So, what's canon to you?

[Mega]

So, the Sonic series isn't particularly notable for extreme continuity in games. Things change all the time, be it characterization or plot explanations. Plus, since the series has spanned over many different consoles over the past 20 years, Sonic and friends have gone off on a ton of adventures.

But which ones can actually be considered canon?

I'm specifically thinking about the Game Gear titles-- their respective Sonic 1 and 2, Chaos, Triple Trouble, and even oddballs like Labyrinth and Blast. I also question 3D Blast's place in canon. It's been rereleased a lot, but does it count, given that it's made by a third party developer?

Heck, throw in Chronicles for good measure.

I guess it all boils down to personal interpretation, but I'd love to hear what people think! Personally, I consider the Genesis/MD games, CD, and most of the GG/MS titles canon. At least the ones that don't overlap existing games, like Sonic 1 8-bit. I also like to think of 3D and Fighters as canon because I don't think anything really contradicts their plots.

With Sonic 3&K, I don't consider the summary on the Sonic 4 website accurate at all for the simple reason that Knuckles' story couldn't take place during Sonic's. Angel Island is back in the sky, the Death Egg is gone, and there are other little details that can be found here.

So, in short, let's talk about canon! My apologies if this topic's already been made.

[Scar]

To me, the Canon, is anything that was created by SEGA directly. The comics and cartoons are as far away from canon as you can get in my opinion.

Yes that means even the likes of SatSR and SatBK are canon. I simply think of them as little side-adventures that happened when Sonic was on a break between Eggmans evil plots. I take SatSR and SatBK to be Sonic daydreaming actually.

[Flyboy Fox]

The comics and cartoons are as far away from canon as you can get in my opinion.

The comics and cartoons are canon unto themselves. It goes without saying that they are not game canon, but to say they're not canon at all is just as silly. They are official, and so they are canon. Just a different canon.

[Vertekins]

People argue that the Storybook games are not canon. But I believe that they are.

SatSR and SatBK are DEFINATELY canonical towards each other. Sonic openly says during one Knight's Passage Mission "Who was it that kept calling me a rat again?", A blatant reference towards SatSR, proving that SatSR happened before SatBK in the same 'continuity' (If you can call it that). SatBK is strongly implied to be part of the same canon as SA2, as Sonic is reminded of the Biolizard when fighting the Earth Dragon. As SatBK references both SA2 and SatSR, it's quite inarguable that both storybook games are canon to the "Main series" as well as to each other. Another thing about SatBK that possibly references Unleashed is Sonic and Amy's date.

In Unleashed, you can engage Amy in conversation outside Pickle's lab in Shamar before going to EggmanLand. She asks about doing something together and Sonic can respond through two choices; "That could be fun" or "I think I'll pass". If you have Sonic answer "That could be fun", Amy 'arranges' their date once Sonic gets back from putting the world back together. This "date" could be the date referenced in SatBK, possibly proving that Sonic's canonical answer in Unleashed was "That could be fun", proving with it that SatBK is part of the same canon as Unleashed, the Main Series.

Really, I can't see anything that suggests that the storybook games are not canon to the main series.

[Mega]

Yeah, the cartoons and comics are canon to themselves-- their continuity is very unique in that regard.

I'm mostly thinking along the lines of the games because there are some grey areas, to say the least.

[Scar]

The comics and cartoons are canon unto themselves. It goes without saying that they are not game canon, but to say they're not canon at all is just as silly. They are official, and so they are canon. Just a different canon.

I can agree with that.

They are their own universe. An alternate universe if you will.

