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| developer=[[Sonic Team]]
 
| developer=[[Sonic Team]]
 
| system=[[Sega Mega Drive]]
 
| system=[[Sega Mega Drive]]
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| players=1
 
}}
 
}}
'''''Blue Sphere''''' (also known as '''No Way!''' after the message on the title screen) is the game created by utilizing the [[Lock-On Technology]] in ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' in conjunction with any game but the full game is unlocked when using ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. It is a compilation of "Special Stages" in the same style (and engine) of the ones featured in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]'' and ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' with a total of 134,217,728 levels in all. However, after level 128,016,000 some of the previous levels begin to reappear. After completing all 134,217,728 stages it restarts from the beginning.
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'''''Blue Sphere''''' (ブルースフィア){{fileref|SonicMegaCollectionSaikyouKouryakuGuide Book JP.pdf|page=149}} is the resulting game created by inserting ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' or any other incompatible game into ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' via [[Lock-On Technology]]. It is a compilation of randomly-generated "[[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)|Special Stages]]" seen in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles''.
  
The levels in Blue Sphere are slightly different than the special stages in ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles''. In ''Blue Sphere'', the ring counter decreases rather than increases, and if the player collects all the rings and blue spheres in a level, a "[[Perfect Bonus|perfect]]" score is awarded and the player is shown a screen with the stage's difficulty. Then the player is advanced 10 levels. Each time the player completes a stage, a 12-number password is given for that stage. Also, each stage has a difficulty level assigned to it, represented by an icon. There are 13 difficulty levels in all. Difficulty is assigned based on the number of spheres in each region of the stage's map, so some level 13 stages might actually be less difficult than level 12 or 11.
+
For years, ''Blue Sphere'' had no official name, often being known as '''''No Way!''''' or '''''Get Blue Spheres!''''' after the messages on the title screen. It was not given an official designation until the release of ''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'' in 2002 (1997's ''[[Sonic Jam]]'' avoids giving it a title).
  
The name ''Blue Sphere'' comes from the name shown in its listing in ''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]''.
+
==Gameplay==
 +
''Blue Sphere'' is a collection of randomly generated Special Stages, created by arranging pre-made "chunks" of level in a randomised order and applying a randomised stage palette. The same basic rules apply as in ''Sonic 3'' - collect blue spheres, avoid red spheres, and as time goes on the game gets faster. All of the calculations were done in advance of the game shipping, with 134,217,728 levels available in total, however, after level 128,016,000, some stages are recycled. When all the levels are completed, the game loops.
  
'''List of icons by difficulty level'''
+
Every level has a 12-digit code which can be entered, allowing players to track their progress. They are also rated in difficulty between 1 and 13 (represented by an icon), however this is generated by counting the amount of spheres in each region of the stage's map, meaning some level 13 stages may actually be less difficult than level 12 or 11. To display a level's difficulty, the player must achieve a [[Perfect Bonus]] by collecting every [[Ring]] in the level. Doing so will also advance the player 10 levels.
<br>Each difficulty level contains the icon of all difficulty levels below it.
+
 
[[Image:Blue Sphere max.png|thumb|180px|right|The final difficulty with all the characters present]]
+
''Blue Sphere'' only activates if the player presses {{A}}, {{B}}, and {{C}} simultaneously on launch. From here, pressing {{A}}, {{B}}, or {{C}} will switch characters between [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] and [[Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles]]; the player cannot play as [[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails]], either by himself or by following Sonic.
 +
 
 +
A single Blue Sphere stage can be created by locking on ''Sonic & Knuckles'' to any [[Sega Mega Drive]] game. The stage layout is produced randomly from information in the inserted cartridge's ROM header, along with the stage's 'code' for use in the full ''Blue Sphere'' game which is displayed by clearing the stage with a Perfect. To give some sort of visual clue that the game is not fully compatible, the characters on the title screen have a blue tint and do not animate. Only by locking the original ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (REV00 or REV01) or ''[[Sonic Classics]]'' (on real hardware only) can one play through all the stages.
 +
 
 +
If a game is locked on which brings the total file size to more than 4MB (for example, ''[[sega:Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers|Super Street Fighter II]]''), the vanilla ''Sonic & Knuckles'' game start up. This is because when locked-on to a [[sega:ROM|ROM]] larger than 2MB, ''Sonic & Knuckles'' maps the ''last'' 2MB of the locked-on ROM rather than the first 2MB, so when Sonic & Knuckles tries to read the locked-on header, it actually reads from the second half of the ROM, finds no header, and loads Sonic & Knuckles normally. An exception to this is ''Sonic Classics'', which happens (or was designed?) to put ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' at the 2MB mark. This is a quirk in the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge's mapper, which is not reproduced in emulators.
 +
 
