Ranking How USELESS Knuckles is in Every Sonic Game

[@thehunterjk2521]

“Let’s go get those minors!” - Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic Boom)

[@jeremymklinger]

🤨

[@chadgorosaurus4898]

Knuckles is getting canceled

[@SparklingJam]

@@chadgorosaurus4898that was the incident in the twitter takeover

[@Ultron-dooms-droid]

@@chadgorosaurus4898I thought you were only on kaiju videos, I guess I was wrong, I see you every where, no joke

[@Huhneee]

@@chadgorosaurus4898 No.

[@zachpro5475]

I didn’t chuckle while watching this video

[@jeremymklinger]

I’d rather flex my muscles 💪

[@luiiiiiiiiiiigi]

Unlike Sonic

[@repoversemedium]

@@luiiiiiiiiiiigiI don’t chuckle. I’d rather flex my muscles.

[@thebaconator9097]

I'm hard as nails. It ain't hard to tell.

[@sahaprocks7751]

@@repoversemedium I’m hard as nails, it ain’t hard to tell

[@gameexplorer9777]

The funniest thing that Sonic Boom Knuckles is more useful than modern Knuckles. 💀

[@MidnightAim1457]

OOOF 💀☠️

[@christiannorton9400]

No literally, this is the highest Rise of Lyric has ever been in a tier list video lmao

[@danieltimmons188]

5:44 BRO UNLOCKED THE FLAPPY BIRD PLAY STYLE

[@Slimeonian]

I say we make Knuckles’ infinite jump a canon ability. I mean it’s been in 2 games already, so let’s make it an actual ability he has lmao

[@KodasToyReviews]

I know it was in sonic boom, but I thought that it was only in that game

[@Slimeonian]

@@KodasToyReviews it was in Frontiers too but it was much slower than the Boom version.

[@lazy_bt]

@@Slimeonian that makes it 3 games then, because the 2nd boom game for the 3ds (fire and ice) had a glitch that allowed knuckles to fly too. maybe it was fixed like the rise of lyric flying glitch was, but idk

[@alptugraakan7490]

It is tho.They already said its name is "tax evasion"

[@GL1ITCHO-g6n]

Yea but he wont be able to glide(unless you either use a diff button or have to do the glitch)

[@RedDragonForce2]

Fun fact: Sonic 2 can be combined with Sonic and Knuckles, allowing Knuckles to be playable in Sonic 2 and Knuckles.

[@Nov-5062]

Tha's the definitive way to play Sonic 2

[@MidnightAim1457]

Yeah I use mobile and it does have him in sonic 1 and sonic 2

[@gunman8452]

Not to be that guy but it's called Knuckles in Sonic 2

[@RedDragonForce2]

@@gunman8452 I don’t blame you. I was mainly joking by making it a reference to Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

[@AntiZoophileOvergunner]

@@gunman8452 "um ackshually it's called Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2" 🤓

[@k.brooks9654]

If the Knuckles' show was included, it would be in the "he gone" tier. :P

[@E-102GammaMKII]

That's a straight-up lie.

[@TheSultan1470]

Waded and Whippled

[@thenewdylanstickmin7669]

I’ve only seen some of episode 1 but from what I’ve heard the series is apparently turning into “the wade show”

[@roycarter5859]

True frfr

[@dominiquephelps9769]

Every character is useful sonic is useful tails is useful knuckles is useful Amy is useful Eggman is useful and shadow is useful! Never let bro make useless sonic tier lists

[@violeta9970]

Final Horizon is not after the main story of Frontiers, but rather is an alternate ending for the game. So he's helping before the world is saved.

[@eduardodias2073]

Hard disagree on Frontiers, thorought the game he helps a lot and is incredibly likeable, the whole time you spend at the second island, you get to talk with Knuckles about his shared past with Sonic and while their classic rival relationship exists there, he's also openly thankfull for all Sonic did for him and is glad to be his friend (Also Final Horizons is an alternative ending to the story that is heavily implied to be the canon one, so not only his help there is completely accountable, but also his dialogues and coordination with Tails and Amy)

[@Leipajuusto-hj9ts]

Knuckles helped Sonic collect those coins in Sonic Generations

[@sina.am.legend9981]

Very important😂

[@Slimeonian]

THAT LOOKS LIKE A HOMING SHOT

[@Leipajuusto-hj9ts]

It was in that mini level

[@E-102GammaMKII]

That's a side mission not tied to the main story.

