Super transformation

Super transformation (スーパー化) is a recurring technique in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a transformation that an elite few can undergo when exposed to vast amongst of chaos energy, usually via the seven Chaos Emeralds. This lets the users enter a Super State /super form which bestow them with increased innate talents while usually granting flight and virtual invulnerability.

In gameplay, the super transformation allows the players to play with a empowered version of a character. It often serves as a story element needed to face a game's final boss, but has also been used as game mechanic to help the player's performance in regular levels.

Features
The super transformation is traditionally obtained in gameplay by collecting all of the Chaos Emeralds in addition to fifty Rings, as was the case in the Mega Drive/Genesis games starting with Sonic the Hedgehog 2. From Sonic Adventure and onward, however, the super transformation became more of a story element rather than a regular gameplay mechanic. In these cases, it only appears towards the end of the game, during the final boss battles, where the Chaos Emeralds are collected during the game story rather than during gameplay. In the recent games in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, however, while the super transformation for the most part still plays a large role in the story, it has returned to be unlocked in the same way as on the Genesis and usable in regular gameplay.

Super transformation generally gives the character enhanced speed, similar to using a "High Speed" power up. The transformation also originally gave the character the same effect as the "Invincible" power up. As of Sonic & Knuckles (and all games since), taking damage while using super transformation will result in the character being thrown back a small distance. Even with the transformation enabled, during gameplay the character can still die by falling in a bottomless pit, being crushed, drowning or if the timer expires. Also, in various games, the final boss is capable of damaging characters even when they are under a super transformation.

Another general super transformation ability is flight. This was originally unique to Super Sonic as he would fly above the ground at maximum speed, and take to full flight at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The ability is now shared by all transformations and is a defining trait. A character can also hover in midair as, beginning with Sonic Adventure 2, the transformation is usually used in areas high above the ground. The air can also act as the ground as shown in Sonic Heroes, enabling the player to use the same controls as if in a regular level.

The super transformation is also known to enhance and increase the abilities and skills unique to the person itself, such as Shadow's chaos techniques and Silver's ESP abilities, and occasionally give additional abilities as well, based on the type of the transformation (Chaos Emeralds gives access to chaos energy-based attacks, the World Rings gives a trait of fire-based attacks etc.). Though not displayed in gameplay, the super transformation can also increases the physical strength of the user, allowing unimaginable feats of strength.

The compromise in super transformation is that the power is sustained by Rings during gameplay. It originally took 50 Rings to enable the transformation, which are then gradually drained over time. Starting with Sonic R, players are no longer allowed to manually transform, but are simply given the ability through the story. The rings are only used as a gameplay mechanic to limit how long the form can last. The exception to this was Sonic Riders, where only one Ring is needed. Running out of Rings in a final boss battle results in an instant loss of a life, usually due to the character being in unsurvivable conditions such as over a flooded city street or in the cold of outer space.

Although it is a power up in itself, the super transformation can be powered up further. To do this, the player must collect all seven of the Chaos Emeralds and reactivate them in their powered up state as the "Super Emeralds." Once transformed, the character will then leave afterimages in its wake and be given an ability to instantly kill all enemies on screen (excluding boss battles). As seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles.

In the original games, this feature was used by collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds in "Special Stages". However, in almost all games since Sonic Adventure, it has been saved mainly for the final boss battle.

It was said by Sonic in the fight against the Finalhazard in Sonic Adventure 2 that continuous usage of super transformation will cause the user to disappear. So far though, this phenomenon has not yet been seen in the series.

Sharing
It is possible to share the ability of super transformation, allowing Super State users to lets others achieve a Super State of their own by passing their power onto them, while still maintaining their own super transformation. The earliest occurance of this happening is in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles; when Tails uses his Super State it also affects four Flickies who would appear around Super Tails. Super Sonic later do the same thing to Tails and Knuckles in Sonic Heroes, and to Shadow and Silver in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

