Sonic the Hedgehog Idea approved
Posted by Huw,
LEGO Ideas has also just announced that toastergrl's Sonic Mania - Green Hill Zone Ideas project that was 'still being considered' after the first 2020 review results has now been approved and will be made into an official product. Here's the press release:
4th February 2021: LEGO Ideas today announced it will be bringing SEGA’s legendary speedster, Sonic the Hedgehog, to brick form, thanks to a concept design submitted by 24 year-old, UK based, LEGO superfan Viv Grannell. Viv, also a passionate Sonic fan, created her design as a submission to the LEGO Ideas platform, a LEGO initiative that takes new ideas that have been imagined and voted for by fans and turns them into reality.
Viv’s design was inspired by SEGA’s critically acclaimed 2017 platformer experience Sonic Mania, and features iconic characters and environments from the game’s Green Hill Zone level. Once the design was completed, it achieved the prerequisite 10,000 votes from LEGO fans worldwide – before being greenlit to go into production by the LEGO Group.
Talking about the winning idea, Viv Grannell said; “I’ve been invested in the world of Sonic for almost my entire life, and it’s such a perfect fit for the LEGO system that I spent about a year rallying support for it to happen. Having 10,000 people back my design was overwhelming enough, even with friends and family behind me, but having it be selected for further development was the most exciting secret I have ever had to keep!”
The Sonic Mania Green Hill Zone LEGO Ideas design will now go into the product development phase, in partnership with SEGA and once finalised will be available worldwide. Talking about the collaboration, Jason Rice, Director of Brand Licensing, SEGA Europe Ltd, said; “At SEGA, we’ve always encouraged fans to take part in the legacy of the Sonic franchise through their own creations and it’s wonderful to see the tradition continued through the LEGO Ideas program. We’re thrilled to partner with Viv and the LEGO Group, and hope to inspire fans to continue creating their own unique Sonic the Hedgehog experiences for generations to come.”
The Sonic Mania Green Hill Zone LEGO Ideas design is the ultimate embodiment of Sonic the Hedgehog’s past and future as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this June. Featuring a wide variety of elements inspired by Classic Sonic, the set will provide LEGO collectors and Sonic fans alike a truly supersonic LEGO experience.
The set thus joins a lengthy Ideas product pipeline that currently consists of Winnie the Pooh, Typewriter, Seinfeld Apartment, Fender Stratocaster, Home Alone and Earth Globe.
I can't see them all being released this year, so we will most likely have a lengthy wait for the blue video game character.
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60 comments on this article
Heck yes.
As long as they keep it roughly minifig scale and don't 'do a mario' I think people will be happy.
Thank you LEGO (thumbs up from me)
:)
@Andhe There is already an official Sonic mini figure, which is probably what gave this submission the edge.
Wow!
Well at least they'll get some more use out of the mold for Dimensions
Oh... oh my.
This is my day?! I've had this LEGO handle for 20 years, since I was 9... is this happening?
...
...
Ah, yeah! This IS happening!
I just hope it'll be playable to some degree even if not nearly at the same level as Super Mario!
Nice! And congrats to Viv for succeeding with this passion project.
This was timed perfectly with the release of the ideas review phase results so LEGO wouldn’t have to deal with an angry mob hahahahaa
Yay! Definitely will buy it when it releases
No.
I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time...
I DIDNT SEE THIS AT FIRST BUT MAN I AM HAPPY!!!!
Lego works with Nintendo, there is no chance to make a Sega set
First Nintendo, now SEGA...hmmm.
I like it.
Good for those that don't already have a Sonic minifig...
@DavidBrick said:
"I see LEGO 'doing a Mario' and giving us crap like that just to screw around with fans. :)"
That'll be the worst mistake they make, not because of the LEGO fanbase, but the Sonic fanbase, which has the unfortunate reputation of being the single most toxic fanbase on the planet, making even Brickset's AFOL community look well-behaved. I don't think they have any idea what they just signed themselves up for. I'm sure Viv knows, but I do worry that the fanbase will start casting flak at her for decisions that will henceforth be not entirely within her control.
Joke's on the fanbase though, I'll be happy either way, as someone who already loves LEGO Mario anyway.
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time..."
Yeah, probably!
This is a strong concept for Ideas. Let's hope the designers at Lego make a build worthy of the IP- the original submission was a little lacking in terms of the stud-to-stud connectivity.
@3arteq said:
"Lego works with Nintendo, there is no chance to make a Sega set"
If Mario and Sonic go to the OG together there's no stopping them being Lego sets, the Nintendo/Sega feud died with Sega console division long ago.
I wonder will they add a Tails figure? Probably not, if it’s based on the first game, but here’s hoping!
Not only is it awesome we're getting more LEGO Sonic, but this set may bring down the price of that old Dimensions set and make 100% completion easier
Huh, neat.
