Random

Random^[1] (ランダム, Randamu^?) is a recurring Item Box power-up in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. When obtained, it gives a random power-up.

Description

Random's icon on the Item Boxes containing them differ between games, but otherwise depict a question mark on them.

When picking up a Random, the player obtains a randomly-selected power-up from those available in its game (excluding the Random power-up itself).

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Random first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as an unnamed Super item exclusive to the "2 Player VS" competition. In this game, the monitors containing them feature a flickering white screen with a red question mark on them. It is also the default and only monitor power-up encountered in the Zones in "2 Player VS".

After breaking a Random's monitor in this game, it gives either a Super Ring, Invincible, Shield, Power Sneakers, 1-Up, Eggman Mark or Teleporter.

In the 2013 enhanced port of the game, it is possible to use Random in a single player No Save mode by accessing the Level Select and can bring up a special menu by playing the specific tunes at Sound Test in the following order: 00, 00, 00. The player can toggle to one of the two options in the Items category which replaces all Monitors in the Acts with Random Monitor which will give a different range of Power-ups when broken depending on which option is selected; the first causes Random monitors to grant Super Ring, Invincible, Shield, Power Sneakers, 1-Up, Eggman Mark or Teleporter while the second grants either the Flame Shield, Bubble Shield and Lightning Shield in addition to the aforementioned items.

Sonic Blast

In Sonic Blast, Random is referred to as ??? in Japanese material^[2] and can be encountered in the Zones. In this game, the TVs containing them feature a black screen with a golden question mark on them.

After breaking a Random's monitor in this game, it gives either a Super Ring, Shield, Shoe, Invincible, Extra Life (either Sonic or Knuckles), Marker or Robotnik.

Sonic Riders

Sonic Riders

In Sonic Riders, Random is called Question Item^[3] (クエスチョン^[4], Kuesuchon^?, lit. "Question") and appears on all the available racetracks. In this game, the icon for Question Item is a square blue icon with a golden question mark on it.

In gameplay, Question Item is obtained at random from any Item Box. After breaking a Question Item Item Box in this game, players will receive either a Rings, Magnetic Shield, Explosion, Air, Invincible Barrier, High Speed or Speed Down.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Random is an unnamed power-up that is encountered on all the available racing courses. In this game, the icon for Random is a square blue icon with a golden question mark on it, much like in Sonic Riders.

In gameplay, Random is obtained at random from any Item Box. After breaking a Random Item Box in this game, players will receive either a Rings, Magnetic Shield, Explosion, GP Boost, High Speed, Speed Down, Attack, Parts Lock or Colorball.

Sonic Free Riders

In Sonic Free Riders, Random is called Question (クエスチョン^[5], Kuesuchon^?) and can be found on every racing track available. In this game, the icon for Question is identical to how it appeared in Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. As such, it resembles a square blue icon with a golden question mark on it.

In gameplay, Question is obtained at random from any Item Box.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, this power-up is referred to as Random for the first time.^[1] In these games, the monitors containing them feature a flickering white screen with a red question mark on them, like in their debut.

Much like in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Random is found first and foremost in the game's Competition mode. However, it only appears in this mode's Zones if the players enable the "Random" feature in the game rules before a match, which causes all monitor power-ups throughout the mode to be replaced with Random power-ups.

After breaking a Random's monitor in this game, it gives either a Super Ring, Hyper Ring, Invincible, Blue Shield, Power Sneakers, 1-Up, Eggman Mark, Bubble Shield, Fire Shield, Lightning Shield or Player Swap.

In Sonic Mania Plus's Encore Mode, Random functions differently in the regular Zones where instead of giving one of the other Item Box power-up items, it will shuffle the player's party randomly, potentially replacing the player's current characters.

References

Item Box power-ups

1-Up	Aqua Shield	Flame Shield
Invincible	Thunder Shield	Power Sneakers
Shield	Super Ring

5 Ring Bonus	20 Rings	Attract
Attack (Sonic Advance 2)	Attack (Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity)	Bashosen
Big 50 Ring	Blizzard Bomb	Blue Shield
Bomb	Booby Trap	Bowling Strike
Bubble Bomb	Bunny Boost	Chao Attack
Chao-nado	Chaos Emerald	Change
Character	Chopper Chomp	Colorball
Combi Catcher	Combine Ring	Combination Dash
Combo Bonus	Confusion	Continue Monitor
Damage Recover	Dead End	Drac-O'-Lantern
Dragon Dance	Eggman Mark	Electro Boost
EMP Boost	Explosion	Exploding Balloon
Explosive Mine	Festive Umbrella Boost	Fire Boost
Fire Whirl	Fireball	Firework Flurry
Flame Jump	Flue Shot	Fly Charge
Free Throw	Frozen Chopper Chomp	Gauge Up
Gold Shield	GP Boost	Grow

Harvest Time	Health	Heat Barrier
Hedge Maze	High Speed	Home Run
Hyper Heli-Tails	Ice Mine	Ice Wave
Illusion Boost	Illusion Mine	Jet Board
Jump	Lava Bomb	Lightning
Lilytrap	Magnet	Marker
Maximum Tension Bonus	Mine	Minus Ring
Mosaic	Moto-Bug	Octo-Boost
Octo-Ink	Player Swap	Pogo Spring
Power Core	Pyro-Mine	Random
Random Ring Bonus	Reaper	Red Shield
Ring Can	Rings	Ring Portal
Rocket Shoes	S	Propeller Shoes
Shrink	Skateboard	Slow
Soda Rocket	Speed Down	Stage Select
Star Trail	Steal	Steal Boost
Steal Wisp	Storm Cloud	Strike Out
Special Combination	Spring	Support Spring
Swap	Target Torpedo	Tee Shot
Team Blast Ring	Tension Bonus	Time Bonus
Time Stop	Tornado	Transparency
Trap Shot	Twister	Umbrella Boost
Warp	Whirlwind	Wind Boost
Wipeout	Wrench Rush	Zap Trap

Enerbeam	Magnet (Sonic Boom)	Score Doubler
Shield (Sonic Boom)	Super Ring (Sonic Boom)

Floating Item Box

Item Panel

Target Switch