STACK #243 January 2025

MOVIE FEATURE

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He might be a red rocket of energy, but KNUCKLES TURNS 30 Knuckles turns 30 this year. The character made his debut in the 1994 SEGA Mega Drive game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , appearing as an antagonist and guardian of a Master Emerald, located on a mysterious floating island where he lays traps for Sonic and Tails as they attempt to retrieve emeralds from the evil Dr. Robotnik. That same year, Knuckles landed a co-starring role in SEGA’s Sonic & Knuckles , a game originally developed as part of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but released separately due to time constraints. Gamers from the '90s might remember the innovative Sonic

& Knuckles expansion cartridge, an adapter that allowed players to combine the game with Sonic 3 to create Sonic 3 & Knuckles . Over the years, Knuckles has appeared in most Sonic games, spin-offs, and crossovers. He's also been featured in various comic book adaptations and several animated children’s television series.

Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog agree that Knuckles is far from a mere cash-grab spin-off. Instead, it’s a legitimate addition to the franchise, offering a fully developed and engaging story. Words Glenn Cochrane

T he titular character, of course, is Knuckles the Echidna, the former rival of Sonic turned best friend who appeared in the second and third live action movies, voiced by Idris Alba. Knuckles is the franchise's first live action television series, taking place between Sonic 2 and 3 - Paramount CEO Brian Robbins describes the six-episode show as a miniseries. Having just defeated the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) at the end of Sonic 2 , Knuckles and Sonic settle in for an idyllic life on Earth with the Wachowski family, which is where we find them at the start of the new series. Knuckles is struggling to adapt to his new life and decides to take Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), the dim-witted policeman from the movies, on as an apprentice, training him in the ways of the Echidna in preparation for an upcoming bowling tournament. Their routine is interrupted when a former agent of Dr. Robotnik arrives on the scene, looking to steal Knuckles’ power. The series owes much of its success to the return of its original creative team. John

KNUCKLES THROUGH THE AGES

1994 Sonic the Hedgehog 3

1996 Sonic R

2000 Sonic Shuffle

1999 Sonic Underground (TV)

1996 Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie

Whittington, co-writer of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and 3 (as well as The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie ), serves as showrunner. Several key cast members are also back, including Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, and Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, alongside Elba and Pally. More exciting still is the calibre of new players to the series, with Hollywood icons like Cary Elwes, Christopher Lloyd, and Stockard Channing joining the cast.

2014 Sonic Boom (TV)

2003 Sonic X (TV)

2022-2024 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 & 3 (Films)

• Knuckles is out Jan 15

2022 Sonic Prime (TV)

The combination of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles into Sonic 3 & Knuckles led to some ridicule within the gaming community due to its unwieldy title. Over time, it became a running joke,

with gamers humorously tacking “...& Knuckles” onto the end of awkward or overly long game titles. Among the “victims” of this cheeky trend are Super Mario All-Stars & Knuckles , Knuckles &

Knuckles, Sonic Mania & Knuckles , and Mega Man & Bass & Knuckles, among countless others. The meme even transcended gaming, inspiring fans to apply the gag to unrelated products and ventures.

Embracing the humour, the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account once challenged fans to create their own “& Knuckles” memes, sparking a flood of hilariously creative responses.

24 JANUARY 2025

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