With the release of both Sonic X Shadow Generations and the third installment in the Sonic film franchise, it's clear the demand for more Shadow the Hedgehog content seems to be higher than ever. With SEGA even declaring 2024 The Year of Shadow and dedicating multiple new projects and merchandise to the fan-favorite hedgehog, there's no better time to be a Shadow fan. While the recent entries provide fantastic summaries of Shadow to get new fans up to speed, there are plenty of games that delve even deeper into the iconic hedgehog.

From his first appearance as an anti-hero all the way through his redemption arc, Shadow's appearances tell incredibly compelling story arcs that are more than worth playing from start to finish. Even without being the main character in all his appearances, Shadow tends to steal the show as the best part of even the most controversial Sonic titles. While not every Sonic game featuring Shadow follows the dynamic story of the beloved anti-hero, his guest appearances in other games can provide worthwhile character details, or show different sides of his personality.

10 Sonic Adventure DX Sets Up The Game World

Sonic's First Entryway Into The 3D Landscape

While Shadow might not appear in Sonic Adventure DX himself, that doesn't mean it's not worth playing to better understand the world Shadow finds himself in, especially during his later appearances. Following Sonic and his friends to stop Eggman from unleashing the power of the 7 Chaos Emeralds, players will take control of iconic characters from the series on their own interconnected journey through the additionally dimensioned game world.

For players just wanting to experience Shadow's story directly, Sonic Adventure DX is not required to understand the story or events of its sequel.

Even if Sonic Adventure DX is by no means necessary when it comes to understanding Shadow as a character, it provides some good background information on the circumstances leading up to his origin, primarily with the involvement of Chaos. Given that Sonic Adventure DX is the predecessor to Shadow's full introduction in Sonic Adventure 2, this remaster of one of the best Dreamcast games is a good entryway to get used to the controls and mechanics of the franchise before jumping into the sequel.

9 Sonic Adventure 2 Was Shadow's Debut

Offering A Compelling And Rounded Introduction To Shadow The Hedgehog

As the game featuring Shadow the Hedgehog's debut in the Sonic franchise, Sonic Adventure 2 is the best starting point when it comes to learning about the hedgehog's full story. Seeing Shadow's backstory and watching him transform from a rival fueled by hatred to a selfless hero by the end is the epitome of what makes Shadow such a lovable and emotional character.

Even though the events of the recent film were heavily inspired by Sonic Adventure 2, there are still far more than enough differences to make it an absolute must-play for any Shadow fan. Shadow's excellent story aside, Sonic Adventure 2 is praised as one of the best gaming experiences the franchise has to offer to this day, offering some of the best storytelling, replayability, and gameplay mechanics in the entire series.

8 Sonic Heroes Is A Loose Continuation Of SA2's Storyline

Reigning In The Return Of The Fan-Favorite Hedgehog

Even though it isn't the most universally beloved title in the franchise, Sonic Heroes greatly helps to bridge the gap between Sonic Adventure 2's ending and the rest of the franchise by explaining what exactly happened afterward. Sonic Heroes also introduced the mechanic of three-character teams that players can swap between, letting fans explore the game world from the perspectives of multiple groups, each with their own unique abilities and difficulty levels. Aided by the greater technology of the Gamecube at the time, Sonic Heroes also featured better visuals that aided the storytelling a great deal.

One of the best parts of Sonic Heroes is that it introduces the concept of Team Dark to Shadow's story, giving the grieving anti-hero some much-needed friends to rely on during his darkest moments, or even setting him back on the right path at times. Given that Shadow's relationship dynamics with Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega are a vital part of his character, it's great to see them fully explored in Sonic Heroes​​​​, with their sections being some of the most memorable in the game by far.

7 Shadow The Hedgehog Further Explores Shadow's Origins

Shadow's Standalone Title Is A Far Cry From The Rest Of The Series

While it's one of the largest and most controversial tonal shifts in the franchise, Shadow The Hedgehog provides a deeper insight into Shadow's true origins and purpose as an artificially constructed weapon after the events of Sonic Heroes. As Shadow is tempted by the offerings of the mysterious Black Doom in the hope of recovering from the amnesia clouding his mind, players start to unravel the dark new truth behind his identity.

Completing Shadow The Hedgehog isn't for the faint of heart however, as the final canonical story requires players to achieve all 10 separate endings, with little gameplay variation leading up to them. While Shadow's first solo game is a slog to get through, Shadow The Hedgehog still provides valuable information about his backstory and events that are worthwhile for dedicated Shadow fans.

6 Sonic Battle Deepens Shadow's Characterization

Fantastic Character Development For The Ultimate Life Form

Although it may not have the traditional gameplay the franchise is known for, Sonic Battle is an excellent option for exploring more of Shadow's character after his development in previous entries. Officially taking place after Shadow The Hedgehog, despite being released before it, Sonic Battle connects to Shadow's story in recent entries, providing a sense of relief as he comes to with his newly gained memories.

Sonic Battle also introduces fans to the ancient robot Emerl, who was re-programmed by Eggman into the likes of Shadow's beloved Maria. Emerl becomes tied to his story and even makes an appearance in Sonic X Shadow Generations​​​​​​.

While the story and gameplay are great on their own, one of the best aspects of Sonic Battle is that it shows sides of iconic characters rarely seen in other Sonic media. Throughout Sonic Battle, players can learn about where characters live their lives and how they interact with each other more naturally when there isn't a world-ending threat constantly around the corner, focusing on more character-driven encounters.

