The Item Box[1] (アイテムボックス[2] Aitemu Bokkusu?), earlier on also called the Monitor[3] amongst other names, is an object that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Having been featured frequently in the series since the very beginning, Item Boxes contain various kinds of power-ups or bonuses which can be used by the player. Placed on the ground, in mid-air or even hidden in different places in the various levels, the player can open Item Boxes in order to obtain their power-ups.
Description[edit]
-
The Item Boxes' classic "monitor" design, from Sonic Forces.
-
The Item Boxes' modern "capsule" design, from Sonic Runners.
The appearance of Item Boxes has changed on several occasions throughout the Sonic series. In the early games of the series, they took the form of gray and rectangular/cubic computer monitors with the icon of the power-up contained inside shown on said monitors' black screens. Even though they were replaced in later games, classic monitor Item Boxes have made appearances in recent games, mostly in those that feature 2.5D gameplay, such as Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Mania. Otherwise, since Sonic Adventure, modern Item Boxes were designed to look like ellipsoid glass capsules with a red cap on the top and an icon inside them that identifies the power-up they contain. In games such as Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Lost World, the appearance of modern Item Boxes has been simplified so that they resemble round glass capsules with red top and bottom covers.
Item Boxes are usually placed on the ground. However, they can also be hidden in a level's environment, such as in palm trees. They can also be found suspended in midair, particularly those designed without a base, or even upside down. In some games, when a classic monitor Item Box is hidden in the air or stuck to the ceiling, striking it from below will cause it to fall to the ground.
A classic monitor Item Box can be broken from directly above or from the sides with different attacks. This usually involves the player hit them with a Spin Attack-related move or attack them with similar ground-bound or aerial attacks. The Homing Attack can also target and break Item Boxes the same way it targets and destroys enemies. Certain playable characters can also use weapons to break Item Boxes. In several 3D games and certain 2D games since Sonic Adventure however, the modern glass capsule Item Boxes can be broken by simply touching them. After breaking open an Item Box, the icon that is seen in the Item Box will pop out and the player receives the power-up or item. Once an Item Box is broken, it will remain as such until the player loses a life or starts the level over.
If the player holds the jump button while destroying a classic monitor Item Box from above, the playable character will bounce back as if they hit a Badnik; that is, the longer the distance the player falls onto the classic monitor Item Box, the higher the higher will bounce back up. The player can land normally on the Item Box, if the playable character does not perform a Spin Jump or any other variations of the move.
In the classic Sonic games, there is a brief delay between the moments where the player breaks the Item Box and when the player receives the power-up. For example, if the player gets a Shield or Invincible item, it is still possible for the player to take damage before the power-up's effect is received.
The usage of Item Boxes has varied considerably through the series, being present in most 2D as well as 3D titles until Sonic Unleashed and its succeeding Boost-style games, in which they were replaced with different methods of getting power-ups, such as floating Super Rings and 1-Ups, which can be obtained by simply touching them. Despite this, Item Boxes continue to appear as a semi-regular feature in the series.
Variants[edit]
Floating Item Boxes[edit]
The Floating Item Box, or simply Balloon, is an Item Box variant in the form of a red Balloon with white and blue circles containing a star on it. They function like regular Item Boxes, except that they are always floating in the air. While Floating Item Boxes do not display the power-up they contain, they do give an aerial boost when opening one. They first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2.
Target Switch[edit]
The Target Switch is an Item Box variant that appears as a target floating in midair. If the player tries to fly too close to it, the Target Switch will start spinning and cannot be hit. To earn its power-up, the player has to hit the Target Switch with Thunder Shoot from a safe distance. They first appeared in Sonic Heroes.
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast) United States instruction booklet, pg. 11.
- ↑ Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 13.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis) United States instruction booklet, pg. 10.
