The Beam Rocket (ビームロケット, Beam Rocket^?) is a boss from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as well as its locked-on form, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. It is the second of three bosses fought in the second act of Launch Base Zone. The boss battle takes place on a platform suspended below the Death Egg as it re-launches. If playing just Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and not the full game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, the Big Arm boss is fought immediately afterwards as the final boss (the boss is removed from the Sonic and Tails game and is instead fought by Knuckles).

Attack PatternEdit

The Beam Rocket will either come down from above or rise up from below on the left or right. The weapons visible in the picture are laser cannons that fire twice with each pass Dr. Robotnik makes. The craft is best attacked when rising up from below the floor as the only part that is vulnerable is the cockpit, but the player must be mindful of the spiked ball that orbits this area (also visible in the picture).

Nine hits are required to defeat the Beam Rocket–four hits destroys the top part of the rocket, another four destroys the middle part, and the ninth hit destroys the whole craft.

Any easy way to defeat the boss is to simply jump on top when it rises, and keep bouncing on top of it, dealing a hit each time you touch it. However, it is almost certain that the spiked ball will damage you in this attempt.

If the player is playing the standalone Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (without Zones 7-14), then the final boss battle takes place. Robotnik's Eggmobile will rise up and attach itself to the Big Arm mecha as the sky darkens ominously.