‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ Video Game Creator Yuji Naka Arrested For Insider Trading

Yuji Naka, the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog and other popular video games, was arrested Friday for alleged insider trading in shares of a game-maker. Tokyo prosecutors allege Naka purchased 10,000 shares in Aiming for about ¥2.8 million in January 2020 based on insider information about a smartphone-based online game being developed jointly by the two firms, according to Kyodo News. Naka was arrested after initially denying any wrongdoing, but told prosecutors during questioning that he had bought the shares without knowing of the pending merger and “was sorry,” Kyodo reported. Sonic the Hedgehog debuted as one of Sega’s flagship character franchises that helped propel Genesis beyond its old rival Nintendo’s Super Nintendo Entertainment System. A popular toy line also followed. In 1991, Sonic had his first big screen appearance with his eponymous animated film which opened on June 23, the same day as his Genesis debut.

What is the game about?

Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. The first game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise was released in Japan on 23 June 1991, in North America on 06 June 1992, and in Europe on 24 August 1992. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at supersonic speeds, as he explores levels to collect rings and defeats enemies. The game has received generally positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful. It has been ported to numerous other video game consoles and handhelds. Since its initial release, the game has been re-released in several compilations and downloadable formats for multiple platforms. The success of the game spawned a media franchise encompassing several sequels, an animated series, comic books, and an extensive amount of spin-off merchandise. The original game has been included on multiple lists of the greatest video games of all time.

About the levels of the game:

The game’s levels are divided into “zones” of increasing difficulty. Most zones with a few exceptions, such as the last act of the first zone and the third zone serve as the setting for one act each, but later zones combine elements of previous levels, often changing up their goals or gameplay. For example, in the fourth zone, players must navigate a labyrinthine structure to reach an item at its center; however, there are pools of water that slow Sonic down and dangerous bombs that can kill him. In contrast, other sections require Sonic to run across unharmed falling platforms similar to platforming portions of earlier zones.

What makes this game interesting?

The gameplay of Sonic the Hedgehog generally centers on side-scrolling platform gameplay. The player controls Sonic, who can run and jump at varying speeds to the end of each level, as well as maneuver along its sides and through its skies using either spinning jumps or power slides. Scattered around each zone are golden rings, often hidden in containers such as pipes, which serve as a form of health: if Sonic is hit by an enemy without rings or runs out of them, he loses a life. When the player has at least fifty rings, they can use them to gain temporary invincibility.