List of Super States
Much like the "Power Up" enhancements of the Sonic Adventure games, super transformations are character specific. The visual appearance of the transformation and the attacks enabled are character dependent. The transformations and the abilities that they can use are listed below:
 * Super Sonic: Sonic the Hedgehog's Super State and his most frequent transformation. He attains this form with the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. In this form, Sonic's fur changes from blue to gold, his eyes turn from green to red and his quills stand up. He gains increased speed, strength, agility etc. in this state, along with the powers of flight, virtual invulnerability and different Chaos Powers. His positive chaos energy can also neutralize negative energy and calm people possessed by rage.
 * Super Tails: Miles "Tails" Prower's Super State. He can attain this form with the seven Chaos Emeralds or Super Emeralds. Originally, his fur would gain a pulsating glow in this form, but he would later instead gain a golden shield. His abilities in this form consists of increased innate talents, flight without using his twin-tails, and invulnerability.
 * Super Knuckles: Knuckles the Echidna's Super State. He can attain this form through the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. This form initially changed Knuckles' fur from red to pink, but later gave him a golden shield instead. As Super Knuckles, Knuckles commands abilities like increased strength and speed, flight and invulnerability.
 * Super Shadow: Shadow the Hedgehog's Super State. Shadow is able to attain this form using the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. In this form, Shadow's black fur turns a shiny lemon chiffon color and his orange-red eyes become completely red. While transformed, he gains an increase in speed and power, along with the ability to fly and virtual invulnerability. His Chaos Powers are also enhanced to their full limit.
 * Super Silver: Silver the Hedgehog's Super State. Silver can attain this form by harnessing the seven Chaos Emeralds' power. In this form, Silver's fur becomes a golden white, his chest fur turns dark gold, the cyan markings on his attire turn golden, his yellow eyes become red, and his rear quills float upward. As Super Silver, Silver's innate talents are greatly increased, including his psychokinetic abilities, and he gains the power of flight without the usage of his psychokinesis and virtual invulnerability.
 * Perfect Chaos': Chaos' Super State. It can attain this form with the negative energy of the seven Chaos Emeralds. Instead of turning golden like the traditional Super State when transforming, Chaos gains a more monstrous appearance with reptilian eyes, a wide mouth and tentacles. In this form, Chaos' hydrokinetic abilities and enhanced to the point that it can control floods. It can also project destructive energies.
 * Mecha Sonic's Super State: Mecha Sonic's Super State. It can attain this form by tapping power directly from the Master Emerald. While transformed, Mecha Sonic turns from blue to golden-orange and is capable flight and firing energy weapons.
 * Flicky's Super State: The Super State of the Flickies. They can attain this form indirectly through the Super Emeralds. In this form, the Flickies gain a pulsating golden plumage. Abilities they command include increased power and virtual invulnerability.
 * Ultimate Gemerl: Gemerl's Super State. Gemerl can attain this form using the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. In this form, he turns into a disk-shaped version of himself with four extendable arms with claw-like hands that can fire different kinds of energy beams and launch missiles.
 * Pir'Oth Ix's Super State: Imperator Ix's Super State. He was able to attain this state using the residual chaos energy left behind in Nocturne. When transformed, Ix shreds his armor and he gains a pulsating cyan aura. He possesses all of his usual powers and abilities, but on a far greater level.

Other transformations
While not classified as Super transformations, similar transformation methods exists in the Sonic series. These transformations are usually provided by other objects of power different from or similar to the Chaos Emeralds. The natures of these transformations tend to match their power source and/or the theme of their respective games.

Hyper Sonic
With the power of the Super Emeralds, Sonic becomes Hyper Sonic. Sonic glows with the colors of the Chaos Emeralds/Super Emeralds, becomes surrounded by flashing sparks, and leaves afterimages. He is also able to breathe underwater, and has the added ability of a devastating lightning attack. This can be used to "double jump" in any direction and, when performed, destroys all enemies on-screen (except bosses) with a bright flash. It is also noted that when Sonic is in Hyper mode, certain objects glow multiple colors like him, such as Flickies, and Level boxes. Also, while Super Sonic is near invulnerable, Hyper Sonic is completely invulnerable to physical harm.

Darkspine Sonic
In Sonic and the Secret Rings, if the player collects all seven World Rings and clears the game, an extra battle can be unlocked in which the player will take control of Darkspine Sonic.

