Does this need a re-release? Knuckles' CHAOTIX Review and Retrospective
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
- Welcome to Hill Top Terebi. To celebrate the imminent release of KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA on Paramount Plus I wanted to take a look back at the one classic Sonic The Hedgehog release that has completely passed me by for almost 20 years... Knuckles' CHAOTIX, originally released on the 32X!
Despite being a Sonic spin off released during the height of the character's 90s popularity, Chaotix remains a fairly obscure game as, despite fan demand, it has NEVER received a re-release.
Anyway, I can't wait any longer for an official re-release from SEGA so join me in celebrating all thinks KNUCKLES (as well as Vector the Crocodile, Mighty the Armadillo, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee) as I finally play (and review!) KNUCKLES' CHAOTIX for the VERY FIRST TIME!
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:16 Who are Chaotix?
03:13 Sonic The Comic
04:21 Story
06:11 Visuals
08:47 Gameplay
14:14 Audio
15:14 Conclusion
17:00 Outro and Final Thoughts
Thank you for checking out this video. If you enjoyed it, hit the like button and share your thoughts on Chaotix with me in the comments section below. And consider subscribing if you're new here!
Cheers! - Ігри
Thanks so much for watching this video. If you enjoyed it, please hit the like button and consider subscribing if you're new here! Would you like to see Chaotix get a re-release? Leave your thoughts in the comments! Cheers!!
I 1000% with you they need to rerelease this. Also as someone pointed out, it’s canon since it’s in IDW which is the same continuity. I loved watching this, I am always in favor of re-releasing the old games and think Sega are just being cowards about the whole “damaging the reputation” thing. Plus, it’s not like sonic has anywhere to go but up.
@@Yousef77077 it's really hard to emulate a 32x game like Chaotix.
Chaotix is actually canon since it appeared in Tails Tube and Chaotix island appeared in IDW
*Newtrogic High Zone (do they call it that in IDW? I'm curious)
When I tried this game I hated the movement... then it clicked. I finally realized how the rubber band works and everything became amazing. Going though three floors with well executed rubber jump is the most satisfying thing ever. Love this game.
If ever there was a Sonic Mania 2, I want them to remix levels from Chaotix and turn them from the five somewhat repetitive acts into a more "classic" two act structure. I feel like these stages may have some good ideas but are hampered with how Chaotix chose to handle them, so a "streamlined remix" could help salvage them.
Remakes of zones from the 8 bit games from Master System and Game Gear (and Sonic 3 Competition mode) would be nice, too.
@@festafunerea Agreed. I loved Triple Trouble as a kid, with Sunset Park Zone as my favourite. Having a remake of that in a Mania 2 would be awesome.
Knuckles chaotix is not a good game, but it DOES need a re-release
if they re release it they are prob gonna fix the people stuff a bit hates like the rope (ropes can usually turn right and left like a zig zag or something so they’ll probably fix the rope if it does)
It honestly needs a remake because t
Damn it's a pretty game
Imo it’s a really fun game, where I can just run through the levels without a care in the world
Everyone hates on this game but I personally love it, I just don't like the boss fights, pretty much the same way I feel about superstars
Idk I honestly have fun with the ring mechanic. But ofc that's just me
Chaotix was meant to be included in gems collection.
I imagine it wasn't simply because they didn't know how to properly emulate the 32x?
@@SmashCrafter321 Yeah they had problems with emulating 32x hardware. They also wanted the arcade game SegaSonic the hedgehog as well they couldn't figure out the controls as SegaSonic controlled with a trackball
I fucking love the everything including character designs from this game and it hurts that this game will never get a re-release or a remake because SEGA probably thinks it won't sell 😭 like the only problem I had with then game is probably the level design /system
This is one of those times where I *VOID* Flynn's testimony. Of course Knuckles' Chaotix is canon!
Even TailsTube has Knuckles acknowledge his adventure with them (Mighty included). People rave over there being one world, so by logic, they have to accept that episode of TailsTube as well.
Great video as always. Keep up the good work.
Thank you!
Someone needs to provide SEGA with a really good emulation engine for the 32x so they can FINALLY add Chaotix to a compilation.
It's existed for years now. If that really is the reason this game's never been re-released, it's a wonder as to how they haven't cracked it yet.
I don’t care how bad the gameplay is, but if it has that trippy 90s sonic aesthetic, I’m playing it
The non-canon status not set on stone nowadays and it's a bit more blurry,
Tails Tube pretty much use it for lore between Knuckles, Mighty and the Chaotix.
Sonic Mania Plus marketing also feeds into that idea.