5 Sonic Rivals Offers Smaller Character Details For Shadow

Giving Shadow Fans An Optional But Fresh Perspective

While Shadow's character in the Sonic Rivals games struggles when compared to his more fleshed-out storylines, more Shadow content is always a welcome addition to the series. Luckily for Shadow fans, both Sonic Rivals titles offer entire storylines following the hedgehog and his unlikely companionships, although with little bearing on Shadow's overarching story. Shadow even makes an unlikely alliance with the egomaniacal Eggman in Sonic Rivals, offering unlikely but interesting dynamics between iconic characters.

As a PSP release, the Sonic Rivals games can be a bit harder to acquire, but both games provide a surprisingly fun experience for players who can overcome their flaws. The difficulty of obtaining a copy of Sonic Rivals combined with only a smaller portion of the game being dedicated to Shadow doesn't make it a must-play, but it's still a fun adventure for fans looking for more content featuring their favorite character.

4 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Has More Memorable Interactions

Offering A Unique Genre Swap For The Franchise

While Shadow isn't a primary focus in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, this DS title still provides some worthwhile lore and character moments that fans of the multicolored hedgehog will appreciate. Shadow is presented as an antagonistic force at first in Sonic Chronicles, but eventually s forces with Sonic's team on a mission to find and save his dear friend E-123 Omega. Where Sonic Chronicles shines most is in offering more insights into Shadow's relationship with other characters, on top of being the only game in the franchise to provide a turn-based RPG experience.

Unfortunately, Sonic Chronicles has been criticized for its poor representation of characters at times and its dubious level of canon, having been retconned not long after release over legal disputes involving character ownership. While this retcon doesn't mean much for fans, it resulted in the sequel being canceled, which was planning to further develop the relationships in Sonic Chronicles to greater heights. Given that Shadow's first few appearances struggle with his characterization, Shadow would have greatly benefited from a more fleshed-out sequel.

3 Sonic Forces Episode Shadow DLC

An Action-Packed Shadow Experience From Start To Finish

Taking place as a prequel before the events of Sonic The Hedgehog (2006), the Episode Shadow DLC for Sonic Forces provides an incredibly worthwhile, albeit short experience for Shadow fans. Including three new episodes starring the titular hedgehog and the ability to replay all the modern Sonic levels as Shadow, the DLC offers a moderate amount of replayability that rewards skillful play.

The biggest problem when it comes to recommending Episode Shadow is that it requires the base game of Sonic Forces to access, which makes it a costlier endeavor, especially given the disappointing quality and frequent bugs in the base game. While Sonic Forces had plenty of potential with an ambitious story and an enjoyable character creator, it fails to deliver anything above average aside from its improved Shadow-themed DLC.

Nonetheless, despite its short length as a smaller-scale DLC, Episode Shadow is by far the best part of Sonic Forces. Taken on its own, it's an incredibly worthwhile experience for fans of the character from start to finish, even if its primary villain would have greatly benefited from more development.

2 Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) Concludes Shadow's Primary Story Arc

The Story That Solidified Shadow's Legacy In The Franchise

While Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) is one of the most criticized in the series over its frustrating bugs and questionable inclusions, Sonic '06 still offers some interesting character moments and storylines for fan-favorite characters like Shadow. Having developed a greater sense of sense after his encounter with Black Doom in Shadow The Hedgehog and his bond with Team Dark, on top of recovering from his amnesia, Shadow has fully become his own independent character.

Shadow's new sense of values that are challenged and explored as the game progresses with its new villain, while further testing his relationships with other major characters and proving he's far more than a one-note rival for Sonic. While it's still up for debate if the story and characters make up for the poor reception of Sonic 06's gameplay, Shadow's story is easily the best part of this classic game. Sonic Adventure 2 is still the definitive Shadow story, but Sonic '06' is a contender for the best character portrayal and outclasses most of Shadow's appearances in the franchise.

1 Sonic X Shadow Generations Pushes Shadow To Greater Heights

Providing A Glimpse Into What Shadow's Future Could Look Like

Acting as a pseudo-remaster and sequel in one, Sonic X Shadow Generations excels as both a catalog of the hedgehog's most iconic moments and a satisfying continuation of his character. Facing off against some of his greatest enemies while overcoming his emotional past, players will get an even deeper understanding of this nuanced hedgehog moving forward into future releases.

Shadow Generations doesn't just re-hash old content either, as Shadow gains access to even greater power thanks to his shared DNA with Black Doom, giving him even more unique and well-deserved abilities befitting the ultimate lifeform. While knowing Sonic's story beforehand makes Shadow Generations' best moments even more impactful it still provides a good introduction to his character, especially with the added benefit of being the most accessible yet.

Sonic X Shadow Generations even includes a remastered version of the original Sonic Generations, letting players experience both stories in a single package.

With overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and new players alike, Shadow Generations does everything a modern Sonic game should with tight controls, good music, and engaging mechanics, all while understanding what makes the character such a hit with fans. While the Sonic franchise seems apprehensive about releasing a game without Sonic himself as the main character, likely after the critical failure of Shadow The Hedgehog and other spinoffs, the popularity of Sonic X Shadow Generations could prove there's plenty of demand for the other characters to take the spotlight.