View source for Sonic.exe

<!----- Article featured on December 20th, 2023 (12/21/2023 as of writing this) ----->
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[[File:Sonic EXE sprite.png|thumb|right|175px|One of Sonic.exe's sprites, taken from its titular game adaptation.]]
'''Sonic.exe''' is a [[creepypasta]] character and one of the notable examples of a creepypasta character. Sonic.exe had also inspired multiple .exe [[games]] including [[Uchakip]], [[Google.exe]], [[Hotel Mario 6]] and its unofficial sequel [[Sonic2.exe]].

==Character==
''Sonic.exe'' is a fictional character that originated from a creepypasta story in 2011. The story describes Sonic the Hedgehog turning into a demonic and murderous version of himself after being possessed by an evil entity. Sonic.exe's character design is mostly based on the popular video game character [[wikipedia:Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic the Hedgehog]], but with slight changes to create a more demonic and sinister appearance. In most depictions of ''Sonic.exe'', his body is Sonic's with black eyes, red pupils and blood coming out of them, and he has razor-sharp teeth and claws. He navigates the world, manipulating its code and using dark illusions to torment people. His shape-shifting skills allow him to assume Sonic's form. In contrast to Sonic the Hedgehog, ''Sonic.exe'' embodies traits of wrath, sadism, and cruelty. He takes pleasure in repeatedly eliminating lives, positioning himself as the embodiment of pure evil, and views humanity as his ultimate plaything. In some versions of the story, Sonic.exe is depicted as having a distorted, pixelated appearance, as if he is glitching out of the game.

==Synopsis==
The ''Sonic.exe'' [[creepypasta]] was originally written by JC-the-Hyena on Creepypasta Wiki on August 9th, 2011. The creator revealed that the idea originated from a photoshopped screenshot of Sonic the Hedgehog's loading screen. This manipulated image portrayed the character with eye wounds while still retaining his mocking smile.<ref>https://www.creepypasta.com/sonic-exe/</ref>

In this story, the author Tom shares an experience involving a potentially glitched or hacked Sonic game. It all starts when the author receives an unusual CD in the mail from their friend Kyle. The CD is labeled "SONIC.EXE" and it comes with a note urgently pleading with the author to destroy it to prevent "evil" from pursuing them. Despite that, the author decides to give the game a try. As they play, a series of strange and unsettling events begin to unfold. Navigating through the game as different characters—Tails, Knuckles, and Robotnik—Tom encounters a sequence of unsettling occurrences. The game's world features dead animals, twisted-level designs, and glitchy gameplay, suggesting that something is seriously wrong. What's more, the characters' expressions seem to change from normal to fearful, as if they are breaking the fourth wall and trying to communicate directly with the player.

Suddenly, at one moment during the game, the computer shuts down unexpectedly, and the author is unable to restart it no matter what he tries. As the author struggles to remove the game from their computer, they encounter resistance as if the game has become stuck in the system. Eventually, Tom manages to restore power to the computer and is met with a whisper-like voice from behind. The voice urges him to "keep this interesting." Upon turning to investigate, he saw a sight of Sonic plushie sitting on their bed, its smile covered by bloodstains under its eyes.

==Sonic.exe (MY5TCrimson game)==
{{Infobox Game
|title = Sonic.exe
|image = SonicNotEXE.png
|maker = MY5TCrimson
|type = Windows ''.exe'' file
|date = August 13th, 2012<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20121213124125/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eT9k26X7LY</ref> 
|platform = [[Gamejolt]]
|written in = Clickteam Fusion 2.5
|sequel = [[Sally.exe]]
}}
'''Sonic.exe''' is a [[creepypasta]] [[game]] created by the game developer MY5TCrimson. The game starts with the main intro reminiscent of the classic 1991 ''[[wikipedia:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]]'' title, ''[[wikipedia:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. However, this intro is changed by a sudden shift in scenery. Sonic changes into a form of himself with pitch-black eyes and fiery red pupils. The game then cuts into a character selection screen, giving players the choice of three characters. Each character can be unlocked progressively in the order they're introduced.

