User:TheJoebro64/drafts/Knuckles

Knuckles the Echidna is a character appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise. Knuckles was created by Takashi Yuda and debuted in the series' 1994 installment Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Description

 * https://www.usgamer.net/articles/knock-knock-its-knuckles-how-sega-turned-the-worlds-weirdest-mammal-into-sonics-coolest-friend

Development
Knuckles was created by Takashi Thomas Yuda, an artist working with Sega Technical Institute (STI) on Sonic 3. STI felt Sonic 3 needed a deeper story to expand the franchise's fictional universe, and so decided to introduce a rival for Sonic. As it did to find new characters for previous Sonic games, Sega launched a design contest, although only for STI. Within a month, nearly a hundred designs had been submitted. Former STI director Roger Hector, who oversaw Sonic 3 development, recalled the designs were of "[a]ll kinds of creatures. Some based on animals, or collections of animal parts. Some were completely made up and didn't resemble anything you've ever seen."

The contest came down to eight candidates, and STI used focus testing with middle schoolers and high schoolers to determine the winner. Knuckles proved to be the most popular.(Shmuplations)

While Yuda never intended for Knuckles to be anything more than a supporting character, he proved quite popular and received a headlining role in Sonic & Knuckles. Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were conceptualized as a single game, but limited cartridge memory and an impending McDonald's promotion forced STI to cut it in half. As a result, Knuckles' playability was relegated to the sequel. However, STI implemented "Lock-On Technology" on the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge—players can open a hatch on top and insert Sonic 3, allowing them to experience the game as Knuckles. While STI added the same functionality to Sonic 2, they did not to the first game. Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka said in 2016 this was because Sonic 2 tall level maps suited Knuckles' playstyle, while the first game's did not.

Design
In designing Knuckles, Yuda hoped to create a playable, supporting character for Sonic. Whereas Sonic symbolized speed, Knuckles symbolized power, and the emphasis of the character was to break walls.

Knuckles' initial design was reptilian and dinosaur-like, inspired by the popularity of the film Jurassic Park (1993).(sonic wiki ref) The design was gradually softened, though Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka noted Knuckles' long tail as a remnant from the reptilian concept.(shmuplations)

Visual elements of Knuckles, such as his shoe coloration, were inspired by Jamaica, while his dreadlocks were inspired by the popularity of the hairstyle. The white crescent on his chest may be a remnant from a failed promotional deal with Nike. Knuckles' original name was "Dreds", referring to his dreadlocks. Yuda thought of Knuckles as a mole with spikes rather than an echidna. Knuckles was originally colored green, but STI changed his coloration to red so they could emphasize "the difference between him and Sonic in terms of speed and intelligence versus power and strength."