Sonic the Hedgehog 2 just released in theaters last week, and the movie–just like the game that shares its name–puts Sonic’s pal Miles “Tails” Prower front in center in both the story and the action. This got me wondering, is Tails the best sidekick in gaming, and if not, then who is?
A good sidekick should be able to hold their own, while also complimenting the protagonist with unique abilities and a distinct personality. I always think back to the Dynamic Duo, Batman and Robin, when it comes to sidekicks: Robin is younger, more naïve, and after much more rash than the Caped Crusader, yet his smaller build and acrobatic training allows him to fight a little differently than the Dark Knight yet still lay down the hurt.
Tails, similarly, is a bit smaller than Sonic, and not quite as fast as the Blue Blur, yet he has amazing intellect when it comes to computers and machines, and his dual tails allow him to take flight. In both game and other media, this allows Tails to rescue Sonic when falling, as well as hoist him up to otherwise unreachable platforms. His presence really makes a difference when comparing Sonic 2 to the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
Luigi is also a likely candidate for gaming’s best sidekick, largely due to the Super Mario series being so incredibly popular. Originally, Luigi was just a pallet swap of his brother Mario, yet it didn’t take long for Luigi to come out into his own. Luigi typically can jump much higher than his shorter, pudgier brother, and his long legs allow him to almost float in the air for a short time. Luigi’s personality is also much unlike Mario’s: he’s more timid, a bit of a goof, and often quite the klutz; this makes him much more relatable to Mario’s almost perfect depiction of a hero.
Of course I could go on-and-on about other gaming sidekicks (Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite, Sully from Uncharted, Clank from Ratchet & Clank, Ellie from The Last of Us, and many more), but I want to hear from you? Who do you think deserves the honor of being gaming’s #1 sidekick, and more importantly, why? Is it their personality that draws you to them? Their abilities? Or how they compliment the main protagonist? Sound off in the comments below and join our Discord to talk with other gamers like you!
Source: Sonic Zone 0
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