Christian Whitehead

{{Infobox person

| name = Christian Whitehead

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| nationality = Australian

| other_names = The Taxman

| occupation = Game programmer

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| employer = Evening Star

| known_for = Developing Sonic the Hedgehog video games

}}

Christian Whitehead, also known as The Taxman,{{cite web|last1=Mawson|first1=Chris|title=Fans Launch Campaign for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Mobile Release|url=http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2015/01/12/fans-launch-campaign-for-sonic-the/|website=Power Up Gaming|accessdate=23 July 2016|date=12 January 2015}} is an Australian video game programmer and designer.{{cite web|title=Sonic Fans Campaign For the Release of Sonic 3 Remastered {{!}} mxdwn Games|url=http://games.mxdwn.com/news/sonic-fans-campaign-for-the-release-of-sonic-3-remastered/|website=games.mxdwn.com|accessdate=23 July 2016|date=13 February 2015}} He is most recognized for his work creating updated ports of early games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, as well as being a lead developer of an original game in the series, Sonic Mania. In late 2018, Whitehead co-founded indie development studio Evening Star, which launched its first game, Penny's Big Breakaway, in early 2024.

Career

In 2006, Whitehead worked as a freelance 3D animator with the company Kine Graffiti. Since 2009, he has focused on game development, developing various fangames based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series, starting with a 2007 fangame entitled Retro Sonic. The game became notable after its release for its accuracy to the games, despite not being a ROM hack or modification to an existing Sonic game.{{cite news |last1=Mawson |first1=Chris |date=2 April 2015 |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Remastered Interview with Christian 'The Taxman' Whitehead |url=http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2015/04/02/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-remastered-interview/ |accessdate=23 July 2016 |work=Power Up Gaming}} Retro Sonic later merged with two other Sonic fangames, Sonic XG and Sonic Nexus, to form Retro Sonic Nexus.{{cite web |last1=Ponce |first1=Tony |date=29 August 2012 |title=The joy of fan games, pt. 2: Fan game heroes! |url=https://www.destructoid.com/the-joy-of-fan-games-pt-2-fan-game-heroes--233892.phtml |accessdate=19 March 2017 |website=Destructoid}}{{cite web |author=Rainer Sigl |date=1 February 2015 |title=Lieblingsspiele 2.0: Die bewundernswerte Kunst der Fan-Remakes |url=http://derstandard.at/2000011074333/Lieblingsspiele-neugemacht-Die-bewundernswerte-Kunst-der-Fan-Remakes |publisher=Der Standard |language=de}}

In 2009, Sega asked fans for ideas on a game to port to iOS. As a response, Whitehead produced a "proof-of-concept" video of Sonic CD running on an iPhone using his own custom engine, the "Retro Engine".{{cite news|last1=Hodapp|first1=Eli|title=Christian Whitehead On 'Sonic CD' and His Retro Engine|url=http://toucharcade.com/2009/07/29/christian-whitehead-on-sonic-cd-and-his-retro-engine/|accessdate=23 July 2016|work=TouchArcade|date=29 July 2009}}{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Jared|title=Hey Sega! This 'Sonic 3 & Knuckles' iOS Port Needs to Happen|url=http://toucharcade.com/2014/10/19/sonic-3-knuckles-ios-port/|accessdate=23 July 2016|work=TouchArcade|date=19 October 2014}} In an interview with Steven O'Donnell of Good Game: Spawn Point, Whitehead proclaims that he spent "about a year or so" convincing Sega to let him work on the Sonic CD port.{{Citation|last=O'Donnell|first=Steven|title=Making Sonic Mania|work=Good Game: Spawn Point|date=10 September 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtZYJSPOp2o&t=6m7s|accessdate=10 February 2018}} In 2009, a video regarding Sonic CD from Whitehead was taken down, leading Eurogamer to report that Whitehead possibly faced a cease and desist letter from Sega, which Whitehead claimed was false. The port was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPhone and Android in 2011.{{cite web|last1=Parkin|first1=Simon|title=Sonic CD Review|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-12-21-sonic-cd-review|website=Eurogamer|accessdate=21 April 2017|date=22 December 2011|quote=However, after a few weeks, Whitehead's website was taken offline, as was the YouTube video he released to show off his work. It seemed as though Sega's lawyers had issued a cease-and-desist and ordered his work to be scrapped.}} His remake was so successful that he, along with developer Simon "Stealth" Thomley of the studio Headcannon, would later be commissioned to remaster Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for mobile devices.

