The Sonic Shuffle issue and by extension Sonic canon

[ShadowWarrior1999]

As a Sonic fan, I have witnessed my fair share of debates amongst the fanbase regarding which games they believe are and aren't canon. There was the SEGA forum guy who supposedly said Chronicles wasn't canon, but at the same time he also believed the storybook games and Sonic Generations aren't canon, so it's safe to say he wouldn't be the most credible source. I also saw someone say that Sonic Rivals isn't canon. On here though, I've seen it thrown around a few times that Sonic Shuffle in particular isn't canon. This is something I find is a very odd thing to say for these following reasons.

-Sonic Team, the main group who develops the Sonic games oversaw and participated in the development of the game with Hudson Soft.

-It doesn't contradict any established lore.

-No one from SEGA or Sonic Team has come out and said the game is not canon. I've searched multiple times and found nothing proving this.

-Notable staff such as Akinori Nishiyama and Yuji Uekawa who supervised Sonic Shuffle's development have also worked on Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, Sonic Rush series, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic 06, storybook games, Sonic Generations, etc.

With that being said, why single out Sonic Shuffle? It seems rather arbitrary to do so, even though this is more of an issue with Sonic canon in general, so it's something I think is worth discussing.

 

[Zamasu_Chan]

I thought it was already considered canon.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

Apparently not by some. Illumina's profile has a non-canon characters tag on it.

 

[ShakeResounding]

To be honest, Sonic Shuffle being considered non-canon is a little ridiculous. That's the same as some claiming Sonic Riders isn't canon for the setting being high-tech cities.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

Sonic Heroes and Forces also have high-tech cities. Guess they aren't canon either.

Sonic Adventure and Adventure 2 aren't canon because Sonic's shoes are different.

 

[BlastX]

Yah, I too don't see why it's non canon

It's it kind of a footnote in Sonic's story? True but still doesn't make it non canon

 

[GlaceonGamez471]

Agree with OP

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

The Riders thing about cities is extremely fallacious,There's gigantic space colonies that are 50+ years old.

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

As for Shuffle supposedly being non-canon,I truly do believe it comes from the animosity against 2-B god tiers.

 

[The_real_cal_howard]

Just. Call. Sera. As the lead staff behind Sonic stuff I'm honestly surprised none of you go to her.

 

[MrKingOfNegativity]

You expect people around here to take initiative?!

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

Just. Call. Sera. As the lead staff behind Sonic stuff I'm honestly surprised none of you go to her.

We mostly go to Dark649 as he's the most active staff in handling the Sonic profiles.

But sure I'll let Sera know.

 

[Maverick_Zero_X]

Just. Call. Sera.

Who dat

 

[Sera_EX]

I have a blog I never finished discussing Sonic canon. The games are canon (Forces was stated to be "stand alone", but that could mean anything). The issue for me isn't isn't canonicity, it's continuity. Trying to put all of the games in chronological order is a nightmare.

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

"SOBIC TUSH N TUSH AVENCHURE R NAWT CANNON CUZ DEY HANDHELL GAIMEZ!!!!!!!" -Stupid n****r

 

[Sera_EX]

If handheld games aren't canon then I feel sorry for 1-C SMT...

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

You see? The only games canon are console games that have Sonic runny and spinning. Any other game isn't canon so deal with it you *****. Oh! Also Sonic isn't FTL anymore. He should Subsonic+ cause he faster than the speed of SOUND, dummy! Get real you idiots! Sonic's canon is super messed up!

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

If handheld games aren't canon then I feel sorry for 1-C SMT...

SMT is only Universe level. The handheld games don't count PERIOD!

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

Also Shadow, it was consider non-canon cause the Mario fans don't want Sonic to cuc& Mario as much Bowser does to him already.

 

[ShakeResounding]

@Violet You already know what I'm gonna tell you bro lol.

But to be fair, we have no idea by who and when it was decided that Shuffle isn't canon. It was more than likely a few years back.

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

@Shake Marry me dammit!

 

[Maverick_Zero_X]

What's with all the racket lol?

 

[Corgi_the_Gen_Z_God]

Me being a meme atm

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

@Sera EX Oh yeah continuity can be a bit loose there. For example Sonic Battle was released before Shadow the Hedgehog but the events suggest it takes place after it.

@VioletVoid100 You may have said that as a joke, but I have legit seen people say that a Sonic game is only canon if it's on a console.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

@Violet You already know what I'm gonna tell you bro lol.
But to be fair, we have no idea by who and when it was decided that Shuffle isn't canon. It was more than likely a few years back.

Probably here? That's just their opinion though.

 

[ShakeResounding]

... I'll hold off on commenting about that.

Regardless, I guess we need some more input here. Sera agrees it's canon, but I doubt everybody does.

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

Sera's absolutely right about continuity,even Ian Flynn has stated several times that he doesn't know when the hell everything happens, & he writes for comics directly mandated by Sega/Sonic Team.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

@ED I remember you posted that scan with Archie where Ian Flynn mentions Maginaryworld as being part of the multiverse.

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

Yes,he established that under mandate,so there's really no reason to believe Shuffle is non-canon.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

It's also a Dreamcast game so that shuts down the "non-console = non-canon" crowd.

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

There's barely even parameters of canon in the Games anyways,any ommissions made are extremely arbitrary.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

Except Sonic Schoolhouse but we don't talk about that.

 

[Genericstickman]

The only way I can see it as non canon is the fact that it's a Party game, but that's a stretch since the genre of games doesn't determine if it's canon or not

 

[The_real_cal_howard]

@VioletVoid100 You may have said that as a joke, but I have legit seen people say that a Sonic game is only canon if it's on a console.

Then those people don't know what canon is. Still, don't bring those arguments here as it only provides strawman fallacies to those who may disagree with you.

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

Then again that's like saying Shadow the Hedgehog is non-canon because it's a third person shooter.

 

[The_real_cal_howard]

D-did you just miss what I said above? It's obvious on what is canon. What isn't is more up to debate. But you guys need to stop making it sound like everyone who disagrees with you on canon believes that anything that doesn't have a Green Hill Zone or a copy of it isn't canon. Because you guys do that a LOT.

 

[ED_INFINITUM]

Sonic games that aren't numbered under the same title usually have almost nothing to do with each other,soft reboots amok.

 

[BlastX]

I feel you guys are ignoring what cal is saying

Don't strawman here, not everyone is that thickheaded when it comes to deciding canon in sonic

 

[Genericstickman]

I non canon Sonic game would be something like Dr Ribotnik's Mean Bean Machine

 

[ShadowWarrior1999]

@UltimateFlare I didn't see Cal's comment before I posted that lol.

@ED Forces was for example stated to be a stand-alone game, but that doesn't make it non-canon. By stand-alone they mean it isn't a direct sequel to a previous game.