Insta-Shield

The Insta-Shield, known as the W Spin Attack or W Kaiten Attack (W回転アタック, Daburu Kaiten Atakku^?) in Japan, also called the Wind Attack and Twin-Spin Attack, is a recurring move in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. When using it, the playable character creates a rapid 360° spiral flashing around them for both offense and defense.

Description

When performing Insta-Shield, the user generates enough energy to create a temporary shield for a split-second that can slash enemies and items within their range without the player having to touch them. It can also be useful for defeating more defensive enemies and even avoiding projectiles. The Insta-Shield is usually performed by tapping one of the jump buttons while the playable character is in mid-air after already performing a Spin Jump.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

The Insta-Shield is first seen as one of the new types of techniques for Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and is featured in the same way in the add-on continuation Sonic & Knuckles and the lock-on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. Sonic is able to create an Insta-Shield while Spin Jumping by pressing , or again in mid-air, creating a temporary shield around him. It is useful when the player has to avoid and destroy small projectiles and defeat heavily armed enemies including Star Pointers or Orbinauts without touching them at all. However, the player has to do this very close to the enemies or projectiles.

Tails and Knuckles can't use the Insta-Shield due to having their own abilities. The Insta-Shield cannot be used while Sonic is equipped with a shield in both games, while having Invincibility, or while Super Sonic. Instead, he will perform an action depending on the type of shield possessed:

• A Flame Shield will allow Sonic to perform the Fireball Spin Dash.
• A lightning Shield will allow Sonic to Double Jump.
• A Water Shield will allow Sonic to Bounce Junp.
• While in his hyper form, Sonic will perform the Hyper Flash.

Sonic Advance series

The Insta-Shield returns in all three Sonic Advance games (though it is called Spin Attack^[1] in Sonic Advance, Double Spin Attack^[2] in Sonic Advance 2 and Wind Attack^[3] in Sonic Advance 3) and is performed in the same manner as it is in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. In first two games, only Sonic is able to perform the Insta-Shield by pressing  during a Spin Jump. He is also able to do it in Sonic Advance 2, but if the player is close to a normal Badnik, Sonic performs a Homing Attack instead but will be able to perform Insta-Shield afterwards.

In Sonic Advance 3, Sonic can only perform the Insta-Shield while having Knuckles as his partner by pressing  while jumping. Tails can also perform a variation of this move called the Tail Spin Attack^[4] in the same game while he is partnered with Knuckles.

Sonic Generations

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, the Insta-Shield is a Skill only available for Classic Sonic under the name Twin Spin Attack. The Skill can be unlocked by collecting all Red Star Rings in Sky Sanctuary Act 1 and costs 30 Skill Points to equip. The Twin Spin Attack functions similarly to how it did the in previous games, but the slash effect is more transparent than white. It is performed by pressing / while jumping.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2013)

In the 2013 re-release of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic can perform the Insta-Shield if the player enables Debug Mode. Once in an act, if the player places two Monitors with the three elemental shields and destroys them both, the player will be able to perform the Insta-Shield (as long as he is not equipped with any Shields). If the player destroys two of the aforementioned Monitors again, Sonic can no longer perform the Insta-Shield until he smashes two of those Monitors again. The Insta-Shield retains the same appearance from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2013)

In the 2013 re-release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, much like 2013 re-release of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic can perform the Insta-Shield only via Debug Mode. In this game however, only one of the Monitor with the three elemental shields is required to be smashed to alternate whether Sonic can perform the Insta-Shield or not.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Insta-Shield is one of Sonic's alternate moves which can be unlocked after collecting six Medallions. It can be chosen by toggling the Sonic Ability option to "3&K" at the Secrets menu in No Save mode, effectively replacing the Drop Dash in gameplay. It is functionally nearly identical to its appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, except that the move does not extend Sonic's attack range. This was fixed in the 1.04 update to the game.

To perform the Insta-Shield in gameplay, the player has to execute the following actions:

PS4	Switch	XB1	PC
Press // twice	Press // twice	Press // twice	Press [A] / [Q] / [S] twice

In other media

Sonic the Comic

Main article: Insta-Shield (Sonic the Comic)

Sonic used the Insta-Shield (unnamed in this continuity) twice in the Sonic the Comic series. Sonic has explained that he creates it by vibrating the air molecules around him at super speed.^[5]

Archie Comics

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics, Sonic the Hedgehog has performed Insta-Shield only once. After crashing down on the Floating Island, one of Robotnik's Assaulting Batter Blimps starts attacking Sonic and Tails with a flamethrower and bombs. Sonic unknowingly manages to perform the Insta-Shield in time while dodging flames.^[6]

Gallery

Sprites

Gallery
Twin Spin Attack's icon in Sonic Generations. The Insta-Shield used in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The Insta-Shield used in Sonic Mania. Add a photo to this gallery

Screenshots

Gallery
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comic series) Sonic Advance 2 Sonic Advance 3 Add a photo to this gallery

References