Paramount Pictures has taken a nostalgic approach to promoting the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie by creating a fully functional Sega Genesis cartridge as part of its press kit. This unique promotional item, sent to select media outlets and influencers, is not just a collectible—it actually works on original Sega Genesis/Mega Drive hardware and includes several interactive features tied to the movie.

The cartridge, developed by Brielle Garcia, features a main menu with three options: Characters, Posters, and Unlock. The Characters section showcases pixelated portraits of the movie’s cast, along with short quotes from their respective voice actors. The Posters section displays retro-style versions of the film’s promotional posters. The most intriguing feature, however, is the Unlock option, which contains a playable minigame where Sonic must escape from Shadow, who chases him on a motorcycle. While the game has no win or lose conditions, it offers a fun nod to classic Sonic gameplay.

A hidden Easter egg adds an extra layer of excitement: by inputting the classic Sonic 3 cheat code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Up, Up, Up, Up), players unlock a fourth menu option labeled “Trailer?” This reveals the release date for the next movie trailer—November 25, 2024—building anticipation for fans ahead of the film’s December 20 release.

The cartridge itself is housed in a custom Sega Genesis box with artwork featuring live-action versions of Sonic and Shadow. This retro-inspired promotional effort not only celebrates Sonic’s origins but also ties into the movie’s storyline, which reportedly includes an outer-space adventure reminiscent of Sonic Adventure 2. With this creative marketing move, Paramount has successfully captured both the nostalgia of longtime fans and the excitement surrounding the third installment in the Sonic movie franchise.