TheSonic the Hedgehogseries seems to be coming to a climactic, speedy finish at the end of this year with not onlySonic X Shadow Generationson the way andSonic the Hedgehog 3in theaters in December, but also a few new fun things that were announced in the latest Sonic Central. While many of the announcements shown were thingsSonic the Hedgehogfans already knew about in advance, a new animated shorts series was announced. It’s titledChao Tales,and is made specifically for those who still adore the little critters after they’ve been sidelined in many recentSonicadventures.
Not too much is known aboutChao Talesbeyond the quick teaser, but fans do have a synopsis to go by; the series aims to follow Sonic as he visits a Chao Garden a number of times over the course of a year. Alongside Sonic, a small Chao that fans shouldrecognize as the special Shadow the Hedgehog characterChao is the only other known character so far, which gives the impression that it will play a small part to either annoy the blue blur or be his companion.Chao Taleswill follow the same structure as the otherSonicanimated short series thus far, featuring eight episodes that should be roughly three-to-six minutes in length. As all of these likely adorable episodes will be made freely available on the official social media channels for the series, it’s a perfect opportunity for fans to let their voices be heard.
Chao Tales' View Counts Could Let Sonic Team Know How Badly Fans Want Chao Gardens Back
The Chao aren’t strangers to the animated shorts that theSonicfranchise has put out for the last while, with the creatures appearing in theTeam Sonic Racing: Overdriveshort as a team of racers, and asnatural residents of Angel Island inSonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence. However, the shortChao in Spacemay be the reason whyChao Talesis becoming a multi-short series. Since it was posted for the holiday season in 2019, the short has gained 2.5 million views on YouTube alone, to say nothing of the other social media channels. It’s a regular re-watch for plenty of fans due to the delightful antics Sonic gets up to trying to help a Chao who’s sleepwalking while dreaming of being in aStar Warsparody battle.
Sonic Team and the Search for Support of the Chao
A big reason as to whyChao in Spaceis such a fan-favorite isbecause the Chao themselves are a fan-favoriteamong series loyalists. The original Chao Garden mechanic fromSonic Adventure 1and2has been routinely requested by fans in every avenue possible since they were no longer a mainstay in mainline games. Despite the frequent question, Sonic Team’s answer has most always been that the feature may be brought back if there’s enough support.
After multiple attempts to show Sonic Team how badly this feature has been desired,Chao Tales' view counts on each individual short, if large enough, could finally be the way fans can let Sonic Team see the message more directly. If the short series does almost as well asSonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginningsis doing with its upwards of 734,000 views within the first 24 hours, then the evidence of the Chao Garden’s population can be seen clear as day by all parties involved.
With frequently asked questions comes frequently given answers, however, and the support for the Chao Gardens isn’t something that hasn’t been stated by fans before. Despite the constant outcry for the feature’s return,Sonic Team has yet to revisit the Chao Gardenconcept in a way that feels like any of the support the studio’s asked for has fallen on deaf ears. Still, if fans want to truly let the developers know just how much the critters and their hideaway are desired, then makingChao Talesa popular series ofSonicshorts by a fair margin will be a great way to do so.
Sonic X Shadow Generations
WHERE TO PLAY
THE RETURN OF SHADOWIn this new standalone campaign, Shadow’s nemesis, Black Doom, has reemerged and threatens to take over the world once again. Shadow must journey into his past, confront his painful memories, and unlock new dark powers to save the world.
SHADOW EVOLVEDHarness Shadow’s new Doom Powers to battle hordes of enemies and tackle platforming challenges like never before. Surf on water, fly over obstacles, and stop time with the return of Chaos Control!A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND DIMENSIONSExperience the ultimate showdown between Shadow and Black Doom in a new boss battle that will test your skills and reflexes. Use all of Shadow’s abilities to defeat Black Doom and save the world!EXPLORE THE NEW WHITE SPACEStretch your legs in an all-new hub world inspired by the open-zone gameplay of Sonic Frontiers. As Shadow gains new powers, he can explore further and uncover the secrets hidden throughout!
