1-Up

File:1-Up for Sonic Runners.png

The 1-Up icon, that appears as separated item in games such as Sonic Generations and Sonic Lost World.

1-Ups, also referred to as One Up, One-Up, Extra Life and Lives, refers to the power-up or item in video games which give the number of chances the player has to complete the game. When a life is lost, the player will restart at the previous checkpoint, and a Game Over results for the player when all lives and continues are lost.

1-Ups are present in almost every single Sonic the Hedgehog game. Thorough the series, there have been numerous ways to gain extra lives during the in-game, but mostly they are able to get by collecting a hundred rings or breaking Item Boxes, that either shows the icon of the playable character or simply stating 1-Up.

Description

Several head-up displays from Sonic games, which show the number of lives.

1-Up is a power-up which grants an extra chance of playing to the player. As a general rule in all the canonical games, as players can gain extra lives by collecting a hundred rings in a Zone, scoring specific amounts of points, collecting many rings in a Special Stage, or breaking an 1-Up Item Boxes. When the player gains 1-Up, the small fanfare music or sample can be heard in the background while the in-game music stops, but returns back to normal after fanfare sample ends. The part of HUD usually shows the playable character's icon and the amount of lives, that are left.

If a player gets hit and has one or more rings in their possession, they will lose all of their rings or some of them (only in certain games), but will not die. If the player is hit when they have no rings, they will lose a life and return to the last checkpoint or the beginning of the act. There are other ways to lose lives, such as drowning, falling into a bottomless pit, or being crushed, and in these cases, the player will lose a life regardless of how many rings they have. If a player loses all their lives, it will result in a Game Over (unless the player is able to get and has got Continues on several games).

There aren't any specific, regular form for 1-Ups, as they are referred as video game term, what the player will gain from specific items or objects. The most known, recurring form for 1-Ups are either variants of monitors / item boxes, which contain the image on the monitor, usually seen to be head of the playable character who is being controlled. This means that, depending on who is played as during the level, the appearance of the item box containing a life may change to the head of the playing character. The variety of images on an extra life monitor depends on the number of playable characters available. In later games, mug-shots on the item boxes were simply replaced with a "1UP" picture, disregarding who the playing character is.

In more recent games such as Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations which exclusively star Sonic as the player character, 1-Ups are not contained within item boxes and are simply a picture of Sonic's head, floating on the ground. However the physical appearance have been changed numerous times depending on the setting of the game's rules.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog games in Sega Genesis

1-Ups are able to be obtained in original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. When the player collects a hundred rings to the ring score in all previously mentioned games, the player gets reward with one extra life. By collecting two hundred rings gains a second extra life for the player, but if the player loses all collected rings and tries to collect a hundred rings again, the game would not give extra life for the player. In all five games, Extra Lives can also be found from monitors. These monitors feature the head icon of playable character, which the player is controlling (Sonic, Tails or Knuckles). Several gimmicks involved to get rings or points such as Slot Machines can gain even more easily over a hundred rings to get extra life. Multiplayer mode of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has also possibility to gain extra lives similar way and if one of players loses all lives, he/she loses the round.

Each time the player achieves a score of a multiple of 50,000 (50,000, 100,000 etc.) in any game between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles, the player can earn an extra life. Also in Sonic CD, instead of the normal fanfare music in the other four games, the player will hear Sonic yelling "Yes!" upon obtaining the extra life.

Gaining lives is not exclusive to normal stages. Playing in Special Stages or Bonus Stages can also earn extra lives. In Special Stages of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, if the player collects a hundred Rings from the stage, he/she will get one extra life as they would in a regular stage. In Special Stages of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the player will not get extra life by collecting over a hundred or two hundred rings, but depending the results after the Special Stage, the player can get one after earning a multiple of 50,000 points as previously mentioned. This works similarly in Special Stages of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, in which it is possible to achieve a Perfect Bonus, which is worth 50,000 points; hence, another extra life, and in 2 of the 14 special stages in the game, there is the possibility to get over 100 rings, which give the player an extra life similar to the Sonic 1 special stages, and are represented by the ring loss sound effect. Gumball Machine and Magnetic Orbs types of Bonus Stages have pink gumballs with a "1 UP" icon on it, while getting ten 10 Super Ring gumballs can also earn extra life as well. In the Slot Machine type of Bonus Stages, the player can normally earn extra lives by collecting 100 or 200 rings.

