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User:TheJoebro64/drafts/Chaotix

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Chaotix
'Sonic the Hedgehog' character
First gameKnuckles' Chaotix (1995)

The Chaotix are a fictional group of characters appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games. The group first appeared in the 1995 spin-off Knuckles' Chaotix, which followed their attempt to save a mysterious island from Doctor Eggman and Metal Sonic. After an eight-year absence, the group returned in Sonic Heroes (2003), and have continued to appear in the franchise since. The group is depicted as a dysfunctional detective agency, often adding comedy to otherwise serious situations.

The Chaotix were added to Knuckles' Chaotix to replace Sonic and Tails after its development transitioned from the Sega Genesis to its 32X add-on. When they were first introduced, the group comprised of Knuckles the Echidna, Mighty the Armadillo, Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee. Later incarnations of the characters have only included the latter three; Knuckles since has associated more with the franchise's core characters (such as Sonic and Tails) while Mighty has faded into obscurity.

Critical reception to the Chaotix has been mixed. The characters have received praise for their abilities and the different experiences they offered. Criticism of the group has focused on their perceived annoying qualities and unbalanced gameplay, and GamesRadar accused the characters of ushering in the Sonic series' extensive cast of characters.

Concept and creation

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The Chaotix were created by Sega for use in their 1995 video game Knuckles' Chaotix, a spin-off to their Sonic the Hedgehog franchise starring the supporting character Knuckles the Echidna.[1] The group was created to replace Sonic and Tails; the two were initially slated to star in the game but were removed when development transitioned from the Sega Genesis to its more powerful 32X add-on.[2][3] Each character in the group had different origins. Knuckles was originally introduced as one of the main antagonists of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994);[4] Mighty originally appeared in SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993) and was based on early prototype of Sonic;[5] Espio was created to subtly show off the technical capabilities of the 32X;[6] Vector was designed to appear in Sonic the Hedgehog's scrapped sound test option;[7] and Charmy originally was created for the Sonic the Hedgehog manga.[8]

After their introduction, the Chaotix did not reappear until 2003, in Sonic Heroes. According to Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Team revived the characters because they thought they were unique and the team had never used them, as Knuckles' Chaotix was not developed by Sonic Team. Iizuka also thought that Heroes' version of the Chaotix is not the same as the original version, claiming to have created new characters by simply using the same designs and characters from Knuckles' Chaotix.[9]

Members

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In Knuckles' Chaotix, the Chaotix consisted of five main members: the determined Knuckles the Echidna, the pacifist Mighty the Armadillo, the ninja warrior Espio the Chameleon, the easygoing Vector the Crocodile, and the energetic Charmy Bee.[10] The group also had two additional associates, Heavy the Robot and Bomb, two of Doctor Eggman's robot mechanics who apparently broke free of his control and want to help them.[11] Each character has his own unique abilities and alters the gameplay; for example, Knuckles can glide and climb walls, while Charmy can fly infinitely.[10] When they were re-introduced in Sonic Heroes and in all subsequent appearances, only Espio, Vector, and Charmy remained members of the Chaotix.[9] Knuckles has since associated more with the series' core characters (such as Sonic and Tails),[12] while Mighty has not appeared since and has faded into obscurity.[13]

Appearances

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The Chaotix first appeared in Knuckles' Chaotix in 1995, which surrounds their attempts to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over a mysterious island. At the game's start, Eggman and Metal Sonic kidnap Mighty, Vector, and Charmy and are about to kidnap Espio when Knuckles intervenes. Knuckles rescues the group and they set out to stop Eggman and Metal Sonic.[14] After Knuckles' Chaotix, the group did not appear in any games; the only exception being Espio's appearance as a playable character in Sonic the Fighters (1996).[15]

The Chaotix's next appearance was in Sonic Heroes in 2003.[9] In the game, Espio, Vector, and Charmy have converted the Chaotix into a detective agency, and will do anything for money. One day, they receive a message from an unknown client, who offers them a handsome payment if they stop Eggman's plans to take over the world.[16] However, as their adventure continues, they discover that the client is actually Eggman; the Eggman who is trying to take over the world is Metal Sonic, who has rebelled against his master. The Chaotix give two Chaos Emeralds to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, who transform into their super forms and defeat Metal Sonic. Eggman tries to slink away without paying the Chaotix, but the Chaotix give chase. The characters' gameplay is mission-based, and intended for skilled players.[16] The Chaotix made their next major appearance in Shadow the Hedgehog (2005).[17] Throughout the course of the game, they assist Shadow as he tries to remember his past. They play a pivotal role in the ending, where they (accidentally) activate a hidden video of Shadow's creator Gerald Robotnik, giving Shadow the determination he needs to defeat Black Doom, the game's antagonist. The group also appears as supporting characters in the Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors (2010),[18] Sonic Generations,[19] and Sonic Forces (2017).[20]

The Chaotix have also appeared in various spin-offs to the Sonic series as well. Espio is a playable character in Sonic Rivals 2 (2007).[21] Vector is playable athlete in the Mario & Sonic series of crossover sports games, while Espio and Charmy make cameos as referees.[22] They are also playable characters in the mobile games Sonic Runners (2015) and Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017), and have special abilities that alter gameplay.[23][24]

Outside the games, the Chaotix were recurring characters in both Fleetway Publications' Sonic the Comic and Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series. In Sonic the Comic, they were created to protect the "Special Zone" after Eggman abandoned it.[25] Nack the Weasel was originally a member of the Chaotix in the series, but later betrayed them.[26] In Archie Comics' series, the Chaotix also includes Mighty's SegaSonic costar Ray the Flying Squirrel, Charmy's girlfriend Saffron, and Knuckles' girlfriend Julie-Su.[27][28] The Chaotix also appeared in Sonic X; their first appearance in the series was in episode 39 to promote the release of Sonic Heroes.[29] Vector also appeared in "Vector Detector", the 44th episode of the Sonic Boom animated series.[30][31]

