Shield

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A shield (referred to as barrier in Japan) is a power-up that protects the player from harm. When the player runs into an enemy or trap, they fall backwards and the shield is lost. Shields offer limited protection in the same way as rings do, although shields can't be re-collected after they are lost.

Shields can be obtained though breaking monitors, or the gumball machine bonus stage in Sonic 3.

Types of shield

Sonic 1 and Sonic 2

• The original shield is a simple blue sphere, with no additional advantages.

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  Sonic 1 (Mega Drive) shield monitor.

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  Sonic 1 (Mega Drive) shield.

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  Sonic 2 (Mega Drive) shield monitor.

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  Sonic 2 (Mega Drive) shield.

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  Sonic 1 (Master System) shield monitor.

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  Sonic 1 (Master System) shield.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

These shields protect against most projectile attacks. Sonic is able to perform special attacks by pressing jump twice, whereas Tails and Knuckles cannot.

• The aqua barrier (or water shield), which protects the player from drowning. Pressing twice lets Sonic "bounce". This also appears in Sonic R, but without the bounce technique and allows your character to walk on water- which disappears afterwards.
• The flame barrier (or fire shield), which protects the player from flames. Pressing twice turns Sonic into a fireball which briefly zooms forward. This shield also appears in Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island.
• The thunder barrier (or lightning shield), which protects the player from electric damage and attracts nearby rings. Pressing jump twice lets Sonic perform a double-jump. This shield also appears in Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Advance (1, 2 & 3), Sonic R and Sonic Rush.

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  Sonic stands on a lightning shield monitor, with fire and water shields to his left and right.

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  Water shield.

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  Lightning shield.

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  Fire shield.

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island

• The standard blue shield, which, contrary to it's usual "everything-breaks-it" properties in all previous games, actually renders Sonic impervious to electric damage in this game, specificly the electrified floors in Gene Gadget Zone.
• The fire shield, which protects the player against fire and lava (especially useful in Volcano Valley Zone).
• The gold shield, which lets the player perform homing attacks on nearby enemies.

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  Shield monitor.

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  Standard blue shield.

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  Fire shield; walking on lava.

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  Gold shield; homing attack.

Sonic Adventure and beyond

• A green version of the standard blue shield.
• The magnet shield, a blue shiny shield which is the same as above except that it also attracts rings.