Moves

MOVES SHARED BY MULTIPLE LEADERS

There are 4 types of attacks:

Normal attacks: the majority, unless noted otherwise they destroy barriers in 4 hits.
Power attacks: the only attacks that can destroy Power barriers (they only clink if a normal attack is used), they destroy normal barriers in 2 hits.
Hammer attacks: they destroy normal barriers in 2 hits, but can’t destroy Power barriers (with the exception of the Big Hammer Attack).
Chao attacks: they cannot destroy barriers at all.

Spin

Teams: all except A/T, A/K, A/C

While moving, press Down to roll into a ball. On downward slopes it’s a good way to gain speed.

Spin Jump

Teams: all except S/A, T/A, K/A, C/A, A/T, A/K, A/C

The basic way of jumping. You can attack enemies from every angle.

Spin Dash

Teams: all except A/T, A/K, A/C

Press Down while standing and then the A button repeatedly. Release it to let the character go in Spin form. It’s useful for a quick burst of speed and a quick attack, but unless you start go on a downward slope or hit a booster, you’ll eventually lose momentum.

Wind Attack/Tail Spin Attack*

Teams: S/K, T/K

Press B in the air. Sonic and Tails will create an Insta Shield that protects them for a split second and slightly increases their hitbox.

*They have different names, but they function the same.

Homing Attack

Teams: S/C, T/C

Press A near an enemy, item box or boss to home on it and destroy it. It overrides Sonic’s Jump Dash and Tails’ High Propeller Flight. (See below for Knuckles’ version of the move)

Jump

Teams: S/A, T/A, K/A, C/A, A/T, A/K, A/C

The character jumps without spinning. It’s not an offensive move.

Spin Attack

Teams: S/A, T/A, K/A

After performing a normal Jump, press B to curl into a ball and turn the jump into a Spin Jump.

Hammer Attack

Teams: S/A, T/A, K/A, C/A, A/S, A/T, A/C

Press B on the ground to attack with a hammer. It’s quick but has a medium-short range (as much as Knuckles’ Double Punch), and it cancels the Boost. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power. It’s a good way to instantly brake.

Floating

Teams: K/S, K/T, K/C, K/A, C/S

The character automatically floats on the surface of the water, until the player presses Down. They can swim left and right.

Trick Actions

Teams: S/T, T/S, C/A, A/C

After being launched by a spring or a ramp, press a direction + R. The character will dash in that direction, to either have an extra vertical boost, increase the distance covered, or fall down. Cream and Amy can perform Trick Actions also after hitting a spring with their hammer.

Different characters have different moves with different properties.

The Big Air moves (Up + R) function identically for all 4 characters; none of them can damage enemies. Tails and Cream can go higher up than Sonic and Amy.
The Long Wind Jump moves (Left/Right + R) differ: Sonic and Amy can damage enemies, while Tails and Cream can’t, and the former go further than the latter.
The Stop ‘n’ Slam moves (Down + R) differ: Sonic, Cream and Amy can damage enemies, while Tails can’t. The offensive Stop 'n’ Slam moves can be performed outside of the Trick Actions, although Sonic needs to be partnered with Knuckles (Bound Attack) and Amy needs to be partnered with either Sonic or Knuckles (Spinning Hammer Attack).

TAG ACTIONS

(note: names are not official)

Sonic

Ground & Air: Boost

The leader will be launched into an immediate Boost mode.

Speedrunning pro tips: press Down as soon as you release R (even in the air) to Boost Spin; pause the game while you’re holding R, release R, press A, and unpause the game to jump and Boost at the same time.

Tails

Ground: High Jump

Tails will launch the leader very high into the air, with a slight horizontal trajectory that can be adjusted. The character is uncurled and therefore vulnerable.

Air: Propeller Flight

Tails will carry the leader as he could do in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. He can fly for 5 seconds before getting tired, even underwater. His tails can damage enemies.

Knuckles

Ground: Throw

The leader will throw Knuckles like a ball in front of them, covering the entire length of the screen. This is a Power attack.

Air: Mid-Air Glide

The leader will glide on Knuckles’ back, even underwater. His fists can damage enemies. Warning: if Knuckles clings to a wall, you will fall down.

Cream

Ground: Cheese

The leader’s melee attack will be replaced with Cheese for 10 seconds. Unlike with Cream, Cheese can hit switches when they’re a Tag Action.

Air: Cheese + Air Boost

The leader will perform a double jump, and their melee attack will be replaced with Cheese for 10 seconds. Note that the double jump’s height is affected by your vertical momentum, as Cream more or less doubles it: if you release the R button as soon as you jump, the air boost will be much higher (roughly the height of Tails’ High Propeller Flight) than if you release the button at the peak of your jump (roughly twice as high as your normal jump). On springs, it has roughly the same effect as using Amy’s hammer, but unlike the latter it also works on chargeable springs.

