Categories #Games

AFD 2012: Sonic Team to No Longer Use Big The Cat

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Author Jason Berry
96 Comments

In what might be either a sad or happy day for Sonic fans, it seems that Sonic Team will no longer be using Big the Cat. In a recent interview with Takashi Iizuka, it was reported that Big was to be put on a list of older Sonic characters that are no longer in use. Said list includes Mighty, Nack, Bean, Bark and most recently Marine.

“We just have not found a good use for him” said Iizuka. “We tried him as a fisherman and a strongman but nothing worked out.”

Back at Summer of Sonic 2011, Iizuka also said that his biggest regret was Big in Sonic Adventure. It’s kind of obvious that Sonic Team has been sour on the fat cat as of late. This is becoming more evident in his recent absence in all Sonic games since his last appearance in Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing 2010. The fact that he was replaced by Vector for Team Rose in “Sonic Free Riders” pretty much cemented his fate.

Die-Hard Big fans can still find him in the Sonic comics where he’s had a slightly bigger part in the book as of late. In fact, the next Sonic Universe story arc after the secret Freedom Fighters will be a Big the Cat arc with Froggy, Mighty and Ray which starts in October.

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96 Comments

  1. They have no use for Fang/Nack!? That’s the most moronic thing I’ve ever heard. He definitely would bring something new to the table if bought back, as he’s an anthropomorphic villain, and the series doesn’t have enough of those – most bad guys are either humans or monsters. Plus, he has a pretty good design.

    I must shake my head, Iizuka.

  2. Awwwww… he will always be my favorite retard… I kinda miss him and I wish he was there in Free Riders instead of Vector… T_T I will miss you Big the Cat, I enjoyed your presence in Sonic Heroes, Sonic Chronicles, and Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (but Marine can stay in Sonic hell where she rightfully belongs.)

      1. Well, actually, I meant every word there, but since this must apparently be an April Fools joke (at least according to the guys down there) it shall be forgotten. 😀

  3. Awwwww! I like Big. I always felt like they had decided not to have him fish, the reception would’ve been better

  5. If this is true, I’m probably the only one who’s happy about this. I really don’t like Big, but I won’t go into it.

    1. You’re telling me, I saw how bizarre it was and thought to myself, it’s April 1st isn’t it? Funny though.

  9. Eh, even though it’s April Fools Day, I wouldn’t really care about this news. I’m sorry, but I never really liked the guy…

  12. Obviously, it’s because of his lack of mass appeal, though. It was to be expected after SEGA decided to start axing things.

    Really sad, because he’s an entertaining character!!

  15. You know what peed me of most about big?,
    The voice actor
    He was the same voice actor as Duke Nukem,
    He could have been so bad ass

  20. Why can’t this be serious and not an April Fool’s joke? xD;

    Except the Sonic Universe part. I wouldn’t want an arc focused on Big. Mighty on the other hand, HELL yeah.

  22. Even though this is an april fool’s joke, it is a good point. We haven’t seen Big since Heroes, so he might actually be part of that “to never be seen again” list.

  27. Kinda pushing it, I’d say. Most of us can only stand one April Fool’s joke a year.

  28. i think its an april fools, even though he wasnt in sonic generations, he was still a statue in it if that means anything.

  31. Of course it’s a serious news piece! Theres just been a news update about how a lost amazonian tribe think that Big is the villain! They need to get rid of Big to avoid confusion with Eggman!

  32. Wow nice April Fools joke, this one actually got me. Haha XD Well Big, looks like you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

  33. Big was actually in Sonic Colors DS. Looking for Froggy…IN SPACE!
    Froggy went to space to get away from Big. I’m starting to think Froggy & Eggman have more in common with each other than anyone would have imagined.

  34. Well I guess the cat is finally out of the bag…

    Big the Cat the greatest of them all. He would be truely missed. Perhaps you should have said Shadow.

  35. Lol, I remember last year, someone said that Big would be a playable character in Episode 2. xD

  36. This is the best news ever haha, no offence to people who like Big the Cat but i found him quite annoying by the time he found his way into Sonic Heroes and i believe Big is best left in the past. Also i’m well happy to find out Marine will never return to any other sonic game coz she was so annyoing in Sonic Rush Adventure.

