Tumfoids are creatures in Tools of Destruction, mentioned in Into the Nexus. They are small, bipedal robots found in gelatonium plants that eat gelatonium. Tumfoids are not a traditional enemy, as they are entirely docile and do not attack Ratchet and Clank, nor can they be damaged. However, they can complicate challenges by eating the Gelanator's gel cubes before Ratchet can use them.
History[]
Tumfoids were built by the managers of gelatonium plants to prevent workers from bouncing on the gelatonium cubes that were produced during the multi-stage refinement process. Tumfoids were programmed to eat gelatonium when such behavior was detected.[1] However, in some cases they became a nuisance, and gel plant owners would use fossermites to scare them away.[2]
Slim Cognito exposed his Class B Grav-Cannon to a group of female tumfoids during a rock concert in Meridian City, and was arrested and sent to Zordoom Prison as a result.[3]
Ratchet first encountered tumfoids during "Restore the Gelatonium Pumps" in the gelatonium plant on Cobalia, in which the tumfoids ate cubes created by Ratchet's Gelanator. The Smuggler was later hired by the kerchu to traffick fossermites for the kerchu so as to scare tumfoids away from their plant in Outpost L51 on Sargasso;[2] this worked successfully, as Ratchet encountered no tumfoids during "Investigate the Kerchu Outpost". Finally, Ratchet found several groups in the underground gelatonium facility on Jasindu, during "Search the Gel Facility".
Characteristics[]
Concept art.
Tumfoids are entirely docile, appearing in groups wandering the gel plants in their certain areas. They are programmed to eat gel cubes they see;[1] as such, upon detecting the cubes, they activate alarms and run over to devour them.
Tumfoids will make challenges difficult as they will eat gel cubes before Ratchet can use them. Because they cannot be destroyed, they can be dealt with in numerous: one is to shoot the Gelanator at them to lock them in gel cubes temporarily, and another is to create decoy gel cubes around the tumfoids to distract them from whichever cube is being used to proceed through the puzzle. They can also be hit with a weapon to stun them, and the Groovitron can also distract them, but this is often a waste of ammo.
Citations[]
References[]
- Insomniac Games (2007). Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- BradyGames (2007). Ratchet & Clank Future Tools of Destruction Official Strategy Guide [Book]. BradyGames. ISBN 0744009774.
- Insomniac Games (2013). Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.