Instead of the Chaos Emeralds, he is powered by three of the aforementioned World Rings (the rings of sadness, rage, and hatred, due to his emotions at the time of Shahra's death). In this state, Sonic's body becomes a deep indigo color, and his muzzle, stomach, and ears become white. His pupils, irises, mouth, shoes, and gloves disappear, and he gains four big glowing rings around his wrists and ankles. He also has two thick, white parallel stripes going up his forehead and down his middle quills, a white stripe around his feet and wrists, and has an orange fiery aura. In a sort of inverse situation from his other transformations, his quills do not point upwards, but instead downwards. His voice is somewhat deeper and more menacing, sounding noticeably like Jet, but his personality remains mostly unchanged, albeit much more aggressive due to the transformation using negative energies. Unlike Super Sonic, Darkspine Sonic is not invincible, and loses 20 of his Rings if he's hit. In exchange, he can remain in this state for probably an indefinite amount of time. He disengages this form at his own will.

While he is able to fly, his ability to sustain the transformation does not depend on Rings. He does not power down if he runs out of Rings. If the player shakes the Wii Remote, the soul gauge fills, and Darkspine Sonic can use Speed Break and Time Break. Other abilities enable Sonic to deflect Alf Layla wa-Layla's attacks by using a barrage of kicks.

Excalibur Sonic
In Sonic and the Black Knight, the magical power from all the sacred swords transforms Sonic into a form known as Excalibur Sonic. He gains the powerful legendary blade Excalibur and he dons glimmering gold armor that covers his entire body.

In this state, Sonic can lose his form and die if he runs out of rings. However, he does not lose rings slowly like Super Sonic. He loses 20 rings each time he takes a hit. He does however receives increased strength as seen in the power behind his attacks while using Excalibur, and the ability to fly. He is also capable of energy projection in conjunction with Excalibur, which allows him to turn himself into a golden meteor.

Hyper Knuckles
With the power of the Super Emeralds, Knuckles can turn into Hyper Knuckles. His Hyper State looks the same, but leaves afterimages. Hyper Knuckles gains the ability to destroy all on screen enemies by gliding into a wall.

Hyper Mode
In Sonic the Fighters every playable character can enter a lesser state of the super transformation known as Hyper Mode, by using the eight Chaos Emeralds in the game, that boosts their attack, speed and strength while unlocking special moves exclusive to the Hyper Mode.

Hero Shadow
In Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow is able to awaken this form temporarily by performing righteous actions. Whilst in this form, Shadow gains a blue aura and his eyes glow blue. Whilst in the Hero Shadow form, Shadow gains invincibility, unlimited weapon ammunition, and access to Chaos Control, which manipulates time to fast forward through level stages and slow down time in boss battles. Additionally, this form can be awakened whilst Shadow is in Super State, allowing him to use Chaos Control whilst in his super form.

Dark Shadow
In Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow is able to awaken this form temporarily by performing nefarious deeds. Whilst in this form, Shadow gains a red aura and his eyes glow red. Whilst in the Dark Shadow form, Shadow gains invincibility, unlimited weapon ammunition, and access to Chaos Blast, a powerful destructive discharge. Additionally, this form can be awakened whilst Shadow is in Super State, allowing him to use Chaos Blast whilst in his super form.

Burning Blaze
In Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure, by using the Sol Emeralds, Blaze the Cat can transform into Burning Blaze. Blaze's lavender fur becomes pink, and the details on the tip of her ponytail are erased. Her jacket and the tip of her tail become red, and the bottom rim of her jacket turns yellow. The cuffs on her gloves and shoes are engulfed in pink flames, and she is surrounded by an aura of fire, it also enhances her pyrokinetic abilities.

Burning Blaze's gameplay is similar to that of Super Shadow's. Players can either rapidly press the attack buttons to launch a series of small fireballs, or hold down the attack button to launch a larger more powerful fireball. Players may also use charged dashes by pressing the jump buttons. However, these dashes are only for speed as she will still take damage if she dashes into an object.

Alf Layla wa-Layla
In Sonic and the Secret Rings, by absorbing all seven World Rings, Erazor Djinn planned to take complete control over the world of the Arabian Nights. However, as the conditions needed to use the World Rings were not met, Erazor instead transformed into a twisted and grotesque genie demon named Alf Layla wa-Layla. In this form Erazor becomes a large monster with a single eye, no nose, an enormous mouth with shark-like teeth, six arms, and an enormous, bulging torso. From the knees down, his legs are long, thin, and segmented, like insect legs and he gains a long sharp tail. Since this is a incomplete transformation, Erazor loses his sanity in the process. He is the final boss of Sonic and the Secret Rings.

