Iwamodoki

The Iwamodoki^[2] (イワモドキ^[3], Iwamodoki^[2]? lit. "Pseudo Rock"), also known as the Fake Rock,^[1] is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, hermit crab-based Badnik created by Dr. Eggman.

Appearance

Based on hermit crabs, Iwamodokis are disguised as one of the rocky blocks in Lava Reef Zone. Beneath their disguise they have a pair of cartoonish, black eyes and a gray body with violet or orange details around it.

Game appearances

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

In Sonic & Knuckles and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Iwamodokis are only encountered in Lava Reef Zone where they mostly remain stationary under rocks. When the player gets close enough, the Iwamodokis will open their eyes and prepare to self-destruct, flashing briefly in the process. Eventually, the Iwamodoki will change its expression into one of fear then explode into four rocks that can damage the player, and releasing the Animal inside it. However, these projectiles will bounce harmlessly off any shield variant. Since the Iwamodokis cannot be destroyed by any attacks, it is best for the player to get out of the way before they detonate.

In the original release, no points are awarded when an Iwamodoki self-destruct, despite the score object showing up when it self-destructs. However, in Sonic Origins, points are awarded should the player stay to see the Iwamodoki self destruct.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, Iwamodokis are enemies found in both Acts of Lava Reef Zone. In gameplay, they mostly remain stationary under rocks. When the player gets close enough, the Iwamodokis will open their eyes and prepare to self-destruct, flashing briefly in the process. Eventually, the Iwamodoki will change its expression into one of fear before exploding into four rocks that can damage the player upon contact. However, these rocks can be deflected by wielding Shield-derived power-ups or through Mighty's Spin Attack. Also, in Lava Reef Zone Act 2, there are machines that produce Iwamodokis and deposit them on Conveyor Belts, making them harder to dodge when they detonate.

Iwamodokis cannot be destroyed by any means, and unlike in their original appearance, they do not release an Animal or grant the player any points upon their destruction.

Other game appearances

Minecraft

Sonic Texture Pack

This section requires an expansion.

Sonic Rumble

In Sonic Rumble, the Iwamodokis can be encountered in Green Hill Run 2 and Green Hill Run 3, where they appear as both big and small variants. In gameplay, they remain stationary above ground, making no effort to attack the player. Unlike in their previous appearances, the Iwamodokis do not self-detonate when the player is nearby, as they instead only explode when a player comes in contact with them, causing any player caught in their explosion to lose five Rings and sending them back a fair distance.

Powers and abilities

Iwamodokis can hide to disguise themselves as rocks, then self-detonate themselves as their method of attack against intruders, though at the cost of themselves (and sometimes freeing the Animal powering them). In the last moments of their life, they will also change into a shocked expression.

Trivia

• Although their name does not show up in any manual and the Badnik itself is only seen briefly in Hirokazu Yasuhara's sketches of the Japanese manual, "Iwamodoki" appears to come from Japanese material such as the Sonic Jam Official Guide book.^[3]
• A Sonic the Comic Q Zone which covered Sonic & Knuckles mistakenly refers to the Iwamodoki as "Mushmeanie."^[4]
• Although this Badnik blows itself up, the Iwamodoki's self destruction counts as if the player destroyed it themselves, unlike in similar cases with self-detonating Badniks like the Bombs and Asterons.
• The rock of the Iwamodoki's color scheme changes to match the changing color scheme of Lava Reef Zone's Acts, with their rock being a tan brown in Act 1 and a dark blue in Act 2.
  • In Sonic Rumble, the smaller Iwamodokis have their Act 1 color palette while the larger ones have their Act 2 color palette.
• The Iwamodoki's name is derived from iwa and modoki, meaning "rock" and "imitation" in Japanese.
• Interestingly, when inputting the code to replace all Badniks with Penguinators in the Sonic Origins version of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Iwamodokis are still present.

Gallery

Artwork

Sonic & Knuckles

Sprites

Gallery
Sonic & Knuckles Sonic & Knuckles Sonic Mania Sonic Mania Sonic Mania Plus Sonic Mania Plus

Screenshots

Sonic Rumble

Sonic Rumble

References