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"Sling Shot" redirects here. Not to be confused with Slingshot (move).

The Triangle Bumper[1] (三角バンパー[2] Sankaku Banpā?), also known as the triangular bumper (三角形のバンパー[3] sankakkei no banpā?) or simply Bumper[4] (バンパー[5] Banpā?), is an obstacle that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Usually being depicted in two or three different types of pinball bumpers in numerous games, they are basic pads found in pinball sections of casino-themed stages; as coming into contact with one will send its user backwards.

Description[]

Sling-Shot-Sonic-Generations-PC

The Sling Shot, a separate type of Triangle Bumper, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.

In numerous Sonic the Hedgehog games, Triangle Bumpers come in three shaped types with all of them sharing same functionalities: right corner triangle and the flat isosceles triangle. The third, separate type is referred to as the Sling Shot[6] (スリングショット[7] Suringu Shotto?), which are based on real-life pinball objects with same name. Having a scalene triangle shape with round corners, they are found in pairs, being commonly placed upper left and upper right of the lowest set of Flippers in the pinball sections of the stage. The cosmetic appearance of Triangle Bumpers varies and few games like Sonic 3D Blast and Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World also feature unusual-looking types of Triangle Bumpers, that nevertheless have the same purpose despite their appearances.

Triangle Bumpers in terms of functionality are closely similar to Bumpers. Once being bounced by it, the user is being bumped to the opposite direction at high acceleration. In many cases where certain rooms are filled with Triangle Bumpers, the playable character has to pass through these sections by balancing the mid-air movement while being bounced around by them. Also in few games, they provide points in response of hitting them.

Game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]

Triangle-Bumpers

Two types of Triangle Bumpers, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, its various ports and remasters, and the lock-on game Knuckles in Sonic 2, triangular bumpers (三角形のバンパー[3] sankakkei no banpā?) or simply triangles (三角[8] sankaku?) are minor obstacles scattered around Casino Night Zone.

In terms of appearance, this type of bumper comes in two types. Corner triangle The first is right-angled corner triangle; the second isosceles triangle has a longer base and a shorter height. These Bumpers come in different color, too; the first is red and green, with a small white "crown" symbol in its center. There are also two "screws" at the end of the green band's hypotenuse. The second, however, is a blue triangle with an orange and a red outer band. Like the other one, there are two "screws" at the ends of the longest side of the orange band. However, neither of these bumpers award the player with points when hit.

In gameplay, all of Triangle Bumpers function the same as regular Bumpers. Corner Triangle Bumpers are found placed in the wall and ceiling corners of pinball tables, as well on very steep points of the Zone. Flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers are placed on the floors and walls, as there are couple of wide rooms filled with them. The player has to pass through these rooms by balancing on Triangle Bumpers to the direction, where the player can proceed in the Act. At one instance in Casino Night Zone Act 1, the player can also find pair of isosceles Triangle Bumpers connected together, pointing opposite directions in the middle of a pinball table.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD[]

In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Collision Chaos features different type of Triangle Bumpers as minor obstacles. Here, they are depicted as flat corner triangles with flashing outlines around them. When the player approaches towards it, the playable character will be normally bounced to the opposite direction at low speed and unlike regular Bumpers, they don't grant any points. Triangle Bumpers are found either located on corners of the terrains or floating in the mid-air. Much like other flashing horizontal bars with identical gimmicks in Collision Chaos, none of Triangle Bumpers are found in the Past time period of the Round.

Sonic Spinball[]

In the 16-bit version of Sonic Spinball, Sling Shots, here being referred to as Drain Bumpers,[9] are introduced as common gimmicks in the game. The cosmetic appearance of them is different between stages. Drain Bumpers function similarly to isosceles Triangle Bumpers and they are generally positioned in pairs above Flippers between a kick-out hole. In The Machine, there are also singular Drain Bumpers on the left side of the stage with moving elevator Flippers. In order to hit and get bounced by the Drain Bumper, the player has to move straight towards its pad at high speed, as leaping from upwards or below it at low mid-air acceleration will not activate the Drain Bumper. In this game, all Drain Bumpers grant 15,000 points per each hit.

Pairs of both Drain Bumpers and basic isosceles Triangle Bumpers with white color scheme are also featured in the game's Bonus Stages. Here, they are positioned on lower part of the pinball table along with white Flippers. Unlike in regular stages, hitting both of Drain Bumpers or Triangle Bumpers do not grant any points.

In the 8-bit version of Sonic Spinball, Sling Shots appear as one of main gimmicks in the game and are commonly referred to simply as Bumpers.[10] Much like in the 16-bit version, their cosmetic appearance is different in each stage and they are positioned in pairs above Flippers in large halls or as singular pads near close to moving elevator Flippers in the The Machine. Hitting Sling Shots in all stages will grant 500 points each time.[10]

Sonic & Knuckles[]

Triangle-Bumper-or-Sling-Shot-Bonus-Stage-Sonic-&-Knuckles

Sling Shot-like obstacle in the Bonus Stage, from Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

In Sonic & Knuckles and the lock-on game, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, large Sling Shot-like bumpers are featured in the Glowing Sphere type of Bonus Stage, where they are placed closely to Flippers in wall's surface. Coming in contact with it will bounce the playable character backwards at high speed.

