Dr. Crusher Presents: The 30 Days of Sonic the Hedgehog (sponsored by PowerVerte)-Fin, PAGE 150

[Splash the Otter]

Chaos 0 was the first enemy you face in the main series that wasn't Eggman, one of his robots or another character like Knuckles.

What about the ghosts in Sandopolis, or the stone guy you fight before you enter the pyramid?

[Dr. Crusher]

It feels like a grand reunion after Eggman playing second fiddle to some monster of the week

 

 

Grrr.

[Indigo Rush]

Stop it.

 

Stop.

 

I'm trying to repress that.

[Dr. Crusher]

Forget it Rush, it's Crushatown.

[Debug Ring]

Favourite First Boss.

 

Egg Beatle, Unleashed. I love this boss. Fast paced, Dynamic, and Eggman quotes. All you need. I love the uses for the quick step considering it's the first boss you use it in, and the atmosphere is so cool. Seriously, this boss is such a good opener for the new playstyle Unleashed had and it did a good job at telling us what we'll get out of this gameplay.

 

Oh, and I like the fact you have multiple chances of knocking life out of the guy, but you have to use the boost effectively to deal a whole lot of damage.

 

Overall I think that is what I like in a first boss, dynamic, shows of the playstyle, atmosphere, and Eggman-y-ness.

[Johnny Boy]

Favorite First Bosses

 

Well I'm not to big on first bosses in particular. However, there is one exception and that is none other than:

 

Classic Metal Sonic: Sonic Generations

 

Generations started off strong by reviving all of the greatest stages from the genesis games in HD. So what better way to set up the climax to this era by giving one of the most memorable bosses in the history of the franchise by giving it a new school spin? When I first played this boss it just blew my mind. Not just because of seeing Stardust Speedway in HD, but mainly because the surprises Metal throws at you. It does sucks that Classic Eggy isn't there to fire his lazer but the boss more than makes up for it by having Metal fire electric blasts, throw the street lights at you, and finishing everything off with a spin attack. And this was seriously the first boss? Hot damn!

[ProfessorZolo]

Now this is one I don't really have an opinion on- favourite first bosses...?

Still, at a push, I have to say I'm quite partial to King Arthur from Black Knight. The fight itself was easy, but that helped get me into the game, I feel. After all, it had the same effect Windmill Isle did for Sonic Unleashed- it makes you feel awesome. Unstoppable, even.

...And that's all I've got for that one...!

[Dr. Homem]

First bosses are normally very tame. Still, there are some good ones we can pick:

 

 

The best thing about Egg Hawk is that it's a pretty interesting design. Bird-shaped machines are something we've seen before, but the Egg Hawk was the most capable of them. The hawk image placed alongside visible airplane elements like the rotors, as well as other features such as using the feet for placing Egg Pawn gunners. The fight itself wasn't particularly creative, but the visual aspect (and the music) make it a pretty memorable one in its own right. Though it's technically not part of this boss, I liked the vehicle's reappearance in the Egg Albatross fight. Made for a nice link between parts of the game.

 

(Though not a positive thing, there's also the hilarious lack of proportion featured in this boss. Sonic curled up as a ball is the same size as the whole Eggmobile? Makes for a funny moment, at least.)

 

 

 

But my favourite introductory boss has to be the Egg Beetle. I don't believe there is a better example in the Sonic series of a fight that puts you right into the action from the start like that. No, most games instead choose to start with a very tame boss then build up from there. Not Unleashed: you are chasing Eggman right away, and he quickly takes control of this massive machine in order to stop you. That to me represents one of the things that make the structure of Robotnik fights so cool: whenever you come to disrupt his plans, he's always ready to take his most recent creation to battle. Such is doubly true with Egg Beetle as it is an exciting battle that never stops moving forward. And let's not forget Mike Pollock's excellent voice acting, giving life to each of the doctor's taunts.

 

The Egg Beetle was a great way to do the player's first real encounter with Eggman in the game, and one of the more fun ones as well.

[jords]

Hmmmm don't really have a favorite, many to choose from.

But I'll go with the first boss in sonic adventure 2.

It was a good start, letting you use the homing attack, getting the feel of how sonic moves and I gotta love the music too.

[Komodin]

Question #4: What are your favourite FIRST bosses?

