Sega is celebrating Sonic's long and storied history with Sonic Generations, bringing together both the classic chubby Sonic and the new slimmer, sleeker, inexplicably more talkative Sonic. And apparently, this trek down Nostalgia Lane is giving Sonic a boost, as Sega announced today that it's the most pre-ordered Sonic game in the hedgehog's 20-year history.

The second episode of Sonic 4, Sega's other retro-hip hedgehog game, was pushed to next year in favor of Generations. But on the bright side, Sega seems to be doing Generations up right for long-term fans, with the original game as an unlockable and some nifty SpotPass features in the 3DS version. The game is due on November 1 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, with the 3DS version following on November 22.

"Sonic Generations is the ultimate title to cap off Sonic’s 20th anniversary and we have put our full support behind it with a number of truly amazing initiatives," said Sega America executive VP of sales and marketing Alan Pritchard. "This year is a milestone for Sonic and we want to make sure this is the best title that Sonic fans, old and new, have been waiting for."

Other anniversary tie-ins this year include a partnership with Six Flags through October, and an appearance from Sonic in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.