LEGO’s new 2023 LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog theme revealed; here’s everything you need to know!
April 19, 2023
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LEGO have officially unveiled a brand new dedicated LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog theme, which will arrive on LEGO.com and in most toy stores in August 2023!
The theme will initially include 4 sets starring Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Amy, and Eggman (nee Dr. Robotnik) in minifigure form.
The theme’s hero play feature is a brand new “Speed Sphere” element, which allows Sonic to blast through modular elements and obstacles, simulating the Blue Blur’s hypersonic speed. Gotta go fast, as they say!
- 76990 Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge – US$34.99 / AU$52.99 / £24.99 / €29.99 / CAD$39.99
- 76991 Tails’s Workshop and Tornado Plane – US$39.99 / AU$64.99 / £37.99 / €42.99 / CAD$49.99
- 76992 Amy’s Animal Rescue Island – US$49.99 / AU$84.99 / £46.99 / €52.99 / CAD$64.99
- 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge – US$99.99 / AU$169.99 / £94.99 / €104.99 / CAD$129.99
- 76993 Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman’s Death Egg Robot – US$59.99 / AU$94.99 / £57.99 / €64.99 / CAD$79.99
This new theme looks to blend some of LEGO City Stuntz loops, and the style of the LEGO Ideas set, which I guess has sold enough to convince both LEGO and Sega that a full-blown theme was warranted.
To better illustrate the sets, take a look at LEGO’s promotional video, which shows the LEGO Sonic sets and Speed Sphere in action. If it works as well as it does, it should be a lot of fun for younger fans, as well as older nostalgic adults who grew up with Sonic.
76990 Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge (292 pieces)
Price: US$34.99 / AU$52.99 / £24.99 / €29.99 / CAD$39.99
Includes: Sonic the Hedgehog, Badnik
76991 Tails’s Workshop and Tornado Plane (376 pieces)
Price: US$39.99 / AU$64.99 / £37.99 / €42.99 / CAD$49.99
Includes: Sonic, Tails, a Clucky, Buzz Bomber
76992 Amy’s Animal Rescue Island (388 pieces)
Price: US$49.99 / AU$84.99 / £46.99 / €52.99 / CAD$64.99
Includes: Amy, Tails, Crabmeat, Picky, Pocky and a Flicky
76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge (802 pieces)
Price: US$99.99 / AU$169.99 / £94.99 / €104.99 / CAD$129.99
Includes: Sonic, Amy, a Flicky, Becky, Pocky, Pecky, Dr. Eggman, plus Badniks Chopper and Newtron
76993 Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman’s Death Egg Robot
Price: US$59.99 / AU$94.99 / £57.99 / €64.99 / CAD$79.99
In an exclusive interview with Forbes, which goes into great lengths into the development of the action-packed dynamic theme.
Forbes spoke to Concept Lead Patrick Otley and design lead Frédéric Roland Andre (who previously worked on the Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck set and is known for his work on LEGO Minecraft), wanted to “encapsulate the spirit of Sonic the Hedgehog in bricks, and worked directly with SEGA to come up with starting points.”
The development of these four sets took two years, and to give fans the authentic Blue Blur experience, the “speed sphere” was the first thing conceptualised, utilising a stapler-like launcher lets you fire a Sonic-filled, yo-yo-shaped disc through the circuit.
LEGO Racers, anyone?
Early speed sphere concepts lacked walls, meaning minifigures could fall out and get damaged. Some mock-ups were too brittle. Others used too many Technic connectors, making them impossible for young kids to open.
The launcher also went through a number of iterations, before leading the team to do something quite rare outside of minifigure design: after exhausting the possibilities of existing LEGO pieces, they created a whole new, curved LEGO piece for its core structure.
Will there be a LEGO Knuckles?
Knuckles the Echidna wasn’t considered as part of the first four sets, “This whole toy line was about putting the action play first, then adding story into it,” says Otley. “Our figures are special to us, and we treasure them in the design. We need to use them sparingly as well.
“We already had Sonic, and it was a natural exploration to have Tails and Amy Rose as well–and, of course, the bad guy! We needed a core cast, but a small one to begin with. We talked with SEGA and we all came to an agreement that it was the strongest cast, at least to start the IP with.”
With that, Otley and Andre tease that there could be more in store for LEGO Group and Sonic. When pressed, they’re excited by the opportunity. “That’s definitely the hope,” Andre says. “We’re still in discussion with SEGA at this point. We see great potential in these sets; we know they are very attractive to kids, and we know the IP is really strong.
Check out the full Forbes interview for more insights on the design and development process of the LEGO Sonic theme.
What do you think of the LEGO Sonic theme? Does this excite you and do you think LEGO nailed the design and playability?
The new LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog sets will be released on 1 August from LEGO.com, local LEGO Store or most toy stores.
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