Jump to content

Shadow the Hedgehog

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog character
A tall and angry black hedgehog making a menacing pose. He has red eyes, dark skin around his snout and ears, red streaks on his quills and arms, black and gold handcuffs, white fur on his chest, and white, black, red, and yellow skates, with yellow-orange fire from his air shoes.
Artwork for Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) by Yuji Uekawa
First appearanceSonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Created by
Designed byKazuyuki Hoshino
Voiced by
In-universe information
SpeciesHedgehog
GenderMale
AffiliationTeam Dark (Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega)
OriginSpace Colony ARK

Shadow the Hedgehog[a] is a character created by the Japanese game developers Takashi Iizuka, Shiro Maekawa, and Kazuyuki Hoshino. He is a major character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of Doctor Eggman. Shadow shares design traits and attributes with Sonic the Hedgehog. He is an antihero who has good intentions but will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, putting him at odds with Sonic.

Shadow first appeared in the Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), although he was conceived during the development of Sonic Adventure (1998). Iizuka devised the concept, while Maekawa developed his character and Hoshino designed him. Infuences included the Dragon Ball character Vegeta, the Image Comics character Spawn, the Sonic character Metal Sonic, and speed skaters. Sonic Team envisioned Shadow as a one-off character who would only appear in Sonic Adventure 2, but his popularity among fans led to his inclusion in Sonic Heroes (2003).

Shadow has featured in many Sonic games, including the standalone games Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) and Shadow Generations (2024). Shadow is one of the few Sonic characters to have a full character arc; after witnessing the death of his best friend Maria Robotnik, he initially seeks revenge, but later vows to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger. Kōji Yusa voices Shadow in Japan, while his English voice has been provided by David Humphrey, Jason Griffith, and Kirk Thornton. Keanu Reeves voices him in the feature film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).

Shadow is one of the most popular Sonic characters and was named one of the greatest video game characters by Guinness World Records in 2011. However, he has proven divisive among video game journalists. Some praised his role in Sonic Adventure 2 and his levels' preservation of the Sonic theme, but others criticized his dark and brooding characterization, particularly in later games. He has been ranked among the worst Sonic characters. The Shadow game received generally unfavorable reviews, though it sold well.

Role in Sonic the Hedgehog

Video games

Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series of platform games and its various spin-offs. He first appeared in the 2001 installment Sonic Adventure 2,[6] the final Sonic game released for a Sega video game console.[7] His roles in the games vary. Some, such as the main series games Sonic Adventure 2,[7] Sonic Heroes (2003),[8] and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) feature him as a major playable character,[9] and he is the protagonist of the spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) and a downloadable content (DLC) package for Sonic Forces (2017).[10][11] Others, such as the anniversary game Sonic Generations (2011), limit him to a non-playable role.[12] He also appears as one of the characters who can be summoned using the Assist Trophy item in the Super Smash Bros. series.[13]

Shadow is a mysterious, sharp-witted, and brooding antihero.[14][15][16] While his ultimate goal is to protect the world from danger,[14] he dislikes humanity,[17] and once he has set a goal, he does whatever it takes to accomplish it.[14] This often causes him to take risks without thinking them through and puts him at odds with series protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog.[18] Although a loner, Shadow collaborates with treasure hunter Rouge the Bat and robot E-123 Omega in games such as Sonic Heroes, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), and Sonic Forces.[8][19] Shadow allies with Sonic in some games,[15] but also does so with Doctor Eggman in Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog.[10][20]

Shadow shares many similarities with Sonic.[8] Visually, GameSpot's Ben Stahl described Shadow as "an evil version of Sonic himself—similar in appearance, but with darker skin, more angled eyes, and a fearsome snarl instead of Sonic's trademark grin."[6] GamesRadar+'s Justin Leeper said that if Sonic was Superman, then Shadow would be his Batman.[21] The characters control similarly in games, as both share skills and the ability to run at great speeds.[8][20][22] Shadow has unique attributes in some games, such as his uses of firearms and vehicles in Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog, respectively.[9][10] He can also use the Chaos Emeralds to perform "Chaos Control"—allowing him to distort time—and create weapons like spears.[8][14][17] Like Sonic, Shadow can transform into a "Super" form, giving him special powers.[23][24]

