Orange Rocket

"Change forms with an Orange Wisp for the mega high-flying Rocket form!"

- Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic Colors (Wii)

The Orange Rocket (オレンジ・ロケット), also known as the Rocket form, is a transformation for potentially multiple users which first appeared in Sonic Colors. It is a Color Power gained by absorbing an Orange Wisp and its Hyper-go-on, which turns the user into a high-flying rocket.

Appearance
When using the Orange Rocket, the user turns into a stubby orange rocket with six fins arranged in a regular hexagon on the rear. In Sonic's case, his version of the Orange Rocket has his eyes on the front and ears along the side, though his eyes have lost their pupils and turned yellow, and his ears have lost their ear canals.

Powers and abilities
As the Orange Rocket, the user can create charges of powerful jet propulsion from their back to launch themselves forward through midair at staggering speeds and with enough force to punch through robot armor and extremely thick layers of metal. The user is as well able to build up the charges of the propulsion to take off at even higher speed than normal.

The Orange Rocket's only known weakness is that it can only be used for a few seconds and requires more Hyper-go-on from Orange Wisps to be maintained.

Gameplay
In gameplay, the player can only use the Orange Rocket while Sonic is in possession of an Orange Wisp. Transforming into the Orange Rocket will cause the respective games' Wisp Gauge to start depleting, and once it runs out, Sonic will revert back to normal. To extend its duration, the player has to collect more Orange Wisps.

When launching the Orange Rocket, the player will always head upward while the transformation is active, and under normal circumstances, the player cannot change direction when flying. This enables the player to reach otherwise unreachable locations or take shortcuts. While flying through the air, the player can smash through any airborne enemy caught in the Orange Rocket's path. It can also penetrate thin layers in the ceilings, allowing shortcuts through the levels. However, if the Orange Rocket hits an unbreakable place in the ceiling, it will stay locked in that position until the transformation wears off.

Nintendo Wii
In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, the Orange Rocket can first be used in Sweet Mountain Act 3. However, the Orange Rocket can only be activated in the 2.5D side-scrolling sections. After utilizing an Orange Rocket for a few moments, the player will be awarded with 27,000 Color Bonus points for each second the Orange Rocket is active. Also, when reverting back to normal from the Orange Rocket in this game while high up in the air, Sonic will start Skydiving.

While as the Orange Rocket, the player cannot lose a life, even if the player has no Rings at all, though Sonic will still take damage and lose Rings from damaging obstacles or enemy attacks. Additionally, the player can build up its charge to increase its ascension speed, but it will wear off if the player charges for too long. To use the Orange Rocket in gameplay, the player has the following controls:

In the 2 Player mode in Eggman's Sonic Simulator, two players are able to combine the Orange Rocket transformation with other Color Powers, by activating the Orange Rocket and the other Color Power at the same time when they are within a certain distance, to create a new Color Power:


 * Orange Rocket + Orange Rocket: Two Orange Rocket going skywards, spiraling around each other.
 * Orange Rocket + Cyan Laser: An Orange Rocket that can turn into a Cyan Laser before the Color Power ends.
 * Orange Rocket + Yellow Drill: A Yellow Drill that can rocket upward. This Color Power ends once above ground.

Nintendo DS
In the DS version of Sonic Colors, the Orange Rocket is the second Color Power introduced in the game (not including the White Wisps), and is unlocked in Starlight Carnival. Transforming into the Orange Rocket will cause the Boost Gauge to start depleting, and once it runs out, Sonic will revert back to normal. Also, when reverting back to normal from the Orange Rocket in this game while high up in the air, Sonic will start Skydiving.

Sometimes when using the Orange Rocket, it can be redirected by aiming it at certain robotic grabbers above which will grab and change the Orange Rocket's trajectory into one of the four basic directions when touched. To activate the Orange Rocket in gameplay, the player has to press.

Sonic Generations
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, only Modern Sonic can use the Orange Rocket. It can only be used in Planet Wisp Act 2 as the Orange Wisps can only be found there. In this game, the player is not given a visual Wisp Gauge to measure the Orange Rocket's duration and instead has an undefined time limit.

The Orange Rocket retains many of the same properties and mechanics it had in the Wii version of Sonic Colors, like only being usable in 2.5D sections, except for a few changes: Sonic is invulnerable to damage as the Orange Rocket, meaning the player cannot lose Rings or lives, and the Orange Rocket can move slightly left or right while ascending straight up.

Sometimes in the Act, there are weak spots in the ceiling that the Orange Rocket can break through to open up for new paths. These spots are marked with the Orange Rocket's icon, and can be penetrated after the Orange Rocket has pushed against them for a few seconds, though they will be sealed up almost instantly after being broken.

To activate the Orange Rocket, the player has to press /. Also, to build up charge for a faster boost of speed during take-off, the player has to hold down /. However, if the button is hold down for too long, Modern Sonic will revert back to normal.

Sonic Lost World
In the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World, the Orange Rocket is first used in Tropical Coast Zone 3. Unlike in earlier games, the Orange Rocket is usable in 3D sections.

The player can transform into the Orange Rocket by tapping the icon of the Orange Wisp on the top right corner of the Wii U GamePad screen. Upon transforming, the game switches to a first-person perspective, where the player can aim where to fire the Orange Rocket with an orange target marker on the screen. The player can move the Wii U GamePad or the Left Stick to aim with the target marker and launch the Orange Rocket by pressing.

The Orange Rocket has in this game many of its aspects from Sonic Colors. The player can launch the Orange Rockets into Cannons, upon where the Orange Rocket's Wisp Gauge will be recharged, which enables the player to change the Orange Rocket's trajectory by aiming elsewhere. Also, should Sonic revert back in midflight, he will start Skydiving.

Jingles
Sonic Colors= Sonic Generations=

Trivia

 * The Orange Rocket can be used to deal extra damage against Frigate Skullian and, in the DS version, Frigate Orcan.
 * Originally, the Orange Rocket could only be controlled with the gyroscope controls in Sonic Lost World. However, a patch was later released which let players control it with the analog stick too.