Barricade

The Barricade^[1] (バリケード, Barikēdo^?) is a gimmick that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. They are breakable obstacles that can block racers' paths or conceal routes.

Description

Barricades come in various forms, like stationary vehicles, barrels, statues, gates and much more. They are placed in several locations on the race courses where they seal off alternate routes or shortcuts.

When the right conditions are met, the player can smash through Barricades by simply riding straight into them. For each obstacle destroyed in succession, the racer gains Air/Gravity Points. However, if the conditions are not met, any attempt to destroy a Barricade will result in the player bouncing right off it after making contact, resulting in the player slowing down without gaining Air/Gravity Points.

Game appearances

Sonic Riders series

Sonic Riders

Barricades first appeared in Sonic Riders. In this game, only Power Type characters or characters riding on the Destroyer Extreme Gear moving at a sufficient speed are able to smash through Barricades without slowing down. When destroying a Barricade, the player gains Air in the process.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

Barricades reappeared in Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity where only Bike type and Wheel type Extreme Gears moving at a sufficient speed are able to smash through them without slowing down. When destroying a Barricade, the player gains Gravity Points in the process. Riders that are using Attack can also destroy barricades without slowing down, but will not earn any Gravity Points for doing so.

Sonic Free Riders

Barricades reappeared again in Sonic Free Riders. In this game, the player can only destroy them if they have chosen the Power Skill Gear Part for their Extreme Gear before a race, or chooses to ride on a Bike-type Gear. However, the player cannot destroy the Barricades by simply riding through them; instead, due to the Kinect controls, the player has to make punching gestures in order to destroy them.

References