We're finally beginning the Chao Garden! By the end of this series, you should be a master at the art of chao raising, because I'm here to teach you everything I know!:D.

This week’s may be, but a free fan game could challenge that top spot. For those of us whose fondest memories stem from ’s best feature, is a must-play.The cornerstone of Sonic Adventure 2 wasn’t its dueling dark vs. Light storylines, but it’s Chao Island minigame. Players had up to three Chao Gardens they could tend to as any of the game’s playable characters, with that person’s alignment influencing how the Chao grew up. If you bring Dr.

Eggman to the Garden to swaddle some baby Chao, well, you’ll end up with a demonic little guy when it’s fully grown.Items collected throughout the main levels also affected the Chao, so that players could customize their colors and designs with different animals and food. There were even minigames within the minigame, like Chao Racing and a stupidly cute sumo wrestling match. It was a perfect time sink for someone who loved games like and as much as the Hedgehog’s high-speed platformers — of the hundreds of hours I spent on Sonic Adventure 2, I’d imagine that at least half took place on Chao Island. Chao Island: a perfect world that Sonic and pals didn’t deserve whatsoever.

Sega viaSixteen years later, there’s now a way to play Chao Island without even messing with the Sonic Adventure 2 part. Chao Resort Island comes from indie designer and Sonic fan Nefault1st, who launched it earlier this month for Mac and Windows PC. After demoing last year, Nefault1st turned toward Sonic Adventure 2’s real sweet spot. The 2.5D game is all about raising Chao who live on a tropical resort, where there are plenty of toys and fruits to mess around with.Like the original minigame, every Chao has its own heroic alignment and special abilities. There’s also accessories and activities to pit your Chao in; this isn’t just a game about breeding and watching cute creatures do their thing. Being a Chao daddy takes some work.Players can raise up to 24 Chao across three resorts and in real time. The seasons change just as they do in real life, and I fully expect to see my resort through all four of them.

Even in its first version release, Chao Resort Island satisfies that need for a much more low-key Sonic game — one that has very little to do with Sonic at all.Chao Resort Island’s on Mac and Windows PC now. If you need more convincing, for whatever reason, watch some gameplay below.

Left to right: a Hero Chao, Neutral Chao and Dark ChaoFirst appearance(1998)Chao (;: チャオ) are fictional life forms in the video game series published. Phantom squad hackers. They are small, childlike creatures that go through a complex life cycle and exist in several visual forms depending on how they are raised.

Developer incorporated Chao into the games to encourage players to explore levels and support the good–evil dichotomy of.Chao have appeared in many games in the series, beginning with in 1998. They usually take the form of, but have also played parts in the story and figured into other gameplay elements. Most notably, the character has a Chao named, whom she uses to attack enemies. They have also appeared in games outside the series, the comics, and the anime, as well as being featured in promotions and merchandise. Critics have given mixed opinions on Chao and their integration into Sonic gameplay, generally praising their worth as a diversion but criticizing Chao minigames' low interactivity.

In Sonic Adventure 2, the player can give Chao Chaos Drives to increase their stats, thus allowing them to perform better in minigames like Chao Racing.' S stated in an interview with video game publication that Chao were incorporated into 'so that new players would be forced to go out, explore the action sections, and find and things.'

Chao were designed as a 'relative neutral entity' in this game. However, to remain consistent with the good–evil dichotomy of, they were designed so that the player could raise them as 'Hero Chao' or 'Dark Chao'. Chao were given the ability to socialize and interact in Sonic Adventure 2 in order to make the game unique, and to more resemble 'a real artificial life form.'

Chao are small creatures with a -like body and behave much like, with pleasant and relaxing personalities. Professor Chao, a minor character in Sonic Adventure 2, states that Chao are cute, and enjoy toys and being held or petted. However, they dislike being held while the player jumps, spins around, or throws them.

Chao's diets consist of. Chao hatch from found in Chao Gardens. When the player spends enough time with a Chao in the Chao Garden, the Chao develops a; it hatches from this as an adult. Eventually it develops another cocoon. If the Chao has been treated well, the cocoon is pink and the Chao is as an egg; the cycle then restarts and the Chao remembers the player. If, however, the Chao has been treated poorly, the cocoon is gray and the Chao dies, removing every trace of itself from the game. Chao can to produce fertile eggs.

Appearances In video games Chao have appeared in numerous video games as. They made their first appearance in the 1998(JP) / 1999(NTSC/PAL) game Sonic Adventure.

