Newtron

Newtron, known as Meleon (メレオン) in Japan, is a chameleon-type badnik created by Doctor Robotnik. It makes its first appearance in original 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog. There usually exist two types in the games, as both types of Newtrons are one of a handful of badniks which exhibit a cloaking ability.

Physical Appearance
Newtron as a badnik is based on Chameleon. Newtron body has head, stripy tail and four white feet, which each of them has three fingers. One of fingers stretches in the other direction, so Newtron can hold extract. Newtron has yellow eyes with small pupils, brown sharp parietal crest. Newtron comes in two varieties: green and blue. Green variation has yellow eyes and blue has red eyes.

Newtron's design in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is more detailed. In Sonic Generations, Newtron is more mechanical appearance.

Abilities
Both green and blue varieties hide camouflaged inside a wall and phase out of hiding when they see Sonic, but they have different methods of attack:

The green Newtron, after becoming visible, spits a ball of energy at Sonic. It then phases back into its surroundings. It never moves outside of its wall, so it's technically invincible.

The blue Newtron doesn't stay in one place or fire energy balls. After becoming visible, it moves out of the wall and drops to the ground, chasing Sonic in a fixed horizontal line. The blue variety is easier to deal with as it can be attacked, unlike its green counterpart.

Sonic the Hedgehog
Newtron makes first appearance in the original 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog as the badnik that has two variations at Green Hill Zone. Both of them can destroy with Spin Jump as it starts to appear on the wall. Green variants might be shooting energy balls from bottom walls which the player has to avoid.

In 8-bit version of the game with same name, only green variation of Newtrons appear at Jungle Zone, but usually act like they do in 16-bit counterpart. However Newtrons don't have animal friends inside of them as power source like many other badniks in Master System and Game Gear titles.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Newtron also makes appearance as common enemies in 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as these badniks are featured at Underground Zone, Sky High Zone and Green Hills Zone. This game also has two variations of Newtrons, although green one is more grayer here. Both types have same attack patterns from previous game, although none of them don't include animal friend.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Newtron reappears in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 in Splash Hill Zone. In the game, only the green variety appears. It keeps its attack pattern from the first appearance, but it has an extra attack where it transforms itself as a missile which starts moving to side direction.

Sonic 4 Website info

 * Newtron surprises Sonic again using optical camouflage to try and blast Sonic. He can also transform into a rocket and charge towards Sonic.

Sonic Generations
Newtron reappears in Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations. Both the blue and the green varieties are featured in Green Hill. Despite having redesign in the game, both types of Newtron have the same attack pattern as from their first appearance and are placed exact same places in classic Sonic's act.

Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic
Newtron appears in Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic manga. In the Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic Volume 2' story ''Clash!! South Island'', Picky explains to Sonic that have Ricky and Cucky have trapped to the Badniks and so Sonic heads to the rescue. In Sparkling Zone, he suddenly conforts Newtron and Crabmeat who tries to attack him. Sonic defeats them easily as finds out that Ricky and Cucky were inside of them.

Sonic the Comic
Newtrons have appeared in several early issues of Sonic the Comic as standard members of Doctor Robotnik's badnik army. Earlier models of Newtrons (which appears to based on the game appearance) appear to be weak and quadruped.

Later Newtron models have completely different patterns as they don't use projectile weapons nor cloaking ability, but simply attacked enemies with their claws, teeth and tails. These Newtrons also appear to stand on two legs. These Newtrons are more bipedal and serve as melee fighters of the badnik army. However these models got decommissioned after the electromagnetic pulse, which affected the Mobius.

Archie Comics
Newtron makes few appearances in Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics as part of Robotnik's badniks. Newtron along with Ballhog are seen as setting the explosion to blowing up a unnamed place as attempting to flush out a spy, but bomb early explodes, because of Sonic who knew this and set them off before the bomb could reach its intended target. The Newtron was part of badnik team, which consisted him, Coconuts, Crabmeat, Buzzbomber, Slicer and Roller to break up the apparent wedding of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sally Acorn. Despite their assault, Newtron got easily defeated as other badniks in team while the wedding reveals to be just playing.

Years later Newtron appears in the Genesis-story arc in Sonic the Hedgehog comic book issue 225. In Green Hill Zone, one of the Newtrons loomed Sonic from behind, but he managed to grab him and headed forward using him as surfboard. After this Sonic let him crash into the Egg Capsule, as both capsule and badnik gets destroyed.

Merchandise
The toy company TOMY has released Newtron action figurine during the release of Sonic & Knuckles as it also includes a series of 21 Sonic figurines and these figurines came in packs of four under the Sonic & Knuckles label and were also released individually under a Sonic the Hedgehog label.

Related Badniks

 * E-04 Leon