Sonicfans got a pleasing shock whenSegasurprised them with a stealth dropped a new Sonic visual novel a couple days ago. Called ‘The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog’, the game has players navigating the Mirage Express, Agatha Christie style, and interrogating some signature Sonic characters as they try to uncover the bottom of the mystery.
The game, which is free to download from Steam, has proven popular. So popular in fact that it has overwhemingly positive reviews, topping out higher than the likes of Sonic Frontiers, Origins, Mania, and Team Sonic Racing. However, The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog was not developed by the Sonic Team but by the Sonic Social Team. But this is not stopping Sonic fans from wondering if the events and details included in the new title are part of the canon.
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Over on the SonicTheHedgehog subreddit, one fan demands “Real talk: Should we take this game as canon?” The ensuing thread went deep on the lore of Sonic. For those who might not be so knee deep in the adventures of the blue blur and co, it’s an education to discover just how much is going on in this world Sega brought into the world. Warning: spoilers about The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog ahead.
The game takes place during Amy’s birthday, but it also references Frontiers with details about how Sonic’s speed gets boosted; Eggman brings up Sage and turning everything into robots as toys for Sage, while she shows up at the conclusion along with Metal, Orbit, and Cubot.
Comments in the thread referred to how much material Sega has put out does seem to be canon. “No reason to say it’s not canon”, went particularly upvotedcomment. “And these days, everything is canon. If IDW [a publisher of Sonic comics] is canon along with Prime, then I don’t see why this can’t be canon”, it continued.
Another commentorsaidthat the new game “has some of the best writing in the entire series” and that “it would be a crime for this not to be canon”.
Sonic canon gets rather messy, but for those wondering the official Steam listing for The Muder of Sonic the Hedgehog actually addresses the question. Well, sort of. “Canon or Headcanon?” the listingreads.
“You know what they say: everything is canon*”, it continues. And with that asterisk: “This is not a Sonic Team title, but we strongly believe in the power of headcanon!” So there you have it. Ambiguity reigns!