Ah cool! Sounds like I need to catch up on Tails Tube. That's good to hear. I don't know why they game would need to be non-canon. Cheers!
Oh man I remember the first time I saw the Chaotix Crew coming in STC coming out of the Omni-viewer! (Jeez remember him? Loved that character too)
As for Chaotix game itself, I'm actually a fan of it and quite nostalgic for it. Newcomers can find the mechanics awkward, but I find that if you give it a chance to learn it, it becomes really intuitive and works well with the stage design. Totally agree on the soundtrack being awesome too. Plus the end Metal Sonic Kai always reminds me of a Xenomorph for some reason lol.
I'd love to see a re-release of this, maybe in a new collection, bundled with SegaSonic Arcade etc, like we had Sonic Gems collection, with a follow up Sonic Emerald Collection? Maybe Christian Whitehead could make a Sonic Jam style Hubworld to traverse and pick features etc. But I can dream haha.
Love the video dude great seeing you back!
A real deep cuts collection with this, SegaSonic and a few others would be awesome. Probably wouldn't be particularly successful outside of the core Sonic fanbase, but probably pretty cheap to put together should Sega want to do it. Definitely see the xenomorph influence in Kai!!
We can't even get Sega to include the superior Master System versions over the Game Gear in compilations for seemingly no reason. A 32x game is just out of the question.
Now imagine if Sega had the stones to include the Saturn version of 3D blast.
SEGA probably won’t re-release this because they’ll have to develop 32X compatibility to work whatever Genesis emulator they use
If I could play 32x games on my Compaq computer back in 2002 SEGA can definitely re release it 😂
The low level of badniks confused me... I figured this was just an unfinished game
I grew up with the SNES during this era, and only got to experience the Sonic series later on. I've never known much about this game, but you've left me with an urge to check it out. Fingers crossed for some sort of re-release.
Always makes my day when you upload a new video.
Being from the UK, I appreciate all the Sonic the comic mentions
I think difficulty emulating the 32x could be another reason it hasn't been rereleased.
The canon thing is so silly though. I never hear Mario fans complain that Paper Mario, Mario Galaxy, and Mario Kart aren't all canon with each other. Sonic fans didn't used to care either, when did this thing start where everything had to be fit together or be declared "non-canon"?
Not gonna lie this would be the perfect time to add knuckles chaotix into into sonic origins and I know they won’t
Dude the render of knuckles on the thumbnail is actually sick
I'm surprised that none of the other comments mentioned this but the game did have a two player mode similar to Sonic 2 & 3 you simply plugged in a second controller, it actually makes the game much easier to play as long as you don't get stuck with Bomb or Heavy.
*HE'S BACK!!*
Wow one hour ago , my earliest yet
The depth at which you were talking about the bungee cord (ring tether) made me think you completely mastered it, unlike everybody else. It sounds like you figured out how to use it well, "skill issue" or not.
I definitely didn't master it 😁 but the more I played the more I understood the gist of how to use it. It's a bonkers mechanic!
Actually, Sega has changed their minds about Knuckles' Chaotix being non-canon because in a recent Tails Tube video, Knuckles mentions a time back when he hung out with the boys showing footage of the game's title screen.
Something funny about this video is I’m a graphic design student and one of my current projects is designing the packaging and potential extras for if this game was re-released and now UA-cam has recommended me ur video
That's a very cool project!
This is probably the only major-ish sonic spin-off game I’ll probably never own it Knuckles’ Chaotix. One hundred dollars on top of an extra one hundred dollars.
Mmm makes me glad I got mine back in 2006 for way less then what it's going for now.
Overburdened visual, random levels, random partners... This game is too chaotic, indeed. No wonder it called Chaotix. The fact that each character has unique gameplay is a cool feature though.
Also knuckles chaotix is a game I really enjoy but it's current price to get a copy off means it will likely forever be out of my grasp same with a 32x
Man, I never realised how much of a band of misfits the Chaotix are in terms of origins. Everyone except Espio came from an obscure source (whether it's a scrapped character or a Japanese-only game/manga) and even Espio arguably counts, considering Knuckles' Chaotix's obscurity. It's actually quite a nice aspect to tie them all together.
Knuckles has been on the ascendency since he smoked the smart weed.
I had this game. Was one of five people in the world who had a 32X. I remember enjoying it because I was ten and just loved everything Sonic related. It did feel like the next step from Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
Problem is, it’s too barren of enemies, stages go on to long and the rubber band mechanics sporadically work at least.
