Sonic - Super Hedgehog

From Sega Retro

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Sonic - Super Hedgehog
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 38
Original airdate: 1993-11-14 — 1994-08-28
Original channel(s): RTR
Country of origin: Russia

Sonic - Super Hedgehog (Соник - супер ёжик) was a Russian television show sponsored by Nissho Iwai and Mikrodin and produced by TPO Rost and P. Eurosharm Ltd. which featured popular Sega games for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System. It aired on from November 14, 1993[1] to August 28, 1994,[2] on Russian TV station RTR (now known as Russia 1). Unconfirmed rumors says that it was later rebroadcast by Ukrainian channel UT-2.

History

Yevgeny Stychkin with cartoon Sonic
Second host
At the end of episode 24, Yevgeny mentioned Russian championships in Sega games. It is not known what it was but badge with that name exists

Each episode was 15 minutes long (except for 2 special episodes of 30 minutes each). In most of the episodes, three teams with two-person each, take part in the quiz. In the first round, the teams are asked a question. If the answer is correct, the team scores one point. There are 10 seconds to answer. The team that finished third is eliminated from the game and receives a consolation prize. In the second round, the teams play on Sega game consoles. The team that finished second is eliminated from the game. As part of the program, they receive a consolation prize and the winning team receives main prize[3]. Prizes varied depending on the broadcast period, but most included items such as consoles, posters, T-shirts and watches, all by Sega. In every episode, there are advertisements promoting Sega consoles, with a slogan Volshebnyy mir. The main host was Yevgeny Stychkin, although judging by the clips, some of the episodes had other presenter as well. An unusual feature of the program was a cartoon Sonic who appeared on the screen and accompanied the presenter. His role was limited to gesturing and facial expressions depending on the situation, and sometimes speaking short words.

Former participants said that only Moscow residents were invited to the program. Agents/representatives of the program came to school and after school invited everyone to play on Sega consoles. The best ones were selected to participate in the program or invited as viewers. At the beginning, participants only played on Master System (it was the only available Sega console in Russia at the time) and from Spring 1994 also on Mega Drive (it was released in the country that time).

Most episodes have their own theme and are focused on one game. From the available clips we can find that they played, among others Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (Master System), Golden Axe Warrior (Master System; named by host as Zolotaya Sekira), Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Master System), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System), Cyber Shinobi (Master System), Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Mega Drive), Rambo III (Mega Drive), Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Master System), Aladdin (Mega Drive), Streets of Rage (Mega Drive), Castle of Illusion (Master System) Herzog Zwei (Mega Drive), Empire of Steel (Mega Drive), Altered Beast (Master System; named by host as Oboroten), Alien Storm (Master System), Ghostbusters and many more.

At the end of episode 24, it is announced that on May 2, 1994, there will be a special episode of the music program Ne pristavay ko mne on the 4th channel (RTR — Rossiyskiye universitety). From the clips, it can be concluded that several Russian musicians, composers and music group leaders were supposed to play on the Mega Drive.

The show is often compared to another popular gaming program called Dendy Novaya real'nost' sponsored by Steepler, but both series were broadcast in different periods.

List of episodes

Episode Video Name Date Airtime Description
1x01 Episode 1 1993-11-14 10:00
1x02 Episode 2 1993-11-21 10:55
1x03 Episode 3 1993-11-28 10:00
1x04 Episode 4 1993-12-05 10:05
1x05 Episode 5 1993-12-12 09:55
1x06 Episode 6 1993-12-19 10:05
1x07 Episode 7 1993-12-26 10:00
1x08 Episode 8 1994-01-02 09:50
1x09 Episode 9 1994-01-09 09:55
1x10 Episode 10 1994-01-16 09:55
1x11 Episode 11 1994-01-23 09:55
1x12 Episode 12 1994-01-30
1x13 Episode 13 1994-02-06 10:00
1x14 Episode 14 1994-02-13 10:00
1x15 Episode 15 1994-02-20 10:00
1x16 Episode 16 1994-02-27 09:55
1x17 Episode 17 1994-03-06 10:00
1x18 Episode 18 1994-03-13 10:00
1x19 Episode 19 1994-03-20 10:00
1x20 Episode 20 1994-03-27 10:00
1x21 Episode 21 1994-04-03 10:00
1x22 Episode 22 1994-04-10 09:00
1x23 Episode 23 1994-04-17 09:00
1x24 Episode 24[4] 1994-04-24 09:00 Sega Master System presentation (time-1:42)

Sega Mega Drive presentation (time-6:25)

1x25 Episode 25[5] 1994-05-22 08:55
1x26 Episode 26 1994-05-29 09:00
1x27 Episode 27 1994-06-05 08:25
1x28 Episode 28 1994-06-12 09:05
1x29 Episode 29 1994-06-19 08:50
1x30 Episode 30 1994-06-26 08:55
1x31 Episode 31 1994-07-03 08:45
1x32 Episode 32 1994-07-10 09:00
1x33 Episode 33 1994-07-24 09:00
1x34 Episode 34 1994-07-31 09:05
1x35 Episode 35 1994-08-07 08:50
1x36 Episode 36 1994-08-14 08:55
1x37 Episode 37 1994-08-21 08:40
1x38 Episode 38 1994-08-28 09:30

Unknown date

Episode Video Name Date Airtime Description
U1 [6] Spring 1994 xx:xx Herzog Zwei (Mega Drive)

Screenshots of missing episodes

References