Too many new sonic characters?

[Chdonga]

Seriously, most of the characters in these new Sonic games are about as useful to the series as Chris was in the Sonic X series. Big the Cat was just a retarded version of Garfeild who only appeared in three Sonic games, and the games would be all the same without him. Shadow is just a hedgehog Sasuke.
I think Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Metal Sonic, and Doctor Robotnik (Eggman) and the badniks are enough characters.