Master System and Game Gear games

Getting extra lives in Master System and Game Gear titles varies in several ways. While breaking 1-Up monitors (the icon features either Sonic, Tails or Knuckles depending which game they appear) are included, when the player gets a hundred rings normally, the player will also got extra life, but the ring count starts from the zero again, as the ring count at the HUD is only a two-digit. However in Sonic Blast, if Sonic gets 1-Up monitor that has Knuckles icon on it, the player will not get extra life, which is only meant for Knuckles. Thus the similar way, Knuckles is unable to earn extra life by breaking 1-Up monitor with Sonic's icon on it.

In some games, running past the Signpost can get you 1-Ups as well. The player is able to get 1-Ups in 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, if the signpost stops rotating and shows Sonic posing on the plate. In Sonic Chaos, if the player heads to the Signpost with the number lands on 3 of the same numerals in a timer row (for expl. 22:2), the player will also get a 1-Up. In Sonic Chaos and Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble, getting Sonic on the plate while playing as Sonic gives extra life, which does happen same way while playing as Tails and getting him posing in the signpost's plate. This happens similarly with Sonic and Knuckles in Sonic Blast, if both happens to get their own poses to the signposts.

In 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog, the player is able to get extra lives by gaining 50,000 points to the score. When the player clears the game completely, each remaining life that is left is worth 5,000 points at the final score tally. In 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Chaos, collecting a hundred rings in Special Stages of the game is possible, while in Sonic Chaos, there also there Giant Rings, that can give ten rings more, which can help to collect extra lives easily. When the player clears Special Stages at first act zones in Sonic Blast, Sonic or Knuckles get rewarded with extra life.

Sonic Adventure to Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

File:Extra life 02.png

The item box with extra life.

Main 3D games starting from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 have retained most of the same possibilities to gain extra lives from previous earlier games. The player is able to get extra lives by collecting over a hundred or two hundred rings to the ring score and breaking item boxes, which have icons of playable characters on them from Action Stages. Like many other item box power-ups, 1-Ups are also showed below the screen after collecting it.

The same way as in Sonic Adventure titles, the player is able to earn extra lives in Sonic Heroes. However it is the first game in the series, where 1-Up power-ups' icons of playable characters in item boxes are replaced with simple "1-UP" logos. When the player completes Bonus Challenge types of Special Stages, the player gets rewarded with extra lives. As Team Chaotix while performing their Team Blast called Chaotix Recital, it rewards a large number of Super Ring bonuses when used near a crowd of enemies, which is an easy way to gain extra lives.

Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush games

In all Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush titles, there are item box variations, which have 1-Up in it, which works identically like in previous games. In Sonic Advance games, it features playable character's icon on it, while in Sonic Rush games, it has simple "1-UP" logo on it. Like earlier games in the series, getting 100,000 points will give extra life to the player in Sonic Advance games, while it is non-exist in Sonic Rush games.

In Sonic Advance 3, there are two types of mini-games, which either involves open the large capsule by using five buttons quickly as possible or destroying all Badniks from the arena as soon as possible. Depending how fast the player completes these mini-games, he/she gets rewarded with certain amount of extra lives. Extra Lives are non-existent in multiplayer modes of all games, which are based on different types of gameplay.

Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors

The 1-Up card as it is seen in Sonic Colors.

Extra Lives in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors can't be collected by breaking item boxes or collecting a hundred rings. They are small, black and yellow colored floating cards, which have Sonic's logo on the plate. They are also usually located branching pathways and semi-hidden areas of day or night stages. By simply touching it will give an extra life. In PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of Sonic Unleashed, extra lives only appear in temple puzzles and grant a permanent extra life to the player's count.

Extra lives can be obtained similarly in the Wii version of the Sonic Colors. However, when the player clears a stage with an A/S Rank, the player will be awarded with 1/3 lives. In the Wii version, the lives must be collected in the result screen quickly before Sonic strikes a pose. If the player attacks the text in the result screens, sometimes extra lives pop out from the text. In the Nintendo DS version, the live(s) are simply given to the player. In Nintendo DS version of the game, they can be obtained similarly in the Sonic Rush games, as collecting a hundred rings or breaking item boxes with "1-UP" logo on them.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Extra lives in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 are able to be obtained similarly like in earlier game installments. Both Episode I, Episode II and Episode Metal appear have extra lives in monitors, which have once again playable character's icon on the monitor's power-up (Depending on the episode: it either shows Sonic, Sonic and Tails or Metal Sonic). The player is able to get extra life by collecting a hundred and two hundred rings. Note that in these games, the maximum number of lives obtained is 999 and in Episode Metal, Metal Sonic retains the same number of lives Sonic and Tails had in Episode 2.

