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It looks like Sonic Generations will be receiving the special edition treatment. At least, it appears that way in the UK, where retailer GAME has posted PS3 and Xbox 360 listings for Sonic Generations: Special Ediiton.

The PS3 version includes a bonus "Casino Night" level, which recreates the pinball-themed level from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In addition to the bonus level, the Xbox 360 version also includes a Super Sonic Avatar outfit and a dashboard theme.

We've contacted Sega to see if the Special Edition is speeding its way to America as well.

Sonic tears up the grass once again in the Green Hill Zone as Generations gets a playable demo!

#freeadvice Twenty years ago today, Sega released the first Sonic the Hedgehog videogame. It was a joyous occasion—and it was also my dad's 41st birthday. (Happy 61st birthday, dad.) More »

A report by Andriasang claims that Sega has chosen tomorrow, June 23 to launch the demo for its remastered retro remix, Sonic Generations. Although it doesn't cite a source for the information, the site says that the demo will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360, the latter requiring an Xbox Live Gold account to download. Additionally, the one-level trial game will evidently expire on July 12, vanishing from both e-stores and disabling itself if it's been downloaded.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has listed the demo as part of tomorrow's European PlayStation Store update, lending a lot of credence to this news, although a representative for Sega America couldn't comment when asked by Joystiq if the demo is planned to hit the US tomorrow, too. It's entirely likely -- though not confirmed -- that the demo's release is being prepared as a surprise to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sonic franchise, which is, conveniently, June 23.

PS3 owners in Japan would need another surprise tomorrow in order to play the demo, Andriasang points out -- that country's PSN is still offline, with no indication it will be brought back into service within the next 24 hours.

Update: The Sonic Generations demo is now available on Xbox Live -- for the next 20 days.

As you may have noticed if you've been anywhere near the Internet in the past few days, today marks Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th Anniversary. It was 20 years ago today that the original Sonic the Hedgehog was released on the MegaDrive in the US and Europe. Hands up: who feels old? SEGA's celebration...

A report by Andriasang claims that Sega has chosen tomorrow, June 23 to launch the demo for its remastered retro remix, Sonic Generations. Although it doesn't cite a source for the information, the site says that the demo will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360, the latter requiring an Xbox Live Gold account to download. Additionally, the one-level trial game will evidently expire on July 12, vanishing from both e-stores and disabling itself if it's been downloaded.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has listed the demo as part of tomorrow's European PlayStation Store update, lending a lot of credence to this news, although a representative for Sega America couldn't comment when asked by Joystiq if the demo is planned to hit the US tomorrow, too. It's entirely likely -- though not confirmed -- that the demo's release is being prepared as a surprise to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sonic franchise, which is, conveniently, June 23.

PS3 owners in Japan would need another surprise tomorrow in order to play the demo, Andriasang points out -- that country's PSN is still offline, with no indication it will be brought back into service within the next 24 hours.

In celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th anniversary, Sega is making some pretty slick figurines. They "will not be sold anywhere," according to Sega, and only one thousand are being manufactured. Presumably, the only way to get one will be via contests or promotions. The company didn't offer any specs, though the figure appears to be fairly large -- check out the photo after the break for reference.

Fun fact: There are two versions of the figurine, one for the United States and another for other parts of the world (pictured above). The two versions are nearly identical apart from one small detail. See if you can guess what it is.

After showing E3 attendees a new level in Sonic Generations, game producer Takashi Iizuka highlighted some of the extra content that can only be found in the 3DS version. "One important thing to say about the Nintendo 3DS version is that besides Green Hill Zone, which is the starting zone on all versions, all the stages on the Nintendo 3DS version will be different from the stages that are seen in the PS3 and 360," Iizuka said.

Generations will revisit and remix levels from Sonic's entire history, including his Genesis and Dreamcast outings, but only the 3DS game may borrow stages from older handheld games. "For the PS3 and 360, none of the stages we're selecting are going to be from the handheld," Iizuka explained during a brief Q&A session. "However, on 3DS we're looking at picking stages from handheld as well."

The portable version of Generations will also offer a special stage, a two-player versus mode and a battery life that should effortlessly summon nostalgia for Sonic's Game Gear days.

I've been rolling with Sonic since the original SEGA Genesis. I even owned a SEGA CD, and I'm pretty sure I can recite "Sonic Boom" from memory. I've never been as devoted to the Sonic franchise as others have, but I've always kept an eye on the blue hedgehog's journey over the years. At E3 this year, I attended a brief Sonic Generations demo with a few other members of the press. It was, surprisingly, an emotional experience...

Both Sonic's tear through a city landscape at high speed.

Old and new come together for the love of speed.

The Green Hill Zone is looking better than ever in Sonic's latest platforming adventure.

