Real-Time Interaction

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Real-Time Interactions^[1] are quick time events that have been used in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, like in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. They are on-screen prompts with one or more of the buttons on the player's controller which they must press in time, which will alter the game; ranging from just not doing as much damage as responding to the QTE, to access shortcuts which if failed will usually result in the character's death and losing a life. They usually appear in boss battles.

Games that use Real-Time Interactions

Sonic Rush

• The Egg Eagle occasionally performs an attack that tries to blow the player off the platform. The player must repeatedly tap the and buttons to stay on.
• Sonic vs. Blaze; when Sonic (or Blaze, depending on which story the player is playing in) has one hit bar left, the player must repeatedly tap the and buttons and try to push him/her off the side.
• In Special Stages, after the player hits a Spring, they are prompted to touch various points on the touch screen in order. This gives the player more rings if done successfully.

Sonic Rush Adventure

• In Haunted Ship, a cannon launches the player off onto another ship. During this time, the player passes through many Rainbow Rings, where the player must press the , and buttons at the right time to fill up the Tension Gauge.
• After hitting a Jump Panel on the Wave Cyclone, the player is prompted to draw various patterns on the Touch Screen in order to fill up the Boost Gauge.

Sonic Rivals

When the character approaches a Boost Object or a Boost Ring, the screen shows to the player whether to press (for Air Boost) or (for Speed Boost) for the recommended route. If a question mark appears the player can either press the / button without any worries.

Sonic Rivals 2

• Similar to Sonic Rivals, as the character approaches a Boost zone or hoop, the player presses either  (for Air Boost) or (for Speed boost) button as shown on the screen for the recommended route.
• If the player's character is about to be jostled by their rival, a prompt appears within a very short time; if the player manages to press , the player's character will counterattack and the rival character will be the one to lose rings instead.
• There are special gimmicks called "Boost Panels", which while at one, the player is prompt to press either the or button to be launched to the next Boost Panel consecutively until the player's character is back on foot again.
• In Blue Coast Zone Act 1, the player's character would ride into a barrel. The player is prompted to press the button to jump when prompt to do so while near the wooden crates.
• In Sunset Forest Zone, the player is prompted to press the button while the character inside a cannon to be launched out of it. Depending on the timing of the press of the button will vary in the angle the character is launched at. In Act 3, while the player's character is climbing a vine ladder, the player presses both the and buttons at once to climb.
• In Neon Palace Zone, the player is prompted to press the button while his character is curled into a ball on a flipper to launch him/her.
• In Frontier Canyon Zone, the player is prompted to rapidly tap the button while the character is curled to a ball attached to a pulley to propel through the wire. In Act 3, while the player's character is on a minecart, the player is prompted to rapidly tap the button to accelerate on the minecart while the button is prompted to the player to jump over the wooden crates.
• In Chaotic Inferno Zone, there is a cannon which works similarly to the cannon in Sunset Forest Zone (the player is prompted to press the button). Also, while in elevators that curls the character into a ball, the player is prompt to rapidly tap the button to ascend. In Act 3, while riding on rockets after they reach a certain point, a timer stats counting down along with the prompt to press the button, which the player's character jumps off; otherwise the character will automatically jump off when the timer expires.
• Ifrit—While falling down, the Ifrit will occasionally swoop down from behind the characters fighting it from the background and fly into them. At this point, the player has to either press the on-screen button(s) that appear to attack the Ifrit which counts as a hit; otherwise that opportunity is lost and the Ifrit damages both characters.

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

When the player inputs a POW move or an opponent utilizes a powerful attack, they must perform a series of actions with the Nintendo DS stylus on the Touch Screen. This includes touching circles when the outer one overlaps the inner one, sliding the stylus in line with a moving circle and touching a spot a number of times. The player must succeed in performing these actions for the POW move to happen successfully or dodge the enemy's powerful attack. If the player fails just one part of the real-time event's actions, the POW move will fail/miss or do less damage than normal. In the case of enemy attacks, they will hit and damage the player.

