Summary
WhenSonic The Hedgehogwas first conceived in 1990, designer Naoto Oshima had a clear vision for the kind of character he wanted to create. The team chose three words on which they would build the basis of Sonic’s identity: “history,” “challenger,” and most notably, “cool.” Sonic became everything seen as “cool” in the West during the 90s crammed into one character, from his snarky expression and attitude to his slick blue quills and Michael Jackson-inspired gloves.
But when the 2000s rolled around, the definition of “cool” had shifted. And so the process that went into designing Sonic’s adversary, Shadow The Hedgehog, was a far different one.Angsty, edgier characters were everywhereback in 2001, and so Shadow’s design was inspired by those trends. He was made to be brooding, mysterious and distant. But most importantly of all,he was made to mirror Sonic.
This has led tothe two being compared countless times by fans of the series, with the question of “who is the better hedgehog?” never truly being answered. Shadow has made a number of claims to the crown in the 23 years since his creation, so here are a few things Shadow does better than Sonic.
5Shadow Has Access To Chaos Powers
A Jewel Containing The Ultimate Power
When Professor Gerald Robotnik was working towards creating the ultimate life form, he infused the energy contained within the Chaos Emerald into his creation, looking to grant it immense power and immortality. Not only did this bless Shadow with these gifts, but it also allowed him to be incredibly in touch with the power of the Emeralds.
Sonic has been shown to use Chaos powers before too. For example,inSonic Adventure 2, he activated Chaos Control to break out of the exploding escape pod. ButShadow has shown to be far more in touch with this ability, as well as being able to create Chaos Spears to toss at foes and unleash a surge of power with Chaos Blast. Shadow isso connected to chaos energy thathe can even perform these feats without an emerald— something Sonic has never done.
4Shadow’s Backstory is Deeper
A Hedgehog With A History
For a character that’s been around for over thirty years now,fans don’t know all that muchabout what Sonic got up to before his battles with Robotnik. Many attempts to create an origin story for Sonic have been made in the past across countless comics, as well as the recent movie series. However, none of these ever really stuck, nor did they make their way over to the canon of the games.
When it comes to Shadow though, there’s been no confusion regarding his origins, mainly because the original story is just too good to change. His past was integrated into the present-day story ofSonic Adventure 2, andadded a serious emotional layerto the plot. It alsoopened up room for future games to expand uponhis origins, from his interactions with Black Doom inShadow The Hedgehogto his reunion with Maria inSonic X Shadow Generations.
3Shadow Possesses a Wider Moveset
A Far More Expansive Kit
Sonic likes to keep things simple when it comes to saving the world. The hedgehog isn’t known to bring much with him on his adventures (other than a friend or two), anddoesn’t rely on much else than his speed and strengthto get the job done. While this may speak more to his skills and adaptability, Shadow’s arsenal of abilities makes him a far more intricate character in both design and gameplay.
As mentioned before, Shadow’s usage of chaos energy provides him with a couple of extra tricks up his sleeve that Sonic simply doesn’t have. On top of this, his rocket boots allow him to hover above the ground, and the inhibitor rings he wears on his wrists can allow him tounleash an unbelievable amount of power if taken off.Shadow’s moveset continues to grow, too.Sonic X Shadow Generationsgives him a brand-new set of Doom Powers, allowing him to sprout a pair of wings and glide across water, to name a few.
2Shadow Is Smarter
An Artificially Intelligent Life Form
This one may seem a little unfair at first, as Shadow was artificially created to be the ultimate life form. Gerald would have been remiss not to give him the gift of intelligence, andSonic The Hedgehog (2006)confirms in a side story thatShadow’s IQ is 200.It’s not that Sonic is dumb, but the games make it clear that Shadow is the smarter of the pair.
Shadow is yet to have any moments of incredibly poor judgment in the Sonic series,often making the best choicein each given situation. And while Sonic has been shown to outwit enemies before, he’s prone to making errors from time to time. The hedgehog’s feet can sometimes move too fast for his own mind, whichoften lands up in serious trouble.Sonic Lost Worldcontains some of his biggest mistakes, like not listening to Tails’ warnings about Eggman’s conch or the Deadly Six’s trap before diving head-first into trouble.
1Shadow Has A Stronger Sidekick
Rouge Is More Reliable Than Tails
When it comes to comparing Tails and Rouge, many may feel the two-tailed fox is the better of the two when it comes to having his buddy’s back. Sonic and Tails have been on countless adventures together, and have proven to be a deadly duo whenever they team up. In contrast,Shadow and Rouge encountered some turbulence in their early days. His betrayal inSonic Adventure 2made much of their time together feel wasted, and the amnesia he experienced inSonic Heroesmade it hard for them to reconnect.
But since then, the bond the pair share has only grown stronger. Rouge has become potentially the only person Shadow trusts at this stage. Recently, Tails has proven to be a liability for Sonic, and was said to have “lost it” after Sonic’s disappearance inSonic Forces. Rouge, on the other hand, has become more of a rock for Shadow to rely on. She’s a true ride-or-die, telling him inSonic The Hedgehog (2006):“Even if you believe everyone in the world will be against you, know that I’ll always remain by your side.”
