The recently announced Knuckles TV series for Paramount+ is a bit surprising, especially given that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has not even come out yet. There's also the fact that, despite being the guardian of the Master Emerald, most of Knuckles' adventures are right along with Sonic. This lack of much source material could be upended if the show pulls from one obscure source.
Knuckles Chaotix may have been more tech demo than full-fledged Sonic spinoff, but it put the red echidna in a starring role alongside several other now classic characters. It also introduced a version of an iconic Sonic doppelganger that's recently appeared in the franchise's best game in years. Here's how the otherwise forgotten Knuckles Chaotix could be a door into summer for the Knuckles show's success.
What Was Sega's Knuckles Chaotix?
Knuckles Chaotix was a Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff that initially started as a game called Sonic Crackers. Taking the concepts of Sonic and Tails being tethered together during gameplay, the game switched them out for Knuckles the Echidna, as well as several other animalistic faces. These included the returning Mighty the Armadillo from SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Charmy Bee from the Sonic Manga, as well as new characters, Vector the Crocodile and the ninja chameleon Espio.
The story had Knuckles and company taking on the evil Doctor Robotnik, who, along with Metal Sonic from Sonic CD, seeks to use the powerful Chaos Rings of a strange island for nefarious purposes. Said island is a mix between tropical and beach locales, with theme park-based designs, embodying all that people expected from Sonic.
Essentially a glorified tech demo for the Sega 32X, the game's avatars pushed the limits of side scrolling graphics, and its New Jack Swing-inspired soundtrack is beloved among fans. Since it's from 1995, it's been mostly forgotten and almost never ported. Still, it was Knuckles' first outing outside of a mainline Sonic game, and perhaps the biggest potential inspiration for the upcoming TV show.
How Could Knuckles Chaotix Inspire the Paramount+ TV Show?
There's really not much material for Knuckles on his own, and as a franchise, Sonic as a whole has mostly just been a series of bouts with Robotnik/Eggman. The same can be said for Knuckles Chaotix, in which the not so good doctor is again the villain. Still, elements from the game could definitely show up in the upcoming Knuckles TV series on the Paramount+ streaming service.
For one, Team Chaotix -- made up of Espio, Vector and Charmy -- should definitely be introduced, namely the modern incarnations which are portrayed as detectives. Their presence could be framed as part of a wider mystery in the show, such as the disappearance of the Master Emerald or something else involving Knuckles. Given that he's recently shown up in the DLC for Sonic Mania, Mighty the Armadillo might as well be introduced, too. This would allow the live-action franchise to introduce more of Sonic's friends than just the "trinity" of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.
Speaking of Sonic Mania, Sonic Mania Plus brought back the gigantic incarnation of Metal Sonic from Knuckles Chaotix. Though this villain might work best by first fighting the real Sonic, it would be a cool idea to have Knuckles "prove" himself by fighting his advanced robotic look-alike. In drawing from Knuckles Chaotix, the show could also redeem that game's overlooked legacy, perhaps enticing Sega to finally bring it to modern consoles in some capacity.