Speed Star

The Speed Star^[1] is a vehicle that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is Sonic the Hedgehog's personal sports car for racing competitions. It was built by Tails with parts left over by an attempted invasion by Dr. Eggman.^[2] In Team Sonic Racing, the version of Speed Star that appears in the game was created by Dodon Pa as Sonic's car for his race.^[3]

Concept and creation

For Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the Speed Star's Car, Plane and Boat design was developed by artist Richard Tawny with the help of Scott Robertson (Design Studio Press) to feel like a true speedster capable of racing in any world, real or otherwise. The car was developed in Modo and was iterated many times between Tawny, the Producers at SEGA Europe and Sonic Team in Japan.^[4]

Description

In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing the Speed Star is a blue convertible. In the middle, it has two equal-sized depressions in both sides. On the bottom, it has a clean large white lining. Six "spikes" appear on it as well two on front with mirrors infused in each of them, along with four on the back, accompanied by two on the back. The bottom ones have taillights that have two sections; orange topped with yellow. On the front, it has Sonic's head from the "Sonic Team" logo. Below that are three head lights. The main one is a large, almost obtuse "U" shaped clear section with four bulbs inside it, two built on the right and left stacked on one another, and the other two headlights are on the bottom front on the car built slightly more into the vehicle one on the sides, a yellow bulb encased in white around a black surface. The back on the vehicle has two yellow top-white exhaust pipes around black casing. The wheels of the vehicle have an orange outer ring, a red middle ring, and a white inner ring around a red circle. The words "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" appear on the tires.

In Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the Blue Star has three distinct appearances that depend on its mode:

• Car mode: In comparison to its original incarnation, the Speed Star has less spikes and a slightly bulkier appearances, with harder edges and spoked wheels. Also, only two spikes remain on the chassis, above the rear wheels, each with a vent in the back.
• Plane mode: In its plane form, the Blue Star resembles a fighter jet, with a more streamlined, triangular shape including flat, angled wings across each side of the vehicle and a nose cone with two turbine engines attached.
• Boat mode: In its boat form, the Blue Star resembles a speedboat, with two bright red motors on the back and a large fin on the back resembling one of Sonic's quills.

In Team Sonic Racing, the default Blue Star was vastly redesigned, with a slightly less bulky appearance and slightly less curved back, resembling more of a contemporary car design. Additionally, the then cartoonish-looking red alloy wheels have been replaced with more realistic-looking wheels, with a distinct sheen. Like other cars in Team Sonic Racing, its appearance can be customized with different paint jobs, Performance Parts and decals. Its horn can also be changed.

Game appearances

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, the Speed Star made its debut as Sonic the Hedgehog's racing vehicle in the game. It has the following statistics:

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

In Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the Speed Star is used by Sonic the Hedgehog as his primary racing vehicle. In gameplay, it can transform into a boat, car or plane when passing through a Transformation Gate, with the mode of the vehicle depending on the terrain beyond the Transformation Gate. It possesses the following statistics:

Team Sonic Racing

In Team Sonic Racing, the Speed ​​Star appears as Sonic's race car, specially created by Dodon Pa for Sonic. During the events of the game, the Speed ​​Star was one of the cars Dodon Pa gave Sonic and his friends so they could compete in his Grand Prix competition. Sonic would afterward used it during the races and challenges he participated it. However, the Speed Star was eventually destroyed when the heroes had to leave it aboard the crashing Final Fortress. Fortunately, Dodon Pa promised to replace it with a new one.

In this game, the Speed Star's basic statistics show it has high boost and top speed, moderate acceleration and steering, and slightly below average defense. However, its statistics, as well as its artistic design, can be modified by replacing its parts.

The Speed Star has the following exclusive Performance Parts that can be used to modify it:

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Mega Engine	Boost Defense	Acceleration Top Speed
	Dash Engine	Top Speed	Acceleration Defense
	Hyper Engine	Acceleration Handling	Boost Defense
	Legendary Mega Engine	Boost Defense	Acceleration Top Speed
	Legendary Dash Engine	Top Speed	Acceleration Defense
	Legendary Hyper Engine	Acceleration Handling	Boost Defense

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Challenge Cage	Boost Defense	Acceleration Handling
	Turbo Jets	Boost	Defense
	Dynamic Wings	Acceleration Defense	Top Speed
	Legendary Challenge Cage	Boost Defense	Acceleration Handling
	Legendary Turbo Jets	Boost	Defense
	Legendary Dynamic Wings	Acceleration Defense	Top Speed

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Monster Treads	Defense	Handling
	Sonic Spinners	Acceleration Top Speed	Boost Defense
	Charge Tires	Handling	Boost
	Legendary Monster Treads	Defense	Handling
	Legendary Sonic Spinners	Acceleration Top Speed	Boost Defense
	Legendary Charge Tires	Handling	Boost

In other media

Archie Comics

Main article: Speed Star (Archie)

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Speed Star is a vehicle built by Tails and used by Team Fighters as transportation to and from the Chaos Emerald Championship.

Trivia

• Sonic previously drove a car called the Cyclone in the Sonic Drift games.
• When Sonic performs his All-Star Move, the Speed Star shrinks.
• A Lego vehicle that resembles the car appears in Lego Dimensions. It comes with the Sonic the Hedgehog Level Pack and is called the "Sonic Speedster".

References