Pulley

Pulleys (リール), also known as Upreel (アップリール), Downreel (ダウンリール) and Crane Lift, are objects from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, which can be seen hanging on floating plates or set to the tensile panels on edges of steep slopes in zones or other places. Pulleys can help the player. He or she can grab on to them and will be pulled up, thus helping the player reach the top of the slope. Sometimes pulleys don't pull down the reel unless the player has defeated all enemies nearby, or they can be activated by pressing a switch nearby. However, pulleys can sometimes have different purposes depending the gameplay style.

While originally seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, pulleys have become one of the generally seen and used objects in Sonic Adventure 2 and have made other appearances since then.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3
While not exactly a pulley, similar looking reels are first seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where they are only featured in Marble Garden Zone Act 2. Here they are set on steep hills that the player is unable to run up easily. When the player picks up the white ring that is attached to the rope, it will automatically pull the player up the slope. The other end of the rope is attached to a Spinning Wheel that pulls the rope to itself when the player is moving upwards.

The Spinning Wheel will stop after the player has moved next to it. The player can then let it go by jumping to the other side, which may have another reel with a white ring on it to pull the player up to the top of another slope. Another, different type of pulleys are featured in Launch Base Zone Act 2, which look like red and yellow colored hooks from the same Zone and are attached to hovering Twin Hammer crates. By holding onto the pulley, it pulls the player to the upper pathway or descends to a lower section.

Sonic Adventure 2
Pulleys are one of the main objects seen in Sonic Adventure 2, where they can pull the player upwards and make it possible to reach to the top of the slope. The traction engine itself is a floating platform, which the player is able to jump on like normal platforms. When the player grabs the red handle on the black and yellow striped stock, the player will go up while the playable character is hanging on the handle. The player is then able to jump off normally and the reel descends back down.

Pulleys can be found at platforming and mech shooting stages. During the mech shooting stages, both Tails and Eggman are able to shoot their enemy targets while hanging on the reel. Pulleys are also featured in the arena during the Egg Golem fight, which the player can use if he/she is managing to fall down the quicksand pool.

Sonic Advance series
Pulleys and their appearance varies between two of the three Sonic Advance titles. In Sonic Advance, they only appear in Angel Island Zone, where they are metallic handles hanging from a metallic cord on the ceiling. These Pulleys do not appear often, but they usually lead to alternate pathways.

In Sonic Advance 3, Pulleys resemble the ones from Sonic Adventure 2 with floating platforms that are set on the ceilings. Here, Pulleys slowly pull the player upwards to the top of the slope. They can be only found in Route 99 and in the second mini game of the game.

Sonic Heroes
Pulleys in Sonic Heroes function similarly as they do in Sonic Adventure 2. However, in this game, the floating traction engine platforms are replaced with smaller, floating devices that the player is unable to stand on. Pulleys also have two traction ropes instead of one, and the handle is a large ring with flashing details. When the lead character grabs the ring handle on the Pully, the other team members hold on to on each other's feet below the lead character.

Pulleys can be found in most of the stages of the game. Occasionally, there are also times when the player has to descend below by using the Pulleys that decrease traction ropes down instead of up. Different Pulleys can also be found in the Bonus Challenges in the Special Stages, which move in certain patterns in the circular tube tunnels. The player can move the team left and right with the analog stick to swing the Pulley, while collecting Power Spheres in the air.

Shadow the Hedgehog
Pulleys are seen to be used in Shadow the Hedgehog, where they share the exact same appearance from Sonic Heroes and function similarly to previous games.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
Pulleys are also featured in Sonic the Hedgehog, where they can be found in a few action stages such as Aquatic Base. Pulleys are once again seen to have floating traction engine platforms, while the handles are white rings. There are also several Pulleys that can decrease traction ropes down instead of up on hall sections, as the player can safely move down by using them.

Sonic Unleashed
Pulleys appear in Sonic Unleashed, where they are named Crane Lifts and have a new appearance. Despite their redesign, they function similarly, except they can now lift the player to top faster than before. They do not have a floating traction platform, but are attached to the edges of steep walls and slopes. On the other end of the rope is a red colored square ring with neon circular on the center.

They are only seen in day stages, where the player can grab on to these to reach higher areas. Sometimes the player has to destroy a certain amount of enemies to make the red square ring descend in order grab it and progress through the game. As of this game, pulleys can now be targeted with the Homing Attack.

Sonic Colors
In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, Crane Lifts function exactly like they did in Sonic Unleashed. Like in the previous game, Crane Lifts can pull the player to higher areas. Some only appear when the player has eliminated all enemies from an area.

Sonic Generations
Pulleys reappear in Sonic Generations, where they look like the Crane Lifts from Sonic Unleashed, and are slightly bigger. They are only found in modern Sonic's stages and challenges through the game. Some of them can also lead the player to secret pathways.