Iwamodoki

Iwamodoki (イワモドキ, Iwamodoki^?)^{[1][note 1]} is an enemy in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, hermit crab-based Badnik model created by Dr. Robotnik.

Appearance

Like the Rock'n, Iwamodokis are disguise as one of the rocky blocks in Lava Reef Zone. Beneath their disguise they have a pair of black eyes and a grey body with violet details around it.

Game appearances

Sonic & Knuckles

In Sonic & Knuckles, Iwamodokis are only encountered in Lava Reef Zone where they mostly remain stationary under rocks. When the player gets close enough though, the Iwamodokis will open their eyes and prepare to self-destruct, flashing briefly in the process. Eventually, the Iwamodoki will explode into a rocky shower that can damage the player, and release the Animal inside it. No points are awarded when they self-destruct, despite the score object showing up when it self-destructs.

Iwamodokis cannot be destroyed by attacks, so it is best to get out of the way when they detonate. However, these projectiles will bounce harmlessly off any shield variant.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Iwamodokis appear as enemies. In terms of design, they look exactly like they did in Sonic & Knuckles. In these games, they appear in both Acts of Lava Reef Zone.

In gameplay, the Iwamodokis behave just like in their debut game: should the player get close, they will self-destruct in a shower of projectiles. Also, in Lava Reef Zone Act 2, there are machines that produce Iwamodokis and deposit them on Conveyor Belts that move in the player's direction, making them harder to dodge when they detonate. Also, unlike before, they do not release the Animals inside of them when they self-destruct.

Trivia

• Although their name does not show up in any manual and the Badnik itself only seen briefly in Hirokazu Yasuhara's sketches of the Japanese manual, "Iwamodoki" appears to come from Japanese sources; however, a Sonic the Comic Q Zone which covered Sonic & Knuckles refers to the enemy as "Mushmeanie".^[2] This may be analogous to Blastoid and Blastoid in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
• Although this Badnik blows itself up, its Animal comes out unharmed, unlike in similar cases with self-detonating Badniks, like Bombs.
• Iwamodoki means "pseudo-rock" in Japanese.
• In Sonic & Knuckles, during Lava Reef Zone, the Iwamodoki's color scheme changes to match that of the act's color.

Notes

1. ↑ While not listed in any instruction manuals, the internal files in the PC release of Sonic Mania refers to this enemy as "Iwamodoki".

References