AVA

The AVA or A.V.A. (short for Ancients Visual Assistant) is an object that appears in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal. It is a multifunctional handheld machine originating from the Ancients. It was a vital tool used by Team Sonic in their mission to stop Lyric the Last Ancient.

Description
The AVA is a rather simple, tablet-like device. It mainly consists of two arching yellow handles (decorated with cyan runes in Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal) which fit together. These handles can be slid apart to reveal a transparent blue touchscreen.

While primarily a communication device, capable of live video communications with other AVAs, this device also possesses functions similar to that of a computer. It can record videos, download and display files, and run programs for deciphering damaged files. It is also capable of scanning the environment to reveal secret passages and objects invisible to the naked eye.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric
In Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, the AVA was seemingly given to Team Sonic by Q-N-C in the Mines to help them find the Shock Crystal. Later, Tailsdownload Lyric's map for the Chaos Crystals' locations in Lyric's Weapon Facility into the AVA so they could find the remaining Chaos Crystals.

In gameplay, the AVA allows the user to detect hidden passageways and secrets that normally cannot be seen with the naked eye. When used, the screen glows with a tint of blue. If there are any breakable walls or objects blocking a secret passage, they become transparent while the AVA is active. The AVA can also be used to reveal Shinies by showing Shiny trails leading to them.

To use the AVA in gameplay, the player must touch the Sonic symbol on the Wii U GamePad. To change the view, the player must move the GamePad around or use the Right Stick. While the AVA is in use, the player cannot move the playable characters. To deactivate the AVA, touch the Sonic symbol again. The AVA is also seen when opening the Logbook Map, which is actually the AVA displaying the map.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
In Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, a set of AVAs were discovered by Amy and Tails at some ruins Amy was investigating, which they used to communicate between them. Amy herself used an AVA to document her research and the discoveries she made during her investigation of the Lost Crystal of Power, but it got damaged by Lyric when he kidnapped Amy. To find Amy, Tails used another AVA to download Amy's damaged logs and decipher them to determine where she had been.

In gameplay, the AVA is used to display the Adventure Map on the bottom screen of the Nintendo 3DS. The AVA is also one of the game's collectibles that can be obtained in Q-N-C's Toy Shop.

Trivia

 * The AVA has the same purpose as Tails' Miles Electric seen in the main series.