Other media

Outside of the video game series, Shadow appears in the anime series Sonic X, which adapts the story of the Sonic Adventure games, as well as Sonic Boom and Sonic Prime. The original Japanese cast from the games reprised their roles for the former,[25] while Jason Griffith (who also voiced Sonic) voiced Shadow in its English dub by 4Kids Entertainment.[26] In the Sonic Boom (2014–2017) spin-off franchise, Shadow appears in the 2014 games Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS, as well as the television episodes "It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog" and "Eggman: The Video Game".[27][28][29]

Ian Hanlin voices Shadow in the animated Netflix series Sonic Prime (2022–2024).[4] After Sonic inadvertently opens the path to the Paradox Prism for Eggman, Shadow has a vague vision of the universe's shatter and tries to prevent it but fails, he manages to escape it using Chaos Control and is trapped in the void between Shatterspaces. Shadow also appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic books published by Archie Comics and IDW Publishing,[30][31] and his likeness has been used in Sonic merchandise.[32] Shadow made his live-action debut in a non-speaking cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene of the 2022 film Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and was voiced by Keanu Reeves in the sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 3, scheduled for release in December 2024.[33]

Development

Photo of Takashi Iizuka
Takashi Iizuka, Shadow's co-creator, in 2013

Shadow was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, who respectively served as director and writer of Sonic Adventure 2.[34][35] During the development of the original Sonic Adventure (1998), Sonic Team conceived a black hedgehog who equaled or exceeded Sonic's coolness. The idea was revived during brainstorming sessions for Sonic Adventure 2, as the game features two "good vs. evil" storylines.[36] Iizuka wanted to appeal to American audiences with an antihero, a popular character archetype in the US at the time.[37] Concept art indicates that Shadow was primarily inspired by the Dragon Ball character Vegeta, but Iizuka denied this, instead citing the Image Comics character Spawn as an influence.[38]

Shadow was initially named "Terios" ("reflection of"), referencing his role as Sonic's doppelganger.[39] He was renamed Shadow after another new character, a bat, who became Rouge.[40] Sonic Team tasked Maekawa with developing Shadow, a task he found challenging. One night, while he brainstormed lines for a scene in which Sonic confronts Shadow for impersonating him, Maekawa came up with Shadow's first line: "Hmph, aren't you the fake one here?" From here, Maekawa envisioned the hedgehog as a delicate, pure character who would refer to himself using the more humble Japanese pronoun boku ().[35] Iizuka made sure that Shadow's introduction also brought new events to the game, as he wanted players to care about the character.[41]

Kazuyuki Hoshino designed Shadow. Like he had when he designed Metal Sonic for Sonic CD (1993), Hoshino imagined Shadow in a confrontation with Sonic to produce the design.[42] Early Shadow designs bore a strong resemblance to Sonic, with darker colors, droopier spines, and a scar on the left of his face.[43] Hoshino said these designs reflected Shadow being originally "more obviously evil"; he called the initial incarnation "Terios the Prisoner". For the final design, Hoshino remembered that he had designed Metal Sonic with a jet engine to distinguish him from Sonic. Likewise, he drew inspiration from speed skaters for Shadow's design since he wanted Shadow to rival Sonic's speed in a unique manner.[44]

Sonic Adventure 2 was intended to be Shadow's only appearance, but his popularity among fans led to him returning in Sonic Heroes.[36][39] Additionally, Sonic Team wanted to feature Shadow in a spin-off game.[45] By 2005, Sonic Team was interested in developing a high-speed shooter game. They chose to focus on Shadow—whom they felt would provide "the perfect venue... to try our hand at this genre"—leading to the development of Shadow the Hedgehog. Series co-creator Yuji Naka hoped Shadow would lead to a spin-off series about the character.[46] When developing Shadow's design and world, Sonic Team was influenced by films such as Underworld (2003), Constantine (2005), and those in the Terminator series.[47]

The team abandoned Shadow's shooting gameplay when working on Sonic the Hedgehog in 2006. Instead, director Shun Nakamura emphasized combat to differentiate his gameplay from that of Sonic's; while Sonic was designed for speedy platforming, Shadow was designed for fighting enemies.[48] After Sonic and the Black Knight (2009), Shadow did not appear as a playable character in a Sonic platformer for some time,[11] until the release of Sonic Forces in 2017.[49] Nakamura explained that Sonic Team brought Shadow back for Sonic Forces so it would appeal to fans of the Adventure games, as the character is "extremely popular" among that group.[50] Iizuka has commented that another Shadow-oriented spin-off is a possibility.[51]

Voice portrayal

Actor Keanu Reeves (pictured in 2015) is set to voice Shadow in the live-action film series.

