Sonic the Hedgehog
The Unforgettable Battle Against Metal Sonic
Quietly, one of the best moments of the SEGA mascot
Speed has always been the most important aspect in Sonic the Hedgehog. Since the first game in the series, SEGA’s mascot has been portrayed as a blue hedgehog capable of breaking the sound barrier to save the world.
Most of the time, in classic games, Sonic gains real speed when he’s propelled by a spring or when we find those special little boxes that drastically increase the protagonist’s speed for a limited time. Despite all this focus on speed, there were few occasions when Sonic really needed to use everything he had to win a race. After all, he was already the fastest creature in the world ever since, and no enemy in the SEGA universe could compete… Until Metal Sonic came along. Metal Sonic first appeared in Sonic CD, a 1993 game that also introduced us to the iconic Amy Rose. Touted as a worthy rival to deal with Sonic, Metal Sonic is the rival to beat in Sonic’s first race in classic games — and it’s an absolutely legendary moment.
In practice, the player doesn’t need to do more than keep ahead of Metal Sonic while dodging traditional Sonic CD traps. However, this was the first contest where, in fact, only Sonic’s speed was in focus. With no robots to eliminate or even options to attack Robotnik and Metal Sonic directly, Sonic just needs to run as fast as he can to get out of an ambush. It might not seem like such an amazing thing in 2022, but believe me: anyone who played Sonic CD for the first time in the past knows that this confrontation was pure adrenaline. Sonic CD is part of the Sonic Origins collection, available for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. If you want to relive that moment after so many years, this is the best option available today.