Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 16-bit)

Sonic and Tails in Sonic 2's Special Stage

The Special Stage, in Sonic 2, is a pseudo-3D stage consisting of a half-pipe in which the player must run, collecting rings and avoiding bombs (which cause the player to drop 10 rings). Each special stage consists of three parts: in each, the player has to collect a certain amount of rings before specified checkpoints; failing that causes the Special Stage to end. Upon completing all three parts successfully, the player is rewarded with a Chaos Emerald. Note that rings are cumulative, i.e. you keep the rings you collected in one part as you continue on into the next.

The Special Stage is accessed by collecting at least 50 rings in the normal game, touching a star post and then jumping into the Star Circle spinning around it.

Instruction Manual Excerpt

If you have 50 Rings when you touch a Star Post, you'll see a Star Circle spinning around the Star Post. If you jump into the Star Circle, you'll go to the Special Stage. This is your chance to collect a Chaos Emerald!

• Watch the screen to see how many Rings you need to get.
• Speed around the chute, picking up as many Rings as you can. Sidestep the Bombs or jump over them to stay in the race.
• If you get the required number of Rings at each checkpoint, you can continue. Otherwise, the Stage ends.
• If you finish the Stage, you'll be rewarded with a magnificent Chaos Emerald.
• When the Special Stage ends, you return to the Star Post in your original Zone, and you can resume the game.

Rings Goals

Emerald	Part 1	Part 2	Part 3
Blue	Get 30 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 40 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 70 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 80 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 130 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 140 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Purple	Get 50 rings!	Get 100 rings!	Get 140 rings!
Red	Get 50 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 60 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 110 rings!	Get 160 rings!
Pink	Get 40 rings!	Get 110 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 100 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 150 rings!
Yellow	Get 50 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 55 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 90 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 110 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 160 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 200 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Green	Get 80 rings!	Get 140 rings!	Get 210 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 220 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Grey	Get 100 rings!	Get 150 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 190 rings! (Sonic and Tails)	Get 190 rings! (Sonic or Tails) Get 210 rings! (Sonic and Tails)