However, I personally, take the Sonic game canon, to be the canon. Mostly because its so flimsy. It means the game narratives can be a whole lot more flexible.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Scar

[Nepenthe]

When it comes to what I personally figure is canon, I like to take a burden of proof stance. If a game doesn't contradict anything, you're just as free to ignore it as you would be to acknowledge it which still doesn't solve any problems. Instead, spin-offs and side titles with disputed canons should have some standard to live up to, some responsibility to display undeniable proof that they actually happened within the universe's history for me to agree that they happened. As an example, if Sonic Adventure was actually a spin-off title on the DS or something, you could still say it's canon because it possesses in-universe references to previous main installments, i.e., Amy being rescued from Metal Sonic. Tails' reminiscing, the Echidna disaster, etc.. If it didn't, I would simply say its canon status is unproven-- It could've happened, it may not have, but I personally don't know and won't say either way with what's presented. And of course, games with blatant contradictions to the Japanese canon and the main series installments, and Sonic 06-timeline erasures simply aren't canon and can be ignored.

In short, I say all this to say that my ideal canon is really only S1 > S2 > SCD > S3&K > SA1 >SA2 > Heroes > ShtH > Unleashed > Colors, and everything else is just fun filler. But that doesn't make me look down upon the games in question. I got enough enjoyment out of Riders, Rivals 2, and SatSR to not let their supposed status in the canon impact that enjoyment.

[Dr. Mechano]

My rules for canon:

1. All games are canon unless they explicitly contradict the rest of the series.

Ergo, just because a game's plot is "minor" or "unimportant," it doesn't mean it "didn't really happen" in the grand scheme of Sonic canon. There are a handful of games I either consider noncanon outright or at least questionable:

* Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine - Set in an AoStH-inspired setting. The Robotnik in this game cannot be the same person as Sega Eggman by any stretch of the imagination.

* Sonic Spinball - Too many Chaos Emeralds, giant off-model Eggman, SatAM characters.

* Sonic Chronicles - Swatbots and roboticization are referenced as common elements even though no other games have them, and some truly out-of-character writing.

2. Nothing outside of the games are canon to the game series.

The cartoons, comics, novels, etc. do not apply to the games. They are all their own separate continuities, and many of them have rich and detailed canon histories in and of themselves, but do not have any effects on the original game series.

3. The old SoA storyline is irrelevant and non-canon:

The only element of the SoA story that is canon is that Robotnik is Eggman's real name. Everything else about the SoA game storylines has been discredited and supplanted by the continuity-streamlining of the new "international" canon (Which is bascially the Japanese canon + "Robotnik").

[Vertekins]

The only element of the SoA story that is canon is that Robotnik is Eggman's real name. Everything else about the SoA game storylines has been discredited and supplanted by the continuity-streamlining of the new "international" canon (Which is bascially the Japanese canon + "Robotnik").

Thank you.

So many people still hark-on about the book "Stay Sonic" containing game-canonical information when in reality it's full of complete bunk, of material created as a result of westernization that has absolutely nothing to do with the games even back in those days, let alone having nothing to do with the games as they are today.

It's why I roll my eyes at media that doesn't know anything about the Sonic series using the "Sonic used to be a normal brown Hedgehog who was a good friend of Ovi Kintobor and got his speed on a treadmill via speed barrier breakage" as a means of explaining game Sonic's origins; They use outdated, debunked info from a debunked source, showing they know nothing about the series they're writing about.

[Tornado]

I'm specifically thinking about the Game Gear titles-- their respective Sonic 1 and 2, Chaos, Triple Trouble, and even oddballs like Labyrinth and Blast.

Other than Sonic 2 8-Bit (which can't happen because Genny Sonic 2 contradicts it), there is no specific reason to disavow any of them. Sonic 1 is iffy, though, for reasons you already seem to know (being an alternative take on the original game doesn't make its odds very good).

Really, other than Sonic 2 8-Bit and the games Dr. Mechano mentioned, the only game that comes to mind that explicitly isn't canon is Knuckles Chaotix. That being said, I too subscribe to the theory that it is canon unless specifically stated to be otherwise or if it contradicts previous/future events that are set in stone, so others may disagree.

