The Clucker[1] (コケッコー[2],Kokekko?) is an enemy in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced Badnik model created by Dr. Eggman that takes the form of a robotic chicken in a turret. Basically a fixed battery, its function is shooting bullets at intruders.
Being based on chickens, the Cluckers have a white upper body, while their lower body is hidden inside their turret. They also have red wattle/tail feathers, eyes with a strict stare, a small yellow beak, two antennas connected to the sides of their heads by grey bases, and two small wings for steering their turret. The turrets themselves have a small grey cannon on the front. The lower section of their turrets however, are a part of the environment, meaning they do not disappear upon the Clucker's destruction.
In Sonic the Hedgehog 4, the Cluckers are slightly more detailed and have several color changes, although their design remain mostly the same. In Sonic Lost World, the Cluckers regained their cartoony look from eariler games and have cyan eyes.
Game appearances
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)
The first appearance of this Badnik was in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where it served as an enemy. This time around, this Badnik is referred to as Clucker[1] (コケッコー[2],Kokekko?). In this game, the player encounters them in Wing Fortress Zone.
In gameplay, these Badniks are not seen inside their turrets until the player gets close, upon where they will pop out of their turrets and aim them. A second afterwards, the Cluckers will shoot straight lines of rotating, egg-shaped bullets in the player's direction. However, they can only fire one bullet at the time. Cluckers' cannons can only shoot forwards, but they can still take the player by surprise. After popping out of their turrets, these Badniks do not change their firing direction.
Cluckers mostly appear by themselves, although there are cases where two of them are encountered in close succession. The player can easily destroy a Clucker by Spin Jumping on top of it. Also, upon their destruction, they release an Animal.
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
In Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, two Cluckers made an appearance in front of a lonely Crawl in the "Clucker's Defense" Bonus Stage. The two Cluckers will do whatever they can to defend the Crawl using the small bumpers on their turrets (which replace their cannons) which can bounce back pinballs. While the player cannot hit them from the front, they can hit them on their sides to score points.
Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
In Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, Cluckers appear only as enemies in Aerobase Zone. In this game, they retain their attack patters from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, although they will pop out from their turrets and fire their cannons at a much faster rate. Also, two of them can often be encountered in close succession. In addition, upon their destruction, they release an Animal.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, Cluckers are featured in Sky Fortress Zone Act 2 and 3. While having upgraded designs and shooting grey bullets instead of white ones, their attack patterns remain the same as in previous games. In this game however, the Cluckers appear more frequently and can even be found shooting from floating platforms. In addition, up to four of them can be encountered in succession, usually at stair sections.
Sonic Lost World
Sonic grinding towards several Clucker Badniks in Silent Forest Zone 1.
In the Wii U/PC version of Sonic Lost World, the Cluckers appear as enemies. In these games, the Cluckers were redesigned to have their simpler and cartoon-like look from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. During the game, Dr. Eggman's Badniks, the Cluckers included, got hijacked by the Deadly Six after the group betrayed the Doctor. In the Wii U/PC version of the game, regular Cluckers appear in Tropical Coast Zone 1 and 4, Silent Forest Zone 1 and 3, and Lava Mountain Zone 3. On the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, the player encounters them in Silent Forest Zone 1, 2 and 3.
In gameplay on the Wii U/PC version, the Cluckers can be found in various spots. They appear rarely by themselves, and instead often appear in groups to attack the playable character. Cluckers typically remain hidden within their gun turrets until the playable character approaches them. The Cluckers will then emerge from their turrets and start firing blasts of white and flashing red egg-shaped bullets at the playable character. These kinds of Cluckers are destructible, as they retreat into the turrets when the playable character gets too close. However, in Tropical Coast, the player can use rolling fruit, mainly pineapples, to crush Cluckers. In other Zones, such as Silent Forest Zone 1 and Lava Mountain Zone 2, the Cluckers appear on Grind Rails where they ride minecarts armed with cannons while shooting at the playable character. These kind of Cluckers can be destroyed with a simple Homing Attack. In tubular caverns, such as Silent Forest Zone 3, Cluckers also operate two-legged mechas. The bottom of these mechas are laced with spikes while the top of them has a cockpit where the Clucker sits. These Badniks will change their positions by attaching themselves to the ceiling or floor to block the player's passage when the playable character moves about in there turbular areas. To destroy these Cluckers, the player must make the Cluckers' mechas stand with their cockpits turned upward, thereby making the Cluckers operating them vulnerable to a Homing Attack.
In gameplay on the Nintendo 3DS version, the Cluckers rarely appear alone. Rather, they often have more of themselves backing them up. Regular Cluckers stand ready with their gun turrets until Sonic gets close, upon which they will start firing blasts of white egg-shaped bullets at Sonic. These Cluckers will also retreat into their turrets when Sonic gets too close, making them invulnerable to harm. However, these Cluckers can be stunned from a distance with the Somersault Kick, thus making it possible to destroy them with the Homing Attack. Alternatively, the player can destroy them with the Gray Quake, either by rolling over them or with the Gray Quake's ground pound. In other Zones, such as Silent Forest Zone 2 and 3, the Cluckers appear on Grind Rails where they ride minecarts armed with cannons while shooting at Sonic. These kind of Cluckers can be destroyed with a simple Homing Attack.
In all the versions of the game, when destroying a Clucker, the player will release an Animal.
In gameplay, the Cluckers basically use the same attack patters they had in Sonic the Hedgehog 2: they hide inside their turrets until the playable characters get near, upon which they begin shooting horizontal-moving bullets at them. This time around however, if the player tries to get out of a Clucker's shooting range by getting behind it, the Clucker will turn around and continue its firing pattern in the opposite direction. It should also be noted that their projectiles will bounce off anyelementalshield.
Upon a Clucker's destruction, it will release an Animal.
In the Nintendo Switch version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Cluckers appear as enemies in the "Tokyo Sky Flight" mini-game. Here, they have their sprite-based appearance from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. During the "Tokyo Sly Flight" mini-game, Cluckers sit firmly in one spot while they fire bullets at the playable characters. Regardless, the Cluckers are easily destroyed with two gunshots from the Tornado.
Some Cluckers come equipped with Bumper shields that can protect them from the Tornado's gunshots. However, they can be knocked away with the Tornado's shockwave attack. Also, upon destroying a Clucker, the player receives 100 points.
Powers and abilities
Cluckers hide within turrets waiting for intruders. When their targets come into their vicinity, they pop up from their turret and shoot cannonballs at them. Their turrets seen to utilize rotating egg-shaped bullets, energy projectiles or grey bullets.
Clucker's in-game sprite in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 differs comparing to original artwork illustration. The antenna button in is miscolored yellow, while tail feathers are miscolored white rather than red. These mistakes are repeated later in Sonic Pocket Adventure and Sonic the Hedgehog 4, but only partially in Sonic Mania, with the tail feather mistake being fixed.
A Chicken type Badnik last seen defending "WING FORTRESS ZONE" in "Sonic 2". They will stand in Sonic and his friends' way, deployed everywhere within the incredibly enormous "Sky Fortress" as fixed batteries. 
