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The Pulley[1] (リール[2] Rīru?, lit. "Reel"), also known as the Upreel (アップリール[2] Appu Rīru?), Downreel (ダウンリール[2] Daun Rīru?) or Crane Lift[3] (アップリール[4] Atsupurīru?), is a gimmick that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. As their name implies, they are ropes attached to wheels with handles used to help the player scale steep slopes.

Description[]

Pulleys are gimmicks that typically consist of two parts: a handle attached to a piece of wire, and a crane-based machine for reeling in the handle. The exact appearance of the Pully varies from game to game however.

Pulleys usually hang from floating plates or are set on the tensile panels on edges of steep slopes in Zones or other places. When grabbing onto a Pulley's handle, the playable characters will automatically be pulled up, thus helping the player reach the top of the slope. In some cases, however, the Pulleys have been known go down instead, thereby allowing the player to reach bottom areas safely. To grab onto a Pulley's handle, the playable character simply has to touch the handle, and to let go of the handle, the player has to jump. Also, once the playable character lets go of the handle on a Pulley, the handle will typically move back into its original position.

Sometimes, Pulleys do not pull down their reel for the player to grab onto unless the player has defeated all enemies nearby or has pressed a switch close by. However, Pulleys can sometimes have different additional mechanics depending on the game's gameplay style.

Game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]

Pull me up

A Pulley Rift, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Similar-looking reels called Pulley Rifts[5] were first seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles. In these games, the handle on each Pulley Rift is a white ring. This white ring is attached to a brown wire, whose other end is attached to a large blue and yellow Spinning Wheel that reels in the handle.

Pulley Rifts in this game are only featured in Marble Garden Zone Act 2. In gameplay, they are set on steep hills that the player is unable to scale easily. When the playable character touches the white ring that is attached to the wire, the Pulley Rift will automatically pull the player up the slope. The Spinning Wheel will stop pulling in the playable character once he is next to it. Also, the slopes the player has to climb are set up in such a way that when the playable character jumps off a Pulley Rift, there might be another one next to them to help him climb the next slope.

Another type of Pulley Rift are also featured in Launch Base Zone Act 2, which look like the red and yellow-colored hooks from the same Zone. These handles are attached to hovering Twin Hammer crates. By grabbing a hold of this Pulley Rift, it will either pull the player up to the upper pathway or lower them down to a lower section.

Sonic Adventure 2[]

City Escape 12

A Pulley, from Sonic Adventure 2.

In Sonic Adventure 2 and its enhanced port Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, the Pulleys are one of the main gimmicks in the game. In the American guide books, this gimmick is known simply as the Pulley,[6] while in Japan it known as the Upreel (アップリール Appu Rīru?) or Downreel (ダウンリール Daun Rīru?), depending on the direction it takes the playable character in.

The Pulley's traction engine itself is a floating gray platform with red edges. Hanging from the bottom of this platform via a black wire is a red handle on a gray stock that has yellow and black hazard stripes painted on it.

In gameplay, the player can stand and jump on the Pulleys' traction engine like it is a regular platform. Also, when the player grabs the handle on the pulley, the handle will automatically move up/down while the playable character dangles from the handle.

Pulleys can be found in all three types of stages in the game. During the Lock-on Shooting Stages in particular, both Tails and Dr. Eggman are able to shoot their enemy targets while hanging onto the Pulley. Pulleys are also featured during the Egg Golem fight. During this fight, the player can use the Pulleys to escape the quicksand pool at the bottom of the arena, just in case their playable character fall down there.

Sonic Advance series[]

Sonic Advance[]

PulleuAdvance

Sonic hanging from a Pulley, from Sonic Advance.

In Sonic Advance, the Pulleys consist of blocky metallic handles that hang from metallic cords in the ceiling. They also have no visible traction engine in the ceiling. The Pulleys only appear in Angel Island Zone.

Sonic Advance 3[]

Sonic-advance-3-200405071012527 640w

Sonic hanging from a Pulley, from Sonic Advance 3.

In Sonic Advance 3, the Pulleys resemble the ones from Sonic Adventure 2. In this game however, their floating platforms (which are white on the top and red at the bottom) are set on the ceilings. Also, their handles are simple gray rings. The Pulleys only appear in Route 99 and in the second Mini-Game of the game.

Sonic Heroes[]

PulleySonicHeroes

Team Sonic using a Pulley, from Sonic Heroes.

In Sonic Heroes, the Pulleys look similar to how they appeared in Sonic Adventure 2. However, in this game, their floating traction engine platforms are replaced with smaller, floating devices that the player is unable to stand on. The Pulleys also have two traction wires instead of one, and their handle is a large ring with flashing details.

Pulleys can be found in most of the stages of the game. In gameplay, the Pulleys can take the playable character both upward and downward. Also, when the leading playable character grabs the handle on the Pulley, one of the members on the player's team will grab onto the leading character's feet, while the last member on the player's team will grab onto the second character's feet.

Shadow the Hedgehog[]

GUNFORTRESS39

Shadow using a Pulley, from Shadow the Hedgehog.

