Skydiving

For the Mini-Game in Sonic Shuffle, see Sky Diving.

Skydiving^[1] is a move that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a technique for controlling one's descend during a midair dive.

Description

As the name implies, the skydiving maneuver is for when the user is falling down from high up in the air. When using this maneuver, the user adjusts themselves while falling through midair so their body becomes either more or less aerodynamic. As a result, the user can control whether they will fall faster or slower through midair.

In gameplay, skydiving is only used during the sections in the games where the playable character enters an extensive free-fall that connects one section of the levels to the next, during which the player is able to navigate their descend. While the maneuver can be used to increase one's falling speed, it will also decrease the player's side movements. Oppositely, by slowing down while skydiving, the player is given better side movements.

Game appearances

Sonic Unleashed

Skydiving's first appearance was in the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed. In this game, it can only be used by Sonic the Hedgehog in the daytime stages. Skydiving also only occurs in the stages' 3D sections.

To increase one's falling speed while skydiving in gameplay, the player must press / during mid-fall. To steer Sonic, use the movement controls.

Sonic Colors

On both versions of Sonic Colors, the skydiving maneuver is used by Sonic. On the Wii version, it is also used by Super Sonic and the Virtual Hedgehogs. It is worth noting that Super Sonic automatically accelerates when using skydiving. On some occasions, the player will also start using skydiving when the user is launched high up into the air.

On the Wii version of the game, skydiving occurs in both the 3D and 2.5D sections of the Acts. On the Nintendo DS version of the game on the other hand, the skydiving sections only occur in the Acts' 2D sections.

When using skydiving in gameplay, the player has to use the following controls:

	Standard	Wii Remote Sideways	Classic Style	GameCube Controller	Nintendo DS
Diving movement	Control Stick	+Control Pad	L Stick	Control Stick	+Control Pad
Diving descend			b Button

Sonic Generations

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, the skydiving maneuver is used by Modern Sonic and Modern Super Sonic. In this game, the skydiving areas only appear in the stages' 3D sections.

During the boss battle against the Egg Dragoon, there will be occasionally be skydiving sections where the player must chase after the Egg Dragoon in midair.

To increase one's falling speed while skydiving in gameplay, the player must press / during mid-fall. To steer Sonic, use the movement controls.

Sonic Lost World

On both versions of Sonic Lost World, the skydiving maneuver is mainly used by Sonic and Super Sonic. In this game, skydiving does not occur too commonly, as it is only used whenever Sonic is flung high into the air. Like in Sonic Colors, Super Sonic accelerates automatically while skydiving.

To increase one's falling speed while skydiving in gameplay on the Wii U version of the game, the player must press during free-fall. To increase one's falling speed in gameplay on the Nintendo 3DS version, the player must hold down the R, X or Y button. Lastly, to steer Sonic, use the movement controls.

Sonic Forces

In Sonic Forces, the skydiving maneuver is used by Sonic, Super Sonic, the Avatar and Shadow. In this game, the skydiving areas mostly appear in the stages' 3D sections, although there is a brief 2.5D section with skydiving in Egg Gate. In addition, if the playable character is left idling long enough while skydiving, they will turn around and assume a more relaxed pose while looking at the player.

To increase one's falling speed while skydiving in gameplay, the player must press // during mid-fall. When doing this, wind currents can be seen on the edges of the screen. Lastly, to steer the playable characters, use the movement controls.

Trivia

• In real-life, skydiving is the sport of jumping from an airplane and falling through the sky before opening a parachute.

• An early version of skydiving appeared as early as in Shadow the Hedgehog as a level mechanic in Westopolis, Space Gadget, and Cosmic Fall. Unlike skydiving though, the speed of the player's descent cannot be altered. Sonic and Vector, as partner characters, also make use of the technique.

Gallery

Sonic Forces

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References