Spin Dash
From Sonic Retro
The Spin Dash, first mentioned as the Super Dash Attack in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit) instruction manual, refers to the ability of Sonic to dash off from a standstill. It is used in all subsequent 2D games. Holding 
and repeatedly pressing 
, 
, or 
will charge up a Spin Dash, and releasing will send Sonic zooming off at high speed in whatever direction he is facing.
Contents
Putting the Spin Dash to Good Use: Gameplay Tips
In Sonic 2, Sonic 3, and Sonic & Knuckles, the Spin Dash works the same way. There are a few cool little tricks to be learned other than just blasting to the side.
Diagonal Blast: This trick takes expert timing. Charge up the Spin Dash by holding and pressing rapidly. Then, the split second after releasing , press 
and tap . If timed correctly, Sonic will blast off at an upward angle, which is useful in areas with varied terrain.
Spin Dash in Sonic 1
Sonic Jam
When Sonic 1 was ported to the Sega Saturn as part of the Sonic games compilation, Sonic Jam, the Spin Dash was introduced into the game. This allowed the player to finish levels in much quicker time. It also caused a problem in Green Hill Zone where it would be possible for Sonic to die falling off the bottom of the screen after Spin Dashing through a tunnel.
ROM Hacks
In chronological order:
- Esrael ported the Spin Dash code from Sonic 2 Beta.
- drx wrote his own Spin Dash code.
- Hivebrain ported the Spin Dash code from Sonic 2 (final version), as part of his Sonic 1 Plus ROM hack.
- Stealth ported the Spin Dash (along with the entire Knuckles object) from Knuckles in Sonic 2 as part of his Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack. This port of the Spin Dash was also included in Sonic Megamix.
- Cinossu wrote his own Spin Dash code, in the style of Sonic CD, for his ROM hack, Sonic the Hedgehog Extended Edition.
Nowadays, due to widespread ASM usage and the existence of a Spin Dash porting guide, most recent Sonic 1 hacks feature a Sonic 2-style Spin Dash.