Downloadable content

Yoshi's Island Zone, the second DLC stage featured in Sonic Lost World.

Downloadable content (or DLC for short) is additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet by the game's official publisher or other third party content producers. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from aesthetic outfit changes to a new, extensive storyline, such as an expansion pack. DLC may add new game modes, objects, levels, challenges or other features to a complete and already released game.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, there are several games that include DLC.

List of Sonic games with DLC

Sonic Adventure

In Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast, the majority of DLC was holiday themed, such as Halloween, Christmas, and Y2K. North America and Japan had different Christmas DLC's; North America's was a tribute to Christmas NIGHTS, while Japan's had Christmas trees scattered throughout Station Square, which played Christmas music when touched. There was also DLC celebrating the release of Samba De Amigo.

The rest of the DLC released for the game were contests. North America had a Time Attack contest hosted by AT&T and Official Dreamcast Magazine. Europe had a Reebok DMX Competition. Japan had two contests; a hedgehog hide-and-seek and a Yukawa Senmu QUO Minigame. Japan also had a Jewel Chao DLC.

Sonic Adventure 2

In Sonic Adventure 2, seasonal Halloween and Christmas outfits were available to download from the game's website for all six playable characters.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), there are downloadable hard modes of Sonic, Shadow and Silvers' action stages, boss attack levels for each one, and an extra stage where the player controls various supporting characters of the game (Tails, Blaze and Omega) in one large run across several stages. They became unobtainable for the Xbox 360 on 29 July 2024, due to the closure of the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3)

Sonic Unleashed contains a large amount of downloadable extra acts for both Night and Day in almost every continent. These acts both contain hard modes of existing stages as well as some completely new ones, with much greater difficulty than the main game stages.

2010s

Sonic Adventure (2010)

In the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network digital port, Sonic Adventure, the player can purchase a Delxue DLC, which upgrades the game to include sixty missions and playable Metal Sonic.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

If both episodes are owned on the same device, a bonus episode is unlocked called "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal," in which Metal Sonic can be played as through the first act of each zone in Sonic 4: Episode I in reverse order. In these stages, there is more challenging enemy placement, more obstacles and hazards, and the cutscenes tell the story of how Metal Sonic survived his defeat in Sonic the Hedgehog CD.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, there is a downloadable DLC pack including Metal Sonic and his vehicle, as well as a track that runs through the Death Egg known as "Egg Hangar," in addition to some downloadable merchandise for the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace.

Sonic Generations

The console/PC version of Sonic Generations has Casino Night - a large pinball table in which both Modern and Classic Sonic can be played on. The goal is to rack up as many points as possible without falling off the stage three times.

Sonic Adventure 2 (2012)

In Sonic Adventure 2 (2012), the Battle Mode DLC is available for the game which adds features from GameCube version.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed's downloadable content consists mainly of extra tracks and characters. If the game was pre-ordered, the DLC will automatically be installed to the game at no extra cost.

Sonic Lost World

The Wii U version and PC version of Sonic Lost World include several downloadable contents:

• NiGHTMARE Zone - A boss rush, replacing the Deadly Six's machines/animals with Nightmares from NiGHTS into Dreams.... (This is the only DLC that is available on the PC version of Sonic Lost World, as it was the only DLC based on a franchise not licensed by Nintendo.)
• Yoshi's Island Zone - A yarn-filled Yoshi stage as a preview of Nintendo's then-upcoming game, Yoshi's Woolly World. On March 27, 2023, it became unobtainable due to the Wii U's eShop closure.
• The Legend of Zelda Zone - A large, explorable Legend of Zelda stage, which sees Sonic dressed in a Link outfit. On March 27, 2023, it became unobtainable due to the Wii U's eShop closure.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric

If a player pre-ordered Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, they would receive a DLC that gave the playable characters glowing outfits. Available only in the United States and unavailable elsewhere (Europe, Japan).

Sonic Mania

If players had owned a copy of Sonic Mania prior to the release of Sonic Mania Plus, they were given an option to purchase the Encore DLC which enabled access to the Plus-exclusive content.

