Pointdexter

Pointdexter
A Pointdexter, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Appearances
First appearance	Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Game appearances	Sonic 3 & Knuckles Sonic Rivals 2 (cameo) Sonic Mania Sonic Mania Plus
Appearances in other media	Sonic the Comic Ladybird
Biographical overview
Creator	Dr. Eggman
Species	Robot
Physical description
Color scheme	Silver, blue, yellow Brown, blue, yellow (Sonic Mania Plus)
Eyes	Black
Alignment and character traits
Alignment	Evil
Affiliation(s)	Eggman Empire Badniks
Powers and abilities
Skills	Swimming Spike protrusion

It drifts along, surprising you with sprouting spikes.

— Description, Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia

The Pointdexter (ポイントデクスター, Pointodekusutā^?), later known in Japan as Puff (パフ, Pafu^?), is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, pufferfish-based Badnik model created by Dr. Eggman.

Appearance

Based on the pufferfish, Pointdexters have gray bodies with spikes all around, a blue face and occiput with yellow borders.

Game appearances

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Pointdexters appear in the underwater sections of Hydrocity Zone.

In gameplay, they swim around slowly, periodically drawing out and retracting their spikes. However, they make no effort to attack the player. Pointdexters can easily be destroyed with a Spin Jump when their spikes are retracted, but they will damage the player when their spikes are out. They can also be hard to notice, if the player quickly falls down underwater.

Sonic Rivals 2

In Sonic Rivals 2, the Pointedexters appear on a card that can be collected by getting a high score from Sunset Forest Zone's Boss Act.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Pointdexters appear as enemies. In terms of design, they are unchanged from their debut game. In these games, they only appear in the underwater sections of Hydrocity Zone.

In gameplay, the Pointdexters behave just like in their debut game: they swim around slowly while periodically protruding spikes. Also, upon destroying a Pointdexter, it will release an Animal.

Powers and abilities

The Pointdexters are adapt swimmers and can protrude metal spikes from their bodies, the latter of which makes a direct attack on them very painful.

In other media

Sonic the Comic

Pointdexters have also appeared in several issues of the British publication Sonic the Comic, after Dr. Robotnik's discovery of the Floating Island. In this continuity, they are able to float through the air. In their first appearance in the comic, a Pointdexter appeared in Marble Garden Zone.

Trivia

• Similar-looking Badniks to the Pointdexters have appeared throughout the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sonic 3D Blast has the Fish enemy in Spring Stadium Zone and Gene Gadget Zone, and Sonic Advance has the Senbon enemy.
  • The Pointdexters are also similar to Bubbles, a Badnik from the same game, in both appearance and attack method.
• When it draws out its spikes, the Pointdexter is virtually indestructible, as neither invincibility or even Hyper Sonic's Hyper Flash can destroy it. Bubbles shares a similar feature.

Gallery

Artwork

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sprites

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania Plus

Screenshots

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

References

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

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Main article (Sonic 3 & Knuckles) · Staff · Manuals · Glitches · Beta elements · Gallery · Pre-releases (November 3, 1993)

*Appears in Competition mode only · **Appears in re-releases only
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Sonic Mania

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Main article · Staff · Glitches · Manuals · Beta elements · Gallery · Re-releases (Plus)

*Appears in Mania Mode only · ^Appears in Sonic Mania Plus and/or Encore Mode only
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