Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega)

Sega's 1991 mascot was engineered to dethrone Mario with attitude and speed, and for a brief moment in the early 90s it worked. Sonic's original Genesis titles sold over 15 million copies combined, outperforming Mario's early 16-bit entries in raw speed appeal. Despite decades of terrible games tarnishing his legacy, the Sonic movie franchise grossed over $700 million worldwide, proving undying fan devotion keeps the blue blur culturally immortal.