[@BH-98]

I liked his racing mission with classic Sonic

[@Rsam005]

Dude, Knuckles is elite in Sonic Forces. The fact that he isn't playable doesn't change a thing.

[@jamiegioca9448]

I can deconstruct this with just 3 words: “Operation” “Big” “Wave”

[@E-102GammaMKII]

@@jamiegioca9448 One word; Infinite

[@rainbowtoyfunrandomess1982]

We noticed very clearly that Knuckles became an idiot in the Sonic Boom Franchise especially when he can't tell his left from his right and we know he gets tricked very easily by Eggman, luckily he's moved passed this and he may be gullible, but he's still strong and he's tougher than leather.💪🏻❤️

[@alptugraakan7490]

I mean atleast its funny

[@LeonardoRodrigues-uj1sm]

You did not consider that in Sonic advance 2 he is tricked by eggman again, and fights Sonic in Sky Canyon using the machine Eggman made.

[@jeremymklinger]

I didn’t know that! Must’ve totally missed that in my research, thanks for the correction!

[@caswellweird]

in Sonic Advance 2, Knuckles is the only playable character you fight before you unlock them because Eggman tricks him to fight Sonic. thanks for making this, its a fun concept.

[@GyradusBRZ]

0:10 MAN, I HATE WHAT THEY MADE TO KNUCKLES IN SONIC BOOM

[@mayborneflower]

Honestly, Sonic & Knuckles should’ve gotten a separate entry because the Knuckles campaign to the game takes place after Sonic’s story, he’s fighting harder bosses throughout, and he’s the first character in franchise history to overcome a Super form by being the one to beat Mecha Sonic for good. So the most Elite of Elite. Also, Advance 2 (and Triple Trouble were it on the tier list) deserved Manipulated but Strong because Knuckles pilots an Eggman machine for a boss fight.

[@snakey888]

Knuckles is fully playable from start to finish in s3k, strange to omit that rather important aspect.

[@-rlmn]

it's also a different story that shows mecha sonic defeat

[@jeremymklinger]

Yeah, I forgot to mention him being playable, but like Sonic Adventure, he still would've got that tier regardless for helping Eggman throughout

[@lorenzoantonio3630]

Man can’t wait for Amy

[@jeremymklinger]

🤫

[@Neokan_n]

Absolutely useless. Next

[@Ultracomics-toocool4u]

Amy only has one tier,the simp tier,no use at all😭

[@lorenzoantonio3630]

@@Ultracomics-toocool4u ok guess I’m defending Amy now I guess in sonic adventure 2 she was the reason shadow join the good guys without her the world would have been destroyed

[@Ultracomics-toocool4u]

Yeahh but like...nvm that's true I can't doubt an S+ tier game

[@EWOODJ]

They’re pretty much equals in Heroes. In Rush, the rocks fell on top of Knuckles as trying to attack Blaze. Blaze simple lead him there, she didn’t really do anything. Dignifying Will Smith for that yet alone giving Amy any credit for that move is a massive sin. In Forces, Knuckles got over 80% of their forces killed in his so called Operation: Big Wave that he thought up in a minute in a half…

[@brodyguy1]

knuckles chaotix:

[@-rlmn]

the brawn(sidekick) tier

[@Matikal-nu8wd]

sad Chaotix noises

[@brodyguy1]

@@The_GolfDude He included chaotix in the tails video

[@-rlmn]

@@The_GolfDude actually Knuckles is the secondary character added to the name because they had no faith in Espio

[@The_GolfDude]

Oh. Sorry my bad.

[@nikolaimackenzie1432]

Sonic 4 episode 3 has Knuckles, but was canceled. Sonic Mania 2 also had Knuckles, but was also canceled.

[@MidnightAim1457]

Awwwww nooo

[@SuperMilkyWay]

​Sonic Unleashed WAS gonna have Knuckles.. If most of the game's script wasn't completed without featuring or mentioning him at any point

[@ohno5559]

Actually if Knuckles didn't blow up the bridge in Hydrocity zone then that part of the stage would be a dead end, making it impossible for Sonic to reach Eggman. So Knuckles was in fact extremely bad at his job in Sonic 3.