Sonic Unleashed

Real-Time Interactions appear mostly in nighttime levels when Sonic the Werehog performs a Critical Attack (by pressing the / on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions respectively) on an enemy, which will usually score bonus points and instantly defeat them. Note that a certain amount of damage must be inflicted to initiate this, and the more health that enemy has remaining, the less time the player will have to press the button before the opportunity is lost and they will take damage. In daytime levels, they will initiate when Sonic is launched from a Trick Jump Panel (normally a 3-6 button sequence that must be pressed in order) or when launched from Blue springs into jump pads.

• Tornado Defense (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions only)- The player must press the corresponding buttons to defeat the enemies and weapons that appear on-screen (If failed, the enemies move away or in the case of an incoming attack, the Tornado will take damage). Sometimes the player is given a 3 or 5 button sequence to press quickly and in the correct order to defeat all the enemies in a large pack, and score bonus points. During the battle against the Egg Cauldron, the player generally performs the same actions they did throughout the stage. After Eggman launches a full-scale attack, the player must press a button 5 times to damage the boss.

• Dark Gaia Phoenix - (Wii/PlayStation 2 versions only) After hitting him five times after spraying water at him—(Wii Remote: Sequence: Shake(5), Shake (5))

• Dark Guardian - Breaking his regenerative HP Move before it ends—(Wii Remote: Sequence: Shake (2))

• Egg Lancer- (Wii/PlayStation 2 versions only) Before entering the chimney which restarts the running platform—

(Sequence (usually): A, Z, B. Results in death if incorrect). For the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions, after hitting the blue spring, the player has to press the correct button on each of the three jump pads (Although the sequence of buttons appears random, if Sonic accesses these jump pads again that sequence will always be the same) before the third and final jump pad (which is a 3-button sequence). Failure to press the correct buttons at any point will result in a missed chance to hit the boss, or will cause the player to lose a life if they do not use the Homing Attack to home onto the springs by falling into a bottomless pit.

• Egg Dragoon - (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions only) After lowering its health to a certain point (Sequence for first time is always the same: /, /, /, /, / and / 10 times. Sequence for second time: /, /, /, Random, Random, / 16 times and /.) Failure to press the correct buttons (not including the first /) and/or on time will result in the chance of attacking the Egg Dragoon lost.

• Dark Gaia - (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions only) When the Gaia Colossus reaches Dark Gaia, the player must press 3/4/5 onscreen buttons during the first/second/third instance of this phase. (All console versions) When Sonic is about to attack one of Dark Gaia's eyes via a trick ramp, it will always be a 3-button sequence.

• Perfect Dark Gaia - (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 versions only) After defeating the snake minions that create the barrier and Perfect Dark Gaia grabs onto the Gaia Colossus, the player controlling Super Sonic must perform the following sequence: /, /, /, /, /and /. When Dark Gaia fires a laser out of his eye at the Gaia Colssus—(Sequence: / 60 times. Results in death if incorrect)

• There is an RPG style quick time event in the Wii version which is used to beat the exorcised Nightmares in order to save Amy.

Sonic and the Black Knight

Main article: Acts of Chivalry

In some missions of Sonic and the Black Knight, the player can interact with the Townspeople to perform an Act of Chivalry. Once interacted, the player must press the corresponding buttons that appear on-screen within a time limit for the Act of Chivalry to be successful.

Sonic Colors (DS)

Nega-Wisp Armor (Final form) - Just before it fires his laser - (Sequence: , then press until defeated. Quick reaction required, results in death if under laser's fire for too long). Also, when you get all the Wisps that were captured by Eggman, you must quickly and rapidly press to activate the Final Color Blaster to boost towards the mech and defeat it.

Sonic Forces

In Sonic Forces, Real-Time Interactions are a major gameplay mechanic and appear in two forms. During Tag Team stages with Sonic and Avatar, when the player uses the Double Boost, a Real-Time Interaction will appear. If performed correctly, Sonic and the Avatar will use said boost. If the player doesn't reach the target in time, they will stumble for a second before engaging the boost.

The other variety of Real-Time Interactions takes the form of a dark green circle with a lighter green circle that forms around it. The lighter circle will slowly close in on the darker circle, and the player must press // in order to complete it. The closer the circle is to aligning with the dark green ring in the center when the appropriate button is pressed, the more points the player will be awarded with. The quick time event can only be failed if the player does not press the appropriate button by the time the shrinking circle reaches the center, normally resulting in death.

References