In Shadow the Hedgehog, the Pulleys look like they did in Sonic Heroes. In this game, the Pulley allows for 360 degree rotation of one's view. In addition, the player can use weapons while hanging from them.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)[]

PulleySonic2006

Sonic using a Pulley, from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), the Pulleys look much like they did in Sonic Heroes. Like their predecessors, they have a small floating traction engine platform each. However, the Pulleys in this game have blue-glowing traction wires, a yellow-white ring each for a handle, and a Bumper symbol where the Pulleys' wires connect with their handles.

Pulleys can be found in a few Action Stages, such as Sonic's version of Aquatic Base. In gameplay, there are also several Pulleys that can pull traction wires downward instead of pulling them up in hall sections, so that the player can safely move down by using them.

Sonic Unleashed[]

CraftLiftUnleashed

A Pulley, from the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed.

In both the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version and Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, the Pulley is known as the Crane Lift[3][7] (アップリール[4] Atsupurīru?). It is also given a new appearance. Instead of having floating traction platforms, the Crane Lifts' traction engines are red mechanical machines that are attached to the edges of steep walls and slopes. On the other end of their wires are red-colored square handles with a neon circle in the center.

The Crane Lifts are only encountered in the daytime stages, where the player can grab onto them to reach higher areas. In gameplay, they can now lift Sonic to the top faster than before. As a result, Sonic is automatically sent flying off the Crane Lift once it reaches the top. Also, the player sometimes has to destroy a certain amount of enemies in the vicinity of the Crane Lift in order to make its handle lower down to ground level so that Sonic can grab a hold of it. As of this game, the Crane Lift can also be targeted with the Homing Attack (when its handle is down that is).

Sonic Colors[]

PulleyColorsWii

A Pulley, from the Wii version of Sonic Colors.

In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, and the remaster Sonic Colors: Ultimate, the Pulleys looks exactly like they did in Sonic Unleashed.

In gameplay, the Pulleys can only be used to reach higher areas. They also function the same way they did in Sonic Unleashed; they send Sonic flying upward when their handles are reeled all the way to the top, and they will in some cases only lower their handle down for the playable character to grab onto once all nearby enemies are cleared out. Their handles can also be targeted with the Homing Attack.

Sonic Generations[]

SonicGenerations 2013-07-31 19-47-47-313

A Pulley, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.

In the console/PC version and Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations, the Pulleys have the same design they had in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors, except that they are slightly bigger this time around.

Pulleys in the console/PC version of the game are only featured in Modern Sonic's Acts and Challenge Acts. In the Nintendo 3DS version on the other hand, they appear in both Classic and Modern Sonic's Acts. In gameplay, they work like they did in Sonic Unleashed; they send Sonic flying upward when their handles are reeled all the way to the top, and they will in some cases only lower their handle down for Modern Sonic to grab onto once all nearby enemies are destroyed. Their handles can also be targeted with the Homing Attack. Some of them can also lead to secret pathways.

Sonic Mania[]

SMStardustPromo2

Sonic using a Pulley, from Sonic Mania.

In Sonic Mania and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Pulleys reuse the design they had in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In this game however, their Spinning Wheels are black and orange, and their handles are yellow.

The Pulley gimmicks appear only in Stardust Speedway Zone. In gameplay, they are there to help the player climb steep slopes, just like in their debut game. Also, like in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, once the playable character grabs onto a Pulley's handle, the Pulley will pull the playable character upward until the character is next to the Spinning Wheel.

Sonic Forces[]

SFpulley

A Pulley, from Sonic Forces.

In Sonic Forces, the Pulleys look exactly like they did in Sonic Unleashed. They also work like they did previous recent titles; they send the user flying upward when their handles are reeled all the way up, and they will sometimes only lower their handle down for the playable character to grab onto after all nearby enemies are beaten. Their handles can also be targeted with the Homing Attack/Wire Attack.

Pulleys in Sonic Forces are only found in the stages where Sonic and the Avatar are playable.

Sonic Frontiers[]

SFronitersPromotional23

Sonic using a Pulley in Kronos Island, from Sonic Frontiers

In Sonic Frontiers, Pulleys make an appearance as gameplay gimmicks in Open Zone areas and Cyber Space stages. In this game, they are depicted with an alternate design of their modern appearance during the Open Zone gameplay, with magenta edges and glowing cyan winches. Despite this, they retain their appearance seen in previous mainline games during the Cyber Space stages. In gameplay, their functionality has remained relatively the same as Sonic can target it with his Homing Attack to reach it from short distance.

See also[]

References[]

  1. Sonic Generations (Xbox 360) United Kingdom instruction booklet, pg. 10.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "System" (in Japanese). Sonic Adventure 2 Hero/Dark Manual. SoftBank. July 16, 2001. p. 23. ISBN 978-4797317152.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Sonic Unleashed (PlayStation 3) European instruction booklet, pg. 19.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 11.
  5. Sonic the Comic #34, "Sonic 3 Part 1 - The Zones"
  6. Prima Development (20 June 2001). "Interactive Objects". Sonic Adventure 2: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. p. 12. ISBN 978-0761536147.
  7. Sonic Unleashed (Wii) United States instruction booklet, pg. 10.
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