[@Not-marisa]

To be fair, im pretty sure eggman wanted knuckles too do that since eggman immediately already had a machine to deal with Sonic Down there

[@ohno5559]

@@Not-marisa I guess that's Eggman's L then, Knuckles was just faithfully carrying out instructions

[@raccoonman5341]

You don’t have to beat the game to play as knuckles you just have to go to the other story to play as him

[@shuma-gorath2464]

4:40 And yet, Knuckles is nice to Classic Sonic once rescued by him, other than calling him fat that is.

[@fatalwaffle1715]

Awesome Video! And Knuckles's Nintendo Counterpart is Sidon. Maybe in Sonic's version of Tears Of The Kingdom Knuckles will be more useful.

[@injuringchip3161]

What about Colours DS, in which he was tricked into another eggman trap and races sonic to hide his embarassment, then start fighting with rouge for no reason?

[@giovannyalpizar5351]

From a well-made video, I always go to the saying: "From Badass to Dumbass...".

[@YummyWiceCakes]

4:24 the ds version has him

[@captconrad6014]

Don't forget the Knuckles show where he gets put in the Sidekick tier.

[@PorcoSortudo13]

Up next: How useless Amy is in sonic games?

[@megacharlielincoln5523]

By the way the part where you can play as Amy,Tails,and Knuckles is an alternative version of ouranos island so the world still isn't saved

[@alunbuss7877]

You put Knuckles in Mania in Elite WITHOUT saying anything about his storyline character growth when he reaches the Master Emerald. Not saying I DISAGREE, but if there was a tier ABOVE Elite...

[@HSangari]

My poor boy knuckles got the Patrick star treatment

[@BubAndStuff]

His debut isn't until Sonic 3, so he gone in 1, 2, and CD. 0:18

[@CxrruptedFear45]

Let’s admit everyone in sonic generations was practically useless especially against the time eater we had silver and shadow just saying watch out sonic!

[@jeremymklinger]

Oh 100%

[@jrock6351]

This is one of the only tier lists where you can unironically put Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric on the same tier (and where it will be at the top of the tier list as a whole).

[@kieranstark7213]

*my ranking* Sonic 3 & Knuckles - manipulated but (very) strong (and the first time it made sense) Sonic 3D Blast - barely does anything Sonic Adventure - manipulated but strong Sonic Adventure 2 - elite (and in SA1 and S3&K, he came so close) Sonic Advance (trilogy) - elite (though "the brawn/sidekick" does come close, plus in Advance 2, Knuckles does earn the "manipulated but strong" tier for letting Eggman trick him FOR THE THIRD TIME... and looking for a fight with Sonic when it's not even the time and he should've thanked Sonic for saving his life) Sonic Heroes - brawn (although I will admit, the line "Are you playing with that girl's heart again, Sonic?" line was cringe, but not so out of character that it would give him a "worthless" rating, the last thing a character should be. Oh yeah, speaking of that one time Knuckles was like that...) Sonic X - what do you think? Sonic Rush - again, worthless Shadow the Hedgehog - barely does anything Sonic '06 - worthless Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity - elite (see that, Sega? You CAN make Knuckles both strong and smart, in fact, this is one of the reasons why in the Sonic Riders trilogy alongside Sonic to Jet and Tails to Wave, Storm is Knuckles' rival, yet Knuckles can easily outsmart Storm as can anyone else for that matter) Sonic Generations (after a long half-decade) - worthless (you can like this game while admitting it has its flaws, like its story, especially because of how they flanderized the characters to fit in with the over-simplification of the 2010s era, Knuckles in particular) Sonic Lost World - worthless (could you believe ever since the mid-2000s how many times Knuckles has proven himself to be an asshole who always has to take a dump on Sonic the Hedgehog out of jealousy, even in the Archie comics?! It makes me relate to Sonic even more than Knuckles. Seriously, this guy gets flanderized even more times than Tails!) Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric - brawn (and a dumb one too, and it's sad, because despite Knuckles demonizing Sonic even after Tails and Amy, while still feeling the same way, dropped it when they got captured by one of the weakest Sonic villains alongside the Deadly Six and Infinite the Jackal, his role in the TV show actually made the show all the more memes because it was actually pretty funny, so much so it makes me really realize directions I want to take my future projects via Frigid Fire/SteveGreeneComedy & James Maslow Productions with its absurdism, including but most certainly not limited to a fully animated Sonic movie of my own with Bill Hader as Knuckles, Emily & Zooey Deschanel as Amy Rose & Rouge as adults like the rest of them and oh, yeah, speaking of Knuckles in the movies, he, like the rest of the characters, is properly written!) Sonic Mania - the brawn/elite Sonic Forces - brawn (it's no wonder Knuckles was made to be the leader, because as abhorrent as Sonic Forces is, while far from his best, and so unlike Tails, he can actually lead the Resistance!) Sonic Superstars - brawn

[@GottaGoFast91]

Well, I found one good thing Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric did right.

