Grind Rail


 * For the gimmick in the Sonic Boom franchise, see Rail (Sonic Boom).

The Grind Rail (グラインドレール), also known as the Rail, is a gimmick in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a certain type of rail that the playable characters are able to grind along, thereby allowing them to reach new areas.

Description
Grind Rails are usually either solid bars or tight cords. They typically float in the air, although some of them also lie close to the ground, like railway rails. They are also extensively long, as per their design, stretching through the landscapes as either straight lines or in flexible formations that go up, down, left and right. Grind Rails are likewise more or less the length of a foot wide, and typically taller than they are wide. The exact design of the Grind Rails typically differ from stage to stage, each design meant to suit the local level theme. It is also common for rows of Grind Rails to run parallel to each other.

In gameplay, Grind Rails are a common gimmick in the modern Sonic games. They serve primarily as unique pathways the player can take via the grinding maneuver, which allows them to slide down the Grind Rails at high speed. While using a Grind Rail, the player can also pull off certain maneuvers, like the Grind Step and the crouch. Grind Rails usually lead across gaps and bottomless pits, typically towards places the player cannot otherwise reach, and can likewise serve as alternate paths and shortcuts. Occasionally though, the Grind Rails may have obstacles along them, like spikes, spiked balls, or even enemies. Conversely, the Grind Rails can also have gimmicks along them to aid the player, like Dash Rings and Dash Rails.

To start grinding on a Grind Rail, the player has to interact with it. In most cases, all the player has to do is jump onto the Grind Rail, and the grinding will proceed automatically. In rare cases however, the player may have to perform a special action in order to latch onto the Grind Rail.

Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle were the first games to feature the Grind Rails. In these games, they are referred to as Rails, and can only be utilized by Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow the Hedgehog (as well as Amy Rose, and Metal Sonic in the multiplayer) as only their Stages feature Grind Rails.

To start grinding on a Grind Rail in gameplay, the player just has to land on one. However, this is relatively difficult due to the fact that the Grind Rails are thin and do not "attract" the player when they approach them. Also, the player must actively use the control stick to balance on the Grind Rails, or the playable character will slow down or even fall off the Grind Rail while grinding. While using a Grind Rail, the player can also use crouch to accelerate and the Grind Step to switch to parallel Grind Rails, although the latter maneuver may be undesirable since Grind Rails do not attract the playable character.

Some Grind Rails in the game allow the player to finish grinding with a trick; by pressing at the end of these Grind Rails, the character jumps higher into the air and does a midair trick. When this occurs, the player is awarded 200, 500, or 1000 points (Shadow occasionally gets a close-up on his body doing the trick). In Final Rush, they are also Grind Rails marked with green crosses, which the player can press the jump button near the end of to make an extra long jump.

Sonic Advance
In Sonic Advance, the Grind Rails were featured for the first time in a 2D game. In this game, all Grind Rails are simple metal bars whose color depends on their Zone. They can also only be utilized by Sonic the Hedgehog and Amy Rose. Grind Rails in Sonic Advance only appear in a few acts, including Neo Green Hill Zone Act 1, and are mostly obscure gimmicks that are not required to progress with the game.

To utilize Grind Rails in gameplay, the player must jump onto the flat portion at the beginning of the chosen Grind Rail and hold. Sonic and Amy will then grind down the Grind Rails and be launched into the air at the end. Also, pressing in the opposite direction the grinding playable characters are heading in with will cause them to slow down. Conversely, pressing in the direction the grinding characters are heading in with will cause them to speed up.

The Android port of the game still contains Grind Rails, but due to the lack of an emulated button, they cannot be used.

Sonic Advance 2
In Sonic Advance 2, the Grind Rails can be utilized by all playable characters. Unlike the first game, Grind Rails are here an integral part of the Zone designs.

In gameplay, the Grind Rails are automatic. This means, that simply jumping onto a Grind Rail will result in grinding. Also, jumping while on a Grind Rail makes the player jump off said Grind Rail and fall down to the areas below it.

Sonic Advance 3
In Sonic Advance 3, the Grind Rails can be used by all the main playable characters in the game. In gameplay, the Grind Rails work exactly like they did in Sonic Advance 2.