Playable characters | Sonic | |
Non-playable characters | Eggman · Animals (Flicky, Pocky, Pecky, Cucky, Ricky, Picky, Rocky) | |
Zones | Green Hill Zone · Bridge Zone · Jungle Zone · Labyrinth Zone · Scrap Brain Zone · Sky Base Zone · Special Stages | |
Enemies | Ball Hog · Bomb · Burrobot · Buzz Bomber · Caterkiller · Chopper · Crabmeat · Jaws · Moto Bug · Newtron · Orbinaut (Uni Uni, Unidasu) · Spikes | |
Bosses | Green Hill Zone boss · Bridge Zone boss · Jungle Zone boss · Labyrinth Zone boss · Sky Base Zone boss | |
Moves/techniques | Crouch · Spin Attack · Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Bomb · Bumper · Capsule · Conveyor Belt · Crusher · Electrical emitter · Fireball · Flipper · Giant spear · Goal Plate · Iron ball · Seesaw · Spikes · Spring · Switch | |
Items | Air bubble · Chaos Emerald · Item Box (1-Up, Continue Monitor, Marker, Invincible, Shield, Super Ring, Power Sneakers) · Ring | |
Other | Continue · Egg Mobile · Game Over · Life · South Island · Time Over · Teleporter · Totem pole · Water |
Playable characters | Sonic | |
Non-playable characters | Tails · Eggman · Animals (Flicky, Ricky, Pocky, Rocky, Pecky, Cucky, Picky) | |
Zones | Under Ground Zone · Sky High Zone · Aqua Lake Zone · Green Hills Zone · Gimmick Mountain Zone · Scrambled Egg Zone · Crystal Egg Zone | |
Enemies | Bomb · Buton · Burrowbot · Flying Chopper · Game-game · Newtron · New Motora · Taraban · Zaririn | |
Bosses | Pit Master · Hiyoko Master · Balance Master · Dohyo Master · Charge Master · Mecha Sonic · Crystal Egg Zone boss | |
Moves/techniques | Crouch · Spin Attack · Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Capsule · Goal Plate · Flywheel · Hang Glider · High-speed warp tube · Minecart · Spring | |
Items | Air bubble · Chaos Emerald · Item Box (1-Up, Invincible, Power Sneakers, Super Ring) · Ring | |
Other | Life · Loop · Master Robots · South Island · Teleporter · Water |
V·T·E · {{Sonic 2 (8-bit) info}} · Category
Playable characters | Sonic · Tails | |
Non-playable characters | Eggman · Flicky | |
Zones | Turquoise Hill Zone · Gigalopolis Zone · Sleeping Egg Zone · Mecha Green Hill Zone · Aqua Planet Zone · Electric Egg Zone · Special Stages | |
Enemies | Boing-o-Bot · Bomblin · Buzz Bomber · Coconut-Bot · Frogger · Mecha Hiyoko · Metal-o-Turtle · Veg-o-Bot | |
Bosses | Lady Bug Boss · Bead Worm Boss · Bouncy Boss Robot · Tree Crawler Boss · Sphere-o-Bot Boss · Laser Walker | |
Moves/techniques | Crouch · Propeller Flying · Spin Attack · Spin Dash · Spin Jump · Super Peel Out | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Dash Panel · Goal Plate · High-speed warp tube · Spikes · Spring · Switch | |
Items | Air bubble · Chaos Emerald · Continue · Giant Ring · Item Box (1-Up, Invincible, Super Ring, Pogo Spring, Power Sneakers, Rocket Shoes, Time Stop) · Ring | |
Other | Corkscrew · Life · Loop · Master Robots · North Cave · South Island · Water |
Playable characters | Sonic | |
Non-playable characters | Tails · Eggman · Animals (Flicky, Cucky, Locky, Wocky) · Sally · Bunnie Rabbot · Rotor · Muttski · Hip and Hop | |
Stages | Toxic Caves · Lava Powerhouse · The Machine · Showdown · Bonus Stages | |
Enemies | Buster · Buzz Bomber · Cluckbird · Clucker · Crawl · Ferron · Krondor · Magma Worm · Rexxon · Robohead · Scratch | |