Reception

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Critical reception to the Chaotix has been mixed. In a retrospective review for Knuckles' Chaotix, IGN noted that they were introduced before fans grew weary of the series' extensive cast of recurring characters and praised the depth they provided for the gameplay, calling them "a hoot".[1] Similarly, Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) and Sega Magazine spoke favorably of the characters; EGM wrote that they, and the game's elastic bond mechanic, added "spice" to the gameplay,[32] and Sega Magazine noted their wide variety of abilities, singling out Knuckles as being the best.[10] In 2015, Game Informer wrote that the Chaotix were among the best characters of the franchise, and felt that they, specifically Espio and Mighty, were underused.[33]

Other critics have been less enthusiastic about the characters. Mean Machines Sega was not as positive, praising Knuckles and Espio but criticizing the others, feeling Mighty was a copy of Sonic and thus boring, Vector was "irritating", and Charmy made the game too easy.[14] Jim Sterling felt that all the Chaotix lacked redeeming qualities, calling Vector "Idiot the Crocodile" and Espio "Generic Brooder the Chameleon". He singled out Charmy for particular ridicule, feeling he was annoying and noting his high-pitched voice.[34] GamesRadar considered the introduction of the Chaotix a declining point for the Sonic franchise, blaming their introduction on "diluting the Sonic-verse by introducing tons of shitty characters", calling Knuckles' Chaotix "a perfectly good game forever tainted by the franchise-crushing precedent it set".[35]

References

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  1. ^ a b Fahs, Travis. "Knuckles' Chaotix Review". IGN. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  2. ^ Newton, James. "Feature: The Sonic Games That Never Were". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Missing in Action". Sega Power. November 1995. Chaotix. Originally due to be called Sonic Stadium, it eventually appeared on the 32X looking like this.
  4. ^ "Sonic's Creator - Yuji Naka". Sega.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  5. ^ Thomas, Lucas. "Sonic the Hedgehog VC Review". IGN. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Sonic Heroes". Xbox World (2). Future Publishing: 36.
  7. ^ Dargenio, Angelo. "25 Things You May Not Know About Sonic the Hedgehog". Arcade Sushi. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  8. ^ Morimoto, Sango (September 1992). "Pops Out of the Time Box Whenever There's a Crisis!". Shogaku Ninensei. Sonic the Hedgehog (manga) (in Japanese).
  9. ^ a b c "Afterthoughts: Sonic Heroes -- A candid chat with Sonic Team's lord of the rings". EGM. Archived from the original on 30 March 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  10. ^ a b c "Showcase - Chaotix" [Who's Who in Chaotix?]. Sega Magazine: 52. 1995.
  11. ^ "Knuckles' Chaotix". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 69. April 1995. pp. 122–125. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Sega (2003). "Team Sonic". Sonic Heroes Manual. Sega.
  13. ^ Shea, Brian. "More Burning Questions About The Sonic The Hedgehog Franchise Answered". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Knuckles' Chaotix Review". Mean Machines Sega (32). June 1995. Cite error: The named reference "mean" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  15. ^ Castro, Juan (August 5, 2005). "Gems Collection: The Fighters". IGN. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  16. ^ a b Dunham, Jeremy. "Sonic Heroes Profiles: Team Chaotix". IGN. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  17. ^ Helgeson, Matt (January 2006). "Shadow the Hedgehog for GameCube Review". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 26, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  18. ^ Dimps (11 November 2010). Sonic Colors. Sega. Level/area: Planet Wisp.
  19. ^ Towell, Justin (October 5, 2011). "Sonic Generations: Hands on 3DS and PS3 preview plus exclusive gameplay videos". GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  20. ^ Shea, Brian (March 17, 2017). "A Longer Look at Modern Sonic - Sonic Forces - PlayStation 4 - www.GameInformer.com". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 18, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  21. ^ "GameSpot review". Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  22. ^ "Smash It Up! – Sonic Team". IGN. October 12, 2007. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  23. ^ Jones, Elton. "'Sonic Runners': Top 10 Tips & Cheats You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  24. ^ Jenni. "Sonic Forces: Speed Battle Runs To iOS Devices". Siliconera. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  25. ^ Kitching, Nigel; Dobbyn, Nigel (21 June 1996). "The Fundamental Four, Part 1". Sonic the Comic (80). Fleetway Publications.
  26. ^ Kitching, Nigel (6 April 1996). "Traitor of the Lost Pyramid". Knuckles' Knock-Out Special. 1 (1). Fleetway Publications.
  27. ^ Flynn, Ian (May 2007). "Unburying the Hatchet". Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2007 (1). Archie Comics.
  28. ^ Ponce, Tony. "Sonic Universe says, 'Make way for the Chaotix, son!'". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  29. ^ Jones, Tim. "Sonic X". THEM Anime. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  30. ^ Harrison, Reid (9 September 2017). "Vector Detector". Sonic Boom. Season 2. Episode 44. Cartoon Network.
  31. ^ https://twitter.com/SilverTalkie/status/903276621502717952
  32. ^ "Review Crew: Knuckles' Chaotix". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 70. Ziff Davis. May 1995. p. 34.
  33. ^ Shea, Brian (May 16, 2015). "The 10 Worst Characters In Sonic History". Game Informer. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  34. ^ Sterling, Jim. "The 10 worst Sonic friends". GamesRadar. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  35. ^ Elston, Brett. "The rise, fall and deafening crash of Sonic the Hedgehog". GamesRadar. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
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