===Tails route===
[[File:Tailssonicexe.png|thumb|left|150px|Tails in "HILL" area.]] 
If [[wikipedia:Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Tails]] is chosen, players start on Act 1 as Tails in the "HILL" area. The background features a reversed version of the music that would be used in Robotnik's level.<ref>Contrary to popular beliefs, the music is not the reversed version of the Green Hill Zone theme.</ref> The level mirrors the original [[wikipedia:Green Hill Zone|Green Hill Zone]], but now rendered as an empty space. Players can go left or right, though the left path offers no significant events. Proceeding forward reveals a gruesome scene—lifeless animal corpses hanging from trees, with their intestines gruesomely exposed. After encountering dead animals, the music abruptly stops. Soon after, Tails encounters Sonic with closed eyes. A cutscene unfolds as Tails approaches Sonic amidst increasing static, accompanied by eerie white noise. As Sonic's eyes open, the screen fades to black, and the text appears: "Hello, Do You Want To Play With Me?" This marks the beginning of a hide-and-seek level. Tails finds himself in a burning Angel Island Zone, with flames in the background. As players progress, a scene unfolds requiring them to outrun Sonic. Escaping proves inefficient, as ''Sonic.exe'' catches and kills Tails in a cutscene where Tails cries, accompanied by a scream from the 1988 film ''[[wikipedia:Slugs (1988 film)|Slugs]]''.

===Knuckles route===
With Tails' fate taken by ''Sonic.exe'', players assume control of [[wikipedia:Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles]], who can punch by using the "X" key. The game shifts to "YOU CAN'T RUN", set in the [https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Scrap_Brain_Zone Scrap Brain Zone]. This echoes Tails' experience, with static effects and a blood-stained terrain.  ''Sonic.exe'' would then appear in front of Knuckles, with the ominous message: "FOUND YOU." This triggers a battle against ''Sonic.exe'', who teleports behind Knuckles whenever approached. Despite Knuckles' efforts, a cutscene plays wherein Knuckles appears fatigued, and Sonic approaches behind him, ultimately ending his life.

===Robotnik route===
The game shifts to [[wikipedia:Doctor Eggman|Dr. Robotnik]] as the last playable character. Appearing in a Marble Zone world labeled "...," the level is set in a castle with walls covered in blood and ghostly blue flames. As Robotnik walks down the staircase, the scene becomes erratic, culminating in Sonic.exe's intervention. An abrupt static screen transitions to an image of ''Sonic.exe'' with the text "I AM GOD" followed by an eerie silence. Following this, the game ended with a game over screen. This scene depicts ''Sonic.exe'' moving past mutilated Knuckles, Tails, and Robotnik.<ref>This game over the screen can only be found in older versions of the game.</ref> An effort to escape triggers another image of ''Sonic.exe'' grinning with the phrase "I AM GOD". The screen shifts to an image featuring Japanese text and Sonic.exe in the background, accompanied by an eerie melody from the game's song Crytopia.<ref>web.archive.org/web/20130520223241/<nowiki>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkDyvfYgEOM</nowiki></ref>
===Secret ending route===
[[File:Tailssecretending.png|thumb|right|200px|As Tails, the unfamiliar level can be accessed by going through the left side of the screen after the music stops.]]
While playing as Tails, progress until you come upon the remains of deceased animals strewn across the ground and among the palm trees and run to take the left path. Navigating through this will guide you onto an unfamiliar level. In this location, you'll spot Sonic positioned below. Upon making contact with Sonic, more static follows, accompanied by the message "The fire awaits." Subsequently, Tails returns to HILL. As you proceed left, you'll notice a black ring that you can collect.

When assuming the role of Knuckles, proceed along the same leftward path as Tails. Upon reaching a sizeable pit, jumping into it sets off a series of glitches alongside the message "Don't like playing by the rules?" Keep moving forward to the FFFFFFFFF course, where Knuckles encounters a succession of photosensitive-inducing screens. Navigating through these distorted words ultimately leads to a definitive message: "YOU'RE NEXT" followed by static. Knuckles subsequently returns to "YOU CAN'T RUN" and continues to the left, discovering a second black ring that they can collect.

