What’s it all about, Sonic?

Fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise are extremely well catered to online. There are a number of excellent resources dedicated to the various video games, comics, cartoons and characters connected to Sega’s mascot. But, even with the depth these sites offer, there hasn’t been a singular hub for Sonic content perhaps ever. No site has such a scope or remit, and elements that some parts of the community consider of vital importance would be a footnote to others. Additionally, some older, scarcer entries in the series have almost no presence online and risk becoming forgotten.

We say it’s time to fix that.

Named for the brilliant supercomputer in Sonic the Comic, The Kintobor Computer aims to catalogue and review all things Sonic. We want series newcomers to know what makes its enthusiasts the most passionate, creative, brilliant fans of anything in the world. We want people to know what makes a strong, successful entry in the series. And we want seasoned fans and beginner fans alike to have access to a rich, packed database of information on all aspects of the series.

The Kintobor Computer will make it its ongoing mission to catalogue every adventure Sonic and his friends (and foes!) have starred in, across every continuity of the series. We will also provide reviews for each of those entries. In addition, we will provide data for the elements which make up Sonic’s world, from characters to items to places.

We do this because we have tremendous admiration for the Sonic the Hedgehog series and all of its many off-shoots. Since 1991, the series has positively impacted the lives of countless people across all demographics worldwide. Something like that deserves to be honoured accordingly.

Reviews

Reviews for each entry will have different criteria which will depend on the medium, but each will have a few uniting elements.

Video Games. Video games will be reviewed based on a number of factors. We’ve elected to borrow Future Publishing’s classic N64 Magazine critera of Visuals, Sounds, Mastery and Lifespan as we happen to think it’s the best way to judge a game. Visuals refer to a game’s graphics and overall aesthetics. Sounds, of course, denote the quality of a game’s music and sound design. Mastery is perhaps a little more nebulous but in essence means how well a game utilises the hardware it is played on. Lifespan should be more obvious, denoting how much you’re likely to squeeze out of a game.

Comics. Comics will be reviewed on the quality of the writing and art, as well as how strong the overall concept of the story is. A story which is beautifully drawn with sparkling dialogue but has Sonic do nothing more taxing than beat up a few Badniks likely won’t score as well as a story with a script and art which are slightly worse but push the boundaries of what the character can do. Naturally, if a comic has strong art, writing and concept, it’s likely to get a better Rank.

Books. Book reviews will be scored on a case-by-case basis. Picture books for young readers will factor in the art as it’s part of that book’s remit to be visually appealing. However, novels and gamebooks that have illustrated pages won’t weight this particularly heavily as the narrative is really the sole selling point. Stronger stories get better Ranks- simple, right?

Animation/Film. Similarly to the comics, the filmic and animated adventures will be reviewed based on writing and concept, with visual quality also being a key factor. That may be animation quality or visual effect quality depending on the entry itself. We don’t believe any one particular art style is inherently superior to another so, as long as it’s all part of a cohesive whole, these entries won’t be marked down for looking a certain way in still images- it’s how it all moves that matters.

Raves & Graves and the Verdict. Taking a cue from Sonic the Comic, each review will come with a single overall stand-out positive and negative trait for those of you who prefer your reviews in bitesized fashion, as well as a quicky closing statement- for the rest of us, these serve as an overview of the review!

Review length will be determined by the medium and notability of the entry. While we won’t be aiming to hit a specific word count then immediately pressing Send, we have rough guidelines so you know what to expect. In the name of transparency, these are listed below:

ENTRY TYPE	ESTIMATED REVIEW WORD COUNT
Major video game	1500
Secondary video game	1000
Minor video game	500
Novel	1000
Novella	500
Short story / picture book	250
Comic / manga / newspaper strip storyline	500
Single page strip	250
Single panel “gag” strip	50
Cartoon	750
Short	250
Film	1250
Cameos and crossovers	250-1000 depending on medium / nature of crossover

Additionally, any of the above which merit an S Rank will have an extra 500 words added to the word count. After all, if we can’t explain why they’re worth the highest Rank we offer, are they truly deserving of it? Speaking of…

Those Ranks explained!

Each entry in The Kintobor Computer comes with its own Rank. Long-time Sonic series fans are likely no stranger to Ranks which, since Sonic Pocket Adventure on the Neo Geo Pocket Color, have graded a player’s skill at traversing a level or clearing a challenge. Similarly, on this site an entry’s Rank encapsulates our view on how good it is.

While most entries in the Sonic video games have been relatively consistent, there have been a few outliers which confuse exactly which Ranks are good or the best. Therefore, our Rank system is outlined below to help you understand at a glance exactly what that letter grade represents.

