Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal are now available at retailers in North America! Following the U.S. premiere of Sonic’s first CGI animated TV series Sonic Boom on Cartoon Network and a full merchandising program, these two games are cornerstones of the newly created Sonic Boom universe and expand the Sonic Boom vision for fans. Set in the same world as the Sonic Boom animated TV series, Sonic and team – including new friend Sticks – work together to stop the evil villain- Lyric! Gamers play as multiple characters, each with their own abilities, as they explore, fight and speed through an undiscovered land.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric exclusively for the Wii U system, is an original game developed by Southern California based studio Big Red Button Entertainment in collaboration with Sonic Team and its head Takashi Iizuka. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric finds Sonic and his friends Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they release a powerful snake-like villain named Lyric from an ancient tomb sealed deep within an island. The group must put aside their differences and work together as a team to save the world from Lyric’s evil plan and his army of war mongering robots!

Nintendo 3DS exclusive title, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, was developed by the Northern California based Sanzaru Games Inc. in collaboration with Sonic Team. In Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, Amy discovers a secret ancient language and manuscript detailing the history and whereabouts of a Lost Crystal of Power. The evil and vile villain, Lyric, kidnaps Amy in his eagerness to get his claws on this long-forgotten power that has been hidden throughout the jungles and canyons of a mysterious new island.

The Sonic Boom titles deliver totally different experiences than previous Sonic games with collaborative gameplay at their core, all while featuring the traditional element of Sonic and his adventures – SPEED. Taking advantage of the innovative hardware of both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, Sonic Boom introduces exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam gadget that allows the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for Wii U is available at retailers in North America at an MSRP of $49.99 with a rating of “E10+ for Everyone 10 and up” by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for Nintendo 3DS is available at retailers in North America at a MSRP of $39.99 and is rated “E for Everyone” by the ESRB.

Sonic fans love merchandise. So we’re excited to announce a robust lineup of merchandising and promotional partners that will be racing to retail throughout the year. These partners are focused in several key categories including toys, apparel, and food & beverage.

Sonic Boom’s overall broad licensing program will be one of the biggest license initiatives SEGA has undertaken in recent years. SEGA has lined up best-in-class retailers, including Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, JCPenney, Kohl’s and Barnes & Noble, to feature an array of offerings from partners such as Archie Comics, Bioworld, Fifth Sun, Bakery Crafts, Isaac Morris, and Bulls I Toy for brand new Sonic Boom toys, comics, apparel, and novelty. Also joining are Accessory Innovations, Franco, Rubies, Howard Keys, teNeues, and World Tech Toys – covering back-to-school, bedding, costumes, housewares, calendars, and remote control vehicles for  North America and Mexico in 2015.

The program will be anchored by new master toy partner TOMY, who will showcase the new character looks, stressing interaction between core characters, and feature new play patterns based on both the games and TV series.  The toy line will be fueled by TOMY innovation and energized with speed, lights, sounds, motion-activation, and action-performance and include
plush, action figures, RC, role play, vehicles, and novelty.

SEGA has lined up additional creative promotional partners to pair with the video game icon. Sonic and his iconic shade of blue will be making their way into a special Sonic Boom branded version of the classic ICEE Blue Raspberry flavor. The promotional flavor will be available nationwide, and feature a custom designed ICEE and Sonic Boom 24-ounce cup, along with the opportunity to win prizes and unlock bonus game content from Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U system. Sonic and his friends will also be partnering with Del Taco to create a multiplatform campaign with in-restaurant, social media, and radio promotional components in top national markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and Miami.

“The evolution of Sonic Boom is set to take off at lightning speed, and we are racing toward new and innovative ways to bring this new branch of the beloved Hedgehog to life”, said John Cheng, President and COO, SEGA of America. “Sonic the Hedgehog has over 20 years of history to his name, and we have lined up partners and merchandisers to create a program that will tie every facet of Sonic’s world together.”

The Sonic Boom bags at PAX were so popular, Kellie and I decided both Sonic and SEGA weekly giveaways would be dedicated to giving out more bags! So for this Free Stuff Friday, we’re offering three Sonic Boom bags to fans. See you tomorrow!

How it Works

1. You must have a Twitter account and be following @SEGA on Twitter to be eligible. If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can create one by going to http://www.twitter.com and click the green “get started — join!” button in the center of the page.

