Goal Plate

The Goal Plate, also known as Bonus Plate (ボーナスプレート), Clear Panel (クリアパネル), Bonus Panel (ボーナスプレート) or Signpost, is a gimmick that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Overall, Goal Plates are simple-looking gray signs with an image on each side that mark the end of a level. The face of the Goal Plate spins when a player passes through the signpost, and after a while it stops spinning, indicating the completion of the Act or Zone.

As of Sonic Adventure 2, Goal Plates have been superseded by other types of goals, though they still continue to appear in various titles.

Description
Goal Plates usually consist of a gray signpost which rests upon a spinning plate with many different images on it.

Goal Plates can normally be found in the first, second or sometimes third Act of a Zone. In a few other games however, they appear at the end of a few select levels that are not counted as Acts. The Goal Plate, in the early titles for Genesis/Mega Drive, are usually set on a linear route. Upon passing the Goal Plate, the player will have finished its level. The face of the Goal Plate will at the same time spin when a player passes by it, and after a while it stops spinning and shows a new image, indicating the completion of the level. While the images vary from game to game, they usually have an image of Dr. Eggman on one side and one of the character being played, which is revealed as the sign is passed, on the other. It is unknown, however, if these images are normal or mechanized, since 8-bit titles reveal some signposts with an empty, back plate. This implies that the picture on the front plate changes while spinning or while flying in midair.

Since its introduction, several games has added several different gimmicks to the Goal Plate that can be utilized by the player. Sometimes the pictures on goal plates are seen movíng.

After several main series appearances, signposts were replaced by Capsules and eventually Goal Rings (as of Sonic Adventure 2). Despite that, signposts have made several appearances later on, such as in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Generations.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
The Goal Plate was first featured in both versions of the original Sonic the Hedgehog. In the 16-bit version, Goal Plates are situated at the end of the first and second Acts of each Zone. The front displays the face of Dr. Robotnik until the player runs past it. This causes the Goal Plate to spin, and the image on the sign changes to a picture of Sonic. Both pictures have yellow backgrounds. If the player has over fifty Rings, a Giant Ring leading into the Special Stage can be seen floating in the air to the right of the Goal Plate.

The 8-bit version of the game also features the Goal Plate (called "Bonus Panels" (ボーナスプレート) in this game) which appear at the end of first two Acts of each Zone in the game. However, when the player moves past the Goal Plate (which has a picture of a red question mark on a yellow background), it flies into the air and spins. The Goal Plate then falls down and stops spinning, but the picture displayed on it is randomized. Certain pictures give certain rewards:

Regular Zones aside, the Bonus panels also appear at the end of the Special Stages.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (and its add-on continuation Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2), the Goal Plate's appearance and function stay much the same, with its front displaying the typical image of Dr. Robotnik by default.

In this game, the Goal Plates are only seen at the end of each Zone's first Act (except for Metropolis Zone, where it appears at the end of both the first and second Act). The Goal Plate is not seen in Sky Chase Zone, Wing Fortress Zone or Death Egg Zone, which have only one Act each. After running past the Goal Plate, the Goal Plate's picture changes to one of the character currently being controlled.

The 8-bit version of the game features a Goal Plate (which go by the name "Bonus Panel" (ボーナスプレート) again) at the end of first and second Acts of each Zone. In this game, the post section has red, blue and gray colored stripes. Like in Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit), the Goal Plate starts out by displaying a picture of a red question mark on a yellow background, but will fly into the air once the player passes it, spin, and land with a random picture showing on the front. Certain pictures give certain rewards:

Sonic the Hedgehog CD
In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, the Goal Plate retain the same function from the original Sonic the Hedgehog. In this game, the Goal Post are situated at the end of the first and second Zones of each Round. The posts also now have wide initialization support on the bottom. Before rotating, the Goal Plate depicts Dr. Robotnik giving the player a thumbs down. After rotating, the goal plate depicts Sonic smiling and giving the player a thumbs up. If the player has fifty Rings when they reach the Goal Plate, they are able to enter the Special Stage via the Giant Ring floating in midair on the right of the signpost.

Before the signpost, the player also runs past a smaller post stating "Goal" on its plate.

Sonic Chaos
In Sonic Chaos, the Goal Plate (referred to as "Bonus Plate" (ボーナスプレート) again) appears once more, this time at the end of the first and second Acts of each Zone. There, they start out by showing an image of Dr. Robotnik. In this game, the Goal Plate is depicted with a design similar to the one it had in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. When the player runs past the Goal Plate, it flies up into the air, rotates, and lands with a new picture depicted on it. In addition, the player's overall speed, which is apparently based on the completion time of the Act, is seen tallied above the Goal Plate in kilometers per hour. The highest overall speed possible is 999 km/h. If the counter has three same numbers (for exp. 555 km/h), the player earns an extra life.

