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Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 16-bit)

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Sonic2 ConceptArt SpecialStage.jpg
Special Stage
Special Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)
Number of Acts: 7

The Special Stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a pseudo-3D stage consisting of a half-pipe the player runs through, collecting Rings and avoiding bombs (which cause the player to lose 10 rings).

To access this Special Stage, the player must collect at least 50 Rings and locate a Star Post, which will then cause a Star CircleMedia:Sonic2 MD US SonicJam manual.pdf[1] to appear and spin around it. Jumping into the stars will then transport the player to the Special Stage.

Gameplay

Each Special Stage consists of three parts. In each, the player has to collect a minimum number of Rings before specified checkpoints. Failing to meet a requirement 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. the player keeps rings collected in one part as they continue on to the next. In the single player mode, it is vital that Tails doesn't hit any bombs if he is accompanying Sonic as this will cause players to fail.

The half-pipe Special Stage makes an appearance in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog episode "Mobius 5000", where Sonic and his friends find a checkpoint in the Casino Night Zone (called Casino Zone in this episode) and use the Special Stage as shortcut to get to the finish line.

This specific special stage is one of the most well known special stages of the entire Sonic franchise. It has been mimicked in later Sonic games such as Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, both versions of Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, Sonic Rush, and in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II.

Quotes

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.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 US manualMedia:Sonic2 MD US SonicJam manual.pdf[1]

Rings goals

Emerald Screenshot Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD Comparison SS 1Start.png
Get 30 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 40 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 30 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 70 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 80 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 70 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 130 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 140 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 130 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 2 Start.png
Get 50 rings! Get 100 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 90 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 140 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 130 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 3 Start.png
Get 50 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 60 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 50 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 110 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 100 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 160 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 140 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 4 Start.png
Get 40 rings! Get 110 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 100 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 90 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 150 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 140 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 5 Start.png
Get 50 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 55 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 40 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 90 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 110 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 80 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 160 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 200 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 130 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 6 Start.png
Get 80 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 70 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 140 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 130 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 210 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 220 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 170 rings! (Knuckles)
Sonic2 MD Sprite Emeralds.png
Sonic2 MD SpecialStage 7 Start.png
Get 100 rings! (Sonic and/or Tails)
Get 50 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 150 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 190 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 100 rings! (Knuckles)
Get 190 rings! (Sonic or Tails)
Get 210 rings! (Sonic and Tails)
Get 140 rings! (Knuckles)

2P stages

Three extra Special Stages exist for the 2 Player VS mode - two rounds plus a tiebreaker. Here there are no Chaos Emeralds; the objective is simply to collect more Rings than the opposing player.

As with all two-player levels in Sonic 2, the Special Stages are biased towards Sonic, as he is always positioned ahead of Tails when gameplay starts. However, it is possible for Tails to get in front of Sonic by jumping.

Round Screenshot Maximum rings
1
Sonic2 MD Comparison SS 2P1.png
2
Sonic2 MD Comparison SS 2P2.png
Tiebreak
Sonic2 MD Comparison SS 2P3.png

External links

References


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