After a few months in soft launch for Japan and Canada, Sega has officially confirmed that “Sonic Runners” will get a worldwide release Thursday. Fans in Canada and Japan also will get an update when the title hits worldwide, presumably because Sega has worked out some kinks and can now provide a smoother experience.

The announcement was made on the official “Sonic the Hedgehog” Twitter page, which also revealed the date for the upcoming mobile runner. “Sonic Runners” is one of many “Sonic” games that Sega has released for mobile devices. It joins “Sonic Dash” and “Sonic Jump” as titles made specifically with mobile devices in mind, while other “Sonic” games are ports of older titles.

“Sonic Runners” is a side-scrolling auto runner that has similar gameplay to the classic “Sonic” games from Sega Genesis. Players will be able to use Sonic himself, along with allies Tails and Knuckles, as they take on Dr. Eggman and free the forest creatures that the mad scientist has captured.

While the game celebrates Sonic’s past through its gameplay, the game seems to also celebrate Sonic's present situation as well. Game Zone has confirmed that a number of areas in the game come from the recently released “Sonic Lost World” for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS. “Sonic and the Black Knight” is also referenced, as Caliburn can be used as one of the game’s travel buddies.

As the game goes on, players will be able to unlock other characters from Sonic’s extended supporting cast -- such as Amy, Shadow and Silver. Since the title is a free-to-play one, fans can either unlock the characters through collecting a ton of rings or by simply using real money.

Fans of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series can download the title later this week. Considering the success of “Sonic Dash,” it wouldn’t be too surprising to see this game succeed in a similar manner. “Sonic Runners” will be available for both Apple iOS and Google Android devices.

Sonic Runners - Gameplay Video (Credit: YouTube/IGN)