Welcome to the R/R/R Files, where we look at whether or not an older title should be re-released, remade, or rejected. It’s been quite a ride so far, but the fact SEGA decided just mere days after the first edition of this feature to release Sonic CD as hoped was perhaps the highlight so far. As a tribute, or to put it a better way – to try our luck; we’re going to delve into yet another obscure Sonic game from eons past. Will lightning strike twice?

Case #007 – Knuckles’ Chaotix

Game Information

Original platform- Sega Mega Drive 32X (’95)

Trivia

• The story differs majorly between both English and Japanese versions. The Japanese version acts as a continuation from Sonic & Knuckles, while the English version makes the game a standalone adventure.
• Like Sonic CD was for the Mega CD, Knuckles’ Chaotix was the supposed system seller for the 32X
• A prototype of the concept for Knuckles’ Chaotix appeared on the internet as a Mega Drive ROM, dubbed “Sonic Crackers”. This had Sonic and Tails bound by the same ring link.

What is Knuckles’ Chaotix Like?

If there was ever an oddball 2D Sonic game for any console, this would take the grand prize. Featuring the anti-hero Knuckles the Echidna as the primary protagonist, he teams up with a group called Chaotix. Made up of Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, Charmy Bee and Mighty the Armadillo, they are also joined by robot escapees Heavy and Bomb. Each ally has their own specific powers. Knuckles could climb and glide, Vector could climb and gain a burst while jumping, Espio could run up walls and ceilings, Charmy could hover and fly, and finally Mighty could kick off and jump up walls. Heavy was a particularly slow and heavy but invincible and Bomb would explode on impact, damaging friend and foe alike. Players also had the mandatory functions of being able to sling friends across the screen, or pick them up and throw them.

As a Sonic game, it had the perspective down and the special stages were among the best in the franchise. The level design however was rather bland. Five acts of similar layout per zone, culminating in a fight with a contraption from Dr Robotnik (Eggman). Once done, there was an epic battle with Metal Sonic that literally destroys the level select screen, before fighting against a huge mechanoid Sonic. Your partner choice is fairly random, giving the game a little more spice, and the full co-operative nature of the game meant that playing it with another player was highly recommended. You could even save your progress manually if you so wished.

Legacy

Ultimately, like the 32X, Knuckles’ Chaotix bombed. The most likely cause for this was the incoming Sega Saturn, but the next generation as a whole spelled the premature death of the add-on. An “all in one” console in the works named the Sega Neptune, but all hopes of a release died with the 32X. Knuckles went on to be in most Sonic games afterwards, but what of Team Chaotix?

Espio would return in the arcades in Sonic the Fighters, a game that would be later ported to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube in the form of Sonic Gems Collection. Many years later we would see the return of Chaotix, with one notable exception. While Mighty the Armadillo would never see a return, becoming one of the few inductees in the lost Sonic characters, the rest would become regular staples appearing from Sonic Heroes onwards. Chaotix would return as support characters in Sonic Generations.

How easy would it be to port?

Let’s put it this way: Sonic CD had to be fully recreated from the ground up due to its archaic CD technology. Knuckles Chaotix on the other hand was merely a cartridge of a different design, made to run on a slightly up-scaled Mega Drive/Genesis. We’ve seen ports of far more difficult games in the past, so this one should be done relatively quickly.

Re-release/Remake/Reject

As for whether or not it should be unleashed on a more forgiving downloadable market, it’s a little hard to say. On the one hand it was a pretty interesting idea, but on the other hand it doesn’t have Sonic in it as a playable character. It depends how Sega decide to tackle this. If the people responsible for the Sonic CD re-release were given the helm for another project, they would probably include some extra stuff (such as Sonic and Tails being playable). Sega could also give it to the people responsible for the so-called “HD” conversions of the original Sonic games. Personally, I would totally re-release this on the proviso that Christian Whitehead would be the person developing it.

Verdict

Re-Release

What do you think though, should Knuckles’ Chaotix be re-released, remade or rejected?