Summary
- A standalone Chao Garden game isn't in the works, according to Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka.
- Fans are still hoping for Sonic Adventure 3, which may bring back the beloved Chao Garden mini-game.
- Sonic Team is currently focused on Sonic X Shadow Generations, which is scheduled to release on October 22, 2024.
Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka recently spoke about the rumors of a standalone Chao Garden game, advising Sonic the Hedgehog fans to temper their expectations. In addition to being the first 3D entries in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the two Sonic Adventure games are fondly remembered for their Chao Garden side activity, which enabled players to raise adorable Chao creatures in between high-speed levels. By feeding the Chao certain fruits and exposing them to certain small animals and toys, the player could shape how their Chao looked and developed, and could even test their skills in cute races and karate matches.
Unfortunately for fans of the Chao Garden, the mini-game would completely vanish from the Sonic series after Sonic Adventure 2, with only a few small Easter egg references made to the locations in later installments. Earlier this year, a rumor started to circulate that Sega was working with Netflix on an exclusive mobile game spin-off titled Sonic Chao Guardians, which would see a return of the popular Chao Garden alongside other gameplay centered around the cute blue creatures. Reactions to this were mixed, with some players excited about a standalone Chao Garden experience and others frustrated that it would be exclusive to Netflix Games.
However, it doesn’t seem that Sonic Team is working on a separate Chao Garden game at all, at least not according to Takashi Iizuka. The Sonic Team head recently addressed the past rumors in an interview with VGC, explaining that he and his team consider the Chao Garden to be part of the Sonic Adventure formula and something that wouldn’t work as a standalone experience. “And so it’s like, alright, well, if you’re asking for Chao Garden and Adventure 3, then that’s pretty much asking for Adventure 3,” he added, also acknowledging the many fan requests for a third Sonic Adventure title.
Sonic Won’t Be Getting a Chao Garden Game Anytime Soon
On that note, Iizuka said that while he would love to announce the long-wished-for Sonic Adventure 3, Sonic Team doesn’t have plans for it at the moment. He didn’t rule out the possibility of it down the road however, saying that a new Sonic Adventure game could come “if the stars align.”
Should that come to pass, Sonic fans might finally see the return of the Chao Garden as Iizuka notes that players ask about it all the time. However, it seems that Sonic Team is currently focused on releasing Sonic X Shadow Generations, which also won’t include a Chao Garden as confirmed by Iizuka a few months ago. After that, the future is full of possibilities for the Sonic the Hedgehog series, including a potential return of the Sonic Adventure formula and its connected Chao Garden mini-game.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game franchise that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Covering both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for speedy movements and interesting platforming mechanics.
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