Flicky

Flicky, originally a 1984 arcade game, was designed by Yoji Ishii, who was head of Sega RnD. In the game, the player controls Flicky, a flightless bird who has to save the Chirps from house cats. The main character, Flicky, has made cameos in many later Sega video games, most notably within the Sonic the Hedgehog series, in which the “Flickies” are derived from the bird.