Hey, I remember those Sonic the Comic issues. Good times
Knuckles Chaotix is a very good game and very fun game if you learn or mastered its physics and stages.
It has excellent visuals, great colors and new gimmicks from the previous five 2D classics.
People just saying that isn’t good either because it isn’t like its predecessors and the ring mechanism makes a different gameplay from what they have used to play, or because they have seen it from a video, or they red bad comment or because the stages are vertical etc.
This game had a lot of potential to be so much better, but it is very fun as it is also.
Sonic Mania which is one of the best Sonic games ever, has many gimmicks from this game and references, so if someone want to give it a try or a second chance, I think he or she will be have a fun time.
...Knuckles Chaotix is non-canon now? ...But they later updated Sonic Mania's Metal Sonic race to have him transform into the giant monstrous form he had in Chaotix as a boss fight...
I'm just gonna be left to assume it's non-canon to the 3D era of games
So wee bit of trivia for you the plan for sonic gems collection was to port sonic CD along with sonic R, sonic the fighters, Sega sonic the hedgehog and knuckles chaotix on one collection basically the games but we don't know how they didn't end up on the disc for knuckles chaotix while Sega sonic the hedgehog was omitted due to the emulation of the track ball was causing issues or so was reported and we only know knuckles chaotix was considered to be added was due to the artwork being in the gallery on the collection in the same way sonic CD and sonic r had their artwork in their own page.
Interesting, I never knew that! Thanks for the info. Sounds like it was close to seeing a re-release back in the day then! Shame it didn't happen in the end.
@@HillTopTerebi yeah it is a shame but there is always hope it will be brought out some day soon like maybe if sega lets them add 32X games to the compilations or the sega megadrive/genesis online app for the switch
I always thought the Chaotix were so cool, especially Espio. When I found out they were bringing them back as playable characters in Sonic Heroes, I shit my pants!
I didn't mind the mission style gameplay all that much - the boys were back!
At the end of the 32X’s life, Toys R Us put the it on sale for $15. Probably to clear inventory. I bought it just to play Knuckles Chaotix.
If you can get ahold of a 32X that’s still the best way to play I think, as the emulator footage here looks more choppy.
My suspicion on why Sega never re-released it is technical reasons. Most of Sega’s earlier rereleases have been based on Genesis emulators. 32X emulation is probably comparable to Saturn emulation in complexity but with a much smaller library. Games on 32X like Chaotix used both the Genesis and 32X hardware simultaneously.
As seen in your video, the emulation isn’t as good as actual hardware.
Newer rereleases of classic Sonic games have been based on the Retro Engine, I think. I guess there may also be some technical limitations here that prevent a faithful Chaotix port using that engine. Not sure, just a guess.
In any case, I liked the game concept, visuals and music. But it was a bit short, and the level design was a bit bland. While the levels are big and colorful, they are not particularly memorable, and there isn’t a meaningful difference in difficulty between the levels (which is perhaps why they can be played in any order).
By the looks of this game.
Pros:
- Great concept
- Fantastic music
- New Items exclusive for this game
Cons:
- Too short (if you go for the bad route)
- Long process of zone
- Heavy and Bomb could a bit better with better design and personality
Overall: It needs to be remake.
The one sonic game i can't finish not because i think it's bad but because the rom i was playing keeps crashing
Chaotix is great! I still have my 32X and the original cart. I was big into Sonic and Co. back in the pre-Dreamcast days.
Have you played Penny's Big Breakaway? It's visual design takes a lot of cues from Chaotix.
It was made by Evening Star, the company co-founded by Christian Whitehead. I get the feeling he's a fan, too.
Penny's Big Breakaway is on my to do list. I'm excited to play it soon. It looks great! Speaking of Christian Whitehead, he pitched remaking Chaotix to Sega in his engine at one point, I believe? Awesome that you still have your 32X cart!
If Sonic Blast for the game gear is able to get represented on Sonic Origins, then Knuckles Chaotix SHOULD get it!
The fact SEGA won’t even mention this game’s existence is beyond cruel.
I begged and harassed my mom to take me to a off brand game store to buy this way back in 1995.i purchased knuckles chaotix from there and a $20 32x from a toys r us mark-down sale with the money I earned from cleaning offices of my grandmother's church friend.i am a HARDCORE SONIC FAN . I had/have ALL of the mainline sega genesis sonic games, collected the comics and watched EVERY episode of BOTH sonic cartoon series of that period. To this day I still have every item I just mentioned and YES that means I still have my genesis with the 32x WITH a copy of KNUCKLES CHAOTIX. It is very underrated .yes the rubber band mechanic was very odd and awkward BUT once you mess with it becomes fun to manipulate it to traverse the platform design this game presents. I used to dump HOURS into this just like I did all of the other genesis sonics.this is the origin story of the chaotix characters who were designed to be KNUCKLES' team.(they put mighty the armadillo from the segasonic arcade game of 1992 on the squad and left out ray the flying squirrel for some unknown reason to the fanbase)YES this deserves a re-release.
