High-speed elevator

High-speed elevators are frequent gimmicks in the Genesis-era Sonic the Hedgehog games and usually appear in the final or penultimate zones. It is used for quick transport between areas.

Description

High-speed elevators usually appear in industrial-themed Zones. When the player steps inside a high-speed elevator, they go into either their Spin Attack or horizontal spin animation before being rapidly teleported somewhere else through an extensive tube. For the most part, the player cannot backtrack once they go through a high-speed elevator.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

In this original Sonic the Hedgehog these devices appear in Scrap Brain Zone Act 2. They transport Sonic in a vertical direction and have different destinations, depending on how many Rings Sonic has at the time.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and its locked-on version Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, high-speed elevators are found in Metropolis Zone and are almost exactly like the ones in the Scrap Brain Zone, except they are gold in color. Also, when entering one, a light flashes on and off before Sonic is teleported.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles and its locked-on version Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, the high-speed elevators appear in Launch Base Zone Act 1 and are a little different than before. In these elevators, Sonic spins around horizontally instead of curling into a Spin Attack.  They also use actual elevator cars instead of just tubes. When playing as Tails alone, he seems to take a different route when traveling in one.

Much later, in Sonic & Knuckles' Death Egg Zone Act 2, these elevators are one of three ways to switch gravity and move from floor to ceiling.  They also play a crucial role in defeating the Act 2 boss.

Sonic 3D Blast

In Sonic 3D Blast, both Gene Gadget Zone and Panic Puppet Zone have high-speed elevators.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

In Mad Gear Zone of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal, the Zone has the golden elevators like those from the Metropolis Zone. They work exactly the same, except these shoot Sonic out of a pipe at high speed. E.G.G. Station Zone has the same elevators and uses them to transport Sonic from one boss arena to the next.

Trivia

• Strangely, in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Metropolis Zone, sometimes, if Super Sonic enters in a high-speed elevator, he will fall through the end of the elevator.
  • This is fixed on the 2013 re-release.