Growing up in the 90s, Sonic the Hedgehog was just the coolest video game character around.

Debuting in 1991, the sassy, thrill-seeking speedster made running at the speed of sound look super easy and just freakin’ awesome. And if popularity was a running competition, the guy ran circles around his rivals Mario and The Legend of Zelda‘s Link before leaving them in the dust.

Now we’re in 2018, and Sonic is still enjoying a good run (pun totally intended, of course). From tons of cartoons and comics to countless spin-off games bearing his name, our favourite hedgehog has become a global icon in his own right.

And what better way to pay homage to this legend than by launching some fashionably playful kicks?

Hot on the heels of a collab with Selena Gomez that dropped on May 31, PUMA has now teamed up with gaming giant Sega to create a line of Sonic the Hedgehog sneakers:

Great, aren’t they?

Dubbed the RS-0 SONIC, its silhouette is along the lines of the classic PUMA RS-100, with its design and function considered pretty advanced for its time, reports Fortress of Solitude.

The Sonic line includes two pairs of shoes: one inspired by Sonic himself, and one inspired by his arch-enemy for the ages, Doctor Eggman.

For the Sonic-inspired pair, it’s mainly textured blue suede reminiscent of Sonic’s fur with a red outsole meant to symbolise his shoes. And the metallic rings on the end of the laces are a nice nod to the gold rings that Sonic collects in the game:

Sweet. Sonic would most definitely approve.

Oh, and if you’re wondering why the yellow brick and 16-bit green textures of the soles, side panels and heels look so familiar, here’s why …

Yup, it’ll feel like you’re running through the iconic Green Hill Zone like Sonic himself.

As for Doctor Eggman’s trainers, the Mirror explains:

Meanwhile, the Doctor Eggman-inspired pair are mainly shiny red, with yellow and black striped panels, as well as additional details inspired by the machinery used by Doctor Eggman.

Sound cool to you? Take a look:

I love me some attention to detail, and I gotta give PUMA props for doing Doctor Eggman good like that with the details on these flashy kicks.

The Sega x PUMA RS-0 Sonic sneakers will be dropping on June 5 in Europe and in the U.S. on June 12th to tie in with an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog game. We’ll keep you clued in on when it becomes available in South Africa.

If you wanna and gotta go fast, do it Sonic-style.

[sources:mirror&fortressofsolitude]