Sonic the Hedgehog Turns 20, Celebrate with the Sound of Speed

I grew up on Sonic (the blue hedgehog, not the fast food restaurant), and today SEGA’s beloved blue blur turns twenty.

And while the spiny little erinaceidae has seen better days in terms of modern games (see Sonic & the Black Knight, set in the world of King Arthur, and Sonic Unleashed, where he turns into a werehog), I choose to remember the better times.

Forget about the modern platformers and Sonic racing games. I’m talking about the early to mid-90’s era of Sonic. There was the original, its two subsequent 16-bit sequels, and Sonic & Knuckles with its crazy lock-on cartridge. Those were good days. Life was simple and side-scrolling.

Anyhow, to celebrate Sonic’s birthday and experience some serious nostalgia for the original classic, head over to OC Remix to download The Sound of Speed. The free remix album features thirteen arranged tracks from the original Sonic the Hedgehog in a number of different styles and genres. I listen to this album on the regular.

Created “as a tribute to the beginning of SEGA‘s flagship series and the music by Masato Nakamura,” rocking out to this album is an appropriate way to remember Sonic the way he was.

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Sound of Speed
sos.ocremix.org