The Sonic series, created by Japanese developers, is one of the most popular games in the entertainment market. Today we’ll talk about a character who belongs to this universe and appears in many parts of the franchise - this is Shadow the hedgehog.
Appearance
Despite the fact that the Shadow Hedgehog is a separate hero with his own image and character, he is still often confused with Sonic. The fur of our hero, as a rule, is painted black, there is a white spot on the chest, and several needles located on the edges look a little bent. Another distinguishing feature is the characteristic red stripes that Sonic does not have. If you look closely, you can find other details that are inherent only to the Shadow hedgehog. For example, several gold rings are worn on his legs and arms, and from the style of his shoes, despite the overall bulky appearance, he gives something futuristic. By the way, sometimes the hero uses a jet engine built into the boots, which adds speed to him.
Funny confusion occurred in several parts of Sonic the Hedgehog at once. As already mentioned, sometimes a character is mistaken for Sonic. Moreover, in the 2006 version, the Shadow urchin was confused with its double, which in this case is very justified.
Character character
Shadow's actions are always quick, but at the same time thought out. He restrains his emotions well and always tries to radiate calm. He also possesses qualities such as confidence, seriousness, courage and determination. This is a very smart and far from naive character. His relations with other heroes are built on the principle of "you to me - I to you." If he doesn’t like someone, then Shadow can begin to act with arrogance and a certain severity, but without reason he will not be rude. The girls do not beat and treats them politely (though only if they themselves do not attack).
The story of the Hedgehog Shadow in "The Adventures of Sonic 2"
This is the very first game in which this character appeared. The plot tells about Dr. Egman, who manages to get to the secret base GUN - Prison Island. It was in this place, according to rumors, that a sample of the perfect weapon was hidden. Egman manages to reach his goal, and he discovers Shadow locked in a capsule. He, in turn, shares information about the weapon with the doctor, and then goes with him and another character in search of.
Further, the plot sheds light on the past of the hedgehog, and players will learn about its connection with the ARC colony. Despite this, how Shadow got to Prison Island is still a mystery.
The past of the hero revived in him hatred of all mankind. The death of Mary, his only best friend, hit hard on his views on the world and his own destiny. That is why he took part in the race for stones, since only with their help he could crank out his terrible plan.
Gifted voice
All gamers are well aware that voice acting is the main component in creating a character and his image. In games until 2005, in western versions, Shadow was given the voice of actor David Humphrey. After that, Sonic the Hedgehog team decided to completely change the casting and invite new actors from 4Kids to audition. As a result, Jason Griffith was chosen for the role of our hero. He voiced immediately the hedgehog Shadow and Sonic. Heroes with his voice lasted until 2010, after which Kirk Thornton replaced.
Unlike Western games, the Japanese versions remained true to only one voice actor - Koji Yusa. The same approach was taken by Russian localizers, who invited actor Dmitry Filimonov to the role of Shadow.
Superpower
All the capabilities of the Shadow urchin can be divided into energy and physical. The first category implies the energy of Chaos, which is used for various strokes, upheavals and jumps. Physical abilities rely entirely on supersonic sound and do not require any additional recharge.
In the second part of the series, some abilities of the Shadow urchin coincide with those that are present in Sonic. There is also dark energy that is wasted on temporary teleportation, "yellow lightning" and "Spear of Chaos." In the same game, Shadow has the ability to move at lightning speed, and a special tackle called "Sommersolt" - all this is also identical to Sonic's skills.
Copying continues in other games. So, in Sonic Heroes, Shadow becomes the master of the “Black Tornado”, the analogue of which is the “Blue Tornado” of Sonic. Using these abilities, characters can create air funnels tossing and disarming enemies.
In the game "Hedgehog Shadow" appears skill "Explosion of Chaos", which is able to destroy all enemies in a ten-meter radius from the catalyst. This ability becomes active only after the accumulation of dark energy. Another similar attack, “Spear of Chaos”, is used only during the final battle with the main boss.
It is noteworthy that in theory, Shadow can easily beat Sonic in terms of strength. The reasons why he rarely uses all his power are fast exhaustion and loss of consciousness. To prevent this from happening at all, Shadow wears special rings on his legs and arms that help him maintain control. In one part of the franchise, you can see how the hero removes the restraining bracelets and reveals his full potential.
Super shadow
When Shadow reaches its super-shape, the color of his coat changes to golden. All the physical abilities of the hero are increased several times, he receives invulnerability and the ability to fly.
This form can only be achieved if the player managed to collect all the emeralds. Only one ring will leave in a second (just like Sonic's), and when the entire supply runs out, the superpower effect will disappear.