Definitely bring more of these 32X reviews. There are very few people who were actually an adult during that era AND had played all these Sega games when they were first out.
I was, but post-launch, the games were harder and harder to find. Chaotix was nonexistent in town. Had to go to Pittsburgh. Never found Wrestlemania in the wild. Virtua Fighter was my first pre-order. Kolibri was like Bigfoot.
@@Andrew_TS I got my 32X for just $20 on clearance from a Walmart-like store on the East Coast called Caldor for only $20, with a deal for $10 w/ 2 games of your choice.I got Chaotix and Kolibri. Only games I ever had for the system. $30 for the attachment and 2 games was a steal at the time, spent my months allowance on it.
I bought a 32X at launch in 1994 with Star Wars Arcade and Virtua Racing Deluxe, both impressive console games for '94. Just like the 3DO, the 32X was actually an awesome system at the time. It just didn't have any longevity. If wish they had managed to release it in '93. It was too late to launch it when the Saturn and PS1 were already getting released in Japan.
Chaotix does capture some of the magic of Sonic CD with its weird level design, lush backgrounds, and great music. Also worth noting is the fact that the lighting of the levels changes with the time of day, and that the enemies are level-specific. An enjoyable, if flawed, experience.
Me too, it’s awesome, and people just don’t appreciate it. It’s nothing to hold down B, so u carry ur partner, it removes all the extra stuff (from the rubber band). Then you’re just playing like a standard platformer, it’s just like the controls of the old Mario games, holding B for running, most of the time. Plus the rubberband SnapBack is a good speed dash.👍
If you just stop thinking of it as a traditional Sonic title and think of it more as a platforming objective based game with Knuckles in it, you'll have so much more fun. I like it now too. I initially wished there were more bosses and more levels were like the Speed Slider stage (it's even advertised on the box and can see why) it's the most fun stage in the game and has the perfect balance. Feels the most like a trad Sonic stage! But over time I couldn't help but appreciate this game. It's just gorgeous to look at for one. I adore the 16 & 32-bit aesthetic and it's just satisfying to control and play. I like the Nintendo mini-game-built-into-a-mechanic vibe with the level/character select. Something I initially hated but grew to appreciate. It's just different enough to set itself apart from Sonic yet just Sonic enough to feel at home. The best 32X title besides Virtua Racing, Tempo, & Kolibri!
Absolutely bizzare that Sega refuses to ever rerelease this. It’s actually kind of fun and the objective is to finish the level with enough rings to enter the special stage. That’s more the primary focus
Even as someone who wasn't that fond of the game, I really wish it would get a re-release. It would be great if they did a follow up collection to Sonic Origins with this, GG/SMS and GBA games.
Someone should redo the level design from scratch to match the original games and get rid of that rubberband bullcrap, the assets (graphics and music) are already there and they're great
I was one of the few 32x owners back them and of course I bought this game. It was certainly not perfect, but I played it to no end, and loved it. I still listen to it's music on my way to work.
I was one of the crazy people who preordered a 32X, and I picked up Chaotix as soon as it was released. It definitely didn't leave a positive first impression but for one point: the music. I adored the soundtrack right off and kept starting new games just to play along to Door Into Summer. Still my favorite soundtrack from a Sonic game, and it's a Sonic game that almost doesn't even feature Sonic at all!
I picked up a 32x probably around in 2015 and put the library on the everdrive and ended up spending way more time on this game than I thought I would. It was a fun night playing through this and I find myself coming back to it. Keep up on the 32x reviews. They are a welcome addition in my opinion.
Here's hoping we get 1 more Sega Genesis Mini. Would love to see them use the Genesis 3 design and fill it with some great CD and 32X games in addition to hitting a few of the Genesis gems that haven't been featured on the Mini 1 and 2
I think a Nomad Mini would also be fantastic. However neither the Genesis 3 or Nomad were compatible with the 32x or CD, so it would take some slight historical revisionism.
I have super fond memories of this game. At the time, and perhaps even still, this is the best co-op 2 player Sonic game. You went from being Tails being left behind and being useless, to actually being equally as important as the other player. For a sibling who was usually Tails, this was a huge deal. I tend to find most people who poo all over this game only play single player, despite the game being clearly designed with 2 players. So they're not getting the full experience. I think generally, when a game is obscure, it's easier for narratives to spend. Say if a big TH-camr says the game sucks, it's easier for people to just take their word for it and the game gets a reputation of being bad. Sega should just re-release the game. They've re-released garbage like Sonic Blast on the Game Gear so I doubt quality has anything to do with it.
It boggles the mind that Sega never actually re-released this game in any capacity, outside of GameTap in 2006. This game could become major news and draw a lot more interest in it if Sega were to commission it to be rereleased.
Chaotix was a fun adventure, and I’m surprised to hear about the reviews. I do think, other than for the colors and 3D stages, this could have easily been a Genesis title - and it disappoints me when Sega ignores this title in its rereleases. Definitely hope you do more 32X coverage - I know my faves are lame, but I’d like to know your thoughts on titles I am curious about like Tempo and Kilibri…
@@BurritoKingdom I think the 32x did sprite scaling better than the Playstation did early on, if it's fair to judge the 32x Prototype of Rayman to the PS1 version.
Not a great game but I also think it's not a bad game. It's unique in ways and for the most part, I still had fun with it, even though it's lacking a little of what the Sonic Genesis titles had (Or even Sonic CD for that matter, in my opinion). It's an odd one and one that surprisingly still hasn't been ported anywhere. Fun fact: The story in Knuckles Chaotix varies between the Japanese and Western releases. The Japanese version has Eggman (Robotnik) finding this new island and creating Newtrogic High Zone as a base and harnessing the energy of the Chaos Rings to make Dark Rings that power his robots on the island.
The best thing about it was the new characters. They were all pretty dope, I would have preferred to just play them solo instead of being banded with another character though.
Yes this one looks underwhelming and complicating all at the same time. The name is also unattractive. Knuckles chaotix? Come on sega. Sonic the hedgehog. Now that's a name. That's a game!
@@gordonshumway7465 sorry but Virtua Fighter was awesome on it. I had so much playing that game. Kolibri looked awesome and so did Virtua Racing. I even had a fun time with WWF Arcade. I tried collecting all the 32X games when they were on clearance, sad I never got the Spider-Man game .
@@wolffactor56 I'm not a fighting game fan, but that VF does look good. That, spider-man and whatever the expensive baseball game is are the 3 games I never got. Current prices are insane, but if you got in cheap back in the 90's or early 2000's there were plenty of fun titles. Some of the best home ports of MK2 and NBA Jam TE at the time as well. Star Wars Arcade is another good one.
@@gordonshumway7465 shoot I had RBI Baseball 95 and Butterbean Boxing, both were fun. I don’t think I ever saw World Series Baseball in the wild. Yeah I picked up my whole collection in 1996-1998 and forgot about collecting it after I got my Dreamcast. Glad you had a fun time with it too. Yes MK2 was fun and glad to hear NBA Jam TE was fun (owned genesis version). Side note I could never get past Star Wars Arcade second level as a kid.
There is actually plenty of good reasons to play 32x. There is quite a few good games. Personally I replay like Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter on it. Virtua racing has exclusive tracks that haven’t been ported. tempo was fun, and it has the better home version of NBA jam. Star Wars arcade was fun. I liked Tempo. And I know everyone likes to hate BC racers, but I thought it was good, and if you wanted practically arcade perfect after burner or Space Harrier.
I too. I was thinking that the color variety was pushing Genesis forward. But the review by SLX makes sense. The graphics kinda stayed true to Sonic material, while 32X does the heavy lifting elsewhere like mode 7 style scaling. I learned a lot from this review. Like this WAS a Genesis game, a Sonic game. Wow. Makes a lot of sense why people looked down on it.
@@CarlosXPhone It’s such an interesting game. It does push the colors forward, even though it’s 32x for characters, and Genesis for stages, because stages are way more colorful than normal, and the characters are especially detailed/ colorful. I wish the huge power-up was more useful but it’s great to just see it
Would love more 32X reviews! As a kid in the 90s I was so excited for the 32X and Chaotix when I discovered a demo of it at a Media Play store. In the moment I thought it was the next big thing, I had to have only been about 8 or 9 at the time. Wow did it fail fast!
One thing to note about playing this game is that getting into the habit of carrying your partner as a projectile and double jump (the hold button did weird shit with the throw) would basically allow you to fly. It was great fun to Speedrun once you learned how to utterly break the rushed physics that dictated the tether.
this game was a blast, the mechanics were unique with the rubber banding. and the music is so great. I get a kick out of people who don't recognize the music in sonic videos, but of course NOBODY had this game and it's understandable why with the 32x
I always felt this game was underappreciated. It's definitely not as polished as other Sonic titles but It's also more unique as well. To be fair with as little effort as Sega put into the 32X, I'm surprised it turned out as good as it did. Another great video to btw. Keep it up buddy.👍
I think that the randomized characters and level order could have potentially been pretty interesting if it were done better. The main thing that Chaotix is missing is interesting level design. In Sonic 3, nearly every zone had cool setpiece moments, but Chaotix's levels just feel like a series of mazes. I've spent a lot of time learning how to use the tether mechanic to help me do some casual speed runs, since the levels are obstacle courses anyway. I've learned to like it, but I don't blame anyone if they think it's boring. Bring on the 32X reviews!
