Chao
Chao(pronounced "chow" in plural and singular form) are small, sentient beings with characteristics of a human infant. They have a teardrop shaped head with a ball on top that changes form to display their emotion. Common Chao have a sky-blue hue accented with yellow upon their hands, feet, and top edge of their heads. They have oval-shaped eyes and small, pink angelic wings attached to their backs. Their life cycle begins inside an egg with a neutral alignment before birth. After they are born, the Chao can be raised and trained in various ways with multiple attributes and emotional states. This includes changes in a Chao's appearance depending upon what is given to them and how they are treated. They typically dwell in the Chao Garden to enjoy simple pleasures like eating nuts and tree fruit. In their debut in Sonic Adventure, Chao also has an important role in the game's plot. However, in their reoccurring appearances like Sonic Advance 2, the primary focus is the Chao raising aspect. The latest game to feature Chao is the PS3 and Xbox360 version of Sonic Unleashed.
Chao Raising
Sonic Adventure is the first Sonic game to introduce the pet simulation mini-game known as Chao raising. The player can raise a Chao in between or after the game's story by going to a Chao Garden. There are three Chao Gardens in Sonic Adventure that the player can easily access. The first is inside the hotel in Station Square. The second is in near a cave by Tails' workshop in the Mystic Ruins. The third is in the main room of the Egg Carrier, which the player must spell "EGGMAN" using the lighted panels on the floor. Each garden usually contains at least one or two Chao eggs and can be hatched in three ways. The standard method is letting the Chao egg hatch on its own, though the amount of time it takes greatly varies. Another method is throwing the Chao egg against the wall. However, this is not recommended if the player wishes for the Chao to like him/her. The best and kindest method is by snuggling the Chao egg; this will cause the Chao to be happy after it is born.
When the player picks up the Chao, its statistics will display on the left side of the screen. The statistics of Chao are Swimming, Flying, Running, Power, and Stamina, which begins at level zero. These statistics, along with ones not shown on screen, can be increased by feeding, petting, and picking up the Chao. Feeding the Chao nuts and fruit will increase its stamina, though all of its statistics can be raised with a Chao Fruit. With the exception of Gamma, each character raises a specific stat of the Chao. For example, petting and picking up the Chao with Sonic will raise the Chao's speed while doing the same with Tails will raise the Chao's flight. Animals also increases a Chao's stats along with affecting their appearance.
Proper care of the Chao causes it to perform well in competitions and activities like Chao Racing and Chao Karate. After one Chao year has passed(about 2-3 hours for the GameCube version; 1 hour for the Dreamcast), the Chao will create a cocoon and will evolve into an adult. The last raised statistic before its evolution will be the one that is increased after the Chao matures. In a Chao's adulthood, it can mate with any other adult Chao since it has no gender. Chao breeding is achieved by placing two happy adult Chao next to each other within the circle of flowers. The player can also give the adult Chao Heart Fruit from the Black Chao Market(DX version of Sonic Adventure). After five Chao years, the well-nurtured Chao will reincarnate as a baby from a pink cocoon. It will retain 10% of its previous stats and will remember the player. However, neglecting and/or inflicting harm upon the Chao will negatively affect its life, stats, and feelings towards the player. It will also not perform well if the player has the Chao participate in a certain activity. Mistreatment will eventually cause it to die, which is shown of it being surrounded by a gray cocoon before it disappears. Below lists all the animals in Sonic Adventure.
Sonic Adventure
| Animals | Name | Color | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
   |
Deer
Kangaroo Rabbit |
Green | Running | All: Twinkle Park, Speed Highway, Final Egg.
Deer:Hot Shelter Rabbits: Emerald Coast and Casinopolis. |
  |
Parrot
Peacock Swallow(not shown) |
Purple | Flying | All: Windy Valley, Casinopolis, Sky Deck.
Parrot:Red Mountain Swallow: Speed Highway. |
   |
Elephant
Gorilla Lion |
Red | Power | All: Red Mountain, Lost World.
Elephant: Twinkle Park Gorilla:Icecap, Final Egg. Lion: Sky Deck. |
   |
Penguin
Sea Otter Seal |
Yellow | Swimming | All: Emerald Coast, Icecap, and Hot Shelter.
Penguin:Lost World Seal: Windy Valley. |
   |
Koala
Mole Skunk |
Blue | Random | Koala: Emerald Coast, Casinopolis, Twinkle Park; Speed Highway.
