Sonic Frontiers is coming later this year, and many fans are wondering how Sonic Team is going to include Sonic’s cast of friends in the title. The vast world the game is presenting shows little of where the likes of Tails, Shadow, or Amy could fit. This could be on purpose, as Sonic’s friends can be a bit divisive outside the fanbase. While some like the possibilities a different playable character with different powers and abilities presents, others see them as a distraction or an unnecessary detour to what should be the main event: Sonic himself.
In the past, this has resulted in the cast being used in strange ways. Some examples of this include Shadow working for GUN, Blaze being retconned to be from the future instead of the past, and the entirety of the Storybook series of games. However, one of the most prominent issues this has resulted in is new characters for roles or even gameplay styles that already existing characters could fit. Blaze was already a character from a far away place - another dimension - that didn’t trust Sonic, and yet Silver the Hedgehog was created. Infinite was created as an enemy to Sonic under Robotnik’s control with an array of powers despite Metal Sonic being around.
One of the most prominent examples is the Werehog in Sonic Unleashed. Put bluntly, Knuckles should have been put in place of the Werehog. In the game, he is instead used as a background character similar to how Tails and Amy are. Despite a play style that fits him perfectly, a new character with a strange explanation for being there and with powers and abilities that are not really explained is created instead. Even if the Werehog were included, it didn’t need to be playable, as Knuckles would’ve fit the role it played far better. This issue is something that Sonic Frontiers should strive to avoid.
Why Playing As Knuckles Would Have Worked
The biggest argument for Knuckles to be in place of the Werehog is the way he is played. Starting off with the Sonic game's platforming, the Werehog levels are often designed with large gaps and vertical challenges in mind. This is perfect for Knuckles and his ability to climb walls and glide. These could easily replace the awkward swinging and extended arms the Werehog has, even expanding on the gameplay since Knuckles’ gliding could open up the level design to be more expansive. Something like the New York level with Knuckles’ abilities and wider level design would be much less of a slog.
The Werehog levels also tend to have some mild environmental puzzles for Sonic fans to solve. Moving boxes to get around or opening doors with switches are mild mechanics that ensure the way to progress forward isn’t always obvious. Thanks to Knuckles’ playstyle in the Adventure games, he would make a great fit for this as well. His treasure hunting abilities would make perfect sense for not only these light environmental puzzles, but more sophisticated puzzles that could’ve diversified the gameplay even further. His superior platforming abilities could’ve been implemented in the puzzle solutions as well.
Finally, Knuckles is called as such thanks to the huge spiked knuckles he has on his hands. Third person beat-em-up combat would be perfect for Knuckles. He’s always been portrayed as a strong character, stronger than Sonic even, and this would have been a perfect time to show that off. Knuckles also has the ability to burrow underground, and this could be used in combat as well. It can be a way to sneak up on enemies before engaging them for a stealth takedown, or it can be a way to travel across the battleground quickly. The holes could even be used as traps for the enemies to fall into.
Protagonist Knuckles and The Lesson Sonic Frontiers Should Learn
Knuckles would also work perfectly within the story of the game because he’s already in it. The plot shows him mostly helping Sonic out outside where Sonic is currently, and that could be used to the game’s advantage. There could be stages where Knuckles is playable when Sonic is in another part of the world, similar to how some stages see gamers playing the Werehog when its nighttime in that part of the map. Amy could be his companion during these sections. The story would literally not change at all, as Knuckles would just need to be included in some of the plot’s discoveries instead of the Werehog.
It’s also worth diving deeper into the issue that Sonic becoming the Werehog doesn’t make a lot of sense and didn’t need to be included. The explanation given is that Sonic turns into the Werehog because after having the Chaos Emeralds ripped from him while he was Super Sonic, and he absorbs a portion of Dark Gaia’s energy. This is also why he loses this transformation when Dark Gaia takes the energy back. However, this doesn’t explain why the transformation only happens at night, or why he loses his speed while in this form, or why he gains a strength increase or stretchable arms. None of these things would be an issue with Knuckles because he and his abilities had already been established.
These things could be explained and the Werehog could’ve been better utilized without it being playable and Knuckles put in its stead. Sonic could stop himself from going out while he was in the Werehog form, similar to the story of the actual Werewolf, and have Knuckles go out for him. Maybe Sonic goes crazy while in Werehog form, and there’s a boss fight where Knuckles needs to subdue the Werehog. With or without the Werehog, Knuckles works better as a playable character rather than the Werehog.
Sonic Frontiers is in a similar although less dire situation than Sonic Unleashed was 15 or so years ago. It’s the follow-up to a disappointing game, and can be seen as a shot at redemption for the Blue Blur. Hopefully, Frontiers won’t make the mistakes Sonic Unleashed did by making an unnecessary new character to, in essence, replace a fan favorite who would’ve worked just as well. Good game design as well as good will among fans would be lost if Sonic Unleashed's mistakes were repeated. Besides, Sonic at this point has so many friends that there’s not much more a new character could introduce to the cast that isn’t already covered.
Sonic Frontiers will be released later this year on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
