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2003

    March 7:
    • Title: Sonic Mega Collection
      Region: Europe
      Platform: Nintendo GameCube
      Developer: VR-1 Japan
      Publisher: Atari
      PEGI Rating: n/a
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Yojiro Ogawa
    March 10:
    • Title: Sonic Advance 2
      Region: North America
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Dimps
      Publisher: THQ
      ESRB Rating: E
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
    March 18:
    • Title: Sonic Advance 2
      Region: Europe
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Dimps
      Publisher: Sega Europe
      PEGI Rating: n/a
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
    April 6:
    • "Sonic X," an animated TV series, begins airing in Japan. Produced by TMS Entertainment, the 52-episode series aired weekly on various networks from April 6, 2003 to February, 2004, with episodes being released chronologically on VHS and DVD since then. The voice cast is mostly the same as the game cast, and includes: Jun'ichi Kanemaru as Sonic, Nobutoshi Canna as Knuckles, Taeko Kawata as Amy, Chikao Ohtsuka as Eggman, Kouji Yusa as Shadow, and Rumi Ochiai as Rouge; with newcomers Ryou Hirohashi as Tails, Takashi Nagasako as Big, Taiten Kusunoki as Gamma, Sayaka Aoki as Cream/Vanilla, and Sanae Kobayashi as Chris. The opening theme, "Sonic Drive", is performed by fan favorite anime vocalists Hironobu Kageyama and Hideaki Takatori. The series features 3 different ending themes: "T.O.P." performed by J-pop band KP, "Mi·Ra·I" by J-pop band Run & Gun, and "Hikaru Michi" by popular child singer Aya Hiroshige.

      Due to a slip-up in one of Dr. Eggman's experiments, Sonic and the entire crew are zapped to an alternate dimension by Chaos Control. They find themselves on a strange planet inhabited by humans, including a young boy named Christopher Thorndyke. After Chris saves Sonic from a near-drown experience, the two team up to search for the Chaos Emeralds, but it's a race against Eggman who is after the Emeralds for his own evil designs. The latter half of the series encompasses story arcs from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, and features cameos from Sonic Heroes' Team Chaotix and Sonic Battle's Emerl. (Screenshots swiped with permission from Team Artail).

      The series was not popular in Japan and the serial was never renewed; however, it was extremely successful in foreign markets and an additional 26 episodes were produced to accommodate the overseas demand. The latter crop of episodes began airing in 2005 on various networks in Europe, North America, and Asia. So popular is the Sonic X universe that it's spawned its own line of merchandise independent of the videogame Sonic brand. Among the items available are a large range of toy products, a soundtrack (published by Sega's WaveMaster studio), a comic book series from Archie, and an edutainment game for LeapFrog's Leapster handheld.
    May 27:
    • Title: Sonic Pinball Party
      Region: North America
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Jupiter
      Publisher: Sega of America
      ESRB Rating: E
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
      Notes: Distributed exclusively at Target stores.
    June 17:
    • Title: Sonic Adventure DX
      Region: North America
      Platform: Nintendo GameCube
      Developer: Sonic Team
      Publisher: Sega of America
      ESRB Rating: E
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Kenjiro Morimoto
      Notes: An extremely shoddy port of the Dreamcast original with "enhanced" graphics (that actually look worse) and some extra features. It also includes the complete collection of Sonic Game Gear games.
    June 19:
    • Title: Sonic Adventure DX
      Region: Japan
      Platform: Nintendo GameCube
      Developer: Sonic Team
      Publisher: Sega Corporation
      CERO Rating: 全年齢
      Retail: ¥6,980



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Kenjiro Morimoto
    June 27:
    • Title: Sonic Adventure DX
      Region: Europe
      Platform: Nintendo GameCube
      Developer: Sonic Team
      Publisher: Sega Europe
      PEGI Rating: 3+
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Kenjiro Morimoto
    July 17:
    • Title: Sonic Pinball Party
      Region: Japan
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Jupiter
      Publisher: Sega Corporation
      CERO Rating: 全年齢
      Retail: ¥4,800

      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
    October 7:
    • Title: Sonic N
      Region: North America, Europe
      Platform: Nokia N-Gage
      Developer: Dimps
      Publisher: Sega Mobile
      ESRB Rating: E
      Retail: ???

      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
      Notes: A direct port of Sonic Advance minus the Chao Garden.
    October 31:
    • Title: Sonic Pinball Party
      Region: Europe
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Jupiter
      Publisher: Sega Europe
      PEGI Rating: 3+
      Retail: ???



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Akinori Nishiyama
    November 17:
    • CR Sonic, an electronic pachinko machine, is released in Japan. The game is developed by Sammy and published by Fields. The table was designed under the supervision of Sonic Team, and includes five variations. It features a monitor that displays short cutscenes constructed with graphics from Sonic Adventure 2.
    November 21:
    • Sonic Town-seki, a Sonic-themed Sega World amusement center, opens in Sekishi, Gifu prefecture. The center features live performances as well as separate areas devoted to arcade titles, children's games, prize machines, photo booths, and "medal" games (slot machines, pachinko, etc).
    December 4:
    • Title: Sonic Battle
      Region: Japan
      Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
      Developer: Sonic Team
      Publisher: Sega Corporation
      CERO Rating: 全年齢
      Retail: ¥4,980

      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Tomoyuki Hayashi
    December 18:
    • Title: Sonic Adventure DX
      Region: Japan
      Platform: Windows PC
      Developer: Sonic Team
      Publisher: Sega PC
      CERO Rating: 全年齢
      Retail: ¥6,800



      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Kenjiro Morimoto
      Notes: A direct port of the GameCube version, which was a shoddy "enhanced" port of the original Dreamcast Sonic Adventure.
    December 30:
    • Title: Sonic Heroes
      Region: Japan
      Platform: Sony PlayStation 2,
      Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox
      Developer: Sonic Team USA
      Publisher: Sega Corporation
      CERO Rating: 全年齢
      Retail: ¥6,980


      Producer: Yuji Naka
      Director: Takashi Iizuka
      Notes: The first cross-platform Sonic game. Hori released a licensed Sonic Heroes PS2 memory card to coincide with the game.
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