History YMMV / KnucklesChaotix

* SignatureScene: [[spoiler:Metal Sonic Kai, in their monstrous form, razing the city in the bad ending of the game.]]

* VindicatedByHistory: Upon its release, ''Knuckles' Chaotix'' was generally viewed with a SoOkayItsAverage reception that wasn't helped by the fact it was exclusive to the critical and financial failure that was the Sega 32X. But years later, the game has been viewed in a much more favorable light, primarily due to its unique gameplay that manages to capture the feel of previous games, introducing characters who would later become [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan-favorites]], the fact it stars [[BreakoutCharacter Knuckles]], and the fact it was the last Sonic game of the "2D-era" before ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' was released. The game is now considered one of the better spin-offs in the series and arguably the best game that was released for the 32X. It has also been heavily requested to get a remaster (to the point many were disappointed it did not appear in ''Sonic Gems Collection'').

* SequelDifficultyDrop: The game is significantly easier than the previous Genesis Sonic titles for a variety of reasons, such as the relatively straightforward and sparse level design and lack of enemies, the very easy boss fights, the return of the save feature from ''Sonic 3'', the player being able to stack up to three hit points and even get a shot at getting all of their rings back by grabbing only one if theyre hit (provided they get the Combi Ring power-up first), the precense of the ''incredibly'' broken Charmy Bee as a default playable character, and the fact that [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist dying is merely a short term inconvienience]] due to the lack of extra lives or game over screen.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[AwesomeMusic/SonicTheHedgehog It's not exactly a]] ''[[{{Spinoff}} Sonic]]'' [[AwesomeMusic/SonicTheHedgehog game, per se, but it delivers on the trend with flying colors]].

** The reason Mighty was used as a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute of Sonic was because Creator/SonicTeam didn't want their mascot [[DemotedToExtra playing second fiddle to Knuckles]]. [[Videogame/ShadowTheHedgehog Come 2005, where Sonic would be a secondary character]] to BreakoutCharacter Shadow the Hedgehog.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: The game is significantly easier than the previous Genesis Sonic titles for a variety of reasons, such as the relatively straightforward and sparse level design and lack of enemies, the very easy boss fights, the return of the save feature from Sonic 3, the player being able to stack up to three hit points and even get a shot at getting all of their rings back by grabbing only one if theyre hit (provided they get the Combi Ring power-up first), the precense of the ''incredibly'' broken Charmy the Bee as a default playable character, and the fact that [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist dying is merely a short term inconvienience]] due to the lack of extra lives or game over screen.

* VindicatedByHistory: Upon It's release, Knuckles Chaotix was generally viewed with a SoOkayItsAverage reception that wasn't helped by the fact it was exclusive to the critical and financial failure that was the Sega 32x. But years later the game has been viewed in a much more favorable light, primarily due to it's unique gameplay that manages to capture the feel of previous games, introducing characters who would later become [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan-favorites]], the fact it stars [[BreakoutCharacter Knuckles]] and was the last Sonic game of the "2D-era" before VideoGame/SonicAdventure was released. The game is now considered one of the better spin-offs in the series and arguably the best game that was released for the 32x. It has also been heavily requested to appear in A remaster. (To the point many were disappointed it did not appear in the Sonic Gems collection.)

* VindicatedByHistory: Upon It's release, Knuckles Chaotix was generally viewed with a SoOkayItsAverage reception that wasn't helped by the fact it was exclusive to the critical and financial failure that was the Sega 32x. But years later the game has been viewed in a much more favorable light, primarily due to it's unique gameplay that manages to capture the feel of previous games, introducing characters who would later become [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan-favorites]], the fact it stars [[BreakoutCharacter Knuckles]] and was the last Sonic game of the "2D-era" before VideoGame/SonicAdventure was released. The game is now considered one of the better spin-offs in the series and the best game that was released for the 32x. It has also been heavily requested to appear in A remaster. (To the point many were disappointed it did not appear in the Sonic Gems collection.)

* VindicatedByHistory: Upon It's release, Knuckles Chaotix was generally viewed with a SoOkayItsAverage reception that wasn't helped by the fact it was exclusive to the critical and financial failure that was the Sega 32x. But years later the game has been viewed in a much more favorable light, primarily due to it's unique gameplay, introducing characters who would later become [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan-favorites]], the fact it stars [[BreakoutCharacter Knuckles]] and was the last Sonic game of the "2D-era" before VideoGame/SonicAdventure was released. The game is now considered one of the better spin-offs in the series and the best game that was released 32x. It has also been heavily requested to appear in A remaster. (To the point many were disappointed it did not appear in the Sonic Gems collection.)

