Dimps

Dimps (ディンプス Dinpusu?) is an Osaka-based development studio with an additional office in Tokyo, Japan. Employing a staff of 218 people, they developed the Sonic Advance and Rush series. They are also responsible for developing Sonic the Hedgehog 4 along with Sonic Team. They are also well known for making many Dragon Ball Z games and for co-developing Street Fighter 4. Dimps is notable for developing 2D classic gameplay style Sonic games such as the Advance and the Rush series.

Sonic Games

 * Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
 * Sonic Advance
 * Sonic Advance 2
 * Sonic Advance 3
 * Sonic Rush
 * Sonic Rush Adventure
 * Sonic Unleashed (PS2/Wii version)
 * Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I
 * Sonic Colors (DS version)
 * Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS Version)
 * Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
 * Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal
 * Sonic Lost World (Nintendo 3DS Version)

The Hammer
Throughout the handheld games developed by Dimps for the Sonic series, there is a theme of hammer-based first bosses. The theme originates from Sonic Pocket Adventure in which the first boss featured a ground vehicle with a large hammer, and ends with Sonic Rush with the Egg Hammer Mega. Although not directly hammer-themed, the Ghost Rex, the first boss of Sonic Rush Adventure can extend its neck and slam its head onto the ground to attack the player. This attack method is similar to the previous Egg Hammer Mega.

This hammer-based first boss theme is also loosely carried on in the Sonic the Hedgehog 4 episodes. In Episode I, the new attack used by the first boss, the Wrecking Ball, involves slamming the ball down at the player like a hammer. InEpisode II, the first boss battle begins with two stone totem poles rising from either end of the screen. This references the Tonkachi Eggman boss battle from Aquatic Ruin Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a boss that used a hammer.