SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced details of an exclusive partnership with Nintendo of America Inc. and Nintendo of Europe GmbH for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The new agreement will make Nintendo consoles the number one destination for Sonic gaming over the next three titles.  The first two titles of the deal were announced today via Nintendo Direct, and details of the third Sonic title will be revealed at a later date.

“Sonic the Hedgehog has performed incredibly well on Nintendo platforms and this exclusive partnership is a natural fit for the next evolution of Sonic games” commented Jurgen Post COO SEGA Europe Ltd.  “The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are ideal platforms to showcase Sonic and we are looking forward to working with Nintendo on these three exciting adventures.”

Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared as a videogame character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers.  Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to videogame consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 75 million videogames and smartphone apps sold worldwide. SEGA’s iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation.

A Lost World. What will Sonic find?

We are happy to announce that the original Sonic the Hedgehog has been remastered and is now available on Android and iOS! Android users have long waited for this classic to appear and today is the day. iOS users who bought the original will be treated to a free update with new features, updates, and more.

Following in the footsteps of the critically acclaimed Sonic CD in 2011, the original Sonic The Hedgehog game has received an equally robust overhaul! Sonic fans on iOS and Android will see the game better than ever with new widescreen support and can to zoom through Zones at a smooth 60 frames per second. The all-new update allows gamers to unlock Tails and Knuckles as playable characters for the very first time! That’s not all – Sonic enthusiasts will also enjoy a remastered original soundtrack, new leaderboards, achievements, and an all-new Time Attack mode.

The SEGA Genesis favorite is available now!

Buy it now on Google Play!
Buy it now on iTunes App Store!

In today’s Free Stuff Friday giveaway, we’re taking a break from free download codes in favor of some cool Sonic figurines and toys! Check below for the details on each item and see you online for today’s giveaway!

On the Block

1. Sonic The Hedgehog Team Chaotix Figures
2. Sonic The Hedgehog Universal Wristlet
3. Sonic The Hedgehog Roller Racers
4. Sonic The Hedgehog Teach Chaotix Figures – that’s right, we’re giving away two of these!
5. Sonic The Hedgehog Anniversary 10 inch Action Figure – Comic-con 2011 Exclusive with flocked / fuzzy appearance (might be hard to see in the image)

How it Works

1. You must be following us on Twitter to be eligible. (If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can create one by going to http://www.twitter.com and click the green “get started — join!” button in the center of the page.)

2. At random times on Friday, we will announce the prize we are giving away, a word or phrase, and what number of response you need to be to win. Send us a direct message (DM) via Twitter and be that number to win the prize. (@ replies do not count as entries!) We only accept one direct message per person per prize!

Example:

We tweet “GIVEAWAY: Sonic T-shirt, size L. Be the 15th person to DM “Sonic Adventure” to win!” (don’t actually DM this, it’s not the way to enter)

You see this, and want to win it, so you send us a direct message that says “Sonic Adventure”. If you are the 15th person to do so, you are the winner!

Quotation marks do not matter, capitalization does not matter, but spelling does matter!

3. All followers are eligible to win all prizes, unless a restriction is noted. Restrictions are usually due to the prize being region-locked. For example, US games that won’t work on UK gaming systems. There may also be age restrictions due to the rating of the game.

4. We will announce the winner on our Twitter feed once eligibility is confirmed.

Other Assorted Information:

• Free Stuff Friday duties alternate between the London and San Francisco offices and are done during business hours (usually mid-morning) in our respective time zones.
• No, you can’t know what number message you were – so please don’t ask! We will tell you that the information is classified!
• If you have questions during the giveaway, please contact us with an @reply. As you can imagine, we get a whole lot of direct messages during the contests and there is a very good chance we will miss your question if it is sent as a DM.

How to Send Direct Messages on Twitter

Due to a change in our account status with Twitter, you should be able to send us direct messages without us following you if you are using the Twitter website. However, third-party applications may not allow you to.

There are a few ways to send us a Direct Message on Twitter. The easiest way is:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on the person icon and select Direct messages from the drop down menu.
3. You’ll see a pop up showing your Direct message history. Click the New message button, highlighted below.
4. In the address box, type the name or username (SEGA) of the person you wish to send a message to.
5. Enter your message and click Send message.

You may also select the “direct messages” tab from your Twitter homepage, and select SEGA from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Again, if you don’t see our name there, it’s probably because we’re not following you. Let us know, and we’ll follow you. If you still have questions on sending direct messages, please visit Twitter’s Help Section.

