How do you keep a game character that’s almost 30 years old relevant for all that time?

Well, you keep them evolving and moving with the times. Since 1991’s Sonic the Hedgehog the blue blur’s world has expanded beyond the Green Hill Zone into comics, TV series, movies and a whole bunch of related merchandise. And, of course, Sonic’s starred in a multitude of App Store games too.

So here we present some choice cuts from Sonic’s back catalogue – a mix of retro and contemporary games that prove Sonic’s got plenty more years in him yet.

Sonic’s a natural fit for the running game genre, and there are several to choose from. But Sonic Forces is arguably the most compelling, because it’s not only the fast-paced dodge ‘em up you’d expect, there’s an extra competitive edge.

You race real players from all over the world to get to the finish line first, and alongside needing sharp reflexes to dodge incoming traps and hazards, there’s a tactical element too; triggering special boosters and weapons at the right time is essential if you want to come out on top.

If you want classic side-scrolling Sonic action but with a modern look and feel, Sonic Runners Adventure is the one for you.

He runs by himself, so you’re in charge of timing his jumps right and triggering special moves. And while there are plenty of nods to the classic games of yore, there’s a modern cast of characters from the expanded Sonic universe to unlock and play with too.

Of course, if you want to see where it all began two of the original games are here as well. There are even extra features such as different playable characters and levels that didn’t make it into the original games. And if you really want that retro console experience, you can connect a game controller to play too.