How do you feel about the enemies in SRB2 game?

Butterfly themed badnik: This would be a basic flying badnik that appears in GFZ. They fly close to the ground, generally nearby flowers. They don't actively attack the player, and serve generally as practice for dealing with enemies that aren't grounded.

While reading through this thread I actually had the same idea as you on this one! A butterfly on GFZ would do wonders for selling the grassy park idea.

But, ahem.

The badnik lineup in SRB2 is pretty good. Apart from maybe some new badniks and pattern changes (a few of which I have ideas for), visual cues are definitely what are missing at the moment. The badnik most in need of one being the Jet Jaw, which should definitely have a visual/sound effect when it begins chasing and maybe even a newer, more aggressive animation to accompany it;
Crawlas are fine, but I think they could be better, especially the Red variant, which is something I'd like to touch on later. Skims aren't really impactful enemies anymore, since I barely see them on a playthrough, but overall GFZ through DSZ have some decent badniks.
CEZ has the best lineup out of every zone. The enemies fit thematically and are an actual threat! The number of times a Robo-Hood sniped me while I was exploring is uncountably large. Lance-a-Bots are very challenging the way they are and the shieldbots are as annoying as they should be.
ACZ's problem with badniks is the Green Snapper. It's the only issue. His weak spot is too small and hard to hit, which makes avoiding him generally the better option. The rest of the enemies are fine.
RVZ - I have a problem with the Pterabyte when it comes to visual presentation too. He could have a small charging phase where he lifts up slowly for a bit before rocketing in your direction like he does now, screeee! and everything. That'd make me like him a lot more.
ERZ's lineup is bad, but I'll pass this one due to the zone already being dated. I'd just like to say that I think Jettysyns should be the primary enemies here, since they're supposed to be the "elite" badniks, and I hope they pop up a lot more in the remake. The spincushion is fine right now as a grounded enemy, and so is the turret thingy. The only problem with them is that they're in a bad level. When they move to their good version, all will be fixed. In STJr I Trust.

Here are some things I'd change to make the badniks feel a bit more lively:

1. Revamping the Crawla
He's fine the way he is right now, but a small change in behavior could benefit the fella a lot. Seeing those circular pillars at the opening area of GFZ1 gave me the idea for Things called Crawla Tracks/Roads: they force a crawla (or a group of them) to crawl along those looping tracks as long as a player isn't around. Basically their movement pattern if they're not bothered. When a player comes close, all crawlas on a track will be alerted at once to enter their active phase simultaneously.
Once they spot a player (a small visual cue could be added alongside this, like his antenna lifting a bit while he faces toward the player before giving chase?), they should leave the tracks and move toward him at a >faster< rate than what they do now (since the player actually knows they're coming!), and keep the chase until they're defeated. It obviously shouldn't be Lance-a-bot fast, but don't make it a slow chase. There's actual action happening with Crawlas now!
To accompany this, maybe smoke could come out of their rear to show that they're actively chasing you until they get beaten down?
The Crawla tracks should be gray, maybe a bit darker than the Crawla's feet thingies, and placed a bit more strategically around the map instead of sporradically like they are now. A cool thing I thought of was making an infinity-shaped track with three Crawlas under the heart emblem area in GFZ1.
Of course, that comes with its downsides - like the first corridor in GFZ2 either being full of these or being void of enemies, but that just goes to show how that first area is so obnoxiously filled with Crawlas. Maybe some decoration and adding the butterfly enemies could help liven it up a bit?

2. Visual effects on the Buzz
Something super simple to do, actually. The buzzing noise is okay, but make their chasing a bit different! They're too boring the way they currently are. Make their acceleration rate work similarly to the BASH, where they actually take some time to enter full speed. Maybe the buzzing's pitch and speed could also increase based on their speed? I'd also kill for a movement trail similar to the Manta Ray's trail in Super Mario 64, which could also have their own sound effects.

3. Red variants
Probably the single coolest pattern for badniks. If they're red, they're more dangerous. The spincushion from ERZ is literally born from this relationship between the color red and an improvement. When he's red, he's more dangerous! Right now, the differences between normal and red badniks are just "red's faster", but it could be more than that!
-Crawla:
Additionally, maybe the Red Crawlas could have a lazy little projectile like the Crabmeat's in Sonic 1.
I'm absolutely for this. Giving players projectiles to avoid would be super neat and prepare them for GFZ3! Alongside being faster, the Red Crawla would, instead of bumping into you, stop after getting within a certain radius and start firing bullets from its cannon mouth. Thinking about it, Crawlas are the perfect badniks for firing bullets, they have a cannon mouth!
-Buzz: Instead of chasing you at a set speed, make the Red Buzz skyrocket toward you really fast, in a similar vein to Tails's Buzz Sentry in Cobalt's Battlemod! A nice change of pace for a badnik that isn't quite used to it's fullest potential. And, of course, a different visual effect/trail to show that it's different.
-Robo-Hood: Getting into fanmade territory, have red robohoods fire a set of three arrows! I've seen some archers do this in other games, it's pretty cool.
-SDURF: Not really more dangerous but I but the SDURF at the end to show that a red variant is really just a change of pace; have this version travel alongside a set arc, like some people on this thread already asked for. It's a perfect excuse to showcase red enemies' difference from regular ones, especially since that'd mean all GFZ badniks would have a red counterpart.