Sonic Forces

Sonic Forces includes several downloadable contents:

• Sega/Atlus Pack: An add-on pack containing five unique Costumes for the Avatar that cannot be acquired in normal gameplay. These outfits are stylized after video game characters from other video game franchises that belong to Sega and Atlus.
• Episode Shadow: An add-on pack containing a prequel to the main storyline of Sonic Forces. It includes an extra storyline with Shadow the Hedgehog as the playable character, three extra Stages, and the option to play as Shadow in the Sonic Stages of Sonic Forces.
• Shadow the Hedgehog Costume: A add-on pack containing exclusive Shadow the Hedgehog-themed Costume pieces.
• Sanic T-shirt: An add-on pack including an exclusive "Sanic T-shirt" Costume piece.
• Super Sonic: An add-on pack that, when downloaded, allows Classic and Modern Sonic to transform into their super states during gameplay (not including boss battles, except for Metal Sonic).

2020s

Sonic Colors: Ultimate

Sonic Colors: Ultimate includes several downloadable contents:

• Music Pack: An add-on pack containing 3 exclusive original game remixes.
• Ultimate Cosmetic Pack: An add-on pack containing Gold and Silver gloves and shoes, alongside an electric lightning boost and player icons based on the Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

Sonic Origins

Sonic Origins includes several downloadable contents:

• Start Dash Pack: An add-on pack containing 100 Coins, Letterbox Background (Mega Drive pattern) and Mirror Mode. It was only available with the pre-order of the game.
• Premium Fun Pack: An add-on pack containing eleven additional hard missions, ten Letterbox background, character animation in the main menu and on the music islands and an "Island Camera" control function over the main menu's islands.
• Classic Sound Pack: An add-on pack containing 73 additional music tracks from Sonic Spinball, Sonic 3D Blast and Knuckles' Chaotix.
• Plus Expansion Pack: An add-on pack containing all content added in Sonic Origins Plus including playable Amy Rose in the 4 titles included in base Sonic Origins, playable Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog CD, and 16 Game Gear games.

Sonic Frontiers

Sonic Frontiers includes several downloadable contents:

• Explorer's Treasure Box: An add-on pack containing 40 Amy's Memory Tokens, one Portal Gear, ten Vault Keys and one set of additional shoes and gloves for Sonic. This pack is only available through the Digital Deluxe version of the game.
• Adventurer's Treasure Box: An add-on pack containing 500 Skill Points, ten Red Seeds of Power and ten Blue Seeds of Defense.
• Monster Hunter Collaboration Pack: An add-on pack containing two cosmetic skins and a new meat-grilling minigame based on the Monster Hunter franchise.
• Holiday Cheer Suit: An add-on pack containing a Christmas-themed suit.
• Sonic Adventure 2 Shoes: An add-on pack containing the Grind Shoes. This outfit was only available through subscribing to the Sonic Frontiers newsletter on the website.

Sonic Superstars

Sonic Superstars includes several downloadable contents:

• LEGO Eggman Skin: An add-on pack containing an in-game LEGO skin for Eggman. This was only available through pre-order. Strangely, physical versions of the Nintendo Switch edition all come with a leaflet with a redeemable code for the skin.
• Modern Amy Costume: An add-on pack containing a costume for Amy based on her modern appearance since Sonic Adventure onwards. This costume is only available through subscribing to the Sonic Superstars newsletter on the website.
• Comic Style Character Skins: An add-on pack containing a cel-shaded skin for Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. This was only available through Kroger's Points Rewards Plus program.
• LEGO Sonic Skin: An add-on pack containing a LEGO skin for Sonic.
• LEGO Fun Pack: An add-on pack containing a LEGO skin for Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, and additional LEGO stages for Battle Mode.
• Digital Deluxe Upgrade featuring LEGO: An add-on pack featuring several things from the Digital Deluxe version of the game. This includes the LEGO Fun Pack, a rabbit skin for Sonic based on his early design, a Mecha Sonic skin for Battle Mode, bonus wallpapers for the Main Menu, the digital artbook & the mini soundtrack.
• Sonic Holiday Costume: An add-on pack containing a holiday costume for Sonic.
• Shadow Costume: An add-on pack containing a Shadow costume for Sonic.
• Retro Diner Amy Costume: An add-on pack containing a IHOP costume for Amy. This costume was only available through IHOP rewards until it became available though all online stores.

External links

• Downloadable content at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia