Drift

For the Game Gear game, see Sonic Drift.

The Sonic Drift is a move utilised by Sonic the Hedgehog in Sonic Unleashed. While cornering at high speed, Sonic leans to the side so his fingers are touching the ground; a technique which can give the hedgehog a much tighter turning circle. It is activated by holding while rounding a bend.

Drifting is particularly important for gaining a good time in the Savannah Citadel acts, where scrubgrass beside the trails has the potential to slow Sonic down to a crawl if the player's cornering is insufficiently precise to remain on the main causeway. Day Act 3 features hairpin bends beside bottomless pits, making good use of the Drift utterly essential for acquiring an S-rank (or even staying alive).

The Sonic Drift was one of the most difficult moves for players to get to grips with in Sonic Unleashed. Success is generally improved by turning Sonic in the appropriate direction before you hold down to Drift. This significantly tightens the turning circle once Sonic actually starts using the Drift technique.