Sonic Heroes
In Sonic Heroes, the Grind Rails are usable to all playable characters. In this game, the Grind Rails are referred to as rails. To start grinding on a Grind Rail in Sonic Heroes, the player just has to land on top of it. While utilizing the Grind Rails, the player can use both the Crouch to accelerate and the Grind Step to switch between parallel Grind Rails. Also, while grinding, the player has to use the control stick to help the playable characters balance on Grind Rails in order to maintain their speed.

The speed of which the playable characters will travel down a Grind Rail depends on the player's team formation: Speed Formation grinds the fastest, Power Formation grinds the second-fastest, and Fly Formation grinds the slowest. In addition, in Fly Formation, the playable characters do not make a noticeable trick when crouching (unlike the other team formations).

The Stages Rail Canyon and Bullet Station put extra emphasis on the Grind Rail gimmick, with most of the paths throughout those stages consisting of Grind Rails. These stages also introduced the Dash Rails, which are gimmicks on the Grind Rails that increase the playable characters' grinding speed. These Stages also feature transparent Grind Rails that are controlled by switches and can connect to regular Grind Rails. If the playable characters touch the transparent Grind Rails' switches, the Grind Rails will change their direction within the signs. The blue Grind Rails means the rails are in the original direction and the raspberry-colored Grind Rails indicate the direction is altered.

Sonic Rush
In Sonic Rush, the Grind Rails are utilized by both Sonic and Blaze. This time around, they are referred to as rails again. In gameplay, the Grind Rails function like they did in Sonic Advance 2, except that the player can now perform Grind Tricks on Grind Rails. The player is also able to perform the Super Boost/Fire Boost while grinding on the Grind Rails.

Sonic Rush Adventure
In Sonic Rush Adventure, the Grind Rails are again reserved for Sonic and Blaze. In gameplay, their mechanics are the same as in Sonic Rush. In addition, Plant Kingdom Act 1 features a 3D Grind Rail section, which is a first for a handheld Sonic game. In this section, the playable characters are able to Grind Step.

Shadow the Hedgehog
In Shadow the Hedgehog, only Shadow can utilize Grind Rails. The Grind Step is now a sideflip instead of a horizontal hop. This is the first 3D game in which no balance mechanic is used on the Grind Rails. Pressing the secondary action button (the same button that performs the Light Speed Dash and Spin Dash) causes Shadow to perform a rail trick, which curiously bounces him high enough off the grind rail to miss Rings. Like in Sonic Heroes, this maneuver grants a short boost of speed, however keeping Shadow in his secondary position no longer has any effect on his acceleration or maximum speed. Shadow can also use weapons on Grind Rails.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), characters' tricks do not raise them above the rail as in Sonic Heroes, but like Shadow the Hedgehog the trick only grants an initial boost of speed and cannot be used to increase maximum speed or acceleration. Starting from this game, merely jumping onto a rail will accelerate the player to a fast speed. The player can also for the first time target Grind Rails with the Homing Attack, although the player can only target the middle of the Grind Rails rather than the ends. This also marks the first game since Sonic Adventure 2 where sparks fly from the Grind Rail as the character grinds on it. The game also includes the Wind switches which can create Grinds Rail made of air.

Sonic Rivals series
In Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, Grind Rails disregard the acceleration/momentum physics used in previous games, instead, they automatically accelerate the player to top speed. Certain Grind Rails also only allow the player to move in a certain direction, making Sonic's Signature Move Sonic Boom ineffective on those rails. The player can jump off Grind Rails by pressing while holding down.

Sonic Riders series
In Sonic Riders, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity and Sonic Free Riders, Grind Rails are accessible to characters with Extreme Gears utilizing the Grind Gear Part (or Speed Type characters in Sonic Riders). The beginnings and ends of these Grind Rails are indicated by blue and red lights respectively.

Sonic and the Secret Rings
In Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic can utilize Grind Rails by jumping onto them. In addition to Grind Steps, tricks can be performed by pressing the Jump button. Sonic can halt while on a rail as well, causing him to fall off. Some Grind Rails are invisible and only appear when Sonic lands on them, mostly in areas where Rings or Pearls hang in midair.