[Sega DogTagz]

I follow a rule of thumb not to different from a few of you. Contradiction is the first thing I look for. If a game can be inserted into the canon without interfering or dragging along nagging problems, then I see no problem with putting it there. This mostly applies to things like the Riders series.

A second rule is that on connectivity. A game that can establish its place in the timeline, and more importantly, offer insight into past events all will usually belong in the canon. Games such as Battle, Rush 1&2 and Colors DS fit this mold very well.

The last thing I look for is a game breaker. Something that undermines the inclusion of something into the canon. Extra new characters are fine is side games (technically they can be never seen again) but specific items make me hesitant to include them. Secret Rings has such an item in Sharha’s ring. Making the game canon gives Sonic unlimited access to a genie. Such access can de-legitimize stories down the road.

If a game can pass those three tests, then I have no problem considering it canon. My big list includes most of the handheld games (save for Chronicles, which while very interconnected, is iffy at best due to Bioware’s involvement).

[Diogenes]

I've become a fan of a rather...squishy sort of canon for this series. There are games that definitely happen, and games that definitely do not happen, but in between there's games that have varying degrees of likelihood of having happened, mostly in the form of having no way to confirm either way and of being so irrelevant to the series as it is now that it doesn't matter if they happened or not. Also there are games that logically would have to happen (because of character introductions, mostly), but are for the most part unimportant and in the long term can be forgotten. So, I can't really give a hard list of what is and isn't canon, but I can sort of work through the varying degrees of likelihood.

3 notes, before I start:

1. All games happen in order of release, unless otherwise noted.

2. Games of the same subseries ("the Adventures", "the Advances", "the Rushes", etc) are of the same canon level.

3. The "bigger" of two mutually exclusive partner games is assumed canon (Unleashed HD over Unleashed Wii/PS2, Colors Wii over Colors DS).

Definite canon: The main storyline, in so much as there is one in the series. If the list had to be distilled down to only its most necessary elements, this would be it.

Sonic 1

Sonic CD (placed here because it can't fit between Sonic 2 and S3&K, and because it's easier to explain Amy's absence from them than Tails' from CD)

Sonic 2

Sonic 3&K (Sonic's story comes first, then Knuckles' story)

Sonic 4 E1 (as part of the Classic subseries...sort of. Confirmed to be some time after S3&K. Also most likely future episodes will fall between this and SA)

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Heroes

Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic '06 (it wiped itself from time, but it had to happen to not happen; if you aren't satisfied with that, just pretend this is the story of "Sonic goes to the festival, the end", as the post-reset timeline shows)

Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Colors

Sonic Generations (from modern Sonic's perspective, at least; given that the whole game is (probably) based around time jumping of some sort, the actual events are scattered throughout the timeline)

Probably canon: Games that are either logically necessary but overall unimportant, or just notable, world-enriching, and not contradicted by other games.

Sonic Advance 1 (as part of the Advance subseries)

Sonic Advance 2 (introduces Cream)

Sonic Battle (introduces Emerl, who is required for SAdv3 to make sense, and who is apparently important enough to get a Sonic Channel profile. Also, if it is canon, it happens after ShtH, as Shadow's regained his memory)

Sonic Advance 3 (as part of the Advance subseries)

Sonic Rush (introduces Blaze; post-'06 games have clarified this as the accurate backstory for the character)

Sonic Riders (I'm a bit hesitant on this one; I can't rely on the introduction of the Rogues since they've kept themselves to the Riders subseries, but it's decent worldbuilding and they've got profiles on Sonic Channel)

Sonic and the Secret Rings (this one's pretty much entirely on the worldbuilding...)

