User blog:Maverick Zero X/Sonic timeline (Game Canon)

Prior to Sonic's adventures
The Earth comes into existence presumably at the beginning of time (and through unspecified means). In that era, Dark Gaia and Light Gaia came to reside on it. Following a constant cycle, Dark Gaia awakens once every couple of millions of years to destroy the Earth and Light Gaia then restores it in an event known as the time of awakening. The two of them would then return to sleep in the Earth's core until they can awaken to continue the cycle.

Over 4,000 years prior to the Classic Era, there were two warring civilizations of Echidnas known as the Knuckles Clan and Nocturnus Clan. In an inconsiderate ploy to overcome the opposing side, Pachacamac, the leader of the Knuckles Clan, attempted to steal the the mystical Chaos Emeralds from the Chao. In the process, his people were nearly completely wiped out by their guardian Chaos who in took the form of an awful monster. The Nocturnus Clan were similarly megalomaniacal. They sought to play god with the creation of sentient-weapons called Gizoids. This Nocturnus Clan eventually fell victim to the Argus Event, where the taken to an alternate dimension of reality dubbed the Twilight Cage, which was inhabited by several other civilizations know as the Voxai, the Kron, the Zoah and the N'rrgal.

Back in the main universe, an alien race known as the Black Arms is indicated to have been observing the planet for aeons. His people's home, the Black Comet, passed by the Earth every fifty years.

Fifty years before the present, aboard the Space Colony ARK, Professor Gerald Robotnik was forced by the President of that time to create the Ultimate Life Form. Aided by Black Doom, he created Shadow the Hedgehog. Gerald also studied a Gizoid, Chaos, and at least one Chaos Emerald. Later, GUN came to fear Gerald's work, and responsed by invading the ARK and either imprisoning or killing all those related with "Project Shadow" Gerald's granddaughter Maria Robotnik, who had become very close to Shadow, was killed and Shadow was sent to the surface. Gerald was later found and imprisoned on Prison Island under the pretense of disappearance, and heavily implied to have been executed by firing.

The planet has recently been constantly pained by the professor's grandson, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, who eventually came under alias Dr. Eggman and made an enemy of Sonic the Hedgehog, who was born on Christmas Island with his abnormal ability to run at super speed, but his love for adventure eventually called him away from his home. Since then, he has spent his life traveling the globe, driven by his restless spirit, in search of adventures to satisfy thrill-seeking attitude as well as his drive to help others.

Classic Era

 * Sonic the Hedgehog: First game that establishes the series' foundation. Introduces Sonic the Hedgehog, speedy blue hedgehog who values freedom above all else, and Dr. Ivo Robotnik, a malevolent human scientist. After learning that Robotnik had kidnapped his animal friends from South Island, Sonic embarks on a journey to save his friends and drive Eggman away.

Sonic CD: Second game in the series, takes place in an unspecified time between 1 and 2, because Sonic hasn't met Tails yet. Sonic the Hedgehog CD was released after Sonic the Hedgehog 2 but before Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Some fans believe the story of Sonic the Hedgehog CD either takes place before Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or after Sonic & Knuckles due to the misconception that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 takes place directly where Sonic the Hedgehog 2 left off, but in actuality there was some short time in between those events. However, due to considerable delays, it is apparent that Sonic the Hedgehog CD was supposed to launch at the same time, if not before, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Takes place after 1 and CD. Sonic and Tails meet. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles: Sonic 3 happens immediately after Sonic 2, and Sonic & Knuckles immediately after Sonic 3. Sonic 3D Blast - Takes place after Sonic 3. Sonic R - Takes place after Sonic 3. Sonic Mania belongs in this era. Transition/Sonic 4 Era:

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Takes place after 3. Sonic has a modern design but the world is still that of the classic era. Sonic the hedgehog 4 Episode 2: Takes place after Episode 1 Adventure Era:

The games in this era happen after everything that came before. However, the previous events from now on are only mentioned loosely, and the world has beem expaded upon. An example is the United Federation, an expy of the United States, and there are plenty of humans.

However a statement from Iizuka strongly suggests this is just another side of the world. Whether he means literally in a hemespheric sense or in the same manner as Sonic X has yet to be confirmed.