Bosses | Scorpius · Roboiler · Veg-O Machine · Robotnik's Ship | |
Moves/techniques | Cliffhanger Flip · Crouch · Spin Attack · Spin Dash · Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Balloon · Bumper · Capsule · Flipper · High-speed warp tube · Minecart · Sewer Warp · Triangle Bumper | |
Items | Chaos Emerald · Drop Target · Ring | |
Albums | Sonic the Hedgehog Boom · Sonic Spinball (vinyl album) | |
Other | Life · Mount Mobius · Planet Mobius · Sonic Spinball (LCD game) · Sonic Spinball (Life Savers) · Star Circle · Veg-O-Fortress |
Playable characters | Sonic | |
Non-playable characters | Tails · Eggman · Animals (Cucky, Flicky) · Hip and Hop | |
Stages | Toxic Pools · Lava Powerhouse · The Machine · Final Showdown · Bonus Stages | |
Enemies | Cluck · Ferron · Forebot · Magma Worm · Robohead · Vulture · Wasp | |
Bosses | Toxic Pools boss · Roboiler · Veg-O Machine · Final Showdown boss | |
Moves/techniques | Crouch · Spin Attack · Spin Dash · Spin Jump | |
Bosses | Bumper · Flipper · High-speed warp tube · Sewer Warp · Spring Catapult · Triangle Bumper | |
Moves/techniques | Chaos Emerald · Item Box (1-Up, Continue Monitor) · Drop Target · Ring | |
Music | Sonic the Hedgehog Boom | |
Other | Life · Mobius · Veg-O-Fortress |
V·T·E · {{& Knuckles info}} · Category
Playable characters | Sonic · Tails · Amy · Eggman | |
Courses | Green Hill · Marble · Spring Yard · Labyrinth · Star Light · Scrap Brain | |
Vehicles | Breeze · Cyclone · Egg Typhoon · MTP-01 Whirlwind | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Heart Attack · Mine · Spring | |
Items | Item Box (High Speed, Invincible) · Ring | |
Other | Chaos Emerald · Chaos GP · Egg Mobile · "Sonic - You Can Do Anything" · Sound Test |
Playable characters | Sonic · Tails · Knuckles · Amy · Eggman · Metal Sonic · Fang | |
Courses | Purple GP | Emerald Hill 1 · Hill Top 1 · Dark Valley 1 · Casino Night · Desert Road 1 · Iron Ruin |
White GP | Desert Road 2 · Rainy Savanna · Ice Cap · Hill Top 2 · Mystic Cave · Emerald Hill 2 | |
Blue GP | Dark Valley 2 · Quake Cave · Balloon Panic · Emerald Ocean · Milky Way · Death Egg | |
Enemies | Mecha Vulture · Moto Bug | |
Vehicles | Blue Devil · Breeze · Cyclone · Egg Typhoon · Marvelous Queen · Tempest · Whirlwind S7 | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Balloon · Bumper · Goal Plate · Heart Attack · Jump Panel · Meteorite · Mine · Spring · Triangle Bumper | |
Items | Flash · Item Box (Dash, Invincible, Jump, Mine) · Reverse · Ring | |
Other | Chaos Emerald · Chaos GP · Death Egg |
Playable characters | Sonic · Knuckles | |
Non-playable characters | Eggman | |
Zones | Green Hill Zone · Yellow Desert Zone · Red Volcano Zone · Blue Marine Zone · Silver Castle Zone · Special Stages | |
Enemies | Aquis · Batbot · Buzzer · Coconuts · Crabmeat · Egg Pogo · Egg Saucer · Egg Sentry · Gohla · Masher · Octopus · Rexon · Sandoom | |
Bosses | Green Hill Zone boss · Yellow Desert Zone boss · Red Volcano Zone boss · Blue Marine Zone boss · Silver Castle Zone boss · Final boss | |
Moves/techniques | Climb · Crouch · Glide · Double Jump · Spin Attack · Spin Dash · Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Bumper · Dash Panel · Goal Plate · High-speed warp tube · Quicksand · Spikes · Spring · Switch · Transport · Sewer Warp | |
