Why I like Sonic and Tails in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
I was recently discussing AoStH, and one of the things I realised is how good the show is at showing Sonic and Tails as being friends. As opposed to the games where for the most part they feel more like co-workers.
The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog frequently sets up its plots and scenarios by showing Sonic and Tails hanging out - eating chili dogs, reading comics, playing games etc.; before finding out what Robotnik's scheme of the day is or discovering a problem that they wish to solve, usually via a guest character. They're shown as always on the move from place to place and it gives Mobius a feeling of deeper backstory and people.
As well as exposition, these scenes also establish Sonic and Tails as adoptive siblings who look after each other, with Sonic as the older brother, even going so far as to show them doing chores. It does a good job of selling these two as friends who like to hang out and travel the world in search of adventure. The little moments also serve as pauses/breathers in the runtime, which is why the idea of this show just being zany antics is somewhat misguided.
The game's idea of Tails meanwhile is an independent character who happens to be Sonic's superfan/friend, it's a good one but like so many SEGA ideas they half-bake it; past Sonic Adventure 2 Tails more or less only shows up with Sonic because the plot needs it, and serving as the exposition dump/tech guy (the latter role being filled by guest characters like Caninestein in AoStH). Like a lot of the things in the games their friendship feels like something that's told rather than shown. In fact it's one of the things I like about Sonic Unleashed where Sonic and Chip do similar "Let's go to this place and have a snack" moments.
In the games defence, there is an expectation that you don't take too much time away from the player, and what time you do allocate to cutscenes you want to fill with epic action or exposition dumps to move the plot forward. Certainly I wouldn't want a Metal Gear Solid length cutscene where Sonic and Tails are discussing this season's football transfers.
However, I don't think it's impossible to show these two doing something like fishing or watching a movie for a brief moment at the start of an adventure or between acts in a game, it would certainly sell them as friends more. As for the independence bit, to be brutally honest Tails fans it's called Sonic the Hedgehog not 'Middle Aged Man is Bothered by Annoying Teenagers', so Sonic is nearly always going to be central to the plot. At least until we get Tails Adventure 2: This Time it's Personal