Sonic Adventure: First Adventure Era game. Sonic Shuffle - Takes place either before or after Sonic Adventure 2. Sonic Adventure 2: Sequel to Adventure. Sonic Heroes: Direct sequel to Sonic Adventure 2, plot involves Metal Sonic obtaining the data of Chaos from Sonic Adventure 1. (This is important because villains in the Adventure Era scale to Perfect Chaos or judged by feats). Shadow the Hedgehog: Direct sequel to Sonic Heroes, but with Shadow as the protagonist due to his popularity. The game is still a main serirs installment. Sonic Advance 1 - 3 take place at some point in time before Shadow the Hedgehog. Sonic Rush - First introduction of Blaze. Sonic Rush Adventure - (with the exception of its delayed release in Korea in 2009. The game is a sequel to Sonic Rush and takes place before Sonic Unleashed.). Second Transition/Storybook Era:

Sonic Rivals - Starts the transition. This is Silver's first handheld appearance and (canonically) the first time Sonic, Shadow and Knuckles meet him (due the events of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) being erased from history) and explains Silver's presence in Generations. Sonic and the Secret Rings - Takes place within another world (World of Arabian Knights to be exact). Sonic Rivals 2 - Unknown, takes place before Sonic Chronicles. Sonic and the Black Knight -takes place within another world (World of Authurian Legend to be exact). Sonic Chronicles the Dark Brotherhood - Last entry in the transition period. Arguably it can be considered a stand-alone game. Modern Era:

Sonic Unleashed: Starts the Modern Era due to Sonic 06's retconned status and the fluctuating continuity between the spin offs released before it. Sonic Colors: Takes place some time after Unleashed. Sonic Generations - Takes place after Colors. And if it wasn't for this game, you could honestly argue that each Era takes place in it's own separate continuity with loose connections to the previous ones. Generations supposedly marks the moment Sonic Team decided to fix the fluctuating continuity of the Sonic games for Sonic's 25th anniversary, keep this in mind. Sonic Lost World - Takes place after Generations. Stand-Alone Games:

These games do not belong in any era due to their status being either controversial or officially stated to not be a sequel to any previous game.

Sonic Drift - Does not have a predecessor, it's successor being only it's sequel, Sonic Drift 2. Has Classic Era design. Sonic Riders - the Sonic Riders sub series take place in an alternate continuity. Riders, Zero Gravity, and Free Riders are the only installments in the subseries, they are separate from the main continuity, not but necessarily non-canon. Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 - This is explicitly the first modern era Sonic game however it's place in the timeline has been retconned, therefore it is not in continuity with Sonic Unleashed. However Crisis City is a level within Generations and Silver appears in later games including the canonical Sonic Generations, however the reason was likely to fit 06 in Generations, despite its terrible reputation, due to the overall nature in dividing Sonic into his three main Eras (Classic, Adventure, and Modern). Sonic Forces - This game has been confirmed by Takashi Iizuka to not be a sequel to any prior Sonic game and is a stand-alone game with no continuity meant to, along with Sonic Mania, be a "continuation" of Sonic's 25th anniversary. Thus is it does not belong on the timeline. Non-Canon Games:

Knuckles Chatoix - Retconned by Sonic Heroes as Knuckles did not know the Chaotix and in that game and they had to be re-established as new characters. Sonic Shuffle - Stated to be non-canon. [Need source] Ambiguous Canon:

These games were not placed in the timeline due to their limited canonicity. I will likely make separate profiles for characters introduced/featured in these games.

SegaSonic the Hedgehog - Mighty and Ray make a cameo in Generations, where they can be seen on missing posters dotted throughout the City Escape. The poster mentions that they've been missing since 1993, referencing Mighty and Ray's debut appearance in SegaSonic the Hedgehog :( According to an interview on Sonic Central, Sonic does not know the whereabouts of Ray, Bark the Polar Bear, Bean the Dynamite, Nack the Weasel, Chaos, or Tikal.

I am currently going through my entire collection of Sonic the Hedgehog games, so some games may be missing and I will add them to this timeline or otherwise in due time. I have no need or desire to analyze the computer games, mobile games, pinball games, etc. that I have, the likely possess no feats and should not be considered canon.