Why do Sonic characters always have the same body type?

[Mountaindewandsprite]

Looking back on Sonic Forces' bear option for the Avatar, I think it's ridiculous how they think a bear...A GODDAMN BEAR... would share Sonic's shape and stature. Vector and Big are exceptions, but Bears, if anything, should be muscular or bulky and not taller than 7 feet and no shorter than 5 feet. The body shape and stature should depend on the chosen species. This is one reason why I hated Forces. Only one body type.

[Polkadi~☆]

In Forces, it's to ease work on customisation and not having to make three of the same clothes to fit different body shapes. If there were, ahem, more effort put in Forces, I believe this wouldn't turn out to be the case.

We do see other body types, they're just saved for more unique characters. See any of the Sonic comics for examples in that regard.

[Diogenes]

Well with the avatar character there are some practical concerns involved. While they probably could've added some variation without much trouble, having every avatar use the same body means that all the animations and hitboxes are guaranteed to line up properly. Saves a fair bit of effort if you only have to animate one fist bump rather than multiple, or set up some dynamic animation system that could account for characters as short as Charmy, as tall as Big, and anything in between.

That aside, it can come off as a bit lazy. It's good to have a consistent style, of course, and there is some variation between characters with similar body types, but it would be nice to see more designs that expand the style in new directions, rather than ones that look like they stuck a new head on Sonic's body.

[Shaddy Zaphod]

I like how the OP basically states that an issue that's existed for nearly 30 years now is somehow Forces' fault specifically

Nah but it's because it's easier. Characters that better resemble Sonic are more recognizably Sonic characters. They're probably easier to animate in 2D, and for certain easier to model and animate in 3D because there's less work to be put in. All of Tikal's SA1 facial features and animation are taken from Amy, for example.

I agree that it needs work and we could use more body types (one reason I didn't mind the Boom designs, even if Knuckles's legs were too long), but it's a pretty well-known thing about the franchise.

Honestly, all you have to do is say that characters get taller with age. Out of the entire cast, I'm pretty sure none of them are over 20 (yeah yeah Shadow I know shut up), and while that's certainly a little old to grow any bigger in Vector's case, the fact that our only actually mature character, Vanilla, is like twice the height of everyone else, is a good example of this.

[Shaun Shikeishuu]

Well I mean Bark the Polar Bear didn't have the normal Sonic body type. He was bigger and bear like. But as others mentioned they all have the same body type in Forces so they didn't have to do a bunch of different animations for each type, having clothing for each type, ect. 

[Your Vest Friend]

18 minutes ago, Shaddy the Zaphod said:

the fact that our only actually mature character, Vanilla, is like twice the height of everyone else, is a good example of this.

Not true. Pachacamac is a mature character and he's barely taller than Knuckles. I just don't think there's a consistent rule for mature characters because there's not really a need to establish it; hardly any of the cast will be classed as that. 

Also a more pragmatic reason on why most characters have the same build is to ensure increased popularity; they carry the cute vibe to them much better and they're easier to draw (except Espio). Vector and Big may have unique builds, but most fans aren't really lauding that, and you tend to see them drawn far less than, say, Infinite. 

[StaticMania]

39 minutes ago, Shaddy the Zaphod said:

...Vanilla, is like twice the height of everyone else, is a good example of this.

She's not...twice the height of Vector or Big. The 2nd and 3rd oldest characters of ze cast-aways.

She's actually shorter than them.

[Plasme]

17 hours ago, Shaddy the Zaphod said:

I like how the OP basically states that an issue that's existed for nearly 30 years now is somehow Forces' fault specifically

No he didn't. The title says "why do Sonic characters always have the same body type" not "why do Sonic characters have the same body type in Forces". The fact he said 'always' shows he knows it's always been a problem in the franchise.

He states it's a reason he disliked Forces, but never stated it was specifically Forces' fault. You are putting words in his mouth and trying to make him look stupid for no reason.