After intensive research and editing, a Brazilian Sonic fan published his version of a highly assertive timeline following Sonic's story. It includes every game in the franchise, from the oldest and least-known titles to the most recent releases. The timeline was the result of a joint effort that took around 12 hours to complete and was based on several sources, including interviews, podcasts by Ian Flynn, the renowned writer of Sonic comics and games, as well as information from the manuals and the games themselves.
An Effort to Find the Perfect Chronology
Abraao Menezes Lopes brought a timeline with as much detail as possible to Facebook, taking into account even more obscure information such as dialogue and elements from Japanese manuals. “It was exhausting work,” reports Abraao, who had the help of a friend. He explains that every decision in the timeline has solid justification, although he admits that not every choice matches his personal preference, such as the placement of Sonic CD between Sonic 1 and Sonic 2. Even so, he keeps everything faithful to canonical material and statements from the developers.
Timeline Highlights
- Sonic CD takes place between Sonic 1 and Sonic 2, although the author's personal preference would be to place it after Sonic 3 & Knuckles, since he considers Metal Sonic the definitive Sonic robot.
- Games such as Sonic Spinball and Sonic 3D Blast are connected, with the former taking place before the latter. The author considers both part of the chronology, despite Spinball's more “American” visuals.
- Although Chaotix has not officially been declared canon by Sega, Ian Flynn considers it canonical, and elements from the game were reused in Sonic Mania.
- Sonic Advance 3 was an interesting point, with the fan explaining that the game does not split Earth into pieces as in Sonic Unleashed, but rather into seven distinct realities, creating separate dimensions.
- Regarding Sonic Prime, the author places it before Sonic Rush, based on the interdimensional adventures Sonic begins experiencing around that time, connecting Blaze and the Eggmans from alternate futures. (updated following suggestions from other fans -- Sep/18)
- Games such as Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rush Adventure were placed after Sonic 2006 because they deal with characters and stories that directly reference that game's universe, such as Silver's presence and the connection to Ifrit.
- The chronology also includes spin-off works such as Night of the Werehog, which the fan says is canonical because the characters Lah and the ghosts appear briefly in the IDW comics.
- Elements from different media were also considered, such as the additional stories from Sonic Colors, including the DS version, which feature a battle against Mother Wisp along with an additional arc in Sweet Mountain.
- The project also includes the placement of content such as the Sonic Channel comics and even Tailstube broadcasts, which take place before Sonic Frontiers and may expand the story as more seasons are released.
Despite everything, after reviewing the complete list, some fans pointed out possible corrections, such as the possibility that Sonic Prime may actually take place later, closer to games such as Sonic Colors or Sonic Lost World, or that Sonic Mania's alternate timeline may actually align with the main timeline before Sonic Adventure. This work also reflects the complexity of one of gaming's most iconic franchises.
The list does not include works that are obviously not canon, such as the “Sonic Boom” series or “Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood,” created by BioWare.
The complete timeline image appears below (click here to open it in a new window if necessary):
