Knuckles (Tidal Plant Zone boss)

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble

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Knuckles the Echidna

Game: Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
Level: Tidal Plant Zone
Hits to defeat: 16

Knuckles the Echidna is the fifth boss of Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble. Although their battle in Hidden Palace Zone during Sonic & Knuckles is much more well-known, Sonic/Tails and the echidna clash once again beneath the waves in Tidal Plant Zone.

Strategy

Rather than fight the heroes directly, Knuckles pilots a submarine craft decked out with explosive weapons and gradually hovers backwards in an auto-scrolling battle. His attack pattern involves lobbing two bombs that explode upon hitting the ground, followed by a torpedo that homes in on the player. After using both attacks twice, he will temporarily leave for the surface, allowing an air bubble to appear during the brief interval. As the entire boss fight takes place underwater, the player must grab the bubble as soon as it appears to keep their oxygen supply topped up. Afterwards, Knuckles will return to repeat the same attack pattern.

Whereas Sonic must face the full challenge of the fight by keeping his lungs filled with oxygen, Tails gets to use the Sea Fox for a one-on-one submarine fight, making the fight much more easier as he can attack Knuckles from a distance while also having an infinite supply of oxygen. However, if the Sea Fox gets hit four times, it will be destroyed, forcing the fox to continue the battle like Sonic would.

After attacking the submarine a total of sixteen times, it will be destroyed, with Knuckles drowning afterwards. The player then moves on to the final Zone.