 +
It is not known if ''Blue Sphere'''s creation was intentional from the beginning, or as a result of problems encountered when trying to insert Knuckles into the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''. Unlike ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' (and its locked-on creation, ''[[Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''), palette issues are encountered when trying to import Knuckles into the first game, as more objects and enemies share Sonic's palette line (for example, Knuckles' inclusion would likely mean [[Buzz Bomber]]s would appear as red rather than blue).
 +
 
 +
===List of icons by difficulty level===
 +
[[Image:Blue Sphere max.png|thumb|right|The final difficulty with all the characters present]]
 +
Each difficulty level contains the icon of all difficulty levels below it.
 +
{{multicol|
 
#Nothing
 
#Nothing
 
#Sonic
 
#Sonic
 
#Tails
 
#Tails
 
#Knuckles
 
#Knuckles
#Robotnik
+
#[[Dr. Eggman]]
#Mecha Sonic
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#[[Mecha Sonic (Sonic & Knuckles boss)|Mecha Sonic]]
#Eggrobo (flying)
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#[[Eggrobo]] (flying)
#Chickens
+
#[[Cucky]]s
#Squirrels
+
#[[Ricky]]s
#Rabbits
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#[[Pocky]]s
#Master Emerald
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#[[Master Emerald]]
 
#''Sonic & Knuckles'' logo
 
#''Sonic & Knuckles'' logo
#(MAX) Sonic turns into Super Sonic
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#(MAX) Sonic turns into [[Super Sonic]]
 
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}}
==Method of Accessing the Game==
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[[File:BlueSphere MD Aladdin.png|thumb|right|''[[sega:Disney's Aladdin|Disney's Aladdin]] & Knuckles'' offers just a single ''Blue Sphere'' stage, as do all non-''Sonic'' Mega Drive games (that aren't larger than 2MB).]]
To access the game ''Sonic & Knuckles'' must be locked-on to another game. Once this is done a "No way? No way! No way! No way!" screen will pop up with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Robotnik making odd faces, telling you the cartridge is supposedly incompatible. However, pressing {{A}}, {{B}}, and {{C}} simultaneously will allow this mini-game to be played. From here, pressing {{A}}, {{B}}, or {{C}} will switch characters between [[Sonic]] and [[Knuckles]]; the player cannot play as [[Tails]] alone or as Sonic with Tails following.
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===Unofficial Pro Action Replay cheat codes===
 
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{{CodeTable|
A single Blue Sphere stage can be created by locking on ''Sonic & Knuckles'' to any [[Sega Mega Drive]] game. The stage layout is produced randomly from information in the inserted cartridge's ROM header, along with the stage's 'code' for use in the full ''Blue Sphere'' game. Only by locking the original ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (REV00 or REV01) or ''[[Sonic Classics]]'' (on real hardware only) can one play through all the stages.  
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{{CodeRow|FFE443:00|All Rings Collected}}
 
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{{CodeRow|FFE439:01|Only Need One Sphere}}
In ''[[Sonic Jam]]'', ''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'', and ''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' the Blue Sphere game is playable as a separate game. ''Sonic Jam'' allows the player to access it by choosing to play ''Sonic & Knuckles'' and "lock it on" with ''Sonic 1''. In ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'', the game has to be unlocked separately.
+
}}
 
 
==Unofficial Pro Action Replay Cheat Codes==
 
{|width="35%"
 
! Code||Description
 
|-
 
|FFE443:00
 
|All Rings Collected
 
|-
 
|FFE439:01
 
|Only Need One Sphere
 
|}
 
  
==Also Released for==
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==Also released for==
 
*''[[Sonic & Knuckles Collection]]'' for PC (1997)
 
*''[[Sonic & Knuckles Collection]]'' for PC (1997)
 
*''[[Sonic Jam]]'' for [[Sega Saturn]] (1997)
 
*''[[Sonic Jam]]'' for [[Sega Saturn]] (1997)
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*''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'' for [[Nintendo GameCube]] (2002)
 
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'' for [[Nintendo GameCube]] (2002)
 
*''[[Sega PC Mega Pack]]'' for the PC (2003)
 
*''[[Sega PC Mega Pack]]'' for the PC (2003)
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' for [[Sony PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox]] (2004)
+
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' for [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox]] (2004)
 
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]'' for the [[Xbox]] (2005)
 
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]'' for the [[Xbox]] (2005)
*''[[Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' for the [[Sony PlayStation 2]] (2009)
+
*''[[Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' for the [[PlayStation 2]] (2009)
 