Sonic Drift 2[]

RampDrift2-2Sprite

In Sonic Drift 2, Triangle Bumpers[1] (三角バンパー[2] Sankaku Banpā?) are small obstacles found in Casino Night race track. Here, they are depicted as red plates with yellow and blue outlines, as driving over them will launch the player into a small flying leap much like Ramps in other race tracks.

Sonic 3D Blast[]

In Sonic 3D Blast, pairs of gray-colored Triangle Bumpers are found in the corners of downhill slopes in Spring Stadium Zone Act 2. Much like regular Bumpers, they usually bounce the player backwards upon contact, but they do not grant any points.

Gene Gadget Zone has another set of wider Triangle Bumpers with basic gray appearance, as they are usually placed closely to floors of Fans on sidewalls or the edge of the terrain. One section at Gene Gadget Zone 1 also features unique types of bumpers in the floor full of Fans, which resemble gray equilateral pyramid structures with blue orbs on the top. When the player comes into contact with them, the playable character will normally be propelled backwards, while floating in the mid-air due to the active Fans.

Sonic R[]

In Sonic R, two large Triangle Bumpers with orange and gray color scheme are found in a large-scale pinball table of Radical City.

Sonic Adventure[]

Slot-Machine-Sling-Shots-Casinopolis-Sonic-Adventure

Pair of Sling Shots, from Sonic Adventure.

In Sonic Adventure and its enhanced port Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, Sling Shots are present in two pinball tables of Casinopolis, here being referred to simply as bumpers.[11] Sling Shots are depicted as pads with red and yellow outlines and blue base with dark blue circles containing a white five-pointed stars in the center.

In gameplay, Sling Shots are located above Flippers in the bottom point of 777 Slots Pinball and Card & Pinball tables. Much like regular Bumpers, each hit on the Sling Shot will grant one Ring. Also, when the player activates the slot machine in the 777 Slots Pinball table, the neon lighting triangles above Sling Shots start flashing, as the flashing pattern can be used to help timing right slot formations.[11]

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure[]

In Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers reappeared in Cosmic Casino Zone. In this game, their appearance and functionality is closely the same as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sonic Advance[]

In Sonic Advance, Triangle Bumpers, along with hexagonal bumpers, are commonly referred to simply as Bumpers (バンパー[5] Banpā?). Here, they again come in two different types: corner triangles and flat isosceles triangles. Both types share the common appearance of red background, white outlines and yellow, flat triangle in the middle pointing downwards. In gameplay, their functionality is closely the same as in previous games, except they shake each time when the player makes contact on them.

Sonic Pinball Party[]

Slingshots

In Sonic Pinball Party, Sling Shots[6] (スリングショット[7] Suringu Shotto?) are present in all three pinball tables of the game. In Sonic pinball table, their appearance is loosely based on ones from Sonic Adventure, NiGHTS table features purple Sling Shots with white outlines and bases featuring star and crescent moon formations. Sling Shots in Samba de Amigo table are shaped like Bananas.

In gameplay, Sling Shots are common gimmicks in the game and they're found in pairs on the bottom part of the pinball table, right above active Flippers. Sonic's pinball table also contains the third, separate Sling Shot located between Big Target Hole and Field Multiplier on the top of the table. Each hit towards the Sling Shot by ball, grants 50 points in all three pinball tables.

Sonic Heroes[]

In Sonic Heroes, both Triangle Bumpers and Sling Shots are referred to as simply bumpers[4] and they are found in Casino Park and BINGO Highway. Here, only flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers are featured with white top plates, neon green outer band with three flashing Bumper symbols and the black base containing thick dark green outlines forming triangles. Sling Shots are basic structures with green pads on them as they are either green, blue or yellow based on the pinball table's overall color scheme.

In gameplay, Triangle Bumpers are found only in pinball tables and downhill slope sections of both stages, usually placed on any sides of these sections. Much like Sling Shots, when the player comes in contract with Triangle Bumper, the top plate bends slightly while bumping the playable character backwards. Sling Shots are always found in pinball tables above Flippers. In Casino Park, both Triangle Bumpers and Sling Shots are also found in the pinball table of the secret VIP room.

Mario & Sonic series[]

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games[]

In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Triangle Bumpers are featured as minor obstacles in BINGO Highway track during the Dream Sprint event. Here, their appearance is slightly different from ones from Sonic Heroes with completely white band, three Bumper symbols at the end of the band's hypotenuse and black base. In gameplay, Triangle Bumpers are scattered around the track to bounce the playable character inside a ball backwards once touching it.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4[]

Triangle-Bumpers-Sonic-the-Hedgehog-4-Episode-I

Two different types of Triangle Bumpers in Casino Street Zone, from Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.

Both types of Triangle Bumpers in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I and its extension Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal, are found in Casino Street Zone as minor obstacles. In terms of appearance, flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers have orange and blue color schemes, and corner Triangle Bumpers have red and green color schemes.