 

My favorite “First Boss”, huh…

 

Like with my thoughts on the “First Stages” of the series, I don’t think I really have one definite favorite opening boss since, with a very few exceptions, I like pretty much all of them. However, there is one opening boss that I would like to talk about for the purposes of this current topic. It's been discussed many times already here, but I still think that I should provide my thoughts on it:

 

 

Why, yes, it’s the Egg Beetle, from the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of Sonic Unleashed. You’re probably thinking, “Hey, Komodin,  don’t tell me you forgot about the Egg Cauldron from the Tornado Defense Act 1...” In which case… don’t fret, I didn’t forget about it. However, since it’s the end challenge of a bona fide minigame, of which there are only two, I don’t think it really reflects on either of the two main gameplay aspects at play here. So, yeah, no Egg Cauldron for you -- Dingpot’s the better cauldron, anyway.

 

Anyway, to me, one of the main reasons why the Egg Beetle sticks out for me as far as beginner bosses go is because of what it represents in the game’s plot. To recap, following an epic battle in the outer reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere, Dr. Eggman pulls a Wily and tricks Sonic into powering his Chaos Energy Cannon, splitting the planet apart and releasing Dark Gaia, while corrupting Sonic into becoming the Werehog and chucking him, Chaos Emeralds and all, into the remains of the planet in his glee. The battle was the first time they met after the event, a couple days having past. Sonic knows about Dark Gaia at this point and what Eggman was planning on doing with it, as well as the lengths that he’d go to get it done. Ultimately, it was this battle and its aftermath that really jumpstarts the overall plot of the game. 

 

With all that said, let’s talk about the fight itself. The first of a total of three Daytime bosses, this boss is a pretty good test of Sonic’s beginning skills from the previous Windmill Isle and Savannah Citadel acts. The fast pace of the battle itself keeps you on your toes, as will the mech’s various attacks. The Egg Beetle uses both the forward-facing (3D) as well as the side-scrolling (2D) perspectives in its assault against Sonic, firing all sorts of claw attacks, bombs and missiles to end your game. The arena, the treetops above the Mazurian Gaia Temple, looks simply stunning with the graphical clout of the Hedgehog Engine -- although it can seen as nothing but a blur in the hectic battle, it still makes me feel like a place that one could actually visit. One other thing that I loved about the battle was, again, the music.

 

 

The main battle theme for the daytime battles, it blends the typical bombasticity that Eggman themes of days past usually have with the World Adventure in a way that keeps my blood pumping for more.

 

Ultimately, what leaves the best impression on me was the boss banter. Prior to the endgame at Eggmanland itself, this battle is the only time Sonic and Eggman directly interact in-game. To preeemptively make up for this, it seems, Eggman’s lines here are exceptionally hammy. Everything, from his badass boast of “Ha, you unsuspecting little hedgehog! My Egg Beetle's claws will tear you to shreds!”, to his cry of “Ugh! Your manners are as bad as ever” just screams Eggman being his typical Large Ham self. What seals the deal for me, however, was Sonic’s ending line: “Ha, same as ever -- all bark and no bite!” It’s one of his better pre-mortem one-liners, if you ask me.

 

All in all, while I like pretty much every first boss in the series, as they go, I think this is one of the best. 

[Dr. Crusher]

What seals the deal for me, however, was Sonic’s ending line: “Ha, same as ever -- all bark and no bite!” It’s one of his better pre-mortem one-liners, if you ask me.

 

Yeah, it's a true Sonic line.

 

Otherwise I wouldn't want to strangle him.

[Phantomime]

I think as far as first bosses go, the best two are Egg Hawk and Egg Beetle. 

 

A lot of people here have already given their reasons why Egg Beetle is great, so I'm just gonna say that it was the only first boss in the series to really feel exciting and intense. The whole fight was fast, huge, and the music just got me so PUMPED. 

 

Egg Hawk is just a lot of fun. The music is cool, it didn't drag out too long (something a few of Heroes's bosses had trouble with), and it took place mostly over water, a setting I'm kind of a sucker for. 

[Tani Coyote]

Day 4!

 

While he’s barely even a challenge…

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c0CHg1e3hg

 

Though he’s not technically a first boss given the Mist Dragon came first… King Arthur has his own stage and a lot more meat to him, so I think he’s the first actual boss. I loved the first King Arthur boss fight just because of the music. It seems all the sweeter to me when you hear the version with lyrics later on.

