Unraveling the Mystery of Sonic’s Future: What’s Next After the Mind-Blowing Post-Credits Scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The Evolution of Sonic: What’s Next for the Franchise?

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers for the plot of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. If you haven’t seen the film, proceed with caution!

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has been increasingly inspired by Sega’s game series, teasing characters and plot threads in each post-credits scene to set the stage for the next installment. With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the trend continues, leaving fans wondering what’s next for the franchise.

Let’s dive into the post-credits scene of Sonic 3, where we’re introduced to two new faces: Amy Rose and Metal Sonic. These characters were first introduced in Sonic CD, a game that’s definitely got many fans thinking – could this be the inspiration for Sonic 4?

A Sonic Gem: Sonic CD**

Released in 1993, Sonic CD was originally developed as a port of the original Mega Drive game for the Mega CD add-on. However, it eventually became its own project in Japan, directed by Sonic designer Naoto Ohshima. The game’s lead programmer, Yuji Naka, headed to Sega of America to develop what became Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sonic CD received critical acclaim and has since been re-released multiple times, including in the 2022 collection Sonic Origins.

Travelling Through Space and Time

So, what does this mean for the next film’s plot? Firstly, the films don’t directly replicate the games, as seen in the post-credits scenes. Amy’s presence will certainly provide a welcome foil to the boisterous Sonic, and with an army of Metal Sonics to contend with, the stakes have certainly been raised.

Amy in the New Animated Intro to Sonic CD in Sonic Origins**

We see this in the game’s iconic animated introduction, where Robotnik has chained Little Planet to Earth and begun turning it into a fortress for his robot army. In the films, we know that Sonic and his friends are technically aliens from other worlds, so it wouldn’t be far-fetched for another planet to feature. Perhaps the moon, which the Eclipse Cannon sliced into, could be the new Little Planet?

Time Traveling

Sonic CD is also known for its time-traveling mechanic, where Sonic can travel to past, present, and future versions of each zone, destroying Robotnik’s machinery in the past to create a better future. If Sonic 4 is based on this game, time travel would likely feature, perhaps with Sonic reclaiming the Time Stones from Robotnik, allowing the writers to retcon ideas from the previous films or introduce new ones.

A Sonic Boom of Fun

Thanks to the Mega CD, Sonic CD featured a brilliant and lengthy soundtrack, with each zone having its own theme inspired by the time zone. The soundtrack differed between its Japanese and American releases, with fans divided on which they prefer. I’d love to see the films lean into this 90s vibe, perhaps using Sonic Boom as a theme song or You Can Do Anything as the soundtrack.

What’s Next for Shadow?

With the end of Paramount TV, it’s unclear what the future holds for Sonic TV shows, including the rumored Shadow and Knuckles spin-off. However, with the narrative trajectory of the existing three films gradually phasing out human characters, I suspect we’ll see even less of them in Sonic 4, especially with Amy’s introduction to the crew.

The Future of Sonic

Of course, this is all conjecture on my part, and I could be completely wrong. But I’d love to see Paramount take inspiration from the most popular games in the series, like Sonic CD, and give a critically acclaimed classic its due.

So, what did you think of Sonic 3? Do you think Sonic CD could be the foundation for the next film? What else would you like to see in the future? Let us know in the comments!