You Can Now Solve the Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog for Free (No, Really)

Sega has been on a bit of a roll, lately. They brought out a glorious 3D open world in Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Origins Plus promises to be some fantastic bang for your buck, and their other franchises are thriving. So on the eve of April Fools’ Day, March 31, 2023, Sega shadow-dropped a murder mystery game where you, the player, must solve The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog. They also clarified that yes, this is real.

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is Real, and Free to Play

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is free now on Steam as of March 31, 2023, and is a fully playable visual novel with hand-drawn characters featuring Sonic franchise favorites. Classic characters like Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy meet with other characters featured in games and comics like Vector, Espio, and Shadow for Amy’s birthday party. The activity of choice? A murder mystery party, Sega teases that the innocent veneer might conceal something more sinister. It doesn’t help, however, that some of the images seem as if they’re torn straight out of memes.

The premise is silly, and while it’s not as dark as the title may suggest, it has an almost eerie feel. Maybe it’s our collective trust issues after getting out minds blown by Doki Doki Literature Club. Still, diving headlong into a mystery with Sonic the Hedgehog was not how we expected the weekend to begin.

Is the Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog Canon?

Much like the completely bonkers and true origin of the Sonic Bible, the Sonic canon has seen numerous points of contention over the years. In the case of the Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog though, it’s left intentionally vague with a wink from the developers. It’s not a game made by Sonic Team, but Sega clarifies on the official Steam page that “we strongly believe in the power of headcanon!”