Sonic Rush Adventure (as part of the Rush subseries; also introduces Marine, who got a Sonic Channel profile)

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (as part of the Riders subseries)

Sonic and the Black Knight (as part of the Storybook subseries)

Sonic Free Riders (as part of the Riders subseries)

Probably not canon: Games that have small but potentially solvable issues, or that have so little story to offer that they're irrelevant even if they can't be disproven

All Game Gear/Master System games (I'm not going to go through the full list, but in short, they're either spinoffs or just irrelevant)

Sega Sonic the Hedgehog (irrelevant)

Sonic the Fighters (irrelevant)

Sonic 3D Blast/Flickies' Island (irrelevant)

Sonic R (irrelevant)

Sonic Pocket Adventure (a pseudo-retelling of Sonic 2...or something? I don't really know much about this game)

Sonic Shuffle (irrelevant...though this is the point where we edge close to worldbuilding)

Sonic Rivals (confusion over Nega's backstory, combined with the game having never been released in Japan)

Sonic Rivals 2 (as part of the Rivals subseries)

Not canon: Either conclusively, or so unlikely that it isn't worth considering the possibility.

Sonic Spinball (a cartoon-tainted pinball game with nothing to offer)

Mean Bean Machine (see Spinball, replace pinball with puzzle)

Knuckles' Chaotix (Heroes reintroduced 3 of its characters as new ones, with no apparent connection to the originals)

Sonic Pinball Party (seriously?)

All Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games...games (a crossover spinoff...with Mario characters...apparently in the real world?)

Sonic Chronicles (a cliffhanger ending that will most likely never be resolved, and it's basically one step away from Archie Sonic fanfiction)

Anything I didn't mention (unless I've missed something, nothing else is even close to worth mentioning)

I think that covers everything worth mentioning (and feel free to point out if I've missed something) and provides a good overview of the functional canon (and feel free to tear it to pieces if you disagree).

edit: forgot Chaotix, somehow.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Diogenes

[mikeblastdude]

This is what I've always considered to be "game canon", although this is just my view on it:

Sonic 1 (Genesis/Mega Drive)

Sonic CD

Sonic 2 (Genesis/Mega Drive)

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

*Knuckles' Chaotix

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Advance

Sonic Advance 2

Sonic Heroes

Sonic Advance 3

Shadow the Hedgehog

*Sonic Rush

Sonic 2006

*Sonic and the Secret Rings

*Sonic Rush Adventure

Sonic Unleashed

*Sonic and the Black Knight

Sonic Colors (Wii)

* = Could be included in the canon or not, doesn't really make a difference

As for the Game Gear games, it's really hard to say. If Fang had been in any of the main titles, then I'd say definitely that they could be considered canon, but that's not really the case. I'd say probably no to them being canon, only for the fact that Sonic Triple Trouble starts out with Knuckles hating Sonic, but then becoming friends at the end; sort of like a retelling of the S3&K story.

[Ulver]

I would have thought that for the most part, canon Sonic games are the ones that belong to the 'main series' (basically the Wikipedia selection about this, which include the main Sonic games). Other Sonic games are just side-stories, and affect little of the normal game series; even though I still think they're cannon, just in a different way.

[EXshad]

I had this big list that I compiled after wasting hours on it of what was canon and in what order everything took place, but right now, I'm gonna let Generations determine what's canon

[TwoTailedFox]

Sonic 1

Sonic 2

Chaos

CD

Sonic 3

Sonic & Knuckles

Triple Trouble

3D Blast

Blast

Adventure

Pocket Adventure

Adventure 2

Advance

Advance 2

Heroes

Advance 3

Battle

Rush

Shadow the Hedgehog

Rush Adventure

Dark Brotherhood

Unleashed

Sonic 4

Colors

Everything I didn't mention I don't consider canon (except for 8-bit versions of games I mentioned). The reason I don't consider 06 canon is because since time reset itself, to me that means it never really happened. (And yes, I do know that Sonic and Elise both have a small memory of each other, but that isn't enough to make me consider it canon.)

[Old dead account]

Canon is overrated

[Aquaslash]

First off, we assume that in the case of multi platform releases, the bigger game is the definitive one. This means Unleashed HD over Wii, Colors Wii over DS, Sonic 1 Genesis over Game gear, etc.

