Vector

Vector the Crocodile, usually just called Vector, is the loud-mouthed leader of the Chaotix Detective Agency which he runs with his friends Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee. Never seen without his trademark headphones, Vector is always looking for jobs that pay, but would never refuse to help someone in need for free. Despite regularly getting into arguments due to his directness, Vector is a clever detective ready to solve any mystery. In the Sonic the Hedgehog series, he debuted in Knuckles' Chaotix and has become a recurring character ever since being brought back for Sonic Heroes. He is known for appearing in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and its' subsequent sequels as a playable Power type character, but has also made minor appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. In the Mario & Sonic series, he acts as a rival to both Bowser and Donkey Kong.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Vector appears in the first game of the series, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. As a Power type character, he can excel in any event that requires strength, but is more difficult to use in running events as a consequence. He also has his own swimming stroke, called the Crocodile Paddle. His main rival is Bowser, whom he has to beat in the Mission Mode in both the Wii and DS version. Clearing all the mission will award the player with the Vector Emblem, while getting a Gold Medal in every Event with him will unlock the Vector Crown.

Vector's missions in the game:

Wii version:
 * 100m Freestyle: Aim for the specified time! - Finish with a time between 48 and 51 sec.!
 * Single Sculls: Beat your rival! - Finish before Bowser! (Your overall place doesn't matter.)
 * 4x100m Freestyle: Finish in the specified placing! - Finish in 2nd place!
 * Dream Table Tennis: Beat your rival! - Defeat Yoshi!
 * Skeet: Shoot the fast targets! - Shoot down 3 or more targets that are flying at high speed!
 * Final: Dream Race: Finish in the specified placing! - Finish in 2nd place!

DS version:
 * 100m Freestyle: Finish in 2nd place, within 50 seconds!
 * Hammer Throw: Perform a GREAT throw!
 * Trampoline: Earn GOOD ratings 8 times in your performance!
 * Fencing - Individual épée: Overcome a 5-point handicap and win!
 * Dream Canoe: Use items on all of your opponents.
 * Final: Dream Table Tennis: Beat Bowser when he's in top condition!

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Vector returns as a playable Power type character in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. He also gains two new special abilities: When using the Head Slide, Vector falls down on his stomach head-first and moves like a swimming crocodile to accelerate or break through obstacles. Exclusive to the Rocket Ski Jump event in the DS version, Vector can blow up his Gum Balloon to use air streams to his advantage and move at a faster pace. In the Wii version, the Vector Emblem can be unlocked by earning a Gold Medal in every event with him, while in the DS version it is rewarded if the player clears ten missions in Adventure Tours with Vector. A Vector suit for the player's Mii can be bought in the Christmas Village, giving the Mii Vector's stats.

Adventure Tours
In the Adventure Tours mode in the Nintendo DS version, Vector is first mentioned in Cubyrinth when Charmy refuses to open a gate unless they bring his friend with them. Later in Icepeak, Vector is seen next to a mission sign and becomes irritated when Toad calls for him loudly. Upon seeing Mario and Sonic, he greets the gang and becomes curious about Donkey Kong. After a short conversation about music, Vector asks Donkey Kong for a Short Track 500m race to honour their first meeting. After losing to the ape, Vector admits the Chaotix actually came to do research about the mysterious Whitestones, but he got caught up in training for his favourite event. He then decides to join the group on their adventure to have an alibi in front of his two colleagues. He also shamefully remembers having abandoned Charmy in Cubyrinth, so he asks them to head there next.

On their way, they meet Espio, whom Toad tells about Vector's performance on the Short Track 500m event, breaking his secret. Espio is angry at Vector for neglecting his duties, but is willing to finish their research alone. Back in Cubyrinth, Charmy is still guarding the gate and Vector feels sorry for him, but quickly gets mad when the bee refuses to open, believing Vector might be an imposter due to not remembering the password. However, Vector then recalls they did not agree on a password, but on a quiz about the Olympic Games, which triggers Vector's minigame "Quiz Time". After answering five questions right within 45 seconds, Charmy is finally persuaded and opens the gate, happy to see his friend again.

With his colleagues handling the Whitestones investigation, Vector tags along with the others and later cheers on Mario and Sonic during their final confrontation with Dr. Eggman and Bowser. Afterwards, the group decides to continue their adventure together and Vector dares to beat everyone in the Olympic events.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Vector is a playable character in the third entry of the Mario & Sonic series, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, once again classified as a Power type. He still possesses his unique swimming stroke from the first game, this time referred to as the Alligator Style, and his Head Slide ability returns as well. In the 3DS version, Vector is one of the Wild Ones, a group mostly qualified for power-based events.