The blurry furry speed boosts his way through a bright and colorful level in this footage direct from the show floor!

#e32011 The house that Sonic built and later remodeled is bringing their A games to E3 this year with Aliens: Colonial Marines and Anarchy Reigns. Binary Domain is their B game, followed by Captain America: Super Soldier and Crush3D. After that the whole alphabet thing falls apart. More »

Sonic Generations is coming to the 3DS, as revealed in the last issue of Nintendo Power. A press release issued by Sega reveals that the handheld version won't be exactly the same as its PS3/Xbox counterpart -- a concept that should be comfortable to people anticipating a game about two different versions of the same character.

According to the announcement, the 3DS game has new levels designed specifically for that version, along with an unlockable 3DS-exclusive 'special stage.' Generations also uses the 3DS's StreetPass communication feature to unlock "bonus material" when two players' 3DSes come within communication range.

Both the console and 3DS Sonic Generations won't be out until November. Following standard Sonic protocol, we're not going to get our hopes up for either yet.

We've recently seen some evidence of two Sega 3DS projects that have yet to be officially announced: a 3DS (and PC) version of Sonic Generations, and a new Shinobi game. It turns out that the latest issue of Nintendo Power announces them both before Sega has a chance to fire up the press release machine.

The cover of the June 2011 issue, as found on NeoGAF, specifically notes that Sonic Generations "speeds onto the 3DS" just in time for the sometimes pudgy hedgehog's 20th anniversary. Shinobi, however, is only listed as a "classic revival."

Additionally, a teaser of the forthcoming Shinobi game appears to have leaked on YouTube, posted yesterday by user "greatshow482" -- the user's only upload. Beyond affirming Griptonite Games as the developer, the teaser confirms a Shinobi game "re-imagined for the Nintendo 3DS."

#rumor It would appear that the Sonic game with double the Sonic is, in fact, coming to Nintendo 3DS, as already semi-announced by, well, Sega itself. But Shinobi? Well, that's good news too. Thanks, Nintendo Power magazine! More »

Throughout May, IGN is taking a look at games set to appear at E3 2011, from June 6-9. We'll let you know what to expect and what we hope to learn about these games at this year's show. Will we see Gears of War 3's single player? Will Sonic Generations be... good? We'll answer as best we can amids...

Get a new perspective on Green Hill Zone with the Modern style of gameplay in Sonic Generations!

Step back into the classic Sonic experience with this walkthrough of Green Hill Zone with commentary by Director Patrick Riley!

Sonic Generations is a celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the SEGA mascot's first adventure. And it's a cool way to set off some fireworks. Generations takes famous stages from throughout Sonic's history and remakes them in the "classic" style and in the "modern" (AKA Sonic Colors) style...

The Sonic game with two Sonic the Hedgehogs may be coming to the PC and Nintendo 3DS, at least according to a recent Sega financial report. Sonic Generations is officially only for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 right now. More »

A Sega Sammy Holdings earnings report (PDF) may have outed plans to release Sonic Generations on PC and 3DS. Spotted by Andriasang, a section highlighting titles planned for Sega's current fiscal year includes a listing for Sonic Generations on 3DS and PC as well as the already announced releases for Xbox and PS3.

Given the history of portable Sonic titles, the 3DS listing certainly makes sense. Joystiq has contacted Sega for comment.

Sega's throwing a Sonic party during E3, offering perhaps the best possible situation in which to try out Sonic Generations. If you go to Club Nokia on June 8, play the game, and find, to your delight, that it really does bridge the gap between "classic" and "modern" Sonic, that its physics simulation is above reproach, and that it's truly fun -- you can then immediately celebrate Sega's triumphant return to form with a gathering of other euphoric Sonic fans.

If the game turns out to be disappointing, there'll probably be free food! As well as " exclusive Generations collector's merchandise!" If you want to go, keep an eye on the Sega blog for your chance to reserve a pass. The first 500 passes have already been snapped up by appropriately speedy people!

Though Sonic's new outing Sonic Generations may still be a ways off, it looks like we may get an early double dose of hedgehog. Sega is planning to release a demo of the game, according to Australia's Classification Board, which recently awarded the demo a family-friendly G rating.

It would seem like good news for Sonic fans, though it's unusual for most game rating organizations to assign a rating to an individual demo. Ratings are usually reserved only for individual retail products. One possible implication is that the demo could (could, mind you) be a paid product of some sort, or perhaps bundled with an upcoming Sega game.

#viciouscycle And so the cycle starts anew. Sonic Generations lets players play as a classic, sidescrolling Genesis Sonic or as modern, control-him-from-behind-in-3D Sonic. As Kotaku previously pointed out, there are no special powers and no playable friends. More »