Robotnik begins by walking to the right and then proceeds to the left, following a route akin to that of Tails and Knuckles. As you opt for the left path, static emerges, leading Robotnik to an unnamed course. Text becomes visible: "Why do you persist in fighting? My game has only just begun." Further static follows, and Robotnik returns to "...". Move left once more to locate the third black ring, available for you to collect.

After obtaining all 3 black rings, the game wraps up and transitions to an image that brings to mind the Japanese text, now translated into English. The text conveys: 

{{Quote|"There is a way to release ourselves. A spell to obtain our souls once more. But we must speak it — but when we speak — No sound. We are all deaf. So failure is inevitable. And I regret ever entering my internal bet with the devil inside of me. Immortality vs. soul snatching. Gary Crook vs. Jake Shanley. Ambition is overrated."}} 

Following this, the display shifts to an unnamed static course, and the player assumes control of the authentic Sonic. Advancing to the right, they will come across the phrase: "You had a chance to complay, but now you've come too far." Upon finishing the course, final words emerge: "The time has come for your soul to join theirs." A close-up of ''Sonic.exe'' appears, and Sonic vanishes (his fate remains unknown), followed by a malevolent, distorted laugh. Japanese text emerges amid the static.

===Sequel===
{{Main|Sally.exe}}

==Impact==
In addition to the original creepypasta story, the popular 2D side-scrolling platformer game was developed by MY5TCrimson. The game closely follows the original storyline,<ref name="Daily">The Daily Dot. "Is Sonic.exe real? The story of the creepy video game hack." 16 Dec. 2019, https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/sonic-exe-creepypasta/.</ref> The player controlling Sonic's friends (including Tails, Knuckles, and Robotnik) and encountering unsettling occurrences as they progress through familiar levels such as [[wikipedia:Green Hill Zone|Green Hill Zone]], albeit with darker and more disturbing twists. This remake proved to be highly influential in the horror game genre, inspiring numerous fan-made remakes and sequels that created a subgenre of ".exe" games. These games typically feature well-known video game characters, such as Mario or Sonic, who have been corrupted or possessed, and the player must navigate through a dark and twisted version of their world. Fans of the genre also began creating their games based on these stories, using game engines like RPG Maker or Game Maker. Some of the most popular ".exe" games that followed ''Sonic.exe'' include [[Luna Game]], [[Yoshi.exe]], and [[Uchakip]], among others. These games often include similar themes to ''Sonic.exe'', such as corrupted game files, distorted music, and [[jump scares]]. This game would later get an official remaster known as ''[https://gamejolt.com/games/sonic/783884 SONIC 2011]'' by Sonic.exe's new owner JoeDoughBoi

==Notes==
<references />

==Links==
<u>NOTE</u>: The following links contain [[screamers]]!
* '''MY5TCrimson's current version:''' gamejolt.com/games/sonic-exe-the-game/16239
** '''Permalink (current version):''' web.archive.org/web/20240506093910/tmpfiles.org/dl/5575809/sonic.exe
** '''Past versions of the game:''' gamejolt.com/games/letsplayagain/966653
* '''Showcase video (Tails, Knuckles, & Robotnik routes):''' youtube.com/watch?v=NlDMKXcqUb8
* '''Showcase video (secret ending route):''' youtube.com/watch?v=TGkkN0JPIsU
===External links===
* '''Mirror of the original story:''' [https://creepypasta.com/sonic-exe/ creepypasta.com/sonic-exe/]
* '''Villains Fanon Wiki:''' [https://villainsfanon.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe&#x20;(original) villainsfanon.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe_(original)]
* '''Pure Evil Wiki:''' [https://pure-evil-villains.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe&#x20;(original) pure-evil-villains.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe_(original)]
* '''CONTINUED: The Sonic Oddities Wiki:''' [https://continued-exe.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe&#x20;(original) continued-exe.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic.exe_(original)]

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[[Category:2012]]
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[[Category:Sonic]]
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[[Category:Screamers with songs]]
[[Category:GameJolt]]
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[[Category:Creepypastas]]
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