The player can raise them, enter them in races, and export them to Chao Adventure, a game for the Dreamcast's peripheral. The player can also trade Chao or post their high scores online using the Dreamcast's Internet capabilities. The Chao raising feature was expanded in Sonic Adventure 2; Chao may become 'Hero Chao' or 'Dark Chao' depending on whether the game's 'hero' characters (, and ) or 'dark' characters (, and ) are nicer to them. Chao can enter competitions in this game, as well as racing. The (GBA) games, and feature a 'Tiny Chao Garden', similar to the Chao Gardens of Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 but with in place of racing and karate competitions.

Chao can be transferred between and — ports of Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure—and the GBA games featuring a Tiny Chao Garden. Unusually, a generic Chao is an unlockable character in the.Chao have also appeared in the series as minor characters and gameplay elements.

Two Chao—one Normal and one Dark—who drive Chao-styled are playable characters in the two-player battle mode of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. On the Sonic the Hedgehog-styled board in Sonic Pinball Party, one of the player's objectives is to hatch several Chao eggs.

Each world in the 2004 GBA game features Chao-inspired minigames to earn for the player, and a sidequest that involves finding Chao to obtain. 2007's installment hides Chao throughout levels to be found in a free play mode. In the 2008, Chao eggs are hidden throughout the in-game universe for the player to find and hatch. The resulting infant Chao can be equipped to characters. This affects the characters' performance in battle; for example, one kind will increase the character's. The game features a mode in which Chao can be traded between players who each have a copy of the game.

Chao take the form of an in the 'Panel Flip' party game of the 2009 and DS game. Each player's object is to claim as many panels as possible in a six-by-six grid; finding a Chao upon flipping a panel claims all panels in a given row or column for the player.

One mission in (2011) involves racing against to collect lost Chao in a city location.Cream, a prominent character in the series, has a Chao named as a partner. In a move to keep her image safe, she often uses him to attack enemies instead of doing so herself. Other notable Chao include, guardian of the Chao, who serves as an antagonist in Sonic Adventure;, a robotic Chao who appears in several games as a means of player tutorial; and, Cheese's twin whom Cream, and search for over the course of.Chao have also made appearances in video games outside the Sonic the Hedgehog series. In the 2004 game; the player uses points earned during the game to please a pet Chao. Marking the introduction of the character to the 2008 Wii game, Chao and appear as collectible trophies and stickers.They also appear as trophies in and as spirits in.In other media Chao were recurring characters in the anime that ran from 2003 to 2006. In the episode 'Little Chao Lost', Cheese becomes lost while swimming in a stream.

The main characters find him at the stream's end, in a Chao colony, where shows up to steal a supposed from them until he is defeated. Later on, in 'Flood Fight', a colony of Chao appears after a battle with Chaos; they turn out to be Chaos' old friends and embrace it as it leaves with to return to the past.Chao have also made occasional appearances in ' comic book series. They debuted in an Sonic Adventure-based story arc, where they work together with Tikal to defeat Chaos.

At one point, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles find a Chao garden and one Chao followed Sonic home, and after spending time around his Roboticized father came to resemble Omochao. However, Eggman destroys the garden, and the Chao migrate to a lake. Much later, Cream and her mother Vanilla protect a frightened but incompetent group of Chao from Eggman's assistant, Snively. Cream's friend realizes they are the same group from the lake and, to Cream's delight, suggests that the lake can be converted to a Chao garden. Following the comic reboot, Cheese continued to accompany Cream while Chocola was revealed to live with her mother Vanilla and Gemerl (from ). The heroes would also discover a Chao Garden hidden in an undersea cavern whose inhabitants included an ancient Chao named Aquarius and a guard dog-like Chao named Crusher.Chao were prominently featured in the official web short, 'Chao in Space.' The premise references billboard props in the Sonic Adventure series, which appeared to advertise a fictional movie of the same name.

The short alternates between a Chao's dream in which it is piloting a space ship, and between Sonic trying to keep the aforementioned Chao under control as it sleepwalks. The short was accompanied by the release of some related merchandise through the official Sega Shop website. Reception and impact Chao and the Chao-raisingsystem have received generally positive reviews. In a review of Sonic Adventure, 's Peter Bartholow stated that 'with the Chao-breeding simulation and the minigames, Sonic offers much more beyond the completion of its story.'

Stated that ' SA more than has the extras department covered.' This enthusiasm was extended to IGN's reviews of Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Advance, and Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut. GameSpot's Shane Satterfield was critical of the Chao raising feature in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, stating that 'there's little in the way of interactivity' and that 'the Chao training aspect using the Game Boy Advance is little more than a novelty.' However, 's Shane Bettenhausen praised the feature in the game, comparing Chao to digital pets.

