=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
5.02 - Bosses
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This section of the Boss List refers to beating the end-of-Zone bosses, namely
Robotnik.


Angel Island Zone
-----------------
At the beginning, you'll see Robotnik appear above the bridge to the left, and
he destroys it with some fireballs. You could probably manage a hit on him
before he does so. Then, Robotnik disappears behind the waterfall and flies to
a random location then appears and shoots fireballs across the ledge you are
standing on, so jump over these. You can just about see Robotnik behind the
waterfall so you can follow him to wherever he flies to. Remember to hit him
quickly as soon as he appears. It takes eight hits to beat him, and having the
Fire Shield on makes you invulnerable to his fireballs. This fight isn't so
hard, just watch out that you don't fall into the pits on either side of the
ledge you are standing on.


Hydrocity Zone
--------------
There are a couple of ways to beat Robotnik in this level. The first is that he
has a certain attack in which he starts to spin the blades on the underside of
the Egg-O-Matic and comes down near the water. When he descends, jump on him to
hit him. When he gets close enough to the water, a suction begins near a
fountain he creates, and try to jump out of the suction because if it drags you
in, you'll be pulled up by the fountain and be hit by the blades. You can't
control Sonic if you get pulled in by the fountain, so do your best to keep
well away from the suction.

The second method, which is a little trickier, is that when Robotnik flies back
up, he drops bombs from the back of the Egg-O-Matic into the water. These bombs
flash and explode, causing a huge gush of water to fly up into the air. What
you can do is jump just above the bomb when it explodes, and the water will
throw you into the air and you can try to hit Robotnik but you can't see Sonic
since he'll be above the top of the screen, so it takes good judgement.
Anyways, eight hits will take him out.


Marble Garden Zone
------------------
At first, when you see Robotnik, he comes down and plants his drill into the
ground. Hit him AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN before the ground disappears, because
them you don't have to hit him so much when you're in the actual battle =D! Now
this battle is conducted a little differently if you are playing as Sonic or
Tails. Please refer to the adequate section for the strategy.

SONIC: Whether you're playing Sonic & Tails or Sonic Along, Tails appears
regardless and gives Sonic an airlift. Use the D-Pad to control the flight of
Tails (or have the second player do it if you're playing with a friend) and
push A, B, or C on the controller to drop Sonic off so he can hit Robotnik.
Sonic will drop to the ground but Tails will drop down and pick him back up.
Robotnik will disappear into the background in a certain direction. Take note
of the direction he flies off to, because that's where he'll come from next. So
if he flies off to the left, he'll re-emerge from the left-hand side of the
screen so you can hit him. Careful not to be hit by the jets or drill on the
Egg-O-Matic.

TAILS: In a similar fashion, you must control Tails' flight by repeatedly
hitting one of the jump buttons to keep him in the air. You need to hit the
underside of Robotnik's Egg-O-Matic with Tails'...tails (the rotor he makes
when he flies) to damage him. This is a little harder, but both ways of
fighting him are rather easy.

You need to hit Robotnik eight times to beat him.


Carnival Night Zone
-------------------
When you get to the boss area, you will see Robotnik fly in with a big
expansion to his Egg-O-Matic. He drops the green ball down at you then flies
over above it and uses the power of electromagnetism around the ball. While he
does this, you will be pulled towards the electricity, so keep away from him
while he does this! After he finishes using the electricity, he flies down to
pick the ball up. When he does this, start hitting him on the head to get a
hit. Do this eight times to defeat him and finish the zone.


Ice Cap Zone
------------
There's not really much I can offer to help you here, because Robotnik's
Egg-O-Matic and the spiky platform hanging off it shoot ice clouds that freeze
you for damage in random directions, so you just have to pray for some good
luck and watch out for where he shoots the ice. When you hit him six times, the
spiky platform falls off his machine and he begins to lower, with little bursts
of ice coming out from all over the machine, but it's less difficult here. Hit
him two more times to finish him off and finish the zone.


Launch Base Zone
----------------
Note that there are three bosses to face in the level, so I will list them
under different sub-sub-sections. They are in order of appearance.


Boss One
--------
You'll see Robotnik jump into a little podium on the high ledge to the right,
and a little platform raises out of the wall, and a cannonball is fired from
above the platform, or below it. To dodge it either way, stand on the
platform as it raises and jump so that the cannonball flies out from
underneath you, and hold Right on the D-Pad to hit Robotnik while you do so.
After eight hits he's toast, and you can jump onto the ledge and go right and
jump into the Egg-O-Matic, and you'll fly along and bump into Knuckles, who
tries to take you out with a swift punch, but an earthquake causes him to
plummet into the water. You fly along a little more to arrive at Boss Two
area.


Boss Two
--------
You'll see Robotnik flying up in a huge expansion to his Egg-O-Matic. He
starts on the right-hand side of the screen moving upwards. A spikeball
flying around the dome protects him, and he shoots lasers out from the sides
at random times. Hit the DOME (where his head is) to get a successful hit,
and do this when the spikeball isn't in your way. When you hit him four
times, one of the parts with lasers on falls off the machine so he's less
dangerous. Hit him four more times and the other laser shooter falls off, and
he's got nothing left to protect him now. Hit him once more to finish him
off, and encounter the final, and toughest boss of the three.


Boss Three
----------
The sky goes black for the heavily anticipated battle. Now remember the you
cannot hit Robotnik's top, since it is covered in spikes. And also, NEVER
jump into the giant arm, because it will slam you into the girder, doing the
same amount of damage as a badnik attack so be careful with your jumping.
These are the two main threats, but you also need to keep an eye on his
movement pattern. At first, Robotnik flies across the middle of the screen,
giving you a chance to hit the FRONT of his Egg-O-Matic (this is the only
part you can attack). He'll then fly back across the other way, so you can
hit the front again. Then you'll spot him at the top of the screen moving
from left to right. Keep an eye on him. When he stops, he will quickly drop
directly down to the bottom of the screen, so make sure you are standing in
an area where he won't hit you. When he's at the bottom of the screen, he'll
move from left to right again, then eventually stop and fly diagonally
upwards in the direction he is facing; thus exposing his front again, but be
careful when trying to attack it. He then repeats the entire process all over
again. Once you hit him eight times, watch the Death Egg fall to pieces and
return to earth, and see Robotnik fall in style, and thus beat the game!