Next we assume that not everything is presented as literal. There are 7 Chaos Emeralds, but if the gameplay demands more, so be it. These are GAMES first and foremost. Story can and WILL take a backseat to the gameplay objectives.

With that in mind, every game is canon. There are main games, and then there are side adventures that happen in between these games. Main games would be those that have grand events that significantly alter the overall storyline. Here is my list of main games, and why:

Sonic 1 (Genesis) - Do I need to explain this one?

Sonic CD - Introduction of Amy and Metal Sonic

Sonic 2 (Genesis) - Introduction of Tails, Super Sonic, and the start of the Death Egg Saga

Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Introduction of Knuckles and the conclusion of the Death Egg Saga

Sonic 4 - if all plays out correctly, it'll be Metal Sonic's first actual battle with Sonic

Sonic Triple Trouble - Introduction of Fang who would be a handful in the old days. Plus it's freakin huge. It deserves canon status on length alone.

Sonic Adventure - do I need to explain this one?

Sonic Adventure 2 - see above

Sonic Advance 2 - introduction of Cream, who is a significant player in the series

Sonic Heroes - sets up the start of Shadow's regaining of his memory. Omega is introduced, Metal Sonic has his memory wiped

Shadow the Hedgehog - Black arms invasion, Shadow decides his purpose in life, etc

Sonic Rush - Blaze and Eggman Nega's introduction

Sonic the Hedgehog - this basically lets us know what some of the characters are doing with their lives. Shadow is established to be a GUN agent. The bonds between Team Dark members are shown as well.

Sonic Rivals - with Sonic 06's events made irrelevant, this is Silver's true introduction into the canon. It also shows that Eggman Nega isn't what he seems to be.

Sonic Unleashed - I think this one is self explanatory

Sonic Colors - as is this one

I think some notable titles I left out there would be the other Advances, Sonic Battle, the sequels of Rush and Rivals, and probably a few other titles I can't even recall at the moment. These games of course, are all canon, but nothing really game changing happened within them. Emerald came and went in all of two stories and was never heard of again. Marine was introduced in SRA, and Metal Sonic 3.0 in SRV2, but neither one has been relevant since then. Chronicles I have not played, but it's basically the last game in the series. Spinball, which everyone likes to hate on can easily have happened, thanks to the emerald rule. There were only seven emeralds, you just collected tons for gameplay's sake. Same with Sonic the Fighters. I also see no reason Mean Bean machine can't have been of Eggman's misadventures as well.

[Mangoaxe5]

Canon in Sonic ha!

I only follow the Archie Sonic comics canon nowadays.

I stopped trying to make sense of what's canon in Sonic. Sega doesn't care so why should we?

A lot of things in Sonic change from game to game.

The moon is blown up in one game, in the next game it will be fine. In the Sonic Rush games Blaze comes from another dimension, and in Sonic 2006 she is from the future.

Depending on the game Robotnik Nega is an alternate version of Robotnik, or he's a descendant of Robotnik.

It's too much of a mess to make sense of.

Edited May 10, 2011 by Darkfox

[Sean]

Chaotix happened and Iizuka couldn't be more wrong.

[Tornado]

Chaotix happened and Iizuka couldn't be more wrong.

The moon is blown up in one game, in the next game it will be fine.

This one is actually fairly easy to justify. The moon was blown up. It wasn't vaporized.

[Mangoaxe5]

This one is actually fairly easy to justify. The moon was blown up. It wasn't vaporized.

[Preston]

The moon also doesn't have a magma core.

[The Conductor]

This'll make me slightly unpopular BUT: To me, everything is canon. EVERYTHING. Every game, cartoon, comic and book, all exist together (for me) in an inconsistently constructed universe, held together only by duct tape and drawing pins.

[Preston]

duct tape and drawing pins