The Egg Lancer looks exactly like Egg Beetle, but black in both versions. The Egg Lancer looks different between the Wii/PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360/PlayStation 3. In the Wii/PlayStation 2 version, the cockpit contains Eggman, and its claws are black with orange lines from the tip to body. Shorter yellow lines cut through the one long one like a pattern. In the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version, the ball where the cockpit was in the Wii/PlayStation 2 version is green, which changes to yellow, and then to red depending on how much damage it has taken. Its claw lines are red, not orange.
Features and abilities
The Egg Lancer is essentially a hybrid of the Egg Beetle and Egg Devil Ray, able to use the Egg Beetle's pincers along with the Egg Devil Ray's mobile lasers to deadly efficiency. It is also capable of high-speed flight.
The Egg Lancer is the third daytime boss in the Wii/PlayStation 2version of Sonic Unleashed, and the game's overall sixth boss. It is fought with Sonic the Hedgehog, but can first be fought after unlocking its Boss Stage in Adabat's Gaia Gate, which can be done after completing the daytime Acts of Jungle Joyride. The boss battle takes place on a looping road in the jungle.
Boss guide
The Egg Lancer starts out by shooting missiles that leave a pillar of fire. Dodge it while collecting Rings. Should the player start the track all over, it will open its claws, leaving it open to attack. Then, it will follow the track up and the track will run sideways, with the camera focused above Sonic. The Egg Lancer remains behind the floor and fires lasers that move in a zigzag pattern. Avoid them. Then, when the floor ends at a rock face, the Egg Lancer will appear in front of Sonic. It then will slam the rock wall and rocks will come tumbling down. Steer clear of them.
Alternatively, the player can run right underneath the Egg Lancer's claws, miraculously not get hurt, and then a rock will hit the Egg Lancer and its claws will open. If the player finds themselves in a pinch, Boost into it to damage it. The path will then curve down and Sonic will fall down on to the track below it. On this track, the camera will zoom overhead, and the Egg Lancer will proceed with the same strategy it used with Egg Devil Ray. The player can hit it up to two times in this part. After this part, the player will have to do a Real-Time Interaction to jump along the pads, and if successful, the player will deal two hits worth of damage. if the player should fail, Sonic will fall to his death, thus starting the track all over. After this part, Sonic will fall through a hole and end up at the beginning and the Egg Lancer will repeat its strategy.
The time needed to "S" Rank is 3:30. Failure to make that time will yield a "C" Rank. Therefore, no Sun Medal will be awarded.
The boss battle takes place on a looping road in the jungle where the player is automatically running forward. The Egg Lancer will always use specific attacks depending on which section of the stage the player is at, some of them are based off of attacks used by the Egg Beetle and the Egg Devil Ray. Similar to the Egg Devil Ray, the player will hear SA-55's announcements of the Egg Lancer's attacks changing once its health drops below certain thresholds (to "Level 2" at two-thirds of full-health left, then to "Level 3" at one-third of full-health left).[1]
The Egg Lancer starts out by shooting lasers along the sides of the arena. At "Level 1", the lasers appear at the sides of the pathway. At "Level 2", the lasers appear directly in front of the Egg Lancer (which will position itself in the middle of the path). At "Level 3", the lasers appear near the center. Afterwards, while keeping its claws open, the Egg Lancer will close in towards Sonic, then snap its claws together in attempt to crush him in between. The player has an opportunity to dodge or interrupt its attack, then hit the Egg Lancer to damage it (either by jumping and using the Homing Attack or Boost to ram into it).
The Egg Lancer then goes up the path and hide behind the mesh wall below. While running along the mesh wall, the player is strongly advised to avoid jumping as they will jump off of the mesh wall and fall down into the river pit below.
At "Level 1", the Egg Lancer's laser units a bunch of stationary lasers from below. Simply Quick Step around them. Then, it will fire two lasers on the sides of the road that close in on Sonic before the Egg Lancer appears back onto the road, giving Sonic the opportunity to attack it with a Boost.
At "Level 2", the screen shifts to an overhead perspective shoot a line of lasers while the top laser moves forward, followed by the next one, and so on. Before the laser in front of Sonic moves forward, Quick Step right or move downards. They will then move back, starting with the top. Quick Step right when the one behind Sonic moves back. It will then release a line of bombs that will gradually move towards the left. The Egg Lancer appears at this point, giving Sonic the opportunity to attack it with a Boost.
At "Level 3", the laser units fire from below the mesh floor albeit they now circle around a location. Afterwards, two trail of bombs start rolling in the opposite direction of the player; they first start from the ends of the mesh wall's width although subsequent bombs start rolling closer to the center. The Egg Lancer appears at this point, giving Sonic the opportunity to attack it with a Boost.
After traversing through the mesh wall, the track will then curve downward and Sonic will drop on to a platform below, which is rigged with various obstacles; they are lasers in "Level 1", grounded burning fireballs in "Level 2", and arches of orange energy balls in "Level 3". In all cases, the player can jump and/or Quick Step to avoid them when necessary. After getting past that, the Egg Lancer will open its claws then snap them together in attempt to crush Sonic again. Use this opportunity to hit it again.
Sonic will then be launched from a spring to a reaction plate section, where the player will be prompted to complete a series of Real-Time Interactions to jump into each subsequent reaction plate. The last reaction plate requires the player to input three buttons. If the player succeeds with all of the quick-time events, Sonic will automatically charge at the Egg Lancer's weak spot while Boosting, which deals massive damage to the Egg Lancer. If the player fails to input a correct button on one of the reaction plates, the player can still use the Homing Attack to reach the airborne springs to avoid falling into the river pit.[2] In either case, Sonic will fall down a vertical chute which will then lead the player back to the start of the stage.
If the player has taken every opportunity to hit the Egg Lancer, it will be defeated by the end of the second sequence of reaction plates at the end of the second lap. Upon defeating the Egg Lancer, the player gains 300 Experience.
↑Sonic Team (18 November 2008). Sonic Unleashed. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Jungle Joyride (Day) - Egg Lancer. "SA-55: Condition yellow! Proceeding to combat mode level 2! […] Condition red! Proceeding to combat mode level 3!"
↑Sonic Team (18 November 2008). Sonic Unleashed. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Shamar. "Professor Pickle: When you face the Egg Lancer in Adabat, even should you fail with the reaction plate, don't despair! If you use the airborne springs wisely, you can avoid falling into the river. So don't lose hope, my boy, no matter what!"
