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The Mecha-Bu[1] (メカブ[2],Mekabu?), also known as the Robot Beetle,[3] is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, rhino beetle-based Badnik created by Dr. Eggman with a buzz-saw for a horn.
The Mecha-Bus resemble Japanese rhinoceros beetles. They have a navy blue body with two yellow, red-capped rear-wheels and two small grey forelimbs which have small black wheels with red hubcaps for hands. On the front they have a black face with two cartoonish black eyes, a yellow jaw cap and yellow helmet. Attached to their face is a horn with a buzz-saw.
In Sonic Mania Plus' Encore Mode, Mecha-Bus look similar, except that their bodies are brown instead of blue.
In Sonic Superstars, the Mecha-Bus would be given a more detailed version of their original design, as well as two exhaust pipes sticking out from their back.
In gameplay, the Mecha-Bus roll slowly forward and backward along the ground within their designated areas. Usually, they have their buzz-saws raised, but when the playable character comes nearby, they will lower them and glide them along the ground. In addition, they are unable to turn around, which makes them vulnerable to attacks from the rear, as attacks from the front can end easily result in the playable character taking damage from their buzz-saws.
In the bad future or, sometimes, in the present timeline of Metallic Madness, Mecha-Bus do not show decay, thus remaining pristine in appearance, being one of the few Badniks with this characteristic. However, such Mecha-Bus cannot move their buzz-saws. Also, like every Badnik in the game, they are powered by Little Planet flower seeds which will pop out of them after they are defeated.
Three Mecha-Bus also appear during the end cinematics of the game, in an area similar to Wacky Workbench (despite not appearing there in gameplay). Here, they suddenly attack Sonic, destroying the platform he is standing on. Soon after though, Sonic jumps onto the back of a Mecha-Bu. The Mecha-Bu behind him tries to attack Sonic with its buzz-saw, but ends up stabbing it into its companion. Soon after, both robots explode, while Sonic destroys the third one by himself.
Sonic Mania[]
In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, Mecha-Bus are enemies found in both Acts of Metallic Madness Zone. They act the same as in Sonic CD, but move faster. To destroy them, the player must avoid hitting their buzzsaws and hit their bodies with a Spin Attack-related move. Doing so will release the Animals inside of them and award the player with 100 points. In addition, when performing a Spin Attack-related move, Mighty will be invulnerable to the Mecha-Bus' buzz-saws.
In Sonic Superstars, the Mecha-Bus are enemies found in both Acts of Egg Fortress Zone. Unlike previous appearances, their behavior is now entirely different, as they will throw their buzz-saws at the player when they spot them, which will return to them shortly afterwards. Additionally, they can now also turn around.
Personality[]
Accordingly, the Mecha-Bus possess one-track minds.[1]
Powers and abilities[]
Mecha-Bus are each equipped with a buzz-saw on their horns which they can use to cut their opponents. They can also throw it towards them with the buzz-saw returning afterwards.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing, in Eggperial City, a Mecha-Bu under Dr. Starline's control would find Belle and a deactivated Metal Sonic in the city. However, Belle managed to escape it and the other Badniks with Metal Sonic before they could attack them.[4] After Dr. Starline's defeat and Eggman reclaiming the Empire, the Mecha-Bus and other Badniks surrounded Sonic, Tails, and Belle. A Mecha-Bu would aid the other Badniks in chasing Sonic, Tails, Belle, and Kit's lifeless body in Eggperial City.[5]
The 2011 remaster of Sonic the Hedgehog CD introduces two errors to the Mecha-Bus seen in gameplay:
When the Mecha-Bus lower their buzzsaws, the blade is incorrectly layered, leaving it placed behind the Mecha-Bu's body, as opposed to the original game where the blade is layered in front of it. This error is also present in Sonic Origins.
The hitboxes for the Mecha-Bu's buzzsaws are erroneously swapped between their raised and lowered positions. As such, when a Mecha-Bu appears to lower its saw in the 2011 remaster of Sonic the Hedgehog CD, it will act as raised, and vice versa.
The Mecha-Bu's name is a pun on meka, meaning "mecha" in Japanese, and kabutomushi, meaning "rhinoceros beetle."