Espio running on cielings is just the coolest thing. Robo blast 2 shows this in spades
Chaotix is dope I've played an emulator and managed to purchase an actual physical cart some time ago but I always love games with a variety of sonic characters the more the merrier and having the crew with diverse skills to approach the game with the different combinations was fun for me I say bring it back hell if you can rerelease sonic the fighters a bunch of times why not
all i can say with the visuals of the game, is that Philips would make big cash having their Ambilight televisions (a led lights that follow the content and beam it on the back of the tv).
if they would have this game running on their tv's on a dark room.
oh holy rainbow vomit, what a light show it os to have not only those light but also your ceiling hue bulb go all over the rainbow on this game.
Knuckles Chaotix needs a remake.
This is very good, still got my copy. 32X did nothing wrong ha. Enjoyed the original gameplay and atmosphere. Yeah needs a re-release
My bro got this for 10$ when 32x was on the way out. That same day I got a copy of shadow squadron.
@@gjergjaurelius9798 Same was a 2nd hand birthday gift in '96 ha. Got Chaotix, Virtua Fighter & Metalhead with it but that's all
Great review! I beated this game some years ago when I was in the middle of a Sonic marathon, but I really don't like it.. Don't get me wrong, i like the graphics for the most part, I loved the unique gameplay, love the characters, love the soundtrack, even liked the special stages a lot! But it all came down to the level design.. it's just so confusing and all over the place, it was a rough time for me because of it. Really wish it wasn't an issue, this game could be really great
Also, on another note, I would like to ask a more personal question: Do you have interest in reviewing indie games that have Sonic inspirations on them?
Thank you. I can see where you're coming from. Some of the levels in this definitely can be a bit of a chore.
Re: Indie games - maybe! I really enjoyed Freedom Planet a few years back!
I like it, it takes time to not suck at it though. Great music too
Tbh after origins & colors ultimate i'd rather someone make an s3 air equivalent instead of a rerelease. I think sega mentioned something about remakes getting more time, effort, and budget onwards, but i just dont trust em.
Fair point! I guess we'll soon see how Generations turns out to see if they're true to their word on that. (Saying that though, Generations remake has gotta be the easiest remaster of them all. It already looks great and runs at 4K 60fps on Series X - and PC I assume. Can't see how they can screw that one up!)
it would need some more enemies in its zones for a rerelease. I am under the impression that they would if they could because even before they wanted to rebuild the brand there was no rerelease. I think they lost everything from the game internally and would probably have to recreate things kind of like they needed new assets for Stardust Speedway in Sonic Mania.
Yes it needs one now
As someone who grew up with Chaotix, I feel like Sonic Colors honestly did the theme park rescue thing better. Chaotix gets repetitive if the roulette keeps giving you the same stage since they don't vary much and there's 5 of them, and the bungie mechanic is kinda gimmicky to get to do what you need to clear some areas... I like the game, but its one of the few I don't have a lot of nostalgia for outside of the awesome music it had.
I would love to play this but I can't at present. As for why they never released it in any ports, I think it has something to do with the hardware being a nightmare to reprogram for it.
So the game was so complicated to run on it's own console they just can't port it without burning effort into redoing it from the ground up.
let's say this... i was watching someone's video about this.... what if Knuckle's Chaotix takes place in a new timeline because of the timeline created by Generations ???
Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic each have their own timelines now, so the argument that this game is non-canon doesn't hold up anymore. Sonic Mania brought back Mighty and Ray, with a boss similar to Metal Sonic Kai. I think it has more to do with the stigma of the 32X being a commercial failure than the game's own quality.
sad wechidna wasnt mentioned but noice
Game's not quite shit but is so violently underwhelming due to the underlying gameplay concept being flawed and funny enough not working well with the hardware
This game gets unnecessary heat. Ya maybe some levels I found a way to trick to the roulette thing to get the bee and essentially pull a “tails” by flying through hard parts haha…but still. Come on who played as the armadillo or chameleon? The alligator was okay but no way anyone beat the bee.
If Sonic CD, a game that came out for the Sega CD that was another addon for the Sega Genesis could be re-released tons of times, why not Knuckles' Chaotix? What was so special about Sonic CD that Chaotix couldn't have?
