The Big Icedus[1] (ビッグアイスダス[2] Biggu Aisudasu?), also known as the Iceball,[3] or Snowball,[4] is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a robot created by Dr. Robotnik, who used it during the first part of the Angel Island incident.
Appearance
The Big Icedus is a floating frosty machine with a gray main body and three magnetic ends on the body's sides and bottom. It also has what it looks like two eyes and a mouth.
History
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and the lock-on game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, Dr. Robotnik used the Big Icedus to fight Sonic and Tails in IceCap Zone. However, the robot was destroyed by the duo.
Some time later, a rebuilt Big Icedus would attack Knuckles in IceCap Zone. However, the echidna managed to defeat the robot.
Powers and abilities
The Big Icedus can fly. Using its magnetic prongs, it can also surround itself with snow blocks.
Battle
The Big Icedus is the boss of IceCap Zone Act 1 in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, and the ninth boss overall in these games (or the eighth in Knuckles' story in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles). In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it is battled with Sonic and/or Tails, while in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, it can also be battled with Knuckles.
Boss guide
After getting out of the cavern of IceCap Zone and into the cold outside weather, the player encounters the Big Icedus, which flies down into the arena. It then summons eight ice blocks from the snowy ground which it uses as shield to protect itself, and swoops down in a U shape across the screen once or twice. It will then launch the ice blocks into the air where they will eventually fall down to the ground. Depending where the Big Icedus is standing, three ice blocks will usually fall to the left side and two others will fall to the right side. The player cannot destroy the ice blocks and will take damage when touching them. After this, the Big Icedus will repeat its attack pattern again.
During the fight, the Big Icedus will be too high to reach at first. The best chance to hit Big Icedus is after it throws its ice blocks above the screen, as it is at this point where it is closest to the ground. However, the player can also hit it normally by using the Insta-Shield or the Double Jump granted by the Lightning Shield as Sonic at the right time or by flying as Tails. After six hits, the Big Icedus will be destroyed and the background will become brighter than before.
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, Knuckles will go through his own pathway to the lower part of IceCap Zone Act 1 and face the Big Icedus in a huge cavern. The battle is the same, except that it may take longer due to Knuckles' low jump height, which inhibits him from hitting the Big Icedus as often as with Sonic and/or Tails.
Music
| Name | Artist(s) | Version | Length | Music Track | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Sega | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | 2:13 | ||
| "Boss 1" | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | 1:05 | |||
| Sonic & Knuckles Collection | "FM Synthesizer" | 1:22 | |||
| "General MIDI" | 1:24 | ||||
Video
Trivia
- The Big Icedus appears to be a larger model of the Star Pointer Badnik (whom feature the Japanese name "Icedus"), which are seen regularly in IceCap Zone.
- A similar robot to the Big Icedus, called the Amoeba Droid, appears in Sonic Mania.
Gallery
Screenshots
References
- ↑ Flynn, Ian; Sega (8 December 2021). "Sonic The Hedgehog 3". Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia. Dark Horse Books. p. 49. ISBN 978-1506719276. "Bosses: Act 1 - Big Icedus. It summons blocks of ice to shield itself and use as projectiles."
- ↑ (in Japanese) ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ３ 公式ガイドブック. Shogakukan. 1 July 1994. p. 57. ISBN 978-4091024794.
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #37, "Sonic 3 Part 4 - The Bosses Cont'd"
- ↑ Hill, Simon (June 1994). "IceCap". The Official Sonic 3 Play Guide. Titan Books. p. 73. ISBN 1-85286-567-9. "Mid-Boss: Snowball - The Act One boss is a big problem if you're unsure of his tactics."
