The Classic Sonic Timeline. [SPOILERS]

[ClassicKnuckles]

Okay... So let's get started. It starts out with Sonic the Hedgehog 1, and then Sonic 2, CD, S3K, Generations, and Mania. During the events of Sonic Blast, Sonic gets warped into the events of Sonic Generations. At the end of Generations, it shown that Classic Sonic can airdash. This will be important later. After Sonic returns, the events of Mania occur, and with Robotnik's newfound knowledge of time travel, he begins warping Classic Sonic all over the place. After Mania, Sonic gets warped to Forces. In the final boss, it is shown that Sonic is able to homing attack (which he learned to do in Generations) and at the end of Forces, Classic Sonic just kinda disappears, leading to the events of... Sonic 4, because it is shown that Sonic can homing attack. This timeline seems to make sense, but lemme know if there's any problems with it. ~~ClassicKnuckles

[Big Panda]

I think Sonic 4 is supposed to be modern timeline only, unless you're going for the "modern and classic are one and the same" approach.

[ClassicKnuckles]

Just now, Ernest the Snowpanda said:

I think Sonic 4 is supposed to be modern timeline only, unless you're going for the "modern and classic are one and the same" approach.

It's now officially canon that they're different dimensions. Also, why would Sonic 4 be in the modern timeline, despite the fact that it's a direct sequel?

[Diogenes]

5 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Also, why would Sonic 4 be in the modern timeline, despite the fact that it's a direct sequel?

Modern character design. That's all the split is about, really.

[ClassicKnuckles]

1 minute ago, Diogenes said:

Modern character design. That's all the split is about, really.

I mean, I guess that makes sense, but maybe it's just a different style? Sonic 1, 2, and 3 all had different character art styles.

[Cuz]

Doesn't 4 also lean on Sonic CD for it's setup? I notice CD's missing from the timeline.

[ClassicKnuckles]

1 minute ago, Cuz said:

Doesn't 4 also lean on Sonic CD for it's setup? I notice CD's missing from the timeline.

Oh heck how did I forget that!? I takes place after Sonic 2, and a few months before 3k

[Diogenes]

1 minute ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

I mean, I guess that makes sense, but maybe it's just a different style? Sonic 1, 2, and 3 all had different character art styles.

Yeah but like I said the different character designs are essentially what the split is about in the first place. It's not for any kind of narrative or artistic reason, they just want to keep marketing classic Sonic to classic fans and modern Sonic to modern fans. Even if it was an attempt to pander to classic fans at the time, it doesn't fit on the classic side of the division they've made.

Of course, that's if 4 even has to be part of the timeline. Considering it was a failure that never got a proper conclusion I wouldn't doubt that they'd just want to bury it and forget about it.

[ClassicKnuckles]

Just now, Diogenes said:

Yeah but like I said the different character designs are essentially what the split is about in the first place. It's not for any kind of narrative or artistic reason, they just want to keep marketing classic Sonic to classic fans and modern Sonic to modern fans. Even if it was an attempt to pander to classic fans at the time, it doesn't fit on the classic side of the division they've made.

Of course, that's if 4 even has to be part of the timeline. Considering it was a failure that never got a proper conclusion I wouldn't doubt that they'd just want to bury it and forget about it.

I guess the timeline works without 4 at all, but it's up to a matter of opinion.

[Cuz]

I'm split. For one I'd love to completely ignore Sonic 4, but on the other hand I like how simple and clean one timeline tracing from classic to modern is and will cling to every bit of evidence I can find for one, and Sonic 4 comes close to breaking the new separate dimensions canon.

24 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Oh heck how did I forget that!? I takes place after Sonic 2, and a few months before 3k

Interesting CD usually fits cleaner between 1 and 2.  Sonic 3 doesn't leave much room for  down time with the Doctor crashing into Angel Island after losing orbit at the end of Sonic 2. (I think 4 makes a case for CD being after all 3? Don't know if that's still a thing? It's Sonic 4 after all).

 

[ClassicKnuckles]

2 minutes ago, Cuz said:

I'm split. For one I'd love to completely ignore Sonic 4, but on the other hand I like how simple and clean one timeline tracing from classic to modern is and will cling to every bit of evidence I can find for one, and Sonic 4 comes close to breaking the new separate dimensions canon.

Interesting CD usually fits cleaner between 1 and 2.  Sonic 3 doesn't leave much room for  down time with the Doctor crashing into Angel Island after losing orbit at the end of Sonic 2. (I think 4 makes a case for CD being after all 3? Don't know if that's still a thing? It's Sonic 4 after all).

 

Okay. This kind of gets confusing. It can't take place after Sonic 3, because of Mecha Sonic, but it can't take place before, because it wouldn't fit into the timeline. What if Sonic CD just didn't happen at all? Maybe it's in the timeline where Tails never met Sonic, and the Chaos Emeralds were replaced with the Time Stones. Maybe Metal Sonic was built during the events of Sonic Adventure? (You can see Metal Sonic in a test tube in the Egg Carrier if I'm correct.)