London Party
In the Wii version's London Party Mode, Vector can be encountered as a NPC if he is not one of the four contestants, offering one of two possible minigames. If he is angry at a recent client for paying his detective agency in stickers, he will suggest a Point-Based Shell Showdown and give the stickers to the winners. Afterwards, he is so impressed that he would like to hand out a cash prize instead of the stickers, but adds that in that scenario he would have participated himself. The player will then be rewarded London Eye stickers. On another occasion, Vector finds a famous stone tablet from the British Museum, the Rosetta Stone. Hoping for a big reward if he returns it, he asks the players to help him carry it there, but gets frustrated when they start fighting over it, triggering a 2-on-2 Tablet Tussle. It is only when they arrive that Vector notices the gravure "replica" written on it, angrily realizing all the trouble was for nothing. The winners of the minigame will still get Vector stickers as a reward.

Story Mode
In the Story Mode in the 3DS version, Vector arrives in London some days prior to the Olympic Games to train with Knuckles. When the duo is called to the wrestling venue to meet up with Espio and Charmy, however, he notices his colleagues are acting strange and feels something is wrong. Unaware Bowser's minions set up a trap and were transformed by Kamek to look like Espio and Charmy, Vector accepts a challenge by Bowser and is suddenly bitten by a summoned Piranha Plant, leaving him too weak to win. Before being able to accuse the king of foul play, however, Bowser is escorted out of the area by his minions.

Some time later, when the Phantasmal Fog is spreading all over London, Vector and Knuckles search the Horse Guards Parade after Amy heard a trap was being prepared for Sonic. They find Bowser there, but lose track of him in the mist, so Vector agrees with Espio to send Sonic to the Beach Volleyball court. As the hedgehog arrives, Bowser tries to sneak attack him, giving Vector and Knuckles a chance to corner him. They then take on the Koopa King, eager to make up for their previous loss, and Vector guards him as Knuckles destroys the area's fog machine. The croc detective promises Sonic to stay and interrogate Bowser, but shortly afterwards, he dissolves into thin air, revealing they have been fighting an imposter. As the Phantasmal Fog starts covering London all over again, the duo has Donkey Kong help them clear the area, and then head on to the main stadium to watch the opening ceremony.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Vector appears again in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, returning as a Power type character. While his Head Slide ability does not return here, he gets a new unnamed Special Boost where he spins around his own axis in midair head-first, his movement resembling a drill. Vector also has two special winning animations with Knuckles and Donkey Kong.

Legends Showdown
In Legends Showdown mode, where the cast of playable characters join forces to win the Legends Trophy, Vector teams up with Daisy, Luigi and Shadow to take on area 3 of the mysterious castle and retrieve the yellow key. Upon arriving at the castle grounds, mysterious doppelgangers emerge from their shadows, challenging them to multiple events and retreating to higher platforms after each of the team's victory, before disappearing altogether. As Vector and the others finally reach the gate, however, the yellow key starts glowing and summons Jet the Hawk. After beating him in Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom, they finally get the key and move on.

Meeting up with the other teams at the top of the castle, Vector and the others are finally ready to retrieve the Legends Trophy, but suddenly Eggman Nega, Dry Bowser and Rouge the Bat appear, ready to steal both the keys and the prize for themselves. Vector and the others manage to beat them in the final event, Winter Sports Champion Race, and then start to celebrate as the Legends Trophy is finally unlocked from its cage.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Vector appears again in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as a playable Power type character in the Wii U and 3DS versions as well as in the Arcade Edition of the game. In the 3DS version, he is exclusive to the Table Tennis and Golf events and its Dream event counterparts.

Profile
''Rough-and-tumble Vector is a crocodile that loves money, which means he wants that Gold Medal more than anything. With incredible Power skills, he'll perform well in the throwing events and, given his unique swimming stroke, can excel in the pool as well.''

Profile
''Vector the Crocodile is large and strong, and heads the Chaotix Detective Agency. Vector's Head Slide ability on the Wii and DS, and Gum Balloon ability on the DS will put him toe-to-toe with the other contestants as he goes for #1!''

Profile
With a love of all things gold, this crafty croc will use his impressive strength to snag as many Gold Medals as possible.

Trivia

 * Coincidentally, Vector bears a resemblance to the Kremling species, which may be the reason for his rivalry with Donkey Kong.
 * Vector, along with Charmy Bee, has only appeared in three games before the Mario & Sonic games: Knuckles' Chaotix, Sonic Heroes, and Shadow the Hedgehog.
 * With ten overall playable appearances, 50% of the games Vector is playable in are from the Mario & Sonic series.
 * In his CGI models for Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Vector's arms are miscoloured dark green, though it seems they tried to hide this detail in his artwork for the latter game by giving him a pose which barely shows his arms.