Know something we don't about Sonic? Don't hesitate in signing up today! It's fast, free, and easy, and you will get a wealth of new abilities, and it also hides your IP address from public view. We are in need of content, and everyone has something to contribute!
The Snail Blaster (スネイル・ブラスター,Suneiru Burasutā?),[1] formerly known as the Snale Blaster[2] (スネイル・ブラスター[3],Suneiru Burasutā?) and Den-den (デンデン,Denden?) in Japan,[4][5] is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, snail-based Badnik created by Dr. Eggman which is equipped with blasters inside its shell.
The Snail Blasters are based on snails. Each model has a silver robotic head with two eyes balls connected to the body via cables, and a heavy red shell with green edge plates above its head. The Snail Blasters' main weapons are two gray projectile cannons inside their shells, which are revealed by opening a hatch on their shells.
In Sonic Lost World, the Snail Blasters' appearance has been given slight alternations. Its shell is now more tire-shaped, its green edge plating is larger and it has cyan eyes.
In Sonic Superstars, the Snail Blasters have a bulkier shell with yellow sides and a bolt in the middle.
Game appearances[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the Snail Blasters appear exclusively in Launch Base Zone, where they can be found sticking to walls. When the player approaches them, the Snail Blasters will open their shell and fire energy balls out of two hidden cannons (at 45 degrees above and below horizontal). After this, they will close their shell again. They can only be destroyed with a Spin Jump while their shell is open, and is otherwise invulnerable. Upon destroying a Snail Blaster, they will release an Animal.
Sonic Lost World[]
In the Wii U version and PCversion of Sonic Lost World, the Snail Blasters appear as enemies. During the game, all of Dr. Eggman's Badniks, the Snail Blasters included, got hijacked by the Deadly Six. Snail Blasters and Buzz Bombers were the first Badniks to turn against the doctor and attack him under the Deadly Six's orders. A few of them get destroyed by Sonic, but the predominance of Badniks and the Deadly Six forced Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Orbot and Cubot to retreat.
In Sonic Lost World, Snail Blasters are featured in Windy Hill, Desert Ruins, Frozen Factory and Sky Road. In gameplay, they do not climb on walls, but instead move slowly in a lateral direction on the ground until reaching a certain point, in which they stop and shoot two energy projectiles towards the player. If the player is close to them though, the Snail Blasters will instead curl into wheels and roll towards the player in an attempt to damage them. Normally, the player can destroy a Snail Blaster with a Flying Kick, multiple Homing Attacks, or a Focused Homing Attack. Upon destroying a Snail Blaster, an Animal will be released.
Sonic Superstars[]
Snail Blasters reappear in Sonic Superstars, appearing in Act 2 of the Press Factory Zone, where they move along the walls, ceilings, and the floor, just like in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. However, instead of shooting bullets, the Snail Blasters now shoot several spikes out of their back that can harm the player when they come in contact with them.
Other game appearances[]
Sonic Runners series[]
Sonic Runners[]
In Sonic Runners, the Snail Blasters appear as enemies. In this game, they retained their design from Sonic Lost World. They are also some of the more common foes encountered in the speed type characters' stages. In gameplay, they are slowly groveling in the opposite direction of the playable character, and appear either separately or in groups.
The player can destroy the Snail Blasters with any move or offensive power-up in the playable characters' arsenal. When destroyed, a Snail Blaster will grant the player 100 points.
Snail Blasters in Sonic Runners come in three types. Aside from the regular Snail Blasters, there are golden ones which grant 300 points when defeated, and silver ones that grant 200 points when eliminated and which only Color Powers, Invincible and the power type characters' dash attack can defeat. All three variations also contain Animals that are released when they are destroyed. The Snail Blasters also appear as part of several episodes' narrative, which features them being defeated time and time again by Team Sonic.
In gameplay, the Snail Blasters behave much like its precessor, namely by either remaining stationary or slowly move towards the player. Upon their destruction, they release an Animal each.
Powers and abilities[]
Snail Blasters are able to climb walls by slowly groveling on them. As offense, they are equipped with two laser cannons inside their shells which can fire projectiles. Snail Blasters can also use their red shells to hide inside for protection. During the Lost Hexincident, Snail Blasters gained the ability to curl into their shells for a wheel-form to move faster along the ground. During the Northstar Islandsincident, they can fire spikes from their shells instead of singular shots.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing, a Snail Blaster stationed in Eggperial City once attempted to stop Surge and Kit when they began wrecking havoc around the city, only to be destroyed by the duo.[6]
Later on, more Snail Blasters aided in the defense of Eggperial City, now fighting against Sonic, though now with the additions of Lanolin, Tangle, and Whisper, who were sent by the Restoration to stop the city's expansion.[7]
Trivia[]
The Snail Blaster's alternate Japanese name "Den-den" comes from "Dendenmushi," which is Japanese for "snail."