In Japan, Kōji Yusa voices Shadow.[52][53] Shadow's English voice actor has changed several times. David Humphrey was the first to assume the role, but was replaced by Jason Griffith, who voiced Shadow and Sonic in the English dub of the anime series Sonic X (2003–2006), and in video games beginning with Shadow the Hedgehog in 2005.[1][26] Kirk Thornton has voiced Shadow since 2010, starting with Sonic Free Riders.[54] In Sonic Prime, Shadow is voiced by Ian Hanlin.[4] Canadian actor Keanu Reeves is set to voice Shadow in the 2024 film Sonic the Hedgehog 3,[55] and will reprise the role in downloadable content for Sonic X Shadow Generations.[56]

Character biography

Within the Sonic series' fictional universe, Shadow the Hedgehog was created by Professor Gerald Robotnik through genetic engineering as part of an experiment to cure his granddaughter Maria from a deadly illness.[8][14][52] While Shadow and Maria formed a strong bond, the government deemed him a threat. Shadow was placed in suspended animation and a military organization, the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.), killed Maria as Shadow tried to protect her.[52][57] Maria's death traumatized Shadow, who vowed to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger.[14] In Sonic Adventure 2, Gerald's grandson, Doctor Eggman, learns of Shadow and revives him as part of a plan to conquer the world and defeat Sonic the Hedgehog.[58] Shadow agrees to help Eggman and frames Sonic for their evil deeds.[57][58] However, Shadow eventually allies himself with Sonic to prevent the world's destruction after he remembers the promise he made to Maria.[52] However, he is unable to handle the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds in a Super state as well as Sonic, and plummets to Earth from space after the final boss fight.[8]

Shadow is presumed deceased until Sonic Heroes; Rouge the Bat discovers him alive in Eggman's base during a search. He remembers nothing except his name and Maria's death,[8][59] and teams up with Rouge and E-123 Omega to find Eggman and learn of his past.[8] In Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow, still experiencing amnesia, becomes caught in a three-way war between Eggman, G.U.N., and the Black Arms, an alien army led by Black Doom.[45] Shadow can choose to help G.U.N., Sonic and his friends, Eggman, or the Black Arms.[10] At the end of the game, Shadow recovers from his amnesia and learns the truth about his past, including that Gerald created him using Black Doom's blood and Black Doom uses that to control him, but Shadow stands up to him and ultimately defeats him. After the battle, Shadow chooses to put the past behind him and move on,[60] and in Sonic the Hedgehog is depicted as working with G.U.N.[53]

Reception and legacy

Shadow quickly proved popular among players of Sonic Adventure 2, contributing to his return in later games.[39] Additionally, responses to his introduction were favorable; critics considered his levels in Sonic Adventure 2 among the game's highlights.[7][58][61][62] GameSpot's Shane Satterfield wrote Shadow's levels were exciting and helped preserve the general theme of Sonic games, and wished they had been more plentiful.[63] Nintendo Life's Mark Reece similarly felt Shadow's levels successfully adapted the Sonic formula to 3D.[64] However, despite strong sales,[65][66] the 2005 Shadow game received generally unfavorable reviews[67][68][69] and, according to Official Nintendo Magazine's Thomas East, tarnished the character's reputation.[70]

Reviews for Shadow the Hedgehog criticized numerous aspects of the character, such as his controls, use of firearms, and characterization.[71][72][73][74] Game Informer's Matt Helgeson decried Shadow as a character who lacked personality and mocked his "ridiculous" and "laughable" Clint Eastwood rasp,[72] while GameSpy's Patrick Klepek felt the game was proof the Sonic series had jumped the shark.[74] Similarly, 1UP.com's Shane Bettenhausen compared Shadow to Poochie,[73] a character from The Simpsons episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" (1997) symbolic of creating a new character simply to boost a flagging series.[75] Klepek thought guns made sense for Shadow's character but did not have a compelling use in the game, and expressed hope Sonic Team would "[bury] him alongside the same graves as the third-tier of characters from Knuckles' Chaotix."[74] Critics reviewing the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog considered Shadow's gameplay slightly better than that of Sonic's but felt it did not add enough to the experience,[9][21] while Den of Geek's Chris Freiberg wrote the Shadow DLC for Sonic Forces added some replay value to a game he criticized for its short length.[76]

