Mystic Cave Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

»

Levels

»

Mystic Cave Zone

Mystic Cave Zone
Sixth level, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Number of Acts: 2
Level themes: underground/cave, spooky/supernatural
Boss: Drill Eggman II
Maximum rings, Act 1: 183 + 70
Maximum rings, Act 2: 220 + 70
Non-English names: JP: ミスティックケイブ Misutikku KeibuMedia:Sonic2 MD JP manual.pdf DE: Mysteriöse HöhlenzoneMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf FR: Zone de la Grotte MysterieuseMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf ES: Zona de la Cueva MísticaMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf IT: Zona Cava MisticaMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf SE: Mystiska Grottans ZonMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf NL: Mysterieuze Grot ZoneMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf FI: Mystinen LuolavyöhykeMedia:Sonic2 MD EU manual.pdf
← Hill Top Zone | Oil Ocean Zone →

For the Sonic Drift 2 level, see Mystic Cave (Sonic Drift 2).

Mystic Cave Zone is the sixth zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. This zone was referred to as Dust Hill Zone in the Simon Wai prototype and several gaming magazines. The reason gaming magazines referred to the level as Dust Hill was probably due to the level select labeling the level as such. It is also one of the first levels in a Sonic game to fall under the Underground Cavern theme.

This zone is infamous for having an inescapable pit of spikes in Act 2 that is very easy for players to fall into. Should a player fall in there as Super Sonic, they will be waiting down there for a potentially long time. In the 2013 version, the spikes in the pit have been removed, thus falling down there will lead to a pleasant surprise: the secret entrance to Hidden Palace Zone!

Quotes

“	Robotnik's been digging for Chaos Emeralds in this eerie forest of flickering lights, glow-worms and stinging centipedes. Hang on to the ivy to discover escape routes.	„
— Sonic 2 US Manual, p. 14

Sonic Team Commentary (from Sonic Jam Strategy Guide)

“	The feel here is a haunted-house (obakeyashiki), isn't it. But we ended up making a cave stage instead. When making this map, first we had drawn the island, there was a cave, there was a lake, a mountain, a construction site, we were thinking of all these areas. Like Sonic would be here at first, and then he'd go someplace else. That was part of the cave.	„
— Yuji Naka

Enemies

• Crawlton - Centipede enemy, fixed to the wall and extends to attack Sonic when he approaches.
• Flasher - Firefly enemy, moves around slowly and is invincible when flashing. Referred to as "Frasher" in Sonic Jam, which is Engrish for "Flasher".

Technical Information

Offset	Description
0B	Mystic Cave Zone level value
$2D42	MCZ Palette (0F)
$CD2C	MCZ layer deformation info
$3FD24	Dynamic pattern reloading for 01, 02, 03, WFZ, 09, MCZ, SCZ (empty)
$407BE	01, 02, 03, WFZ, 09, MCZ, SCZ misc sprite mappings (empty)
$421F2	MCZ object debug list
$45200	MCZ primary 16x16 collision index
$452A0	MCZ secondary 16x16 collision index
$47B24	MCZ act 1 level layout
$47D24	MCZ act 2 level layout
$A8D04	MCZ 16x16 block mappings
$A9D74	MCZ main level patterns
$AD454	MCZ 128x128 block mappings
$E5998	MCZ act 1 ring locations
$E570E	MCZ act 2 ring locations
$E986E	MCZ act 1 sprite locations
$E99A0	MCZ act 2 sprite locations