2. Giveaways start around 11am Pacific Time on Fridays. We tweet a message with instructions and participants send a Direct Message (commonly called DM) in return. Send a Direct Message changes depending on what Twitter client you are using, we recommend reading this helpful tutorial before the giveaway day.

Note: @SEGA is verified, you can send a Direct Message without being followed. This is totally against everything Twitter has taught you about Direct Messages, but it really works.

Example of a typical giveaway:

@SEGA Tweets: “GIVEAWAY: Sonic T-shirt, size L. Be the 15th person to DM “Sonic Adventure” to win!”

You see this, and want to win it, so you send us a direct message that says “Sonic Adventure”. If you are the 15th person to do so, you are the winner! Quotation marks do not matter, capitalization does not matter, but spelling does matter! (Note, this is just an example, please do not Direct Message this example phrase).

3. We will announce the winner the following week across our blog in the next Free Stuff Friday giveaway. Please read the official rules at the end of this post to confirm eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’ve never used twitter before, how does it work?
A: Twitter is really easy to use! Twitter has a helpful tutorial that walks you through the basics.

Q: How do Direct Messages work again?
A: Check this guide on how to send Direct Messages using the default twitter clients on the web or on a phone.

Q: How can I be sure my Direct Messages are reaching you?
A: Send @SEGA a Direct Message with the word ‘test’ and we’ll respond to confirm we’ve received it.

Q: I have a question for SEGA on Friday, around 11am Pacific Time, why aren’t you responding?
A: We’re probably swamped with messages while running the giveaway, try messaging us later in the day or when it appears to be less busy.

Q: I won a Sonic Shirt that’s too small for me, can I exchange it?
A: No, we don’t allow for exchanges or trade ins. The prizes are up for grabs as is, so in some cases you’ll want to be sure you can use it (like a shirt), or are in can redeem it (like a game).

Official Rules & Regulations

Sega of America, Inc.
Official Rules – Promotions for Twitter

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

This promotion is administered by a U.S. company and in compliance with U.S. privacy laws; by entering you are agree to all the terms and conditions of the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Twitter.
You understand that you are providing your information to Sega of America, Inc. and not to Twitter.
Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Sweepstakes
must be directed to the Sponsor and not to Twitter.

Age of Eligibility: The Promotion is open only to individuals who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older and individuals between the ages of thirteen (13) and twenty-one (21) who have the permission to enter of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Official Rules.

How to Enter: Sponsor will announce the prize we are awarding, a word or phrase, and what number of response you need to be to win. Send us a direct message (DM) via Twitter and be that number to win the prize. (@ replies do not count as entries!)

How Many Times You Can Enter: Limit of one (1) direct message per person per prize.

How Winner(s) Will Be Determined: Winners will be randomly determined on an “nth entry basis”; i.e. For example, Sponsor will randomly which entrant will be selected for a given prize; i.e. the 50^th or 100^th.

How Winner(s) Will Be Notified: Winners will be notified on Twitter through Direct Messages (DM) as well as through email.

Where and When Winner(s) Will be Announced:Winners will be announced at least one week after the promotion starts on the SEGA Blog (blogs.sega.com).

(1) Description – Sega of America, Inc. (the “Sponsor”) is offering the above referenced Promotion and will award the prize or prizes described above via a random selection method. The promotion is available for entry only on Twitter. If you do not yet have a Twitter account, create your FREE account at http://www.twitter.com. Visit https://twitter.com/SEGA and using the prompts follow SEGA on Twitter. Your activity on Twitter in regards to this Promotion are governed by Twitter Terms of Use at https://twitter.com/tos.

(2) Eligibility – The following are NOT eligible to participate: Employees, officers and directors of the Sponsor, its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, advertising, promotional, fulfillment and marketing agencies, (collectively “Promotion Entities”) their immediate families (parent, child, sibling & spouse) and persons living in the same households of such individuals (whether related or not), are not eligible to participate in the Promotion.

The promotion is void in all countries currently under sanction by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury to include: Balkans, Belarus, Burma, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, DR of the Congo, Iran Iraq, Liberia (the former regime of Charles Taylor), Lebanon, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Please note that the list of sanctions countries ca change at any time, however, a current list can always be located at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs

Further, the promotion is void in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law, rule or regulation.

