he sees one. He loved Sonic X as a kid, but is more critical of it now. Good work.

And now the winner is…

Solstice of Gravity

Congratulations! Be sure to PM me your address on the forums. (Look for jasonthejackass)

If you were nominated and didn’t win but also posted on Segabits, check there later today to see if you may have won there.

A big thanks to everyone who participated.