Shaping Canon: Where does Sonic CD fit in the timeline?

[Diogenes]

He's not impervious to attacks, you simply can't attack him, because the boss "fight" is actually a race.

[Lady Soniko]

he has the same weakness all of Eggman's creations has... being bashed/jumped on/sonic boomed he's just more resilient compared to the standard badniks.

[Shane]

Supporting Points:

1. Because

2. Bad Futures

Iblis made a bad future and there is a bad future in Sonic 06. Duh!

3. Chaos Emerald in the past

Elise has had one of the Chaos Emeralds since she was a child, and this is only possible if Sonic left a Chaos Emerald in the past for some reason seeing as Shadow the Hedgehog and all the preceding games except Sonic 1 have seven Chaos Emeralds. Logically Sonic 1 must take place in between Sonic CD and Sonic 06 but I don't want it to because I didn't think of this before making the image.

Potential Problems:

Nothing

This makes too much sense to be a Sonic timeline.

How It Can Be Addressed:

Maybe it doesn't make sense.

But it probably does. I didn't bother doing any thinking so what would I know?

[Lady Soniko]

Supporting Points:

1. Because

2. Bad Futures

Iblis made a bad future and there is a bad future in Sonic 06. Duh!

3. Chaos Emerald in the past

Elise has had one of the Chaos Emeralds since she was a child, and this is only possible if Sonic left a Chaos Emerald in the past for some reason seeing as Shadow the Hedgehog and all the preceding games except Sonic 1 have seven Chaos Emeralds. Logically Sonic 1 must take place in between Sonic CD and Sonic 06 but I don't want it to because I didn't think of this before making the image.

Potential Problems:

Nothing

This makes too much sense to be a Sonic timeline.

How It Can Be Addressed:

Maybe it doesn't make sense.

But it probably does. I didn't bother doing any thinking so what would I know?

potentially the missing chaos emerald from Sonic 1...could be the chaos emerald Elise had as a child!?

mindblown

[Vec]

Sega also confirmed that Sonic and Knuckles' stories in Sonic 3 happened concurrently. Why is that relevant? Because that's why I don't care what Sonic 4 says about the classic game canon.

Didn't they tell you? This was mostly an error and Ken asked where was this written so it could be adressed.

Also, I don't see any problem with it happening after S3&K. I always though that the "See you next game" pic was as relevant story wise as Metal Sonic in SADX

[Tornado]

Didn't they tell you? This was mostly an error and Ken asked where was this written so it could be adressed.

You're missing the greater point.

I don't care what Sonic 4 says about the canon of the original 4 games because nobody who actually worked on it seems to have known what it was without asking fans what was wrong with the way they did do it. For that same reason, I also don't care what Sonic 4 says about Sonic CD's place in the timeline; because the hypotheses in the first post might as well be official for all the difference it makes when Sega has to fact check with fans anyway just to get the order of events for one of the games right.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Tornado

[Unknownlight]

I personally think that Sonic CD originally took place between 1 and 2, but since then has been retconned to take place between 3 and 4. The whole "Sonic CD is a prequel to the Sonic 4 Saga" supports the idea, and Tails being included in the Taxman port also supports the idea. I think that now, whatever it used to be, Sonic CD is considered to happen after the Death Egg Saga.

Sure, it's a bit of a retcon, but honestly I'm completely fine with it. If you pretend that the Taxman re-release with Tails is the "canon" version of Sonic CD—again, something I'm completely fine with, considering I already think of it as the definitive version (with it having both soundtracks and a fixed spindash)—then the whole classic saga's story suddenly becomes perfectly smooth without a single bump in the road.

So yeah. That's what I'm going with.

[Yong]

While I would say it would fall before Sonic 2 it seems more fitting after Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

Mostly because Silver/Mecha Sonic's development in between Sonic 2 and 3. Silver Sonic was a prototype to a Sonic type robot after all. It would be rather strange if Metal Sonic wasn't the finished thing.

It's strange that a large, bulky prototype, which led to a slightly less bulky but still quite large robot, didn't then lead to a small, sleek robot with completely different abilities?

Actually, if we're under the assumption that CD took place before 2, the "evolution" makes sense. Eggman: "Stupid Metal Sonic died from running into a freaking wall! Make new model slower and give him more armor! No more wall deaths!"

Edited March 14, 2012 by Yong

[Abominal SnowTaz]

Here's my guess on how the order goes.

Sonic 1-Sonic CD-Sonic 2-S4E2-Sonic 3-S3 & K-S4E1

or

The timeline just became as much of a mess like the alleged Legend Of Zelda continuity.

[Marcello]

After they said the prequel stuff, they also said CD didn't move around in the timeline, so it should still be between 1 and 2. The prequel talk was just about how the things that happened in CD were important to Sonic 4.

And it's impossible for it to take place between Episodes 1 & 2. E2 takes place a few months after E1, so Little Planet wouldn't be able to appear in both CD and E2 then.

[Indigo Rush]

Sonic 1-Sonic CD-Sonic 2-S4E2-Sonic 3-S3 & K-S4E1

Following the adventure from "Sonic & Knuckles", the Death Egg has finally been destroyed and the Master Emerald has been returned to Angel Island. This humiliating defeat only serves to further Eggman's rage, and he has determined once and for all to rid himself of Sonic. Eggman revisits - and improves - the very best of his creations to defeat our spiked hero. But is there something further to his plan?