* UnderusedGameMechanic: The InUniverseGameClock does have effects on enemies and the level design, but they're all small, subtle things like doors changing position or some of the bosses moving differently.

* BrokenBase: The game's art, or more specifically, the color palette. Some believe the game's absolutely gargantuan number of colors are beautiful, while others think it is garish and ugly. The other 32X enhancements, like the better sprite quality and extra animation frames, are much less controversial.

* AntiClimaxBoss: The FinalBoss. He may be big and intimidating, but he is just way too easy for a final boss--the only danger in this boss is getting smacked during the second phase, which is still not much of a problem, and otherwise he just floats around and launches attacks that are ridiculously easy to dodge, while you pummel him to pieces by either spin attacking him or throwing your buddy at him.

* BrokenBase: The game's art, or more specifically, the color palette. Some believe the game's absolutely gargantuan number of colors are beautiful, while others think it's garish and ugly. The other 32X enhancements, like the better sprite quality and extra animation frames, are much less controversial.

* NightmareFuel: The final boss is creepy as heck, with his blood-red paint job and vicious-looking fangs. Especially in the bad ending, where we get to see him hovering over a burning city.

** The tether mechanic makes many platforming sections a pain in the balls. Oh, you landed on that ledge and your partner didn't? Too bad, he'll pull you down and you have to try again.

** Amazing Arena isn't particularly hard on its own, but it has an irritating gimmick that forces you to search through the level to turn the lights on -- and if you don't activate it, the clear goal will say you didn't complete the level, and you have to play it all over again. There's also a miniboss that can be a pain if you can't accurately throw your partner up at him.

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Mighty wasn't created for this game but western players would never know it because the game he's from, ''VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog'', was only available in Japanese arcades.

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Mighty is the only character of the ensemble joining Knuckles who wasn't created for this game but you'd never know it because the game he's from, ''VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog'', was only available in Japanese arcades.

** The reason Mighty was used as a SuspiciousSimilarSubstitute of Sonic was because Creator/SonicTeam didn't want their mascot [[DemotedToExtra playing second fiddle to Knuckles]]. [[Videogame/ShadowTheHedgehog Come 2005, where Sonic would be a secondary character]] to BreakoutCharacter Shadow the Hedgehog.

* HilariousInHindsight: This would not be the last time where [[VideoGame/SonicHeroes teamwork would be a major part of Sonic gameplay]], nor would it be the last game where [[spoiler:Metal Sonic (apparently) pulls a OneWingedAngel]] (not to mention [[spoiler:it is vaguely similar-looking to his Metal Overlord form]]) -- and to top it off, the Chaotix were brought back for that game!

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Metal Sonic's [[spoiler:[[OneWingedAngel Kai form]]]] is probably one of the most famous aspects of the game, to the point that the form, slightly tweaked, made a return appearance in ''VideoGame/SonicMania Plus''.

* AntiClimaxBoss: World Entrance Level 2. He may be big and intimidating, but he is just way too easy for a final boss--the only danger in this boss is getting smacked during the second phase, which is still not much of a problem, and otherwise he just floats around and launches attacks that are ridiculously easy to dodge, while you pummel him to pieces by either spin attacking him or throwing your buddy at him.
* AwesomeArt: The game really took advantage of sprite scaling and 3D effects of the 32X, resulting in a Genesis style ''Sonic'' game with substantially souped up art. The special stages and one of the bosses are even done using real-time 3D!
* AwesomeMusic: [[AwesomeMusic/SonicTheHedgehog It's not exactly a]] ''[[{{Spinoff}} Sonic]]'' [[AwesomeMusic/SonicTheHedgehog game, per se, but it delivers on the trend with flying colors]].

* GoddamnedBoss: The Egg-robo miniboss at Amazing Arena is the only boss in the whole game that requires you to shoot your partner at a target, which here is moving erratically along the top of the screen. How much HP it has depends on the current time of day in the zone and you're rewarded on how quickly you defeat it. Some players have enough trouble fighting this thing that they tend to [[SkippableBoss avoid the paths that lead to it]].

