What Animal Is Knuckles From Sonic? (Solved & Explained)

Knuckles is one of my favorite characters from the Sonic video game, comics, TV show, and movies.

What animal is Knuckles from Sonic?

Knuckles from Sonic is a red humanoid creature inspired by an echidna. Echidnas are mammals that originate in either New Guinea or Australia. They lay eggs and look like a porcupine with the narrow snout of an anteater. Sonic is a hedgehog and Tails is a fox.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know to answer, “What animal is Knuckles from Sonic?”

What Is an Echidna? (The Animal Roots of Knuckles)

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Echnida-What Animal Is Knuckles From Sonic
Image by the author via Canva – What Animal Is Knuckles From Sonic?

Echidnas are spiny, ant-eating mammals that are found in Australia and New Guinea.

Echidna comes in two species: short-beaked and long-beaked. Echidnas are the only extant members of the monotreme order, which also includes the extinct plesiosaurs.

Echidnas are shy and solitary animals that prefer to live in burrows.

They are nocturnal animals that forage for food at night. Echidnas eat termites and ants, which they like to capture with their long, sticky tongue.

When they are not foraging for food, echidnas hibernate in their burrows.

Echidnas have a number of interesting physical features. One is their spines, which are made of hollow keratin fibers. These spines provide protection from predators and help the echidna to roll into a ball when threatened.

Another interesting physical feature is the echidna’s snout, which is long and tubular like a beak.

The echidna uses its snout to sniff out insects.

The third physical feature worth noting is the echidna’s fur. The fur is dense and spiny, providing protection from the elements and predators. The echidna’s coat is mostly brown or black, but it can also be grey or gold.

Why Is Knuckles An Echidna?

Knuckles the Echidna is one of the main characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

He is known for his red dreadlocks, his purple eyes, and his large fists.

But why is Knuckles an echidna?

The answer is simple: that’s what the creators made him. When Sonic the Hedgehog was first created, the character designers wanted to create a cast of colorful animals that would be visually interesting and appealing to gamers.

They settled on using a hedgehog, an armadillo, a fox, and an echidna.

Each of these animals was chosen for its unique physical characteristics, which would help to make them stand out from one another.

While some may argue that Knuckles could have been any type of animal, the fact is that he is an echidna because that’s what the creators intended him to be.

And, as they say, the rest is history.

What Kind of Echidna Is Knuckles?

When it comes to Knuckles the Echidna, there is a lot of confusion out there.

People often wonder what kind of echidna he is, and whether or not he actually resembles a real-life echidna.

So, what kind of echidna is Knuckles from Sonic?

Well, Knuckles is an anthropomorphic short-nosed echidna. In other words, he looks like a human with some echidna characteristics.

However, he mostly has features that are unique to him, such as his red fur and oversized hands.

While Knuckles may not look like a typical echidna, he is still a valuable member of the Sonic the Hedgehog cast.

He is known for being brave and heroic, and he always stands up for what he believes in.

He is also a skilled fighter, and he has saved Sonic and his friends on several occasions. So even though he may not look like a traditional echidna, Knuckles is still a force to be reckoned with!

FAQs About Knuckles

There is so much more to learn about Knuckles.

Let’s go over some of the frequently-asked questions about this wild Sonic the Hedgehog character.

But first, here is a good video that shares 10 facts about Knuckles:

YouTube video by Top 10 Gaming – What Animal Is Knuckles From Sonic?

Are Knuckles Rodents?

No, Knuckles are not rodents.

Knuckles is an echidna, one of the very few mammals that lay eggs. Knuckles is closer to an ant-eater than any kind of rodent.

Is Knuckles a Porcupine?

While Knuckles looks somewhat like a porcupine, he is definitely an echidna.

Both porcupines and echidnas possess spindly, thorn-like appendages that protect them from larger prey that might want to eat them.

Is Knuckles a Dog in Sonic?

When many people ask, “What animal is Knuckles?” they come up with the idea that he is a dog.

The truth is that he does have long, floppy ears.

It’s also true that lots of different animals – possibly including dogs – helped shape his final design.

Who Made Knuckles an Echidna?

The Sega team behind Sonic made Knuckles an Echidna.

However, Takashi Yuda designed the look of the character that we all know and love.

Of course, Takashi had help from many others on the creative team, leadership, and market research at the time.

How Old Is Knuckles From Sonic?

Knuckles is 16 years old.

So, yeah, he is a teenager. That probably explains a lot about him (grin).

Where Is Knuckles From?

Knuckles is from a place called Angel Island.

Angel Island, otherwise known as the Floating Island, is a large landmass that floats above the surface of the planet Mobius.

Angel Island is made up of many biomes, which include forests, deserts, and mountains.

Knuckles protects both the island and the Master Emerald found there.

Is Knuckles Evil?

Knuckles is both a good and bad guy.

In the original video games series, he opposed Sonic. Later, as the character evolved, Sonic realized that Knuckles was being manipulated (and was not, in fact, a bad guy).

Therefore, Knuckles is not evil.

He is currently an associate and partner to Sonic – which makes him good in my book.

Is Knuckles More Powerful Than Sonic?

Knuckles is much stronger than Sonic but that doesn’t make him more powerful.

They are both powerful characters with special abilities.

Case in point, Sonic would beat Knuckles in a speed run any day. But, in a fist fight, Knuckles has the advantage of strength.

When Did Knuckles First Appear in Sonic?

Knuckles made his first ever appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was one of the most popular Sega Genesis video games when I was growing up.

What Animals Are the Other Characters in Sonic?

There are two other important animal characters in Sonic.

I bet you can guess I’m talking about Sonic, himself, and let’s not forget about Tails.

You probably already know that Sonic is a Hedgehog. It’s right there in his name. Tails is pretty obviously a fox.

Tails is one of the main characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

He is a fox with two tails, hence his name. He is also Sonic’s best friend and helper. He first appeared in Sonic 2 and has been a part of the series ever since.

He often uses these skills to help Sonic on his adventures.

Thanks to his courage and loyalty, Tails is an essential member of Sonic’s team and one of the most beloved characters in the series.

Final Thoughts: What Animal Is Knuckles from Sonic?

Now you know the animal behind the beloved Knuckles.

I bet your friends have no idea, so now you’ll be the smartest person in the room when it comes to Sonic trivia.

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Sources

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