Fan Fridays: Sonic CulT

Sonic CulT is one of the older Sonic fan sites still in existence. Created in February 1999 by PACHUKA, the site was (and still is) known for its vast compilations of lost and deleted content from Sonic and other SEGA games. Its main page still describes the site in the following way: We’re here to entertain the REAL Sonic fans. This is a site devoted to rare Sonic information, especially parts of Sonic games that were left on the cutting room floor. The site’s history is a long and complex one, and you can read all about its lengthy existence over at Sonic Retro, but we’ll provide you with a brief overview here.

PACHUKA started Sonic CulT as a hub for the humble beginnings of the Sonic research scene; the page initially contained information about the fabled Simon Wai beta of Sonic 2, for example. The site quickly found itself embroiled in controversy after a failed merger with the Sonic Stuff Research Group, a move that sparked years of bad blood between the two outlets. PACHUKA, known for his tendency to instigate others, also stirred the pot in 2001 by arguing on the Area 51 message boards that the famous Dust Hill Zone mockup screenshot was not real and that the zone itself never made it past the concept stage. The site went through a redesign and enjoyed a period of growth until 2004, when PACHUKA lost interest in it and handed the reins over to Sazpaimon; he would end up staying with the site for the rest of its active life. After working through controversy surrounding its ownership and struggling to find consistent hosting, the site stabilized its existence thanks to dedicated hosting, and it continued to add additional information and grow in popularity. Several years ago, it was announced that the site would no longer be updated, though it will likely continue to exist in its current state for the foreseeable future.

Although it is not actively maintained anymore, Sonic CulT still serves as a home for years of magazine scans and lots of information about content cut from the Sonic series. It has information about nearly every kind of Sonic game you can think of: console games, handheld games, arcade games, betas, and even pirated games. There’s lots to explore and even more to read, so if you want to learn more about this aspect of the Sonic series, head on over to Sonic CulT and see what they have to offer. As always, we’re on the lookout for fan works to spotlight, so if you have a project you want the world to know about, send us a link at fansonfriday@tssznews.com!