I was always so intrigued by this game, then I finally got it (years ago when 32x games were relatively cheap) and I was... Solidly meh. The graphics definitely were bright and colorful but not really next gen. I kinda always wished this and Sonic CD had been included in Sonic Jam, with lock on added to this, CD, and Sonic 1, but maybe that'll happen one day with Origins... We can dream. At any rate, I'd love to see more stand alone 32x reviews. Metalhead, Tempo, and the two CDX games to start.
@@jacobprayer8656 true this game was pretty common for the 32X library but those that had the hardware were few and far between. I had one but not even one other kid at my school had one, same with Sega CD lol
@@johnellis3383The Sega CD had already sold 2.8 million units by that time. With its $99 (1995 price), more games like Soul Star and Batman Returns could've been made that kept the machine competitive into 1996-97.
Chaotix was okay, but there's a reason why it stayed obscure while Sonic CD became beloved. Sonic CD use to be just as obscure as Knuckles Chaotix, so I often lumped them together. IMO Sonic CD's soundtrack can't be touched. It's funky groovy tunes still sound modern in 2023. Yes, the Genesis Sonic games music have their charm and nostalgia, but CD's music wouldn't be out of place if you played it to people who don't play the games. But idk. Sega America was kinda set up for failure when it comes to the 32x, as Sega Japan couldn't even put their ego aside for long enough to make a decent buisness decision that could've saved them. But instead, they botched the launch of a Saturn that wasn't developer-friendly, didn't follow through with Sonic Extreme, and refused to listen when Sega of America offered input that would save their sorry hides,
I remember the 32x add on and knuckles chaotix. Though it was mostly forgotten by sega and never ported to any Sonic collections on GameCube or virtual consoles etc 😢😢❤❤ still it was a decent hidden gem sonic spin-off imo
Out of all thing I want Sonic Team to do is resurrect the Classic Chaotix characters, just like what they did to Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty and Ray!
Even though I remember seeing this game all the time in stores when I was a kid, I have yet to play it for myself aside from how many gameplay videos I'm able to see of it here on TH-cam. Though, I will definitely give "Knuckles Chaotix" credit for being the game where I was introduced to Vector, Espio, and Charmy before they would make their return to the series in "Sonic Heroes" as well as my first time seeing Mighty The Armadillo, whom I learned originally appeared in the Japan-released arcade game "SegaSonic The Hedgehog" along with Ray The Flying Squirrel, and both characters would eventually return as playable characters in "Sonic Mania Plus" a couple of decades later.
This game looks good but not great for a 32 bit title. The gameplay for me was just too weird and I did not enjoy it. I love seeing innovative ideas but knuckles chaotix was just not it for me! Awesome video SLX! As always Killin them with the bangers! 🔥 content as usual!
This game needs a remaster. Include the option to play with or without the rubber band. Every Sonic game should be available on modern consoles and PC.
Indeed the when this game was being developed it didn't utilize the 32X's capabilities to push it to the next level. However this game did have it's merits and it's a shame it's not had a re release. I did love the music in this game mind you. As like yourself I was caught in between the two camps.
We should have had the Sega Genesis as a regular console Sega CD should have been premium console and 32x never made. This game should have gone straight to the Sega Saturn
The main issue with this game is the tethering mechanics are tedious. It would have been ok for one level / a special stage but Sega decided that the USP was tethering.. which was a mistake imo.
The story in the English manual is false, the Japanese manual has the real story for the game. The Island you are on rose up from the ocean because of the events of S&K. Eggman saw this island and built an theme park base in top of it called Newtrogic High Zone. Knuckles came to the island to investigate, Espio because he was a detective who loved ancient ruins. Vector because he saw it as a miracle, Charmy to search for new flowers and Mighty to take a vacation I think. These characters all met for the first time in this game. Too bad the current Sonic Team rebooted this...
Oh you mean sonic heroes…eh well king, we all know the story differs between English and Japanese and the latter is usually more interesting 😂 but seriously I’m sure there’s a way to keep both this game and sonic heroes cannon while making sense logically
@@gracekim25 Oh! An interesting tidbit is that prototype Vector was indeed the original detective! He even had a hat and shades. But on Chaotix he was made into a basketball player! That's right! And his favorite food was sports drinks! Espio was then made into the detective for Chaotix! Pretty interesting how the Vector from Heroes is actually prototype Vector, he even has the muscles. I do prefer 32X Chaotix Vector tho 😥
I have always wanted to know if adding a 32x onto a mega drive will it made it into a real 32 bit console or was it's just marketing bullshit instead. I always believe it's the latter. Hope someone can tell me a conclusive answer so that I can lay my doubt to rest after all these years.
Well star wars arcade and virtua fighter should answer that. No way could megadrive do that. Check virtua racing compared to the megadrive version. Big big difference. And finally the super sprite scaler afterburner is just about arcade perfect compared to the megadrive. Its night and day. Space harrier too.
I think about what I read here and also went back to the video again and thanks for everyone replies. I will view 32x as a 32bit machine from now on then.
@@anglo-saxonconnor817 finally- compare doom to the snes port... And it was mega rushed!! There is a new homebrew version of doom that is absolutely fantastic, very close to pc original plus link up play etc. Same processor as the Saturn aswell aka SH2. so yea definitely 32bit not that that means anything with bits etc, but its a lower end 32bit machine and a massive what could of been sadly...
I picked up this game and played it on my Genesis 1 system. I got a Genesis 2 because I liked how the 32X looked on it better. Since I had already beaten Knuckles Chaotix I didn't play it. When I finally booted it up, the game wasn't working anymore. It would play but freeze at the title screen. I still kept it but it was almost 10 years later that I found out it was my Genesis the whole time. For some reason mine wasn't fully compatible with the 32x.. Once I got another system the game played perfectly fine. I'm glad I never got rid of it.
I strongly diaagree with your review. The unintuitive tether/rubberband mechanic made this game unapproachable, if not downright unplayable. It was simply not fun. It sold poorly because it was terribly annoying, and the shoddy sales were well-deserved.
Not sure you followed the whole review. I clearly made the point that the tether mechanic would turn off many. In no way was this a glowing review that praised the gameplay or design.
Sega Lord X Thanks For Showing Sega And The 32X Love I’m Enjoying 36 Great Holes Starring Fred Couples For The 32X Right Now As We Speak So Many Outlets And Extension Cords That We Need When We Attach The Genesis CD And 32X Hahah We’re Lucky To Live Through the 1980s To Now
Oh hey, my favourite sonic game. Despite what many critics say, I loved my time with this game. Even if the 3D is limited and the graphics aren’t as popping as Sonic CD, it’s still a BLAST. Play this game if you own a 32X and most importantly, don’t treat this as a Sonic game and pick Knuckles only.
as a kid i distinctly remember Gamepro tearing Chaotix a new anal doorway. as a young not quite a teen yet, i was 10 or 11 when Chaotix came out. So i swore by gamepro and gamepro only (we aint all perfect as kids). As such the images looked ok, seeing the ring teather system felt weird and out of place in a sonic style game (especially w K‐Nux as the coverdog) and even more outta place in a spinoff of the Sonic franchise. And Charmy Bee can die and rot in hell. hate bees, allergic only to their stings and nothing else. They are natures bastard. And their "occupation" is seeing them replaced by nanobots who can pollinate for them. Great review SLX, ill be back w a review tomorrow. Its time, my mom would want me to continue to do what i love
The 32X was never meant to push backgrounds and parallaxes at high speed. It is not well suited for this at all. It is made to display pixels on a one by one basis, which is essential for 3D (as it handles the fact that visuals cannot be predicted) , unlike the MegaDrive which uses exclusively 8x8 pixels tiles and offers various layers in order to be super fast at moving around huge backgrounds. The Saturn implemented the exact same features in VDP2 to keep strong capabilities for 2D games, as managing layers of background with tiles at high speed is expected. This is the way the configuration should be understood : 32X was meant to be the VDP1 (sprites, 3D, effects on it) and provides the same two main CPUs as Saturn, while the MegaDrive is the VDP2 (background, parallax, hud). In that regard, Chaotix makes a pretty good usage of the 32X in my opinion. It was an early game, as all 32X games. Also I noted you almost never pick-up your partner. You are supposed to do it a lot... It allows to get back classical physics, and you are supposed to throw it to reach higher places or enemies... Also I think that you missed the point of the experience. The game is not meant to be played one area after another, it is meant to feel randomized, with palettes changing every two stages, level-design is meant to confuse you a bit. Honestly, this the most enjoyable Sonic game to pick up and replay because it never feels the same, but it is largely misunderstood.
I understand how the 32X works and its still unimpressive. There should have been better usage of sprites and polygons. It should have been 2.5D. Or at least with loads of additional background effects all over the place. It's not anything the Genesis couldn't have done to a fair degree. Picking up your partner doesn't return this to the classic physics. You are slower and heavier. It affects every area of the gameplay. Granted it takes away the tether snapping, but stopping so frequent to pick up or throw your partner slows this to a crawl and becomes quite tedious. And of course its meant to be randomized in terms of the stages. It's literally a part of the design. But this feels disjointed and I don't prefer it at all. These stages are all the same in terms of design anyway, which is its biggest fault by a mile. So no, there is no misunderstanding with Chaotix at all. I understand quite well, in fact. I simply do not like a great deal of it.
@@SegaLordX I think that you greatly overestimate how much polygons the 32X can push at a decent framerate. 2.5D is simply out of the question, especially if you are thinking of textured polygons. A look at the bonus stages of Chaotix is a good indicator of what these 2.5D stages could have looked like. If you want fully textured polygons then you probably know about Metal Head and what the framerate is like. Everything is done through software with the 32X, there are no advanced features such as in the VDP1 of the Saturn.