Sonic Generations and Sonic Lost World

Extra Life as seen in Sonic Generations.

Extra lives in Sonic Generations are featured mostly similar in modern acts for each stage like in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. However they are now illustrated as floating objects, which resemble Classic Sonic's head and can be collected by simply touching it. Extra lives in classic acts can be obtained by collecting a hundred rings or breaking monitors with Sonic's icon on it. Extra lives can be purchased in Omochao's Skill Shop. Extra Lives can be collected similar way in the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World, where they are floating Sonic heads. There are also five green rings with numbers, which also by collecting them all at the one place can reward with extra life. Extra lives can sometimes also appear and be collected from the Lost Hex map.

In Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations, extra lives are featured similarly like in classic acts in console/PC versions of the game, as they can be found at monitors or can be got after collecting a hundred rings in both classic and modern acts at each stage. In Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World however, they are illustrated and featured like in Wii U version as floating Sonic head.

Other game appearanes

In Sonic Spinball, the only way for the player to get an extra life is to gain 20,000,000. After the player clears the game, each remaining extra life that is left is worth 5,000,000 points at the score tally. Sonic 3D Blast has normally extra lives in monitors, that must be smashed in order to be obtained. Extra life can also be collected by getting a hundred rings to the ring score. If the player has got all Chaos Emeralds from Special Stages, the player is able to go back those Special Stages to get rewarded with extra life after clearing it.

In Tails' Skypatrol, Extra lives are earned after getting 10,000 and 30,000 points, while there can be also small yellow sign objects with 1-up hidden in each of game's area and are able to be collected. In Sonic Labyrinth, the player can normally get extra lives by getting a hundred rings (however the ring count goes back to zero after reaching over hundred), but there are also small, sparkling purple notes to give extra lives too, which appear less frequently than others. In the game's Bonus Stages, the logic of ring counting is different as collecting one ring apparently gives twenty five normal rings, while getting four of these rings earns the extra life. Extra lives in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure can be get normally by breaking 1-Up monitors or collecting a hundred rings.

Trivia

• The fanfare music that plays after getting extra life can be short variation of the game's main theme or title screen music. Since Sonic Adventure, it is heard to be a variation of the Chaos Emerald jingle from earlier games, while handheld games keep to use different, traditional short jingles.
  • Fanfare jingles are later reused, as one in original Sonic the Hedgehog gets reused in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast. The Genesis version of Sonic 3D Blast is one reused from Sonic & Knuckles, while all episodes of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is actually reused, remastered 1-Up jingle from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
• In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, if the player defeats the sub boss (of Act 1) in exactly 9:59 minutes on the timer, the player earns a grand total of 100,000 points which is the equivalent of two extra lives.
• In Launch Base Zone of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles), there is a trick to earn an infinite number of lives. By standing on one of the alarms and charges up the spin dash (not releasing it), a Flybot767 will fly over at Sonic. Because he is spinning, it will get destroyed Sonic rewarding him points. The player can just simply remain charging for more Flybot767 robots to appear and be destroyed granting him a higher amount of points which will eventually turn into lives. 
• Knuckles' Chaotix is notable to being one of only platforming titles in the whole series which does have infinite lives for playable characters. When the player hits to the enemy without having shield or rings, he/she gets transported back to hub-world of the game, Newtrogic High Zone.
• Sonic Adventure features unused music track, that possibly is meant to be an extended extra life jingle.[1] However it isn't used despite being listed in the music files of the game. It is later used in Sonic Adventure 2, while not being featured at Sound Test and years later a slight remix is featured in Sonic Generations, but becomes unused once again.[2] All three games used the Chaos Emerald jingle while getting an extra life.
• Pre-ordering Sonic Lost World via Amazon in the U.S. will grant the player twenty five extra lives.

Unused 1-Up

• In Windmill Isle second nighttime tutorial on the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, there is an unused 1-Up Item Box outside the stage's barriers, where a regular secret Item Box normally exists. It uses the graphics from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) instead of the image of Sonic's head used in the final game.

Gallery

Models

Sonic Colors

Screenshots

Sonic Generations

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