[@krisdreemurr3533]

0:02 *Knuckles. I love Modern Knuckles, even if the classic version loses its cunning and determination.*

[@cofagrigusfan24]

and then you realize that Boom Knuckles' infinte jump got patched

[@CocoPup69]

boom knux is just funny. in the show and in cutscenes

[@thomashatch3673]

Great series! Metal Sonic next?

[@haydenboggs3271]

Sonic Advance 2 literally had him pilot the most annoying boss in the game, and Sonic gets annoyed because Eggman manipulated him again

[@ChrisWilliams-ur7fn]

Amy Will Smith's Knuckles made me snort

[@masonschroeder7846]

4:38 did Knuckles just grab Amy and drag her in😭

[@Ches652]

Nah all of them just flew btw

[@Dr_nefario1]

He was in sonic 2 and 1 because of the sonic and knuckles attachment

[@emblemblade9245]

Are we really going to ignore the fact that Knuckled got most of his army wiped out in Forces before the on-screen events of the game?

[@E-102GammaMKII]

@@emblemblade9245 You're conflating that with Operation: Big Wave, which happens at the halfway point of the game. And you also ignore that Infinite wiped out said army under Eggman's orders.

[@Djdog1208]

3:59 Idk why but that Knuckles animations was so goofy for some reason it made me laugh

[@gregowen9856]

We not gonna talk about Operation Big Wave

[@EdgardoJCruz-dk5kv]

Wait, you forgot about Knuckles Chaotix!

[@Hotdog64YT]

I have that same exact backpack and I use it to care my switch stuff 7:20

[@Redpikmin-f4t]

Same

[@JJ-ml7pq]

I think it’s worth noting that in SA2 Knuckles shattered the Master Emerald because he knew from SA1 he could just find the pieces again.

[@quangamershyguyyz7166]

You forgot Sonic Battle, Dream Team, and the other Sonic Boom games

[@RondoOfBloodX]

To be fair to Knuckles in SA1 he didn’t fully believe Eggman at first but then he saw Sonic holding and emerald which just happened to be green amd thus he assumed Eggman wasn’t lying. So I can’t fully blame Knuckles here.

[@Pezut-ob6mu]

hes back!!

[@kyledake6020]

I loved this video and the one about Tails! Do you think you could do Amy next?? That would be so cool

[@Le0ptimus-d3x]

I think thats the reason why knuckles is a knucklehead

[@FernandinhoCool]

"every sonic game" movie knuckles on thumbnail: im a joke for you?

[@Nov-5062]

Knuckles SUCKS in Forces. Every decision he made was useless except for one that led to the elimination of *80% OF HIS OWN FORCES* And then Sonic rescued himself randomly after six months of captivity (where he was allegedly being tortured) and they won. Long story short knuckles doesn't deserve the brawn tier in this game.

[@TheSultan1470]

.... *lol*

[@ZeoLightning]

grouping all 3 advance games makes it feel like you didnt play each of them, because its significantly different in each. in Advance 1 hes unlocked from the get go so thats an automatic elite, in advance 2 you unlock him AFTER sky canyon but the boss of that is knuckles who was once again fooled so that'd be a manipulator but strong tier based on your tier list, as for sonic advance 3, knuckles comes to help when sonic is team leader and offers his assistance after the second zone, and is playable rom then, it might not be RIGHT from the beginning but its very close and hes very useful being the only power character to break the power gates so i'd say that ALSO earns him an elite TL;DR advance games are VERY different for each appearance 1. hes elite from being unlocked at start 2. manipulated but strong unlocked after his boss fight where he got tricked 3. elite since hes unlocked very early in the game and came to offer sonic help

[@LordEmpyreal]

No mention of his own story in Sonic 3&K where after the events of Sonic's story he goes on his own journey to whoop Super Mecha Sonic's butt?