Although he, along with Headcannon, released a proof-of-concept video for a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remaster in 2014, Sega did not greenlight the port, which Thomley assumed to be in part of Michael Jackson's contribution to the music.{{cite news|last1=Mawson|first1=Chris|title=Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Remastered Interview with Christian 'The Taxman' Whitehead|url=http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2015/04/02/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-remastered-interview/|accessdate=23 July 2016|work=Power Up Gaming|date=2 April 2015}}{{cite web |last1=Thomley |first1=Simon |date=February 9, 2015 |title=Regarding Sonic 3 |url=https://hcstealth.tumblr.com/post/110586472232/regarding-sonic-3 |access-date=April 30, 2020 |publisher=Tumblr}} In 2015, it was announced that Whitehead would be involved in his first non-Sonic game, Freedom Planet 2.{{cite news|last1=Oliver|first1=Tristan|title=Taxman on Board for Freedom Planet 2 Development|url=http://www.tssznews.com/2015/12/25/taxman-on-board-for-freedom-planet-2-development/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227053713/http://www.tssznews.com/2015/12/25/taxman-on-board-for-freedom-planet-2-development/|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 December 2015|accessdate=23 July 2016|work=TSSZ News|date=25 December 2015}} In 2017, Whitehead, in collaboration with Headcannon and PagodaWest Games, developed and released their own original title in the Sonic series, titled Sonic Mania.{{cite news|last1=Byford|first1=Sam|title=Could Sonic Mania be the best Sonic the Hedgehog game since the Genesis?|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/23/12262006/sonic-mania-announced-ps4-pc-xbox-one|accessdate=23 July 2016|work=The Verge|date=23 July 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Gartenberg|first1=Chaim|title=Sonic Mania gets an August release date and an adorably animated trailer|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/30/15713982/sonic-mania-august-release-date-animated-trailer|website=The Verge|date=30 May 2017|accessdate=30 May 2017}} In 2018, Sonic Mania was re-released as Sonic Mania Plus, which added additional content to the original game. Sonic Mania Plus was developed by Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games, and the now included Hyperkinetic Studios.{{cite news|last1=Oloman|first1=Jordan|title=Sonic Mania Plus for PS4, Xbox One, Switch Adds New Characters, Competitive Mode|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/03/16/sonic-mania-plus-for-ps4-xbox-one-switch-adds-new-characters-competitive-mode|accessdate=16 March 2018|work=IGN|date=16 March 2018}} Whitehead also contributed to the development of Sonic Origins, providing a new version of the engine used in the remasters.{{Cite web |title=Christian Whitehead on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/cfwhitehead/status/1516780211857068037 |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Twitter |language=en}}

In late 2018, Whitehead and other development members behind Sonic Mania founded their own studio Evening Star,{{cite tweet|number=1095115250473480192|user=CFWhitehead|title=Hi everyone! I'd like to introduce you to Evening Star, a new game studio I have founded alongside:@TheRealDPad… |date=12 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://eveningstar.studio/team.html|title=Evening Star - Team}} where he serves as creative director and lead engine architect. In 2022, the studio signed a publishing deal with Private Division; their first title, Penny's Big Breakaway, was released in 2024.

= Retro Engine =

The Retro Engine is primarily tailored for creating two-dimensional games like those released for 32-bit or below-era consoles, such as the Sega Saturn, Sega Genesis or the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. For this reason, the engine focuses more on raster graphics and palette manipulation, although it does feature support for widescreen graphics and online functionality.{{cite web |last1=Whitehead |first1=Christian |title=Technologies: Retro Engine |url=http://christianwhitehead.com/?page_id=51 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121015109/http://christianwhitehead.com/?page_id=51 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |accessdate=16 March 2017}}