I'm not talking 2.5D with the 32X drawing complicated structures or entire layers. I'm talking 2.5D with the 32X adding accents to the Genesis rendered backgrounds. As you see in Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing deluxe, and Star Wars Arcade, there's enough polygons there for such. Polygon trees popping out of the Genesis rendered backgrounds. A polygon trap springing in the backgrounds which swings to the foreground. Polygon water layers. Polygon cloud layers. We are talking 1995 here. It would not have taken much to look so different from the stuff we were seeing on the 32X. These polygons could have been animated at 20fps and it wouldn't have mattered because the Genesis is still in full control of the scrolling engine. It would have made this stick out more at a time when polygons were everything new and interesting to the vast majority of the gaming public. Wouldn't have sold a ton more 32X's, but the people that did own it might have at least picked it up.
@@SegaLordX I perfectly understand that you would expect more of the 32X, however some of these examples simply would not work because of how visuals are made with the combo MD+32X. The 32X only sees a flat picture coming from the MD. So even if the idea of putting some nice 3D elements in the background to add some depth sounds nice, you actually will never be able to put anything that will sit between the far background and the foreground (which is a typical layout for any 2D game). You can only put things on top of whatever was drawn by the MD (or eventually behind all of it). You could still add 3D elements to the foreground sure, such as palm trees why not. Anything drawn by the 32X would have to be scrolled by the 32X simultaneously to the MD, which is perfectly doable. However you certainly would not want to update a tree at 20fps when the floor is actually moving at 60fps, it would look extremely jaring. And 32X would struggle at moving around a lot of 3D elements at 60fps, so you would have to design this well to not have too much on screen, especially if you have to manage sprites as well. I suppose you would be forced to go the 30fps route, but honestly for 2D games it doesn't feel good (see Pitfall on 32X as example). Also, you could not do transparency in top of what was sent by the MD either (maybe you can by looking at each pixel in the picture and deciding what to do ? This looks totally impractical in real time though), so I don't see how you could do nice clouds (and they would have to sit on top of everything else). Use-cases would be quite limited I think.
I’d like to mention one theory, the title Sonic Crackers is speculated to be a misspell of the word “clackers” by the Japanese devs because of the tether mechanic being similar to a clacker.
Alternate timeline: no 32x, this and all the other good 32x games spend a bit more time in the oven and are released as early Saturn games. This game becomes Sonic Chaotix and is a more refined, full Sonic experience.
(HUGE) sigh...Chaotix. Where to start...The music, colors, sprites, rotation, scaling - TOP notch!!! Can't get enough of the presentation. Substance & mechanics? Welp...fans we need to go back to the drawing board. Sonic 2 had it's shortcomings. But, Sonic & Tail's mechanic It wasn't broken. VERY much functional. THAT didn't need to be "improved". 🤔🤔🤔 Level design wise - I thought was serviceable, but frustrating (due to the tethering...but like someone suggested: hold your partner to kinda speed through the levels as a defensive object). I LOVE Sega!!! Unfortunately, the 32x (for the most part) IMHO was DOA out the gate. I have a number of 32X games (actually ALL of them) & I REALLY can't say that there's anything that is a "must have". Okee...I'll give an honorable mention to Kolibri (Yeah - I salute Ed Annunziata work ESPECIALLY Ecco the Dolphin CD 1 AND 2!!!) I reluctantly like it. But, like X said: when I finished I was kinda disappointed...😩💔🎮
I've only got 3 games for the 32X, Virtua Racing, Kolibri (sealed) and Knuckles Chaotix. I've played them on my Xbox and had the most fun out of both Kolibri and Virtua Racing, I just didn't like Chaotix. The reason why I played it on a Xbox, I bought my 32X when it was discontinued, and the seller didn't had the din to mini din plug for the 32X. But I build my own and Virtua Racing looks awesome on any crt over scart.
Those graphics are awesome, definitely I would love a Saturn version of a Sonic game looking like this with VDP2 rendering backgrounds... BUT... you know... mid 90s Sega of America was doing crap. The game is dull as fuck, a real shame.
Imagine if there was a law protecting consumers of hardware which relies on specific media, making sure a console, media player and the sorts had to be supported for at least 5 years after its release, assuring all promised content and in-development software/projects was released and sold in retail. The 3DO, the Jaguar, 32X, the Saturn and possibly even the Sega CD would have received many great games that were left behind and also making those who believed and invested in such systems satisfied enough in order to not have felt disappointment/left behind/betrayed by their respective companies. I know of many car manufacturers and a range of other businesses that are forced to support their products one way or another, even if their model/line/series of products aren't available for new purchases, why it never happened to the entertainment media, which features the same dynamics (money/product/service/jobs/etc) is a bit ridiculous. It would probably refrain SEGA and other companies back them from flooding the market without second thoughts, as they would account for the said 5 years of support law, so the risks would probably be favorable to true next-gen systems such as the Saturn, as they would focus on that since the early 90's instead of stop-gaps. Imagine the Saturn starting the 32 bit era in 1994 with 30 titles across all possible genres at launch tailor-made with expertise for their new hardware (no rushed garbage), since SEGA wouldn't have to lose their heads with unnecessary money spent in hardware and software with high risk bets.
I picked this up with a 32X, when the 32X went on sale for $15 at Toys ‘R Us (yes it eventually went that cheap). I like the potential of the game mechanic-this is the only Sonic game I know of where co-op can actually be enjoyed. The tether solves the problem of Sonic ditching Tails in the older games. And while gameplay wise this could almost be a Genesis title, the graphics and sound are noticeably better than Genesis. The biggest issue is that the levels are too easy and not that memorable. I beat this game very quickly. If they spent more time with level design, it could have been truly epic.
Look I get the game was unique but I wasn’t a fan of this game back then and I certainly am not now. Boring repetitive rubber band style platformer is not what I want in a sonic game especially when there was already very good platformers that came out that same year in Yoshi Island, DKC2, Rayman, Astal, Earthworm Jim 2 and Mega man X2. Only positive thing I can say about the game is that it was coop
The thing is it doesn't look any better than the Megadrive (except for the sprite scaling). The 32X wasn't worth the asking price just for that especially since the SNES was already doing that from day one with Super Mario World. I was told by the guy in the shop that the 32X was just a stop gap inbetween the Saturn. I'm so glad I listened to him, which I never did at the time because I was stubborn as a mule when I had my mind set on something. If had of looked like Sonic Mania it might've been a different story.
I think the 32X was misunderstood..and poorly marketed. It was an add-on that doubled the performance of existing hardware and for a fraction of the price of competing consoles. It was not it's own console. Had this existed a few years earlier, the 32X would have a different legacy. I think where it really fell off was software support. Sega of America created and interesting piece of kit, just at the wrong time. But...they understood the mission.
Still mad my boy Knuckles never got any other solo games. Knuckles went from being an actual character to red guy who punches things after Sonic Adventure 2, but it looks that's kinda being reversed now. The fact stages get randomly picked for you in Chaotix means stages all have to have similar difficulties, which is one of the many things that hurts this game. Neat idea but poorly executed.
I was a big Sonic fan but had no idea who the Chaotix were, so that meant doing a little digging, 90s limitations on top of it. A fine game, but not super exemplary. The music is really catchy, though I often joke about the soundtrack needing more bongos XD ....another strange thing I loved about the game was how much Robotnik emotes during boss battles; watching him flail around and throw a tantrum whenever you struck his machine was always hilarious. Speaking of boss machines, his mechanical designs were actually pretty cool in this one.
Played it upon release and 32x was basically dead by then The, game was so hard to find. The game feels unfinished. Spin dash was nerfed to try to justify the ring powers. No Hold in co-op makes it harder to control. Few enemies. Levels are kind of nothing. Great OST aside, a letdown.
Yes please. More 32X reviews Would be great. Having owned one back in 96, I only had like three games for it and I’ve always been curious what some of the other ones were like. Your reviews are always so on point and I agree with just about everything you say so I’d love to learn more about what I did or didn’t miss out on
Here's a little secret I found about this game. If the game freezes on the title screen, or within seconds of starting it up, try a different Genesis/Mega Drive. I have a couple copies of this game and a Model 1 that it freezes like that every single time. But I have two Model 2's that play it flawlessly. Also, there's no battery in the cart. Just flash memory.
This game was so damn confusing to me. Some platforms blocked you. While others you can jump right through. The jumping sound effects always bothered me too. I wanted to like this game as a kid but couldn’t. OG trilogy all the way for me. Now mania.
I remember seeing screenshots of Chaotix in magazines and thinking it was a very impressive looking game. My imagination went wild with the potential of building on the awesomeness of Sonic 3. When I eventually got to play it years later through emulation, I came away very disappointed. The tethering mechanic is really clumsy and the haphard layouts made to compensate for it make it a really cumbersome game to play. The special stages are really cool though, and I still think it looks great for the time. Some of the soundtrack is killer, but other parts of it are average. Overall, while there are some quality aspects to parts of the game, the frustrating gameplay mechanics really make it a chore to play and unless you're a die hard Sonic fan who has to experience every game in the series, I'd recommend giving it a hard pass.
I think of all of Sega’s mistakes. It was the 32X that really brought the company down. It’s likely the reception to the Saturn would have been much better if this console add on never existed.
Personally, I don't really care if a game is a show piece for the console or not. Knuckles Chaotix is a good game and fun to play. Even if it could have had much better graphics and special effects, since it was on the 32X, I think the graphics and special effects it had was fine. It won't sell the 32X alone, but then again many good games even on other consoles won't do that ether, but that doesn't mean they're not good games.