Amy

Ground: High Hammer Jump

Amy will launch the leader high into the air with her hammer, in a vertical trajectory that can be adjusted. The character is uncurled and therefore vulnerable, but the hammer can damage enemies.

Air: Spinning High Hammer Jump

Amy will launch the leader high into the air with her hammer, in a vertical trajectory that can be adjusted, lower than the ground High Hammer Jump. The character is curled and they can damage enemies. You can chain multiple Tag Actions to gain more air.

SONIC

Skid Attack

Teams: S/T, S/C

Press B on the ground. Sonic will do a somersault that will send him forward; it’s the longest-ranging “standard” melee move. It cancels the Boost.

Fire Sliding

Teams: S/K

Press B on the ground. A stronger version of the Skid, it lasts about 1.5 seconds and sends Sonic much farther. It can be used to go up on upwards slopes and curved walls. It cancels the Boost. It’s not a Power attack, but it’s strong enough that it destroys normal barriers in 2 hits instead of 4.

Upper Spin

Teams: S/K

Press Up + B at the same time to make Sonic dash upwards. The height is about as high as Sonic’s jump. Sonic can’t move horizontally until he starts to fall.

Bound Attack

Teams: S/K

Press Down + B at the same time to make Sonic bounce downwards and destroy enemies below him. His trajectory can’t be redirected.

Jump Dash

Teams: S/C

Press A in the air. Sonic will quickly dash forward, gaining a fair amount of speed. He can damage enemies that are too far away to trigger the Homing Attack.

Underwater Breathing

Teams: S/C

Sonic is able to breathe underwater indefinitely. Note that the bubble around Sonic is not a shield and he is still vulnerable.

TAILS

Propeller Flight

Teams: T/S

Press A repeatedly in the air. Tails will fly at a moderate speed, gaining altitude fairly slowly but moving faster horizontally. He can fly for 5 seconds before getting tired. His tails can damage enemies above him.

Tail Swipe

Teams: T/S, T/C

Press B on the ground. Tails will use his tails for a quick, moderate-ranging attack. You can use it while moving: the faster you are going, the less speed you’ll lose. It doesn’t cancel the Boost.

Dog Paddle

Teams: T/S, T/C, T/A

Press A repeatedly underwater. Tails swims in the same way as his Propeller Flight. Unlike when flying, though, he doesn’t spin his tails, and can’t therefore damage enemies. He can swim for 5 seconds before getting tired, and the countdown meter is tied to the flight meter.

Mid-Air Glide (T)

Teams: T/K

Press A in the air. Tails will glide; his gliding is different from Knuckles’, as it’s faster (both in moving forward and losing altitude) and you can regulate where it descends, but at the cost of turning around slowly. If he hits a wall, he won’t cling to it, but he’ll keep gliding. Release A to make him fall. He can damage enemies with his fists.

Tornado Attack

Teams: T/K

Press B repeatedly on the ground. Tails will start to spin and create a tornado. The tornado has momentum and can be slowly moved from a standstill or started while running. It can last up to 5 seconds, but if you hit the limit Tails will get dizzy for a short while.

Breast Stroke

Teams: T/K

Press B repeatedly underwater. Tails swims in a straight line, going slightly upwards and much faster than usual, but he still gets tired after 5 seconds. He can’t damage enemies.

High Propeller Flight

Teams: T/C

Press A repeatedly in the air. Tails will gain altitude very quickly, but at the cost of horizontal movement which is very limited. He can fly for 3 seconds before getting tired. His tails can damage enemies below and beside him.

Hammer Propeller Flight

Teams: T/A

Press A repeatedly in the air. Tails will fly very quickly in all directions. He can fly for 5 seconds before getting tired. His tails can damage enemies above him, and he can use the hammer to attack in front of him. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power.

KNUCKLES

Double Punch

Teams: K/S, K/C

Press B on the ground. Knuckles punches in front of him. The attack is long and has a medium-short range (about as much as the Hammer Attack), and it cancels the Boost. This is a Power attack.

Mid-Air Glide (K)

Teams: K/C, K/A

Press A in the air. Knuckles will glide, steadily descending and never getting tired. Release A to make him fall. He can damage enemies with his fists, and cling to walls.

Wall Climb

Teams: K/T, K/C, K/A (K/S) *

When Knuckles is attached to a wall, he can climb up and down. He never gets tired.

* While Knuckles can’t normally climb with Sonic, he can if he’s underwater.

Breast Stroke (K)

Teams: K/S, K/T, K/C, K/A

Press A in the air underwater. Knuckles swims in the same way as his Glide. He can’t damage enemies while swimming, but he can while turning around, as the animation is identical to his Glide.

Mid-Air Dash Glide

Teams: K/S

Press A in the air. Knuckles will dash forward with force, and roll into a ball upon landing: it’s very similar to his forward Trick Action in Sonic Advance 2. If he falls from a considerable height and/or on a downward slope, he can quickly gain speed (he also maintains the Boost); on the contrary, it’s not advised to use this move on a plane or an upward slope. You can’t change direction until Knuckles stops rolling or unless you jump.