And so a new adventure begins...

http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/

[Lady Soniko]

Actually, if we're under the assumption that CD took place before 2, the "evolution" makes sense. Eggman: "Stupid Metal Sonic died from running into a freaking wall! Make new model slower and give him more armor! No more wall deaths!"

You'd probably die too if you hit a wall at that speed.

Robot + speed of sound + solid steel wall = crumpled metal corpse

Its no different from a car striking a metal girder.

[Voyant]

I thought Metal died because Eggman used his beam on him on accident.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Voy-Boy

[Lady Soniko]

I thought Metal died because Eggman used his beam on him on accident.

Metal fell off screen in pieces before eggman got anywhere near him with his beam

[Indigo Rush]

Another straw-grasp to support the Hardware/Tails Argument (Pre-Death Egg Saga)!

Sonic's spindash in Sonic CD kinda sucks.

Sonic's spindash in Sonic 2 kinda doesn't.

Therefore, it's logical to assume that Sonic got better with that move of his as time went on. Again, yes, gasping at straws, but still something interesting to note.

No, I don't know what I'm supposed to make of the Super Peel-Out. Don't you have homework to do? I'm busy. I have to wash my hair. Look behind you, a three-headed monkey!

Edited March 14, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[Voyant]

Metal fell off screen in pieces before eggman got anywhere near him with his beam

Hmmmm *goes and replays CD...err wait naw...I'll use youtube*

[Abominal SnowTaz]

http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/

Edited March 14, 2012 by Abominal Taz

[Pawn]

You'd probably die too if you hit a wall at that speed.

Robot + speed of sound + solid steel wall = crumpled metal corpse

Its no different from a car striking a metal girder.

Yet Sonic has no problem crashing into walls and carrying on as normal.

Just saying. ;P

Edited March 14, 2012 by Lungo

[Lady Soniko]

Yet Sonic has no problem crashing into walls and carrying on as normal.

Just saying. ;P

Sonic is the most resilient of them all, he fell from space head first and survived comically

just saying ;P

[TheOcelot]

The topic question where does Sonic CD fit in the timeline is a very dificult one to answer.

Theory 1

First of all Sonic CD was released just after Sonic 2 and just before Sonic 3 (I will bypass Spinball). I think the Japanese version had a story where Sonic doesn't go to Angel Island (Sonic 3) immediately after the Sonic 2 ending which would add ammunition to this argument. I believe the general concensus at least in Europe and the US is Sonic goes to Angel Island immediately after Sonic 2. That is how I always saw it. As you would complete Sonic 2 being Super Sonic and then your Super Sonic when Sonic 3 starts. Five minute ride to Angel Island on the bit plane, lol!

Theory 2

The theory which I lean towards is that Sonic CD took place between Sonic 1 and Sonic 2. Why? well both CD and Sonic 2 were being developed at the same time. Sonic 2 the numerical sequel was given priority. SEGA of Japan were okay for Sonic 2 to be released first as it gave them more time to porlish CD, and boy they did a real great job because CD is visually a beautiful game. I heard that CD started development slightly before Sonic 2, or at least the time travel concept was in SEGA's subconcious before Sonic 2 finally started to 'SPINDASH' its way into development.

Also the sprite of Sonic in CD is the same sprite of Sonic in Sonic 1. The exploration heavy slghtly slower paced gameplay of CD is more similar to the gameplay/speed of Sonic 1, compared to Sonic 2 which is more fluent and fast paced. For that reason I think CD is more naturally a sequel to Sonic 1 (the true sequel very possibly).

- So I am happy to believe this theory.

Theory 3

The idea of puting Sonic CD after S3&K and before Sonic 4 Ep1 is more about convenience i.e Sonic 2 - 3 - Knuckles flows one after the other. So Sonic CD - S4 E1 then E2 etc. The problem is whilst CD is a fanastic game, if it had been released after S3&K, I don't think it would have been as popular as it is because S3&K has so much more content especially when you play the full 14 levels of S3&K - lock on.

Final thoughts

I could never really consider Sonic 4 a sequel to Sonic CD because the gameplay is very different in Ep1 compared to CD. Granted it looks like Ep2 will go some way to bridging that gap but still it is difficult to link the two together. In reality CD was a stand alone game. almost a 'hybrid product' Stunning in its uniqueness. There will never be another game like Sonic CD unless you count the Sonic CD 2011 re-release, lol.

Edited March 15, 2012 by MilesKnightwing

[Vec]

And it's impossible for it to take place between Episodes 1 & 2. E2 takes place a few months after E1, so Little Planet wouldn't be able to appear in both CD and E2 then.

A little detail: The E2 site says that this episode happens a year after Episode I

[Dreamhog]

A little detail: The E2 site says that this episode happens a year after Episode I

I don't see this. I just see it saying Sonic's episode 2 story takes place a few months after episode 1.

[Marcello]

A little detail: The E2 site says that this episode happens a year after Episode I

Where are you getting that?

[Indigo Rush]

A little detail: The E2 site says that this episode happens a year after Episode I

No, Marcello is right. It's only a couple of months:

A few months have passed since the battle from Episode I.

However Sonic's rest comes to an end as Little Planet re-approaches.

Sonic finds out that Dr. Eggman is back in action on the neighboring continent. He sets off on Tornado to investigate the continent with his sidekick, Tails...

http://sonicthehedgehog4.com/

Edited March 15, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[Big Boss (legendsneverdie)]

I'd say it happened either after S3&K, or before 2, for reasons people have gone over earlier in the thread.