A random picture is displayed when the Goal Post lands, and certain pictures give certain bonuses:

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, its sequel Sonic & Knuckles and the lock-on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, the Goal Plates make another appearance. In this game, the Goal Plates are no longer situated on the ground at the end of an Act. Instead, they come twirling down from the top of the screen following the defeat of the first Act's sub-boss (and, in most Zones, at the position of the sub-boss when it was destroyed).

Jumping into the Goal Plate while it is in the air causes it to bounce back up into the air. Every time the player bounces the Goal Plate upward, they gain 100 bonus points. If the Goal Plate happens to touch the ground in one of three specific spots, it will cause a secret Monitor to appear, containing either Super Rings or one of the three elemental shields. This means that the player can start the next Act with ten or twenty Rings, or they can be collected before the score tally if it would result in an extra life (having 90-99 or 190-199 Rings). Making an Item Box appear also causes the Goal Plate to bounce back up into the air. When it lands on solid ground again, the face of the character being played will appear on the Goal Plate while it stops spinning, which will end the Act. Also, while it is possible to catch a glimpse of Dr. Robotnik on the Goal Plate during this process, it is impossible to have the Goal Plate land on his visage.

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
In Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble, the Goal Plate, which is referred to as the "Bonus Panel" (ボーナスプレート) once more, made yet another reappearance. In this game, they are featured at the end of first and second Act of each Zone. These Goal Plates have a gray post with a blue winder below the plate.

Before the Goal Plate has rotated from the player passing by it, it will depict Dr. Robotnik. Once the player passes the Goal Plate though, it flies up in the air, spins, and lands with a random picture displayed on it. Depending on the picture it shows, the player may or may not be given a reward:

Sonic Drift 2
In Sonic Drift 2, when the player wins the race, a Goal Plate will drop down from the top of the screen to mark the finish line. Goal Plates in this game have a simple gray design with a Sega logo on its back. When the Goal Plate lands, it will depict a picture of the character currently controlled by the player.

Knuckles' Chaotix
Knuckles' Chaotix features completely different-looking signposts. These signposts have a sharp red post and a three-dimensional feel. Also, unlike other games, signposts are now featured at the end of four acts in each zone, while the fifth act of each zone usually ends after defeating a boss. A signpost is also seen at the end of Isolated Island, which has only one act. Special rings leading to the Special Stage float above the signpost if the player has fifty rings when he or she completes the act. If the player does not jump into the ring in time, it will disappear.

Before it is spun, the signpost shows the head of the plate, which depicts a yellow Robotnik silhouette on a black background. After the player touches the signpost and it spins for a while, the front side is revealed to have a green background, a white spiky center, and the word "CLEAR" in the middle written in yellow, blue, and red letters.

Sonic Blast
Signposts appear in the first and second acts of each zone in Sonic Blast, taking on a similar look from Sonic Triple Trouble with the blue winder at the bottom of plate despite being more lighter. Before the plate is spun, the front side of the plate is revealed to be empty. As in Sonic Triple Trouble, a random picture is shown on the back of the goal plate after it is spun.

Yellow Desert Zone Act 2 has a signpost set on the left side of the entire act.

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
The goal plate is also shown in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure. Appearing at the end of the first act of most zones, the goal plate drops down to the ground after the player runs past the end and rotates for a few seconds before revealing an image of Sonic on the yellow plate, as in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. This makes Sonic Pocket Adventure the only game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series in which a picture of Eggman is not shown on a goal plate. A giant ring appears on the right side of the goal plate if the player has fifty rings at the end of the act. Jumping into the giant ring earns the player a trip to the Special Stage.

Sonic Advance
Goal plates are seen once more, this time in Sonic Advance. In this game, this gimmick is referred to as the Clear Panel (クリアパネル). They appear at the end of the first act of most zones in the game but this time, they are shown to be gray with the Eggman Empire symbol on one side. The image on the back is not shown because the camera follows the player as the score is tallied. There is no goal plate in Egg Rocket Zone, as the player completes the Zone by jumping inside a turbine at the top of the rocket.

Sonic and the Black Knight
A variation of the goal plate is featured in most levels of Sonic and the Black Knight. These signposts take a plain wooden design, and state GOAL on the plate. As the player only has to run in front of it to complete the level, the sign does not spin and the other side is not seen.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Goal Plates return in the first, second and third acts of each zone in both episodes of Sonic the Hedgehog 4. They retain a simple gray appearance with different plate pictures in each act (see next paragraph). In Episode II, there is a wide initialization support at the bottom of the signpost, as in Sonic CD. A giant ring floats to the right of the signpost in the first and second acts of each zone if the player has managed to collect and hold on to fifty rings. The only first acts that do not feature signposts are Sky Fortress Zone and Death Egg mk.II Zone.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, Eggman poses on the plate before it is spun. After spinning for while, the plate reveals an image of Sonic. The same is true for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II in Single Player mode, though in Multiplayer Mode, an image of Tails appears should he touch the Goal Plate first. In Episode Metal, however, Sonic poses on the plate before it is spun and the image changes to Metal Sonic after it is spun.