Great review! I got this game for my 9th birthday and have some awesome memories playing it during summer vacation. Definitely not a perfect game but still on my list of favorites of all time.
Chaotix does impress visually, but that's all. The zone layouts feel like a completely different game, it is repetitive and doesn't really have any rhyme or reason for anything. The tether absolutely kills it for me too. It should have been used as an extra mode, not as a basis for gameplay. Still, it's original at least, less of a downer than having Sonic 3D Blast as the Saturn's entry on the Sonic franchise, but that's still setting the bar really low.
I was so excited when I saw you were reviewing this game... I feel a lot of people gave up on it because of the tether system and that it was based more around platforming and less on pure speed. But I think its a great game.. def wasn't going to save the 32X but still a very worthy installment in the Genesis era Sonic games.
Ehh I got this when it came out. I remember it being expensive. And I wasn't happy with it. Not sure if I ever beat it. I still have it, and I have never gone back to it. Sonic CD and Sonic 3 were much better.
I'll admit I was in the let down camp by this game. Especially when we already had great sonic games like Sonic CD and Sonic 3. It just felt like another Sonic 3 add on with a new gimmick. At least I didn't need to own a whole new add on for Sonic and Knuckles.
I did have a complete in box copy of this game until a bad roommate relived me of it, among several other things. For the most part though, I considered this game mediocre at best. I really found the tether mechanic cumbersome and kinda lame. It would have been better if the tether mechanic was more of a bonus stage gimmick rather than a primary mechanic. I had no issues with the characters but the narrative could have been a lot stronger. About 85% of this game could have been on the Genesis alone and really did not take any real advantage of the 32X in any meaningful way. A real let down overall for me, but on occasion though, I did play it now and then before it was taken from me.
Man,could you imagine what could have been had SEGA of Japan and America "worked together" back in the day instead of the push n pull relationship WE ultimately suffered from?..... As always another stellar video SLX.
I don't think it would have been possible. Sega of Japan was focused on the arcades as their main business, with the purpose of the consoles to provide arcade games in home form - Nothing could rival the Famicom, after all. Sega of America had seen the writing on the wall for arcades, and was trying to genuinely compete against home computers and Nintendo. They weren't just dealing with different markets, they were in very different businesses, and it took the Playstation for Sega of Japan to realize their mistake - Too little, too late.
I dont like the visuals in this game, every level looks exactly the same. Every level looks like Sonic 3 carnival zone mixed with the cluttered level design of Sonic CD.
The rubber band is awesome but it needed some tweaking. It's a better concept than the other character just flying off the screen and you have to wait for the CPU to bring you back in. I still feel it didn't develop into its full potential
Today's dual analog controllers could certainly bring new dimensions to the rubber band mechanic. Imagine controlling each character with an analog stick, having to perform separate simultaneous actions on split screen, pressing the stick in (L3/R3) to hold them in place, using shoulder buttons/triggers to control jump/glide/spin abilities...
The Doom 64 of the Sonic franchise. It was misunderstood and rejected when it came out, but now that people are taking a more honest and open minded look at it, the game is finally getting some of the credit that it deserves. It wasn't an all time great like the original Sonic games on the Genesis, but it was a pretty decent game in its own right.
As somebody who owns a 32X and a copy of this game, I’m still surprised Sega hasn’t put this game out again. It’s definitely my favorite obscure Sonic Title.
Chaotix is a fun enough curiosity, but even as someone who still owns a copy and played it when it came out, it just isn't that fun by yourself. I will say that as a co-op game it becomes a much more fun experience, but the level design is still uninspired random, vertical labyrinths without any real substance. You nailed the whole "all the levels just blend together" issue, and that's despite the randomness of the level select. And 5 stages per zone is ridiculous. I will say in its favor I actually like the special stages quite a bit, and for whatever reason never had any real problems with them. The concept overall isn't bad, and Sonic Advance 3 arguably evolved the formula, albeit in a single player format. I would like to see what the Mania team would do with some of the more inspired bits, like the clock, or the idea of differing boss AI depending on how long you took in a stage (a hidden feature most people don't even realize is a thing). Anyways, it's impressively mediocre; a great soundtrack, colorful graphics with lots to look at, with janky controls/physics and lazy/boring level design. I think it's a standout on the platform myself, graphically, because I always thought the strictly polygonal games looked bad even back then, so I enjoyed seeing a blend of sprites and polygons. I'd enjoy seeing some reviews for the other exclusives; Tempo, Kolibri, etc.
This tittle is awesome, and people just don’t appreciate it. It’s nothing to hold down B, so u carry ur partner, it removes all the extra stuff (from the rubber band). Then you’re just playing like a standard platformer, it’s just like the controls of the old Mario games, holding B for running, most of the time. Plus the rubberband SnapBack is a good speed dash.👍
this game is definitely underrated I actually have this game to me it's amazing for it's time but it would've done better of sega released it november or December of 95 on the Saturn that would have made a difference
I played it not too long ago myself to get a feel for it, and does have some great qualities to it, graphics, music, and sound. Everything that has been said about those aspects has been said. But when it comes to general gameplay, that’s where it falls very flat for me. The level design is just so.. boring.. Every single act of a zone looks the same layout wise and I wouldn’t able to tell it apart from one another. And as mentioned, there’s not really any challenge to the game due to a minimal badniks. Which to me really brings the game down, I don’t feel like it’s that engaging for me. I’m mostly fine with the tether ring mechanic and can control it well, but the problem is that, you can’t design complex or in-depth stages with it, in mind. Which is why all the levels are vertical based and lack any real challenge so it’s not frustrating or annoying, but then at that point it just becomes boring and empty. One thing I also really hate about the levels, are most of the “gimmicks” usually they just teleport you across the stage, but they are incredibly slow and essentially pause the game which breaks the pacing even more. Also I’ll just say. The later acts of Amazing Arena are by far the worst stages in the game, because you have to turn on a light to finish the level, but it’s so directionless on where to go find it, and if you go far enough into the level, you can’t go back and try to find it, you are forced to complete the level and start over which is just infuriating and blatant bad game design. The one gameplay part I genuinely do like however, are the special stages, because they are separate from the main game, and are pretty well designed, they are janky for today’s standards and can take some practice, but I actually had fun with them. Too bad I have to sit through the boring main game first before I get to play them, and the time you get in the stages depend on your ring count in the main stages. I just think it’s sad that this game ended up being rushed so heavily as you can see it pretty clearly. It was supposed to be a grand sonic game as a launch title for the Sega Saturn, but Sega’s incompetence caused its wings to be clipped and it having to be reduced in scope to what is Knuckles Chaotix. I’d say it’s about a 4/10 game.
Yeah... I wasn't all that impressed with this game as well, not just because like you said, doesn't take much advantage of the 32x, but, i just found the game, boring, it was cool at first, but it got stale, again, most stages are, about the same, and, are mostly empty while being huge.
![[Live] ศึกมหึมันส์มวยไทยสังเวียนเดือด เวทีมวยชั่วคราวสวนสยาม | จันทร์ 30 กันยายน 2567](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pM1k6f7JXUc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Knuckles Chaotix LOST BITS | Unused Content & More! [TetraBitGaming]](/img/n.gif)
Definitely bring more of these 32X reviews. There are very few people who were actually an adult during that era AND had played all these Sega games when they were first out.
Agreed. No one really does in-depth 32X reviews. Kolibri is one of my favs no one talks about.
I was, but post-launch, the games were harder and harder to find. Chaotix was nonexistent in town. Had to go to Pittsburgh. Never found Wrestlemania in the wild. Virtua Fighter was my first pre-order. Kolibri was like Bigfoot.
@@Andrew_TS I got my 32X for just $20 on clearance from a Walmart-like store on the East Coast called Caldor for only $20, with a deal for $10 w/ 2 games of your choice.I got Chaotix and Kolibri. Only games I ever had for the system. $30 for the attachment and 2 games was a steal at the time, spent my months allowance on it.
32X has great games, not a lot but there are. Space Harrier, After Burner, Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing Deluxe, Kolibri, this one..
I bought a 32X at launch in 1994 with Star Wars Arcade and Virtua Racing Deluxe, both impressive console games for '94. Just like the 3DO, the 32X was actually an awesome system at the time. It just didn't have any longevity. If wish they had managed to release it in '93. It was too late to launch it when the Saturn and PS1 were already getting released in Japan.
Chaotix does capture some of the magic of Sonic CD with its weird level design, lush backgrounds, and great music. Also worth noting is the fact that the lighting of the levels changes with the time of day, and that the enemies are level-specific. An enjoyable, if flawed, experience.
I have this game for the 32x and I think this game is severely underrated
Me too, it’s awesome, and people just don’t appreciate it. It’s nothing to hold down B, so u carry ur partner, it removes all the extra stuff (from the rubber band). Then you’re just playing like a standard platformer, it’s just like the controls of the old Mario games, holding B for running, most of the time. Plus the rubberband SnapBack is a good speed dash.👍
If you just stop thinking of it as a traditional Sonic title and think of it more as a platforming objective based game with Knuckles in it, you'll have so much more fun. I like it now too. I initially wished there were more bosses and more levels were like the Speed Slider stage (it's even advertised on the box and can see why) it's the most fun stage in the game and has the perfect balance. Feels the most like a trad Sonic stage! But over time I couldn't help but appreciate this game. It's just gorgeous to look at for one. I adore the 16 & 32-bit aesthetic and it's just satisfying to control and play. I like the Nintendo mini-game-built-into-a-mechanic vibe with the level/character select. Something I initially hated but grew to appreciate. It's just different enough to set itself apart from Sonic yet just Sonic enough to feel at home. The best 32X title besides Virtua Racing, Tempo, & Kolibri!