Items | Air bubble · Chaos Emerald · Emerald Shard · Giant Ring · Ring · Item Box (1-Up, Eggman Mark, Invincible, Marker, Power Sneakers, Random, Shield, Super Ring) | |
Other | Continue · Life · Loop · Round Select · South Island · Water |
V·T·E · {{Adventure 2 info}} · Category
V·T·E · {{Advance 2 info}} · {{Advance 3 info}} · Category
V·T·E · Category
Playable characters | Sonic | |
---|---|---|
Non-playable characters | Bubbles | Dr. Eggman | Animals (Becky, Flicky, Churps, Johnny Lightfoot, Locky, Mouse, Porker Lewis, Rocky, Sally Acorn, Tocky, Tux, Wocky) | |
Zones | Green Hill Zone | Emerald Hill Zone | Sandopolis Zone | Hydrocity Zone | Scrap Brain Zone | Chemical Plant Zone | Egg Base Zone | Curricular Gadgets | |
Enemies | Buzzer | Coconuts | Grabber | Grounder | Masher | Sandworm | Skorp | Spiny | |
Bosses | Drill Eggman | Graviton Mobile | Water Eggman | Eggman Mech | |
Moves/Techniques | Duck | Jump | Roll | Spin Dash | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Cannon | Catapult | Conveyor belt | Dropping platform | Electrical emitter | End Act Sign | Glove on a stick | Pneumatic tube | Poison water | Spikes | Spring | Star Post | Switch | Upward fan | Word Wheel | |
Items | Chaos Emerald | Egg Mobile | Giant Ring | Item Box (Invincible, One-Up, Shield, Super Ring, Super Sneakers) | Ring | |
Other | Corkscrew | Death Egg Robot | Game Over | Life | Loop | Tunnel | |
V·T·E | Category |
V·T·E · {{Shadow Generations info}} · {{Generations (3DS) info}} · Category
Playable characters | Sonic | Tails | Knuckles | Amy | Blaze | Rouge | Silver | |
---|---|---|
Non-playable characters | Eggman | Animals (Flicky, Pocky, Cucky, Picky, Pecky) | |
Zones | Green Hill Zone | Mountain Zone | Jungle Zone | Blue Sky Zone | Mechanical Zone | |
Enemies | Batbrain | Bomb | Bubbles | Buzzer | Caterkiller | Crabmeat | Moto Bug | Spikes | Spinner | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Goal Plate | Saw | Spikes | Spring | |
Items | Item Box (Bomb, Magnetic Shield, Ring Time, Shield) | Red Star Ring | Ring | |
Other | Banking | Egg Mobile | Rank | |
V·T·E | Category |
V·T·E · {{Dash 2 info}} · Category
Playable characters | Sonic | Tails | Knuckles | Shadow | Rouge | Omega | Espio | Charmy | Vector | |
---|---|---|
Non-playable characters | Animals (Cucky, Flicky, Pecky, Picky, Pocky, Ricky, Rocky) | Dr. Eggman | |
Stages | Green Hill | Desert Ruins | Lava Mountain | Sky Sanctuary | Bonus level | |
Enemies | Balkiry | Buzz Bomber | Caterkiller | Crabmeat | Moto Bug | Nebula | Pata-Bata | Snail Blaster | Spinner | |
Bosses | Iron Ball Eggmobile | |
Moves/Techniques | Grinding | Spin Dash | Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Cannon | Dash Ring | Goal Plate | Grind Rail | Iron ball | Jump Panel | Jump Spring | Rainbow Ring | Spikes | Star Post | |
Items | Buddy | Invincible | Item Box (Bonus item) | Magnet | Ring | Springs | Super Ring | Time Freeze | |
Other | Banking | Chaotix Type | Corkscrew | Dark Type | Death Egg | Extractor | Fly Type | Health Gauge | Hero Type | Loop | Mind Control Ray | Power Type | South Island | Speed Type | |
V·T·E | {{Runners info}} | Category |
Playable characters | Sonic · Barry | |
