Best Sonic Games Where You Play As Shadow

Shadow the Hedgehog is one of the most famous Sonic characters, and it’s easy to see why. The Ultimate Life Form debuted on the Sega Dreamcast in 2001. Since then, fans have fallen in love with his heart-wrenching backstory, extraordinary powers, and iconic lone-wolf personality.

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Shadow is playable in over two dozen Sonic games, sometimes as a hero and sometimes as a villain. Either way, each title offers a new chapter in his thrilling story of loss, self-discovery, and redemption. If you want to follow his journey from start to finish, the following titles are the ones you should play.

12

Sonic Adventure 2

Shadow’s First Appearance

Shadow was first introduced in Sonic Adventure 2, where he’s playable in the game’s Dark Story. Grieving the murder of his friend, Maria Robotnik, Shadow teams up with Dr. Eggman and Rouge the Bat as an act of revenge against humanity.

Sonic Adventure 2 is a must-play if you’re a fan of Shadow. Not only do you learn his backstory, but you also get his emotional character arc from a hate-filled rival to a selfless hero. Be warned that it’s hard to walk away dry-eyed when Shadow sacrifices himself to save the planet.

11

Sonic Heroes

Team Up With Rouge And Omega

In Sonic Heroes, Shadow is playable as part of Team Dark – the hardest campaign in the game. Shortly after his presumed death in Sonic Adventure 2, Rouge finds him locked away in Eggman’s lair with no memory of how he survived. Eager for answers, Shadow teams up with Rouge and Omega to solve the mystery.

Sonic Heroes is another important chapter in Shadow’s story since the plot twist at the end has serious consequences for later entries. Gameplay-wise, it’s fun to switch between the characters on the fly, and you can even freeze time using Chaos Control.

10

Sonic Battle

An Underrated Fighting Game

Sonic Battle

Systems

Released

January 5, 2004

Developer(s)

Sonic Team

ESRB

e

Here’s an underrated gem for you. Sonic Battle is a fighter for the Game Boy Advance with a surprisingly good Shadow campaign. When Sonic tries to reform Eggman’s robot named Emerl, Shadow, fearing the bot is beyond redemption, does everything he can to put a stop to it.

While the combat relies a little too much on button-mashing, the story is top-notch. Shadow, in particular, has a profound plotline where he struggles with self-hatred and even wonders if he has a soul. Don’t sleep on this underappreciated part of the lore.

9

Shadow The Hedgehog

Let’s Hope You Like Guns

Shadow’s first solo outing is a mixed bag. However, it’s a vital part of the character’s story. Still riddled with amnesia, Shadow is approached by an alien named Black Doom, who offers him answers in exchange for the Chaos Emeralds. Whether you agree or decline is up to you.

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Throughout the game, you can choose to be good, evil, or neutral, with 14 possible endings depending on your actions. While the game’s use of swearing and guns is a bit much, the plot excels at recontextualizing Shadow’s backstory and providing a satisfying conclusion to the amnesia arc.

8

Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)

Yes, Even This One Has A Playable Shadow

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Action-Adventure

Platformer

Systems

Released

November 14, 2006

Developer(s)

Sonic Team

ESRB

e

Sonic ’06 gives Shadow his very own campaign, for better or for worse. While rescuing Rouge from Eggman, the Ultimate Life Form accidentally frees an ancient evil called Mephiles the Dark and gets transported to an apocalyptic future – and that’s just the beginning of this very messy plot.

Sonic ’06 is infamous for being glitchy, convoluted, and oftentimes unplayable. However, Shadow has a couple of noteworthy moments, and parts of the story are referenced in later games. Long-time fans may want to play it out of sheer curiosity. Otherwise, feel free to skip this one.

7

Sonic Racing Games

Get Behind The Wheel As The Ultimate Life Form

The Sonic series has many racing games, and Shadow is playable in almost all of them. He first appeared as an unlockable character in Sonic Riders. If you’re looking for a storyline from him, however, your best bet is the Sonic Rivals series, which involves Shadow forming an unlikely alliance with Dr. Eggman.

Shadow’s most notable racing appearance is arguably the Sonic & Sega All-Stars racing series, where he rides the iconic motorcycle from his solo game. He’s also playable in Team Sonic Racing, which is a pretty decent spiritual successor.

6

Sonic Storybook Series

The Time Shadow Became A Medieval Knight

One of Shadow’s most bizarre appearances is in the Sonic Storybook series. In Sonic and the Secret Rings, he’s an unlockable character in Party Mode, which is a series of minigames akin to Mario Party.

In the sequel, Sonic and the Black Knight, you can play as an alternate universe version of Shadow named Sir Lancelot. He’s basically the same character, except with expert knowledge of sword fighting. You can also play as Shadow’s regular form in the game’s Battle Mode.

5

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Sonic And Shadow’s Only RPG

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Systems

Released

September 30, 2008

ESRB

e

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is the Blue Blur’s first and only RPG. In it, Sonic and Shadow set aside their rivalry to stop an evil interdimensional army of echidnas called the Nocturnus Clan. As silly as the plot sounds, it has some interesting bits of lore that tie into other games.

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Gameplay-wise, Sonic Chronicles is a pretty standard RPG featuring a mix of exploration, turn-based combat, and puzzle-solving. While it’s largely forgotten about today, it’s an interesting piece of Shadow’s story and a fascinating experiment for the series.

4

Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games

Who Knew Shadow Was Good At Gymnastics?

Did you know that Shadow can figure skate? Well, he can in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. The series has eight installments: six console entries and two Japanese-exclusive arcade games. Luckily, Shadow is playable in all of them.

The premise of each entry is pretty much the same. You play a series of sport-themed minigames, including everything from fencing to surfing. If nothing else, it’s fun to see the Ultimate Life Form play table tennis with Donkey Kong.

3

Sonic Mobile Games

Play As Shadow On Your Phone

If you want something to play in short bursts, the Sonic mobile games are the best way to go. iOS and Android users can play several titles with Shadow the Hedgehog, including the endless runner Sonic Dash and the 2D platformer Sonic Runners Adventure.

Shadow even stars in a few multiplayer mobile games, including Sonic Forces: Speed Battle and Sonic Racing. Each of these titles offers short and simple gameplay to keep you entertained while waiting in line or on a lunch break. Check them out if you need something to pass the time.

2

Sonic Forces

A Short Yet Fun DLC Campaign

Shadow returns in Sonic Forces, albeit very briefly. You can play as him in the Episode Shadow DLC, which serves as a prequel to the base game. While infiltrating Eggman’s base, Shadow brutally defeats the captain of the Doctor’s Jackal Squad. Mortified by his loss, the captain uses the Phantom Ruby’s power to become the ruthless mercenary Infinite.

Sadly, Shadow only has three levels in the entire game. That said, he plays a significant role in the villain’s backstory, and while his gameplay isn’t the best he’s ever had, it’s engaging enough to keep you entertained through his short campaign.

1

Sonic X Shadow Generations

A Shadow Game For The Ages

After almost two decades, Shadow was finally given a second chance at a solo game, thanks to Sonic X Shadow Generations. This time, the Ultimate Life Form is transported to the past to face off against old villains, including Black Doom. With the help of his new Doom Powers, Shadow must defeat the alien army again and maybe even find a way to save Maria.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is widely considered a must-play, thanks to its masterful level design, exciting new abilities, and well-written story. Watching Shadow relive his tragic past is genuinely moving, and the ending is nothing short of a tear-jerker.

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