In gameplay, both types of Triangle Bumpers function closely like in previous side-scrolling games. Flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers are common types found in all Acts, while corner Triangle Bumpers are only found in Casino Street Zone Act 1. Also, when being bounced backwards by Triangle Bumpers, the player can easily cancel the mid-air momentum by using Sonic's Homing Attack at right moment.

Sonic Generations[]

The console/PC version of Sonic Generations features Sling Shots exclusively in a DLC stage, Casino Night. Here, their appearance is loosely based on ones from Sonic Adventure with white outlines and without dark blue circles with white stars in the center. Placed on the bottom part of the pinball table in pairs above Flippers, each hit provided by Sonic/Classic Sonic in his Spin Attack mode, grants 20 points for the player.

In the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, both types of Triangle Bumpers appear in the Casino Night, where their functionality remained the same. Flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers look closely the same as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, while corner triangle type's appearance is altered to the basic look with red outer band and outlines featuring dark green and yellow pattern.

Sonic Lost World[]

Triangle-Bumper-Sonic-Lost-World-PC

Triangle Bumpers in Frozen Factory Zone 3, from PC version of Sonic Lost World.

In the Wii U version and PC version of Sonic Lost World, flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers are featured in Frozen Factory Zone 3. Here, they are depicted as basic triangle plates with red with a blue and yellow inner areas on the top, while the side-plates are semi transparent with stanchions on each end being visible. Triangle Bumpers are seen being placed on the side walls of corridor sections, usually close to group of Badniks or falling purple dice. Sling Shots are also featured above Flippers in bottom parts of pinball tables. Each hit on a Sling Shot will provide 100 points for the player. In the second, semi-hidden pinball table of the same Zone, flat isosceles Triangle Bumpers with neo lightning effect are also found at the top section of the pinball table and they also provide 100 points per hit.

The Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World features both corner and flat isosceles types of Triangle Bumpers as minor obstacles in Sky Road Zone 1. Here, their appearance is closely the same as in Wii U/PC version of the game with corner Triangle Bumpers also sharing same details as flat isosceles ones. Sky Road Zone 1 also has third type of obstacle resembling diamond-shaped squares with same details as other two types of bumpers. These types of Triangle Bumpers function closely like hexagonal bumpers as they are floating stationary in the mid-air on large hall sections below Bingo gimmicks. Unlike in Wii U/PC version of the game, none of Triangle Bumpers grant any points when hitting them. Performing the Cyan Laser at them also bumps the playable character backwards at high speed.

Sonic Forces[]

In Sonic Forces, both two types of Triangle Bumpers are featured in Casino Forest. Their appearance is closely taken from Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Lost World with slight wear marks on them and neon green and yellow details on top plates. In multiple sections, the player can also use both types of Triangle Bumpers to reach higher sections of the stage. Both types grant 500 points per one hit and after hitting it the tenth time, the Triangle Bumper will no longer offer any points.

Sonic Frontiers[]

In Sonic Frontiers, 2 Triangle Bumpers appear in the Pinball Island Mystery on Chaos Island. In this game, they have been redesigned to have a blue and purple color scheme in order to match the other gimmicks in the Open-Zone areas.

In gameplay, they act similarily to the regular Bumpers, giving the player points when hit.

Gallery[]

Artwork[]

Screenshots[]

Gallery

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sonic Drift 2 (Sega Game Gear) United States instruction booklet, pg. 19.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sonic Drift 2 (Sega Game Gear) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 25.
  3. 3.0 3.1 (in Japanese) ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ2 メガドライブ公式ガイドブック. Shogakukan. December 1992. p. 83. ISBN 978-4091024145.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Kaizen Media Group (1 June 2004). "Stage 06: BINGO Highway". Sonic Heroes: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. p. 49. ISBN 978-0761544494. "Use the spring to get up to the top of the giant slide. After falling down one level on the slide, use the bumpers to bounce you up to get extra Rings."
  5. 5.0 5.1 "ギミック紹介" (in Japanese). ソニックアドバンス必勝パーフェクトガイド. Aspect. 8 February 2002. p. 26. ISBN 978-4757209145. "触れると弾き飛ばされる。 直角三角形、平たい二等辺三角形、六角形の3種類がある。"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sonic Pinball Party (Game Boy Advance) United States instruction booklet, pg. 13.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Sonic Pinball Party (Game Boy Advance) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 1.
  8. "ZONE4 CASINO NIGHT ZONE" (in Japanese). ソニックジャム オフィシャルガイド. SoftBank. 2 October 1997. p. 41. ISBN 978-4797303377. "ゆく手をさえぎる 4つのバンパーがジャマ。スピードを調節して丸と三角の間を抜ける。その先で跳ね返って、戻されることもある。"
  9. Sonic Spinball (Sega Genesis) United States instruction booklet, pg. 8.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Sonic Spinball (Sega Game Gear) United States instruction booklet, pg. 13.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Stratton, Bryan (17 June 2003). "Sonic the Hedgehog". Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. p. 23. ISBN 978-0761542865. "The triangular lights above the bumpers can help you with your timing."
Navigation templates to Triangle Bumper


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