Today, famous (or infamous) self-driving electric car maker Tesla announced that Sonic 1 will join Cuphead and Stardew Valley as playable on the Tesla Arcade platform built into Tesla vehicles.
Get ready, Sonic fans! SEGA has just announced a partnership with Tesla to bring Sonic the Hedgehog 1, the game that started it all, to Tesla’s in-car gaming console for both existing and new models. Passengers turn into players as they race at lightning speed across classic zones to defeat enemies on a mission to save the world from the evil Dr. Eggman, all in the comfort of their own car! SEGA is excited to partner with Tesla to bring this iconic Sonic title to their extensive gaming library. Sonic the Hedgehog 1 will be available in all Tesla models around the world via the built-in display screen in conjunction with a handheld controller connected through the car’s USB ports. Now no matter where you travel, Sonic can come along with you!
Press Release
It is worth noting that the majority of games on Tesla’s service require the car to be parked in order to play, and that will likely be the case for Sonic. Select games on the service that control via the touch screen can be played while driving; however, this is currently being assessed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S.
This is certainly not the first time SEGA has aligned itself with controversial technology groups; earlier this year, they announced partnership with a Japanese NFT game developer to produce and sell NFTs as collectables and gameplay elements for future games.
All that said, obviously don’t play games while driving, and if you need to play games in a recharging car, just play on Switch, a phone, or one of those handheld PCs. You know, devices that can also run games outside the context of being in a car. You can play Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Stardew Valley, and many other games without needing to hook a USB controller up to a car that’s 2-5 times more expensive than any vehicle I’ve ever owned.