[EzSonic01]

But... Where are Sonic 3D Blast, Knuckles Chaotix, Sonic R, and the 8-bit titles (Aside Sonic Blast which you mentioned) in that timeline? Though, I guess these games are spinoffs so maybe that's the reason they aren't there. Sonic 4 wouldn't count, at least for me, considering the modern design of the characters and Sonic having abilities such as the Homing Attack. 

1 hour ago, Diogenes said:

Yeah but like I said the different character designs are essentially what the split is about in the first place. It's not for any kind of narrative or artistic reason, they just want to keep marketing classic Sonic to classic fans and modern Sonic to modern fans. Even if it was an attempt to pander to classic fans at the time, it doesn't fit on the classic side of the division they've made.

Of course, that's if 4 even has to be part of the timeline. Considering it was a failure that never got a proper conclusion I wouldn't doubt that they'd just want to bury it and forget about it.

I agree that 4 wasn't good. But wasn't it considered a solid platformer that just couldn't live up to its name? Both episodes got positive reviews (Specially the first one, the second part I recall was kinda mixed) and did fairly well (certainly better than the recent 3D entries) despite criticism from fans, which I think was the reason they just dropped the project as a whole.

[Cuz]

14 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Okay. This kind of gets confusing. It can't take place after Sonic 3, because of Mecha Sonic, but it can't take place before, because it wouldn't fit into the timeline. What if Sonic CD just didn't happen at all? Maybe it's in the timeline where Tails never met Sonic, and the Chaos Emeralds were replaced with the Time Stones. Maybe Metal Sonic was built during the events of Sonic Adventure? (You can see Metal Sonic in a test tube in the Egg Carrier if I'm correct.)

Mecha Sonic and CD's un-perfected Spindash are why I think it fits between 1 and 2. Why can't it come before Sonic 2; what doesn't work there? If it's Tails he wasn't in the original release of CD.

[Heckboy]

19 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Okay. This kind of gets confusing. It can't take place after Sonic 3, because of Mecha Sonic, but it can't take place before, because it wouldn't fit into the timeline. What if Sonic CD just didn't happen at all? Maybe it's in the timeline where Tails never met Sonic, and the Chaos Emeralds were replaced with the Time Stones. Maybe Metal Sonic was built during the events of Sonic Adventure? (You can see Metal Sonic in a test tube in the Egg Carrier if I'm correct.)

1 > CD > 2 is the best order, I think. 3&K takes place very shortly after 2, so they're basically locked together. Meanwhile, 2 takes place an ambiguous amount of time after 1, so you could easily place CD there.

Just now, FairPlay said:

BWhere are Sonic 3D Blast, Knuckles Chaotix, Sonic R, and the 8-bit titles (Aside Sonic Blast which you mentioned) in that timeline? Though, I guess these games are spinoffs so maybe that's the reason they aren't there.

With the exception of Sonic R (which Ian Flynn confirmed IS canon, according to Sega, if I remember correctly), they aren't officially canon. Not that you can't try to fit them in the timeline anyway, just for fun.

[EzSonic01]

I remember reading somewhere that Sega also considers Chaotix canon (taking place after S3K), though I really don't remember where I read that. 

[Heckboy]

They basically reintroduced the Chaotix as new characters in Heroes, so I don't think Chaotix is officially canon, unfortunately.

[ClassicKnuckles]

Just now, FairPlay said:

But... Where are Sonic 3D Blast, Knuckles Chaotix, Sonic R, and the 8-bit titles (Aside Sonic Blast which you mentioned) in that timeline? Though, I guess these games are spinoffs so maybe that's the reason they aren't there. Sonic 4 wouldn't count, at least for me, considering the modern design of the characters and Sonic having abilities such as the Homing Attack. 

In my opinion, there's multiple Sonic timelines. The Classic Sonic timeline (Sonic 1, CD, 2, 3, K, Mania, and maybe 4) the 8-Bit Sonic timeline (Sonic 1, 2 GG, Chaos, Triple Trouble, Blast, Labyrinth, Skypatrol, Adventure, and I think a few others) the Saturn Sonic timeline (Sonic the Fighters, R, Chaotix, Jam,  3D Blast, and a few others) the Dreamcast timeline (Sonic Adventure through Sonic 06) the Portable timeline (Sonic Rush, Rush Adventure, Colors DS, Rivals, Rivals 2, Generations 3DS, and Lost World 3DS) and finally, the Modern timeline (Unleashed  to present)

14 minutes ago, Cuz said:

Mecha Sonic and CD's un-perfected Spindash are why I think it fits between 1 and 2. Why can't it come before Sonic 2; what doesn't work there? If it's Tails he wasn't in the original release of CD.