4. Sprites
Oh, sprites. Oh, Jet Jaw from 2.0 that doesn't give me a rest.
Update the sprites on the badniks that need it. Seriously, putting a Jet Jaw and a Crushstacean together makes them feel like they're from different dimensions yet they're from the same zone.


I'm out of ideas now.
 
I think most badniks are well designed, but I hate Crushstacean. I find it nigh impossible to kill it without getting hit. At least give me a warning when it's going to throw its claw. Also, it should be easier to avoid getting grabbed by Pterabytes IMO.
 
While reading through this thread I actually had the same idea as you on this one! A butterfly on GFZ would do wonders for selling the grassy park idea.

<snip>

I'm absolutely for this. Giving players projectiles to avoid would be super neat and prepare them for GFZ3! Alongside being faster, the Red Crawla would, instead of bumping into you, stop after getting within a certain radius and start firing bullets from its cannon mouth. Thinking about it, Crawlas are the perfect badniks for firing bullets, they have a cannon mouth!

I really agree with these ideas especially.

Butterflies would be perfect to practice jump attacking in the way that Crawlas are great to practice dash-attacking.

And having the Red Crawlas shoot Crabmeat-style projectiles would be a good way to introduce "dodging bullets" before GFZ3.

It seems strange that the little tanks don't shoot anything. This is maybe a bit much but I think it'd be funny if the Blue Crawlas could shoot, but only air came out. It would push the player back, but not damage them, and in my head there's a sprite animation of the Blue Crawla being embarrassed/frustrated that they're literally shooting blanks

They're a funny design (in the best way) so it would be fun to have them be a bit more comically incompetent.
 
Here are some things I'd change to make the badniks feel a bit more lively:

1. Revamping the Crawla
He's fine the way he is right now, but a small change in behavior could benefit the fella a lot. Seeing those circular pillars at the opening area of GFZ1 gave me the idea for Things called Crawla Tracks/Roads: they force a crawla (or a group of them) to crawl along those looping tracks as long as a player isn't around. Basically their movement pattern if they're not bothered. When a player comes close, all crawlas on a track will be alerted at once to enter their active phase simultaneously.
Once they spot a player (a small visual cue could be added alongside this, like his antenna lifting a bit while he faces toward the player before giving chase?), they should leave the tracks and move toward him at a >faster< rate than what they do now (since the player actually knows they're coming!), and keep the chase until they're defeated. It obviously shouldn't be Lance-a-bot fast, but don't make it a slow chase. There's actual action happening with Crawlas now!
To accompany this, maybe smoke could come out of their rear to show that they're actively chasing you until they get beaten down?
The Crawla tracks should be gray, maybe a bit darker than the Crawla's feet thingies, and placed a bit more strategically around the map instead of sporradically like they are now. A cool thing I thought of was making an infinity-shaped track with three Crawlas under the heart emblem area in GFZ1.
Of course, that comes with its downsides - like the first corridor in GFZ2 either being full of these or being void of enemies, but that just goes to show how that first area is so obnoxiously filled with Crawlas. Maybe some decoration and adding the butterfly enemies could help liven it up a bit?

3. Red variants
Probably the single coolest pattern for badniks. If they're red, they're more dangerous. The spincushion from ERZ is literally born from this relationship between the color red and an improvement. When he's red, he's more dangerous! Right now, the differences between normal and red badniks are just "red's faster", but it could be more than that!

I really like these ideas. Giving Crawla's set "patrols" before they spot you would help GFZ feel more alive, and I adore the idea of red variations for every badnik that's somehow more dangerous than the normal variants. There's a lot of potential there.

Perhaps there could also be some special scripted badniks that act as visual cue's for emerald token locations. In the intro IIRC, Tails reveals that the badniks are under orders to find the chaos emeralds, yet the badniks never show this behavior in game. It would be neat if for example the cracked wall in GFZ1 was justified by having a few Crawla's opening fire on the wall in that spot, trying to break through to get to the emerald, etc.
 
Crushtacean, Crawla commander and pterrabyte are the most annoying.

Crushtacean, whilst a great badnik in design, falls with its frustrating timing and often confusing hitbox on a first glance. Maybe if it had a sfx to cue its attack i would justify it but as of now, its still an annoyance and i would rather avoid it.

