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Skyscraper Scamper

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Skyscraper Scamper
Empire City's level, Sonic Unleashed
Number of Acts: 8 (including DLC)
Level theme: urban
Arid Sands | Jungle Joyride

Skyscraper Scamper and its hub town Empire City form the seventh area visited in Sonic Unleashed and belong to the Fifth Continent alongside Shamar and the Arid Sands. Set high in a city resembling New York, Sonic rushes along highways and leaps from building to building. There are several areas using moving platforms to allow Sonic to make his way through.

The night Act makes heavy use of the balance beam gimmick, leaving you on unsupported beams lined with spikes on the sides. There are also several machines you have to destroy to open paths blocked by walls of electricity.

Spherical water tanks sit atop many of the buildings and bear a striking resemblance to those seen in the Crisis City level of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game).

This level is not in the Wii or PS2 versions.

Story

Flag of Empire City

Empire City is unlocked at the same time as Shamar, when Professor Pickle relocates his lab to the desert after the restoration of the Holoskan planet piece. As with Spagonia and Holoska, the stages in Shamar and Empire City open up after each other; Shamar Day Act 1 opens Empire City Night Act 1. Going to talk to Pickle after this unlocks Empire City Day and Shamar Night, as well as Adabat.

Empire City has neither a Temple of Gaia nor a boss, but you're required to complete Skyscraper Scamper Day Act 1 - saving the city from Eggman's robots - before Sonic can access Jungle Joyride Day Act 1.

Town - Empire City

Concept art
A melting pot of diverse folk and ideas. All who come here dream of making it big.

— World map description

Characters

Louie Montaine- (ルイ=モンタン) A self-styled Love Expert who claims to have won as many hearts as there are in the sky. Louie is always happy to teach the ABCs of that sticky wicket they call romance. If you ask nicely, he'll even help you practice... just as long as you're OK with his particular practice style.

Boss- (ボス) A business wizard who can move billions with a mere snap of his fingers. Seeing as life is short and time in money, he believes in investing all of his time looking out for number one. If you were wondering, the Boss doesn't make his real name public. For business reasons, of course.

Def Big- (デフ・ビッグ) A big-name producer worried about the future of the music industry. Def Big is currently seeking a pop sweetheart newcomer sensation with urban integrity but with a dark side too.

Elizabeth- (エリザベス) An educator who has worked in the area schools for ages. People affectionately call her Liz. She loves seeing her kids smile, and reaches out to people left and right, but that's probably just the teacher in her. Liz has cared for more than 2,000 students to date.

Charles- (チャールズ) A superior student and aspiring doctor who sits at the top of his class and shows no sign of slipping. One teensy little problem: he's squeamish and can't stand the sight of blood. When the cadavers roll in, he rolls out, then talks the professor into giving him credit anyway.

Robert- (ロバート) A Def Big fan who moved into the city to meet his hero. He works part-time at the shop. Bob wants to be like Def Big more than anything, but so far he's only gotten the Big part down.

Li'l Kate- (リル・アン) A bright and bubbly pop star in the making, with a killer voice and dance moves to match. She's a go-getter, too; Li'l Kate doesn't sit around waiting for favors. "If life's a ride," she says, "then move over, 'cause I'm driving."

Brenda Hernandez- (Brendaブレンダ) A freelance writer who travels around the world. These days Brenda has been following the global crisis, penning stories like "Shattered Planet! Who Broke the Globe?" and "Light and Fight for Domination" or "Do Blue Hedgehogs Dream of Electric Eggs?". As can be seen in the souvenir and in the Empire City HUB, Brenda writes for "World Treasure" Magazine.

93. Hot Dog Vendor- (ホットドッグ屋) The manager of the "Don Fachio" hot dog mega-franchise's Empire City location. Without a doubt, the friendliest guy in hot dogs. Check out the Empire City hot spots while nibbling one of his specialty links.

Acts - Skyscraper Scamper

Main Game

Empire City as a whole does not appear in the PS2 or Wii versions of the game, existing only in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

There are a few Easter Eggs in Skyscraper Scamper, with signposts and billboards making oblique references to earlier Sonic games; see the Gallery below.

Day Act 1

In the main day act, Sonic speeds across the rooftops and raised highways of the city. Speed Drifting can be useful at the start of the level for keeping on the curving roadways. The Homing Attack gets plenty of use, following trails of Spinners across bottomless pits. There's a section where Sonic is pursued by the Interceptor across a bridge, and an Aero-Chaser section where Egg Fighters actually deploy electrified tripwires against Sonic! The level ends with a high-speed grindrail section.

Day Act 2

More reminiscant of a Werehog balance-beam act like Savannah Citadel Night Act 2, this level sees Sonic run across extremly narrow beams right at the top of the vast skyscrapers. Careful use of Quick Step is a good idea on the final section.