Reviewers have called Shadow—both the game and the character—an ill-advised attempt to bring a sense of maturity to the Sonic series.[70][72] Indeed, IGN's Levi Buchanan and 1UP's Jeremy Parish considered him one of the series' biggest problems;[77][78] Parish wrote that of the unnecessary Sonic characters Sega should retire, Shadow was the most in need of it.[78] Numerous video game journalists have mockingly described the character as "edgy",[49][71][79] internet slang referring to someone who exhibits disconcerting behavior in an effort to impress others. In 2010, DeviantArt user "cmara" released a webcomic depicting Shadow in a romantic relationship with Shrek, the title character of the DreamWorks film series. According to Kotaku's Nathan Grayson, the comic paired the two because "if Shrek was the big screen embodiment of nu-millennium toilet garbage, Shadow the Hedgehog—with his hilariously unfitting blend of guns and angst in a colorful world of fast animals in clown shoes—was his video game bride. Both tried to act like they were too cool for 'kid stuff.' Too sophisticated, too edgy. They were made for each other—and approximately one billion people between the ages of 12 and 34."[80]

Shadow is a divisive Sonic character.[12][50] Some, such as East, who ranked him one of the series' best characters, praise him for his role in Sonic Adventure 2;[70][12] Game Informer's Brian Shea called Shadow a "fun equal" to Sonic who delivered the series' traditional sense of speed,[81] and Polygon's Allegra Frank said he is a fan-favorite.[49] "For others," wrote Kotaku's Mike Fahey, Shadow "signifies the looming death of a beloved series." Fahey felt Shadow's self-titled game was when the Sonic franchise lost its identity, and dismissed those who argued in favor of his role in Sonic Adventure 2.[12] James Stephanie Sterling, writing for GamesRadar+, ranked Shadow among the series' worst characters, arguing he lost his relevance over time and calling him "the ultimate example of a good idea gone rotten."[71] Brian Shea from Game Informer included Shadow in a similar list, observing that his "brooding 'tortured soul' personality wore on him quickly".[82] In a more positive write-up, Fanbyte's Kenneth Shepard argued Shadow's characterization was more complex than most characters in the series, but later games leaned harder on a one-dimensional "edgelord" archetype.[83] Despite this, in 2005 Naka said Sonic Team had determined Shadow was the series' most popular character excluding Sonic himself,[46] a finding reaffirmed in a 2009 Sega poll.[84] In 2011, Guinness World Records named Shadow among the 50 greatest video game characters of all time.[85]

In April 2024, Sega launched the marketing campaign Fearless: Year of Shadow, with several projects starring Shadow the Hedgehog, such as Sonic X Shadow Generations and the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3.[86]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ, Hepburn: Shadō za Hejjihoggu

