How Is Sonic Still So Popular?
— Nintendo Enthusiast:
Love it or hate it, the Sonic the Hedgehog series is one of the most popular and iconic franchises in the whole video game industry, and arguably the whole entertainment world. It’s Sonic that put SEGA on the map, and gave Nintendo its first true competitor after gaining market dominance back in the late 80s. Sonic rose to staggering heights of popularity after his debut in 1991, and he rocked through the 90s like nobody’s business. When the 2000s hit, things went bad. The Sonic series has been in a weird limbo since the start of the new millennia; flip-flopping between hits and (mostly) misses. Despite its varying level of quality, the franchise has continued to be one of SEGA’s primary sources of profit, and the fan-base is still incredibly passionate. But, why? How has the Sonic series managed to stay afloat for so long despite its many mishaps?