While in this state, Erazor can create lines of fire without the need of a weapon, unlike his normal form, shoot barrages of energy balls, create dark whirlpools and form massive purple balls from the words of Arabian Nights.

Master Core: ABIS
In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, by harnessing the gravity-powered energy from the five Arks of the Cosmos and the artificial black hole in Astral Babylon, SCR-HD can transform into Master Core: ABIS. Once transformed, SCR-HD becomes a towering entity; the upper part of its original robot body increases in size and becomes slightly deranged, and its lower body is composed of a miniature black hole, which it is connected to with several cables. Due to the raw power from the arks, SCR-HD gains some slight savage behavior. It serves as the final boss of Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity.

As seen when in this form, SCR-HD can hurt hurl electric bolts, form and control large meteors that creates explosions upon impact, and perform Gravity Drive on a much larger scale, which allows it to distort gravity in a large area.

Dark Queen
In Sonic and the Black Knight, through using the Scabbard of Excalibur, Merlina the Wizard can transform into the Dark Queen. The Dark Queen is Merlina in a witch-like form. In this state, she has violet-blue hair, amber yellow eyes along with a mark under her left eye, white skin and her clothes becomes much darker. The Dark Queen is featured as the final boss in Sonic and the Black Knight.

While in this state, Merlina's magical abilities is enhanced to the point where she can beat Sonic to the brink of defeat with ease, and she can create a shadow version of King Arthur to attack for her. Also, as seen during her battle with Excalibur-Sonic, she can transform into a ghostly version of king Arthur with several arms, which possesses super strength and can project energy.

Excalibur
In Sonic and the Black Knight, through the strength of Sonic's willpower and the power of the three other sacred swords, Caliburn can transform into the legendary and most powerful of all the sacred swords, Excalibur. In this form, Caliburn has rubies in its pulled back hilt, and a glowing outer blade around his physical blade edge. In this form, Caliburn can counter the black magic from the Dark Queen at her most powerful with powerful sword swipes that can cut through anything, and together with Excalibur Sonic, they can envelop themselves in a piercing, golden meteor.

Trivia

 * In Knuckles' Chaotix, the final boss resembled Metal Sonic. It was red and several stories tall, with more pronounced features such as sharp teeth and larger metal quills. However, as Robotnik and the normal Metal Sonic are last seen making their escape off-screen, it appears with no context and thus it is not known if this is a true transformation or a separate entity.
 * Knuckles' Emerald Power All-Star Move, where he is empowered by the Master Emerald, gives him similar traits to a Super State character.
 * In Debug Mode in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and the combined games Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles the player can also break open an Item box with an "S" on it in order to use a super transformation.
 * When fighting the FinalHazard, Sonic might say to Shadow that constant use of your super form can cause you to disappear.
 * Super Sonic is the most used super transformation, having appeared numerous times, followed by Super Shadow many times, then Perfect Chaos 3 times, and then Burning Blaze twice.
 * The sound effect for activating super transformation in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles is the same as Kaiser Greedy's Black Hole attack in Ristar.
 * With the exception of Hyper Sonic, all of the super transformations of Sonic that isn't Super Sonic all appeared after the 15th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog.
 * With that said, Super Sonic is the only super transformation of Sonic that appears in at least two or more games, as his other forms appeared in only one game.
 * Blaze, Cosmo, Merlina and Nicole are the only female characters who have a transformation.
 * Other series have had nods to the Super Transformation like Gold Spakster from the Rocket Knight series or the form Pac-Man takes at the end of Pac-Man World 2.
 * It is possible that Excalibur Sonic is not a Super Transformation at all. As Sonic's physical appearance is unchanged abd he is simply in golden armor. It is possible that he was simply given the armor by Excalibur.
 * The super transformation is similar to the Super Saiyan transformation, with the blonde hair, increased strength and speed, and more.
 * Takashi Iizuka has addressed in public that Super States are currently restricted to male hedgehogs, explaining for Knuckles and Tails' loss of their Super States. Blaze gets around this restriction due to the Sol Emeralds and her status as their guardian.