Ricky

Ricky (リッキー) is the name given to brown squirrels, who also are one of Sonic's animal friends. Ricky made the first appearance in original Sonic the Hedgehog. Ricky's role in many games has being captured by Dr. Eggman to power his Badniks as a energy source or being imprisoned in capsules. Ricky has brown fur, round ears, wide eyes and a thick, bushy tail.

Early on in the series, when all the animal friends were renamed by Sega of America in Sonic Bible, Ricky's gender was defined and it was reimagined as Sally Acorn. Usually sporting a pink bow, Ricky made a number of appearances in early Western media for the franchise, including Stay Sonic, the promotional comic released alongside the first game and among others. According to the Sonic Bible, Sally Acorn comes from a large family like other animal friends. The character Princess Sally Acorn from Sonic the Hedgehog animated series and comics made by Archie Comics is based on Ricky, as well as Fleetway's interpretation of Sally Acorn.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
The first appearance of Ricky was in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog. In the game's storyline, Ricky, along with other animal friends got South Island, got captured by Dr. Robotnik and were turned into power sources for dthe octor's Badniks. Ricky himself only appear in Marble Zone where he either released from inside the Badniks when they are destroyed or freed from capsules.

Ricky also makes an appearance in the 8-bit version of the game with same name. Here, the Rickies can only be found in Jungle Zone, when the Ricky along with other animals are released from the capsule of the Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Ricky's next appearance was in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where he and the other animal friends of the West Side Island were captured captured by Dr. Robotnik to power his Badniks. In the game, Ricky can only be found in Emerald Hill Zone.

In the 8-bit version of the game with same name, Ricky only appears in the Green Hills Zone, where they, like in their earlier 8-bit appearance, are released from the hovering capsule in the Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD
In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Rickies are shown to inhabit the Little Planet, where they are seen hopping around along with Flickies in Palmtree Panic and Quartz Quadrant. This scenario is only shown if the player destroys the Metal Sonic Projector of the Round in the past timeline or manages to get good future by destroying Eggman's Machines or getting the Time Stones.

Sonic's Gameworld
Ricky is also seen along with Sonic, Tails, Amy and the other animal friends in Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld. here, Ricky is seen on a pair of cards featured in the Concentration mini-game, while the Japanese version of the game also features Ricky in the Poker Game and Bakudan Nuki mini-games.

Sonic & Knuckles
Ricky makes another appearance in Sonic & Knuckles, where he reprises his role from previous installments, where he and the other animals are captured by Dr. Robotnik and turned into power sources for his Badniks. Ricky can be found in Mushroom Hill Zone, Flying Battery Zone and Death Egg Zone where he will appear from destroyed Badniks or capsules. In the beginning of Knuckles' storyline, a herd of Rickies and Cuckies are around in freedom in Mushroom Hill Zone where Knuckles was relaxing, until they ran away when EggRobo dropped an exploding bomb down in the front of Knuckles.

Sonic Pocket Adventure
Ricky along with the Flickies reappeared in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure where they reprise their basic roles where they are captured by Eggman and used to power his Badniks. Like in the previous games, they also appear when destroyingBadniks or capsules. Ricky and Flicky can be found in every Zone of the game, though the Rickies in this game come in three different color schemes: light brown, light yellow and red. Animal friends including Ricky are also seen in the game's perfect ending.

Sonic Lost World
Ricky along with other animal friends appeared in Sonic Lost World, where they are shown to inhabit the Lost Hex. During the events of the game, Dr. Eggman, with the assistance of Deadly Six, resumed kidnapping animals, as Ricky being among them, to use them as the energy source for his badnik army. The small group of animals, including another Ricky, that managed to escape capture remained behind with Knuckles and Amy while Sonic and Tails went out to save their friends, where some of them had fun at the expense of Knuckles and even carried him around.

Ricky, along with other animals in Sonic Lost World, are collectible content used to progress with the game. Once the player has collected a set amount of Ricky and other animals, the player gain access to the fourth Zone in each area. Sonic is able to free animals from badniks, smaller capsules and even regular large ones at the end of each Zone. Ricky and animals can also be collected from Circus tents of each Zone. Ricky type of companions are featured in Windy Hill, Desert Ruins, Silent Forest and Sky Road.

Cameo Appearances

 * Ricky appears along with other animal friends at background of pictures in Sonic the Screen Saver.
 * Ricky is featured on several artworks in Sonic Jam and Sonic Gems Collection.

Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic
Ricky along with other animal friends, appears in Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic manga. He appears in few panels in first and third stories. In Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic Volume 2' story ''Clash!! South Island'' Picky tells to Sonic that Ricky and Cucky have become badniks. Later in "Sparkling Zone" Sonic destroys these badniks and rescues Ricky and Cucky, who then lead Sonic to the "Star Land Zone" where they saw animals getting imprisoned to the capsule. Sonic defeats Eggman and saves the animals from capsule.

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
Ricky made a cameo appearance in the episode "Momma Robotnik's Birthday of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic X
Ricky has made a number of small appearances in the Sonic X anime. Ricky in the anime bears the same look from his games, but has here light blue eye pupils. Ricky is seen briefly along with other animal friends in "Defective Detectives", and playing around with humans in "Mean Machines". He gets later sent back to the home planet with other animals in the "Running Out of Time" and is briefly seen with other animals on Sonic's home planet in the "A New Start".

Trivia

 * When Ricky is featured on his own card in Sonic the Hedgehog Online Trading Cards, he has been misleadingly named as Pocky. Pocky is also the name of another Animal Friend, who has been misleadingly called as Picky in the same online trading card game.
 * As the Stay Sonic guidebook follows heavily basics of Sonic Bible, it gives overview to how Sonic has been able to leap high distances with the due to the coaching of Sally Acorn. This is however, only stated once in the guidebook.
 * In the American credits of Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld he is labeled with his Japanese name, "Ricky" instead of his western name Sally Acorn during that time.
 * Ricky has been one of animal friends in the series, that hasn't make any appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 or any three episodes of Sonic the Hedgehog 4.