Trick Action
From Sonic Retro
Trick Action |
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First seen: Sonic Advance 2 (2002) |
Users: Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Cream the Rabbit, Blaze the Cat |
Type: Movement |
The Trick Action[1] (トリックアクション Torikku Akushon)[2], also known as the Mid-Air Trick Action[3], is a recurring technique in the Sonic the Hedgehog series that was first introduced in Sonic Advance 2. By inputting button commands in midair, the player can gain point bonuses, propel the player character in a given direction, or build up the player's Boost Gauge.
Contents
Game appearances
Sonic Advance series
Sonic Advance 2 is the first game to feature Trick Actions, and are usable by all characters except Super Sonic. Whenever a character is launched from a spring, ramp or other object, the player can press the button along with one of four cardinal directions to perform a Trick Action that varies depending on the direction. These propel the character in the given direction, and may double as an attack. Usually, these are for accessing additional routes, but from Sky Canyon onwards it becomes necessary for the player to master them in order to progress.
Trick Action | Sonic | Cream | Tails | Knuckles | Amy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Air[4] ( + ) |
Hop Jump |
Petit Step |
Happy Spring |
Spiral Upper |
Hop Jump |
Long Wind Jump[4] ( + facing right / + facing left) |
Humming Top |
Sweet Roll |
Window Jump |
Burning Straight |
Humming Top |
Quick Reverse[4] ( + facing right / + facing left) |
Back Star |
Milky Turn |
Back Rotor |
Back Attack |
Back Star |
Stop 'n' Slam[4] ( + ) |
Bound |
Soft Bomber |
Propeller Descent |
Drill Claw |
Mid-Air Hammer Swirl[9] |
Trick Actions also appear in Sonic Advance 3 and are usable by all characters except Knuckles and Super Sonic, but only with certain character combos, specifically the duo consisting of Sonic and Tails, and the duo consisting of Amy and Cream. The Trick Actions work exactly like in Sonic Advance 2 and include all the maneuvers for the characters except for the Quick Reverse. They are activated in the same way by pressing and the D-Pad in certain directions when being launched by a gimmick, and just pressing triggers the Long Wind Jump maneuver. Due to being mapped to the same button, Tag Actions cannot be charged while using Trick Actions.
Sonic Rush series
In Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure, the maneuver is referred to as both Trick Actions and Tricks[10], and can be performed by both Sonic and Blaze. When launching off a Spring or a Jump Panel, the player can perform the Big Air and Long Wind Jump tricks like those in the Sonic Advance series by pressing + and / + respectively, but they can also perform additional tricks to fill the Tension Gauge:
- Basic Tricks/Advanced Trick:[10] Tricks that can be performed by repeatedly tapping while launched into the air by gimmicks. Pressing after the third action or above makes Sonic or Blaze perform an awesome finish. If the player keeps doing the same individual trick, the point reward and Boost energy will be halved until both only increase by one. Getting hit will break these chains.
- Grind Tricks:[10] These tricks can be performed up to three times in succession by tapping while grinding, earning up to 1,700 points and a little bit of acceleration. If the same rail is used repeatedly for these tricks, the rewards will be lowered drastically.
- Just Trick:[10] These tricks simply require the player to press when they are about to take off from Jump Panels or the edge of a rail. This is the most efficient way to charge the Tension Gauge.
In Sonic Rush Adventure, the Basic/Advanced Tricks are renamed to Air Tricks[11]. Performing tricks in regular stages is mostly the same as in Sonic Rush, only this time the player can earn the "Trick Bonus" for chaining multiple Trick Actions and get extra energy for the Tension Gauge.[11] A counter is displayed in the corner of the screen when peforming Trick Actions, and can be raised by using more than one gimmick in a single flight.
When using the Wave Cyclone in Sea Stages, the player can perform Trick Actions when riding over ramps by tracing the Trick Marker on the Nintendo DS' Touch Screen to fill up the Boost Gauge.
Sonic Riders series
Throughout the Sonic Riders series, all playable characters can perform Trick Actions when launching off ramps or Trick Zones. For longer air time, the player must jump as soon as they launch. Once in the air, the player can then use the movement controls to perform a variety of tricks. After landing, they will be given a Rank based on how many tricks the player performed, awarding more Air (in the first game and Sonic Free Riders) or Gravity Points (in Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity). If the player doesn't land straight after performing tricks, they will get an automatic C-Rank.
Sonic Colours
In the Wii version of Sonic Colours as well as Sonic Colours: Ultimate, Trick Actions are performed after the player launches off of a Trick Ramp, and simply require the player to press up to five times. With each press, the announcer will shout "Good!", "Great!", "Awesome!", "Outstanding!" and "Amazing!" in that order. If the player is playing as Super Sonic, the player will only perform one trick with the announcer skipping straight to "Amazing!".
Sonic Generations
In Sonic Generations, Trick Actions are referred to as Freestyle Tricks[12] or just tricks, and can only be used by Modern Sonic.
Whenever Sonic reaches a Trick Jump Panel or a Rainbow Ring, the player is prompted to perform tricks using the Left Stick, and performing strings of tricks to fill the Boost Gauge, then press + (360)/ + (PS3) to end with a Finish Combo that grants extra Boost energy. The longer the combo, the more energy the Finish Combo will grant. However, if the player presses the same direction twice in a row, they will get diminishing returns. Performing tricks will also charge the Boost Gauge beyond its maximum capacity.
When the Trick Mastery Skill is equipped, the player can perform tricks at a faster rate. Becoming Super Sonic will also allow the player to perform tricks faster, though not as much as the Skill will.
Sonic Runners
In Sonic Runners, Trick Actions could be performed by all playable characters in the game. When launching off of a Jump Panel, the player would tap the screen to perform tricks. The more Trick Actions the player would pull off in one jump, the more points they would score.
Sonic Frontiers
The Trick Action is referred to as Air Trick (エアトリック) in Sonic Frontiers, and is a Skill that can be unlocked in the game's Skill menu for 5 Skill Points after unlocking the Phantom Rush. Whenever Sonic is launched in the air by a gimmick such as a Spring or Dash Ring, he will begin to sparkle, at which point the player can tilt the Left Stick in various directions to perform Air Tricks and acquire bonus Skill Pieces.
“ | Air Tricks can be performed when sparks surround Sonic while he is in the air. Perform Air Tricks to earn Skill Pieces. | „ |
— In-game description |
References
- ↑ File:SonicAdvance2 GBA US manual.pdf, page 12
- ↑ File:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf, page 13
- ↑ File:SonicAdvance3 GBA US manual.pdf, page 10
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 File:SonicAdvance2 Prima digital guide.pdf, page 8
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 File:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf, page 15
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 File:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf, page 17
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 File:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf, page 19
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 File:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf, page 21
- ↑ File:SonicAdvance2 GBA US manual.pdf, page 17
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 File:SonicRush DS US manual.pdf, page 14
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:SonicRushAdventure DS US manual.pdf, page 13
- ↑ File:SonicGenerations 360 UK manual.pdf, page 12