Fan

The Fan (ファン), also known as the Fan Block (扇風機ブロック), is a gimmick and obstacle in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. They are powered machine used to create flow within a fluid (typically liquids or air) that can push the playable characters in one direction.

Description
The Fans, as their name implies, are mechanical machines with propeller-based fans. Stripped down to their basic design, the Fans consist simply of impellers that constantly suck in fluids (typically liquids or air) and spew them out up front as a powerful stream. The more modern Fan in the Sonic series has a more elaborate design however, consisting mainly of an impeller with a circular frame around it. Regardless, the Fan's finer design tends to vary from game to game. Lastly, Fans are typically either embedded in surfaces (like wall, floors or ceilings) or floating in midair.

In gameplay, the Fans' primary purpose is to push the playable characters away from them with their flows. When a playable character enters a Fan's stream of flow, they will automatically be pushed away from it. As such, Fans can push the player from side to side and even into in midair or downward, depending on their angle. This effect can either be used to the player's advantage (like giving the playable character a boost of speed or a way to carry them automatically through the levels) or disadvantage (like bringing the playable character to a standstill or pushing them into hazards). Noticeably, upward-pointing Fans are commonly used to carry the player upward through midair so that they can reach higher areas or move across obstacles. However, each Fan's flow has a set maximum range, thus limiting how far away they can push the playable character or how high they can carry the playable characters. It is worth noting that while riding a Fan's flow, the player can still move their playable character from side to side. However, should the playable character move outside the Fans' flow, it will cause the normal physics to take effect again.

While Fans are typically found on dry land, where they create airstreams, they are also in some cases found in underwater sections. In such sections, the Fans create underwater currents that the player automatically follows when they get inside the Fans' flow.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Fans first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991). Design-wise, they are side-facing Fans usually set at the end of ledges or in the middle of pathways. In this game, they are only encountered in Star Light Zone.

In gameplay, the Fans serve as obstacles. When the player runs behind one, it will pull the playable character through it to the other side, but when the player tries to run past a Fan from the front, it will keep pushing the playable character back. There are also other variations of Fans, which pull Sonic out on the back side instead. Unlike other Fans, these variations turn on and off for a small amount of time.

Normally, the playable character is not able to get past any Fans from the front by running. However in the Sonic Jam port and 2013 re-release of the game, the player can use the Spin Dash or their Super State to get through them.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the typical Fan is golden with an impeller attached to a small green platform with golden ends. In this game, these Fans are only encountered in Oil Ocean Zone.

In gameplay, the Fans can be found in wide gabs where they point upward, which the player has to use to cross said gabs. Fans can be tricky to use this way however, since some of them turn on and off for a while. It is also worth noting that while the playable characters can move left and right while riding the Fans, they cannot jump. These upwards-pointing Fans can also be found below the ground and are barely seen behind the Oil Ocean Zone's fences. There are also vertically-aligned Fans that are usually set in front of platform elevators, their flow pushing the playable character away like the Fans in the original Sonic the Hedgehog. The player has to wait until they turn off in order to get past them, but using the Spin Dash or Super Sonic can make getting past them easier.

In Wing Fortress Zone, there are larger, upwards pointing Fans that can make the playable character float in the mid-air. Like the ones in Oil Ocean Zone, the player is unable to jump, but can move left and right when riding their flow.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD
In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, the Fans found in the Rounds are small yellow impellers. In this game, the player only encounters them in Tidal Tempest. In gameplay, the Fans are placed either on the walls or floors in underwater sections. However, they will remain inactive until the player presses a nearby Switch. Once active, the Fans will guide the player to either higher pathways or along underwater routes.

Similar devices called Fan Blocks (扇風機ブロック) appear in the Special Stages. When the playable character runs over this device in gameplay, they will float forward in midair for then to slowly fall to the ground again. While the playable character is in midair, the player is able to control the playable character by tapping left or right. This way, the player can also better reach far-away UFOs.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and their add-on continuation Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, Fans are primarily featured as gimmicks in both Hydrocity Zone and Carnival Night Zone. However, their appearance and associated mechanics differ slightly between each Zone.

Fans in Hydrocity Zone appear as doubled-bladed blue and gray impellers. In gameplay, they always point upward and are usually set on small floating blocks or the ground, both above and below the underwater sections. In terms of purpose, they serve the same function as the upward-pointing Fans in Oil Ocean Zone that make the characters float. While most of the Fans in Hydrocity Zone activate when the playable character gets close to them, some Fans have to be activated by pressing the switch placed near them. In long shafts or on walls, the Hydrocity Zone Fans will also pop out from the walls as the player ascends in order to carry their character upward.

Fans in Carnival Night Zone resemble more closely gray and yellow turbines with red upper edges. Like the Fans in Hydrocity Zone, these Fans help the playable characters float in midair in gameplay. In Carnival Night Zone, Fans appear in bridge formations above large sections of the Zone. Some of these formations have small gaps however, where single Fans move back and forth between the aforementioned gaps.