@LegoSonicBoy said:
" @DavidBrick said:
"I see LEGO 'doing a Mario' and giving us crap like that just to screw around with fans. :)"
That'll be the worst mistake they make, not because of the LEGO fanbase, but the Sonic fanbase, which has the unfortunate reputation of being the single most toxic fanbase on the planet, making even Brickset's AFOL community look well-behaved. I don't think they have any idea what they just signed themselves up for. I'm sure Viv knows, but I do worry that the fanbase will start casting flak at her for decisions that will henceforth be not entirely within her control.
Joke's on the fanbase though, I'll be happy either way, as someone who already loves LEGO Mario anyway.
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time..."
Yeah, probably!"
What I’ve noticed (big fan by the way) is the fan base is VERY fractured on what people enjoy from the franchise. You have some who like the classic games, some who enjoy the modern games, and that’s not even getting into the other parts of media or fan made content! There’s so much experimentation and such within the series that it never really stayed consistent enough for folks not to be split.
That and a lot of fans tend to be very young. For example, lot of those memed-about OCs usually are made by kids. Combine inexperience with the internet, loving something maybe too much, and you’ve got a recipe for chaos.
As for the licensing issue between Nintendo and Sega, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was an issue they wanted to check up on. I would also be surprised if that stopped the set from being made. Usually LEGO can get competitors to work together for a bit (Marvel and DC), and from what I’ve noticed the two companies have mellowed out since the 2000s. Heck, Mario and Sonic even have crossovers occasionally! That and Nintendo funding Bayonetta while Sega makes their arcade games also kinda hints they get along alright.
@DavidBrick said:
" @ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time..."
Sega has made several games for Nintendo. Including the amazing F-Zero GX for the Gamecube. Sadly the last F-Zero game. They very much respect each other. However I do agree they probably needed to check all the legal stuff out before announcing it."
It sure feels weird playing the Luigi’s Mansion arcade game and seeing the Sega logo come up on the screen given what went down in the 90s.
Rejoice.
@PixelTheDragon said:
"What I’ve noticed (big fan by the way) is the fan base is VERY fractured on what people enjoy from the franchise. You have some who like the classic games, some who enjoy the modern games, and that’s not even getting into the other parts of media or fan made content! There’s so much experimentation and such within the series that it never really stayed consistent enough for folks not to be split.
That and a lot of fans tend to be very young. For example, lot of those memed-about OCs usually are made by kids. Combine inexperience with the internet, loving something maybe too much, and you’ve got a recipe for chaos."
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. I'm not at all looking forward to the more vocal reactions to this. I'm just going to enjoy it and the other new Sonic content once it arrives. I'm sure I'll have some criticisms of my own, but I'm not about to go after people's heads for it.
Yawn.
I can honestly see this becoming the same as Mario, so not surprised.
I don't like it at all, I'm not going to buy it
Awww this gave me a good smiley feeling :) ; I’m no gamer but this lil set is cute & I’ll get it because of that. So congrats to Vic the designer & to all the Lego/Sonic intersection of fans who get this great vignette of a set!
@LegoSonicBoy said:
"Oh... oh my.
This is my day?! I've had this LEGO handle for 20 years, since I was 9... is this happening?
...
...
Ah, yeah! This IS happening!
I just hope it'll be playable to some degree even if not nearly at the same level as Super Mario!"
Would love to have minifigures of Sonic, Tails & Knuckles!
(Breaks fourth wall, stares into camera and taps foot, waiting impatiently!)
While I'm very "meh" about the subject, it's actually good that an Ideas set is not made of thousands of parts and extremely detailed. It's nice to see a smaller set that's going to be relatively inexpensive (for a licenced set).
Assuming, of course, that Lego actually use the Idea properly, and the set that's actually released only has a Sonic minifig in common with the original Idea..............
Not my thing at all but I'm still very happy for those who likes this theme. We cannot always get the idea sets that we want - heck, it's already very hard as it is to finance all the sets we do like - at least I have no need to buy this one. Kudos to the designer and all those who supported it! Now let's see what they'll do with that starry night.
Not a massive Sonic fan but still pretty cool. If it isn't too expensive I'll probably end up getting it (well as long as the build is relatively similar to what they have here). I do wonder if this means we might be able to get more Sega franchises in Lego form. Then again, most of Sega's most popular franchises nowadays aren't especially kid-friendly (imagine getting Lego Yakuza or Persona, that would be kind of awesome).
I don't know much about Sonic (I've only played a few times) but I would bet money that my six year old daughter would find this set fun. Not because she knows anything about Sonic either, but because it just has fun-looking characters.
First his film was awesome and now this, not a Sonic fan but it's awesome.
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time..."
I wouldn't necessarily call them direct competitors, Sonic is in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. and they literally make Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games-games
Elementary-school-age me loved the Sonic games. The Sonic CD game was one of my favorite games to play on Windows 95, and I had the "Sonic Boom" song from the animated opening (and credits scenes) stuck in my head long into adulthood. That said, I never really hoped for seeing Sonic in the world of LEGO. I guess I'll wait and see if the IDEAS set contains some cool robot builds for Dr. Robotnik and his nefarious creations. If there is a Mecha Sonic, though, I'm definitely in!