Sonic and the Black Knight
In Sonic and the Black Knight, Grind Rails rarely appear. In Camelot Castle, the player can in particular use ballistae to fire a grappling rope into a wall and then use the rope as a Grind Rail. On the Grind Rails, the tricks from the previous 3D games can be performed, and Sonic can swing his sword. On the ropes, Sonic can also jump higher than usual.

Sonic Unleashed
In Sonic Unleashed, Grind Rails work just as in previous 3D installments. Dash Rails also appear more frequently. In the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of the game, certain rails do not permit Sonic to boost on them. Sonic can perform Rail Tricks if the player presses the Crouch button, but unlike earlier titles, these serve no purpose and can slow him down instead of giving him a small speed boost.

Jumping onto a Grind Rail can contribute to an active Action Chain on the PlayStation 2/Wii version of the game, but it cannot start one.

Sonic Colors
In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, Grind Rails work like in Sonic Unleashed. In addition to be able to use the Grind Step on them, the player receives a "Grind Bonus" worth three thousand points periodically for some time while using Grind Rails. When Super Sonic uses Grind Rails, he simply floats above them.

In the DS version of the game, Grind Rails work like in Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure, but without the Trick Action system.

Sonic Generations
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, Grind Rails work like in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors when playing Act 2 stages as Modern Sonic. Like in the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions of Sonic Unleashed, certain Grind Rails do not permit the player to boost on them, notably in Green Hill and Rooftop Run. Classic Sonic can also use Grind Rails in some Act 1 stages, but instead of standing on them, he rolls along them.

In the Nintendo 3DS version, the Grind Rails work similarly to those in the Sonic Rivals games: when Sonic jumps, he lands back on the Grind Rail, but he can fall through them if the player holds the down button and jumps. Classic Sonic's stages do not feature Grind Rails in this version. The end section of Mushroom Hill Act 2 in particular involves Sonic boosting along a Grind Rail with the camera in a fully behind-the-back view. Tropical Resort also features the second Grind Rail-switching section in a portable game, where Sonic jumps from rail to rail to dodge falling meteorites; here he cannot boost.

Sonic Lost World
In the Wii U/PC version of Sonic Lost World, Grind Rails appear very infrequently compared to earlier titles. Due to the unique gravity mechanics of the game, rails sometimes appear in new patterns such as complete circles. Tropical Coast Zone 3 and Lava Mountain Zone 2 focus entirely on Grind Rail grinding, featuring green and red rails which speed up and slow down Sonic respectively while he grinds on them.

In the Nintendo 3DS version, rails appear more frequently and in more Zones, similar to older games.

Sonic Forces: Speed Battle
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, several Grind Rail sections are featured in all Tracks of the game. While grinding on Grind Rails, the player moves faster compared to running on solid ground.

Sonic Forces
Grind rails are once again common gimmicks in Sonic Forces. They work exactly as they did in previous boost-style games. Similar to Sonic Colors, the player will gain bonus points every second while grinding.

Trivia

 * Strangely, at least in the Dreamcast version of the game, an invisible Grind Rail is present in Meteor Herd. Since Knuckles cannot grind, it can only be utilized by hacking Sonic or Shadow into the Stage. It does not lead anywhere specific, so it is likely a beta remnant.
 * Starting from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Sonic begins grinding at a fixed speed (this means that even if Sonic were walking up to a grind rail, touching it would cause him to grind quickly). In previous games, the character's current speed carries into the grind, no matter how low.
 * In Sonic Generations, during the battle against Shadow, if the player uses the normal Ramps that leads to two adjacent rails just before going to the early part of the race, the player will see that the end of one of the rails is marked with green crosses, even though they do not work like in Sonic Adventure 2.
 * Grind Rails appear as gimmicks in LEGO Dimensions, being objects that only Sonic (and Legolas from Lord of the Rings) can interact with. They appear most prominently in the Sonic the Hedgehog Adventure World, but are present in other Adventure Worlds as well.