User:Ultrasonic9000/Sandbox

The Homing Attack (ホーミングアタック) is a move that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a technique that allows the user to swerve during a Spin Jump, automatically zeroing in and striking a nearby enemy with a midair Spin Attack.

To date, the Homing Attack is one of Sonic the Hedgehog's most recognizable trademark attacks. However, others have picked up the move as well over time, making it one of the most frequently used techniques in the series.

Description
When performing the Homing Attack, the user first targets a target from midair. The user then curls into a spinball and launches straight into the target, dealing incredible damage. After hitting, the attack's force will cause the user to bounce off the target. The user will then usually strike a pose.

In gameplay, as its name implies, the Homing Attack allows the user to home directly into a nearby enemy with a target-seeking attack. However, it can only hit one target at a time. If it hits an enemy or breakable object, the Homing Attack will inflict damage. In addition, after the Homing Attack makes the player bounce off its targets, the technique can be chained to both attack and skip across several targets, which can be use to traverse certain sections of a level which are otherwise inaccessible. The Homing Attack can also be used to quickly target other objects such as Springs, Grind Rails, Balloons, and Item Boxes.

In case the target starts moving as the Homing Attack is executed, it can still catch up with no problem. However, in some games like Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations, if the target is moving at the same rate as the user, like a boss, the user will stop chasing the target after about four seconds and cancel the Homing Attack. Some games also increase the speed of the Homing Attack, and the "bounce off" motions that occur has varied from game to game.

In gameplay, the Homing Attack generally targets those closest to the user. In the early games in the Sonic series however, there were no indication of which target that had been targeted by the Homing Attack. As of Sonic Unleashed however, a targeting reticle now appears above those whom the Homing Attack has targeted. If there are no targets within the Homing Attack's range when the move is executed however, then the player will (in most cases) perform the Jump Dash instead.

In some games, the Homing Attack can send lesser, ground-bound enemies flying backward for a while (before they blow up) after they are by the attack. If these flying enemies hit an enemy caught in their flight path, then they will get destroyed as well.

Sonic 3D Blast
In Sonic 3D Blast, the Homing Attack (or what could be considered a predecessor to it) was featured as a technique for Sonic that was named the Sonic Blast Attack, or just the Blast Attack (ブラストアタック), although it was not an intrinsic ability of Sonic at this point. To use the Sonic Blast Attack in gameplay, the player has to possess a Gold Shield.

In gameplay, much like the Homing Attack, the Sonic Blast Attack causes Sonic to home straight into a nearby enemy for an attack. However, the Blast Attack cannot chain attacks. Also, Sonic cannot jump dash with this move when there are no enemies nearby and will instead go straight down to the ground. To perform the Sonic Blast Attack in gameplay, the player must press the following buttons during a jump while near an enemy:

Sonic Adventure
In Sonic Adventure and its remake Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, the Homing Attack was officially introduced. In this game, it is primarily used by Sonic the Hedgehog. It is also used by Metal Sonic, but only in Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut.

To perform the Homing Attack in gameplay, the player has to press / in mid-jump while near an enemy.

Sonic Adventure 2
In Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, the Homing Attack is used primarily by Sonic and Shadow in the main storyline. It can also be used by Metal Sonic and Amy, but only in the game's multiplayer mode.

To perform the Homing Attack in gameplay, the player has to press / in mid-jump while near an enemy.