Sonic Generations
Goal Posts (also called as Goal Plates ) appear in both versions of Sonic Generations at the end of the first act of every stage. In the console version of the game, the Goal Plates are very similar to those in original Sonic the Hedgehog, and include an extra animation for Sonic's plate. The handheld version's Goal Plates show Modern Eggman on one side of the plate, but the console version's Goal Plates show Classic Doctor Robotnik instead. In the handheld version, hitting the goal post every ten times without letting it touch the ground awards the player with multiples of ten rings.

In console version of Sonic Generations, there are two Challenge Acts that involve taking the Goal Plate to the end of the mission. In both missions, if the Goal Plate lands on the ground or on a platform for a short amount of time, it adds five seconds to the player's overall time. After that, if Sonic does not hit the Goal Plate, Classic Eggman (still on the goal plate) laughs at the player.

Sonic Jump games
Signposts are also seen in Sonic Jump, Sonic Jump 2 and the 2012 remake of Sonic Jump. The goal plate is situated at the end of each act, which is at the very top of the stage. The player must land on the surface on which the goal plate is situated in order to spin the signpost and complete the act. The signpost also appears in Sonic Jump Fever although it only appears in the zone once the timer runs out.

Sonic Mania
In Sonic Mania, the Goal Plate appears at the end of Act 1 of each Zone after defeating the sub-boss. In some Zones, they will fall from the top of the screen like in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Other Zones have them placed on the ground. They will spin into the air when touched while running at sufficient speed like in the Master System and Game Gear games. Like in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the Goal Plate can be touched in mid-air before landing for a hundred points and will reveal hidden monitors if it lands in specific spots. The act ends once the Goal Panel lands, showing a portrait of the playable character that briefly gestures in victory.

Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, the Goal Plate appears at the end of the Classic Stages. In this game, the appearance and function are identical to that of Sonic Generations.

Time Warp Plate
Time Warp Plates are signposts found only in Sonic CD. Unlike normal signposts, these variants can be found at various places in the first and second zones of each round. There are two versions of the Time Warp Plate: one's plate reads "Past" and the other's plate reads "Future". This indicates whether or not the player will travel back to the pst or ahead to the future. After running past a Time Warp Plate, the player must build enough momentum to travel in time.

Goal Signpost
The goal signpost is another variation of the signpost. This variant is also seen only in Sonic CD. It appears moments before the player reaches the signpost. Time travelling is prevented on the right side of the post. The goal signpost indicates that the player is about to finish the level and locks the screen, preventing the player from backtracking the zone.

Unused content
In earlier game appearances, there is unused content related to the signpost inside the games' coding, including other signpost pictures that can be seen in the game. Some signpost pictures are slightly different at a pre-release version of the game. The unused content is as follows:
 * The Nick Arcade prototype of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has completely different signpost plates of Sonic and Tails, who look directly to the viewer, similarly to the Robotnik one.
 * Sonic's pose in signpost in Sonic CD 510 prototype is slightly different, while having a nicer look and different hand pose at the same time.
 * By using Game Genie codes ASCA-AAHC + ASCA-BA9Y in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 allows the player use Knuckles, who however turns out the be just like Sonic. However, the signpost at the first act changes to Knuckles with Sonic's palette. This is also able to do by glitching and restarting the game in locked-on versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles.
 * Sonic Triple Trouble would have featured a plate with Fang posing on a red background. The purpose of this plate variation is unknown.

Trivia

 * Similar wooden signs are seen in the episode Eggman for President from the Sonic X anime, in which main characters hold the signs for Eggman, Decoe and Bocoe. They answer correctly the questions posed by Chris, Tails and Amy, but fail to answer Sonic's question "Who's the coolest guy around? Me or You?", thus getting sent to the jail.
 * In Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Advance, if the player moves beyond the signpost in the air, the plate of the signpost still starts rotating around  However, in Game Gear titles, the player is able to move to the right side of the signpost without causing it to spin.
 * In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Collision Chaos Zone 2 is the only level in which there are two Goal Plates; hence, there are two goals the player can finish the Zone with.
 * In both versions of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Robotnik's yellow cape is not seen on the goal plate.
 * Sonic Blast is the only game among all Game Gear/Master System titles in which Super Sonic has made an appearance on a bonus panel.