So, I was going to jump right into the 3D Sonic games with Sonic Adventure, but as I was watching some clips of Sonic Mania I found something quite interesting in my book. At 1:24 in the video below, I found the Combine Ring from Knuckles' Chaotix. Then, I realized that this review has to be done before we go 3D up in here!

While Sonic Team did an exceptional job making sure Knuckles' Chaotix had the look of a Sonic game, the general “feel” of a Sonic game is abundantly absent. Knuckles' Chaotix is a unique kind of game that requires the gamer to use a “buddy system” where they are constantly linked to their partner via a special ring (it’s more commonly referred to as a “rubber band” due to the elasticity between you and your partner). This creates an entirely new dynamic of gameplay that is refreshingly new for the series yet the execution is anything but spectacular.

1) Story

As is tradition, Dr. Robotnik finds the location of the Chaos Ring which is used to power the amusement park on Carnival Island. The diabolical doctor plans to steal the emerald and use it for his newest weapons. Dr. Robotnik traps many of Knuckles' friends until Knuckles shows up and chases him off. Using the Ring Power, Knuckles and his friends work together to stop Robotnik before it's too late.

Pretty standard Sonic story across the board except Sonic is absent from this shindig. Knuckles is badass enough to handle it on his own, so Sonic Team threw him in the fray. As I mentioned a moment ago, Sonic Team remained very faithful to the overall look of a Sonic game. The colors are extremely vibrant, perhaps a bit enhanced with the power of the 32X, but regardless… Very exciting and fun to look at. But it’s not all perfect. Something about the badniks (Dr. Robotnik’s evil minions) just don’t look and feel quite right. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but they don’t seem to separate from the background well enough and can be a bitch to spot at times. Hm, oh well. You learn to move around a little more cautiously because of it.

2) Gameplay

Despite great graphics, brilliant colors, and exciting music, Knuckles' Chaotix is NOT a great game, especially considering that it’s supposed to live up to the hype of a Sonic game. The overall feel is odd and weird, as I mentioned before. This whole rubber band and buddy system causes some serious slow-down in the gameplay itself. Not saying the framerate slows down or anything, but the pace of the game definitely slows down. By holding B, you can make your partner stand still allowing you to stretch the rubber band (ring) until it is completely taut. This takes about 5 to 7 seconds. Then you can release either the B button or the directional button (depending which way you’re trying to go) and you will both be catapulted. It’s a neat little trick but it really destroys the pacing of the game, something that the Sonic series prides itself on. Furthermore, the rubber band dynamics are overly difficult to master (if they can ever be mastered) globally resulting in poor gameplay mechanics.

The Special Stages are really neat, however, as they include some wacky 3D layouts that come out extremely well on the 32X. Instead of the traditional half-pipe special stage where you collect a certain number of rings to get your Chaos Emerald, here you have to collect blue spheres (like the ones in Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3) while going through this wacky hexagon pipe and the occasional open plain. Why is this neat? Because it’s so damn different. Hell, this could have been a game on its own with some more development. There are obstacles to avoid and quick-reaction maneuvers that are required to avoid pitfalls and more. It almost looks like this was originally some sort of beta-testing stage for another game that got scrapped and recycled into Knuckles' Chaotix. But who cares? It’s fun in this game and boosts it up a notch.

3) Overall

Knuckles' Chaotix is exciting at times and truly frustrating and boring at others. While the stages might look fantastic with their vivid and lively colors, the actual layout of each stage is extremely confusing and tough as shit to navigate at times. While successfully having the look and sound of a true Sonic game, the feel of Sonic is wholly shattered and cast into oblivion. I’m not a fan of the rubber band system as it slows down gameplay and makes for some unnecessarily frustrating moments. The game has a nice polish to it, but for whatever reason, the final boss battle has a stage that looks almost incomplete! Did they run out of time? I know the 32X system was rushed to market, so I guess it’s possible. Moving on…

Rating: 3 / 5