[@PeteTheKittyStarfallSonic]

I mean to be honest, he is a tough guy sometimes, so he’s not always useless

[@JakeOfficial2002]

They are ranking of their mind of Useless

[@MegadriveMaster.]

Angel island isn’t a thing anymore

[@kirbo4111]

Why do you say that?

[@MegadriveMaster.]

@@kirbo4111 it never appears in mainline games anymore

[@kirbo4111]

@@MegadriveMaster. ah, yeah I wish it was more included in the actual games nowadays but I’m glad it was in the knuckles special for frontiers at least

[@MegadriveMaster.]

@@kirbo4111 yeah it gives him purpose I suppose

[@SonicSwift99]

@@MegadriveMaster. It was in the Frontiers prologue animation so it still technically counts as it's canon.

[@AEvans-k7d]

“Just because I’m a meathead doesn’t mean I’m not a feminist.” -Knuckles The Echidna (Boom) 2014

[@jeremymklinger]

Best scene in the show lol

[@hardmancanada]

the only change I would make is putting Knuckles in Sonic 3&K in Elite tier because of Knuckles Campaing that happens after Sonic & Tails story. He defeated Super Metal Sonic alone!! That's elite tier

[@-rlmn]

Mecha*, classic metal is weaker

[@MatiNuva1724]

Can't wait for You to make a video on how useless Sonic is

[@secondbreakfast1]

In Sonic Superstars, he does play a very major role, getting the rest of the Chaos Emeralds at the end of his act in Golden Capital... and then lost them to Fang.

[@Kidkinsey]

The top tier should have been called "pumpkin hill ost tier"

[@spiderwithatophat8180]

Didn’t Knuckles cause the death of hundreds of resistance members because he made a bad call, and then just not bring it up or even get called out for it?

[@ThadMurderDron3s]

6:15 it's underrated ngl. It's a great game, but once you beat it there's nothing more except customizing rookie

[@luciehaberzettlova7240]

Next ranking how useless amy is in every sonic game

[@Queen_of_chaos]

I loved this video! Great choices! :DD I subscribe!

[@jeremymklinger]

Thank you!

[@filipgugoski3d]

For Generations, to be fair, he was at least useful in one side mission when the player character needs him to dig out the coins to progress further though the Mystic Ruins. I know it's not part of the main story, but at least it was something, unlike in Lost World where he bragged about how he would have completed the mission a lot quicker, while doing absolutely nothing.

[@Maikcarps]

Sonic in lost world knuckles is so useful (totally not a lie)

[@Toast_94]

Liked for the Ugandan Knuckles in the thumbnail alone.

[@TheManhatan]

If I remember well Knuckles appears in the DS Sonic Colors, as a NPC just giving side questd. So barely do nothing but still here!

[@axe3d]

modern sonic is a different timeline then classic, so he wasnt fooled twice

[@thawkade]

Not it isn't lol

[@axe3d]

@@thawkade yes it is

[@thawkade]

@@axe3d It isn't. That was something that Forces/Mania reconned after Generations, and then Frontiers changed back. Even with that retcon, it was for events _after_ Generations, not the classic games as a whole. The modern games have referenced events from the classic ones several times over. Frontiers alone has a ton, and literally the first cutscene in Amy's story in Adventure calls directly back to CD.

[@Howlabunga]

I feel like the Knuckles story in Sonic and Knuckles should’ve been mentioned

[@Rakanthegamer]

46 minutes? A good video at that early time?

[@SymbioteMaster4]

The concept of this video is absolutely hilarious. 😂

[@gacal121]

Bro knuckles is in sonic 1 and 2-

[@Keatsshorts]

No hes not

[@misterwhiskers7962]

He is in 2 if you use the And Knuckles cartridge. But not 1, that just gives you blue orb missions

[@theo10235]

Was a bit sad that Sonic Battle wasn’t on this list. I played it so much as a kid.

[@coolj4334]

Personally, Boom has my favorite depiction of Knuckles. He carries half of the show's comedy

[@amazingboi9388]

3:53 bro had +300 aura then -600 aura

[@comicfan1324]

In Sonic Forces, he was less than useless. He actively got his forces wiped out because he only bothered to spend a minute and a half thinking of the battle strategy (Also, if we’re including the IDW comics, it’s made pretty clear that Amy was the one actually taking care of day-to-day operations. Knuckles was really just commander because he was the one who formed the resistance.)

