Chopper

Chopper (バタバタ) is a recurring enemy in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, piranha-based Badnik model created by Dr. Eggman. Choppers are not very menacing, but they can launch surprise attacks from below bridges and water routes.

Appearance
Based on piranhas, the original Choppers have a red mechanical body with a white dorsal fin, pectoral fins, anal fin and fishtail. Their pectoral fins in particular are attached to blue bases. They also have serrated teeth which they flash at all times. The original models had several bolts on their body, and black eyes with white sclera. The Choppers' size has also varied over the series. They have been smaller than Sonic himself, but in Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations they are much larger.

The Choppers' design has varied over the course of the series. In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, the Choppers received a more mechanical design with white fins, yellow underbellies, slightly longer teeth, and more slit-like eyes with pale yellow sclera. Later, in Sonic Colors, the Choppers retained their mechanical look, but with more flexible-designed bodies, less bolts around their bodies, and round, cyan eyes. These Choppers also came in two colorations: red with white underbellies, and purple with yellow underbellies. In Sonic Generations, the Choppers retained their red and white-colored design from Sonic Colors.

In Sonic Lost World, the Choppers returned to their original design, with the addition of normal-looking cyan eyes. Later in Sonic Forces, the Choppers were redesigned so they retained much of their original design, but also gained a more pronounced jaw, black fins, and completely yellow eyes.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
In their first appearance in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog, the Choppers appear in the Green Hill Zone as enemies. In gameplay, they will leap up from pools of water under bridges to attack the player when they approach, their touch itself causing damage. Although their attack patterns rely on the element of surprise, they are easily destroyed with a simple attack while they are above the bridges. Upon their destruction, they also release an Animal.

In the 8-bit version of the game with same name, the Choppers have a slightly different appearance. Appearing exclusively in the Bridge Zone, they will occasionally be under a bridge or by a waterfall with a bottomless pit.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)
In the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, unnamed, Chopper-looking Badnik enemies appear in Crystal Egg Zone. In gameplay, unlike the attack patterns the Choppers exhibited in Sonic the Hedgehog, they slowly float around backwards and forwards while chomping on empty air.

These enemies are barely a threat to the player as they do not cross the player while running. They can easily be defeated with a Spin Jump and do not have an organic battery like the other Badniks in the 8-bit games.

Sonic Adventure 2
In Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, the Choppers made an appearance as enemies in the extra stage, Green Hill. The appearance of the Choppers is almost identical to their original appearance, but is more cubic and larger. Their eyes are also smaller and they have silver-lined backs.

In gameplay, instead of the Choppers jumping up and down like in the original Sonic the Hedgehog, they jump over bridges in an arching motion. Upon their destruction, they will award the player 100 points and release an Animal.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Choppers appear in two of the three Seaside Hill race courses as obstacles. Like in Sonic Adventure 2, the Chopper look larger than in their first appearance.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I
In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, Choppers returned as enemies in Splash Hill Zone. While having a more modernized appearance in this game, they usually have the same attack pattern from the first game, where they jump from pools of water at waterfalls. They would also appear in Episode Metal Act 4 of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II.

Sonic Colors
Choppers appear in both the Nintendo DS and Wii version of Sonic Colors, where they ae encountered in the underwater sections of Aquarium Park. Choppers in these games are colored pink, grey and yellow, though the concept arts relates this to Jaws. Throughout the six Acts of this Area, schools of normal-sized Choppers and very large Choppers infest the many waters that Sonic travels through.

In the Wii version, eight Choppers also appear in the underwater tunnel section in Asteroid Coaster Act 6 and in several underwater sections in Game Land which are related to Aquarium Park and Asteroid Coaster.

Sonic Generations
In both the console/PC and Nintendo 3DS versions of Sonic Generations, Choppers can be found in Green Hill and Seaside Hill. They have the same color scheme and uses the relatively same attack pattern from the original Sonic the Hedgehog, though they are not powered by Animals. In the second acts of the stages they appear in, the Choppers jump in arches over their bridges.

