Track: SOUTH ISLAND ~ Lovers Game: Sonic the Fighters Publisher(s): Sega Composer(s): Maki Morrow Character: Amy Rose
Sonic the Fighters, also known as Sonic Championship, is a 1996 three-dimensional fighting video game from Sega. The game, developed by Sega AM2 and built on their Model 2 arcade system, pits players in one-on-one battles with a roster of characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sonic the Fighters was made using the fighting engine for Fighting Vipers (1995), and it was the first 3D game in the Sonic series; the idea for a Sonic fighting game was conceived when a Sega AM2 programmer experimented with a 3D Sonic the Hedgehog model in Fighting Vipers, its animation impressing and convincing the Sonic Team to approve the project. A home console port for the Sega Saturn was announced, but ultimately canceled, resulting in the game staying an arcade exclusive until 2005 with the compilation Sonic Gems Collection for GameCube and PlayStation 2. It was rereleased again in 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, featuring new playable characters and an online versus mode. It has since been included as a bonus game in the Like a Dragon series. Sonic the Fighters received mixed reviews. Critics praised the graphics, especially the cartoon-like animations, but criticized the gameplay as rudimentary. It was ultimately regarded as disappointing for fans of the fighting game genre but an obscure novelty for Sonic fans.
