Movable box

For the obstacle, see Moving Crate.

The movable box,^[1] also referred to as Movable Crate,^[2] is a reoccurring object in the Sonic the Hedgehog series which first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991). They are large cuboid obstacles that the player can push and use in various ways.

Description

Movable boxes bear many key resemblances to the Steel Containers. They are fairly large cuboid figures that the playable characters cannot destroy by any means. In gameplay though, the player can move the movable boxes by pushing (or sometimes pulling) them in one direction, though the player will move at a much slower pace.

Sometimes, the movable boxes serve as obstacles blocking the player's path. Most of the time though, they are gimmick with an alternate purpose which can help the player progress with the levels, though this depends on the game.

Games appearance

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

The movable boxes made their debut in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), where they resembled green-grey stone blocks. In this game, they can be found in Marble Zone where they are used to hold down Switches and cross lava pools by pushing them into said pools and riding on them as flotation devices.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and its add-on continuation Sonic & Knuckles, the movable boxes' appearance reflects their location and their purpose varies between Zones. In IceCap Zone, the movable boxes are large blocks of ice that the player can push down slippery slopes while riding on them, while in Sandopolis Zone, they are brown and sandy rocks that can be pushed down on rolling orbs in midair which the player can use to ride across gabs on the movable box.

Sonic Adventure 2

In Sonic Adventure 2 and its remake Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, the movable boxes only appear in some of Knuckles the Echidna's Stages. In this game, the movable boxes are sculptured with some ancient language and can only moved up and down railroad-like tracks. To move the crate in gameplay, the player has to press // while having selected the Action Window "Catch" and use the control stick to move the crate. To release the crate, press // again.

Sonic Rush

In Sonic Rush, Zones such as Mirage Road, Night Carnival, Altitude Limit and Dead Line feature movable crates usually blocking the narrow pathways. The player has to push it out of the way to reach touching switch on the ceiling or reach higher section. Moves such as the Super/Fire Boost help move crates faster.

Sonic Rivals series

In both Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, movable boxes appear in all of the Zones. Their appearances vary between Zones to match their respective theme (for example in Sky Park Zone, the movable boxes appear to resemble Jack-in-the-boxes) but all have the same purposes in gameplay. In Sky Park Zone however, the movable boxes can also be used as Springs if the player jumps on top of them after they are pushed into a Warp Hole, thus launching the player towards an alternate route through the Zone or a Power-Up item.

Sonic Unleashed

In Sonic Unleashed, the movable boxes are large boxes of stone with a handle on each side. In this game, they appear normally in the nighttime Stages Sonic the Werehog and in rare cases in the daytime stages. Their appearance slightly differ between Stages to reflect the surroundings. They mainly serve as a way for the player to hold down Switches and reach otherwise unreachable areas. There are also movable boxes without handles in both the daytime and nighttime Stages which can only be pushed without grabbing them.

To move a movable box in this game, the player must use Grab on it, upon where it can be pushed and/or pulled. On the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version, the player can increase Sonic's speed while pulling the crate by holding down / while moving.

Sonic Colors

In both the Wii and Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors, the movable boxes make an appearance. In the Wii in particular, the movable boxes are colored silver and have black frames.

In the Wii version, the player can not only push the movable boxes but also use the Kick boost to knock a movable box a far distance away quickly while instantly destroying any enemies caught in its path. In the Nintendo DS version on the other hand, the player can use the Boost to push the movable boxes faster.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, II and Metal, the movable boxes work exactly like in their early appearances, meaning they can only be moved by pushing them. They can be used by all the playable characters across all three episodes.

Sonic Generations

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, the Moveable Crate has different designs for each Stage, ranging from an electronic yellow-steel container, to a silver steel container, to a block of stone.

In Act 1 of the Stages, the player can only push the movable boxes normally. Equipping Classic Sonic with the Hercules Muscles Skill lets him push them around faster though. In Act 2 of the Stages however, the player can use Kick boost to quickly push them over greater distances.

Trivia

• In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, certain, single sets of Spikes in Angel Island Zone and Flying Battery Zone can be pushed forward to reveal hidden pathways or rooms below them.
• Interestingly, the movable boxes that appeared in Jungle Joyride in Sonic Unleashed bear a great resemblance to the beta crates in the Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) TGS demo.

Gallery

Models

Sonic Generations (Chemical Plant)

Sonic Generations (Rooftop Run)

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Screenshots

Gallery
The movable box in the IceCap Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The movable crate at Mirage Road in Sonic Rush. The movable box in Sonic Unleashed. Add a photo to this gallery

References