  37. Heh, even though this is an April Fool’s joke, I wouldn’t be too upset if this were true…

  38. Had me convinced until you said Iizuka regretted Big in Sonic Adventure.. a game he had no part in

    I was about to put up my entire collection of stuff if the Marine part were true 🙁

    That Mighty/Ray Sonic Universe arc better be true thou, been waiting for it for a long time now (and thanks for the spoiler warning 😛 )

  39. Hey! That’s a lie! Lie! It´s a Lie!
    Mighty, Ray and others are very popular on the Internet!
    Big was not deleted!

  47. I’m hoping this is an April Fool’s joke. Of course, I’d hope that even more if this article were about Gamma, though it seems he’s pretty much done for since his last appearance was Sonic Battle and he wasn’t even actually Gamma in that. Rather, he was Chaos Gamma and I hate that version of him.

  50. Pingback: Reingefallen? Das waren die SEGA-Aprilscherze 2012 - SEGA-Portal.de

  51. Big is the most huggable character in the entire Sonic Universe, in any arc. If you saw him strolling down your street, who wouldn’t want to give that huge belly a great big hug?

  52. >No Marine

    Crap. I was hoping she would make a return one day, she’s basically Cream but with an actual personality. Big will not be missed, though.

  53. Darn, and I wanted to see big the cat make an appearance in sega’s bass fishing of the dead. Just joking people. and I for one would love to see what kind of adventure mighty and ray went on after archie’s sonic the hedgehog comic issue number 212.

  54. Wait, let’s step away from the fat cat for a second… Why ISN’T Marine showing up more anyway? TBH, I liked her character more than Big anyway

    1. THAT’s what I want to know, I don’t care either way about Big, but don’t take out Marine! D:<

        1. Technically its a little of 3 years, but at least shes had some mentions and even a costume in some of the games! Point is, its not enough, I think she should be shown more, she’s a funny character, and despite the corny writing the sonic games have been having since 2010, i think they can do a lot with her character.

  60. Honestly,for me I’m not too heartbroken, I thought Blaze kind of took Big’s place considering she was purple and a cat.It is sad to hear Sonic team won’t use some of the classic era characters I’d love to see Mighty,Nack and etc. as a team in a Sonic heores 2.

  61. No Marine? That would be a shame since I thought she was one of the better new characters and I’d hoping she would make an appearance in a future Sonic game.

    If there is one character Sonic Team should no longer use (In my opinion), I would pick either Rouge the Bat, Cream the Rabbit or especially Shadow the Hedgehog if I were them. I don’t hate any of those characters, but they’re responsible for causing so much drama in the Sonic fandom *cough* shipping wars *cough*.

    Again, Sonic Team can use whatever characters they want, even Big, so you all shouldn’t make a fuss about it. This is only an April Fool’s prank to be honest.

  63. I really hope this is just a joke. Big is one of my favorite side characters in the series, he’s just too lovable to go.

  64. It’s kind of sad to see Big go, but in the long run, I suppose it’s not a massive loss.

    But Marine?! Not her! She was the only noteworthy thing about Sonic Rush Adventure’s story! Hell, I brought the game just to see her scenes!

  66. She is mentioned in Colors DS, and has is a costume in Sonic and Mario at the Winter Olympics. They haven’t quite forgotten her.

  67. Even though it’s an april fools joke, I still would like Big not to be used anymore…so useless.

    The others though, are more than welcome to return anytime.

  68. WTF ??
    i didnt realize Big will be dead ………..
    nack and Mighty gone ..

    Mighty isnt dead ..

    And honey the cat …. She isnt Hero

  71. >No use for Marine
    ಠ_ಠ Son, I am so disappointed in you. I’ll get my bat and help you find use for her, there’s always room for more Sonic Rush games to take place in Blaze Dimension.

  73. None of the characters besides Sonic and Eggman are that useful. They seem not to care much about using Shadow anymore as an actual anti-hero. A (not) love interest is nice but Amy is pretty annoying. Knuckles has been reduced to nothing.

  74. I’ll miss Big.I might miss Marine…I’ll see.But one of my first sonic toys was a Sonic X Big the Cat and Froggy action figure pack,so I am a little fond of him.Besides,I love cats!!!(and hedgehogs;))

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