(3) Entering the Promotion – Creation of false accounts on Twitter is prohibited. (Message, data rates or other charges may apply if you are participating via the use of a SMART mobile device; check your mobile plan for rates and details. Participation may not be available on all carriers.) In the event of a dispute as to any Entry, the authorized account holder of the Twitter account used to enter will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned the account by the online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning the accounts. You may be required to show proof of being an authorized account holder. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different/duplicitous e-mail addresses, the use of multiple identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Entries that are incomplete, contain irregular or invalid information, or are corrupted are void and will not be accepted.

(4) Data Collection – Sponsor collects personal information from you when you enter the Promotion. By entering the Promotion, you agree to all of the terms and conditions of Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. For information about how personal information may be used, see Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, which is available at http://www.sega.com/legal/privacy.php
(5) Prizes – There is a limit of one (1) prize per person per Promotion. The odds of winning in any given Promotion depend upon the number of prizes available and the number of total entries received for that Promotion. In no event will the value of any single prize exceed $600 and the total value of prizes in any given Weekly Promotion Period will never exceed $5,000. All approximate retail values are expressed in U.S. Dollars. In the event of unavailability Sponsor reserves the right to substitute an item of equal or greater value.

(6) Prize Awarding – If you are potential winner and a minor in your jurisdiction of residence, your parent or legal guardian must accept the prize on your behalf by providing their name and complete mailing address for the purposes of prize fulfillment. If you do not respond to the Sponsor’s Prize Notification Message by the date indicated in the message, the prize is forfeited and will not be awarded. If you have provided an invalid or inaccurate email address or postal mailing address for the purpose of prize fulfillment any returned communication or prize items will be forfeited and in this event at Sponsor’s sole discretion an alternate may be selected. Any unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. In compliance with Canadian law, any potential Canadian winner will have to correctly answer a multiple part mathematical skill question as a condition of being named a valid winner. Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for Sponsor to use winner’s name for advertising and promotional purposes as Sponsor so determines without notice or further compensation, except where prohibited by law. Prize recipient shall not be permitted to (a) replace his/her designated prize with another prize or item, (b) transfer or assign his/her designated prize to another person, or (c) substitute any prize or prize component for cash. In the event of unavailability, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. All federal, state, local, and other taxes on prizes, (including any applicable import taxes on prizes) are the sole responsibility of the person accepting the prize.

(7) General – At the conclusion of any given Promotion or prize winning cycle and the selection or naming of the published winner(s) for that Weekly Promotion Period or prize winning cycle, Sponsor, in its sole discretion, has the right to modify any rule associated with the Promotion including but not limited to the requirement for entry, number of entries you can receive, the number and value of prizes available and the deadline for entry or participation prize winning activity including, or at Sponsor’s sole discretion, to discontinue the Promotion completely.

By participating in the Promotion, each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects. By participating in the Promotion, participants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless Twitter and Promotion Entities from any and all damages whether direct or indirect, which may be due to or arise out of participation in the Promotion or any portion thereof, or the acceptance, use/misuse or possession of prizes. Further, the Promotion Entities do not make any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the use of any prize, including, without limitation, quality, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. Further, no responsibilities are accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing, or acts of any government or authority.

All decisions of the Sponsor in any matter relating to this Promotion shall be binding and final. If there are fewer eligible entries than the number of available prizes, any unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. Sponsor is not responsible for technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of any computer, cable, network, hardware, software, or web site. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections, miscommunications, failed telephone or computer or telephone transmissions or technical failure, jumbled, scrambled or misdirected transmissions, for incorrect or inaccurate entry information, howsoever caused, or other error of any kind whether human, mechanical or electronic. Entrants found tampering with or abusing any aspect of this Promotion, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified. If disqualified for any of the above abuses, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate entrant’s eligibility to participate in the Promotion. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion may be in violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion if any fraud, virus or other technical problem corrupts the administration, security, or proper play of the Promotion, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Promotion and the rights and obligations of Sponsor and entrants will be governed by and controlled by the laws of the state of California, applicable to contracts made and performed therein without reference to the applicable choice of law provisions. All actions, proceedings or litigation relating hereto will be instituted and prosecuted, without resort to any form of class action, solely within the state courts of California located in San Francisco, California and federal courts located within such state and county with respect to any action, dispute or other matter pertaining to or arising out of the Promotion. In the event any provision of these Official Rules will be held to be unenforceable, these Official Rules will continue in full force and effect without such provision.

