In video games Tails debuted in November 1992 with the release of
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, playing the part of Sonic's sidekick. He was a playable character from the second controller and could be chosen as player one for the main game, though he did not possess the ability to fly. He made his second appearance on the Game Gear/
Master System-controlled game
Sonic Chaos (1993), where the player could control Tails and the first time the player could control his flight. Tails also made a minor cameo in
Sonic CD for the Sega CD, appearing in the
debug mode unlock screen. Tails makes an appearance alongside Sonic in the little-known arcade game
SegaSonic Popcorn Shop, a Japanese arcade game which also dispenses popcorn after playing the game. Tails made his third major appearance in the 1994 game
Sonic the Hedgehog 3, with the ability to pick up Sonic and use his tails to fly him to other areas rotating his tails like a helicopter. He also gained the ability to swim underwater, something Sonic has never been able to do. This is also the first time the player could control Tails' flight in a
Sega Genesis game. Tails has also starred in games without Sonic, such as ''
Tails' Skypatrol (1995), which is a side-scrolling score attack-like game for the Game Gear released exclusively in Japan. This was followed by Tails Adventure later the same year, which is a Metroid-esque platformer with RPG elements. Tails is also the star of Tails and the Music Maker'' for the
Sega Pico. In later games, Tails had roles that require unique modes of play including
Sonic Adventure, where he appears as one of the six playable characters. His gameplay is based around standard platforming stages, but the goal of each stage is to race against Sonic or Eggman to get to the goal first. In
Sonic Adventure 2, he is featured in
third-person-shooting segments, seated in his "Cyclone" mech. These stages, along with Dr. Eggman's shooting levels in the same game, were very similar to the E-102 Gamma levels of
Sonic Adventure. In
Sonic Adventure, he was given a theme song "Believe In Myself", of which another version appeared in
Sonic Adventure 2. Tails also appeared either as a playable character or in a supporting role in many later
Sonic titles and still often resumes his role flying other characters around, such as in
Sonic Heroes, where Tails appears on Team Sonic as their flight-type character, being capable of carrying both Sonic and
Knuckles the Echidna. He is the third character the player unlocks in
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, where he acts as a team medic. Tails appears in
Sonic Unleashed, where he helps Sonic restore the shattered planet, largely by flying Sonic from continent to continent in the game. He also takes a supporting role in
Sonic and the Black Knight, portrayed as a local blacksmith who helps players craft goods from the items Sonic collects. Tails appears as a playable character in all of the
Mario & Sonic titles, and is a main character in the story modes. In
Winter Olympic Games for the
Nintendo DS, Tails can be unlocked in the by beating him on a
Ski jumping mission. In
London 2012 Olympic Games for the
Nintendo 3DS, Tails is a character in the "Heroes" category, the others being
Mario, Sonic, and
Luigi, and they try to stop
Bowser and Eggman's plan to foil the Olympics. In
Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the 3DS, Tails appears as a supporting character. In
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for the
Nintendo Switch, he and Luigi try to free Mario, Sonic,
Toad, Bowser, and Eggman inside a device known as Tokyo '64, but is taken by
Bowser Jr., and they try to take the device back. At the end of the story mode, they free their friends, and Tails participates at the
100 meters, alongside Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Bowser, Eggman,
Yoshi, and
Shadow. Tails appears in
Sega Superstars Tennis,
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and
Transformed. He also appears in
Sonic Colors as a
non-playable character. Tails celebrates Sonic's birthday along with his friends by setting up a party in
Sonic Generations, but when the Time Eater appears, it warps them through various time holes, sending Tails to Green Hill. After Sonic frees him, Tails meets his classic counterpart (Classic Tails) and concludes that they were traveling through time and space. They accompany both Sonics throughout the game, later discovering that Eggman and Robotnik are controlling the Time Eater. Both Classic and Modern Tails, along with all of Sonic's friends, help motivate the 2 Sonics to defeat the Time Eater. The feature to play as Tails was added to the 2011 enhanced port of
