Tail Swipe

For the move in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, see Tail Swipe (Dragodon).

The Tail Swipe^[1][2] (シッポ攻撃^[3], Shippo Kōgeki^?, lit. "Tail Attack"), also known as the Tails Attack^[4] (シッポ回転攻撃^[5], Shippo Kaiten Kōgeki^?, lit. "Tail Rotation Attack") or Tail Attack^[6] (シッポ攻撃^[7], Shippo Kōgeki^?), is a move that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. When using this move, the user spins around with their tail(s) to attack foes.

Description

As its name suggests, the Tail Swipe involves the user performing a 360 degree spin, where he is lashing out with their tail(s) to damage any enemies in front of them. This move is, however, not as safe as the Spin Attack, as the Tail Swipe only focuses on attacking the foes that are in front of the user and thus, leaves them more vulnerable from attackers from behind and above.

Game appearances

Sonic the Fighters

This section requires an expansion.

Sonic Adventure

The Tail Swipe appears in Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut where it is called Tails Attack^[4] (シッポ回転攻撃^[5], Shippo Kaiten Kōgeki^?, lit. "Tail Rotation Attack"). To perform the Tails Attack in gameplay, the player must press /// while either walking or standing still. The attack can also be upgraded into the Rapid Tails Attack by obtaining the Rhythm Badge.

Sonic Shuffle

In Sonic Shuffle, Tails performs this attack as his standard attack in battles. However, he spins multiple times instead of just once.

Sonic Adventure 2

In Sonic Adventure 2 and its enhanced port Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Tails can also use the Tail Swipe, but only in the Chao Garden, as it is the only time in the game where he is not sitting in his Cyclone mech. As there are no enemies in the Chao Garden, the only purpose this move has in the game is to attack Chao. To perform the Tails Swipe in gameplay, the player must press ///.

Sonic Advance series

Sonic Advance

In Sonic Advance, the Tail Swipe is known as the Tail Attack^[6] (シッポ攻撃^[7], Shippo kōgeki^?). To perform the Tail Attack in gameplay, the player must press while on the ground.

Sonic Advance 2

In Sonic Advance 3, the move is known as the Tail Swipe^[1] (シッポ攻撃^[3], Shippo kōgeki^?, lit. "Tail Attack"). In this game, its performance is the same as in Sonic Advance. Also, by performing the Tails Swipe while in Boost Mode, the player will perform the Super Tail Swipe. To perform the Tail Swipe in gameplay, the player must press while on the ground.

Sonic Advance 3

In Sonic Advance 3, the move is known as the Tail Swipe again.^[2] In this game, Tails can only perform the Tail Swipe in gameplay when he has Sonic the Hedgehog or Cream the Rabbit as his partner. Like in the previous titles, to perform the Tail Swipe in gameplay, the player must press .

Shadow the Hedgehog

In the Nintendo GameCube/PlayStation 2 version of Shadow the Hedgehog, Tails can perform the Tail Swipe when playing as him in Air Fleet or Circus Park using the second controller. In this game, the Tail Swipe hits multiple times, and the combined attacks can even take out a GUN Trooper in one hit. This makes the Tail Swipe the strongest ally attack in the game, as neither of the other ally attacks are capable of doing as much damage.

Sonic Superstars

In Sonic Superstars, Tails can perform the Tail Swipe while using the Extra Emerald Power. In this game, the Tail Swipe summons a tornado that flies in front of Tails.

Variants

Super Tail Swipe

The Super Tail Swipe^[1] (スーパーシッポ攻撃^[3], Sūpā Shippo Kōgeki^?) is basically the Tail Swipe performed at high speeds. It has appeared in Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Advance 3. In order for Tails to perform the Super Tail Swipe, he must perform a normal Tail Swipe while in Boost Mode. The speed created from the Boost Mode will then transform the Tail Swipe into the Super Tail Swipe.

When Tails uses the Super Tail Swipe, his twin tails will form a large, light blue wave as they are swung (this wave does not appear in Sonic Advance 3), which will increase his attack range. Most importantly though, the Super Tail Swipe allows Tails to maintain the speed he is currently running at and remain in Boost Mode, unlike the normal Tail Swipe which makes Tails stop entirely. This allows him to literally charge through his enemies.

Rapid Tails Attack

Main article: Rapid Tails Attack

The Rapid Tails Attack is an advance form of the Tail Swipe move where Tails performs a chain of continuous Tail Swipe. This move can only be used when Tails possesses the Rhythm Badge.

Tornado Attack

Main article: Tornado Attack

The Tornado Attack is a more powerful version of the normal Tail Swipe, where Tails swings his tails with extreme force. Tails can only use this move when having Knuckles as his partner in Sonic Advance 3.

In other media

Books and comics

Archie Comics

Main articles: Tail Swipe (Archie) and Tail Swipe (Pre-Super Genesis Wave)

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Tail Swipe has made several appearances as one of Miles "Tails" Prower's standard attacks.

Because of his young age, Tails did not initially participate in many of the fights during the comics early run. Over time however, Tails began to participate more actively in fights and began using his unique twin tails to his advantage, thus developing his Tail Swipe move.

Gallery

Promotional material

Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Convergence

Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Convergence page four. Story and art by Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley.

References