Sonic the Lab Assistant

Sonic the Hedgehog has never been known for his brains. And this is why it’s so weird that when he first met Robotnik, Sonic served as a lab assistant for his future foe.

In fact, this plot turns the games into something of a tragedy. Sonic is actually trying to gather the materials together to change the evil Dr. Ivo Robotnik back into his old friend Ovi Kintobor.

The Amazing Transformation Machine

Ever wonder why Sonic is actually collecting those rings? It all goes back to when Obvi Kintobor was transformed into the evil Ivo Robotnik.

These rings originally made up the “Amazing Transformation Machine” that Kintobor was using to try to rid the world of evil. By gathering enough rings together, Sonic is hoping to restore the machine and eventually restore Dr. Robotnik to his former self.

Robotnik Invented the Internet

While the earliest game bible said Sonic came from Nebraska, later versions clarified that everything takes place on Mobius. And before he was evil, Robotnik introduced some major technology to the planet.

Ever wonder why all of those cool powerups are hidden inside computer monitors? Originally, Ovi Kintobor set these up as a kind of early computer network so that Mobius residents could pass along info about the Chaos Emeralds.

Therefore, Sonic smashing these things does more than giving him an item. Smashing also gives Sonic a chance to disrupt Robotnik’s computer network before he can use it for evil.

Robotnik Used To Be a “Hunk”

Before the accident that made him evil, Dr. Robotnik was more than thin. In fact, the game bible goes out of its way to frequently refer to pre-transformation Robotnik as a “hunk.”

That means Sonic is playing a dangerous game by trying to transform him back. It may be that neither Sonic nor his animal friends are ready for the raw sensuality of Robotnik in his sexual prime.

He Has a Friend Named Porker Lewis

In later versions of the game bible, Sonic’s animal friends are actually given different names. The most famous of these characters was Sally Acorn, the squirrel love interest for Sonic the Hedgehog in the SatAm show and Archie comics.

But the most insane name was reserved for the pig: “Porker Lewis.” If you’re not coming up on middle age or simply had a life in the early 1990s, this name is a reference to the 1990 Fox Sitcom Parker Lewis Can’t Lose.

As far as pop culture references go, this aged about as well as the 2006 Sonic game.

Sonic Gave Speed Sneakers to Sega Employees

In most Sonic the Hedgehog media, Sonic is portrayed as someone who is inherently fast. However, later versions of the game bible and even the instructions for the first game make it clear that the speed is courtesy of his red shoes.

Even weirder, the most recent draft of the game bible has a cringe-inducing bit where Sonic talks to the reader and brags about giving these shoes to Sega employees. Not only does this make Sonic less special, but it forces us to ask: why have none of the Sega employees decided to become speedy superheroes?

Sonic Loves Fast Cars

The best details from the game bible are the ones that make no sense. For example, it points out that Sonic loves to ride around in red convertibles.

But why? This is already a character faster than any vehicle. Sonic would eventually master the ability to travel back and forth in time and jump between dimensions, but for some reason, we will never understand, he enjoys puttering around in old and (relatively) slow automobiles.

Sonic Has Poor Eyesight

Sonic is generally a very confident character. In fact, the game bible points out that Sonic thinks he is perfect.

But he does have some flaws. One thing that is explicit in multiple versions of the game bible is that Sonic has poor eyesight. This would normally be a bad handicap for someone with superspeed, but Sonic manages to make it happen, and all without wearing glasses.

A Hardboiled Egg Mutated Robotnik

Over the years, Robotnik has had a persistent nickname: “Eggman.” But this nickname is more accurate than you might think!

Robotnik wasn’t always fat. In fact, when he was actually very thin when he was Dr. Kintobor. The reason that he looks so rotund now is that he was eating an egg during the accident that transformed him into Robotnik.

Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik is part man, part machine...and part egg!

Speed Made Sonic Blue

Sonic’s blue color is one of the most famous things about him. However, this wasn’t Sonic’s original color!

The original bible described Sonic as a brown hedgehog. He only became blue after he broke the sound barrier and became the sonic we know and love.

Robotnik the Animal Lover

Dr. Robotnik is pretty legendary as a hater of animals. After all, he uses his evil technology to robotically enslave the various animals of the planet.

But before the accident, Robotnik (then known as Kintobor) actually loved animals. This is one of the reasons that he quickly became friends with Sonic the Hedgehog.

Robotnik, Planetary Savior

Dr. Robotnik is the big bad of the games and an enemy to the entire planet. But originally, he was the complete opposite!

Originally, the character was “Ovi Kintobor,” a researcher trying to save the world by sealing all of the evil on the planet inside magical emeralds. After an accident turns Robotnik both fat and evil, he becomes obsessed with using these Chaos Emeralds to unleash misery on the planet.

Eating Bugs

What does Sonic the Hedgehog like to eat? Well, that’s something of a trick question.

His signature dish from later comics and shows is the chili dog. And in later versions of the game bible, Sonic eats only fast food and candy bars (must be nice to have that metabolism). But in the original game bible, Sonic and his family would sometimes have to eat bugs to survive.

Sonic Is From Nebraska

Where is Sonic from? Most fans of the games and TV shows will instantly answer “Mobius.”

But in the original game bible, Sonic actually from Nebraska! Kind of tough to imagine the hero of the planet being a weird dude named “Sonny” from the midwest.

His Real Name is “Sonny”

Ever think what a weird name “Sonic” is? Well, it turns out that it’s a nickname.

In the original game bible, the character’s real name is “Sonny.” It is only after he achieves great speed that he starts going by “Sonic” (which itself is short for “Super Sonic”).