Random Ring Bonus

The Random Ring Bonus (ランダムリングボーナス), also referred to as the Random Rings (ランダムリング) and ? Ring (ランダムリング) is an Item Box power-up that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. When the player obtains this power-up, the playable character receives a random amount of Rings. It can be considered a variant of the Super Ring.

Description
Item Boxes containing the Random Ring Bonus typically either contain or display an icon depicting a Ring with a question mark either next to it or in its center.

The Random Ring Bonus follows the same basic principles as the Super Ring. When obtaining a Random Ring Bonus, the player is instantly granted one out of several specific amounts of Rings at once which are automatically added to the player's total Ring count. The Ring amount that the player receives from those available are chosen at random every time a Random Ring Bonus is obtained, even if it is obtained from the same Random Ring Bonus Item Box in a level. Also, the different amounts of Rings a Random Ring Bonus can grant may differ between each game. Rings granted by Random Ring Bonuses function like regular Rings, as the player is able to lose them after taking damage and then recollect them.

When the player breaks a Random Ring Bonus Item Box, the iconic Ring sample is heard in the background and the player receives the Rings. Like other Item Boxes, Random Ring Bonus Item Boxes can be hidden behind walls, palm trees or in other places.

Sonic Adventure
The Random Ring Bonus made its first appearance in Sonic Adventure, and later its remake Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, where it is referred to as Random Rings (ランダムリング). In this game, the Item Boxes that contain Random Rings hold an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in the lower left corner. In gameplay, Random Rings can add 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 40 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Advance
In Sonic Advance, the Random Ring Bonus is named ? Ring (ランダムリング). In this game, the boxes that contain the ? Ring display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, ? Rings can add 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 40 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Advance 2
In Sonic Advance 2, the Ring power-up is called Random Ring Bonus (ランダムリングボーナス). In this game, the boxes that contain the Random Ring Bonus display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 1, 5, 10, 30, or 50 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Advance 3
In Sonic Advance 3, the Ring power-up is called Random Ring Bonus (ランダムリングボーナス) again. In this game, the Boxes that contain the Random Ring Bonus display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 1, 5, 10, 30, or 50 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Rush
In Sonic Rush, the Ring power-up is once again named Random Ring Bonus (ランダムリングボーナス). In this game, the Item Boxes that contain the Random Ring Bonus display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 1, 5, 10, 30, or 50 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Rush Adventure
In Sonic Rush Adventure, the Ring power-up makes another appearance. In Act Stages, it is known as the Random Ring Bonus (ランダムリングボーナス), but in the Sea Stages, its name differs; in the Western manuals, this power-up is referred to as Random Ring Bonus, but in Japanese materials it is called Ring (リング). Regardless, the Item Boxes that contain the Random Ring Bonus in both Act Stages and Sea Stages display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 1, 5, 10, 30, or 50 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Colors
In the Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors, the Ring power-up is named Random Ring Bonus once again. In this game, the Item Boxes that contain the Random Ring Bonus display an icon that shows a single Ring with a question mark written in its center. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 1, 5, 10, 30, or 50 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Sonic Dash
in Sonic Dash, the Random Ring Bonus made a return appearance, where it is obtained randomly from Item Boxes. In this game, Item Boxes containing the Random Ring Bonus display (when opened) an icon that shows a single Ring with a specific number written in its center. This number indicate how many Rings the Random Ring Bonus grants when it is obtained from an Item Box. In gameplay, Random Ring Bonuses can add 10, 20, 50, or 100 Rings to the player's Ring count.

Trivia

 * In the of Sonic Adventure 2, there is a graphic for the Random Rings Bonus, but it was ultimately unused in the gameplay of the game.