Lightning Speed and Beyond: Sonic The Hedgehog's Top 10 Blazing-Fast Characters

Highlights

Many characters in the Sonic franchise possess unique skills and speed, making them formidable forces in battle against forces like Eggman and his robot army.

Amy-Rose, Espio, and Cream possess unique abilities and advantages that synergize with their swiftness, enabling them to match the pace of Sonic and his comrades. Throughout the series, characters ranging from Infinite to Shadow to Sonic himself exhibit varying degrees of velocity and strength, with Sonic reigning as the quickest character, capable of attaining the speed of light.

Since its inception in 1991, the Sonic franchise has introduced numerous captivating and fresh characters. Subsequent games have showcased an array of distinctive characters, each possessing their own unique abilities, backgrounds, and idiosyncrasies. While the core allies remain familiar, even the lesser-known characters are abundant and revered, encompassing both allies and adversaries.

At the core of the Sonic franchise lies the remarkable capability of many characters to sprint at incredible speeds. Even individuals who may not fit the traditional hero mold possess their own exceptional talents and advantages. When combined with their unparalleled swiftness, they become formidable forces in battles. Frequently, they unite their strengths to vanquish the nefarious forces of Eggman and his army of robots.

10 Amy-Rose the Hedgehog

Amy, the cheerful hedgehog smitten with Sonic, is commonly perceived as a power-type character due to her utilization of the iconic Piko Piko hammer in combat. Her abundant energy, coupled with her intimidating temper, establishes her as a formidable force in battles.

Moreover, Amy possesses exceptional speed, similar to her companions. In addition to her swift running, she has the ability to propel herself forward using her trusty hammer. Although not reaching the velocity of Sonic or many of her friends, Amy remains capable of maintaining a fast pace to keep up with them.

9 Espio the Chameleon

Espio, a lesser-known member of the Chaotix Detective Agency, is a calm yet gruff ninja. He was introduced in the spin-off game Knuckles’ Chaotix for the Sega 32X, an add-on device for the Genesis that enhanced its processing power.

With his ninja skills, Espio exhibits remarkable agility and capability, making him a fast and efficient character. In Sonic Heroes, he takes on the Speed-type role for his team, showcasing his swift abilities. In the Olympic Games series, he is also categorized as a Speed Type character. Espio's unique power to turn invisible, combined with his speed and stealth, greatly contributes to the effectiveness of the Chaotix Team.

8 Cream the Rabbit

Surprisingly, despite being young and gentle by nature, this rabbit possesses astonishing speed that nearly rivals that of Sonic. Making her first appearance in Sonic Advance 2 for the Game Boy Advance, Cream embodies grace and politeness, influenced by her mother Vanilla's emphasis on the importance of manners. Despite her tender age, Cream displays remarkable bravery and nobility.

While she may not match Sonic's velocity, Cream employs a distinctive hopping running style that makes it difficult for enemies to chase after her. Furthermore, she possesses a keen intuition and can navigate shortcuts to keep up with her fleet-footed companions.

7 Infinite

Undoubtedly, Infinite's exceptional speed and skill are attributed to his fusion with the Phantom Ruby. Prior to this, he displayed moderate quickness and agility but was no match for Shadow the Hedgehog, who utilized Chaos Control to overpower his adversaries. Following his defeat by Shadow, Infinite's sense of humiliation compels him to merge with the Phantom Ruby.

By harnessing this newfound power, he becomes stronger and faster than even Sonic himself, surpassing the renowned Boost move. Infinite even exceeds the capabilities of the Master Emerald. In Sonic Forces, he effortlessly triumphs over Sonic before ultimately deciding to spare him, a decision that ultimately leads to his downfall.

6 Blaze the Cat

Blaze the Cat made her first appearance in Sonic Rush on the Nintendo DS system. Widely regarded as the most powerful female character in the series, Blaze has both incredible strength and the power to manipulate fire. She stands out as the only female opponent who has been able to match Sonic in battle.

Noteworthy is Blaze's grace and elegance, which greatly influence her fighting style. With her athleticism and agile moves, she is able to enhance her speed and race even faster. Almost on par with Sonic's speed, Blaze proves to be an unstoppable force.

5 Tails the Fox

Sonic's loyal twin-tailed fox companion, known as Tails, made his first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis. One of his most notable abilities is using his two tails to soar through the air, resembling the spinning blades of a helicopter. Tails possesses the incredible talent of flying at astonishing speeds, effortlessly keeping up with Sonic and sometimes even surpassing him. Although he cannot fly indefinitely, his aerial abilities make him one of the fastest characters within the entire franchise.

Even when not airborne, Tails exhibits remarkable speed on the ground. Aptly named Miles Prower, a clever play on the speed measurement 'Miles Per Hour', Tails' very name pays homage to his exceptional swiftness.

4 Emerl

Emerl, known as a 'Gizoid,' is an immensely powerful robot created by the 'Fourth Great Civilization' over 4,000 years ago. He came into the possession of Eggman's grandfather and Gerald Robotnik, the creator of Shadow the Hedgehog. Emerl makes an appearance in Sonic Battle for the Game Boy Advance.

Emerl is undeniably one of the most formidable characters in the entire franchise, owing to his unique capability to mimic the abilities of those around him. By observing and experiencing attacks, he quickly learns to replicate the skills of his opponents or allies. This allows him to acquire super speed similar to that of Sonic himself. Additionally, Emerl can absorb the potent energy of the Chaos Emeralds, amplifying his limitless potential.

3 Metal Sonic

Dr. Eggman designed this highly skilled and powerful Badnik specifically to eliminate Sonic. Despite the possibility of being outmatched if Sonic persists, this metallic replica possesses a level of ferocity that rivals the iconic blue hedgehog.

This advanced Badnik exhibits a remarkable level of sentience for a robot. Consequently, its sole focus is on defeating Sonic, as it becomes fixated on the notion of its superiority in every aspect. Undoubtedly, it stands as Eggman's most formidable weapon against the hedgehog, boasting incredible speed and even surpassing Sonic's acceleration capabilities.

2 Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow, also known as the 'Ultimate Lifeform,' was genetically created by Gerald Robotnik on the Space Colony ARK using the DNA of the alien overlord Black Doom. With a sharp intellect and brooding nature, Shadow is Sonic's formidable rival, matching him in terms of speed and abilities.

Shadow's speed is unrivaled due to his highly advanced Air Shoes, enabling him to move lightning-fast. However, his extraordinary physical prowess also contributes to his speed, as he possesses exceptional power within his own body. Harnessing various Chaos powers, Shadow can effortlessly enhance his speed and strength. Additionally, he has the ability to transform into Super Shadow by utilizing the power of the Chaos Emeralds, becoming an even more formidable and swift version of himself.

1 Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic, without a doubt, holds the title for the fastest character in the series. Unlike his closest competitors who rely on external objects or machinery for their speed, Sonic possesses an innate ability to run at supersonic speeds. The famous Power Sneakers merely enhance his already remarkable speed; they are not the sole source of his swiftness.

In addition, Sonic has the incredible ability to transform into a Super form using the Chaos Emeralds, granting him an even greater velocity. Furthermore, he can achieve a rare state called Hyper, propelling him to speeds beyond imagination. Throughout the games, Sonic's speed serves as his primary weapon, harnessing his momentum to generate force. He frequently races at the speed of sound or faster, but his ultimate velocity reaches an astonishing 186,000 miles per second, matching the speed of light. Undeniably, Sonic reigns supreme when it comes to unparalleled speed among all other characters.