Crawla commander is just super awkward with his movement, kinda like metal sonic boss but 10× worse. I know i can just chill and spindash it to bits but when im moving or in a room full of them its just very frustrating to take him out. If they are used in a level there better be plenty of space and not alot of enemies alongside

Pterrabytes. I dont know if you can get off them manually. Its like if you get caught you get instantly punished with out having a fighting chance. You can definitely avoid them but its such a difficulty spike compared to the ACZ enemies.

I honestly feel like RVZ is the most difficult level with its enemies.

Overall i think the rest of the badniks are fine and bareable.
 
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Pterrabytes. I dont know if you can get off them manually. Its like if you get caught you get instantly punished with out having a fighting chance. You can definitely avoid them but its such a difficulty spike compared to the ACZ enemies.

Technically, you can escape a Pterabyte's grip by mashing directional keys. The big issues are that not only is mashing effectively just dunking yourself instead of being dunked by the bot due to their locations, but also that there's literally nothing stopping another 'bot from the flock to instantly grab you if you somehow break free safely anyways. I don't think I've seen much positive talk on these guys at all due to this.
 
Pterrabytes are really unclear how they actually work. Sometimes they hold me for ages then I kill them, sometimes they instantly drop me into bottomless pits, I never have any idea what I did differently between the two.
 
I don't have many gripes with the enemies as is; maybe the punching crab enemies in Deep Sea could be a tad easier to avoid?

I think some levels could benefit from an additional enemy or two, tbh. I think someone mentioned adding an additional flying enemy to Greenflower Zone.

Some enemies I love, like the big knights in Castle Eggman. They're like mini-bosses and really add flavor to the level! I think an additional enemy in this zone would be great too, because as it is we have the knights which are great, and the pushing robots. Maybe one more, simpler enemy here?
 
I don't have many gripes with the enemies as is; maybe the punching crab enemies in Deep Sea could be a tad easier to avoid?

I think some levels could benefit from an additional enemy or two, tbh. I think someone mentioned adding an additional flying enemy to Greenflower Zone.

Some enemies I love, like the big knights in Castle Eggman. They're like mini-bosses and really add flavor to the level! I think an additional enemy in this zone would be great too, because as it is we have the knights which are great, and the pushing robots. Maybe one more, simpler enemy here?
You missed the Robo-Hood too - he's the green archer that snipes you sometimes. Although maybe an airborne enemy would be nice to add to CEZ, the badnik roster in it is pretty much perfect.
 
Secondary abilities for Badniks. GFZ - Bounus

GFZ:

Crawla (Blue): In an attempt to get you, they will fire a piece of their machinery at you, the more they use this the faster they get. (Robo Blast)

Crawla (Red): They will fire a laser at you if you're close. However if your far they will speed up. (Laser Shot & Distance Boost)

RoboFish (Blue) Spits out a spike that follows the player until the Badnik
Is Destroyed. (Homing Spike)

THZ:

Spring Shell (Green) Instead of being a spring crawla it can charge making a spindash sound effect and its pace is broken when it hits a wall. (Charge)

Buzz (Gold) When it gets Close it will release a Charge of electricity that takes half of the player's rings. (Buzz Shock)

Buzz (Red) When the player is spotted it will spawn in smaller versions of its self that will circle you and charge at you. (Red Clones)

*Concept* Robofish (Red) It will usually Jump across areas like bridges then when it reaches the other side it will either spit out acid or goo that will slow or hurt the player, but if it spits out acid it will intoxicate the goo and turn it into acid that player has to avoid. (Should be around areas where the player would jump to get across will also spit out water if placed in it) (Liquid Geyser)

Spring Shell (Yellow) It will usually be placed in chains along with their green counterparts but it will sometimes be located on the hills of THZ When a player is spotted it will use the yellow spring on it's back as a solar panel and charge at you significantly faster (almost as fast as Crushstacean's Claw attack)
that leaves the ground burning. (Solar Charge)

Buzzes may pick up robofishes with sprouted 6 mechanical legs and try to drop them on the player


DSZ: will edit to add more
 
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I would say the current set of enemies is a marginal improvement over 2.1, when the most they could do is shoot things or threateningly approach you. As most other people mentioned, the best there are would definitely be in DSZ and CEZ. The Crawlas in GFZ still follow the same approaching-you-threateningly formula, but I feel that's fine with a first zone.

On the other spectrum, the most I dislike would be the Pterabytes in RVZ. Not only is the mechanic to shake myself off when I get grabbed not explained properly at all, it's also too hard to do it in such a short time frame before I'm dropped straight into lava. Not to mention their area of influence is deceptively large and are placed over most important jumps. I would not mind if they were nerfed or even outright removed.
 
I still remember the crawla army in the 1.09... good thing the enemies are more various and not randomly put...
 

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