Sponsored by:
Sega of America, Inc.
350 Rhode Island Street, STE 400
San Francisco, CA 94103

SEGA is heading to 2014 PAX Prime in Seattle with its fall lineup in tow and ready to unleash on all in attendance! Gamers will be given the chance for hands-on demos of Alien: Isolation, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal creating a unique experience for fans as they get a detailed look at the hottest games of the year.

Coming off the heels of its national debut at San Diego Comic-Con, Alien: Isolation will be showcased in amazing, spine-tingling fashion at Booth #232 with game demos in a custom-designed, giant-sized Alien egg pod. The pod creates a self-contained, fear-inducing, immersive gaming experience for the newest title of the Alien™ franchise. As gamers tremble in fear, the Alien: Isolation booth will have a live on-site stream feeding on-lookers and fans the POV gaming perspective, prepping gamers for the intense experience before they enter one of several gaming stations.

To help extend the demo experience onsite, SEGA will host a “Survive the Demo Competition,” giving gamers the chance to win exclusive limited edition Alien jackets (while supplies last). Alien: Isolation is available worldwide on October 7, 2014 for Xbox One, PlayStation4, Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation3.

When it comes to SEGA’s iconic Blue Blur, Sonic the Hedgehog will be racing into PAX at top speeds in Sonic Boom, a brand-new extension of the Sonic Universe. Touching down at Booth #652, fans will get an exclusive first-look at the brand new multiplayer capabilities of Sonic’s newest adventures Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric. The new games Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U system, developed by Los Angeles-based Big Red Button, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system, from San Francisco-based Sanzaru Games, will introduce two unique and epic adventures as Sonic and team work together to stop the evil villain- Lyric! Play as multiple characters, each with their own abilities, as you explore, fight and speed through an undiscovered land. Each game features its own individual story and gameplay features. As an added extra for Hedgehog fanatics at PAX, SEGA will also preview the newest trailer for Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal. Be sure to tune into Sonic’s first-ever CG-animated television series debuting on Cartoon Network this fall.

In addition, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will both be featured on The Next Level’s live stream! Tune in at the following times (times approximate and Pacific Time) at http://bit.ly/THENEXTLEVELTWITCH to see the games played live!

Friday 8/29: 12:35 – 1:00pm
Saturday 8/30: 2:55 – 3:25pm
Sunday 8/31:  1:25 – 1:55pm
Monday 9/1:  2:10 – 2:40pm

See you at PAX!

In conjunction with Gamescom 2014, SEGA is pleased to reveal an all-new Sonic Boom trailer! We also have new screenshots and concept art that  features the powerful villains and enemies that Sonic and his team will be up against. They will have to band together like never before to defeat them!

You can see all of the images released today on our Flickr.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U developed by LA-based Big Red Button will be released in North America on November 18th and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Sanzaru Games of San Francisco will be released in North America on November 11th. Both games will be released in Europe on November 21, 2014.

Pre-Order Sonic Boom in the US or Canada to get an exclusive game-inspired Sonic Boom figure from TOMY!

In the US, pre-order Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric or Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal from Gamestop to get this exclusive item.

In Canada, pre-order Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric or Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal from EB Games to get this exclusive item.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will be in stores November 11, 2014 in North America. (European/other dates coming soon.)

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will be in stores November 18, 2014 in North America. (European/other dates coming soon.)

Take a look behind the scenes of the Sonic Boom TV animation!

You know about Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks. But now it’s time to meet some of the other characters you’ll encounter in the Sonic Boom universe! These characters are non-playable in the Sonic Boom games, and some of them also appear in the Sonic Boom TV animation.

Old Tucker is a happy go lucky farmer who mistakenly took the easy route to grow his village’s crops. Despite some setbacks, he is still able to spread his funny, southern charm with the villagers. Old Tucker is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Hayward, the hopeless farmhand, is a dreamer who constantly wants to go above and beyond to prove himself to others around him. Always looking to be a part of something bigger, something that makes a difference, he is in search for a reason or way to help to just show what he can do. Hayward is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Salty is the self-proclaimed captain of the ocean. He is overly confident in his domain and does not care to take the opinions of others around him into consideration. His egocentric attitude is apparent, even though his words and actions are not always justified. In Salty’s world, it’s his way or the seaway! Salty is in the Sonic Boom animation and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Pepper, a sailor like his brother Salty, was raised by his father to sail the open seas, but was never respected by his brother. When left a nautical compass by their father, Salty took it for himself and they haven’t spoken since. Now Pepper captains his own ship with a keen understanding about the ways of the seas, a poetic sensibility, and occasional battle with Salty on the open waters. Pepper is in the Sonic Boom animation and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Q-N-C (pronounced “Quincy”) is the main guide through both the Wii U and 3DS versions of Sonic Boom. Created by the evil mastermind Lyric, Q-N-C is an ancient robot whose wires were crossed and can now think for itself. Shedding its evil past, Q-N-C aims to please and help people whenever possible. Q-N-C is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal.

