Shellcracker

Shellcracker (jap. Punch Crab, カニパンチ) is a crab-type Badnik created by Doctor Eggman. It makes its first appearance at the Metropolis Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Shellcracker looks similar to Crabmeat, although the two enemies have very different attack patterns.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Shellcrakers make its first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Shellcrackers exist at the Metropolis Zone, which has three acts unlike others that had two. In the game, they can found at blocking the narrow path to the Pipe Teleporter, near the edge of the lava lake or pit.

Sonic Pocket Adventure
Shellcrackers appear in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure at the last full zone, Gigantic Angel Zone. As the zone resembles of Metropolis Zone, it had same badniks (including Shellcracker) and they behave the same way as in Metropolis Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Shellcracker makes its appearance at Mad Gear Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Despite having upgraded design, Shellcrackers behave like they did in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but in this game, Shellcracker's claw attack is easier to predict, as it raises its left claw before thrusting its right one.

Sonic 4 Website Info

 * Hailing originally from Metropolis Zone, Shellcracker has returned to make Sonic lose as many rings as possible, if not finish him off entirely. Watch out as this Badnik's main weapon is a quick-moving claw that packs a serious punch!

Physical Appearance
Shellcracker as a badnik is based on red fiddler crab, due to having one larger claw. Shellcracker has red and white main body, which has two yellow eyes. Shellcracker has two pairs of legs, enabling to move slowly sideways. Shellcracker also has two different, red claws. The left claw is tremendous and having three spikes above it while right one is just small. Also the left claw is connected to main body with four orbs.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 design has some few changes, as the Shellcracker has blue feet joints and its claws are yellow at the lower side and grey inside.

Abilities
As Shellcracker's right claw is large, extendable and spiky, it thrusts this claw at Sonic or Tails when they come into its range. This Badnik is quite deadly; it can easily injure the player when they least expect it, and its placements in Sonic 2 are rather unavoidable. The best way to defeat this Badnik is to jump above it and Spin Attack into its unprotected side which has smaller claw and lacks the defense.

Sonic the Comic
Shellcracker briefly appears in Sonic the Comic, as it was featured in Sonic the Summer Special's feature Sonic's World. Years later Shellcracker appears in issue 250' story The Battle For Mobius, as it was clinging to a lamppost.

Archie Comics
Shellcrackers make short appearance in Archie Comics in Sonic the Hedgehog comic's Issue 229, where they try to stop Sonic the Hedgehog to get deeper through Metropolis Zone. In this Genesis arc, Shellcrackers got their appearance from Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Trivia

 * In Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Shellcracker can sometimes for odd reason disappear from certain places where they should be in Metropolis Zone. This can also happen to the Slicer.