Non-playable characters | Amy · Blaze · Chao · Conductor · Conductor's wife · Cubot · Eggman · Espio · Hot Honey · Knuckles · Metal Sonic · Orbot · Rouge · Sage · Shadow · Tails · Vector | |
Bosses | Mirage Express | |
Moves/Techniques | Spin Attack · Spin Jump · Spin Dash | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Iron ball · Spring · Spikes | |
Items | Birthday key · DreamGear · Item Box (Super Ring) · Ring | |
Other | Amy's birthday · Big Chao Band · Bottomless pit · Death Egg · Eggmanland · Mirage Express · Spagonia · Super Monkey Ball |
Characters | Playable | Amy (Crystal · Riders) · Avatar (Bear · Bird · Cat · Dog · Hedgehog · Rabbit · Wolf) · Big the Cat · Blaze (Riders) · Chaotix (Charmy (Chrome) · Espio · Vector (DJ)) · Cream (Ruby · Riders) · Eggman (Doctor · Riders) · Jet {Gold} · Knuckles (Treasure Hunter · Riders) · Metal Sonic · Rouge (Cheerleader · Business Tycoon · Riders · Witch) · Shadow (Captain · Riders) · Silver {Server} · Sonic (Gold · Grind Shoes · Halloween · Movie · Pirate · Riders · Thanksgiving) · Tails (Detective · Riders) · Zavok (Crystal) |
Non-playable | Chopper (Giant Chopper) · Giant Aquis · Grabber · Death Egg Robot · Egg Pawn · Moto Bug · Orbot · Nebula · Penguinator · Spinner (Metal) · Thunder Spinner · Yeti | |
Stages | Green Hill · Chemical Plant · Sky Sanctuary · Seaside Hill · Starlight Carnival · Desert Ruins · Frozen Factory · Silent Forest · Lava Mountain · Pinball Carnival | |
Enemies | Egg Pawn · Moto Bug · Thunder Spinner | |
Moves/techniques | Double Jump · Grinding · Homing Attack · Spin Jump · Triangle Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Boost Pad · Kao · Saw · Spring · Star Post · Wide spring | |
Other | Buddies · Effect · Egg Toy Land · Emote · Rank · Season Pass · Sticker |
de:Item Box es:Item Box pl:Pudło z przedmiotem ru:Предмет uk:Предмет
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using Tabber parser tag
- Featured Article
- Pages using Lua-based templates
- Item Box power-ups
- Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)
- Sonic the Hedgehog CD
- Sonic Chaos
- Sonic Spinball (8-bit)
- Sonic 3 & Knuckles
- Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
- Sonic Drift
- Sonic Drift 2
- Knuckles' Chaotix
- Sonic 3D Blast
- Sonic Blast
- Sonic Adventure
- Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic Advance
- Sonic Advance 2
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Advance 3
- Shadow the Hedgehog (game)
- Sonic Rush
- Sonic Riders series
- Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (Didj)
- Sonic Rush Adventure
- Sonic Unleashed (Wii/PlayStation 2)
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
- Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4
- Sonic Colors (Nintendo DS)
- Sonic Generations (console/PC)
- Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS)
- Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
- Sonic Jump (2012)
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
- Sonic Dash
- Sonic Lost World (Wii U)
- Sonic Lost World (Nintendo 3DS)
- Sonic Jump Fever
- Sonic Runners
- Sonic Mania
- Sonic Forces
- Sonic Forces: Speed Battle
- Team Sonic Racing
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
- Sega Streaming Theater Sonic Edition
- Fishing Spot items
- The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic Superstars
- Shadow Generations
- Sonic Rumble