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Not to be confused with the Heat Barrier, a similar Shield variant in Shadow the Hedgehog.

The Flame Shield[1] (フレイムバリア[2] Fureimu Baria?, lit. "Flame Barrier"), also known as the Fire Shield,[3] is an Item Box power-up that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. When the player obtains this power-up, the playable character receives a flaming force-field that can typically negate one instance of damage, grant invulnerability to fire-based hazards and attacks, and, for certain individuals, enable the Fireball Spin Dash.

The Flame Shield is one of the many Shield variants in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. While the Flame Shield has not become as recurring a power-up as the likes of the Super Ring, it has made some noteworthy appearances throughout the series.

Description[]

Fire shield

Sonic with a Flame Shield equipped, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Item Boxes containing Flame Shield usually either contain or display an icon depicting what looks like a red flame. When the player obtains the Flame Shield, a protective bubble will appear around the playable character. This bubble will prevent the playable character from losing Rings, or even a life if they hold no Rings, when they get hit by an enemy attack, touches an enemy, or runs into a damage-inducing hazard. When taking a damage-dealing blow with the Flame Shield equipped, the Flame Shield disappears and the playable character is usually knocked slightly backwards without taking damage while gaining temporary invulnerability for a few seconds. However, the Flame Shield cannot protect the playable character from losing a try when falling into a bottomless pit, being crushed, or in case they get a Time Over.

Like the Thunder Shield and Aqua Shield, the standard Flame Shield can deflect minor projectile attacks from enemies, like those of the Bloominators, Blastoids, Spikers and Clamers, without disappearing. While equipped, the typical Flame Shield also makes the playable character unaffected by any form of fire-based dangers, such as fire-based attacks from enemies, flames from fire-spewing hazards in the environment, and even damage when walking on pools of lava/magma. Also, when wielded by Sonic, the Flame Shield enables him to perform the Fireball Spin Dash. However, the typical Flame Shield will disappear on its own if the playable character enters water while equipped with it. Also, in certain games, the Flame Shield can have different abilities and traits.

Game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles[]

Fire Shield Thumb

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles and the lock-on continuation Sonic 3 & Knuckles, this shield power-up made its debut, where it is called the Flame Shield[4] (フレイムバリア[5] Fureimu Baria?, lit. "Flame Barrier"). In this game, monitors containing the Flame Shield display an icon that shows a red and yellow flame. In gameplay, the Flame Shield takes the form of a clear bubble with a red outline and red-white pulsating waves moving across its surface. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield, besides its damage negation, it deflects minor projectile attacks, makes the wielder invulnerable to fire, and allows Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash. However, it dissipates when its wielder enters water. Strangely though, the Flame Shield is not lost when the playable character skims across water surfaces in Hydrocity Zone, nor is it lost while the character is in their Super form then enters water (provided that the wielder's Super form ends while not submerged in water).

Outside of the Zones, the player can also get Flame Shields from the Gumball Machine and Glowing Sphere Bonus Stages by collecting a Flame Ball.

Sonic 3D Blast[]

RedShieldS3DBlast

In Sonic 3D Blast, the Flame Shield is known as the Fire Shield[6] or Red Shield[7] (レッドバリア[8] Reddo Baria?, lit. "Red Barrier"). In gameplay, it is found contained in certain TVs and can be used by Sonic. While using it, the hedgehog will be protected from a single hit that would otherwise inflict normal damage. It also makes him immune to fire-based hazards, such as the lava flooring in Volcano Valley Zone. Once damage is taken, Sonic will lose the Flame Shield and suffer knockback, without losing his Rings. However, it does not protect him from dangers such as bottomless pits.

It is worth noting that the Flickies following Sonic also receive a small Flame Shield when the player obtains one; the Flickies' Flame Shields do not disappear upon taking damage unless the hedgehog takes damage too.

Sonic Generations[]

Classic Sonic - Flame Shield

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, this shield power-up is referred to as the Flame Shield[1] (フレイムバリア Fureimu Baria?, lit. "Flame Barrier"). In this game, Item Boxes containing the Flame Shield display an icon that shows a yellow and red flame. In gameplay, the Flame Shield takes the form of a bubble made of fire. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield (besides its damage negation), it makes the wielder invulnerable to fire and allows Classic Sonic to use the Mid-Air Dash. However, it dissipates in water.

In this game, the Flame Shield only appears in Classic Sonic's Challenge Acts. Worth noting is that the Flame Shield plays an important role in the Flame Shield Challenge and With Your Powers Combined Challenge Acts; in these, the player has to make constant use of Flame Shield Item Boxes, which respawn almost instantly after the player opens them, in order to get through the level fast enough. In addition, there is a Skill for Classic Sonic called "Flame Shield" that can be bought from the Skill Shop for 300 Skill Points after clearing Flame Shield Challenge and be equipped to Classic Sonic at the cost of seventy Skill Points. When using this Skill in regular Acts, the player can equip one Flame Shield at anytime by pressing XboxY/PSTriangleButton.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)[]

In the 2013 remaster of Sonic the Hedgehog, the Item Boxes containing the Flame Shield display an icon that shows a red and yellow fire. In gameplay, the Flame Shield takes the form of a clear bubble with a red outline and red-white pulsating waves moving across its surface. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield, besides its damage negation, it deflects minor projectile attacks, makes the wielder invulnerable to fire, and allows Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash. However, it dissipates in water.