[@Growingcrazy8]

It’s supposed to be bad, that’s why it’s called war Supreme commander knuckles, sonic forces

[@E-102GammaMKII]

Amy is even less qualified to be leader of the Resistance. At most, she led two people, forming a nebulous team in _Heroes_ that hasn't been a thing since then. Not to mention, the Resistance disbanded at the end of _Forces,_ but IDW takes place after _Forces,_ and the Resistance is still a thing? Continuity error. And when the Restoration is formed, Amy is leader for a while, but can't handle the stress and gives her job over to Jewel, a museum curator, at the end of the Metal Virus Arc. This "Forces bad, IDW good" garbage has gotten old. If Forces is so bad, then IDW is bad solely by association with it. It's been a tainted comic from Day One.

[@E-102GammaMKII]

@jaquariusrodgers7299 _Speed Battle_ is the only game where she's useful?

[@E-102GammaMKII]

@jaquariusrodgers7299 She's useful in _Sonic Chronicles._

[@jamiegioca9448]

⁠@@E-102GammaMKII That’s cap

[@DarkFrozenDepths]

I never did realize that Tails had like 9 tails in that S3&K animation... Sega can't even keep him as a 2 tailed fox, they had to make him into (and admittedly cool) Kyuubi. That's even less consistency points now Sega....

[@Taceria]

How the f*** did we get to Egypt? - Knuckles (Sonic Adventure 2)

[@Aly-vw1rh]

tbh I feel like he's about as useful in Forces as he is in SA2

[@SpoonTaco]

The portable dock in all honesty is better than the dock bois, unless if it doesnt have usb ports

[@CaptHayfever]

You used footage of Knuckles in Sonic 2 in the intro, but you still put Sonic 2 in the "he gone" tier?

[@theelectricjackson7694]

MEME ITS NOW ILLEGAL TO USE YOUR MEME

[@darthmeticulous6901]

Knuckles was my dude in Sonic Advance 3, paired with Taild he got that awesome spiral uppercut and the easiest control of gliding & wall climbing.

[@joaquinsinopoli8010]

In S3&3, he has his own campaing with some pretty cool moments

[@Spartan-bz4lo]

4:03 I just wanna state here that it appears that knuckles isn’t ready for sonic to throw the card and also he’s wearing mittens.

[@Kang-hacker]

Knuckles also appears in sonic 1 mobile and sonic 2 mobile

[@justinanderson2631]

Knuckles surprisingly has a lot of similarities with Blaze. They're both guardians of sacred emeralds and as consequence; they don't know too much about the outside world and outright clueless in social situations and would rather try to solve things independently when given the opportunity. You'd think he'd be a somewhat relatable character in Sonic rush but I guess not.

[@AfroRyan]

Can't believe you left out Sonic Pinball Party, where he is TERRIBLE at pinball (and the first Story mode fight).

[@headlitethe.unstoppablemoron]

Lebrawn James tier

[@l.francesca4780]

The problem with the Flanderization of our boy Knuckles isn't that he's stupid or arrogant. Because he was those things from his inception. He IS naive because he lived alone on a floating rock for a really long time without contact from others. He doesn't have the social-skills to understand when people are lying to him. Eggman tricking him twice could be acceptable because "My friends give me a second chance when I'm an idiot. Maybe I should give Eggman a second chance." The problem is that they keep putting him in situations with the same villains and then keep having him trust them implicitly. The problem is not that he fumbles catching a card (he grew up with no friends and his main skill is punching real good. Man has never played catch in his life and you don't need delicate coordination to pin someone under you and beat the crap out of them. The problem with Knuckles being dumb is that they forget WHY and in what ways and then just make that his only thing. Same with him always hurling insults at Sonic and being arrogant. Yes, they were introduced as Rivals and were literally working opposite sides in Knuckles' first appearance and Knuckles was kicking his ass for a while. The problem is, when they started leaving Knuckles in the "wrong sort of stupid" pigeon hole, they also decided that every time Sonic needed to have a match of wits, it should be with Knuckles because then Knuckles can lose because "he's not sonic so he's not important." Yes, he's a little dumb. Mostly when it comes to social stuff. Yes he was Sonic's rival, so I can see them getting into brotherly insult battles now that they're mostly on the same side. The problem is, that they boiled him down to 3 things. Strong, Stupid, Arrogant. Nothing else. None of the kindness or patience, none of the ability to see things through to the end, none of the actually clever moments of knowing how to pull off traps or plots with a team. The same way they Flanderized Tails as "Cowardly, Flying, Sidekick" they boiled Knuckles down to the "top 3 traits" and forgot there was a reason the other stuff was there. And unlike Tails where they gave him something else to do for an secondary arc (even if it's a terrible arc of suddenly being rivals with Eggman and being absolutely awful about it) they gave Knuckles absolutely no further arcs. They made him the stupid muscle rival and gave him absolutely nothing to do but occasionally help out. The only thing they're "doing" otherwise is using him as comic relief so that somebody can be the butt of the whole "Sonic Always wins" quip battles. Yes, the naivete, brashness, and strength set him apart from the average "Team Guy #2" or #3 in Knuckles' case. They are the things that make him noticeably different from Tails and Sonic. But that's not his character. They're mistaking identifying traits for character. The Core of Knuckles is that he cares about the world but HAS A GODDANG JOB. Yes, he's bad at it because, again, lived alone on a rock for probably at least a decade if not most of his life depending on what lore you believe. But at his core, he wants to live his peaceful life as the Guardian of the Master Emerald. And to do that, he knows the world has to be safe even when the Master Emerald isn't directly threatened. And he can tell after a few encounters that Sonic cares about the same thing. If the world's in danger, neither of them can live the lives they want. The reason Knuckles has a rivalry with Sonic even after they're firmly on the same side is that Knuckles considers himself to be taking the job seriously. He wants to save the world and get back to his job. He sees Sonic's comparatively lax "I want the world to be saved but I also want to have fun doing it, so as long as I get things done, it doesn't matter how that happens." as a LAX ATTITUDE. He's equal parts jealous of Sonic's freedom to move around and do what he wants in times of peace, but also acknowledges that Sonic is able to do that because outside of helping save the world, Sonic has no real responsibilities. Knuckles is the equivalent of a haggard, over-caffeinated unpaid intern watching the NEETiest NEET to ever NEET run up out of nowhere, kick absolute ass, and then disappear to go do NEET stuff until Eggman builds another robot. The problem is, the writers act like there doesn't need to be a reason for the characters to act the way they do toward each other. They are playing the same roles over and over again so that you don't need previous knowledge to understand who these characters are. So they're flanderized into roles that are easily recognizeable that don't grow and change. But instead of just acknowledging that each of these characters is basically a retcon in order to maintian the status quo and just... let them have the same arc every game (which would be boring as hell but it WOULD LET THEM HAVE ARCS) they act like it's dumb for us to care about the characters we love NOT ACTUALLY BEING THE CHARACTERS WE LOVE anymore. Making Knuckles stand out from Tails and Sonic is one thing. But making him the bog-standard, watered down lunkhead punch man is just saying "yeah, he's got nothing better to do than be the stereotype." Again, I keep saying it's Flanderization, because it is, but it really can't be stated enough. They are taking a full, rounded, 3 dimensional character and shaving off all the interesting bits of contradiction and contrast. They are taking the meat, the potatoes, the vegetables, and half the seasoning. They are serving you salted chicken broth and expecting you to like it and if you find a noodle in there, they'll call it a happy accident and then try their best not to give you any more again. It's incredibly sad. I understand when you have this many characters and are basically trying to print free money by slapping out as many new games as possible and relying on brand recognition rather than anything else to sell all your games, writing good characters is a least concern because it bogs down production time. But it's getting to the point where they're just serving us slop, knowing we'll buy it, because it has our favorite little critters in it. We are letting them do it. If we want games to be art again, we have to listen to the unions as much as possible. Developers need longer with more funding and less micromanaging to put out good stuff again. Genuinely good art cannot be forced out on the timetables the AAA games want you to think is possible. Especially when half the money gets poured into an ever increasing graphical fidelity in the rat race to 8K games that nobody needs or asked for because YES, GRAPHICS ARE IMPRESSIVE BUT A COHESIVE STYLE AND GOOD CHARACTERS AND GAMEPLAY ARE BETTER THAN GARBAGE EVERYTHING BUT GOOD WINDOW DRESSING. There are already more games than any of us are going to play in our entire lives, can we let game devs chill and actually take their time making games now? For real? I am begging.

[@Ryu_justice2005]

Well, he is in sonic colors, but in the DS version

[@RobloxGamer_yo]

7:16 He lost the emeralds in the zone after Press Factory