The console/PC version of the game also feature Mega Chopper that destroys the Grind Rails in a cave in an attempt to catch and defeat Modern Sonic. This Mega Chopper later reappears in Seaside Hill; if the player attempts to abuse the hydroplaning effects of the Boost and leave the Stage's boundaries, the Mega Chopper eats Sonic.

Sonic Dash
In Sonic Dash, the Choppers are featured in Seaside Hill. A single Chopper can be seen jumping out of the ocean at same time the player has to jump between two routes. To proceed with the endless running, player has to jump and use the Homing Attack on the Chopper to get to the another side of the gap. If the player cannot perform the Homing Attack in time, the player may fall to the water while losing life or fail the Stage.

Sonic Lost World
Choppers make another appearance in the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World where they have their original appearance and are powered by Animals. During the game, Dr. Eggman's Badniks, including Choppers, get hijacked by the Deadly Six after betraying the Doctor.

Choppers are featured in Windy Hill Zone 1, 2, Frozen Factory Zone 1, and Sky Road Zone 1. In the 3D sections of the game, Choppers usually jump over bridges from rivers or oil lakes instead of directly attacking the player, while in 2.5D sections, they retain their attack patterns from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) where they jump at bridges to bite Sonic. However, their jumps are slower in this game, giving the player an easier time to destroy them with Spin Jumping or the Focused Homing Attack.

Sky Road Zone 4 features skeletal Choppers that jump out of the sand at Sonic.

Sonic Mania
In Sonic Mania, the Choppers appear as enemies. In terms of design, they look exactly like they did in their debut game. In this game, they are only encountered in Green Hill Zone.

In gameplay, the Choppers come in two variants. They first variant behaves much like they usually do: when a playable character tries to cross certain bridges over pools of water, this Badnik will jump up from below to bite them. Like before, they can be destroyed with one attack while they are above the bridges. The second variant resides in shallow water pools throughout Green Hill Zone. Like the Chop Chop in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, these Choppers slowly swim horizontally through the pools, and speed up while snapping their jaws if the player gets too close.

Upon its destruction, a Chopper will also release an Animal.

Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, the Choppers appear as enemies. In this game, they were redesigned to have more robotic designs. The player encounters them in Lost Valley and Green Hill.

In gameplay, Choppers again attack the playable character by jumping up at them when they try to cross certain bridges. Near the end of Green Hill, there is also a segment where a series of Choppers will jump at the player in succession while the player crosses a collapsing bridge.

Powers and abilities
The Choppers are excellent swimmers who can jump up of waterfalls. They also possesses powerful jaws that can deliver deadly bites.

Variants

 * Masher
 * Mega Chopper (Kapu Kapu)
 * Mega Chopper (Sonic Generations)
 * Jawz
 * Jaws
 * Mechanical fish
 * Kapupu
 * Taga-Taga

Sonic the Comic
In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Choppers are a part of Dr. Robotnik's Badnik army which patrol the waters of the Green Hill Zone. Depending on the artist, the Chomper's design would differ between issues. They have also appeared on two covers and two pin-ups during the comic's run.

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
In the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog animated series, the Choppers are Badniks used by Dr. Robotnik and are entirely yellow. They made a brief in the episode "The Last Resort" where Scratch and Grounder released three Choppers on Sonic while he was water skiing, but ended up being used by Sonic to water ski.

Merchandise
The toy company TOMY has released Chopper 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.

Trivia

 * Chopper's Japanese name, "Bata-Bata", is the Japanese word for a clattering noise, expressing the jaw clutch noises that the Chopper often makes.
 * Choppers in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I closely resemble the Masher, causing many fans to believe they were said Badnik model when they were confirmed for the game.
 * A robot resembling a Chopper appears to chase Orbot and Cubot in the episode "Let's Play Musical Friends" in the television series Sonic Boom.