Freak-Out Friday: Barking Off More Than They Can Chew…

…are Bark the Polar Bear and Bean the Dynamite, for this week’s Freak-Out Friday! (Sorry lassies! No dog puns today!)

Recognized by many as one-shot characters, Bark and Bean made their first and only appearance in the series within the 1996 beat-em-up Sonic the Fighters. Following that, the two were never to be seen, heard from, or playable again in a future Sonic title.

What many fans do not know, however, is that the duo made one more playable appearance following Sonic the Fighters! Bark and Bean have both returned to the ring once again in Fighters Megamix, a Virtua Fighters and Fighting Vipers crossover on the SEGA Saturn, with the two being unlockable characters!

With the game’s release back in late ’96, a Famitsu guidebook for the fighting game hit the shelves in Japan. Interestingly, the Fighters Megamix guide featured more than just  character profiles for the cast; they’ve each had a short comic as well! And yes, that includes Bark and Bean!

Check out their comics down below! (Warning: It’s a tad Engrish.)

Bean’s comic is found after the jump!

Continue reading Freak-Out Friday: Barking Off More Than They Can Chew…

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A Guide to Sonic Merchandise Part 2: The Fighters Franchise

The Fighters Plush Range.
The Fighters Plush Range.

Although the West seems to be getting its fair share of merchandise nowadays, it wasn’t always that way. Sure, in the early 90’s us Americans and Brits were treated to a whole load of Sonic and Tails plushes, a couple of different comic series and the odd figurine now and again, but once we hit 1995, the widespread interest in Sonic seemed to die off. The West was pushed into Sonic-merch limbo until 1999 when Sonic Adventure came around. This was not the case over in Japan…

Continue reading A Guide to Sonic Merchandise Part 2: The Fighters Franchise

The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.