Night Act 1

The main night level sees the Werehog making his precarious way across high-rise girders over very long drops. Electric generators have to be destroyed to de-power barriers, and there are a number of rooftop battles against belligerant Titans. Completing this act opens Day Act 1, as well as Arid Sands Night Act 1.

Unused "Play It Cool" Area

In the night time mission, Play It Cool, the player can jump over a set of electrified bars on a spiked I-Beam to reach more of the level. This area includes more platforming as well as a puzzle involving electrified climbing poles, which are otherwise unused in the level, and a half-completed gimmick with a javelin, where the player must pick it up and throw it at a target to create a makeshift swinging pole. The targeting doesn't work yet, so the item is useless. The item was not used in the downloadable content pack for Empire City and Adabat. The level can be seen going through the rest of the regular level, except going towards a building with "Chao Beans" in neon lights. However, this area cannot be accessed due to the werehog not having the forward momentum to continue. This area is explored with an altered layout in Night Act 2. In the PS3 version, there is a barrier on the I-Beam that Doesn't let you continue. However, By Performing the "Flying Werehog" Combo on the Small Platform before the Nightmare fight you can reach it. Everything is the same, but the Javelin Gimmick is Missing.

Unused "Sonic Presents" Area

In the night time mission, "Sonic Presents", on the very beginning of the mission, you can see a area in the distance that isn't used. To access this zone you need to do a Shield Uppercut against a street lamp (Where the second Deep Nightmare is) and get to the top of the fence. There, you need to face the area, Run Holding R2 and Drill, then at the end Double Jump and Grab the Pole in the air. This Area is the same in the mission "Play It Cool", but in this mission you can get to the distant buildings Used in Night Act 2. To access more of the area, you will need to use the Flying Werehog Combo, so is recommended to have a full Unleash Gauge (defeat some enemies before attempting this). There is a Goal Ring in the end of the zone (Behind the Pachacamac Parking Sign).

Empire City and Adabat Adventure Pack

The sixth and final Sonic Unleashed downloadable content is the Empire City and Adabat Adventure Pack, serving as the second content pack to update two continents with new stages. Skyscraper Scamper gains one new daytime stage, two new nighttime stages, and a harder version of one daytime stage. It was released on Xbox Live for 250 MS Points and on the PlayStation Network for $3.00 on 11 June, 2009.

Day Act 1-2

Day Act 1-2 is a harder version of Act 1. A new shortcut is available near the beginning of the stage, though players must be fast to successfully reach and time it right.

Day Act 3

Day Act 3 has players running down a highway littered with enemies and hazards to get to the goal. The stage has a bomber segment and a chaser segment as well, the latter in a new top-down perspective.

Night Act 2

Night Act 2 takes place on the distant buildings near the end of Act 1. Although it's a part of Act 1, it was dubbed its own act for whatever reason. Players must cross electrified spiked I-Beams and use floating monsters to advance through the stage, fending off a total of three Titans.

Night Act 3

Night Act 3 is a large vertical platforming area across the faces of two buildings. The level features many timed switches and three titans, including two at the end of the level on a small rooftop.

Hot Dog Trials

These missions can be accessed by speaking with the hot dog vendor in Empire City after completing the corresponding Day or Night Act. Completing a level 1 mission unlocks the level 2 mission and earns 1 Urban Dog, completing a level 2 mission unlocks the level 3 mission and earns 2 Urban Dogs, completing a level 3 mission earns 3 Urban Dogs and completing all of them will unlock the Ketchup and Mustard Achievement.

Day Time Trial

  • Level 1 - Finish the stage in 5 Minutes
  • Level 2 - Finish the stage in 4 Minutes
  • Level 3 - Finish the stage in 3 Minutes

Day Battle Trial

  • Level 1 - Destroy 35 enemies or more and finish the stage
  • Level 2 - Destroy 45 enemies or more and finish the stage
  • Level 3 - Destroy 55 enemies or more and finish the stage

Day Ring Trial

  • Level 1 - Finish the stage with 100 Rings or more
  • Level 2 - Finish the stage with 200 Rings or more
  • Level 3 - Finish the stage with 300 Rings or more

Night Time Trial

  • Level 1 - Finish the stage in 20 Minutes
  • Level 2 - Finish the stage in 15 Minutes
  • Level 3 - Finish the stage in 10 Minutes

Night Survival

  • Level 1 - Finish the stage without being able to heal
  • Level 2 - Finish the stage without being able to heal. Werehog starts with 1/2 Health
  • Level 3 - Finish the stage without being able to heal. Werehog starts with 1/4 Health

Gallery

References


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