Sonic Heroes

2003 video game

Sonic Heroes is a 2003 3D platform video game that is an entry to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It was the first multi-platform title in the series, released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and later Windows.

Sonic Heroes
Developer(s)Sonic Team USA
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Takashi Iizuka
Producer(s)Yuji Naka
Designer(s)Takashi Iizuka
Eitaro Toyoda
Artist(s)Kazuyuki Hoshino
Writer(s)Shiro Maekawa
Composer(s)Jun Senoue
Tomoya Ohtani
Keiichi Sugiyama
Hideaki Kobayashi
Mariko Nanba
Fumie Kumatani
SeriesSonic the Hedgehog
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)
Release
December 31, 2003
  • GameCube
    • JP: December 30, 2003
    • NA: January 6, 2004
    • PAL: February 2, 2004
    PlayStation 2, Xbox
    • JP: December 30, 2003
    • NA: January 27, 2004
    • PAL: February 2, 2004
    Windows
    • NA: November 22, 2004
    • PAL: November 26, 2004
    • JP: December 9, 2004
    PlayStation Network
    • EU: February 22, 2012
    • JP: September 27, 2014
Genre(s)Platform, action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay change

Players can play as one of four teams of three characters. One of them has speed, the second has flight and the third has power. Team Rose goes for an easier direction, Team Sonic goes for the full level, Team Dark goes for a more difficult mission and Team Chaotix gets their own missions for levels. The bonus levels can let the player collect all seven Chaos Emeralds to unlock the secret final boss after completing the four team playthroughs.

Plot change

Dr. Eggman has sent Sonic and his friends a warning that he will conquer the world with his army. Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega encounter a somehow resurrected Shadow the Hedgehog. Amy Rose teams up with Cream the Rabbit and Big the Cat to find Chocola the Chao and Froggy. Vector the Crocodile and the rest of his team got a walkie talkie from a client who can pay them. The four of the teams have defeated Dr. Eggman until Team Chaotix figured out from the real Dr. Eggman that Metal Sonic is the true villain. Metal Sonic has copied data of his enemies to become Neo Metal Sonic.

Reception change

The game has had mixed to positive reviews. Many loved how the game went through the Sega Genesis roots. The game would be referenced in future entries such as Sonic Generations.

The PlayStation 2 version was later rereleased on the PlayStation 3 in Japan and Europe as part of the PS2 Classics line.