 

Beyond that, I’d say Eggman’s drill mobile thingie from Emerald Hill Zone. Again, simply for the music. I always thought the Sonic 2 boss music had more of a ring to it than the Sonic 1 variant (though that one is nice on its own merits), and it’s easily one of the classic tunes I associate with Eggman. As Crusher mentioned, the fact he flies in and attaches himself to the machine is a really nice touch, when we usually see Eggman enter a stage with his mech already completed. It helps illustrate the point he has an army of those things ready to attach his Egg-O-Matic to whenever he wants; you never will see the end of his mech army.

 

For a third and final choice, probably Chaos 0 or Iblis Phase 1. Both of them have fairly foreboding music behind them, and they really help illustrate these are abominations you really don’t want to get any stronger. I give props to Chaos 0 for having that frustrating ability to make himself invulnerable when he’s a puddle, but I think it was a more dynamic way to give him an invincibility frame than the “oh ho ho I’m out of range” tactic that otherwise is used.

[ImPantsAtThis]

Favourite first boss? Gonna go with Egg Beetle here.

 

You know how most people disliked Sonic Advance 2's auto-scroll bosses? This is them, done right, and in 3D; a looping, blistering chase of a boss whose attacks require quick reflexes to avoid. There's something to be said about the pace here, as though it's for the first boss and therefore gentler, it's still pulse-poundingly fast, with the boost making blasting into the ugly machine over and over again immensely enjoyable.

 

Honorable mentions go to Big Foot and Ball 'n' Chain Eggman for being easy to cheese and goofy, respectively.

[Dr. Crusher]

You know how most people disliked Sonic Advance 2's auto-scroll bosses?

 

...I didn't mind them, actually. (And slightly relating to that, I didn't mind the Ghost Condor in Rush Adventure.)

[Junko]

Favourite First Zone Boss

 

Sonic Unleashed - Egg Beetle (Mazuri)

 

So, the Egg Beetle was pretty damn cool, all the glowing lights, the slick design and let's not forget Unleashed's damn awesome daytime boss music. Although the boss was pathetically easy, it's still fun to this day. Although I do prefer the Egg Lancer (Adabat) is everyway, shape and form.

[Nepenthe]

As an Unleashed fan, I'm actually surprised to see a lot of people mentioning Egg Beetle, mainly because I wasn't really overly fond of the Day Bosses in general, at least to such an extent that I'd give them heavy consideration in a "Your Favorite X" discussion. They weren't bad; just functional to me. But many good points are being brought up regardless, such as how they were essentially a constantly-moving test of your abilities. I guess my surprise comes from the fact that I never actually thought much about something other people did, even in the game I've given the most thought and consideration. Huh.

 

Yay, more Unleashed praise!

 

[Junko]

As an Unleashed fan, I'm actually surprised to see a lot of people mentioning Egg Beetle, mainly because I wasn't really overly fond of the Day Bosses in general, at least to such an extent that I'd give them heavy consideration in a "Your Favorite X" discussion. They weren't bad; just functional to me. But many good points are being brought up regardless, such as how they were essentially a constantly-moving test of your abilities. I guess my surprise comes from the fact that I never actually thought much about something other people did, even in the game I've given the most thought and consideration. Huh.

 

Yay, more Unleashed praise!

 

Buut Adabat's boss was great IMO. And pretty much the only good daytime boss...

[Nepenthe]

I... I feel like the Adabat boss was nearly the same as the other two, just with QTEs.

[Junko]

I... I feel like the Adabat boss was nearly the same as the other two, just with QTEs.

Which in turn, gave me something more to care about I guess, but I dunno.

[kadybat]

Day 4: Favorite First Bosses

Classics:

Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Angel Island Zone: Flame Mobile

So I love the first two bosses for the reasons everyone else has said, but I don't think Flame Mobile gets enough love. I love the fact that the fight takes place in front of a waterfall, and the design of the mech is cool. What makes this boss special, however, is the way you get there.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kwFKV7J9xC4

Fast forward to 3:42. Let's talk about how much that part of the level kicks ass. You go through this long, winding tunnel and are thrown headway into a chase with the Flying Battery, a massive warship that looks like it can take you out without any effort. You, the player, get to experience the thrill of running away from this thing, and then you get to that amazing sequence where Eggman chases you behind the trees. This is the cherry on top of a level that's trying to tell you that S3K isn't going to be your normal Sonic adventure. There will be cutscenes, mini-bosses, and incredible crescendos on levels like this that end in Knuckles showing up and progressing the plot, or Eggman activating some sort of diabolical machine.