Mole: Windy Valley, Icecap, Red Mountain, Lost World; Final Egg. Skunk: Sky Deck,Hot Shelter. |
Chao-Raising in Sonic Adventure 2
The same principles of Chao raising applies in Sonic Adventure 2, but with additional features. The most notable aspects is the Dark and Hero alignment along with the ability to create character-based Chao. The alignment the Chao will be is also affected by how the player treats them. If the player is good to the Chao, it will have the same alignment as the character. For example, a Chao will have the Hero alignment in relation to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' alignment. But if the player mistreats the Chao, it will have the opposite alignment of the character and will attack him/her(though it does no damage). A Chao's statistics can also be raised by using Chaos Drives, which can be found after destroying G.U.N. robots. Sonic Adventure 2 also has Chao Gardens, but can only be accessed if the player finds and collects a Chao Key in each level of the game. Animals also return to serve the same purpose and includes new types the player can use on Chao. However, a character-based Chao cannot accept animals nor can it die or mate with other Chao. Below lists all the animals that can be found in Sonic Adventure 2.
Sonic Adventure 2
| Animals | Name | Color | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
   |
Boar
Cheetah Rabbit |
Green | Running | All: Cannon's Core.(Sonic,Knuckles, Rouge)
Boar: Pumpkin Hill, Mission Street, Eternal Engine; Radical Highway, Lost Colony. Cheetah: Wild Canyon, Pumpkin Hill, Green Forest, Radical Highway; Weapons Bed, Cosmic Wall. Rabbit: City Escape, Green Forest, Mission Street; Death Chamber, Meteor Herd; Iron Gate, Lost Colony; Cosmic Wall, Green Hill. |
   |
Condor
Parrot Peacock |
Purple | Flying | All: Cannon's Core.(Sonic, Rouge)
Condor: Wild Canyon, Aquatic Mine, Pyramid Cave, Eternal Engine, Final Rush; Security Hall, Sky Rail Parrot: Green Forest, Eternal Engine; Sand Ocean, Egg Quarters, Security Hall, White Jungle, Mad Space. Peacock: Wild Canyon, Metal Harbor, Pyramid Cave, Final Rush; Dry Lagoon, Sand Ocean, White Jungle, Mad Space. |
  |
Bear
Gorilla Tiger |
Red | Power | Bear: Crazy Gadget; Egg Quarters, White Jungle, Sky Rail; Cannon's Core (Tails, Eggman).
Gorilla: Prison Lane, Mission Street, Death Chamber; Iron Gate, Egg Quarters, Mad Space; Cannon's Core (Tails), Green Hill. Tiger: Prison Lane, Hidden Base, Death Chamber, Crazy Gadget; Iron Gate, Security Hall, Sky Rail, Final Chase. |
   |
Penguin
Sea Otter Seal |
Yellow | Swimming | Penguin: Metal Harbor, Aquatic Mine, Hidden Base, Meteor Herd, Final Rush; Dry Lagoon, Final Chase, Green Hill.
Sea Otter: Prison Lane, Hidden Base; Dry Lagoon, Weapons Bed, Cosmic Wall, Final Chase; Cannon's Core (Knuckles, Eggman). Seal: Metal Harbor, Aquatic Mine, Meteor Herd, Crazy Gadget; Radical Highway, Weapons Bed; Cannon's Core.(Tails, Knuckles) |
  |
Raccoon
Sheep Skunk |
Blue | None | All: City Escape.
Raccoon: Metal Harbor, Green Forest, Eternal Engine; Radical Highway, Lost Colony, Security Hall, Mad Space; Cannon's Core (Knuckles, Eggman), Green Hill. Sheep: Wild Canyon, Prison Lane, Mission Street, Pyramid Cave, Meteor Herd, Final Rush; Dry Lagoon, Sand Ocean, Weapons Bed, Sky Rail, Cosmic Wall. Skunk: Aquatic Mine, Hidden Base, Death Chamber, Crazy Gadget; Iron Gate, Egg Quarters, White Jungle, Final Chase; Cannon's Core.(Sonic, Tails, Rouge) |
   |
Bat
Half Fish Skeleton Dog |
Silver | Ghost | All: Pumpkin Hill.
Bat: Pyramid Cave, Sand Ocean, Lost Colony. Half Fish: Green Forest, Hidden Base; Egg Quarters. Skeleton Dog: Pyramid Cave, Death Chamber; Sand Ocean, Lost Colony. |
   |
Dragon
Phoenix Unicorn |
Gold | Legendary | Dragon: Wild Canyon, Aquatic Mine, Eternal Engine, Final Rush; Iron Gate, White Jungle; Cannon's Core (Sonic).