Facts
It’s kind of polarizing though, some people really don’t like the tether mechanic. I like it well enough, I think it’s a solid game.
Absolutely bizzare that Sega refuses to ever rerelease this. It’s actually kind of fun and the objective is to finish the level with enough rings to enter the special stage. That’s more the primary focus
Even as someone who wasn't that fond of the game, I really wish it would get a re-release. It would be great if they did a follow up collection to Sonic Origins with this, GG/SMS and GBA games.
You just answered your own question "kind of fun"
@@seanhearn9616 not really because Sega has re-released tons of shitters
"kind of fun"
Someone should redo the level design from scratch to match the original games and get rid of that rubberband bullcrap, the assets (graphics and music) are already there and they're great
I was one of the few 32x owners back them and of course I bought this game. It was certainly not perfect, but I played it to no end, and loved it. I still listen to it's music on my way to work.
I was one of the crazy people who preordered a 32X, and I picked up Chaotix as soon as it was released. It definitely didn't leave a positive first impression but for one point: the music. I adored the soundtrack right off and kept starting new games just to play along to Door Into Summer. Still my favorite soundtrack from a Sonic game, and it's a Sonic game that almost doesn't even feature Sonic at all!
I picked up a 32x probably around in 2015 and put the library on the everdrive and ended up spending way more time on this game than I thought I would. It was a fun night playing through this and I find myself coming back to it. Keep up on the 32x reviews. They are a welcome addition in my opinion.
I don't care what anyone says, I love this game!
I played Sonic3&Knuckles and Chaotix religiously as a kid!
It’s really the fastest classic game especially with 2 skilled players, i have yet to see someone do skilled speed runs of this game
Here's hoping we get 1 more Sega Genesis Mini. Would love to see them use the Genesis 3 design and fill it with some great CD and 32X games in addition to hitting a few of the Genesis gems that haven't been featured on the Mini 1 and 2
I think a Nomad Mini would also be fantastic. However neither the Genesis 3 or Nomad were compatible with the 32x or CD, so it would take some slight historical revisionism.
The Neptune design for a new mini focused on 32X games would be dope.
I have super fond memories of this game.
At the time, and perhaps even still, this is the best co-op 2 player Sonic game. You went from being Tails being left behind and being useless, to actually being equally as important as the other player. For a sibling who was usually Tails, this was a huge deal. I tend to find most people who poo all over this game only play single player, despite the game being clearly designed with 2 players. So they're not getting the full experience.
I think generally, when a game is obscure, it's easier for narratives to spend. Say if a big TH-camr says the game sucks, it's easier for people to just take their word for it and the game gets a reputation of being bad. Sega should just re-release the game. They've re-released garbage like Sonic Blast on the Game Gear so I doubt quality has anything to do with it.
It boggles the mind that Sega never actually re-released this game in any capacity, outside of GameTap in 2006. This game could become major news and draw a lot more interest in it if Sega were to commission it to be rereleased.
Was supposed to be on Gems Collection, even had a full page of art in the gallery for it.
Tried so hard to like this one....
Chaotix was a fun adventure, and I’m surprised to hear about the reviews. I do think, other than for the colors and 3D stages, this could have easily been a Genesis title - and it disappoints me when Sega ignores this title in its rereleases. Definitely hope you do more 32X coverage - I know my faves are lame, but I’d like to know your thoughts on titles I am curious about like Tempo and Kilibri…
I wish sonic mania developmen team implemented Scaling boss scenes from knuckles chaotix.
the level design is pretty bad
The sprite scaling was the main effect of the 32X. Genesis wouldn't have been able to do it as smoothly or with as many sprites.
@@BurritoKingdom I think the 32x did sprite scaling better than the Playstation did early on, if it's fair to judge the 32x Prototype of Rayman to the PS1 version.
Not a great game but I also think it's not a bad game. It's unique in ways and for the most part, I still had fun with it, even though it's lacking a little of what the Sonic Genesis titles had (Or even Sonic CD for that matter, in my opinion). It's an odd one and one that surprisingly still hasn't been ported anywhere. Fun fact: The story in Knuckles Chaotix varies between the Japanese and Western releases. The Japanese version has Eggman (Robotnik) finding this new island and creating Newtrogic High Zone as a base and harnessing the energy of the Chaos Rings to make Dark Rings that power his robots on the island.
The best thing about it was the new characters. They were all pretty dope, I would have preferred to just play them solo instead of being banded with another character though.
If this man can go to jail for killing a ghost anyone could!! It's the beginning of the salem witch trials all over again!
Yes this one looks underwhelming and complicating all at the same time. The name is also unattractive. Knuckles chaotix? Come on sega. Sonic the hedgehog. Now that's a name. That's a game!
Yes! Been waiting for someone to do a proper Chaotix review. Probably the only reason to own a 32x, other than maybe Kolibri for the weirdness factor.
Now that's crazy talk. If there's one game worth owning the 32x for it's Virtua Racing Deluxe. Even Shadow Squadron is a better title than Chaotix.
@@gordonshumway7465 sorry but Virtua Fighter was awesome on it. I had so much playing that game. Kolibri looked awesome and so did Virtua Racing. I even had a fun time with WWF Arcade. I tried collecting all the 32X games when they were on clearance, sad I never got the Spider-Man game .
@@wolffactor56 I'm not a fighting game fan, but that VF does look good. That, spider-man and whatever the expensive baseball game is are the 3 games I never got. Current prices are insane, but if you got in cheap back in the 90's or early 2000's there were plenty of fun titles. Some of the best home ports of MK2 and NBA Jam TE at the time as well. Star Wars Arcade is another good one.
@@gordonshumway7465 shoot I had RBI Baseball 95 and Butterbean Boxing, both were fun. I don’t think I ever saw World Series Baseball in the wild. Yeah I picked up my whole collection in 1996-1998 and forgot about collecting it after I got my Dreamcast. Glad you had a fun time with it too.
Yes MK2 was fun and glad to hear NBA Jam TE was fun (owned genesis version). Side note I could never get past Star Wars Arcade second level as a kid.
There is actually plenty of good reasons to play 32x. There is quite a few good games. Personally I replay like Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter on it. Virtua racing has exclusive tracks that haven’t been ported. tempo was fun, and it has the better home version of NBA jam. Star Wars arcade was fun. I liked Tempo. And I know everyone likes to hate BC racers, but I thought it was good, and if you wanted practically arcade perfect after burner or Space Harrier.
Great review brother, the weird new mechanics introduced in this game were polarizing back in the day when it came out!
Indeed, and very much so today as well.
I remember being so impressed by the huge sprites and bonus stages
@@lordsosa9383 your lame
I too. I was thinking that the color variety was pushing Genesis forward. But the review by SLX makes sense. The graphics kinda stayed true to Sonic material, while 32X does the heavy lifting elsewhere like mode 7 style scaling.
I learned a lot from this review. Like this WAS a Genesis game, a Sonic game. Wow. Makes a lot of sense why people looked down on it.
@@CarlosXPhone It’s such an interesting game. It does push the colors forward, even though it’s 32x for characters, and Genesis for stages, because stages are way more colorful than normal, and the characters are especially detailed/ colorful. I wish the huge power-up was more useful but it’s great to just see it
I wish Sega would put this on a sonic collection, we are getting Sonic Origins Plus so hopefully this is on it
Hopefully sonic r and 3d blast are on it
@Rein that would be a sonic compilation that's actually worth buying
My guess for Origins Plus is this, Spinball and 3D Blast, given those menu islands and the OSTs in the jukebox.
Yeah I agree with all of that 😊
@@printthelegends hopefully knuckles chaotix
Would love more 32X reviews! As a kid in the 90s I was so excited for the 32X and Chaotix when I discovered a demo of it at a Media Play store. In the moment I thought it was the next big thing, I had to have only been about 8 or 9 at the time. Wow did it fail fast!
One thing to note about playing this game is that getting into the habit of carrying your partner as a projectile and double jump (the hold button did weird shit with the throw) would basically allow you to fly. It was great fun to Speedrun once you learned how to utterly break the rushed physics that dictated the tether.
this game was a blast, the mechanics were unique with the rubber banding. and the music is so great. I get a kick out of people who don't recognize the music in sonic videos, but of course NOBODY had this game and it's understandable why with the 32x
I agree ! 👍
I always felt this game was underappreciated. It's definitely not as polished as other Sonic titles but It's also more unique as well. To be fair with as little effort as Sega put into the 32X, I'm surprised it turned out as good as it did. Another great video to btw. Keep it up buddy.👍
I think that the randomized characters and level order could have potentially been pretty interesting if it were done better. The main thing that Chaotix is missing is interesting level design. In Sonic 3, nearly every zone had cool setpiece moments, but Chaotix's levels just feel like a series of mazes. I've spent a lot of time learning how to use the tether mechanic to help me do some casual speed runs, since the levels are obstacle courses anyway. I've learned to like it, but I don't blame anyone if they think it's boring.
Bring on the 32X reviews!
