Bomb (Badnik)


 * This article is about mass produced badniks. For other uses of the term, see Bomb (disambiguation).

The  is a badnik that resembles a walking, red-and-grey bomb. Created by Dr. Robotnik, it first appears in the original 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog as the only enemies in the game that the player can't destroy and is cable to activate self-destruction which also has impact on a player.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Bomb badniks first appear in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog, being found from Star Light Zone and Scrap Brain Zone. The player can't destroy these enemies, but Bomb sure can show that it can simply take both the player and itself. The player is the best to ignore them. Bombs can also walk on roofs upside down and appear to be at large groups, especially in Star Light Zone.

Bombs also appear in 8-bit version of the game with same name. There are many Bombs at act one of Sky Base Zone and only single Bomb can be found at second act. These badniks are smaller than before, but like in 16-bit version it is better to skipped it and move on.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)
Bombs also appear in 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as it appears at Gimmick Mt. Zone and Scrambled Egg Zone. Bombs acts like they did in its first appearance but are also bigger than in their earlier 8-bit appearance. When the player comes close to the Bomb, it loads and explodes faster than it does in its previous appearance. Bombs in this game also respond after the player comes back to the same place.

Sonic Chaos
Unnamed, but possibly different badnik appears in Sonic Chaos, which is similar to the Bomb badniks. It can only be found from last zone of the game, Electric Egg Zone. Unlike Bomb, it explodes immediately as the player is next to it, but like Bomb, it fires energy balls around. Instead of grey round body, it has black mine-shaped body with small red legs.

Sonic CD
Although Bombs don't appear in Sonic CD, there are giant versions of these badniks, known as Bigboms at Metallic Madness. These bigger variations have same attack pattern but move faster forward the player.

Sonic Jump (2012)
Bombs make a reappearance in 2012 remake of Sonic Jump, being featured at Mountain Zone. Bombs walk back and forth at the platforms and always quickly activate self-destruction as the player is jumping close to these badniks. For first time in the series, there's a possibility to destroy Bombs by jumping right under it as it doesn't activate the self-destruction if it does not see the player.

Sonic Lost World
Bombs are set to make a reappearance in Sonic Lost World. In the game, they can be found at Frozen Factory Zone 2, where they are moving around in small groups on flat routes. As Sonic turns himself into large snowball, Bombs will activate themselves, when they see the moving snowball ahead and start following it directly. The player is able to destroy them as snowball by jumping and crushing them. However Bombs are able to stick into snowball like other items, which the player must quickly deal out before they explode.

Physical Appearance
The Bomb usually has a simple, red-and-grey colored round form with two mechanical legs. Bomb's detailed appearance has been unclear as the Bomb's design has also been changing every time when it appears. Even at one point the artwork illustration and even in-game sprites usually don't perfectly match each other. It is one of the earlier Eggman's robots that don't have any animal friend as a organic battery inside of it at any of its appearance.

The Bomb in original Sonic the Hedgehog has grey, metallic surface as the core surface is colored red. It has two sharp-pointed legs while in-game graphic shows it to have blue mechanic legs. It has yellow metal buttons each side while in-game graphic shows it to have two yellow and blue buttons each side. Also in-game graphic shows to have vents and low tube above the body with ignite wire but it doesn't have vents and ignite wire in artwork. 8-bit version of the game used the artwork illustration in-game's sprites.

Bomb's appearance in the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is slightly altered as it had cubic holes instead of buttons and has similar mechanic legs like sprites of first game. In 2012 remake of Sonic Jump, Bomb has the design from first game's artwork, except now it has an antenna.

Abilities
Bombs walk very slowly and stop in their tracks when the player is in their close proximity. When they stop, these Bombs automatically ignite their own fuse for few seconds, resulting in a kamikaze attack. When they explode, four black and red glowing electric projectiles fly into the air.

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
A Bomb briefly appears in the episode Grounder the Genius of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, where it was used to destroy Hacker's computer room. The badnik's design was drastically different as it was a blue cannon pointing down, having two mechanical legs and ignition rope which has been set behind the head.

Archie Comics
Bombs didn't appear in Archie Comics until at Sonic the Hedgehog's issue 227 which was part of Genesis arc., as Sonic, Sally and Rotor travels the Star Light Zone to get to Eggman's factory at Scrap Brain Zone. They come across many obstacles, enemies and hazards while their way they come briefly across a group of Bombs which block the route right down to the roof. However they manage to pass through.

Sonic X (comic)
Bomb badniks appear in a virtual reality version of Star Light Zone in Sonic X issue 11, as Sonic the Hedgehog, Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna and Rouge the Bat walk by them, collecting rings and not even noticing their presence in virtual reality's zone.

Trivia

 * The Bomb was the only Badnik left out of the original Sonic the Hedgehog's American instruction manual.
 * Bomb was also left out of the the early Archie Comics, which featured most of the other Sonic 1 badniks (including Splats who was not actually in the game). The only other badnik to not appear was Spikes.
 * It can be noticed that Bomb has similar looking legs as Roller and Ball Hog in artwork illustration.
 * In Knuckles' Chaotix, a character by the same name bears a slight resemblance to a Bomb.
 * There are enemies in the Mario franchise called Bob-ombs, which have a similar attack. Bomb badniks are not as mobile and throw numerous projectiles around after exploding.