Who are the best Sonic characters? There are many of them vying for relevancy. Look, I love Blaze the Cat, but if you start talking to me about Infinite, my eyes will glaze over from boredom. Luckily, the series is stuffed with iconic and interesting creatures that have stood the test of time. If you’re a newer or younger fan breaking into the series, you may want to get to know some of the many, many classic Sonic characters, and that’s where we come in.
For a fantastic way to show your love for the Sonic characters, you can check out our Sonic wallpaper guide, you can find many pictures that show Sonic and co in their best light. If you’re also a Roblox fan, be sure to take a peek at our Sonic Speed Simulator codes guide, while any players out there should also learn all about the best Sonic games.
Here the best Sonic characters:
Sonic the Hedgehog
The mascot. The original. The coolest dude with the attitude and the fastest thing alive. Sonic spin dashed onto our screens with Sonic the Hedgehog for Mega Drive and we’ve loved him ever since (yes, I know he was an air freshener in Rad Mobile first, but don’t be a pedant).
Famed Japanese developer Yuji Naka and artist Naoto Ohshima created Sonic, he’s canonically 15 years old, 3’3” tall, and loves chilli dogs. The series has since split the two characters of ‘modern’ and ‘classic’ Sonic apart as two separate versions of the blue-hued hedgehog, especially in Sonic Generations which features them both as separate characters. Sonic always fights to do what’s right and works hard to save the many animals of his world from the clutches of his nemesis, Doctor Robotnik.
Miles ‘Tails’ Prower
Yes, his name is not just Tails. Yes, Miles Prower is a pun, and I really hope some people are only discovering this for the very first time. Introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Mega Drive, Tails is a fox from the same world as Sonic, designed by Yasushi Yamaguchi during an internal competition as Sega to give Sonic a companion. Originally based on the legendary Japanese creature the Kitsune (just like Pokémon’s Ninetails), Tails is a dab hand with technology and is far smarter than Sonic, though he’s often bashful and shy.
Tails is only eight years old, but that somehow doesn’t stop him from creating vehicles like planes and piloting them. While the second player could control Tails in Sonic 2 (in what I like to call ‘youngest sibling mode’), in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, players could finally fully control Tails and fly through levels with his helicopter-like appendages.
Knuckles the Echidna
Sega created Knuckles as a new antagonist for Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, he’s based on the marsupial called an echidna. With his powerful fists, Knuckles can break through weak obstacles and can even climb up vertical surfaces and then jump and glide away. Knuckles was originally tricked by Doctor Robotnik into attacking Sonic, as his race is tasked with defending the huge Master Emerald. Robotnik lied, saying Sonic was out to steal it, and then used Knuckles’ strength against the blue blur.
Luckily, Knuckles eventually realized he had been tricked and turned against Robotnik, but his gullible side has been a constant character trait for the series ever since. Knuckles lives on Angel Island/Floating Island, an island held aloft in the sky by the power of the Master Emerald. Takashi Yuda originally created Knuckles, and he was given the name Knuckles to convey his powerful and cool persona. More recently, Idris Elba voiced him for the film Sonic the Hedgehog 2. We think Knuckles knows the effect he has on women.
Dr Robotnik
Originally known as Dr Robotnik, but later also called Dr Eggman in the Sonic Adventure games, Robotnik is the main antagonist of the series. An evil genius hell-bent on trapping tiny animals and turning them into robots to do his bidding, Robotnik sure does use his intelligence in weird ways. He often creates giant robotic bosses for Sonic to pummel into dust, though many of them have glaring giant glowing red weak spots. Look mate, if you’ve spent this long building a 60ft death machine, at least make it hedgehog proof? They might not have vibranium in your world, but are you making these things out of tin foil?
Naoto Ohshima originally created Dr Robotnik, and while many say he bears a resemblance to former US president Teddy Rosevelt, his appearance was meant to be based on many characters, including both Humpty Dumpty and Mario himself. Most recently, Dr Robotnik has appeared in both of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, portrayed by Jim Carrey. Robotnik is also responsible for creating Metal Sonic, an evil version of Sonic made out of metal. I’m not writing about him on this list because that sentence is his whole deal.
Amy Rose
Today, I learned that Amy Rose is also a hedgehog. What?! She looks nothing like Sonic, but I guess the pink hair is meant to be a girly version of the quills? Hold on, my world has been shaken, and I need a moment. Anyway, Amy Rose originally appeared in Sonic CD, and I don’t have a lot to say here. She wields a massive hammer known as the Piko Piko Hammer and is madly in love with Sonic, though often this is unrequited – poor girl, maybe he’ll notice you one day, sweet child.