References

  1. ^ a b "David S. Humphrey". February 2018. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "Jason Griffith". amtcworld.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "Otakon ®: Please Welcome Kirk Thornton to Otakon 2019 - News & Announcements". Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Griffin, David (October 27, 2022). "Sonic Prime: Exclusive Release Date and Character Posters Reveal for Netflix Animated Series". IGN. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  5. ^ Couch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (April 15, 2024). "Keanu Reeves Joins 'Sonic 3' as Shadow". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Stahl, Ben (December 8, 2000). "Sonic Adventure 2 Hands-On". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Chau, Anthony (June 22, 2001). "Sonic Adventure 2". IGN. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dunham, Jeremy (December 2, 2003). "Sonic Heroes Profiles: Team Dark". IGN. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Castro, Juan (November 30, 2006). "Sonic the Hedgehog Review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d Casamassina, Matt (November 17, 2005). "Shadow the Hedgehog". IGN. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Phillips, Tom (September 19, 2017). "Sonic Forces will let you play as Shadow the Hedgehog". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d Fahey, Mike (September 12, 2011). "Generations Plumbs the Darkest Corners of Sonic's History". Kotaku. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  13. ^ Santi, Blaise (September 24, 2022). "Super Smash Bros: 10 Assist Trophies Who Deserve To Be Fighters". Game Rant. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Sonic's Friends / Sonic's Foes". Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Vincent, Brittany (June 28, 2018). "These Dolce & Gabbana kicks are stealing Shadow the Hedgehog's style". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  16. ^ "Gaming's Most Notorious Anti-Heroes". IGN. March 5, 2012. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "キャラクターデータシャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ". Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega. Archived from the original on December 31, 2006. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  18. ^ "Eggman's IQ Math Test". Sonic the Hedgehog Super Interactive Annual 2014. Pedigree Books. August 2013. p. 15. ISBN 9781908152077.
  19. ^ Jenni (September 19, 2017). "Sonic Forces' Episode Shadow Add-on Will Be Free At Launch". Siliconera. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Stahl, Ben (May 17, 2006). "Sonic Adventure 2 Hands-On". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  21. ^ a b Leeper, Justin (November 21, 2006). "Sonic The Hedgehog review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on April 14, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  22. ^ Compendio, Chris (September 19, 2017). "Shadow the Hedgehog Brings His Edge to Sonic Forces as Playable DLC". Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  23. ^ Bramwell, Tom (November 15, 2005). "Shadow the Hedgehog". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  24. ^ Mathers, Martin (July 2001). "Review – Sonic Adventure 2". Dreamcast Magazine (24): 34–41.
  25. ^ Jones, Tim. "THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 – Sonic X". THEM Anime. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  26. ^ a b "Jason Griffith Games Profile". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  27. ^ "It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog". Sonic Boom. Season 1. Episode 52. November 14, 2015. Cartoon Network.
  28. ^ Suprak, Nikola (September 3, 2014). "Shadow Joins The Cast In New Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal Trailer". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  29. ^ Olney, Alex (August 14, 2014). "Sonic Boom Games Now Have Their Official European Release Date, Shadow Confirmed". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  30. ^ Magnett, Chase (June 27, 2018). "Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 6/27/2018". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  31. ^ Hogan, Patrick (July 24, 2017). "Saying Farewell To Three Decades of Weird Sonic the Hedgehog Comics". Kotaku. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  32. ^ Fahey, Mike (May 29, 2013). "Sonic The Hedgehog's "Ultimate Life Form" Doesn't Deserve This Statue". Kotaku. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  33. ^ Pitman, Robert (July 11, 2024). "Shadow The Hedgehog's Live-Action Movie Debut Just Got Even More Exciting 6 Months Before Sonic 3". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  34. ^ "Fast talking". PlayStation. December 2, 2007. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2019. I also would have to pick Shadow for the fact he is a character I created.
  35. ^ a b "006:前川 司郎". Sonic the Hedgehog (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  36. ^ a b Paul.STR337 (July 18, 2011). "Summer of Sonic 2011: Sonic Team on Stage". Sonic Stadium. Archived from the original on March 9, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ Iizuka, Takashi; Keys, Austin; Lawanson, Akeem (June 8, 2024). Takashi Iizuka Answers Our Burning Sonic x Shadow Generations Questions. Retrieved June 9, 2024 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Foster, George (July 7, 2024). "Sonic Team Head Says Shadow Being Inspired By Vegeta Is A "Myth", Fans Prove Him Wrong". TheGamer. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  39. ^ a b c Petronille, Mark; Audureau, William (January 1, 2013). The History of Sonic the Hedgehog. Pix'n Love. pp. 248–249. ISBN 978-1926778563.
  40. ^ Sega (2018). "Happy Monday! Here's some original Sonic Adventure 2 concept art, featuring an early look at Shadow and Rouge. (~1999.)". Sonic the Hedgehog. Tumblr. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  41. ^ Terpstra, Arjan (2017). Official Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Art Book. Amsterdam: Cook & Becker. p. 187. ISBN 978-9082457650.