Sonic CD. He later appeared as a co-op character in the
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II. Tails was added as a playable character in the enhanced port of
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) released in 2013 for mobile devices, and also allowed players to opt for the "Sonic and Tails" mode. He is a playable character in the 2017 video game
Sonic Mania Plus, playing like his older incarnations along with Sonic, Knuckles, Mighty, and Ray. He also appears as a playable character in the
Sonic Boom-themed games
Rise of Lyric,
Shattered Crystal and
Fire & Ice. Tails appears as one of 12 playable characters in the 2019 kart racing game
Team Sonic Racing as well. Tails was also featured in the
Sonic the Hedgehog Level Pack of the
toys-to-life game
Lego Dimensions. He is playable if the player uses the Tornado as Sonic to fly around the world. In the story mode for the
Sonic level, titled "Sonic Dimensions", Tails assists Sonic using the Tornado and his technological knowledge. In the hub world, Tails has a side quest for the player to aid him in disabling all of Eggman's roboticists. Tails is a supporting non-playable character in
Sonic Forces, finding Classic Sonic and joining up with the resistance in opposing Dr. Eggman and Infinite. In
Sonic Frontiers, Tails along with Amy and Knuckles are trapped in Cyberspace, with Sonic releasing their digital form from cages and they help him find the Chaos Emeralds and set them free. While having a moment with Sonic, Tails expresses his self-doubt and belief that he is a burden to Sonic who is always rescuing him during crises, and that his helpfulness is wildly inconsistent, but Sonic comforts him by reminding Tails of his achievements and abilities and needing help sometimes is part of growing up, this strengthens Tails' resolve to go solo for a while and become a hero in his own right. and the
IDW-produced
Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. Tails is also a main character in the intercompany
crossover,
DC X Sonic the Hedgehog. In the miniseries, he partners with
Cyborg during the team up with the
Justice League to defeat
Darkseid. In the second half of the miniseries, Tails also dons a suit of armor resembling Cyborg's components, and becomes a reserve member of the
Teen Titans. Tails is a supporting character in the animated series
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog,
Sonic the Hedgehog,
Sonic X and
Sonic Boom, as well as the
1996 Sonic the Hedgehog film. Tails also makes a guest appearance in the ''
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' episode "Let's Meet Sonic". Tails, and alternative versions of himself, appear in
Sonic Prime, all of them voiced by
Ashleigh Ball, after Sonic shatters the Paradox Prism and the universe, creating alternative dimensions in the process. Several alternative Tails are created, one being Nine, who never met Sonic and was bullied throughout his life. He became bitter and isolated as a result, and created seven artificial tails for himself as weapons. Tails appears in the
2020 Sonic the Hedgehog film during a mid-credits sequence, emerging from a ring portal on Earth in search of Sonic. Tails is featured as a main character in the sequel,
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the logo of which features a yellow "2" with two tails attached in homage to the character. He is voiced by
Colleen O'Shaughnessey, reprising her role from the games. In the film, Tails was shunned on his home planet for having two tails but grew to idolize Sonic after witnessing his bravery when facing off against Dr. Robotnik. He travels to the planet to warn Sonic about Knuckles hunting him down to locate the Master Emerald and teams up with his hero to find the Emerald first, though he's initially afraid to do so, claiming he's not "a field guy." He still assists Sonic with his flight and various gadgets throughout their journey, culminating in them teaming up with Knuckles to stop Robotnik from conquering the universe. After they succeed, they agree to safeguard Master Emerald as they live together with Sonic's adoptive family, the Wachowskis. Tails also appears in the first episode of
Knuckles, voiced again by O'Shaughnessey. In the third installment of the
Sonic film series,
Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Tails, once again voiced by O'Shaughnessey, continues to be the "gadget guy" of Sonic's team as they try to stop Shadow the Hedgehog, providing crucial technical help, such as holograms, to aid Sonic. ==Reception==