Sega jingle

The Sega logo in Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Mega Drive, the first time the Sega jingle was heard in a video game.

Mostly due to its inclusion in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sega is known for having a two note "jingle" which typically plays alongside its logo. Consisting of two cords; E♭ Major (E♭, G, B♭; "Se") and C Major (C, E, G; "Ga"), the jingle fulfils two roles; to inform customers that what they're looking at is a Sega product, and how the word "SEGA" is meant to be pronounced.

The earliest known use of the jingle dates back to 1983 with Japanese television advertisements surrounding the SG-1000. It was used in virtually all Sega advertising from this point forwards, though consoles such as the Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast used their own identifiers. The jingle was officially replaced with a new one in 2005 and then again in 2014, (North America also had the "Sega Scream" which was also popular) however the 1983 version continued to appear in Sonic games and is still arguably the most recognisable.

Both the Sega Master System and Sega Mega-CD use a non-voiced version of the jingle when starting up, as do several Sega Mega Drive games. The first video game to include the fully voiced version was 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog, where the jingle alone is said to take up 1/8th of the cartridge's memory. Despite the advent of the CD-ROM and the ability to stream higher quality audio, it was not widely used in games after the demise of the Mega Drive, and was seemingly pulled from marketing campaigns by 1996.

Appearances in video games

Mega Drive

• Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (prototypes)
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3
• Sonic & Knuckles
• The Story of Thor: A Successor of the Light

Mega-CD

• Panic!
• Sonic the Hedgehog CD (prototypes)

32X

• After Burner Complete
• Metal Head (Japan)
• Space Harrier
• Virtua Racing Deluxe (prototypes)

Game Gear

• Coca-Cola Kid
• Sonic Blast
• Sonic Chaos
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
• Tails Adventures

Master System

• Sonic Blast

Neo Geo Pocket Color

• Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure

Game Boy Advance

• Jet Set Radio
• Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis
• Super Monkey Ball Jr.

Nintendo Switch

• Sega Mega Drive - Nintendo Switch Online

Others

• Alpha Protocol
• Beach Spikers: Virtua Beach Volleyball (GameCube)
• Daytona USA (Xbox 360)
• Operation G.H.O.S.T.
• Sega Smash Pack (PC)
• Sonic Gems Collection
• Sonic Mania
• Sonic Mega Collection
• Sonic Mega Collection Plus
• Sonic's Schoolhouse
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
• Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (Xbox 360)

Film

• The Game Maker: Sega-hen (disc 2)

Other variants

Some games play the jingle, but not with the full choir, or have a different voice actor sing the tune.

Mega Drive

• Doraemon: Yume Dorobou to 7 Nin no Gozans
• Magical Taruruto-kun
• Party Quiz Mega Q
• The Smurfs
• Sonic Spinball
• Spirou
• Tinhead
• Tintin in Tibet
• Trouble Shooter

Mega-CD

• Boot ROM
• Game no Kanzume Vol. 1
• Game no Kanzume Vol. 2

32x

• Chaotix (prototypes)

Game Gear

• Doraemon Nora no Suke no Yabou
• Sonic Spinball
• Wonder Boy

Master System

• Boot ROM (North America/Europe)
• Action Fighter
• Wonder Boy

Film

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Other games, such as Puyo Puyo Tetris also feature the Sega jingle, but sung by different voice actors (in this case, every playable character in the game has their own recording).