I was always so intrigued by this game, then I finally got it (years ago when 32x games were relatively cheap) and I was... Solidly meh. The graphics definitely were bright and colorful but not really next gen. I kinda always wished this and Sonic CD had been included in Sonic Jam, with lock on added to this, CD, and Sonic 1, but maybe that'll happen one day with Origins... We can dream. At any rate, I'd love to see more stand alone 32x reviews. Metalhead, Tempo, and the two CDX games to start.
Would be cool to get a Sonic Mania video from you Sega Lord X
Wish we'd get this on a compilation
Let the CHAOTIX BEGIN!!!! Glad to see this somewhat obscure spinoff covered! I really enjoyed the creativity and uniqueness of Knuckles Crew! 👊❤
This game really isn't obscure it's about the closest thing to a pack in or launch title that 32x had
@@jacobprayer8656 true this game was pretty common for the 32X library but those that had the hardware were few and far between. I had one but not even one other kid at my school had one, same with Sega CD lol
@@johnellis3383The Sega CD had already sold 2.8 million units by that time. With its $99 (1995 price), more games like Soul Star and Batman Returns could've been made that kept the machine competitive into 1996-97.
Was wondering when you'd tackle this game. Would love to see videos on Kolibri, Tempo and other 32X gems
This was great! More 32X reviews would be dope!
ooooh lookin' forward to this! i own the physical copy of this game, but my 32x was missing cables so i never got to actually play it :C
Been waiting a long time for this one ...
Chaotix was okay, but there's a reason why it stayed obscure while Sonic CD became beloved. Sonic CD use to be just as obscure as Knuckles Chaotix, so I often lumped them together. IMO Sonic CD's soundtrack can't be touched. It's funky groovy tunes still sound modern in 2023. Yes, the Genesis Sonic games music have their charm and nostalgia, but CD's music wouldn't be out of place if you played it to people who don't play the games. But idk. Sega America was kinda set up for failure when it comes to the 32x, as Sega Japan couldn't even put their ego aside for long enough to make a decent buisness decision that could've saved them. But instead, they botched the launch of a Saturn that wasn't developer-friendly, didn't follow through with Sonic Extreme, and refused to listen when Sega of America offered input that would save their sorry hides,
I remember the 32x add on and knuckles chaotix. Though it was mostly forgotten by sega and never ported to any Sonic collections on GameCube or virtual consoles etc 😢😢❤❤ still it was a decent hidden gem sonic spin-off imo
Out of all thing I want Sonic Team to do is resurrect the Classic Chaotix characters, just like what they did to Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty and Ray!
Even though I remember seeing this game all the time in stores when I was a kid, I have yet to play it for myself aside from how many gameplay videos I'm able to see of it here on TH-cam. Though, I will definitely give "Knuckles Chaotix" credit for being the game where I was introduced to Vector, Espio, and Charmy before they would make their return to the series in "Sonic Heroes" as well as my first time seeing Mighty The Armadillo, whom I learned originally appeared in the Japan-released arcade game "SegaSonic The Hedgehog" along with Ray The Flying Squirrel, and both characters would eventually return as playable characters in "Sonic Mania Plus" a couple of decades later.
This game looks good but not great for a 32 bit title. The gameplay for me was just too weird and I did not enjoy it. I love seeing innovative ideas but knuckles chaotix was just not it for me! Awesome video SLX! As always Killin them with the bangers! 🔥 content as usual!
This game needs a remaster. Include the option to play with or without the rubber band. Every Sonic game should be available on modern consoles and PC.
Indeed the when this game was being developed it didn't utilize the 32X's capabilities to push it to the next level. However this game did have it's merits and it's a shame it's not had a re release. I did love the music in this game mind you. As like yourself I was caught in between the two camps.
We should have had the Sega Genesis as a regular console Sega CD should have been premium console and 32x never made. This game should have gone straight to the Sega Saturn
The main issue with this game is the tethering mechanics are tedious. It would have been ok for one level / a special stage but Sega decided that the USP was tethering.. which was a mistake imo.
32X review, of course I'll watch it. Really like to see a review of Kolibri.
I'd rate this higher than SLX. It's unique, so colorful and the music gives the game a lovely, fun vibe.
The story in the English manual is false, the Japanese manual has the real story for the game. The Island you are on rose up from the ocean because of the events of S&K. Eggman saw this island and built an theme park base in top of it called Newtrogic High Zone. Knuckles came to the island to investigate, Espio because he was a detective who loved ancient ruins. Vector because he saw it as a miracle, Charmy to search for new flowers and Mighty to take a vacation I think. These characters all met for the first time in this game. Too bad the current Sonic Team rebooted this...
Oh you mean sonic heroes…eh well king, we all know the story differs between English and Japanese and the latter is usually more interesting 😂 but seriously I’m sure there’s a way to keep both this game and sonic heroes cannon while making sense logically
@@gracekim25 Oh! An interesting tidbit is that prototype Vector was indeed the original detective! He even had a hat and shades. But on Chaotix he was made into a basketball player! That's right! And his favorite food was sports drinks! Espio was then made into the detective for Chaotix! Pretty interesting how the Vector from Heroes is actually prototype Vector, he even has the muscles. I do prefer 32X Chaotix Vector tho 😥
I have always wanted to know if adding a 32x onto a mega drive will it made it into a real 32 bit console or was it's just marketing bullshit instead. I always believe it's the latter. Hope someone can tell me a conclusive answer so that I can lay my doubt to rest after all these years.
Well star wars arcade and virtua fighter should answer that. No way could megadrive do that. Check virtua racing compared to the megadrive version. Big big difference.
And finally the super sprite scaler afterburner is just about arcade perfect compared to the megadrive. Its night and day. Space harrier too.
The specs are on the very first frames of the video. Seems you didn't pay attention.
I think about what I read here and also went back to the video again and thanks for everyone replies. I will view 32x as a 32bit machine from now on then.
@@anglo-saxonconnor817 finally- compare doom to the snes port...
And it was mega rushed!!
There is a new homebrew version of doom that is absolutely fantastic, very close to pc original plus link up play etc. Same processor as the Saturn aswell aka SH2. so yea definitely 32bit not that that means anything with bits etc, but its a lower end 32bit machine and a massive what could of been sadly...
I would love to see you do a review of the 32x game Shadow Squadron!
I picked up this game and played it on my Genesis 1 system. I got a Genesis 2 because I liked how the 32X looked on it better. Since I had already beaten Knuckles Chaotix I didn't play it. When I finally booted it up, the game wasn't working anymore. It would play but freeze at the title screen. I still kept it but it was almost 10 years later that I found out it was my Genesis the whole time. For some reason mine wasn't fully compatible with the 32x.. Once I got another system the game played perfectly fine. I'm glad I never got rid of it.
I am glad this game exists just for the awesome new characters it introduced into the sonic universe.
Here's hoping Vector gets to be DLC for Sonic Frontiers.
The STC stories based on the characters were great
I strongly diaagree with your review. The unintuitive tether/rubberband mechanic made this game unapproachable, if not downright unplayable. It was simply not fun. It sold poorly because it was terribly annoying, and the shoddy sales were well-deserved.
Not sure you followed the whole review. I clearly made the point that the tether mechanic would turn off many. In no way was this a glowing review that praised the gameplay or design.
Sega Lord X Thanks For Showing Sega And The 32X Love I’m Enjoying 36 Great Holes Starring Fred Couples For The 32X Right Now As We Speak So Many Outlets And Extension Cords That We Need When We Attach The Genesis CD And 32X Hahah We’re Lucky To Live Through the 1980s To Now
Wasn't a bad game to be honest. Probably, the game magazines were pro Nintendo 😅
I picked up this for my 32x last year, absolutely loved the game, glad to see you’re reviewing this title!
Oh hey, my favourite sonic game.
Despite what many critics say, I loved my time with this game. Even if the 3D is limited and the graphics aren’t as popping as Sonic CD, it’s still a BLAST.
Play this game if you own a 32X and most importantly, don’t treat this as a Sonic game and pick Knuckles only.
as a kid i distinctly remember Gamepro tearing Chaotix a new anal doorway. as a young not quite a teen yet, i was 10 or 11 when Chaotix came out. So i swore by gamepro and gamepro only (we aint all perfect as kids).
As such the images looked ok, seeing the ring teather system felt weird and out of place in a sonic style game (especially w K‐Nux as the coverdog) and even more outta place in a spinoff of the Sonic franchise.
And Charmy Bee can die and rot in hell. hate bees, allergic only to their stings and nothing else. They are natures bastard. And their "occupation" is seeing them replaced by nanobots who can pollinate for them. Great review SLX, ill be back w a review tomorrow. Its time, my mom would want me to continue to do what i love
Tempo and Shadow squadron were great, too bad they were prisioners of this ill fated piece of garbage 32x
I wish tempo was ported to the saturn and shadow squadron the genesis using the svp chip or its sucessor.
The 32X was never meant to push backgrounds and parallaxes at high speed. It is not well suited for this at all. It is made to display pixels on a one by one basis, which is essential for 3D (as it handles the fact that visuals cannot be predicted) , unlike the MegaDrive which uses exclusively 8x8 pixels tiles and offers various layers in order to be super fast at moving around huge backgrounds. The Saturn implemented the exact same features in VDP2 to keep strong capabilities for 2D games, as managing layers of background with tiles at high speed is expected.
This is the way the configuration should be understood : 32X was meant to be the VDP1 (sprites, 3D, effects on it) and provides the same two main CPUs as Saturn, while the MegaDrive is the VDP2 (background, parallax, hud). In that regard, Chaotix makes a pretty good usage of the 32X in my opinion. It was an early game, as all 32X games.