Sonic & Knuckles: Mushroom Hill Zone

Mushroom Hill's boss lands on my list for similar reasons. It's cool, it's challenging, the mini-boss that came before it was fun, and it gives the player this epic chase feeling, only this time in reverse as we're chasing Eggman's latest machine through the forests. I also love the use of psuedo-3D effects to make this play field feel really genuinely different than others before it.

Modern:

Sonic Adventure: Chaos 0

Chaos 0 is seriously one of my favorite character designs of all time. He's plain cool. When you first encounter him, you're not sure what he is. He's like living liquid, and he's this amazing incredible bright blue. Combine this with being the first polygonal boss in a Sonic title and you have a really, really cool introduction to Sonic's adventures in 3D. I mean, all that on top of the fact that this is the same boss fight that takes place in the rain (which is awesome) and lets you spin dash through cop cars (which is also awesome).

Sonic Unleashed: Egg Beetle

I was literally just talking about how epic the boss fights in Sonic Unleashed were, and then I see this video again and I reaffirm my own ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMPx7QJ1brM

That mech design, like all of the mechs in Unleashed, is super awesome. It also takes place in Mazuri, which is a beautiful place with incredible music. It's got great banter, fun gameplay, and a good balance of challenge as a first boss. A+ would play again.

Also,

Oh my God this art is amazing where did you get this?!

[Forte-Metallix]

Day 4: Favorite First Boss: 

The Egg Hawk

 

Heroes was my first Sonic game, so this was my first impression of the good doctor! (Even though it wasn't technically him, but whatever)

The theme was sweet, and I had fun chasing this thing down at my own pace! But the best part was when the Hawk landed, and you could just wail on him with your Power character! (Fear the power of Big's belly flop!)

[C4k3]

Right, I know it's been done to death, but I think the Egg Beetle from Unleashed is definitely one of the best first bosses in this series.

 

You've got high speed action, Eggman being a glorious teasing bastard as we chase him along the track, and corny one-liners. What isn't there to love? Also, I've just noticed that Egg Hawk has been given a lot of love too. Funnily enough, this is actually the first time since Heroes where we fight Eggman in a mech as the first boss.

[Zaysho]

I wracked my brain on this, and it's strange that first bosses really don't all come to mind as easily as I would've hoped. Couple that with the fact that it's been a while since I've replayed a lot of Sonic games, so my memory is even fuzzier. But, a few come to mind.

 

1) Drill Eggman (Sonic 2): Immediately comes to mind since Sonic 2 is my first Sonic game, and it did leave a lasting impression on me. More than anything, I think the music for the boss battles in Sonic 2 is largely why it sticks with me. Kinda wish it'd get a modern remix and be reappropriated as Eggman's theme... but then I remember there are rights issues with Masato Nakamura, so so much for that. The vehicle itself looks pretty cool though, and I do crack up seeing the drill go flying off before the last hit.

 

2) Ghost Rex (Sonic Rush Adventure): I don't know if this one leaves as big of an impression, mostly because it's been an age since I played SRA, but what's kinda cool about it is that it's a giant robot dinosaur. And that's just awesome. I do distinctly remember when I got halfway through the battle and he caused the ground to cave in and force Sonic to fight him underground, which was also neat. Also, the boss battle theme for SRA was pretty sweet. Even if SRA's bosses took forever to go down, the battles themselves were never boring.

 

3) King Arthur (Sonic and the Black Knight): When I first played Black Knight, I had trouble getting used to the controls. Something that amused me about this battle was that Sonic, while bantering with Caliburn, actually reflected my own frustrations with getting through the fight! "Ugh! I wish I didn't have to use this sword!" Of course, I got better over time, but I still found that aspect of the fight really funny. It also helped the game experience feel more like a journey (a really short journey) because I did get better with the controls and, likewise, Sonic himself get better at wielding a sword and learning the ways of the knight.

[Aero]

Well, to be completely honest, I'm gonna have to go with the majority (and back to my Sonic Adventure nostalgia) and say...

 

...Chaos 0. Yep. Despite having a very lackluster boss fight (whoah 3 hits this is hard), he has a really unique design and I think the fact he's made of nothing but water and chaos energy is pretty cool. I also find it interesting that he's both the first and last boss of Sonic Adventure. OPEN YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL SEEEEEEE

 

Runner-up, once again going with the majority and saying...

 

 

...the Ghost Rex. All I have to say about this one is that it's a ROBOT DINOSAUR. Not to mention it was a pretty enjoyable battle.