Recurring villains in video games are something of a double-edged sword. Developers have to find a way of ensuring these characters' schemes are repeatedly foiled by the protagonist, but their general level of menace and threat must remain high throughout multiple games. Dr Robotnik, or ''Eggman'' as he is otherwise known, has been the arch-enemy of Sonic The Hedgehog for over three decades now and has found new ways to remain relevant over the years, repeatedly proving himself to be the thorn in Sonic's side. Despite this though, not too much is known about Eggman himself, and a solo game based in Sonic The Hedgehog's universe would allow fans to get to know him a little better.
Over the years, Sonic and Robotnik have done battle countless times in a variety of different ways. From their very first fateful encounter at the end of Green Hill Zone in 1991's Sonic The Hedgehog, to facing off in a game of table tennis during one of the Mario & Sonic Olympics crossover games, they are constantly finding new ways to beat each other. As the Sonic franchise has grown over the years, so has the hedgehog's roster of antagonists, so it may be time to present Eggman in a new light.
A Solo Eggman Game Feels Long Overdue
Fans have grown accustomed to Eggman's wacky schemes over the years. Despite Sonic facing off against a range of other adversaries, nobody else can get under the blue blur's skin quite like him. He found a brand-new audience recently thanks to Jim Carrey, who managed to bring the character to life emphatically for the live-action movie adaption of Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel.
Carrey's depiction of Dr. Robotnik marks a triumphant return to form for the celebrated actor. This portrayal and subsequent publicity has given Eggman a new lease of life, and with fans in the dark about whether the actor will be returning to the role a third time amidst rumors of his retirement, this could be the perfect opportunity for Sonic Team to capitalize on Eggman's current popularity by giving him his very own game.
Eggman has co-starred in almost all of Sonic's games, and technically even had his own game previously: Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. This was little more than a glorified Puyo Puyo clone though and has little to do with Eggman himself, apart from his name in the title and a picture of his character appearing throughout. A character of Eggman's stature deserves something far grander in scale, and Sonic Team could go in a number of different directions to allow Eggman to develop his own identity, instead of just being known for his predictable role as Sonic's adversary. He's highly skilled in a number of different areas that could be exploited in a standalone game.
Eggman has done some awful things in his time, but his intelligence speaks for itself. He's a skilled inventor with a huge ego, who will stop at nothing in order to achieve his dream of creating his own personal utopia, Eggmanland. Despite his high IQ, he displays extremely selfish and borderline childish behavior at times, which is a weakness that Sonic sometimes exploits. Eggman has shown himself to be a great pilot, able to successfully man numerous crafts on land, in the air, or at sea. This gives Sonic Team plenty of options should they decide to dedicate an entire adventure to the portly supervillain.
Perhaps Eggman could stumble upon a parallel, Sonic-less dimension where he can pit his wits against a brand new, unknown foe. Maybe his inventive brain could be put to good use in a vehicular adventure where the player creates their own crafts using his innovative blueprints. Whatever the premise is, Eggman as the solo protagonist would really flip the usual Sonic script on its head, and allow for a brand-new look at the popular character. Whether Sonic Team has any plans in the pipeline for such a game is unclear, but Eggman's confirmed inclusion in Sonic Frontiers at least confirms that the devious doctor is here to stay.
Sonic Frontiers releases November 8 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.