This sharp style is super fun to apply to different things - and I thought it'd be interesting to try someone rather different and unique like Sonic. But as I was filtering him through the style, I started to notice that Sonic's design could totally use an overhaul.



So, if you're interested in a design analysis, continue with the reading thing. ;D



Sonic's original design is clever and innovative in its bold reinterpretation of a hedgehog with a simple and iconic silhouette, using just a few pixels. But as graphical technology has evolved, I feel like his bold style has become a bit clunky. So, I wanted to refresh his look, aiming to maintain the original core design principles, but realized with more advanced graphics.

Sonic's most recognizable feature is his spiked head - but the rest of his body appears a bit generic in comparison. So, I shrunk his head to avoid it dominating his design and then created some repeating features like the blue tufts, white stripes and red streaks. I also altered his body proportions to try and make his entire silhouette recognizable more than just his head. Sonic's classic stylized eyes are really playful, however I made a point of dividing his eye lids and eyebrows, plus making his ears look flexible to allow for a bit more expressive diversity. In his original look, putting emphasis on his shoes seemed like a natural representation of his speed – but any movements outside of running just look clumsy. So, I shifted the focus to his legs to evoke the same agile form seen in animals like cats and rabbits. Finally, since the limited number of clothing items made the lack of shirt and pants a bit awkward, I just removed his attire completely.

While Mario’s design is somewhat confined to his cute, moustached and overalled appearance, I think Sonic’s simple focus on speed is much more versatile to new interpretations. I encourage Sonic Team to see that his original design made the most of the medium at its time, and that today’s Sonic can do the same.