In this game, the Flame Shield will only appear in the Zones if the player accesses the Level Select and in the "Items" category, switches to either "S1+S3" or "S2+S3". Some of the original Shield Item Boxes will then be replaced with the Flame Shield. Alternatively, the player can place a Flame Shield into the Zones using Debug Mode.

Sonic Lost World[]

In the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World, this shield power-up is referred to as the Flame Shield.[9] In these games, Item Boxes containing the Flame Shield display an icon that shows a red flame. In gameplay, the Flame Shield takes the form of a bubble made of swirling red flames. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield, besides its damage negation, it makes the wielder invulnerable to fire. However, it does not allow Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash.

In this game, the Flame Shields appear regularly in the Zones. In addition, the player can also make a Flame Shield in Tails' Lab using twelve Black Materials and twelve Red Materials. Once obtained, these Flame Shields will be stored away for the player to use later in the Zones. During these Zones, the player can look up the Item Bag and select these Flame Shields to instantly bestow one onto the playable character.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2013)[]

In the 2013 remaster of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit), the Item Boxes containing the Flame Shield display an icon that shows a red and yellow fire. In gameplay, the Flame Shield takes the form of a clear bubble with a red outline and red-white pulsating waves moving across its surface. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield, besides its damage negation, it deflects minor projectile attacks, makes the wielder invulnerable to fire, and allows Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash. However, it dissipates in water.

To enable the Flame Shield in gameplay, the player must first open the Game Config menu in Level Select. In the Items category, the player must then either highlight the second (the icon displaying the Shield with the three elemental shields) or fourth option (icon displaying Random with the three elemental shields) before starting an Act. It also appears as a random power-up in VS. Mode.

Sonic Mania[]

SMFlameShield

In Sonic Mania and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Flame Shield is referred to as the Fire Shield[3] (フレイムバリア[2] Fureimu Baria?, lit. "Flame Barrier"). In this game, Item Boxes containing the Fire Shield display an icon that shows a red flame. In gameplay, the Fire Shield takes the form of a clear bubble with a red outline and red-white pulsating waves moving across its surface. In terms of effects displayed by the Fire Shield, besides its damage negation, it deflects minor projectile attacks, makes the wielder invulnerable to fire, and allows Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash. However, it dissipates in water.

In these games, the Flame Shield displays additional effects in certain environments. In Green Hill Zone, should the player run over a rotating wooden spike bridge with the Fire Shield equipped, the bridge will burn away behind the playable character. Also, in Oil Ocean Zone, when entering a pool of oil with the Fire Shield equipped, the oil will catch fire, creating damage-inflicting flames for a short while. Also, when using the Fire Shield in Press Garden Zone Act 2, simply touching ice blocks with the Fire Shield equipped will cause the former to melt.

Sonic Origins[]

While the Flame Shield did not appear in the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it appears in the remastered ports featured in Sonic Origins. In terms of effects displayed by the Flame Shield besides its damage negation, it deflects projectile attacks, makes the wielder invulnerable to fire, and allows Sonic to use the Fireball Spin Dash. However, it dissipates in water.

The Flame Shield can be enabled for use in Zones; in the original Sonic the Hedgehog the player must go to the Level Select menu and in the items category, switch to either "S1+S3" or "S2+S3;" and in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the player must go to the Configurations menu in the Level Select menu and highlight either the second option (the icon displaying the Shield with the three elemental shields) or the fourth option (the icon displaying Random with the three elemental shields) before starting an Act.

In other media[]

Archie Comics[]

Main article: Flame Shield (Archie)
Fire Shield Archie

Hope using the Flame Shield, from Sonic Universe #38.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Flame Shield was an invention of Hope Kintobor. When Snively Robotnik came to have Hope join his quest for world domination, Hope used the Flame Shield to make Snively leave.

Gallery[]

Sprites[]

Gallery

Screenshots[]

Gallery

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sonic Team (11 November 2011). Sonic Generations. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Flame Shield Challenge. "Loading screen: Use Flame Shield to reach the goal in time and obtain the Flame Shield Skill!"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sonic Mania (PC) Japanese digital instruction booklet, "アイテム".
  3. 3.0 3.1 Sonic Mania (PC) English digital instruction booklet, "Items".
  4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Genesis) United States instruction booklet, pg. 12.
  5. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Mega Drive) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 18.
  6. Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Saturn) United States instruction booklet, pg. 11.
  7. Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Genesis) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7.
  8. Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Mega Drive) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 16.
  9. Dimps (29 October 2013). Sonic Lost World. Nintendo 3DS. Sega. Area/Level: Tails' Lab.
Navigation templates to Flame Shield


Main article (Blue Sphere) · Staff · Manuals · Glitches · Beta elements · Gallery · Pre-releases (prototype) · Re-releases (2001, 2005, mobile, GBA, iPod, 2013, 3D, Sega Ages)

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Main article · Staff · Glitches · Manuals · Beta elements · Gallery · Re-releases (Plus)
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