Hydrocity Zone and Carnival Night Zone aside, Flying Battery Zone has platforms which are powered by Fans beneath them, but they can damage the player when they touch them. In the Competition Mode of the game, Chrome Gadget Zone also has grey fan turbines that can make the player reach higher platforms.

Sonic 3D Blast
In Sonic 3D Blast, Fans are called industrial fans and are gray blocks with an impeller sitting inside a round hole in each of them. In this game, the player encounters them exclusively in Gene Gadget Zone and Panic Puppet Zone.

In gameplay, Fans always sit on the ground and will become active once Sonic steps on them, causing him to float above them in isometric perspective. When landing, the player has to look out for Badniks or electrified floors.

Sonic Adventure
The Fans appeared in Sonic Adventure and its later iteration Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut. In this game, they float in midair and possess a grey frame, a net on the bottom and red propellers. They only appear in Casinopolis' sewer sections, and Sonic's version of Final Egg. To use them in gameplay, the player has to move over them. While floating, the player can move around with the Control Stick.

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
In Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, Aerobase Zone features large upward pointing Fans, which function identically to ones from Wing Fortress Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sonic Advance series
In all three Sonic Advance games, Fans appear as gimmicks in certain Zone in each game. In Egg Rocket Zone, large, yellow Fans are set on corridors, which can make the playable character float to higher sections.

In Sonic Advance 2, Sky Canyon features three types of Fans. One type is a smaller, side-facing red Fan that is usually set on the end of ledges. It works similarly to ones from Star Light Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog, except it will build up running momentum when the player turns to run in the other direction. The second type is a floating wooden windmill set in small gaps. When the player runs towards it at high speed, it will make them curl in spinballs and spin on the windmills until it launches the player upwards to higher section. The third, larger type of Fan is similar to ones from Egg Rocket Zone in Sonic Advance.

In Sonic Advance 3, there are gimmicky platforms powered by Fans in Ocean Base. Fans will start to operate and the platform moves up, when the player keeps jumping on the red button of the platform.

Sonic Heroes
The Fans' next appearance was in Sonic Heroes. In this game, the standard Fans are quite large with a red core connecting its blades which spin slowly and they have a red frame with blue and yellow frames below it. Additionally, there are much larger fans that are a part of the Stages' environment: in Rail Canyon and Bullet Station there are Fans encapsulated behind metal frames, and in Mystic Mansion and Terror Hall there are Fans made of skeleton bones. Most of these fans are located on the ground, and if they are disabled, the player has to use Switches to activate them.

To use the Fans in gameplay, the player has to use the Triangle Dive/Umbrella Descent/Bubblegum Descent while in Power Formation above the Fan and the player will instantly rise into the air. Simply standing over the Fans though will make the playable characters float around a few inches above it.

Shadow the Hedgehog
In Shadow the Hedgehog, the Fans have a grey frame and their impellers are encapsulated behind metal webs. In this game, Fans can be found on both the ground and the walls, allowing Shadow to move both vertically and horizontally through mid-air. To use the Fans in this game, the player simply has to enter the Fans' airstream.

Some of the fans on the ground will push the player away without any means of outrunning their air streams. However, they stop in intervals so the player can continue. They can also be bypassed with Chaos Control.

Sonic Colors
In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, the Fans have a simple red frame but they are much smaller, only being little over a meter in diameter. They also hav three pointy feet on which they stand on. They are usually seen in the game's 2.5D sections of the Acts and underwater sections, the latter where they sense the player approaching and begin generating jet streams that pushes the player back. To use them in gameplay, the player just has to step into the Fans' airsteam to be lifted up and then jumps when the Fan's created air reach it's maximum.

Sonic Generations
In Sonic Generations, Fans look just like they did in Sonic Colors. In this game, they only appear in Crisis City and Seaside Hill, where they in the latter are also found in underwater sections. To use the Fans in gameplay, the player just has to step into their airstream to get airborne and then jump when the Fan's created air reach it's maximum.

In the Nintendo 3DS version, Fans appear exclusively in Tropical Resort where they take the same shape they took in Sonic Colors, but without legs. The player can also Spin Jump after reaching the apex of a fan's airstream in this version.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, Fans are one of the main gimmicks of Sky Fortress Zone Act 2 and Act 3. In this game, they are yellow turbines pointing upwards and like in earlier games, the playable character starts hovering whenever they pass above Fans. Also, getting close to a Fan or being right below it sends the player floating higher above it.

Sonic Lost World
In the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World, Fans look a lot like how they appeared in Sonic Colors, except these ones have no feet and metal bars around their propellers. They are mainly encountered in Sky Road.

In gameplay, the Fans can be found both by themselves and in rows. They can be embedded in the ground or floating in midair. When used, they take the player surprisingly high up into the air. To use them, the player simply has to step into their airstream to get airborne.

Sonic Mania
In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, fans appear in Hydrocity Zone.

Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, Fans look just like they did in Sonic Colors. In this game, they only appear in Chemical Plant. They mainly appear in the underwater Mega Mack sections, where they create currents that either carry Classic Sonic upward or downward. In some cases though, they might act as obstacles by pressing Classic Sonic against a ceiling while he is underwater, thereby limiting the time player has to look for Air Bubbles.