Spiral Upper

Teams: K/T

Press B on the ground. Knuckles will perform an uppercut with a shorter but more vertical hitbox than his normal punches. You can use it while moving. This is a Power attack.

Double Mid-Air Glide

Teams: K/T

Press A in the air. Knuckles will perform a double jump before gliding, extending his height and distance.

Homing Attack (K)

Teams: K/C

While gliding, press B near an enemy to home on it and destroy it.

Dash Climb

Teams: K/A

On a wall, press the direction of the wall + A. Knuckles will charge a Spin Dash on the wall, a much quicker way to climb. If you Dash Climb up over a ledge that meets the wall at a right angle, he will be propelled up. If you Dash Climb near a sloped ledge, he will roll up the ledge. If you don’t reach the ledge in time, he will fall on the ground – you can avoid this by jumping and gliding towards the wall in time.

Drill Claw

Teams: K/A

Press Down + B in the air. Knuckles will dive on the ground and destroy enemies below him. His trajectory can’t be redirected. This is a Power attack, and the only way to destroy Power barriers when paired with Amy.

CREAM

Flight

Teams: C/S, C/K, C/A

Press A repeatedly in the air. Cream will fly at a decent speed, gaining altitude more quickly than Tails’ Propeller Flight can, but being vulnerable. She can fly for 5 seconds before getting tired. By pressing the B button, she can cancel the flight.

Floating Fall (C)

Teams: C/T

Press A in the air. Cream will gently float down with her umbrella. Releasing A will make her fall. You get a very small air boost when opening the umbrella.

Chao Attack

Teams: C/T, C/K, C/A *

WPress B on the ground or in the air. Cheese will quickly home on nearby enemies and item boxes. Cream can attack while running. When performed in the air, the move is called Mid-Air Chao Attack. When performed by C/K, it’s called Chao Spinning Attack.

* C/A can only do the Mid-Air Chao Attack.

Breast Stroke (K)

Teams: K/S, K/T, K/C, K/A

Press A in the air underwater. Knuckles swims in the same way as his Glide. He can’t damage enemies while swimming, but he can while turning around, as the animation is identical to his Glide.

Chao Ball Attack

Teams: C/S

Press B on the ground or in the air. Cheese will dash forward in the form of a fireball. They don’t home on targets, but they have a long range and their hitbox is larger. Cream can attack while running and Boosting without losing speed.

Chao Spinning

Teams: C/K

Cheese is in a perpetual state of spinning around Cream. They automatically damage enemies.

Hip Drop

Teams: C/A

Press Down + B in the air. Cream will drop on the ground and destroy enemies below her. Her trajectory can’t be redirected.

AMY

Mid-Air Hammer Attack

Teams: A/S, A/K, A/C

Press B in the air. Amy will spin her hammer around herself. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power. As soon as she stops the attack, she becomes vulnerable, even when you’re paired with Sonic.

Jump Dash (A)

Teams: A/S

Press A in the air. Amy will quickly dash forward. It has a short range, it’s not affected by momentum and it’s not an offensive move, but it’s good for extending a jump or redirect yourself.

Spinning Hammer Attack

Teams: A/S, A/K

Press Down + B. Amy will drop down, swinging her hammer around herself, and destroy enemies below her. Her trajectory can’t be redirected. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power.

Floating Fall (A)

Teams: A/T, A/C

Press A in the air. Amy will gently float down with her balloons. Releasing A will make her fall.

Mid-Air Hammer Jump

Teams: A/T

Press B in the air. Amy will spin her hammer around herself and do a small double jump at the same time. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power. As soon as she stops the attack, she becomes vulnerable.

Leap

Teams: A/T, A/C

Press Down + A. Amy will leap forward. Keep pressing Down + A to advance. While it’s not an offensive move, Amy doesn’t lose momentum if she keeps running.

Head Slide

Teams: A/T, A/C

Press B while Leaping. Amy will trip on the ground to attack enemies. Note that the move doesn’t damage enemies until the aura appears.

Amy Dash

Teams: A/K

Press Down while standing and then the A button repeatedly. Release it to let Amy run at top speed. While it’s not an offensive move, Amy doesn’t lose momentum.

Big Hammer Attack

Teams: A/K

Press B on the ground to attack with a giant hammer. It’s a very slow attack (it takes 1 full second to hit), but it has a big range. This is a Power attack. If the hammer hits a vertical or diagonal spring, it will double its power.

Hammer Jump

Teams: A/K

Press Down + B. Amy will use the hammer to make a slightly higher, forward-facing jump. Both the hammer and Amy can damage enemies. If the hammer or Amy while spinning hit a vertical or diagonal spring, they will double its power.

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