Honestly, I don’t get Sonic’s line of thinking when it comes to Amy, she seems like a catch, a nice girl who clearly likes you. Dude, what are you doing? Get over the chilli dogs and go be a gentleman, stop with all of the running away – she doesn’t have cooties. You can play as Amy in some of the later games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic Heroes, and Sonic Advance 3, she’s pretty cool. Sonic you’re an idiot.
Shadow the Hedgehog
See, I know Shadow is a hedgehog because it’s in his name, and he looks exactly like Sonic. I don’t think it’s my fault that I didn’t get that Amy was a hedgehog. Introduced in Sonic Adventure 2, Gerald Robotnik (Eggman’s grandfather, it’s a whole weird thing) created Shadow to be the perfect lifeform. He possesses many of the same powers and characteristics as Sonic such as super-speed, but is notably more sombre.
Shadow also had a close relationship with a human called Maria Robotnik, who was Gerald’s grandaughter, and presumably Eggman’s cousin? Shadow would eventually team up with other ‘dark’ characters such as Rouge the Bat and Omega the robot for the team-based platformer Sonic Heroes.
Takashi Iizuka & Shiro Maekawa originally created him to give Sonic a cooler antagonist. Shadow’s attitude borders on ridiculously melodramatic and edgy, something which has been parodied often in later games. Shadow even got his own game called Shadow the Hedgehog back on the Gamecube, where he used a real human gun and worked alongside a weird starfish demon. Yes, all of that is true.
Blaze the Cat
While she might not be a titular character like Sonic, Blaze the Cat is still an incredibly important character. She’s actually royalty as an imperial princess from earth in the Sol Dimension, and she also happens to be the guardian of the Sol emeralds.
The very first time you see Blaze is in Sonic Rush, a 2005 platformer for the Nintendo DS. Her whole deal is being a bit anti-social and hard on herself, which, honestly, is an absolute mood that I’m sure many of you can relate to. However, she discovers the power of friendship after meeting Sonic and co.
Big the Cat
This guy is a vibe. Who doesn’t love Big the Cat? Unlike Blaze, he doesn’t have the fate of a kingdom on his shoulders and is instead a very chill soul who’s fun to be around. He’s especially a good time if you enjoy fishing, as his favorite thing to do is throw out a line with his pal Froggy.
You first meet Big in Sonic Adventure, the first mainline Sonic game to feature 3D gameplay. You’ll quickly learn that while this lad enjoys a bit of peace and tranquility as he vibes through life, he’s also fast to jump into danger to help his friends. He’ll leave his isolated him in an instant and join his pals. I need his chill vibes in my life, to be honest; come on, Big, grab your rod, we’re going fishing.
Silver the Hedgehog
Silver the Hedgehog is to Sonic what Trunks is to Dragon Ball Z, and he’s my second favorite of the hedgehogs, coming second only to Shadow. Yes, Sonic doesn’t crack my top two, doesn’t even crack my top three if we consider the TV show Sonic Underground – I love you, Manic. Anyway, I digress; Silver comes from 200 years in the future, returning to Sonic’s time in an attempt to prevent the catastrophes that lead to a less-than-great future.
One of the more intriguing things about Silver is his telekinetic abilities; they certainly offer something a bit different from Sonic’s immense speeds. I also have to commend Silver for his personality, he’s an optimistic fellow who refuses to let adversity get him down. Plus, he’s very kind, loyal, and has a strong sense of justice that implores him to do the right thing. Silver’s first appearance is in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), and he just might be the best thing about that game.
Rouge the Bat
Who doesn’t love a bit of espionage? And when the spy in question is a charismatic jewel thief who’s also a total badass, you know you’re in for a good time. Rouge the Bat is a fan-favorite Sonic character, and I’m also a pretty big fan, even if it can be hard to gauge her intentions at times. A good rule of thumb is to discover what benefits her, as that’s the path she is likely to take, though that’s not to say she’s not a loyal individual.
Rouge first arrives in Sonic Adventure 2 and has gone on to help Sonic and their pals more than once – yes, she likes pretty jewels, but her friends are damn important to her, too. I also have to admit that her battle prowess is quite impressive. All those years as a government agent mean she’s an incredible kickboxer, knocking her opponents all over the place.
And that concludes our list of the best Sonic characters. If you’re looking for even more jumping for joy, be sure to grab onto this next guide like it’s a golden coin as we break down the best Switch platformers, including an appearance from the old hog himself.