My money will be leaving my wallet at sonic speed :( gotta go fast
@The_Toniboeh said:
I wouldn't necessarily call them direct competitors, Sonic is in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. and they literally make Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games-games ]]
Yeah I don't think that it would be an issue of them being competitors because they really aren't any more. Sega has two characters in Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo's flagship crossover fighting game) and they release tons of games on the Switch. I would be more surprised if there was a conflict between the two, though I guess it isn't impossible.
YES!
Hope it is a good design and that it captures the original well.
Time to crush that Italian plumber :b
I'm super excited that this project was approved, but the cynic in me worries that TLG/Sega is gonna screw up the design somehow. The final product better be extremely close to the original submission, lest we have another Mario situation on our hands. I don't think I'm alone in wanting the exact set that I voted for, with maybe a few minor changes. I don't want a drastically different final product; the original submission is pretty perfect as is.
Not my thing, but I'm glad the fans sre happy.
The design needs work, but at least LEGO's getting more use out of the Sonic mold. That is solely my reason for usually supporting IDEAs that involve prints/figures originally from Dimensions characters that have seen little use since. Main reason--injecting molding dies are EXPENSIVE. Albeit, I will say the Portal 2 submission using Chell done some time ago was better.
Original submission is perfect. Can't wait! Love Sonic!
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I have to wonder if the reason this was 'held back for further consideration' previously was because Lego first had to make sure that neither Nintendo nor Sega would get mad at them for running licensing deals with both of them, as competitors in the games industry, at the same time..."
What? Why would that be the case? They were heavy rivals decades ago but since then Sonic actually does best on Nintendo consoles. They had a multi-game exclusivity partnership a few years back and there's even Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games. Plus Sonic being one of the first third party characters to come to Super Smash Bros.
@Nokturn said:
"I'm super excited that this project was approved, but the cynic in me worries that TLG/Sega is gonna screw up the design somehow. The final product better be extremely close to the original submission, lest we have another Mario situation on our hands. I don't think I'm alone in wanting the exact set that I voted for, with maybe a few minor changes. I don't want a drastically different final product; the original submission is pretty perfect as is."
Eh, the general vibe and idea of the OG submission is perfect, but it needs work. I hope it's not drastically different but I have it refines and iterates on the original Idea significantly.
Hopefully they include a Coldsteel the Hedgeheg minifigure too!
I'm not excited for this one but I am excited for some new prints and molds that they might introduce!
Ok, that's really cool. Will hold final judgement until official images, but sounds promising!
@Bmuralles said:
"Hopefully they include a Coldsteel the Hedgeheg minifigure too!"
Plot twist: they release a set that's nothing but a Sonic OC creator.
I just realized that it's likely this set will have the 18+ branding. I'm curious to see what this set will look like with the black background, given what happened with 123 Sesame Street.
Absolutely pumped to get this! Can't wait to see the final design.
Really hope the final design of Dr Eggman/Robotnik ends up looking less disturbing than the prototype
I'm surprised no one's complaining about how the colors are "too bright" i.e."the Sonic figure should be earth blue"
"“At SEGA, we’ve always encouraged fans to take part in the legacy of the Sonic franchise through their own creations""
SEGA has gotten much praise for their embrace of the fans compared to Nintendo. They have nothing against ROM hacks and fan games. Nintendo, on the other hand... if they even accepted a LEGO Idea, for example Zelda, it probably would be available for a limited time only until March 31 :P. (No hate against Nintendo but their decisions on artificial scarcity the past months have temporarily soured their image)
Oh, wait, I know another company I buy from but have severe caveats with their scalper-encouraging limited releases and paucity of much-demanded rereleases and continuations of old series...
@Meowzap77 said:
"No."
brighten up a little :)
Yes, the Sonic Ideas set got approved! I can't wait to get one set for myself and build machines out of the parts (unless it's beyond my preferred budget; if it's affordable, I would get the robot parts instead from Bricklink).
Hopefully LEGO produces several small sets of the various machine creations of Dr Robotnik in the future :)
Never had a Sega, but knew friends who did...but that's not where my 'like' for this character comes from. Nope, the 'animated'/cartoon versions of the character and his friend/allies made me a fan, esp. the first series on ABC (the one w/Sonic a part a guerilla/resistance army, fighting Robotnik and his forces...)...that second series on there though...(grips nose)...and my appreciation for the character continues into the now. One of the most fun times I had last year (there's a sentence you don't much:)) was seeing the 'live action movie' of his...wonder how the sequel's going...
Anywho; yes I know that TLG has Mario, but they also have 'Minecraft', sooooo...series? If not, then to quote the 'Blue Blur': "That's noooooo good..."...:)