Dash Panel

Dash Panels (ダッシュパネル), also known as Dash Zones, Accelerators, Dash Pads and Boosters, are flat panels, that allow the player to reach the top speed in the second as soon as they walk/run on top of them. Many Dash Panels are placed on high-speed sections in the Zone and are even used to used to change the player's direction rapidly. They can only trigger into the one direction and are placed on the ground, walls and ceilings.

Making first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it isn't until Sonic Adventure as Dash Panels have become a rather common objects featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Description
Dash Panels are used to trigger the player at the high speed, which can help the player move on over sections and gimmicks, where the high speed momentum is needed. They are also placed on steep uphills, near close to loops, walls and even ceilings. Their placement can also give trouble, if the player tries to backtrack in certain games. While usually getting the maximum running speed, several games also show the playable character turning automatically into Spin Attack mode once running over the Dash Panel. Some of Dash Panels in 3D games are placed individually, but there are also several ones placed in the line depending how wide the pathway can be. In many automated sections, they are used to guide the playable character into linear pathways.

The appearance of Dash Panels have been changed in the series, as they are originally illustrated as booster mechanisms with endless running wheels. This booster design has been featured in later games such as Sonic Chaos and Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble. In several early games, their design is also somewhat changed in each Zone and may even function differently in many forms. While more flat panel design was introduced Sonic Blast, it isn't until in Sonic Adventure, where they have become flat plates with endless moving belts set on them. Dash Panels since then have shown to have yellow, red and gray color scheme with usually showing arrows on running belt parts. Since Sonic the Hedgehog 4, the booster design from early games has been used as standard design in recent games such as Sonic Generations and Sonic Lost World.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, two types of these objects are introduced. The player is presented the first and basic type of boosters, that are featured in Chemical Plant Zone. These booster types are seen larger than playable characters and consisted of a pair of rapidly spinning black wheels and glittering arrow. When the player simply runs through it, the player gets trigger forward at the maximum speed. They are placed on more fast-paced and linear parts of the Zone.

The second type of boosters, resembling plane launchers, are featured at Wing Fortress Zone. These pads launched the player a far distance into the air while propelling them forward. The player can use them to cross gaps of bottomless pits. What the player should not do is to press right down on the D-pad when the playable character gets triggered by pad, as otherwise the player will be not be launched into far distance at all. When the player is on the pad, he/she can also jump off the panel as well. After triggering the player, the pad will hover back to its regular place.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD
In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Boosters are only appeared in Stardust Speedway, where they take the shape of grey protrusions from the ground that will launch Sonic (or Tails in the 2011 re-release) to the direction. While running on the Booster, it will normally sends the player at its maximum running speed while creating flames behind the playable character. Boosters in Sonic CD are rare types, which allow to the player cross from left and right. The player can utilize them in linear sections as attempt to time travel other timelines.

In the game's Special Stages, there are two types of plates with flashing arrows called Dash Zones. Regular Dash Zones are medium sized, while Mini Dash Zones (ミニダッシュゾーン) are much smaller. Both can send the player running at the maximum speed and reach hovering UFOs faster. As for that, it can also make the navigating on the Special Stage much harder.

Sonic Chaos
Boosters in Sonic Chaos bear resemblance to one types from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with plates and light-colored, endless running wheels on them. The Booster's color scheme gets altered in each Zone due palette limitations and will make the playable character turn on the Spin Attack mode once the player runs over it. Boosters are featured on more linear sections of Sleeping Egg Zone, Aqua Planet Zone and Electric Egg Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and the add-on continuation Sonic & Knuckles, Boosters are seen changing their functionality or appearance in each Zone. In Hydrocity Zone, there are revolvers hidden underneath the ground with hand attachments. When the player gets caught by hand attachment, the revolver loads and sends the player forward at the high speed. The player can utilize them to spin through up on corkscrew loop pillars easily.

There are similar side dash tunnels in Carnival Night Zone, which magnetically warps the player to the other side at the high speed. The player can't backtrack through tunnels. Upright tunnels make the player fly upwards. More basic boosters are seen at Launch Base Zone, which are triggering the player forward with segmented pole that raises underneath.

In Flying Battery Zone and Death Egg Zone, there are similar plane launchers, that are previously seen in Wing Fortress Zone of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. They function just as in Wing Fortress Zone, while their appearance slightly varies between Zones.

Sonic Triple Trouble
Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble features Booster design previously seen in Sonic Chaos. Unlike the previous game, Boosters don't make the playable character turn into Spin Attack mode and only give small amount of boost for the player. They are more generally featured at Meta Junglira Zone with wooden look, while at Atomic Destroyer Zone, they are very rare objects seen at the Zone.

Sonic 3D
In Sonic 3D Blast, different looking boosters are featured generally to progress through from section to another automatically or gaining more speed on steep uphills. There are purple gates not allowing the player progress through if Sonic is standing on the plate with arrows. The booster with blue wheel attachment then appears from below and Sonic on his Spin Dash mode gets load and sent to the automated pathway to the another section.

The player is normally unable to backtrack to the previous section, but it is possible if the player finds pathway to the section or there can be another booster found, that sends back on the same automated pathway.

Sonic Adventure series
This game introduces the type of panel that launches the player into the air to cross large gaps that can't be crossed with a spin jump. The regular ones look blue and flat.

Sonic Advance series
Dash Panels had a different look. Basically the same as the ones in Chemical Plant Zone, but smaller and orange.

Sonic Heroes
The dash panel has a different look again. Now it is flat and black and has red arrows on it. It is used to accelerate the moving character's speed. In Rail Canyon, there are also dash panels on rails that could accelerate characters while grinding.

Sonic Riders series
In these games the dash panels were the same as the ones in Shadow the Hedgehog but gray. The dash panels that launch players in the air were replaced by ramps that look similar.

Sonic Rush
In this game, the Dash Panels look ripped from the Sonic Advance series, but the ones in the Special Stages look like they're from Shadow the Hedgehog.

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
In this game, the Dash Panels had grey edging and black and yellow arrows. They were only used when you used the flee option during battle (due to the RPG nature of the game) and are not seen in the field.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2006
Dash panels looked like small treadmills with arrows on them. One kind increased the speed of the character across the ground, while others were set at a 45 degree angle which would launch the character upwards as well.

Sonic Unleashed
This game introduces a dash panel that goes on rails that have the same effect as the dash panel. They look like blue and black triangles kind of hovering on either side of the rail. There are also panels that makes Sonic launch in air. The regular dash panels still speeds Sonic up and look the same as the ones in Shadow the Hedgehog.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Dash panels appear in every level in both episodes of Sonic the Hedgehog 4. They have the same appearance as the ones in Chemical Plant Zone, but are orange in color and force the player into a spin attack when used.

Sonic Generations
Dash panels were still the same as Sonic Unleashed in modern stages, but they look different in Classic Stages, appearing like Chemical Plant's boosters from Sonic The Hedgehog 2.

Sonic Lost World
Dash Panels reappear in Sonic Lost World, having a similar look to Chemical Plant's dash panels, but with the modern dash panel's sound effect.

Trivia

 * For Sonic Unleashed (PS2/Wii version) and Sonic Generations, when touching a Dash Panel while boosting, Sonic will do a spindash animation.