The Splats[1] is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, rabbit-based Badnik created by Dr. Eggman. Designed for the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Splats would ultimately end up being cut from the final release of the game. However, despite being initially scrapped, this Badnik would go on to appear in several promotional materials and comics before properly reappearing in latertitles as an actual enemy.
In which Sonic game did Splats first officially appear?
Splats first officially appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog (2013). Initially planned for the original 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog, they were removed prior to release.
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Why was Splats cut from the original Sonic the Hedgehog game?
Splats, a Badnik designed by Dr. Eggman, was meant for the original Sonic the Hedgehog game but was cut for unknown reasons. The graphical data for Splats remained in the game's code. Despite this, Splats appeared in promotional materials and comics.
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What inspired the design of the Splats Badnik?
Splats is based on a scrapped Badnik design for the original Sonic the Hedgehog game. It features springs for high jumps and is fully sentient, capable of expressing emotions and speaking.
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How are Splats related to Dr. Eggman's creations?
Splats are rabbit-based Badniks created by Dr. Eggman, featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and IDW comics. They were initially designed for the original Sonic game but were not used. Splats are part of the Eggman Empire and have enhanced jumping abilities.
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What role do Splats play in Sonic Mania's test card F Eggman?
Splats, rabbit-based Badniks created by Dr. Eggman, appear in Sonic Mania's test card F Eggman. They attack by hopping and spreading ink. Players can defeat them with a Spin Attack, freeing an Animal and gaining 100 points. Found in Press Garden Zone Act 1 and Flying Battery Zone scrap piles, their presence nods to their scrapped earlier game appearance.
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Appearance
Based on rabbits, the Splats are small dark blue Badniks with round heads and torsos, as well as cartoony eyes and flappy peach colored ears. In terms of movement, the Splats bounce around by the means of a pogo-like red Spring on their underside.
In Press Garden Zone Act 1 from Sonic Mania, the Splats are a paler shade of blue (or black with teal ears during Encore Mode) and their lower bodies are coated in black ink. Their springs are also replaced with metal stampers that stamp black ink wherever they bounce. In Pinball Carnival Zone Act 2 from Sonic Superstars, the Splats have a more ghostly appearance by donning white sheets that cover their entire bodies and having dark blue eyes with no pupils.
Game appearances
Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)
Splats were originally meant to appear in the 16-bit version of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, but they were removed prior to its release for unknown reasons. However, their graphical data still existed inside the coding of NTSC and PAL releases for the game.
While still not featured in the regular game, Splats appear as a functional enemy in the 2013 remaster of the game, where they are only featured as objects that can be placed in Green Hill Zone by using the game's Debug Mode. This Badnik moves at a similar pace to a Moto Bug, except it makes short hops while moving around. Like most Badniks, they can easily be destroyed by attacking their heads with a Spin Attack-related move. Doing so will release the Animal inside of them and award the player with 100 points like other Badniks in the game.
Sonic Mania
In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, Splats are enemies found predominantly in Press Garden Zone Act 1. In gameplay, they spawn from large bottles of ink and hop around in an attempt to attack the player while they cover the ground with splashes of ink. They can easily be destroyed by attacking their heads with a Spin Attack-related move, releasing the Animal inside of them and awarding the player with 100 points.
A few Splats, in their standard color scheme, can also be found within the various scrap piles scattered across Flying Battery Zone, with their inclusion here is likely a nod to their scrapped appearance in the original Sonic the Hedgehog. They can also be placed in Green Hill Zone using Debug Mode, in-which they retain their original appearance.
The Splats reappear in Sonic Superstars, where they can be encountered in Speed Jungle Zone, as well as Pinball Carnival Zone Act 2 (where the Splats can be seen donning ghost sheets to match with the spookier theme of the Act, though their attack pattern remains the same). In gameplay, the Splats hop from left to right in a small, preoccupied area, unlike in their previous appearances where they hopped freely around. Usually, the Splats appear in groups of two or more, making avoiding them much harder to do than normally. Like most other Badniks, the Splats can be easily taken out with any attack method, causing them to release their Animal and award the player with 100 points.
Other game appearances
Sonic Speed Simulator
In Sonic Speed Simulator, Splats appears as an enemy in Speed Jungle Zone, using its design from Sonic Superstars. It is the most common enemy in this world, being found on solid ground areas. Like most enemies in the game, they do not attempt to attack the player and will simply bounce in place. Upon its introduction to the game in version 2.35, the Splats had a total health of 10, but in version 2.85, its health was increased to 100,000. While the Shuriken Strike event is active, the player will be awarded 3 shuriken for each Splats defeated.
Powers and abilities
Possessing springs on their bottoms, the Splats are capable of making extra high jumps.
In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Splats were a part of Dr. Robotnik's Badnik army. Due to the different artists, Splats were often give a slightly different look between their appearance, though they retained their overall resemblance to their in-game sprites. Splats, along with two Moto Bugs, were the first Badniks ever to faced by Sonic. They teamed up with several Badniks multiple times to defeat Sonic afterwards, but without success and were eventually rendered obsolete.
In the Angry Birds x Fearless: Year of Shadow promotional comic, the Splats were one of the many Badniks that appeared as part of Dr. Eggman's Badnik army during his invasion of the Angry Birds world,. Despite this, the Splats and the rest of the Badniks would be defeated by both the birds and Shadow working together to stop Eggman's evil scheme.
Merchandise
A full set of figurines from TOMY's promotional toy-line, featuring the Splats in center of the top line.
Despite their removal, the Splats has made a few official appearances in promotional merchandise, such as having their own promotional trading card after the release of the original Sonic the Hedgehog,[3] as well as a figurine produced after the release of Sonic & Knuckles by TOMY in 1994.
Trivia
Early on the game's development, the level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara nicknamed the enemy in his "Enemy Spec" document notes as うさぎ (Usagi,うさぎ?), directly meaning "rabbit" in Japanese.[4]
Yuji Naka mentioned the rabbit enemy being one of unused content from the original Sonic the Hedgehog, but he also commented about naming the Badnik "Rabbit-bus" or "Rabbit-taxi" (the former is a reference to Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro)".[5]
Promotional merchandise implied that Splats would use their pogo springs to crush Sonic by jumping on him.[3]
There has been some confusion over the true color palette of the Splats, with the most common being shared with Sonic's sprite palette (due to this Badnik being technically undefined in the game's programming). This palette is used for Splats in merchandise, both the 2013 remaster of the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Mania when this Badnik is placed around by using the Debug Mode, and their reappearance in Sonic Superstars. However, with the game's pre-release prototype discovered in 2021, it was shown that if you placed a Splats in Marble Zone by using Debug Mode, it will depict them with a purple and emerald green color scheme.
Gallery
Concept artwork
Hirokazu Yasuhara's "Enemy Spec" notes, Splats is listed on the left of the second line.
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