Sky High Zone
From Sonic Retro
|
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) |
| Levels |
| Sky High Zone |
| Sky High Zone |
|---|
| Second Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) |
| Number of Acts: 3 |
| Location: South Island |
| Level themes: mountain/canyon, sky |
| Boss: Hiyoko Master |
| Non-English names: |
| ← Under Ground Zone | Aqua Lake Zone → |
Sky High Zone is the second Zone in the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. As with other Zones in this game, Sky High consists of two standard Acts followed by a shorter third Act which contains the Zone's boss.
Overview
Sky High Zone introduces Hang Gliders, an entirely new gimmick that will definitely take some time to get used to. The enemies here consist entirely of a troupe of flying turtles scattered across the sky. This alpine Zone is most similar to Hill Top Zone in its 16-bit counterpart.
The first Act of this Zone takes place mainly on the ground. Sonic must climb to the higher levels before taking to a Hang Glider to reach the end marker. Act 2 is a little more challenging. Starting off on level ground, Sonic must negotiate a path to the end by using a combination of hang gliders and solid clouds. Solid clouds often look exactly like their gaseous counterparts, and so caution is needed to avoid fatal mistakes.
Though they take a little time to get used to, the Hang Gliders are relatively simple to control. Simply run, or jump into one for Sonic to take hold. Once airborne, simply hold, or tap 
to pull back and angle the nose up, and 
to angle downwards. Care is needed when doing this, as the Hang Glider's speed will decrease each time when holding back. If the Hang Glider loses too much speed, it will fall. At occasional points in the second Act, the player will be able to catch updrafts to restore the air beneath Sonic and continue on their journey.
Quotes
| “ | The reckless Sonic challenges an alpine region within a sea of clouds. Use jumps and the “Hanglider” to overcome the wind and lightning that blocks Sonic’s way. | „ |
| — Sonic the Hedgehog 2 JP Game Gear manual[1] (translation by Vertekins)[6] | ||
| “ | Race over collapsing bridges and grab lots of Rings while you can. Springs bounce you through underground passages, then send you toward the clouds. Grab a hang glider and ride the storm winds over deadly spikes | „ |
| — Sonic the Hedgehog 2 US Game Gear manual[7] | ||
Enemies
| Game-game — Frisbee-like turtle-resembling robot. | |
| Meleon — Also known as Newtron. Chameleon bots which appear on walls, then transform into missiles and fire themselves on a horizontal path in Sonic's direction. |
Chaos Emerald location
The Chaos Emerald for this Zone is found in Act 2. In order to reach it, the player must build up as much speed as possible at the start of the level and jump to catch the first Hang Glider they see. No matter what, they should try to keep Sonic as close to the top of the screen as they can, making use of the aforementioned updrafts. They will eventually find the Emerald at the top of the screen, surrounded by clouds.
This Emerald is harder to get in the Game Gear version due to a difference in the behavior of the Hang Glider when it reaches the top of the screen: in the Master System version, it stays at the top of the screen, allowing the player to go as high as possible and then simply lose some height when they see the Emerald; in the Game Gear version however, touching the top of the screen causes Sonic to let go of the hang glider, so caution is necessary.
There are a number of springs concealed in the small, four-leaf-clover-like clouds around the level, which can also be used as a means of gaining enough height to snag the gem. The player must be on the lookout for horizontal arrangements of rings above clouds as a clue to which ones hide springs.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 File:Sonic 2 GG JP Manual.pdf, page 19
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 File:Sonic2 SMS EU manual.pdf, page 26
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 File:Sonic 2 GG EU Manual.pdf, page 34
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 File:Sonic2 SMS EU manual.pdf, page 27
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 File:Sonic 2 GG EU Manual.pdf, page 35
- ↑ https://greenyvertekins.tumblr.com/post/184768853269/because-im-bored-and-insomniac-right-now-heres
- ↑ File:Sonic2 GG US manual.pdf, page 11
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) | |
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