Knuckles' Chaotix
Sega 32X
Nostalgia Factor:
More blog history being made: my first Sega 32X review! Back in the day I wanted nothing more than a 32X for Christmas. The thought of being able to upgrade my Genesis and make it even more powerful was such an appealing thing to me. I’d missed out on the Sega CD and the 32X was my big chance to make up for that. Knuckles Chaotix was one of the games that really sold me on the system. No, the game didn’t actually have Sonic in it, but to me it didn’t matter. I was a big time Knuckles fan and was salivating over playing a game where he was the main character. I never got a 32X, however. Years began to pass and when it became clear I was never going to get to play Knuckles Chaotix, it saddened me. I’d kinda given up on ever having the chance to play this game. But fast forward to the year 2021 – over 26 years since this game originally came out - and here I am playing it for the first time, thanks to my RetroPie.
Would it be worth the nearly 30 year wait?
lolno
But don’t let that deter you from finishing off this review. Keep reading and find out why I didn’t like it!
Story:
Like most Sonic games (and yes I will continue to refer to it as a Sonic game) the story never really played a huge factor in my enjoyment of the game. You play as Knuckles and his gang of pals as they attempt to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing Chaos Rings (this game’s equivalent of Chaos Emeralds) from your island. How original!
Gameplay:
For the most part this game looks and feels like your average Sonic title (minus the blue hedgehog, of course). You collect rings, you jump on enemies, you fight bosses, and you tackle 3D bonus stages (similar to the ones in Sonic 2). What makes this game different is its tethering system, a major gimmick that this game throws at you right off the bat. I’m not sure what the point of this gimmick is, but literally the entire game is centered around it.
Let me explain how it works. You play as a “primary” character that you can select when you start the game. I always picked Knuckles because, well, the game is named after him and it just seemed right. You are assigned a sidekick character. This character is tethered to you. If you try to play this game like you would any other Sonic game, you’re going to find that your partner is slowing you down dramatically. Unless you are stretching the tether (like a rubber band) and then letting go, propelling both characters forward, you are not going to be able to gain enough momentum to make it through even the most basic loop de loop.
I understand that by this point there had already been four major Sonic titles released, so they might have wanted to do something new with this game. I get that. I also understand that they might have been trying to “fix” two player mode so that the second player isn’t always getting left behind like in previous Sonic games. But basing the entire game around this gimmick was a major mistake, in my opinion.
This game is SO focused around this gimmick that it forgets about everything else. The stages seem barren and empty of enemies, making everything ridiculously easy. You can race through each of these stages in three or four minutes tops – especially after you’ve collected all the Chaos Rings. There’s almost no challenge to be found in this game, aside from figuring out how to use the tether mechanic to make it through obstacles.
After playing through about three or four stages, this game simply became a case of going through the motions. I’d already seen everything the game had to offer me. It was not challenging. There weren’t a ton of secrets to discover. My whole attitude towards this game was: meh.
The only real redeeming thing about this game is its bonus stages. They take place from a behind-the-back 3D perspective and consist of your character moving through a rotating tunnel, collecting enough blue orbs needed to obtain that stage’s Chaos Ring. This, more than anything else, reminded me of classic Sonic at its best. I would have happily played a whole game consisting of something like this.
Graphics:
I have to give this game credit: it looks fantastic. Take everything you love about the visuals of the Genesis Sonic games, and add more color and better animations to the mix. The levels look really nice. So do the characters. Even the game’s introduction looks really cool. Too bad it is a wasted effort on a crummy game.
Sound:
The game sounds really good too. All the classic Sonic sound effects are present, like the iconic jumping noise and all the ring collecting/getting hit sounds. The stage music is great, as always. I really have nothing to complain about as far as this game’s presentation. It looks and sounds really good. If only the gameplay matched its presentation.
Overall:
It’s really hard for me to say anything positive about this game. It has good graphics and good sound design. Everything else is very underwhelming.
All in all I can say that I am happy I got the opportunity to play Knuckles Chaotix. I wish the game was better, but it is what it is. Only the most dedicated Sonic fans need to check this out. Everyone else can safely skip it, and they won’t be missing much.
Final Score:
D
If you liked this review, check out some of my other game reviews:
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