Sonic and Pokémon are video game legends that have been around over 25 years staring in numerous video games. Every year on June 23 Sonic Day is celebrated while Pokémon Day is on February 27. Don't you think both these legendary franchise deserve one more holiday? If you don't then you're on the wrong website. If you do then you're just in luck because us here at ASSC Studios have created a second time of the year to honor our favorite blue blur and pocket monsters.

If you celebrate Tim Buckley's Winter-een-mas by yourself then continue doing so but if you still want to celebrate Sonicémos just play the Sonic and Pokémon games that fit best in to each category over any other. If you enjoy playing as a group and like holding a friendly competition amongst friends so someone can have bragging rights for an entire year keep reading.

Sonicémos begins with Sonic Overload which is now celebrated the Saturday before January 30 through January 29. Essentially you play as many Sonic Games as you possibly can. If you prefer to play as a group and hold a competition as we do just have people face off in the two player modes of Sonic games specifically on the Saturday before January 30. As this takes place near the Super Bowl we tend to take the results of people's rankings during Sonic Overload to place them into “leagues” and “divisions.” More on this later.

ASSC Studios began posting about Sonic Overload in 2011 but celebrated it since February 2001 (5 months before the original ASSC was founded). It used to be celebrated during the third week of February. Eventually it ended up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Out of respect to Dr. King Sonic Overload was moved to the Friday before Winter-een-mas then later Saturday. The rest of Sonicémos was created so we could find time to compete as a group since playing together on the weekdays became difficult.

The Sonic Overload gaming competition is the start of Sonicémos. It is celebrated the Saturday before January 30. Below is when Sonic Overload will be celebrated from 2023-2028:

• 2023: January 28
• 2024: January 27
• 2025: January 25
• 2026: January 24
• 2027: January 30
• 2028: January 29 

Either at random or using data from the previous years set up one bracket of everyone invited. Also set up a loser bracket (everyone has to lose twice to be out) the winner of the winners bracket and the winner of the losers bracket then go head to head until a final winner is determined for the day (if the winner of the loser bracket loses once to the winner of the winners bracket they are out however if the winner of the winners bracket loses to the winner of the losers bracket they have to play again due to everyone must lose twice to be out). It is highly recommended you DO NOT do round robins for Sonic Overload or any other Sonicémos competition.

Depending how people placed (and if you wish using data from previous years) you divide them in half into two leagues. We generally do a Masters League and n00b League but call your leagues whatever you want. From there split each league into different divisions, we recommend at least four people per division however you can probably get away with two. We name our divisions after top selling video game franchises with the “Sonic Division” being the top and Pokémon being second, but again name your divisions however you wish. Everyone stays in their division and league for the rest of Sonicémos. Be sure to keep tally of how many times someone wins to determine ranking as the Sonicémos Royal is determined by points at the end. Your point system is up to you. We prefer the “Whose Line” approach and suggest finding random and/or stupid ways to dish out a bunch of points to participants between Sonic Overload and January 30.

Tim Buckley's Winter-een-mas begins just prior to this time. If you're able to get together with your friends on a weekday and can hold a tournament for that particular gaming day cool, more power to you and more points to your potential winner. For those who can't celebrate Winter-een-mas normally then starting on its last day start celebrating Sonicémos with either online games with those you are competing with or share pictures/videos of your final scores with each other. Each day has a similar theme or genre to play in roughly the same order as Winter-een-mas. Since it's SONICÉMOs we prioritize SONIC and PokÉMOn (and by extension Super Smash Bros) games over others but usually hold a vote on what to play each day. We also randomly awarded points to those who post photos of doing something related to each game/genre. The photo must be an actual photograph you took that's not doctored or photoshopped.

• Saturday before 1/30: Sonic Photo
• Prior to 1/30 if Saturday before is not 1/30 share favorite Pokémon fromthis website
• 1/30: Platformers
• 1/31: F/TPS (or Shadow the Hedgehog)
• 2/1: Brawlers
• 2/2: Hedgehog Day (Sonic 3)
• 2/3: Puzzle
• 2/4: Racing
• 2/5: RPGs
• 2/6: Sports

You can always share pictures with your competitors of you playing a game fitting the day's genre. The picture doesn't have to be of you so feel free to use toys or computer/TV screens, or be creative. Yes there can be over laps since franchises like Sonic, Pokémon, Mario, and Digimon (yes you can post Mario and Digimon pictures during Sonicémos) can fit in all of these genres. Just make sure you showcase what genre it is. In other words on racing day try to show Mario Kart not just Mario and on RPG day it's Digimon World not just Agumon.

On 1/30 post a screen shot of your favorite Pokémon using the site linked above. Once everyone posts their screenshot set up a bracket as you did on Sonic Overload. Winners are determined by a team's total base stats. In other words add up the base stats of the person's top 6 Pokémon using Pokémon type advantage charts and bracket it out. You can also do a losers bracket too to give people more points.

Since Sonicémos is celebrated through the anniversary of Sonic 3 Hedgehog Day was added as an additional day. On February 2 all you have to do is play Sonic 3. Either all until you beat the game, lose all of your lives, or two player against the computer or others. If you and your friends have been posting pictures somewhere post a photo of these final scores. Highest score or best times win when doing brackets.

Depending how many days are between Sports Day and the Sonic Bowl you might get some extra days to game. As 2/2 is for playing Sonic 3 2/8 (if it's not the Sonic Bowl) is Gen 3 Pokémon Day. If 1/29 was the Saturday before 1/30 move the favorite Pokemon screen shot from that above website to 2/9. If Sonic Overload is January 29 and the Sonic Bowl is February 8 or 9 then the Pokémon picker is on RPG day 2/5. Still more time?

• 2/10 Mean Bean Machine Day
• 2/11 Build your own Sonic Team Day (taking inspiration from Sonic Heroes)
• 2/12 Create and battle in your own Pokemon League (aka Pokémon Master Day)

You shouldn't need any more days than that as the latest the Sonic Bowl would be is 2/13. However sometimes there is an extra day on the Super Bowl and do the Pokémon Master Day.

Hopefully from all this description you can figure out how Gen 3 Day or Mean Bean Machine Day work.

This plays very similar to Sonic Overload. Only now you have a little better idea of who faces who bracket wise. Winner and loser brackets for both leagues lose twice to be out. Get your bracket winners of your leagues so they can have bragging rights for the year. The two league winners then go head to head, once again need to lose twice to lose. In other words, if someone from a loser's bracket won their league they need beat someone who didn't lose twice. Winner of the Sonic Bowl wins a prize you decide what it is and obviously gets bragging rights for the year. The winner of the Sonic Bowl is the Champion of Sonicémos but you can win in two other ways.

After the Sonic Bowl is done and the winner won their prize, tally up everyone's points from all of Sonicémos. Whoever has the most points is pronounced the Royal of Sonicémos and gets their picture taken with a crown, towel cape, and a controller wrapped around a broom or mop as their scepter. Of course with all the Pokémon stuff that's been thrown in over the years there's still one more way you can win.

With all the Pokémon stuff part of a video game holiday you can find way who was the very best like no one ever was. You can determine how you want to do this. Most wins in all the Pokémon stuff? Sounds good. Old school Pokémon battle. Great. Pokémon TCG tournament. We like your style. Figure out your own Pokémon region with it's own league and rules? Even better!

Congratulations you just survived Sonicémos!