Sonic The Hedgehog Card Game

Original Release: 1992
Developer: Mattel
Publisher: Mattel
Original Platform: Board Game

A Sonic card game made by Mattel in 1992. This is another game I’ve recreated through Tabletop Simulator, although I’m not 100% convinced the rules are perfect – they’re as close as I can figure out, though.

One interesting thing about this card game is that it’s based on the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog, featuring zones like Bridge and Jungle. There’s also a very clear quality difference between the artwork provided by Sega and the additions made by Mattel. I added boards to the Tabletop Simulator version to help place the decks of cards and keep track of the zone cards that end the game.

Each player has a stack of rings and emeralds. The aim is protect these while stealing with others. Sonic cards will protect your rings, while the badnik cards allow you to steal. Zone card will also come out, and when all six have been collected, the game ends. The game also ends if one player gets all chaos emeralds.

The badnik and super sonic speed cards are also more powerful cards that allow you to steal two rings from opponents instead of one, but have a limited use.

This game is pretty awful. Your choices are based on your card and you pretty much have to protect yourself if you’re not protected and go after opponents if you are. You’ll also want to go after an unprotected opponent, so everyone will pile on the same person until they can protect themselves. The best course of action is extremely apparent, so you don’t really make any choices yourself.