Thread:Myself 123/@comment-26253917-20150508002907/@comment-26253917-20150607205654

In actuality, its pretty hard to describe what the rings are really used for. For starters there is never a cutscene where rings have ever made an appearance. Second, they were never stated to have an actual purpose meaning nobody ever states or shows what or how the rings are used (Money, weapons, health, etc).  In Sonic 06 you can use the rings you collected to buy powerups and such. In Sonic Unleashed if you collect the rings you get a healthbar.

So they have some uses just not maintaining the Super Form. Anyone can maintain it if they gather all seven emeralds and they master it. I meant outside gameplay. Theres no way something thats used for currency could also be used as first aid. I even question their canonicity. They don't serve an actual purpose nor do they have any description. We know their only purpose is for gameplay only cause if this wasn't the case, at least 1 character would be able to state what do rings do and how they are used outside gameplay.

Tails did state something about "gold" rings but he never really said what they do or how they're used. Tails did acknowledge that there are rings but since he never stated what purpose they serve or how they're used means they could serve any purpose. The trouble I have accepting this logic is that Tails himself should know what they do or how to use them since he also collected these "gold" rings.