Also I noted you almost never pick-up your partner. You are supposed to do it a lot... It allows to get back classical physics, and you are supposed to throw it to reach higher places or enemies... Also I think that you missed the point of the experience. The game is not meant to be played one area after another, it is meant to feel randomized, with palettes changing every two stages, level-design is meant to confuse you a bit. Honestly, this the most enjoyable Sonic game to pick up and replay because it never feels the same, but it is largely misunderstood.
I understand how the 32X works and its still unimpressive. There should have been better usage of sprites and polygons. It should have been 2.5D. Or at least with loads of additional background effects all over the place. It's not anything the Genesis couldn't have done to a fair degree.
Picking up your partner doesn't return this to the classic physics. You are slower and heavier. It affects every area of the gameplay. Granted it takes away the tether snapping, but stopping so frequent to pick up or throw your partner slows this to a crawl and becomes quite tedious.
And of course its meant to be randomized in terms of the stages. It's literally a part of the design. But this feels disjointed and I don't prefer it at all. These stages are all the same in terms of design anyway, which is its biggest fault by a mile.
So no, there is no misunderstanding with Chaotix at all. I understand quite well, in fact. I simply do not like a great deal of it.
@@SegaLordX I think that you greatly overestimate how much polygons the 32X can push at a decent framerate. 2.5D is simply out of the question, especially if you are thinking of textured polygons. A look at the bonus stages of Chaotix is a good indicator of what these 2.5D stages could have looked like. If you want fully textured polygons then you probably know about Metal Head and what the framerate is like. Everything is done through software with the 32X, there are no advanced features such as in the VDP1 of the Saturn.
I'm not talking 2.5D with the 32X drawing complicated structures or entire layers. I'm talking 2.5D with the 32X adding accents to the Genesis rendered backgrounds. As you see in Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing deluxe, and Star Wars Arcade, there's enough polygons there for such. Polygon trees popping out of the Genesis rendered backgrounds. A polygon trap springing in the backgrounds which swings to the foreground. Polygon water layers. Polygon cloud layers. We are talking 1995 here. It would not have taken much to look so different from the stuff we were seeing on the 32X. These polygons could have been animated at 20fps and it wouldn't have mattered because the Genesis is still in full control of the scrolling engine. It would have made this stick out more at a time when polygons were everything new and interesting to the vast majority of the gaming public. Wouldn't have sold a ton more 32X's, but the people that did own it might have at least picked it up.
@@SegaLordX I perfectly understand that you would expect more of the 32X, however some of these examples simply would not work because of how visuals are made with the combo MD+32X.
The 32X only sees a flat picture coming from the MD. So even if the idea of putting some nice 3D elements in the background to add some depth sounds nice, you actually will never be able to put anything that will sit between the far background and the foreground (which is a typical layout for any 2D game). You can only put things on top of whatever was drawn by the MD (or eventually behind all of it).
You could still add 3D elements to the foreground sure, such as palm trees why not. Anything drawn by the 32X would have to be scrolled by the 32X simultaneously to the MD, which is perfectly doable. However you certainly would not want to update a tree at 20fps when the floor is actually moving at 60fps, it would look extremely jaring. And 32X would struggle at moving around a lot of 3D elements at 60fps, so you would have to design this well to not have too much on screen, especially if you have to manage sprites as well. I suppose you would be forced to go the 30fps route, but honestly for 2D games it doesn't feel good (see Pitfall on 32X as example).
Also, you could not do transparency in top of what was sent by the MD either (maybe you can by looking at each pixel in the picture and deciding what to do ? This looks totally impractical in real time though), so I don't see how you could do nice clouds (and they would have to sit on top of everything else).
Use-cases would be quite limited I think.
I’d like to mention one theory, the title Sonic Crackers is speculated to be a misspell of the word “clackers” by the Japanese devs because of the tether mechanic being similar to a clacker.
Alternate timeline: no 32x, this and all the other good 32x games spend a bit more time in the oven and are released as early Saturn games. This game becomes Sonic Chaotix and is a more refined, full Sonic experience.
(HUGE) sigh...Chaotix. Where to start...The music, colors, sprites, rotation, scaling - TOP notch!!! Can't get enough of the presentation. Substance & mechanics? Welp...fans we need to go back to the drawing board. Sonic 2 had it's shortcomings. But, Sonic & Tail's mechanic It wasn't broken. VERY much functional. THAT didn't need to be "improved". 🤔🤔🤔
Level design wise - I thought was serviceable, but frustrating (due to the tethering...but like someone suggested: hold your partner to kinda speed through the levels as a defensive object).
I LOVE Sega!!! Unfortunately, the 32x (for the most part) IMHO was DOA out the gate. I have a number of 32X games (actually ALL of them) & I REALLY can't say that there's anything that is a "must have". Okee...I'll give an honorable mention to Kolibri (Yeah - I salute Ed Annunziata work ESPECIALLY Ecco the Dolphin CD 1 AND 2!!!)
I reluctantly like it. But, like X said: when I finished I was kinda disappointed...😩💔🎮
Hope this wil be in Sonic Origins Plus.
I've only got 3 games for the 32X, Virtua Racing, Kolibri (sealed) and Knuckles Chaotix.
I've played them on my Xbox and had the most fun out of both Kolibri and Virtua Racing, I just didn't like Chaotix.
The reason why I played it on a Xbox, I bought my 32X when it was discontinued, and the seller didn't had the din to mini din plug for the 32X. But I build my own and Virtua Racing looks awesome on any crt over scart.
Those graphics are awesome, definitely I would love a Saturn version of a Sonic game looking like this with VDP2 rendering backgrounds... BUT... you know... mid 90s Sega of America was doing crap. The game is dull as fuck, a real shame.
Imagine if there was a law protecting consumers of hardware which relies on specific media, making sure a console, media player and the sorts had to be supported for at least 5 years after its release, assuring all promised content and in-development software/projects was released and sold in retail. The 3DO, the Jaguar, 32X, the Saturn and possibly even the Sega CD would have received many great games that were left behind and also making those who believed and invested in such systems satisfied enough in order to not have felt disappointment/left behind/betrayed by their respective companies. I know of many car manufacturers and a range of other businesses that are forced to support their products one way or another, even if their model/line/series of products aren't available for new purchases, why it never happened to the entertainment media, which features the same dynamics (money/product/service/jobs/etc) is a bit ridiculous.
It would probably refrain SEGA and other companies back them from flooding the market without second thoughts, as they would account for the said 5 years of support law, so the risks would probably be favorable to true next-gen systems such as the Saturn, as they would focus on that since the early 90's instead of stop-gaps. Imagine the Saturn starting the 32 bit era in 1994 with 30 titles across all possible genres at launch tailor-made with expertise for their new hardware (no rushed garbage), since SEGA wouldn't have to lose their heads with unnecessary money spent in hardware and software with high risk bets.
I picked this up with a 32X, when the 32X went on sale for $15 at Toys ‘R Us (yes it eventually went that cheap). I like the potential of the game mechanic-this is the only Sonic game I know of where co-op can actually be enjoyed. The tether solves the problem of Sonic ditching Tails in the older games. And while gameplay wise this could almost be a Genesis title, the graphics and sound are noticeably better than Genesis. The biggest issue is that the levels are too easy and not that memorable. I beat this game very quickly. If they spent more time with level design, it could have been truly epic.
Look I get the game was unique but I wasn’t a fan of this game back then and I certainly am not now. Boring repetitive rubber band style platformer is not what I want in a sonic game especially when there was already very good platformers that came out that same year in Yoshi Island, DKC2, Rayman, Astal, Earthworm Jim 2 and Mega man X2. Only positive thing I can say about the game is that it was coop
The thing is it doesn't look any better than the Megadrive (except for the sprite scaling). The 32X wasn't worth the asking price just for that especially since the SNES was already doing that from day one with Super Mario World. I was told by the guy in the shop that the 32X was just a stop gap inbetween the Saturn. I'm so glad I listened to him, which I never did at the time because I was stubborn as a mule when I had my mind set on something. If had of looked like Sonic Mania it might've been a different story.
I think the 32X was misunderstood..and poorly marketed. It was an add-on that doubled the performance of existing hardware and for a fraction of the price of competing consoles. It was not it's own console. Had this existed a few years earlier, the 32X would have a different legacy. I think where it really fell off was software support. Sega of America created and interesting piece of kit, just at the wrong time. But...they understood the mission.
Still mad my boy Knuckles never got any other solo games. Knuckles went from being an actual character to red guy who punches things after Sonic Adventure 2, but it looks that's kinda being reversed now. The fact stages get randomly picked for you in Chaotix means stages all have to have similar difficulties, which is one of the many things that hurts this game. Neat idea but poorly executed.
I was a big Sonic fan but had no idea who the Chaotix were, so that meant doing a little digging, 90s limitations on top of it. A fine game, but not super exemplary. The music is really catchy, though I often joke about the soundtrack needing more bongos XD ....another strange thing I loved about the game was how much Robotnik emotes during boss battles; watching him flail around and throw a tantrum whenever you struck his machine was always hilarious. Speaking of boss machines, his mechanical designs were actually pretty cool in this one.
Played it upon release and 32x was basically dead by then The, game was so hard to find. The game feels unfinished. Spin dash was nerfed to try to justify the ring powers. No Hold in co-op makes it harder to control. Few enemies. Levels are kind of nothing. Great OST aside, a letdown.