GameSpot's Frank Provo noted the appeal to 'those people who might only enjoy pinball in passing' that Chao brought to Sonic Pinball Party. 's Chris Baker called the Chao feature in Sega Superstars 'ultimately worthless. But some might find it amusing.' In a review of Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, GameSpot's Shiva Stella praised the level of strategy that the game's Chao system added. 's Jim Sterling voiced a similar opinion, although saying that Chao had been 'rubbish' in previous games.A Chao was released as part of a Sonic X character keychain series. Between July 27 and September 8, 2002, Sega hosted events at -based department stores to promote upcoming Sega video games.

Attendees could download 'Chao Mini Garden's and exclusive Chao to their copies of Sonic Advance. Chao clothing clips, along with accessories based on other Sega characters, were available.Mary Jane Irwin of IGN used 'Chao program' to describe in her review of the game. See also. Archived from on July 17, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2010.

^ IGN Staff (June 4, 2001). Retrieved December 30, 2009.

Torres, Ricardo (July 2, 2001). Retrieved February 16, 2014. ^. Archived from on August 1, 2003.

Retrieved December 30, 2009. ^. Chao trophy: A type of creature that can absorb and learn skills and traits from other life-forms, adapting its shape as it does. This results in vast variations in appearance, behavior, and personality.

Chao are generally very cute, and their mannerisms are pleasant and relaxing. Chao Gardens are a good place to find them, but they also inhabit areas with freshwater. Sega Studio USA. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.

Professor Chao: Chao are small, cute and mysterious creatures who live in the Chao garden. Everyone loves Chao. If you go to the Chao garden, you can raise your own Chao. Sega Studio USA.

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Professor Chao: Toys are the prizes you get for winning Chao Races or Chao Karate tournaments.

Chao loves toys, so raise your Chao to win a grand prize!. Sega Studio USA. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Professor Chao: Chao love to be held or petted.

^ 'Chaos'. September 1999. P. 114. Sega Studio USA. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Professor Chao: You will be able to tell it's mating season when you see flowers blooming around your Chao. Mate them and they may lay eggs.

^. September 8, 1999.

Retrieved December 30, 2009. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. Archived from on February 9, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2009.

^ Harris, Craig (February 5, 2002). Retrieved December 30, 2009.

Provo, Frank (April 7, 2003). Archived from on November 6, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.

^ Provo, Frank (June 25, 2003). Archived from on May 12, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2010. ^ Satterfield, Shane (February 15, 2002). Archived from on November 6, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.

^ (June 20, 2003). Retrieved December 30, 2009. Sonic Shuffle instruction manual, p. Archived from on September 27, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2010. Archived from on September 27, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2010.

Provo, Frank (June 23, 2004). Archived from on August 30, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2010.

Anderson, Lark (January 9, 2008). Archived from on February 9, 2009. Retrieved April 30, 2010. ^ Sterling, Jim (September 29, 2008). Retrieved February 2, 2010. ^ Stella, Shiva (October 10, 2008).

Archived from on October 20, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2010. instruction booklet, p.

13. Sonic Team. Mission description: Compete with Cream to find more Chao than her and reach the goal.

Archived from on May 26, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2010. Omochao: Hi, I'm Omochao! I'm here to help you!.

(GameCube) instruction manual, p. 10. ^ Baker, Chris (November 16, 2004).

Archived from on July 16, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2010. Archived from on November 1, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2010. '.

August 31, 2003. '. November 9, 2003. 'Night of Chaos' 82 (February 2000),. 'See Ya Later Chao! - Part One' Sonic the Hedgehog 173 (March 2007), Archie Comics.

'See Ya Later Chao! - Part Two' Sonic the Hedgehog 174 (April 2007), Archie Comics. 'Welcome Back, Chao!' Sonic the Hedgehog 217 (September 2010), Archie Comics.

(Video). Youtube: Sonic the Hedgehog. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020. SEGA of America, Inc. Retrieved 21 January 2020.

Bartholow, Peter (December 31, 1998). Archived from on June 17, 2012.

Retrieved January 24, 2010. June 22, 2001. Retrieved December 30, 2009. Archived from on June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2010. June 20, 2000.

Retrieved June 6, 2014. Harris, Craig (July 23, 2002). Retrieved January 22, 2010. Irwin, Mary Jane (December 4, 2003). Archived from on March 3, 2012.

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