The game was created by the famous pinball designer Steve Ritchie, "The Master of Flow." It is focuses on the popular Sonic series of games, that started with the 16-bit Sega Genesis classic back in 1991 (rather than the movies from the 2020s). The bulk of the material for the pin seems to come from the Sonic Generations game series, which was released in 2011. The game's art is new-generation 3D Sonic, not the pixelated/16-bit style.
The game includes a whopping 5,000+ voice recordings, all from the original actors. Slash (Guns N' Roses) contributed lead guitar on a couple of songs. Ritchie intentionally designed the game without pop bumpers to increase its speed and flow.
Game Features:
Upper playfield — a Ritchie signature from all the way back on Black Knight. It's made from clear-plastic, allowing complete visitbiltu of the lower-playfield. The upper playfield has its own two flippers set at different/optimized angles and tons of different shots.
Dr. Eggman bash toy — on the upper playfield ("the laboratory"); you complete a level to trigger a boss battle, then Eggman emerges from a "garage," swings left-right across roughly two-thirds the width, and moves up/down to dodge shots.
Magnetic ramp / loop — a right-ramp shot with three magnets producing heavy acceleration, feeding the iconic loop-de-loop and throwing the ball to the right flipper. A separate "spin bash" feature on the same shot stops the ball dead on a magnet; you pump the flipper buttons against an on-screen bar to score, then it flings back out through the loop.
Levels — the game has seven levels (referred to as "acts"/"zones" in Sonic terms); not modes. You can start on any level, including the hardest, rather than being forced to begin at Green Hill.
Chaos Emerald Multiball — how emeralds are collected; starts with two balls.
Sonic Heroes Multiball — collect three members of a team (four teams, 12 characters total); spell HERO in the lower lanes to light it, an up-post lets you choose to start or risk stacking more teams (stackable to all four). Back-glass display shows needed characters in black-and-white, filling with color as collected; big bonuses/jackpots for completion.
Ring micro-displays — about five small electronic ring displays embedded in playfield rings, giving low-res "vintage Sonic look" directional guidance (where to shoot, what you'll get), similar in spirit to the Pirates of the Caribbean compass.
The game is available in three different trim levels, the Collector's Edition, the Spedial Edition and the Arcade Edition. All three games play exactly the same, the differences are cosmetic.
Like the Company's last release, Harry Potter, the Sonic Collector's Edition will be limited only by the time that it is produced, not to a specific number of games.
CE-exclusive features include: a mechanical, electronic topper spanning the full backbox with Sonic and Eggman toys that move, turn, face each other, and chase, backed by a long thin animated display (with effects like smoke from the Eggmobile, dust off Sonic, parts flying off on hits, birds circling when dazed), an animated "sparkle" red cabinet (glitter that appears to move as you walk by), a shaker motor, gold ring shooter knob, and a glitter lower-arch decal.
Pricing for the models remains unchanged from the Company's last release, $15,000 for the CE, $12,000 for the SE and $9,999 for the Arcade.
The game has been on the production line at JJP's Elk Grove Village, Illinois factory for a couple of weeks. That's good news because it means that we are going to get to see it in action very soon. On Tilt Pinball, which streams game live from Ayce Gogi in Southern California is scheduled to air gameplay on Thursday night. The countdown for the stream is already up on YouTube.
I personally am going to a Sonic Launch Party this weekend at Under the Glass pinball in Red Bank, New Jersey. That event will feature special appearances by designer Steve Ritchie and the Company's founder"Jersey" Jack Guarnieri.
The game is available for sale now through distributors, like my friend and Knapp Arcade sponsor Joe Newhart of PinballSTAR Amusements, Sales@PinballSTAR.com (PinballSTAR Website) and directly from JJP.
Collector's Edition:
Special Edition:
Arcade Edition:
Other Pictures:
SOURCE: Pinball Photos
The LoserKid Pinball Podcast just published a great interview with Steve Ritchie about his new game:
Steve Ritchie joins us today to talk about his latest creation, Sonic the Hedgehog! A game all about speed and fun.
Retro Ralph shared his thoughts on the game from his recent trip to Jersey Jack's HQ.
Sonic the Hedgehog is officially entering the world of pinball, and today we’re going behind the scenes at Jersey Jack Pinball to check out their brand-new Sonic the Hedgehog pinball machine.
As a lifelong Sonic fan and a pinball nerd, this one hits hard. Jersey Jack Pinball invited me out to the factory for a closer look at the game, the design, the team behind it, and what makes this machine feel so fast, fun, and uniquely Sonic.
This game is designed by Steve Ritchie, known by many as the king of flow, and you can feel that DNA immediately. Sonic the Hedgehog pinball is fast, combo-heavy, loaded with shots, and built around that classic Sonic feeling of always moving forward. From the main playfield to the giant upper playfield, the game is packed with speed, flow, loops, ramps, ring collecting, boss battles, chaos emeralds, multiballs, and a ton of fan service for Sonic players.
In this video, we take a look at the Sonic pinball gameplay, the upper playfield, the magnetic accelerator loop, the ring mechanics, Chaos Emerald Multiball, the cabinet artwork, the Collector’s Edition, Special Edition, and Arcade Edition, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the Jersey Jack Pinball factory floor as Sonic machines are being built.
Whether you’re a pinball collector, a Jersey Jack Pinball fan, a Steve Ritchie fan, or someone who grew up playing Sonic the Hedgehog on SEGA Genesis, this game has a lot to be excited about.
Sonic is all about speed, and this game absolutely captures that feeling from the moment the ball leaves the shooter lane.
Gotta go fast.
The On Tilt Stream:
