Sonic 35th anniversary statue: A stunning $185 love letter

Sega is releasing a $184.99 Sonic 35th anniversary statue, a 12-inch resin piece built around Green Hill Zone, with pre-orders now live on the official Sega Shop ahead of a November launch.

What the Sonic 35th anniversary statue looks like

The Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary Green Hill Zone Statue shows Sonic mid-sprint with a Chaos Emerald in hand and swirls of smoke kicking up behind him.

The base recreates the zone’s checkered ground, grass and palm trees, with gold rings scattered across its platforms. Rising behind Sonic is a pillar topped by an old-school CRT monitor displaying the official 35th anniversary logo, a nod to the original game’s retro look.

Price, pre-orders and release date

The statue costs $184.99 and can be pre-ordered now through the official Sega Shop. It’s expected to ship in November. At that price, it’s aimed squarely at longtime collectors who want a piece of gaming history on the shelf.

Why Green Hill Zone

Green Hill Zone is the opening level of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, which launched in 1991, and it remains the franchise’s signature stage. Its checkerboard hills and upbeat theme are so recognizable that the level later turned up as a stage in Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series.

Sonic has raced through plenty of memorable zones since, from Emerald Hill to Casino Night, but none has matched Green Hill as the series’ calling card. That makes it a natural pick for a Sonic 35th anniversary statue.

Sonic’s 35th anniversary celebrations

The statue is part of a broader 35th anniversary push for the franchise, which has enjoyed a resurgence thanks to Paramount’s live-action movies. The next one, “Sonic the Hedgehog 4,” is already on the way.

For fans who have followed Sega’s mascot since the Genesis days, the Sonic 35th anniversary statue is a tangible way to mark three and a half decades of the Blue Blur.

Reporting from CBR contributed to this story. Product details also via BigBadToyStore.