Containers
Containers are inanimate, one-part units that impose gameplay effects depending on whether or not they are destroyed by the player.
With the exception of respawn pods, containers disappear or burst on their own if left alone for too long. Since the Redux update, their respective timers are paused whenever they are being shot.
Shield Containers
When fighting a boss, a container with a Shield pickup in it sometimes appears. Destroying it in time will release the Shield pickup, which will then move towards the player so it can be collected.
These units are helpful for players backing up from a boss; they let them safely recover from damage.
Time Bombs
Many bosses have containers that explode into an attack on the player if they aren't "defused" in time. These time bombs have their remaining time displayed as a number in the center.
When shot, time bombs release Neophyte's revenge bullets at the player.
Time bombs never appear in Easy mode.
Respawn Pods
If a player dies in co-op, a container with a player silhouette will appear around nine seconds afterwards. To ensure that it is always possible for both players to be active again, respawn pods have no time limit to break.
A downed player can slowly nudge their respawn pod around, to make it easier for their partner to reach.
Defensive Items
A few extra versions of the shield container exist elsewhere in the official game.
- The end of Goliath's stage brings a container with 10 Slowmo items. It is more fragile than other containers (outside Easy mode).
- Monarch can spawn containers similar to the Shield container, but with a Purge item and three Freeze items (in the first and second forms, respectively).
Trivia
- Shield containers appear in all official stages except non-Nightmare Neophyte, Quartet, Ball Pit, and Credits.
- Time bombs appear in all non-Easy official stages except Neophyte, Kraken, Xulgon, Quartet, Ball Pit, Credits, and Timebrain.
- Containers in Crossfire do not pause their timers when shot, just like prior to the Redux update.