Rail (Sonic Boom)

The Rail is a recurring gimmick in the Sonic Boom video games. It is a certain type of rail that allow playable characters to jump onto and grind down them to reach new areas.

Description
The Rails are basically narrow, yet flexible, metal bars that the users can only just fit their feet on. The finer design details vary between games. By jumping onto the Rail while balancing on top of it with the feet, the user can slide down it. When using the Rails, sparks will fly from the user's shoes as they grind.

In gameplay, Rails are used to reach new, and often inaccessible, areas by creating paths for the player to travel on over grabs otherwise too wide to be crossed normally. When using them, the playable characters grind down the Rails to area they lead to. Additionally, they can grind both uphill and downhill without losing speed. To utilize a Rail in gameplay, the playable character just has to jump/run onto it. While grinding, the player is able to jump and perform certain moves, like the Dash. The only way to get off a Grind Rail is by grinding/jumping off it at its ends.

Some Rails can be connected to the ground at their ends, while others simply float in midair. There may also be objects along the Rails that the player can pick up while grinding, the most commonly of which are Rings.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
In Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, Rails consists of two metal bar connected by red binds. The top bar (used for grinding) is flat and straight while the one on the bottom is curvy. When utilizing the Rails, the player grinds at a constant, medium-rate speed.

Rails appear exclusively in almost every adventure level, the lasts of which focus readily on jumping/swinging between Rail sections as the player moves forward. Sometimes, there are dash blocks blocking the Rails at the beginning, forcing the player to prepare and use the Air Dash at the right time.

Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom
In Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom, Rails are thick and light gray with a more high-tech look, possessing black and red frames and a light blue-glowing top surface. In this game, Rails always appear in sets of three, with each Rail running parallel to one other. Along the Rails, the player can pass through Hoops that boost speed and pick up various powerups, Orbs and Red Star Rings.

Rails are mostly set on the ground. There are also Rails above the game's primary track which can be reached with Springs, although they will inevitably end and make the player fall back down. In gameplay, playable character will move noticeably faster on Rails than when running, and the player can jump between parallel Rails by swiping the finger across the screen towards the desired Rail.