The Egg Vortex,[1] also known as the Screw Mobile[2] (スクリューモービル[3] Sukuryū Mōbiru?) or Doctor Robotnik's Waterspout and Depth Charge Machine,[4][5] is a vehicle that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a modification of the Egg Mobile that was first created by Dr. Eggman during the first part of the Angel Island incident.
Description[]
Appearance[]
The Egg Vortex looks almost the same as the standard Egg Mobile. Oval in shape, it possesses its usual windshield and yellow seat. Unique characteristics in this vehicle include its orange propeller located in its bottom part, as well as a orange and blue dispenser that stores cylindrical depth charges located in its sides.
Features and abilities[]
The Egg Vortex can make water pillars using its propeller. These pillars can take any object or living being towards the propeller, making them very dangerous. It also can drop small depth charges from its dispenser.
History[]
Sonic 3 & Knuckles[]
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Dr. Robotnik used the Waterspout and Depth Charge Machine in an attempt to destroy Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower in Hydrocity Zone. However, the vehicle was destroyed by the heroes.
Some time later, an Eggrobo would use the Egg Vortex to fight Knuckles the Echidna, but was defeated.
Sonic Mania[]
Sonic and Tails on the Egg Vortex, from Sonic Mania.
In Sonic Mania and Sonic Mania Plus, the Egg Vortex reappeared in Hydrocity Zone where it was used by Sonic, Tails and Knuckles against a submerged Dr. Robotnik, now known as "Eggman" who tried to blow up the ruins.
Sonic Mania Plus[]
Sonic and Tails on the Egg Vortex, from Sonic Mania.
In Sonic Mania Plus, the Egg Vortex was used once again in Hydrocity Zone by Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty and Ray against a submerged Dr. Eggman. Like before, they defeated the doctor with the vehicle.
Battle[]
The Egg Vortex is the boss of Hydrocity Zone Act 2 in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and the fourth boss overall in these games. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it is battled by Sonic the Hedgehog and/or Miles "Tails" Prower, while in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, it can also be battled with Knuckles the Echidna. In Sonic Origins Plus, it can also be fought with Amy.
Boss guide[]
Dr. Robotnik will descend towards the water while spinning the propeller, which will whip the water into a vortex. The player must keep jumping away from this vortex to avoid being sucked in. The propeller itself can also hurt the player if touched while spinning. After a few seconds, the propeller stops, causing the vortex to subside. The Egg Vortex will then slowly fly from side to side three times, dropping eight pipe bombs as it goes which explode after a delay of approximately two seconds. After this, the doctor repeats this attack pattern regularly.
The Egg Vortex can be hit while descending with the propeller turning. However, to make the fight go faster, the player has two other options. The subsiding vortex actually acts as a temporary platform which the player can use to reach the mobile and score another few hits. There are also the pipe bombs, which by standing over one and jumping at the last moment, can be used to propel the player's character into the air, enabling them to hit the boss again. Eight hits are required to destroy the machine and open the Capsule to the right of the arena in order to clear the Zone.
When battling the Egg Vortex piloted by an Eggrobo as Knuckles, the attack pattern remains the same as the previous version of the fight, but the EggRobo is able now to create the vortex of water with the Egg Vortex without descending, presenting fewer opportunities for Knuckles to attack. Knuckles cannot easily reach the Egg Vortex from the descending water vortex due to his lower jump height, so he must utilize the bombs to hit the mobile.
Trivia[]
- Like in the Big Shaker fight, if the player stays in the water long enough until the drowning music starts playing, the mid-boss BGM from Sonic & Knuckles will start playing at the background instead of the regular boss theme. This glitch is still present in the original version of Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
- If the player is caught in the vortex, the playable character will enter their death animation while being sucked up towards the vehicle's propeller.
- If Super Sonic is caught in the vortex, he will jump and land on the top of the vortex as if it were not attached; due to Super Sonic being invincible, he doesn't take damage, allowing Robotnik to be defeated within a few seconds. In addition, Super Sonic will use regular Sonic's animation sprites instead of his own unique ones (though he retains his yellow color palette). Super Sonic's movement speed and jump height downgrades back to regular Sonic's but will still be invincible and does not lose any Rings. This glitch is present in the original versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
- In the original Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it is possible to go past the boss arena as Super Sonic if the player constantly holds right after the cutscene of Knuckles blowing up the bridge earlier in the act, thereby skipping the boss fight and head directly for the capsule. If the player hits the capsule to finish the act, then after the score tally, the game will not trigger the transition to Marble Garden Zone, effectively soft-locking the player at that point and forcing them to reset the game.
- If the player then backtracks to the boss area, the game won't lock the camera's position and the capsule will now be unloaded.
- Prior to the v1.04 patch of Sonic Origins, the arena had a solid ceiling as Sonic and/or Tails, making the boss fight much more difficult.
Music[]
| Name | Artist(s) | Version | Length | Music Track | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Boss 2" | Sega | Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Sonic 3 & Knuckles | 1:14 | ||
| Sonic & Knuckles Collection | "FM Synthesizer" | 1:09 | |||
| "General MIDI" | 1:05 | ||||
Video[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Boss 4 - Screw Mobile
Gallery[]
Screenshots[]
| Gallery |
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References[]
- ↑ Flynn, Ian; Sega (December 8, 2021). Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia. Dark Horse Books. ISBN 978-1506719276. "Bosses: Act 2 - Egg Vortex. Dr. Eggman drops depth charges and sucks up the water with his mounted propeller."
- ↑ Flynn, Ian; Sega (December 8, 2021). "Sonic Mania". Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia. Dark Horse Books. p. 256. ISBN 978-1506719276. "Dive Eggman - A scuba-diving Dr. Eggman attempts to bomb you. Commandeer the Screw Mobile and ruin his day."
- ↑ (in Japanese) ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ３ 公式ガイドブック. Shogakukan. July 1, 1994. p. 35. ISBN 978-4091024794.
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #36, "Sonic 3 Part 3 - The Bosses"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #93, "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Revisited - The Bosses [CONTD]"
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