EggSnatcher

EggSnatcher
Homeworld	ThornTail Hollow, (Dinosaur Planet)
Tribe	EggSnatcher
Weakness	Any, especially the Ground Quake
Skin	Grey, Black
Appearance(s)	Star Fox Adventures

“This isn't really a good time to talk. But if you see any Egg Snatchers, be sure to get them! Why don't you go and talk to the WarpStone?”

—Mother ThornTail

EggSnatchers or Egg Stealers are creatures that are encountered during Star Fox Adventures. The EggSnatchers (hence their name) seem to like to eat ThornTail eggs as evident in the minigame that is required to be played to collect the essential Staff Upgrade. They seemed very similar to the Snipluk and Snaplak dinosaurs that are primarly found in the colder regions of Dinosaur Planet, suggesting they are of the same family, except that they are black/grey in skin tone, and unlike Snipluk and Snaplak, they will not respawn again after the mini game is completed.

In the game

The Mother ThornTail watches over her eggs inside a cave located inside the Mother ThornTail's shelter right near the Warp Stone. Normally the Mother blocks entry to her shelter, but after Fox releases the Krazoa Spirit from the Test of Fear, she has moved aside and wants Fox to help protect the eggs from the EggSnatchers that are attacking.

Following the triggered cutscene upon entry, EggSnatchers will spawn periodically from the four holes in each of the caves corners, following rail tracks to grab an egg to take back to their hole. The thieves are easy to K-O, and are especially weak to the Ground Quake which can be a good strategy to use when there is an overcrowding near the eggs, since the eggs will not be harmed. Upon completing this minigame, the Mother ThornTail will open up a Magic Cave and Fox can get the Staff Upgrade ability to open Portal Doors. The EggSnatchers won't appear again afterwards.

Save the ThornTail's Eggs

“When you arrive back at the WarpStone, speak to the distressed ThornTail just behind the waterfall. […] You've got to stop the egg stealers (who bear a striking resemblance to Snipluks) from making off with the ThornTail's eggs. If you can defend the nest for 100 seconds, you'll earn a nice reward. Whack the egg stealers with your Staff as best you can, but if it looks like one is about to get away with an egg, use your Ground Quake move - all the egg stealers on the screen will perish, an any eggs they were carrying roll back to the nest. When you win, the mama ThornTail opens an entrance to a Magic Cave, and you get the Portal Device!”

—Star Fox Adventures; Prima's Official Strategy Guide, pg 99

Trivia

• Failing to save just one egg will trigger a certain cutscene, where Fox cringes at the sounds of eggs cracking and the ThornTail Mother dropping her head in grief, and the game will reset back to just before the task starts.

Gallery

The Mother ThornTail begs Fox to save her eggs from the thieves.

The beginning cutscene where Fox awaits the Egg Snatchers.

References

• Star Fox Adventures; Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Games/Adventure. Platform: Nintendo GameCube,™
• Star Fox Adventures/Script