The metal nut,^[1] also known as simply the nut^[2] (ナット^[3], natto^?) is a gimmick that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a large type of metallic nuts on screws that can be used as moving platforms to travel through Zones.

Description[]

The metal nuts gimmicks consist of two components: the nut and a screw. The metal nuts themselves are metallic hexagon nuts, similar to the real-life hardware devices, which appear in industrial-themed stages. These nuts are large enough for the playable characters to stand. They are as well set at either the top, middle or bottom of long and giant vertical screws which are normally attached between the ceilings and floors. These screws are situated in long shafts, which only the metal nuts can move through, creating narrow pathways going both up and down. Sometimes though, the screws' lower end may hang above pathways.

In gameplay, the metal nuts are used for transport. Specifically, the playable character can stand on a metal nut and either make it move up the screw it is attached to by moving to the right on it, or down by moving left on it. Also, when a playable character stands on a metal nut, they will stay in the same position on it as the player starts build up momentum on it, until they jump off. The player can as well adjust the speed of the nut by slowing down while running on it. The metal nut's momentum will also increase if there are multiple playable characters on the same metal nut, or if the player uses another speed-increasing ability on it; using the Spin Dash on the metal nut definitely makes it move faster, but the move's rolling speed will eventually decrease in some games.

Players must be careful when utilizing metal nuts. Corridors with metal nuts usually contain enemies that can attack the playable character. If they take damage while on the metal nut, they tend to fall off it and down to the bottom of the shaft. At that point, the player has to backtrack slight through the levels and then return to the metal nut's shaft in order to have the metal nut's position reset itself. In addition, the player has to be careful of not crushing themself. If the player moves the metal nut to the highest point of the screw shaft or into another metal nut, the playable character will get crushed against the surface above. The metal nut can similarly crush the playable character against the floor, but only if one character stands below the metal nut while another brings it down on them.

Game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]

Metal nuts first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as one of the main gimmicks in Metropolis Zone. Sometimes, spikes are set on the ceilings above or the floor beneath the metal nut. In addition, the metal nut only moves when the player moves it.

Many metal nut passages have Asterons along them, which will especially attack the player if the metal nuts lose momentum around them or when Sonic and Tails are running on the same metal nut. Because the metal nut makes it difficult for the playable character to avoid the Asteron's spike attack, the player is at risk of taking damage and fall down to the bottom of the metal nuts' narrow passages where Spikes may be found. Certain screw shafts for the metal nuts also have open and pointy ends above some pathways. This means that, if the player moves a metal nut past said end, it will come off the screw and fall to the floor, rendering it unusable.

Sonic Lost World[]

In Wii U version and PC version of Sonic Lost World, metal nuts are only featured in a single section of Frozen Factory Zone 4. Here, the player can easily build up momentum for the metal nuts without any strenuous work as they only move at one degree of speed. Also, should the player slow down the metal nut or jump off it, the metal nut will start moving downward its screw shaft.

The section with the metal nuts has one long vertical hallway with a bottomless pit below it. Along the way, the Sprinkler will appear to drop Rings. The player has to reach the top of the hallway using several metal nuts.

Other game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure[]

In Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, metal nuts are found in Gigantic Angel Zone, along with other Metropolis Zone gimmicks. Their mechanics are closely the same as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, although their passages are tighter, meaning the player is not in danger of falling down so easily.

In other media[]

Books and comics[]

Archie Comics[]

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, Sonic found a metal nut in the Metropolis Zone which he used to get to the top of a hallway and crush some Asterons against the ceiling by jumping off it in the last second.^[4]

Trivia[]

• By choosing the secret pathway at the mid-point of Metropolis Zone Act 2, there is a metal nut that can be moved down until it falls off the screw path. It will then fall into a lava pit, where it will function as a floating platform.
• If the player falls off a metal nut in the middle of a passage, it will return to its starting point if the player leaves the area (so it is off-screen) and then return to it.
• In Sonic Advance, similar types of cork gimmicks on lines appear in Angel Island Zone, except these corks move obliquely upward by pressing right on . Otherwise, these corks will slow down if the player stops moving on them.

References[]