But it was released after, and Tails was in there as an easter egg. Also, Metal Sonic is better than Silver Sonic and Mecha Sonic, so why wouldn't Robotnik use Metal Sonic? Also, why is the Super Peel Out absent from Sonic 2, and subsequent games? Did he just un-learn it?

[Heckboy]

6 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Did he just un-learn it?

I guess? Same reason why he stopped using the spin dash until Lost World, and then lost it again in Forces. There's no real in-universe explanation, it just depends on the gameplay style.

[ClassicKnuckles]

Just now, Mister X said:

I guess? Same reason why he stopped using the spin dash until Lost World, and then lost it again in Forces. There's no real in-universe explanation, it just depends on the gameplay style.

Not unless you go along with my timeline concept that I posted above. 

[Big Panda]

I think from the perspective of the modern timeline, only the original Genesis four and Sonic CD are canon, with any spin-offs from the classic era (Game Gear games, Chaotix, etc.) being strictly classic timeline. In Chaotix' case, the fact Sega treats Team Chaotix from Heroes onward as completely different entities from their classic counterparts backs that up.

[Sean]

Is it so difficult to simply accept that with some isolated exceptions (like how Sonic Battle obviously takes place after Heroes), the games just happen more or less in the same order that they're released? In fact there's very little in the so-called non-canon side games like Chaotix or the 8bit titles to suggest that they can't fit into the overall lore whatsoever. And if some minor details don't line up, then assume they still happened in broad strokes, like Spinball and its multiple blue Chaos Emeralds.

There's no "alternate timeline" stuff because before Forces came along, there wasn't anything to suggest that the thought even crossed Sega's mind. Each game is just an excuse to get Sonic and co. on another adventure to defeat Eggman, and there's not much thought put into how the games connect to each other, except for the era between Sonic Adventure and Shadow the Hedgehog.

[Cuz]

34 minutes ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

But it was released after, and Tails was in there as an easter egg. Also, Metal Sonic is better than Silver Sonic and Mecha Sonic, so why wouldn't Robotnik use Metal Sonic? Also, why is the Super Peel Out absent from Sonic 2, and subsequent games? Did he just un-learn it?

But they were developed pretty close together.

The Tails teaser accompanies a horde of silly easter eggs like the original edge-hog:

Given that Tails doesn't show up in the game proper I think it's safe to ignore the teaser image for a narrative timeline.

As for why Robotnik would use Silver Sonic instead of Metal? I see Silver as more of a failed prototype. He's not used because he's better than Metal but because that's what he happens to have lying around this particular base. Silver Sonic is Robotnik desperately throwing the kitchen sink out.

[EzSonic01]

The 8-bit games don't seem canon, really. At least not officially. I would argue that these games are on their own separate timeline, as ClassicKnuckles said. How does South Island look so different between both versions of Sonic 1? And they're supposed to be the same place? How Tails meets Sonic in South Island if he's from West-side Island and Sonic had travelled there looking for adventures according to the Genesis version? How Knuckles also meets Sonic at that place in Triple Trouble if he's from Angel Island and the guardian of the Master Emerald? It's like they all lived there from the very beginning and met each other as the games passed. Aside that, the number of Emeralds in those games is very inconsistent, sometimes being five, others six, instead of the usual 7 and Sonic cannot go super anyway.

These titles seem to follow their own canon, and nothing aside the names of the games indicate they are linked to the Genesis entries at all. Most areas, events, characters, items, etcetera, don't line up.

[ClassicKnuckles]

Just now, FairPlay said:

The 8-bit games don't seem canon, really. At least not officially. I would argue that these games are on their own separate timeline, as ClassicKnuckles said. How does South Island look so different between both versions of Sonic 1? And they're supposed to be the same place? How Tails meets Sonic in South Island if he's from West-side Island and Sonic had travelled there looking for adventures according to the Genesis version? How Knuckles also meets Sonic at that place in Triple Trouble if he's from Angel Island and the guardian of the Master Emerald? Aside that, the number of Emeralds in those games is very inconsistent, sometimes being five, others six, instead of the usual 7 and Sonic cannot go super anyway.

These titles seem to follow their own canon, and nothing aside the names of the games indicate they are linked to the Genesis entries at all. Most areas, events, characters, items, etcetera, don't line up at all.

Yeah. My timeline/dimension idea seems the most plausible when compared to the whole idea of literally every single Sonic game taking place in the same timeline.

[MainJP]

1 hour ago, ClassicKnuckles said:

Okay. This kind of gets confusing. It can't take place after Sonic 3, because of Mecha Sonic, but it can't take place before, because it wouldn't fit into the timeline. What if Sonic CD just didn't happen at all? Maybe it's in the timeline where Tails never met Sonic, and the Chaos Emeralds were replaced with the Time Stones. Maybe Metal Sonic was built during the events of Sonic Adventure? (You can see Metal Sonic in a test tube in the Egg Carrier if I'm correct.)

For the record, SA mentions the events of CD: