CGC Video Games Announces First Sega Genesis Game Graded
CGC Video Games® is thrilled to announce the first Sega Genesis game graded — a sealed copy of Sonic the Hedgehog that received a grade of CGC 9.6 A for its stunning condition and intact seal. The game will be offered for sale by Heritage Auctions in the January Video Games Signature® Auction on January 19-21, 2023.
In the early 1990s, Sega set out to create a mascot that could rival Nintendo’s flagship character Mario. The result was Sonic the Hedgehog: a loveable all-rounder with the ability to roll around and the speed of sound, while inflicting damage with its spiky body. Sonic the Hedgehog was released in North America in 1991 and quickly became the best-selling game for the Sega Genesis, further intensifying the ongoing console war between Sega and Nintendo — just as anticipated.
As an instant classic, Sonic the Hedgehog has long been one of the most sought-after titles among video game collectors. The appeal rests not only on its entertaining gameplay and catchy soundtrack, but also Sonic’s enduring status as a pop culture icon.
About the variant
There are nearly a dozen known production runs of Sonic the Hedgehog and collecting them all is an exciting challenge for variant collectors. This CGC-certified example is a Made in Japan, San Francisco Address variant and is understood to be one of the earlier production runs of Sonic the Hedgehog. High-grade examples of this variant are hard to find, especially factory sealed.
Made in Japan
“Made in Japan” refers to the game’s country of production, which can be found on the back of the case, near the end of the copyright information segment. Sega produced Sonic the Hedgehog in Japan, China, Taiwan and the United States, so identifying the correct country of production is important. The phrasing also varies between production runs. Some production runs that were produced in Japan have the phrase “Made in Japan” while others have the phrase “Printed in Japan.” There are also production runs that have both countries of production, as some of the components were produced in Japan and others in the United States.
South San Francisco Address
Near the end of the copyright information on the back of the game case, the phrase “South San Francisco Address” specifies the address of Sega of America’s headquarters. Sega of America was headquartered in South San Francisco when it first began producing Sonic the Hedgehog, but it later moved to Redwood City. Identifying which Sega of America address is printed in the copyright information is crucial for determining the variant and knowing when that variant was produced.
The Sonic the Hedgehog game case also features a tube seal: a type of seal with a seam along the top and bottom of the box, which was used by Sega until the early 1990s. The CGC Video Games holder is designed to provide extra room around the game's corners and hangtabs to preserve the original quality of seals. For more information about CGC Video Games state-of-the-art holder, click here.
To learn more about different variations of Sega games and other popular console libraries, check out the CGC Video Game Reference Guide by clicking here.
CGC Video Games began accepting video game submissions in October 2022. Since then, the company has graded games from the world’s most popular console libraries, including Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, Atari and more. CGC Video Games provides expert authentication, grading and encapsulation services for video games, backed by the CGC Guarantee. To learn more about CGC Video Games, click here.