After the circulation of numerous Project Needlemouse rumours came to a head last year, gamers were left guessing as to what developers Sega had up their sleeve for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and what the next instalment would be.

It has now been officially revealed that Project Needlemouse will indeed be the next Sonic the Hedgehog title, expected to hit shelves midway through the year on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, the game’s real name, will feature 3D graphics from a 2D perspective and will star Sonic himself with the support of a number of characters from older titles.

According to Sega assosciate brand manager Kevin Balough the company is more than happy to see the return of its favourite blue hedgehog.

“I think one aspect to keep in mind is this game  truly a labor of love. A lot of us grew up on the Sega Genesis console; in fact, I remember vividly the first day I got mine with Revenge of Shinobi and Moonwalker. Ever since Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been a game classic Sega fans have always wanted to see. It was the right people, at the right time, getting together and finally making this game we’ve all wanted to see,” said Balough.