Flywheel

Flywheels are gimmicks featured in the early games of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Flywheels are floating wheels, which can be used to build momentum and being sent to fly in high distances. They first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), and have since then made a few appearances.

Description
Flywheels are round wheels, rotating in the mid-air, that can usually be found in factory-themed Zones. Their cosmetic appearance has been different in each game. When the playable character jumps onto these wheels, the player can walk and run around the Flywheel's surface without falling to the ground, regardless of gravity, unless the player jumps off them. Flywheels's functionality has changed slightly in several games, as they can be automatic and do not require of building the momentum.

Due to their hazardless and moving surface, the Flywheels can be used by the player to build up momentum by running along its surface, which can be used by the player to let the playable characters reach greater heights by jumping off them at high speed.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Flywheels was featured for the first time in the original 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog, where they can only be found in the large halls of Scrap Brain Zone Act 2. In this game, the Flywheels are grey wheels that have belts around them, which move clockwise faster than the wheels themselves.

If the player makes Sonic perform his Spin Attack on a Flywheel, he/she is able to build momentum around the Flywheel. if Sonic gains enough speed, the player can perform a Spin Jump in the right time to make Sonic jump higher than normal, by flinging him off the Flywheel, and reach the higher paths in the Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)
In the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Flywheels are featured as major gimmicks in Gimmick Mt. Zone. In this game, Flywheels appear as grey and metallic wheels and hen Sonic jumps on it, he automatically performs a Spin Attack. The player is able control the rotation speed of the Flywheel that Sonic is on by pressing right on D-pad to make the Flywheel rotate faster or left to make the Flywheel rotate slower. The player can then make Sonic jump off in the right time to make Sonic fly straight up.

Slightly different Flywheels also appear in Crystal Egg Zone Act 2. Here, the Flywheels look like smaller, bubble-looking wheels with blue, four-pointed stars in the middle. These smaller wheels can be found above pits filled with spikes where they constantly float to left and right in mid-air. Despite their different look and movements though, they function identically to the ones in Gimmick Mt. Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD
In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Flywheels are only featured at the second Zone of Metallic Madness. Here, their color scheme changes depending on the timeline. They function in the same way like the Flywheels presented in Scrap Brain Zone. However, when Sonic starts performing his Spin Attack on the Flywheel, the camera direction moves to the right side. In this game, Flywheels can be useful when the player need to gain momentum to create a time warp in the Zone.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Flywheels made another appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where they are featured in Carnival Night Zone. They are much larger than in previous games, while they function like in original Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic Advance 3
Flywheels reappears in Sonic Advance 3. They are featured in Cyber Track, where they are illustrated as grayish, rotating wheels with red lighting edge line and dark green, horizontal cube. Unlike previous games, the player can easily stand on the Flywheel, while the the object keeps rotating in the one place.

Sonic Lost World
Flywheels appear again in the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World, where they are only featured in Sky Road Zone 1. In this game, they have a more mechanic appearance than in previous games. They are rotating in a right direction, and when the player lands on the Flywheel, he/she has to jump off it at the right time to the next one while spinning around it. Unlike in previous games, the player cannot build up momentum while spinning around the Flywheel.