Gaming giant Sega’s infamous blue mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, made his Apple-platform debut last week on iTunes. The original adventure that helped maintain the Sega Genesis’ popularity, thereby providing a competitive alternative to the Super Nintendo gaming console, is now available for download from iTunes for $4.99.

Remarkably, unlike games previously launched for the iPod – be they the standard, casual games or even arcade classics, such as Pac-Man – this new edition of Sonic the Hedgehog is not emulation. “It’s a new piece of code and it pushes the hardware,” says Sega of America President Simon Jeffery in an interview with IGN.com.

Nonetheless, despite Apple’s enthusiasm to tap into a gaming market full of potential, it might be awhile before gamers get used to their new hand-held controller. The single-thumb approach necessitated by the iPod’s portable size may present a drawback to gaming fans accustomed to the two-handed controller. However, casual gamers and old-schoolers alike will eventually get used to the new game-controller reality.

Perhaps on your next subway ride you’ll glimpse at someone clutching their iPod in two hands, using one thumb to jump while the other moves, all to the vibrant sounds of ‘beep-boop’. You’ll know that Sonic was here.

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