KNUCKLES' CHAOTIX

Released on Sega's 32X add-on for the Mega Drive, Knuckles' Chaotix is a colourful 2D platformer that introduced some unique gameplay elements and new characters, as well as giving Knuckles his only ever starring role

- Words by Faith Johnson

THE GAME

Knuckles has teamed up with the Chaotix Crew for a mission to thwart Dr Robotnik and Metal Sonic as they try to capture six Chaos Rings and take over a mystical island. The game is a lot like other Sonic games, featuring fast-paced platforming action and the bold, bright visuals that the series is known for.

The biggest departure from the usual Sonic gameplay is that players use two characters at once, tethered together by a magic rubber band. This gives a new way to play a Sonic game and creates some unique gameplay mechanics to experiment with. Players can use a charge-up move to create a speed blast or throw their teammates upward to reach higher platforms. As with other games in the Sonic universe, each of the five levels is broken down into different acts. The acts take place across different times of the day, from morning, noon, evening and night, with the fifth being a big boss battle. Each time of day has unique décor and enemies to take on, and interestingly, acts aren't played linearly but are chosen at random until all are complete.