The Ranks

	A – Great. These entries are among the very best in the series. Diehards will likely love any A Rank and they often make a good starting point for new fans. You’d have to have a heart of stone to not find a lot of fun here.
	B – Good. There may not be anything particularly awful in a B Rank entry, but there’s likely nothing outstanding either. If an A Rank is a gourmet meal, a B Rank is fast food- satisfying enough but perhaps leaving you wanting more.
	C – Okay. The middle of the road. C Ranks aren’t bad, but they’re not good either. These entries may have a few notable flaws or they may just be entirely forgettable. You’ll not walk away from these entries angry, just maybe disappointed.
	D – Poor. Entries which have a kernel of good in them but which are let down by sloppy execution or overshadowed by a perhaps more glaring flaw. You most likely wouldn’t be recommending a D Rank to a newcomer.
	E – Bad. Any entry that has earned an E Rank would have to be for Sonic Superfans only. The flaws may be too great to overlook and any good concepts here are completely drowned out by the magnitude of negative quality.

Additionally, there are three Ranks for entries which deserve special note. These Ranks are granted more sparingly and are as follows:

	S – Excellent. The absolute best of the best. The highest award we can offer, the S Rank denotes a truly classic entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog pantheon and something any fan owes it to themselves to enjoy.
	F – Terrible. Sometimes an entry comes along in the Sonic series which is so unspeakably appalling it unites the fans in their woes. These rare instances are worthy of the dreaded F Rank- the lowest dishonour we offer.
	X – Unrated. Some entries in the Sonic series simply don’t fit the grading system at all. They may be things like ride-on machines with game elements or educational software for very young children. With this in mind, it seems unfair to use the standard rating for these entries, hence the X Rank.

Our promises to you

Just as we borrowed our video game review criteria from N64 Magazine, we have also borrowed a concept they laid out at the very beginning of their tenure- the ten promises to you, the reader. In a community as vast as the Sonic fandom, we recognise the need for high standards and hereby make the following ten promises.

1 – The Kintobor Computer will recognise the value of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and be sure to sing the praises of its greatest successes. The Sonic the Hedgehog series is not only successful, it is impactful and has touched the lives of countless people. A series like that deserves to be praised when it succeeds.

2 – The Kintobor Computer will catalogue and review all Sonic the Hedgehog media possible, regardless of country of origin. There will be no bias towards region or sub-series on this site. If someone can discover a new sub-series and find they enjoy it thanks to us, we’ll be pretty happy. The only thing stopping us from reviewing a particular entry will be if it is unsourceable, though it will still be catalogued.

3 – The Kintobor Computer will give each entry a fair and balanced review and not throw out a quick paragraph just to say the job is done. Many of the entries on the site will cover old, hard to find media. It would be all too easy to simply catalogue the entry with a few sentences to review it and call it a day. This is not helpful to you, the reader, who will be none the wiser on the matter of if it is worth expending your money to source something. Likewise, regardless of personal feelings, each review must be even-handed and as neutral as possible. If an entry is not quick in being forthcoming, it is likely because we are taking our time with it.

4 – The Kintobor Computer will play each game, read each book and comic and watch each cartoon and film to the end, regardless of difficulty or quality before passing judgement. Sometimes a product can wildly fluctuate in quality from start to finish. We have no intention of praising or condemning something based on first impressions- you deserve to know about the total package.

5 – The Kintobor Computer will catalogue each character, item and location from the series with the same dedication as each adventure entry. As well as covering each of Sonic’s grand adventures, we’ll be cataloguing as many named characters, notable items and locations as is reasonably practicable in order to give you a complete rundown of Sonic’s world.

6 – The Kintobor Computer is completely independent and will not be afraid to call a bad entry a bad entry. We are not affiliated with Sega or Sonic Team. If we tell you something is good, you can take it that we mean it. If we tell you something is bad, you can take it that we mean it. We will not shy away from criticising something out of fear of upsetting a corporation.

7 – The Kintobor Computer will dedicate itself to being a beacon of positivity for the Sonic community. While we won’t be afraid to be critical of entries in the series we find not to our liking, we won’t obsess over them either. We also won’t hound real world creators for their involvement in entries not to our taste. If we dislike something, we’ll let you know, then move on in search of something better.

8 – The Kintobor Computer will not insult the reader’s intelligence with clickbait or article padding. Your time is valuable. If you want to read something, you don’t want to wade through four pages to get to it. If you see a headline, you want to clearly know what the article will be about. We will not waste your time or mock your intelligence with underhanded tactics used by the lowest faux journalists.

9 – The Kintobor Computer will be a welcoming environment to anyone who wants to enjoy the Sonic the Hedgehog series and will never look down on anyone for having a different opinion. You might well love something we can’t stand- and vice-versa! But as long as we both respect one another’s right to a different opinion on a different part of the Sonic franchise, then what’s the harm? We recognise that every bit of the Sonic pantheon is dear to the heart of at least one person and even if we don’t agree with that person’s Sonic opinions, they’re still welcome here.

10 – The Kintobor Computer will continue to evolve as necessary to keep bringing the Sonic community the very best, which is no less than it deserves. We sincerely believe the Sonic the Hedgehog community is the most amazing fan community in the world. You deserve to be treated with respect and quality and that’s exactly what we’ll give you. Over time, we may end up including more features if that is what the community wants and if it is reasonably practicable. We’ll do right by you and by Sonic himself- after all, he means just as much to us as he does to you!