Hokey and Pokey have been married for over 175 years and have an everlasting spark between them…until that spark is lit and the bickering begins! Always poking fun at each other and arguing over who knows best, this elderly couple proves there is a soul mate for everyone. Hokey and Pokey are in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Perci is beautiful yet tough as nails; her street smarts and tough exterior allow her to be ready to protect the town when the time comes. Perci is in the Sonic Boom animation and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Foreman Fred is in way over his head and knows it. Promoted too early – and probably without merit – he knows the rules and regulations but just doesn’t know how to apply them. The fact that he’s not the quickest on his feet, only makes matters worse. Foreman Fred is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Doc Ginger’s strong southern charm and kindness should never be mistaken for weakness. Even during the most frantic of situations she remains calm, levelheaded and unafraid to provide the team with sweet but stern direction. Doc Ginger is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Cliff is the wise and well -educated elder statesman of the village who knows the history of Lyric and his metal army. Respected and trusted, he’s been searching for something for a very long time and will fulfill it anyway he sees fit. Cliff is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

The French master chef has prepared nearly every dish in the world and seen every kitchen. A true perfectionist of his craft, Chef Woody wants no person or thing to come between him and the perfect dish. Graceful and eloquent by nature, hot blooded in the name of cuisine. Chef Woody is in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Fastidious Beaver is a fussy, uptight beaver with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fastidious Beaver is in the Sonic Boom animation and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Mayor Fink is a typical politician – a fast talker out of both sides of his mouth. Loud and confident, he feels in control no matter what the situation, even if he has no idea what he’s doing. Mayor Fink is in the Sonic Boom animation and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

***

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will be out this November. The Sonic Boom television series, co-produced by SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions, will debut on Cartoon Network in the U.S. and on CANAL J and GULLI in France during the 2014/2015 season.

From the outer reaches of space to a fantastic ancient land, SEGA fans will get a chance to see the  hottest games of the year at San Diego Comic-Con International. SEGA is pulling out all the stops, giving fans their first chance for hands-on demos of Alien: Isolation, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, and a variety of ways to experience these franchises, both onsite and off. Alien: Isolation will be showcased in amazing, spine-tingling fashion at the FUTURE US booth #241 with game demos in a custom-designed, giant-sized Alien egg pod. SEGA is also taking its presence to the next level this year, partnering with NERD HQ to give fans even more chances to have fun with some of the year’s most anticipated titles.

SEGA will invade Nerd HQ from July 24-27 at Petco Park, just steps away from the Convention Center. Presented by The Nerd Machine, this popular fan-focused event provides guests an additional destination to interact with brand-new titles as well as hands-on opportunities with never-before-seen games. Nerd HQ will be the official home for SEGA throughout the show, spotlighting its games and hosting panels discussing the new titles.

Following overwhelming excitement from its debut at E3, the newest title of the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation, will come to life and showcase the true meaning of fear with an immersive gaming experience. A replica version of the iconic egg from the Alien series will be onsite at the FUTURE booth, immersing gamers into a solitary gaming pod for a unique, chilling, fear-inducing event. Enter if you dare! Alien: Isolation is available worldwide on October 7, 2014 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

When it comes to the fastest bipedal blue star in the world, SEGA has a big year ahead. To set the stage, SEGA will introduce playable versions at Comic Con.  The new games Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U system, developed by Los Angeles-based Big Red Button, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system, from San Francisco-based Sanzaru Games, will introduce new gameplay and the most vile and formidable villain in Sonic history — Lyric.

Announced earlier this year, Sonic Boom is a brand-new extension to the Sonic Universe that will introduce new video games, the first-ever CG-animated television series debuting on Cartoon Network in the 2014/2015 season, and a robust merchandise program anchored by master toy partner TOMY.