* ItsEasySoItSucks: A big complaint about the game is its lack of any real challenge (bits of FakeDifficulty notwithstanding). [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist Dying just sends you back to the level select, because there's no extra lives]]. And even that's unlikely, since you have a partner that basically acts as a hit point to go along with the ring and shield power-ups, and the level designs are so devoid of enemies and obstacles that you can just breeze through them with reckless abandon. The boss fights, [[AnticlimaxBoss including the final one]], are a complete joke, too.

* UnderusedGameMechanic: The InUniverseGameClock does have effects on enemies and the level design, but they're all small, subtle things like doors changing position or some of the bosses moving differently.
* UnfortunateName: One of the people who took part of this project is [[spoiler:Bill Person]].

* ItsEasySoItSucks: A big complaint about the game is its lack of any real challenge (bits of FakeDifficulty notwithstanding). [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist Dying just sends you back to the level select, because theres no extra lives]]. And even thats unlikely, since you have a partner that basically acts as a hit point to go along with the ring and shield power ups, and the level designs are so devoid of enemies and obstacles that you can just breeze through them with reckless abandon. The boss fights, [[AnticlimaxBoss including the final one]], are a complete joke, too.

** Playing as Charmy turns the game into a complete joke--he can fly anywhere and has no cooldown period for his dash, which makes exploration and rushing through the levels very easy.

* HilariousInHindsight: This would not be the last time where [[VideoGame/SonicHeroes teamwork would be a major part of Sonic gameplay]], nor would it be the last game where [[spoiler:Metal Sonic (apparently) pulls a OneWingedAngel]] (not to mention [[spoiler:it is vaguely similar looking to his Metal Overlord form]])--and to top it off, the Chaotix were brought back for that game!

* NightmareFuel: The final boss is creepy as heck, with his blood-red paint job and vicious looking fangs. Especially in the bad ending, where we get to see him hovering over a burning city.
* {{Padding}}: The game has many levels that rely on CopyAndPasteEnvironments that were clearly thrown in to stretch out the games length to five acts per level (Techno Tower in particular is really bad about this). The level gimmick in Amazing Arena where you have to replay an act all over again if you didn't turn on the lights before reaching the goal is especially egregious.

** The game uses a slingshot mechanic as a substitute for the Spin Dash, which is [[{{Nerf}} very underpowered here]]. You hold the B button to keep your partner in place, run to the opposite side you want to go to stretch the cord, release the d-pad and then release B. It is a needlessly complex mechanic to introduce when we've already had a simple Down+Jump boost move for several games, to the point the target audience, children, can have [[SomeDexterityRequired trouble performing the motions]].
* SoOkayItsAverage: The general consensus of the game is that, while cosmetically lush and having potential in it's array of characters and gimmicks, it is let down by bland level design and clunky physics.

** Amazing Arena isn't particularly hard on its own, but it has an irritating gimmick that forces you to search through the level to turn the lights on--and if you don't activate it, the clear goal will say you didn't complete the level, and you have to play it all over again. There's also a miniboss that can be a pain if you can't accurately throw your partner up at him.

** Amazing Arena isn't particularly hard on its own, but it has an irritating gimmick that forces you to search through the level to turn the lights on--and if you don't activate it, the clear goal will say you didn't complete the level, and you have to play it all over again. There's also a miniboss that can be a pain [[GuideDangIt if you don't know the trick to beating him]] (throw your partner up at him).

* ScrappyMechanic: The tether mechanic makes many platforming sections a pain in the balls. Oh, you landed on that ledge and your partner didn't? Too bad, he'll pull you down and you have to try again.

* GameBreaker: Playing as Charmy turns the game into a complete joke--he can fly anywhere and has no cooldown period for his dash, which makes exploration and rushing through the levels very easy.

** Amazing Arena isn't particularly hard on its own, but it has an irritating gimmick that forces you to search through the level to turn the lights on--and if you don't activate it, the clear goal will say you didn't complete the level, and you have to play it all over again. There's also a miniboss that can be a pain if you don't know the trick to beating him (throw your partner up at him).

** Amazing Arena has an irritating gimmick that forces you to search through the level to turn the lights on--and if you don't activate it, the clear goal will say you didn't complete the level, and you have to play it all over again.

* {{Padding}}: The game has many levels that rely on CopyAndPasteEnvironments that were clearly thrown in to stretch out the games length to five acts per level. The level gimmick in Amazing Arena where you have to replay an act all over again if you didn't turn on the lights before reaching the goal is especially egregious.