Well, Sega used emulation as an excuse(It seems) why they rarely port Knuckles Chaotix. Originally Chaotix is supposed to port to Sonic Gems Collection, but that idea got scrapped for that reason. The reason why they're able to port Sonic CD so many times despite the original Sega CD version of Sonic CD has a similar emulation issue by Sega is because they use alternatives since day one on porting. Gems Collection uses the PC port of Sonic CD instead of the original Sega CD version, which is a much easier alternative. And the modern releases of Sonic CD is a remaster made by a ground up by Christian Whitehead and his team, so no emulation situation involve there. Maybe if Knuckles Chaotix got remastered in the retro engine by Christian Whitehead, we'll see more re-releases of this game often? Probably.
Give us a remake
TailsTube has "recanonized" Knuckles Chaotix. Knuckles references the game in one of the episodes.
I have the cartridge.
I played and loved it as a kid.
Would not recommend it.
Does this need a re-release.
yes
JUST YES
as it is almost inposible to play without emulation
I love this game! But it needs to not have that dumb ring connector shit! 👍
This may (as well as Sonic CD) be the ONLY sonic game I didn't play. It does looks interesting but Sonic was never my favourite game (shock horror I know). I used to enjoy watching my brother play it. I remember recently seeing a boxed copy in CEX for £375 & got a PS5 instead. Did I make the wrong choice? Probably.
It's weird that they e never rereleased this one on a compilation or something considering a lot of the other weird deep cuts they've rereleased. Sonic the Fighters is just OK, Sonic R is super devicive and a few of the game gear games are downright bad. My theory is that it's an emulation issue to poet it properly. It's the only game they have on the 32x and it was really bizarre hardware.
You could be right re: emulation issue. Although I believe Christian Whitehead pitched to do a port of it using his engine which sadly Sega declined to do...
Sega pulls a Sony
I M O
It's pronounced "chow ticks"
I´ve fell in love with this game thanks to Sonic Heroes and emulator scene It was also the reason, why I wanted to own a 32X. Thanks to the flashcards, it works the way it should, but I hope one day I can own this game as an original. Believe me when I say Mega Drive Model 1 + Mega CD II + 32X = A BEAUTIFUL LOOK AND AN AWESOME FEELING. It´s very a shame, that Sega didn´t re released Knuckles Chaotix yet. I had hope so many times. But if the rumours of a Sonic Heroes Remake are true, MAYBE THIS TIME, it will be re released. Even if as an unlockable bonus. I don´t give the hope up.
It would make a good pairing with a Heroes re-release for sure. Fingers crossed it happens!!
You are 1000% correct that this is fun even if it has flaws. In my opinion flaws ≠ should be forgotten and that’s a harmful mentality because it’s erasing history. Advance and the others need some love too. Sega needs to stop the whole “no game below 70 on metacritic should be acknowledged”. It’s counterproductive to their strategy because cowardice still harms your image anyways.
as someone who did play chaotix as a kid, no it's not good. The 5 acts per level setup is just exhausting.
Music has always been a bop though.
Controversial take here.
I kind of like that this game hasn't been rereleased. There's something super mysterious about this game that gives it an almost urban legend quality. Obviously with the prevalance of the internet, less so. But as a kid, I remember hearing about this game but never playing it until I loaded it up in the early 2000's on the emulator GENS. Honestly, it felt like a fever dream of the game, since nothing about the game makes sense. The colour scheme and level design has no clear vision and seems haphazardly thrown together. The main gameplay gimmick is not fun and it's incredible it made it past the prototype stage since I think most people will realise it sucks within the first 20 seconds. And the fact that it's on a failed console that most people don't own is just the icing on the cake.
I mean, as far as I am aware, apart from Tails Skypatrol, it's one of the only Sonic games not to have 'Sonic' in the title right?
And Tail's Sky Patrol is another game that feels just as mysterious.
Haha definitely not a fan of Chaotix, eh? I can see the appeal of it remaining mysterious, but I also really like it and would love to see it get a proper remaster. I think Christian Whitehead wanted to do one for a while.
Because it's HORRIBLE !!
I challenge you to play 30 minutes of this $%;t !
This guy.....THIS GAME LOOKS WIERD WHEN THE SPRITES SCALE. no mention of the fact this game is supposed to be run on a charged up gensis. WHY GRAPHICS BLOCKY!?!?! IT'S 2024!!!! never mind this game was made in 1995. rediculous arguements. go play fortnight if it bugs you so much.
Knuckles into Dreams✨🦸🌈💥🙃