Sonic Frontiers Has Big the Cat, Fishing

gamerant.com:

With Sonic Frontiers set to launch later this year, Sega has been rolling out plenty of details about Sonic's next big 3D adventure. The newest Sonic the Hedgehog game will be a first for the franchise with a mix of open-world and traditional Sonic action stages. Recent trailers have shown off plenty of new elements to the new game, detailing the new combat system and an RPG-esque skill tree. Now, with Gamescom kicking off earlier this week, fans have spotted a popular character in the game's show floor demos.

Gamescom attendees at the Sonic Frontiers booth were quick to notice the return of Big the Cat, appearing alongside Sonic. One image from the game shows off Sonic holding Big's iconic fishing rod, potentially implying the inclusion of a fishing mini-game in Frontiers. Earlier this year, Sonic Origins dataminers also spotted leftover files in Sonic Origins meant for Frontiers that suggested Big may make a return in the newest Sonic game. Big has made regular appearances in Sonic's various spinoff games since his introduction in Sonic Adventure.

New Sonic Frontiers Trailer Confirms Release Date

Big the Cat's return with connection to a fishing mini-game would be a callback to the character's 1998 debut. Big's appearance in Sonic Adventure traded much of the game's fast-paced 3D platforming and speed for a more laid-back fishing-focused story mode. While Big the Cat has been a regular in Sonic spinoffs, his position within the main-series games has been limited since the early 2000s. His last main-series appearance came as a cameo in 2011's Sonic Generations while the last main-series game with Big playable was back in 2003 with Sonic Heroes.

Big the Cat's discovery in Sonic Frontiers comes as a part of a Gamescom that