There are also many Twitter clients that you can use instead of using the website. These include TweetDeck, Twitteriffic, Tweetie, and Twhirl. Each of these programs works differently, so you’ll want to figure out how to send a direct message on the program you use. If you want to send us a test message, we’ll let you know if we received it or not. Please make sure your message says “test” somewhere.

Got any weekend Dashing on your horizon?

We’ve got a boost for you then: Boost Bundle and Breeze Bundle for Sonic Dash are both on sale for 70% off! This sale lasts for this weekend only (now through April 28th)!

Boost Bundle:
5000 Rings
70% Off — Now just 99 cents / 69p / €0.89 / 0.99 AUD

Breeze Bundle:
30 Red Star Rings
70% Off – Now just 99 cents / 69p / €0.89 / 0.99 AUD
 
You can download Sonic Dash for free here at the App Store!
 

“Traditionally, laptops haven’t been known for providing the best gaming experience.” This was the first thought that crossed the mind of Steve Lycett, executive producer (Sumo Digital) on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and one that was rapidly dispelled. “As soon as we received the Ultrabook device and spoke to the engineers at Intel, we realized that suddenly we were dealing with the next generation.”

Charged with bringing one of SEGA’s landmark franchise to Ultrabook devices, the team at Sumo Digital in Sheffield, England, more than rose to the challenge. Acclaimed racing game Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the latest in the no-holds-barred series that lets players leap into the cars (which then transform into boats and planes) of world famous SEGA luminaries, from Sonic all the way to Wreck-It Ralph, fresh from his Hollywood debut. SEGA has never rested on its laurels with the series, so bringing the game to Ultrabook devices with touch screens was a next logical step.

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“We tailored the game for the Ultrabook range to ensure we made the most of the hardware,” said Lycett, who worked with his team to make sure players would always have just as much touch control as they wanted. “We’ve specifically designed the user interface so touch can be used throughout. You can select modes, decide which track to play, and check out all the vehicles with a simple touch of your finger.”

There was no doubt in Lycett’s mind that he needed to bring touch to his games. Though at first glance, a PC racing title isn’t the most obvious home for a touch interface, players are becoming irreversibly accustomed to it in their games. “Users want to reach out and touch the worlds we create. It’s a natural user interface you’re taught from the day you’re born, and one that ptovides an immediate connection with instant feedback.”

Ultrabook devices bring a new level of flexibility and interaction to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. In regular laptop configuration, players can go head-to-head with up to four controllers for chaotic split-screen racing, while a convertible device allows for play in tablet setup, making full use of both touch and tilt interfaces. Players will find a game that has been carefully optimized for play in either configuration.

But it’s not only the interface options that led Lycett and his team to so heartily embrace the Ultrabook device. “Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on the Ultrabook platform takes advantage of the fact that we know there is a consistent set of technologies that is available to us,” said Lycett.

“The high-quality screens really let the colors pop, plus the touch screens are smooth and sensitive, and the tilt sensors give you immediate and accurate control. Tie all this together with a lot of processing and graphics power, and much more memory compared to what even the latest console has, and you’ve got a recipe for a great gaming experience.”

Let’s race.

We’ve got a Sonic Dash update for you this week: in addition to featuring a number of bug fixes and some improvements and upgrades to the Daily Challenge system, you get 1,000 Rings for free just for updating!

Stay tuned for more updates on the way for Sonic Dash!

Two of the most celebrated icons in video game history will come face to face for the first time ever in this summer’s most anticipated comic book crossover – Sonic the Hedgehog/Mega Man: Worlds Collide! Prepare for the ultimate battle of good versus evil when these true blue heroes team up against the nefarious doctors Eggman and Wily, showcasing fan favorite characters from each of their respective video game universes. This epic 12-part crossover kicks off April 10 and will span three comic book series – Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man and Sonic Universe. Don’t miss it!

Good news for fans of the Sonic infinite runner on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch!

• Sonic Dash: Now Free!

If you haven’t already heard, Sonic Dash is now FREE to download from iTunes!

Grab it now and start racing — how far can you run?

• New Daily Challenges

Complete a challenge every day to win amazing prizes, including Red Star Rings and additional characters!

We have two SEGA game packs on sale on PlayStation Network right now, featuring a selection of classic fighting games– as well as two of the most unique and stylish games to ever land on the Genesis/Mega Drive.

Read on for more! All games are on sale from now until April 16th.

SEGA Fight Pack

Sale Price:
$14.97  … $9.99 / 7.87EUR / 6.18GBP

Includes:
Sonic the Fighters, Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers
 

ToeJam & Earl Collection

Sale Price:

$9.98 … $6.99 / 5.49EUR / 4.49GBP

Includes: 
ToeJam & Earl, ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron