The very first Sonic the Hedgehog title for the Sega 32X is here, and fans have ultra-high expectations at the ready. Chaotix stars the newest pal of the animal trio, Knuckles the Echidna. After having adventured with Sonic through the events of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the red-haired baddie-turned-hero must now act as the guardian for Carnival Island. This locale is a huge amusement resort powered by the Power Emerald. And, you guessed it, the evil Dr. Robotnik plans to steal the emerald for his own nefarious purposes. Now, Chaotix is not your everyday Sonic game. Its gameplay centers around a tethering mechanic that connects your character to an animal friend.

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This new-fangled addition to the game physics acts as a sort of rubber band, allowing you to snap quickly to fast speeds or leap to new bounds. Beyond this twist, the core Sonic essence remains the same. Explore 25 stages, including towering vertical levels that you need to climb your way through. In the graphical space, you will find the familiar touches of the franchise with a dash of 3-D scaling. Speaking of 3-D, the bonus stages totally rock! Racing inside that twisting tube with trap doors is a hoot. A two-player option is also available for a cooperative spin, though it can be tricky to master it. This is a no-brainer for 32X owners, but if you're skeptical, rent it first.

Printed in Issue #25, May 1995