Egg Dragoon

The Egg Dragoon (エッグ・ドラグーン), also referred to as the Ultra-Hyper Prototype-1, is a recurring vehicle in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a large dragon-based mech created by Dr. Eggman for the purpose of defeating Sonic the Hedgehog. It represents the absolute pinnacle of mad science.

Appearance
The Egg Dragoon is an imposing red mecha with design similarities to a dragon. Highly detailed, it has a bulky humanoid torso with spiked shoulder guards, several highlights on the front, a smaller platform-like torso inside the main torso for the Egg Mobile to be inserted into as a cockpit, blue pongs on its lower torso, thin arms with spiky shoulders, two wing units and exhaust pipes on the back. On its left arm it has a long and gigantic drill, and on the right arm it has a six-barreled cannon. Along the cannon's octagonal carapace, six small barrels extend outward from the primary mechanism. Also, on the bottom of its torso dangles a lower-belly with two smaller cores and two talon-like feet cannons.

The first Egg Dragoon's wing units consisted simply of energy protrusions that formed wings. The second model had frames added to them, making them appear more solid. Also, its lower-belly initially consisted of lights, but would be redesigned as an additional cockpit for the second version. The second model also had a tail added to it.

Features and abilities
The Egg Dragoon is one of Eggman's most powerful and versatile creations, its design being derived from years of research on Sonic the Hedgehog's movements patterns. Its thick armor makes most of its body impregnable even against Sonic's attacks, and it possesses a lethally efficient selection of weapons that harness fire, lightning and ice elements. In addition, it possesses wing units on its back that allow it to fly. Also, even without a pilot, the Egg Dragoon is capable of operating on its own.

The first Egg Dragoon channeled the majority of its element powers through its massive cannon. This cannon rotated independently at great speed, launching a barrage of fireballs with every spin, similar to that of a Gatling gun, which could set the ground ablaze. The cannon could also focus ice into a concentrated blast which could freeze anything solid upon contact. With its left drill-arm, it could release a massive wave of electrical energy with a single swing. The drill could also be launched as an electrically-charged homing missile which could easily pierce through meter-thick metal. After firing its drill, the Egg Dragoon could easily regenerate it.

The second Egg Dragoon was heavily redesigned with more lethal capabilities. Its cannon had been modified into spewing multiple beams of fire over a wider range, and its feet had been turned into ice cannons, allowing it to not only fire rapid ice blasts, but also freezing waves along the ground. Its drill had also been ungraded, enabling it to create explosions upon impact when fired as a missile. Most noticeably however, it possessed a much more modular design that allowed it to change shape. Its body could split into two independent robot units for two-pronged attacks (dubbed the "separation attack"), and its arms could be reconfigured into massive blocks for flattening foes. Its modular design also allowed Eggman to toggle between its two sets of cockpits, enabling him to attack using the machine's torso and legs respectively. This version also proved itself incredibly fast, easily keeping up with even Sonic's running speed.

Sonic Unleashed
In Sonic Unleashed, the Egg Dragoon was created by Dr. Eggman during the Dark Gaia incident to thwart Sonic. For its creation, Eggman used years of research into Sonic's movements patterns and the energy he harnessed from Dark Gaia. After Sonic the Werehog and Chip activated the Gaia Temple in Eggmanland, Eggman ambushed the duo with his Egg Dragoon and had it destroy the cover of the canal Sonic and Chip stood on, sending them tumbling down to the core of the earth where they were forced to seek foothold on a chunk of metal. There, Eggman commandeered the Egg Dragoon into a heated battle with Sonic, who tore the mech apart with his Werehog strength and left it to fall and melt into slag in the planet's core.

Sonic Generations
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, a heavily re-modified Egg Dragoon with a wider arsenal was used by Dr. Eggman for a rematch with Sonic when the hedgehog entered the time frame of the Dark Gaia incident. Despite taking Sonic by surprise with the Egg Dragon, the mech was still destroyed by Sonic's hands.

Sonic Unleashed (Mobile)
In the mobile version of Sonic Unleashed, a version of the Egg Dragoon that is powered by Dark Gaia is the final boss and is fought in Mazuri instead of Eggmanland like in the console versions. The design is also quite different.

Battle
The Egg Dragoon is the seventh main boss of Sonic Unleashed and is fought with Sonic the Werehog directly after completing Eggmanland. The boss battle takes place across three platforms which Sonic cannot fall off of. When the Egg Dragoon's health has been depleted by a third, the player automatically moves onto the next platform.