Whitehead created the Retro Engine for use in Retro Sonic in 2007. He would also use the engine to develop remasters of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 using the engine, released for mobile platforms in 2013.{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Jared |date=19 October 2014 |title=Hey Sega! This 'Sonic 3 & Knuckles' iOS Port Needs to Happen |url=http://toucharcade.com/2014/10/19/sonic-3-knuckles-ios-port/ |accessdate=23 July 2016 |work=TouchArcade}}{{cite web |date=16 January 2010 |title=Sonic 2 Mobile |url=https://www.destructoid.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-joins-sega-s-free-mobile-game-initiative-473897.phtml |access-date=August 31, 2021}} A proof-of-concept remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles proposed by Whitehead and Thomley but not approved by Sega was to use the engine. The engine went on to see further use with Sonic Mania, as well as its downloadable content Sonic Mania Plus, before being converted to full 3D for Penny's Big Breakaway. This iteration was initially called the Star Engine, as it was revamped for the new game, but was changed back to strengthen ties with Whitehead's previous work, as well as to avoid confusion with another studio's engine named STARENGINE.{{Cite web |title=Evening Star - Technologies |url=https://eveningstar.studio/tech.html}}{{cite web |url=https://eveningstar.studio/articles/retro-engine-name.html |title=Our Future Use of the Retro Engine® Name |access-date=April 23, 2025}}

The Retro Engine was also used by Sega for their compilation Sonic Origins in 2022, which includes remakes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles (with the music problems solved by compositions of original tracks); Whitehead updated the engine for the release but otherwise had no involvement.{{cite web |last1=McWhertor |first1=Michael |date=April 20, 2022 |title=Sega's Sonic Origins retro collection coming this June |url=https://www.polygon.com/23033468/sonic-origins-release-date-price-sega-genesis-games |access-date=April 20, 2022 |website=Polygon}}{{cite web |last1=Carter |first1=Chris |date=April 20, 2022 |title=The Sonic Mania studio helped work on Sonic Origins |url=https://www.destructoid.com/the-sonic-mania-studio-helped-work-on-sonic-origins/ |access-date=April 20, 2022 |website=Destructoid}}

Works

class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
Year !Title !Collaborator(s) !Publisher !Platforms
2007 \| Retro Sonic \| {{n/a}} \| self-published \| Windows, Dreamcast
2008 \| Sonic Nexus \| Brad Flick and Hunter Bridges \| self-published \| Windows, Mac OS X
2011 \| Sonic CD \| BlitWorks (PC/Console port){{Cite news\|last=Orland\|first=Kyle\|date=20 January 2021\|title=PC fan port of early Sonic games lets you zoom the camera way, way out\|work=Ars Technica\|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/01/pc-fan-port-of-early-sonic-games-lets-you-zoom-the-camera-way-way-back/}} \|Sega \| Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Android, Ouya, Windows, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
rowspan="2" \| 2013 \| Sonic the Hedgehog \|Headcannon \|Sega \| rowspan="2" \|iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 \|Headcannon \|Sega
2017 \| Sonic Mania \| Headcannon, PagodaWest Games, Hyperkinetic Studios (Plus update), Tantalus Media (Switch port), Lab42 (Mobile) \|Sega \| rowspan="2" \| Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Android, iOS
rowspan="2" \|2022 \|Sonic Origins \|Headcannon and Sonic Team \|Sega
Freedom Planet 2 \| GalaxyTrail \| GalaxyTrail \| Windows, macOS, Linux
2023 \|Sonic Origins Plus \|Headcannon and Sonic Team \|Sega \|Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows
2024 \|Penny's Big Breakaway \|Evening Star \|Private Division \|Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows

class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"

Year

!Title

!Collaborator(s)

!Publisher

!Platforms

2007

| Retro Sonic

| {{n/a}}

| self-published

| Windows, Dreamcast

2008

| Sonic Nexus

| Brad Flick and Hunter Bridges

| self-published

| Windows, Mac OS X

2011

| Sonic CD

| BlitWorks (PC/Console port){{Cite news|last=Orland|first=Kyle|date=20 January 2021|title=PC fan port of early Sonic games lets you zoom the camera way, way out|work=Ars Technica|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/01/pc-fan-port-of-early-sonic-games-lets-you-zoom-the-camera-way-way-back/}}

|Sega

| Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Android, Ouya, Windows, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV

rowspan="2" | 2013

| Sonic the Hedgehog

|Headcannon

|Sega

| rowspan="2" |iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

|Headcannon

|Sega

2017

| Sonic Mania