Yes please. More 32X reviews Would be great. Having owned one back in 96, I only had like three games for it and I’ve always been curious what some of the other ones were like. Your reviews are always so on point and I agree with just about everything you say so I’d love to learn more about what I did or didn’t miss out on
Here's a little secret I found about this game.
If the game freezes on the title screen, or within seconds of starting it up, try a different Genesis/Mega Drive. I have a couple copies of this game and a Model 1 that it freezes like that every single time. But I have two Model 2's that play it flawlessly.
Also, there's no battery in the cart. Just flash memory.
This game was so damn confusing to me. Some platforms blocked you. While others you can jump right through. The jumping sound effects always bothered me too. I wanted to like this game as a kid but couldn’t. OG trilogy all the way for me. Now mania.
I remember seeing screenshots of Chaotix in magazines and thinking it was a very impressive looking game. My imagination went wild with the potential of building on the awesomeness of Sonic 3. When I eventually got to play it years later through emulation, I came away very disappointed.
The tethering mechanic is really clumsy and the haphard layouts made to compensate for it make it a really cumbersome game to play. The special stages are really cool though, and I still think it looks great for the time. Some of the soundtrack is killer, but other parts of it are average. Overall, while there are some quality aspects to parts of the game, the frustrating gameplay mechanics really make it a chore to play and unless you're a die hard Sonic fan who has to experience every game in the series, I'd recommend giving it a hard pass.
I think of all of Sega’s mistakes. It was the 32X that really brought the company down. It’s likely the reception to the Saturn would have been much better if this console add on never existed.
Personally, I don't really care if a game is a show piece for the console or not. Knuckles Chaotix is a good game and fun to play. Even if it could have had much better graphics and special effects, since it was on the 32X, I think the graphics and special effects it had was fine. It won't sell the 32X alone, but then again many good games even on other consoles won't do that ether, but that doesn't mean they're not good games.
Great review! I got this game for my 9th birthday and have some awesome memories playing it during summer vacation. Definitely not a perfect game but still on my list of favorites of all time.
Chaotix does impress visually, but that's all. The zone layouts feel like a completely different game, it is repetitive and doesn't really have any rhyme or reason for anything. The tether absolutely kills it for me too. It should have been used as an extra mode, not as a basis for gameplay. Still, it's original at least, less of a downer than having Sonic 3D Blast as the Saturn's entry on the Sonic franchise, but that's still setting the bar really low.
I was so excited when I saw you were reviewing this game... I feel a lot of people gave up on it because of the tether system and that it was based more around platforming and less on pure speed. But I think its a great game.. def wasn't going to save the 32X but still a very worthy installment in the Genesis era Sonic games.
Ehh I got this when it came out. I remember it being expensive. And I wasn't happy with it. Not sure if I ever beat it. I still have it, and I have never gone back to it. Sonic CD and Sonic 3 were much better.
I'll admit I was in the let down camp by this game. Especially when we already had great sonic games like Sonic CD and Sonic 3. It just felt like another Sonic 3 add on with a new gimmick. At least I didn't need to own a whole new add on for Sonic and Knuckles.
I did have a complete in box copy of this game until a bad roommate relived me of it, among several other things. For the most part though, I considered this game mediocre at best. I really found the tether mechanic cumbersome and kinda lame. It would have been better if the tether mechanic was more of a bonus stage gimmick rather than a primary mechanic. I had no issues with the characters but the narrative could have been a lot stronger. About 85% of this game could have been on the Genesis alone and really did not take any real advantage of the 32X in any meaningful way. A real let down overall for me, but on occasion though, I did play it now and then before it was taken from me.
Man,could you imagine what could have been had SEGA of Japan and America "worked together" back in the day instead of the push n pull relationship WE ultimately suffered from?..... As always another stellar video SLX.
I don't think it would have been possible. Sega of Japan was focused on the arcades as their main business, with the purpose of the consoles to provide arcade games in home form - Nothing could rival the Famicom, after all. Sega of America had seen the writing on the wall for arcades, and was trying to genuinely compete against home computers and Nintendo. They weren't just dealing with different markets, they were in very different businesses, and it took the Playstation for Sega of Japan to realize their mistake - Too little, too late.
I dont like the visuals in this game, every level looks exactly the same. Every level looks like Sonic 3 carnival zone mixed with the cluttered level design of Sonic CD.
An excellent review and game it's funny how today we all prefer the 2D Sonic Games which are still released more than GTA 5 but we love them.
I want Sonic Origins Plus to add Knuckle's Chaotix as Knuckle's Spinoff.
The rubber band is awesome but it needed some tweaking. It's a better concept than the other character just flying off the screen and you have to wait for the CPU to bring you back in. I still feel it didn't develop into its full potential
Today's dual analog controllers could certainly bring new dimensions to the rubber band mechanic. Imagine controlling each character with an analog stick, having to perform separate simultaneous actions on split screen, pressing the stick in (L3/R3) to hold them in place, using shoulder buttons/triggers to control jump/glide/spin abilities...
@@lazarushernandez5827 that would be nuts imagine the trick maneuvers and speed running
If you vould make a review of Star Wars Arcade for the 32X it would be great, still a good game to play and show what could have been for this add on!
Nice review, can you in the future make a review of the Sega CD32X games and system add-ons behemoth?
Such a weird game to play, but looked and sounded gorgeous. Makes me wish they'd done a proper Sonic game on 32X
The Doom 64 of the Sonic franchise. It was misunderstood and rejected when it came out, but now that people are taking a more honest and open minded look at it, the game is finally getting some of the credit that it deserves. It wasn't an all time great like the original Sonic games on the Genesis, but it was a pretty decent game in its own right.
As somebody who owns a 32X and a copy of this game, I’m still surprised Sega hasn’t put this game out again. It’s definitely my favorite obscure Sonic Title.
Chaotix is a fun enough curiosity, but even as someone who still owns a copy and played it when it came out, it just isn't that fun by yourself. I will say that as a co-op game it becomes a much more fun experience, but the level design is still uninspired random, vertical labyrinths without any real substance. You nailed the whole "all the levels just blend together" issue, and that's despite the randomness of the level select. And 5 stages per zone is ridiculous. I will say in its favor I actually like the special stages quite a bit, and for whatever reason never had any real problems with them. The concept overall isn't bad, and Sonic Advance 3 arguably evolved the formula, albeit in a single player format. I would like to see what the Mania team would do with some of the more inspired bits, like the clock, or the idea of differing boss AI depending on how long you took in a stage (a hidden feature most people don't even realize is a thing). Anyways, it's impressively mediocre; a great soundtrack, colorful graphics with lots to look at, with janky controls/physics and lazy/boring level design. I think it's a standout on the platform myself, graphically, because I always thought the strictly polygonal games looked bad even back then, so I enjoyed seeing a blend of sprites and polygons.
I'd enjoy seeing some reviews for the other exclusives; Tempo, Kolibri, etc.
Hey, Sega Lord X. How about you do a review of Virtua Racing Deluxe for the Sega 32X?
This tittle is awesome, and people just don’t appreciate it. It’s nothing to hold down B, so u carry ur partner, it removes all the extra stuff (from the rubber band). Then you’re just playing like a standard platformer, it’s just like the controls of the old Mario games, holding B for running, most of the time. Plus the rubberband SnapBack is a good speed dash.👍
this game is definitely underrated I actually have this game to me it's amazing for it's time but it would've done better of sega released it november or December of 95 on the Saturn that would have made a difference
This game looks great, sounds great, but holy crap the rubber band gameplay is lousy, such a missed opportunity.
I dislike Chaotix for the same reason I don't like Sonic CD. The levels are too vertical in nature and just dont flow well.
I played it not too long ago myself to get a feel for it, and does have some great qualities to it, graphics, music, and sound. Everything that has been said about those aspects has been said.
But when it comes to general gameplay, that’s where it falls very flat for me.
The level design is just so.. boring.. Every single act of a zone looks the same layout wise and I wouldn’t able to tell it apart from one another. And as mentioned, there’s not really any challenge to the game due to a minimal badniks. Which to me really brings the game down, I don’t feel like it’s that engaging for me.
I’m mostly fine with the tether ring mechanic and can control it well, but the problem is that, you can’t design complex or in-depth stages with it, in mind. Which is why all the levels are vertical based and lack any real challenge so it’s not frustrating or annoying, but then at that point it just becomes boring and empty.
One thing I also really hate about the levels, are most of the “gimmicks” usually they just teleport you across the stage, but they are incredibly slow and essentially pause the game which breaks the pacing even more.
Also I’ll just say. The later acts of Amazing Arena are by far the worst stages in the game, because you have to turn on a light to finish the level, but it’s so directionless on where to go find it, and if you go far enough into the level, you can’t go back and try to find it, you are forced to complete the level and start over which is just infuriating and blatant bad game design.
The one gameplay part I genuinely do like however, are the special stages, because they are separate from the main game, and are pretty well designed, they are janky for today’s standards and can take some practice, but I actually had fun with them. Too bad I have to sit through the boring main game first before I get to play them, and the time you get in the stages depend on your ring count in the main stages.
I just think it’s sad that this game ended up being rushed so heavily as you can see it pretty clearly. It was supposed to be a grand sonic game as a launch title for the Sega Saturn, but Sega’s incompetence caused its wings to be clipped and it having to be reduced in scope to what is Knuckles Chaotix.
I’d say it’s about a 4/10 game.
Yeah... I wasn't all that impressed with this game as well, not just because like you said, doesn't take much advantage of the 32x, but, i just found the game, boring, it was cool at first, but it got stale, again, most stages are, about the same, and, are mostly empty while being huge.