On the mobile version of Sonic Unleashed, the Egg Dragoon is the game's final boss and is fought after completing Mazuri.

Xbox 360/PlayStation 3
When the battle begins, the player has to first run around to avoid gunfire. Stand to the north of the platform and attack the green spot on the Egg Dragoon's belly with combos. It is important to stay near that green spot. If it tries to do an electrical slash attack, the player can stand near the green spot or go to the other side to avoid it. When Egg Fighters are summoned, either ignore them or eliminate them quickly, and keep attacking the green spot.

Once the player has pushed the Egg Dragoon's health pass the first line on its health meter, the following quick time event is initiated: /, /, /, /, / and / ten times. Failing the quick time event will result in the chance of attacking the Egg Dragoon being lost. Even completing the quick time event, Eggman will break the platform and send Sonic falling. Move around to avoid gunfire, pick up Rings and to land on the next platform.

Once the player lands on the next platform, repeat the aforementioned process. This time around however, the Egg Dragoon will start firing ice blasts. Keep attacking it until breaks the plaform again and sends Sonic failing down on the next platform. Repeat the aforementioned process again and another quick time event will initiate: /, /, /, Random, Random, / sixteen times and /. Completing this quick time event will finish the battle.

PlayStation 2/Wii
When the battle begins, simply take every chance to attack. The player must hit the glowing blue spot on the Egg Dragoon's belly to hurt it. When it is using its cannon, dash around on the edge of the platform and when it is close enough, get every hit in possible.

When the Egg Dragoon is down to 2/3 health, it splits the plaform Sonic is on. Get the Rings while falling, as those are the only ones there that can restore health. Once on the next platform, repeat the previous process. This time around however, the Egg Dragoon starts using ice blasts. When it is down to 1/3 health, the Egg Dragoon will break the plaform again, leaving Sonic to fall down to the next one. Once on the third platform, the Egg Dragoon will start using an electrical attack that can stun Sonic unless he Double Jumps over it. Otherwise, keep repeating the aforementioned process to defeat the Egg Dragoon.

Mobile
When the battle first begins, just run right to avoid the Egg Dragoon's fist. Once in the battle area, the Egg Dragoon will start fireíng missiles at Sonic. Just dodge them when they get close. When it then sends its fist after Sonic, jump on top of it after it slams down on the ground and use to land a hit on Eggman who flies above in his Egg Mobile. Before the ultimate hit, the player must then run a course to reach a switch which can be used to deactivate a force field protecting Eggman. Once Eggman is vulnerable, hit him to finish the fight.

Archie Comics
The Egg Dragoon also appeared in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics. It debuted in Sonic the Hedgehog #285. During the Sonic Unleashed adaptation (the Shattered World Crisis), Dr. Eggman had created this robot to combat Sonic the Hedgehog while the hedgehog was on a rescue mission to save Chip and retrieve the Chaos Emeralds.

Trivia

 * In Sonic Unleashed, this is the only Eggman boss battle fought as Sonic's Werehog form.
 * In the cutscene before the fight in the Wii/PS2 version, the cutscene uses the lighting of the Wii/PS2 version even though it is pre-rendered.
 * The Eggman-piloted robot from the introduction of the game is similar in design to the Egg Dragoon.
 * If the player fails to defeat Eggman at the final QTE where he is thrown at the end of the fight, the Egg Dragoon will regain health back, but when the QTE is preformed again, the Egg Pod is still heavily damaged, and the cockpit's glass is broken.
 * The Egg Dragoon's elemental attacks in Sonic Unleashed seem to give references to the game's other night time bosses; the ice bomb refers to Dark Moray, the fire bullets refer to the Dark Gaia Phoenix, and the electric swing with its drill refers to Dark Guardian.
 * In Sonic Unleashed, when the Egg Dragoon is preparing to sweep the platform with the electrified drill, the word "danger" appears at the edges of the area to be swept.
 * The portals the Egg Dragoon goes through in the Sonic Generations battle are similar to the ones the Time Eater creates. It is possible that the Time Eater was helping him during the fight, or Modern Eggman infused some of its power within it.
 * Due to its appearance in Sonic Generations, the Egg Dragoon is the only boss that is ever fought as both Normal and Werehog Sonic.
 * With the music for this battle was remixed for Sonic Generations, the only thing that was changed was the orchestra, which was removed.
 * Though it is unofficial, it appears that Eggman has an early design for the Egg Dragoon used on his Star Cruiser in the opening of Sonic Unleashed. The torso of the original mech became part of the Egg Dragoon's "head".