Item box

Items with a * next to them cannot protect you from hazards that will instantly kill you such as being crushed or falling below the Zone. Item Boxes, or Monitors, are destructible containers that contain various power-ups or bonuses that can be collected by Sonic or other player characters. In their early appearances, they appeared as small television sets, with the screen depicting an icon of the power-up contained inside. (Sometimes these sets could also display static.)

Since Sonic Adventure, they had a redesign to look more like glass capsules with the icon picture inside.

Classic Power Ups
Super Rings icon would be a gold ring and gives the player 10 rings. In later series different variety of Ring Power Ups were added with a number with the icon to tell how many rings will be added like 1, 5, 10 or 20. ? would mean random.

 * Muteki or Invincibility icon would be sparkles in early game but more of a rainbow pattern later in the series. Grants the player immunity from damage and destroys opponents on contact. It's only temporary lasting roughly 30 seconds.

 * Shield icon would be a green or blue bubble that would of course incase the playing character in such barrier and protects the player from a single attack or damage. afterwards it will disperse.

High Speed or Power Sneakers icon would be of Sonic's shoe and increase the speed of the player for roughly 30 seconds.

1up icon would be the face of playing character (example Sonic) and will grant the player another chance if s/he loses a life (Gets hurt without any rings, crushed or fall down below the level).

There have been other different types of Power Up's throughout the series, some specifically to certain games, but listed above are the usual Power Up found in all games.

Other Power Ups
Point-Marker icon would be a down arrow (↓) which were the checkpoints for 8-bit Sonic, unlike 16-bit Sonic which had Sai Start Markers.

 * Magnetic Barrier icon would be of a blue electric shield, and gave the character an electric shield that attracted nearby rings. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the first game the Item appeared in, this shield would fizzle out underwater, but gave Sonic a double Jump while he was wearing it and also negated any electrical damage for the character wearing it, as well as taking one free hit for the player. In Sonic Unleashed, the shield didn't appear directly, but while Sonic was Boosting, he would attract nearby rings. This Item Box is actually quite common, appearing in every mainstream game after Sonic CD excluding Sonic Heroes and Sonic Unleashed.

 * Heat Barrier icon would be of a red fiery shield, and gave the character a shield that negated any fire-based damage for the character wearing it, as well as taking one free hit for the player. It would also give Sonic the ability to perform a "Fireball Spin Dash" in the air by double-tapping the "A" button. This shield will also fizzle out underwater. So far this has only been used in Sonic 3. In Sonic 3D A red barrier with similar properties of being immune to fire base attacks and allows Sonic to walk on fire. The Heat Barrier returns in Shadow the Hedgehog giving Shadow fire based attacks and protection.

 * Liquid Barrier icon would be of a blue water droplet (or red, depending on if the player played as Sonic/Tails or Knuckles) and gave the character a shield that gave the character the ability to breathe underwater, as well as taking one free hit for the player. It would also give Sonic the ability to bound like a basketball. So far this shield has only been used in Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic R.

 * "S" icon would be of a blue S (or red, depending on if the player played as Sonic/Tails or Knuckles) and would instantly give the character transfromation into a Super/Hyper Form, regardless if they had one or not. Seen in Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 (only with the help of debug).

Robotnik Causes same amout of damage from a badnik,either lose rings or a life in Sonic 3.

Monitors never used
Goggles Considerd to have same effect as later Liquid Barriers only were never used in Sonic 1.