Phoenix: Metal Harbor, Mission Street, Meteor Herd, Crazy Gadget; Weapons Bed, Security Hall, Sky Rail, Mad Space, Final Chase, Cannon's Core (Eggman). Unicorn: City Escape, Prison Lane; Dry Lagoon, Radical Highway, Cosmic Wall; Green Hill. |
Chao World
Chao World is a world exclusive to Chao in Sonic Adventure 2. It is located outside of Central City and can be accessed by obtaining a Chao Key. After a Chao Key is obtained, the character will automatically be teleported to the Lobby once completing a stage.
Chao Lobby
The lobby is the main room of Chao World. In the center is a warp panel that can teleport the player back to the real world. In front of the player is the Chao Garden. Opposite of the Chao Garden is the Chao Kindergarten. To the left is a staircase that leads up to the Hero Garden. To the right is a staircase that leads underground to the Dark Garden.
Chao Garden
The Chao Garden is a the basic garden where the first two Chao can be raised. It is also the only place that can be visited upon the player's first time in Chao World. In the Dreamcast version, it has two fruit baring trees and a VMU port. Behind the waterfall there is a cave that will take the player to the Chao Races. In the GameCube version, there are now three trees. In place of the VMU port, there is now a GBA port. The cave behind the waterfall is now dubbed the Chao Cave. Besides races, it can now take the player to Chao Karate.
Chao Races
Chao Races is a Chao-based mini-game in Sonic Adventure and in the default Chao Garden in Sonic Adventure 2. In this mini-game, Chao compete against each other in a giant race course with water, cliffs, and winding turns. The goal is to be the first Chao across the finish line in each course. Prizes vary, but are usually toys.
Chao Karate
Chao Karate is a mini-game in the default Chao Garden in Sonic Adventure 2. In Chao Karate, Chao fight against each other in a sequence of five battles. The player's Chao can defeat the other Chao with the moves it already knows from its leveled up stats. Stamina will become the Chao's health bar, Power will become its attack strength, and Speed will become how fast it executes its moves. A Chao must successfully deplete the life of the opponent or knock it out of the ring. The player cannot control his/her Chao, but he/she can help it recover if it is unconscious. The reward for completing each tournament is Emblems.
Chao Kindergarten
The Chao Kindergarten will be available after the player hatches their first Chao egg. In the Dreamcast version, there is a Chao Doctor, a classroom, and the Chao Principle. In the GameCube version, the Black Market and the Fortune Teller are added in.
Chao Black Market
The Chao Black Market is a store containing items for Chao. It is located by Chao Kindergarten in Sonic Adventure 2 and next to the entrance of Station Square in Sonic Adventure. The shop is managed by a Chao with black sunglasses; whom speaks like a human to the player. Each item costs a certain amount of Gold Rings.
Chao Fortune Teller
The Chao Fortune Teller is a psychic Chao that allows the player to name his/her Chao.
Chao Classroom
The Chao Classroom is a place for Chao to be taught various activities like singing, dancing, and drawing.
Principal's Office
The Principal's Office is a place for the player to ask the principal questions about the Chao Kindergarten or about Chao-raising.
Doctor's Office
The Doctor's Office is a place to check the status of a Chao's health. The player can also check the Chao's favorite food, stats, number of transformations, and the number of awards it has gained.
Hero Garden
The Hero Garden will be available after the player raises their first Hero Chao. It is much larger than the Chao Garden. In the Dreamcast version there will be an egg waiting in the garden. The VMU port is also decorated to match the theme of the garden. In the GameCube version, there are two eggs rather than one. The VMU port is replaced by a GBA port. The layout of the garden is also different.
Dark Garden
The Dark Garden will be available after the player raises their first Dark Chao. It seems to be the largest garden in comparison to the other two. In the Dreamcast version, there will be an egg waiting in the garden on the first visit. The VMU port is also decorated to match the theme of the garden. In the GameCube version, there are two eggs rather than one. The VMU port is replaced by a GBA port. The layout of the garden is also different.
Other Chao Gardens
Chao Gardens continues to reoccur in other Sonic games, but function slightly different than the ones known in Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2.
Sonic Advance
In Sonic Advance and Sonic Advance 2, there is a small garden called, Tiny Chao Garden. These gardens can only contain one Chao instead of eight like the Sonic Adventure games. A Chao can be brought in by either getting a free egg from the market or transporting one from Sonic Adventure:DX or Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. The mini-games in both Advance series is different while everything else is similar.
Sonic Chronicles
In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, the Chao Garden functions as an item menu screen instead of an accessible location. Chao Eggs can be found, hatched and equipped to a character to modify his/her combat statistics.