  42. ^ "Sonic CD – Developer Interview Collection". Shmuplations. March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  43. ^ Reynolds, Ollie (October 16, 2024). "Sonic X Shadow Generations Shows Off Awesome Terios Skin". Nintendo Life. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  44. ^ Nightingale, Ed (October 28, 2024). "Sega showcases Shadow the Hedgehog design, in never-before-seen sketches". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  45. ^ a b Pallesen, Lasse (March 24, 2005). "Sega Confirms Shadow The Hedgehog". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on September 30, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  46. ^ a b Kemps, Heidi (September 30, 2005). "Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!". GameSpy. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  47. ^ Castro, Juan (August 25, 2005). "Shadow The Interview". IGN. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  48. ^ Nakamura, Shun. "シャドウのストーリー". Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  49. ^ a b c Frank, Allegra (September 19, 2017). "Shadow is playable in Sonic Forces DLC". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  50. ^ a b Robinson, Martin (October 23, 2017). "Sonic Mania and its impact on the future of the Sonic series". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  51. ^ "Sonic Lost World". Official Nintendo Magazine (94): 48–49. October 2013. Takashi Iizuka: At Summer of Sonic a lot of people were asking if we might feature characters like Shadow, or if there was any possibility of spin-offs. The focus isn't on taking characters and building around them, but on the game itself. Obviously, if there was a game in which we could use the characters in the best way, we might consider it.
  52. ^ a b c d Sonic Team USA (June 18, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Sega.
  53. ^ a b Sonic Team (November 14, 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega.
  54. ^ "Kirk Thorton Games Profile". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  55. ^ Fenlon, Wes (April 15, 2024). "Keanu Reeves is Shadow the Hedgehog in the third Sonic movie, fulfilling fan casting dreams". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  56. ^ Colbert, Isaiah (September 25, 2024). "Keanu Reeves Will Lend His Shadow the Hedgehog Voice to Sonic X Shadows Generations". Gizmodo. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  57. ^ a b Taylor, Martin (June 23, 2001). "Sonic Adventure 2". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  58. ^ a b c Liu, Johnny (July 1, 2001). "I finally figured it out… Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  59. ^ "Game of the week; Shadow the Hedgehog; GameCube/PS2/Xbox (rrp $79.95) Rating: 3.5/5". Herald Sun (1): F02. February 26, 2006.
  60. ^ Sega Studios USA (November 15, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Sega.
  61. ^ Ahmed, Shahed (June 19, 2001). "Sonic Adventure 2 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  62. ^ Michalik, Nathan (October 16, 2012). "Sonic Adventure 2 Review (PS3)". Push Square. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  63. ^ Satterfield, Shane (February 15, 2002). "Sonic Adventure 2 Battle Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  64. ^ Reece, Mark (October 6, 2011). "Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Review (GCN)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  65. ^ "Sega Sammy Holdings Annual Report 2006" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. July 2006. p. 47. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  66. ^ "Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 Full Year Results" (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings. May 14, 2007. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  67. ^ "Shadow the Hedgehog for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  68. ^ "Shadow the Hedgehog for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  69. ^ "Shadow the Hedgehog for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  70. ^ a b c East, Thomas (May 29, 2013). "The best and worst Sonic characters". Official Nintendo Magazine. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013.
  71. ^ a b c Sterling, Jim (January 19, 2011). "The 10 worst Sonic friends". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  72. ^ a b c Helgeson, Matt (January 2006). "They Shoot Hedgehogs, Don't They?". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 26, 2006.
  73. ^ a b Bettenhausen, Shane (November 23, 2005). "Shadow the Hedgehog (GC)". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012.
  74. ^ a b c Klepek, Patrick (November 16, 2005). "Shadow the Hedgehog". GameSpy. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  75. ^ Alberti, John, ed. (2003). Leaving Springfield: "The Simpsons" and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture. Wayne State University Press. p. 144. ISBN 0-8143-2849-0.
  76. ^ Freiberg, Chris (November 10, 2017). "Sonic Forces Review". Den of Geek!. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  77. ^ Buchanan, Levi (February 20, 2009). "Where Did Sonic Go Wrong?". IGN. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  78. ^ a b Parish, Jeremy (February 12, 2007). "Hit Reset: How Sega Can Save Sonic the Hedgehog". 1UP.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012.
  79. ^ Compendio, Chris (September 19, 2017). "Shadow the Hedgehog Brings His Edge to Sonic Forces as Playable DLC". Paste. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  80. ^ Grayson, Nathan (August 8, 2016). "The Internet's Shrek Obsession, Explained". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  81. ^ Shea, Brian (September 19, 2017). "Sonic Forces: Free Day One DLC Adds Shadow As Playable Character". Game Informer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  82. ^ Shea, Brian (May 16, 2013). "The 10 Worst Characters In Sonic History". Game Informer. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  83. ^ Shepard, Kenneth (June 23, 2021). "Shadow the Hedgehog Wasn't an Edgelord Until Sega Made Him One". Fanbyte. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  84. ^ "ソニックチャンネル/イベント/ソニック キャラクター 人気投票 結果発表!". Sonic the Hedgehog (in Japanese). Sega. December 15, 2009. Archived from the original on December 15, 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  85. ^ Marchiafava, Jeff (February 16, 2011). "Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  86. ^ Shephard, Kenneth (April 9, 2024). "Move Over Luigi, It's The Year Of Shadow The Hedgehog". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.