Sonic The Hedgehog XA
A downloadable fangame
Sonic The Hedgehog XA is an open-source fangame created as an exploration of the PlayStation hardware’s capabilities and limitations. It serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that a Sonic game could be developed from the ground up for this console. The project is non-commercial and has been developed by a single individual, driven by passion and experimentation.
The game blends classic 2D Sonic gameplay with the unique possibilities of the PlayStation, offering a fresh take on the series. Utilizing modern development tools like PSn00bSDK, it’s an attempt to reimagine the Sonic experience on hardware that was never intended for it, all while respecting the spirit of the original games.
IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND HIGHLY UNFINISHED. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU WILL BE PLAYING BETA-QUALITY SOFTWARE, LACKING SIGNIFICANT CODE, OPTIMIZATIONS, AND POLISH.
What is the meaning of "XA"?
"XA" refers to a widely used audio format on the PlayStation, which this fangame adopts for encoding its background music. Including it in the title pays homage to the target platform, adds a sense of originality, and serves as a subtle nod to Sonic CD.
Controls
Game controls:
Debug controls:
(Make sure you activate debug by pressing L1+R1 before executing these actions. Debug can also be toggled on other screens.)
List of Levels
Here is a description of Sonic XA's levels (please notice that some of these levels are unplayable and will not appear on normal play):
- Playground Zone
- Green Hill Zone
- Surely Wood Zone
- Dawn Canyon Zone (Unused)
- Amazing Ocean Zone
- Blazing Force Zone (Unused)
- Radiant Tomb Zone (Unused)
- Eggmanland Zone (Unused)
Download
Install instructions
This game is distributed in a .CHD format (MAME Disc Image). To play it, you'll need an emulator that supports this format, such as DuckStation, PCSX-Redux, or Mednafen.
Keep in mind that some emulators, like PCSX-ReARMed (commonly bundled with Emulator.js), may have trouble running the game. If you're using one of these, you might encounter issues, so consider this when playing or reporting bugs.
You can also enjoy this game on real PlayStation hardware! To do so, you'll need to convert the .CHD file to BIN+CUE format using a tool like CHDMAN. After converting, make sure to follow this guide on burning PlayStation CDs correctly. This game has been tested on an SCPH-5501 model (USA region, NTSC 60Hz) and runs well, with no major issues observed.
Development log
- Music, Crashes and Rotation45 days ago
- New Year '25 Build55 days ago
Comments
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l Beated The Game See You At Sage 2025 That's Crazy
Thanks For The Game It Worked With DuckStation l Like The Game Play
Tested on an MM3-modded PSone model SCPH-101 (manufactured august 2004 with motherboard PM-41(2) ). apparently there is an issue where the text does not show up properly. Perhaps on some newer models the hardware revisions may have caused this?
Hmmm, that's interesting and odd at the same time. Could be the case. It appears like incorrect texture mapping, since the text is drawn using a technique similar to the level itself.
Out of curiosity, what happens when with the text when you enable debug mode on level select? Specifically, the text within the upper semitransparent square up there:
Hmm That's Stange It Worked For Me DuckStation Emulator Used (PC Version)
ty for your hard work.
Thank you for playing the game! Hope you had fun.
Fantastic job here!
I recorded a gameplay of running on real hardware with PSIO.
I hope it does inspire people to make Sonic games for PS1.
Wow, that is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for playing and testing this with PSIO!
I Can't Download This. Why?
If you're having trouble, take at look at the releases on GitHub, there's a mirror there.
How to open the "ENGINE.EXE" ?
Hey, you don't -- it is not a Windows executable, but a PlayStation one. Don't extract the files from the CHD, just use the entire CHD file on a PlayStation 1 emulator.
A Ok
This Is Not An Windows Executable Is An Playstation One Don't Extract The Files From CHD Just Use It On A PS1 Emulator luksamuk Is Correct