After reaching the bottom end, the playable character swings around 360 degrees on it before jumping off it. To ride it, the playable character must touch the wooden handle at the top left end of the Zip Line. In Angel Island Zone, Zip Lines are long, horizontal rope-rides set over long gaps. Sonic riding a Zip Line in Launch Base Zone Act 2, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In this game, they appear in Angel Island Zone and Launch Base Zone Act 2, with the Zip Lines' appearance and functionality differing between the two Zones. The Zip Lines made their first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and the lock-on game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. Sonic riding a Zip Line in Angel Island Zone Act 1, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Also, once a Zip Line has been used, it usually cannot be used again, although there are exceptions in different games. In some games, the player can even zero in on the pulley at the beginning of a Zip Line with the Homing Attack. To use a Zip Line in in gameplay, the player just has to touch its pulley. In some chases, the Zip Line serves as a shortcut, and in others cases, it is necessary to proceed through a level. When using it in gameplay, the user grabs a hold of the pulley, which will then cause said pulley to automatically roll down the Zip Line's cable from one end to the other at high speed. The Zip Line's purpose is to help the player reach far away areas by letting them ride down the Zip Line's cable with the aid of its pulley.

The pulley on an unused Zip Line can always be found at the cable's beginning. These cables usually stretch a long distance through midair.

Overall, they consist of a pulley suspended on a long cable mounted on an incline.

The Zip Line's appearance is exactly like that of its real-life counterparts, but with some slight design differences occurring between each game.

Sound city real to reel zip