Sonic Team is a computer and video game developer established in 1988 as Sega AM8. In 1991 AM8 took their name from their phenomenally successful Sonic the Hedgehog series and became Sonic Team. They are one of Sega's most popular creative teams. Sonic Team was headed by the famed video game designer, producer, and visionary Yuji Naka. Under his leadership Sonic Team has become a creative powerhouse in the video game industry creating some of the most popular games ever made. The joint creator of Sonic, Naoto Oshima, left Sonic Team to form his own studio, Artoon. Recently on May 8th, 2006, Naka left the group as well to establish an independent game developer, PROPE, along with ten members from Sonic Team.

Sonic Team has also worked on a television series adaptation of one of their most popular games they've developed and the basis of the name for the development team, Sonic.

In 2003, United Game Artists (formerly Sega AM9) merged with Sonic Team. In 2004, Sonic Team once more became an internal division of Sega after being spun off as a second-party developer in 2000.

Games developed by Sonic Team or supervised by

• Phantasy Star (1987-Japan; 1988-US)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) (1991)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit) (1992)
• Sonic CD (16-bit) (1993)
• Sonic Spinball (16-bit) (1993)
• Sonic Chaos (1993)
• SegaSonic the Hedgehog (Arcade) (1993)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (16-bit) (1994)
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994)
• Sonic Drift (Japan-1994)
• Sonic Triple Trouble (1994)
• Sonic the Hedgehog's Game World (1994)
• Ristar (1995)
• Knuckles Chaotix (1995)
• Sonic Drift 2 (1995)
• Tails' Skypatrol (Japan-1995)
• Tails Adventure (1995)
• Sonic Labyrinth (1995)
• Sonic Blast (1996)
• Sonic The Fighters (Arcade) (1996)
• Sonic 3D Blast (1996)
• Sonic Jam (1997)
• NiGHTS Into Dreams (1996)
• Christmas NiGHTS (1996)
• Sonic R (1997)
• Burning Rangers (1998)
• Sonic Adventure/ Director's Cut (1998-Japan; 1999-US)
• ChuChu Rocket! (1999-Japan; 2000-US)
• Sonic Shuffle (2000-Japan; 2000-US)
• Samba de Amigo (1999-Japanese arcade version; 2000- Japan and US console versions)
• Phantasy Star Online (2000-Japan; 2001-US)
• Sonic Adventure 2/ Battle (2001-Japan; 2001-US)
• Sonic Advance (2001-Japan; 2001-US)
• Sonic Mega Collection (2002-GameCube)/Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004-PS2)
• Sonic Advance 2 (2002-Japan; 2003-US)
• Sonic Pinball Party (2002-Japan; 2003-US)
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003)
• Sonic Heroes (2003-Japan; 2004-US)
• Sonic Battle (2003-Japan; 2004-US)
• Sonic Advance 3 (2004-Japan; 2004-US)
• Puyo Pop Fever (2003-Japanese arcade version; 2004-Japan and US console versions)
• XY/XX (UGA Division) (2004)
• Sonic Gems Collection (2005-Japan; 2005-US)
• Shadow the Hedgehog (2005- Japan; 2005-US)
• Sonic Rush (2005-Japan; 2005-US)
• The Rub Rabbits! (UGA Division) (2005-Japan; 2006-US)
• Sonic Riders (UGA Division) (2006)
• Puyo Pop Fever 2 (2006-Japan)
• Phantasy Star Universe (to be released 2006)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (planned for release in 2006)
• Sonic Rivals (Planned for Fall 2006)
• Sonic Wild Fire (Planned for 2007)
• Sonic Riders 2 (alleged to be in development)

They also had involvement in Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic R, despite coding duties being handled by Traveller's Tales.

Sonic Team

See also

• Sega

External links

• Sonic Team's official website
• Angel Island Interviews - archive of interviews with Sonic Team staff

Sega | Computer and video game companies | 1988 establishments

Sonic Team | Sonic Team | ソニックチーム | Sonic Team | Sonic Team