*''[[Sonic PC Collection]]'' for the PC (2009)
 
*''[[Sonic PC Collection]]'' for the PC (2009)
*''[[Virtual Console]] on [[Nintendo Wii]] (2010)
+
*''[[Virtual Console]] on [[Wii]] (2010)
 +
*''[[Sonic Origins]]'' for [[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Xbox One]], [[Xbox Series X]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[Steam]] and [[sega:Epic Games Store|Epic Games Store]] (2022)
  
==Trivia==
+
==External links==
* Because the ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' cart was able to connect to ''[[Sonic 2]]'' and ''[[Sonic 3]]'' and let you play as Knuckles in those games, it was assumed by some that the same would happen when the game was connected to ''[[Sonic 1]]''. This was not the case due to palette issues. Instead, they put the full version of Blue Sphere there. Since then, a ROM hack has been made to make this happen, dubbed ''[[Knuckles in Sonic 1]]''.
+
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090202130540/http://drspud.no-ip.com:80/bluesphere/ Blue Sphere Password generator] (No longer working)
* Any connection with games that, when added to Sonic & Knuckles, become greater than 4MB (such as Super Street Fighter II) will prompt Sonic & Knuckles to start up as usual, without Blue Sphere activating. This is because when locked-on to a [[sega:ROM|ROM]] larger than 2MB, ''Sonic & Knuckles'' maps the ''last'' 2MB of the locked-on ROM rather than the first 2MB, so when Sonic & Knuckles tries to read the locked-on header, it actually reads from the second half of the ROM, finds no header, and loads Sonic & Knuckles normally. An exception to this is ''Sonic Classics'', which happens (or was designed?) to put ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' at the 2MB mark. This is a quirk in the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge's mapper, which is not reproduced in emulators.
+
**[https://bsgen-new.neocities.org/ Mirror]
 +
*[https://github.com/romandorado/BlueSpheresGeneratorReleases Blue Sphere Generator App Repo] (Graphic C# tool with Blue Sphere Generator logic)
 +
**[https://github.com/romandorado/BlueSpheresGeneratorReleases/blob/main/BlueSpheresGenerator_FulllInstaller_1.1.3.exe Latest Version Installer] (1.1.3) (48,6 MB)
  
==External Links==
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==References==
*[http://drspud.no-ip.com/bluesphere/ Blue Sphere Password generator] (No longer working)
+
<references/>
**[http://digilander.iol.it/projectchaos2/BS/index.php Mirror] provided by [[nineko]]
 
  
{{Sonic3&KOmni}}
+
{{S&KOmni}}
 
[[Category:Mega Drive games]]
 
[[Category:Mega Drive games]]

Revision as of 12:25, 26 June 2022

n/a

Bluesphere.png
Blue Sphere
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Number of players: 1

Blue Sphere (ブルースフィア)[1] is the resulting game created by inserting Sonic the Hedgehog or any other incompatible game into Sonic & Knuckles via Lock-On Technology. It is a compilation of randomly-generated "Special Stages" seen in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles.

For years, Blue Sphere had no official name, often being known as No Way! or Get Blue Spheres! after the messages on the title screen. It was not given an official designation until the release of Sonic Mega Collection in 2002 (1997's Sonic Jam avoids giving it a title).

Gameplay

Blue Sphere is a collection of randomly generated Special Stages, created by arranging pre-made "chunks" of level in a randomised order and applying a randomised stage palette. The same basic rules apply as in Sonic 3 - collect blue spheres, avoid red spheres, and as time goes on the game gets faster. All of the calculations were done in advance of the game shipping, with 134,217,728 levels available in total, however, after level 128,016,000, some stages are recycled. When all the levels are completed, the game loops.

Every level has a 12-digit code which can be entered, allowing players to track their progress. They are also rated in difficulty between 1 and 13 (represented by an icon), however this is generated by counting the amount of spheres in each region of the stage's map, meaning some level 13 stages may actually be less difficult than level 12 or 11. To display a level's difficulty, the player must achieve a Perfect Bonus by collecting every Ring in the level. Doing so will also advance the player 10 levels.

Blue Sphere only activates if the player presses A, B, and C simultaneously on launch. From here, pressing A, B, or C will switch characters between Sonic and Knuckles; the player cannot play as Tails, either by himself or by following Sonic.

A single Blue Sphere stage can be created by locking on Sonic & Knuckles to any Sega Mega Drive game. The stage layout is produced randomly from information in the inserted cartridge's ROM header, along with the stage's 'code' for use in the full Blue Sphere game which is displayed by clearing the stage with a Perfect. To give some sort of visual clue that the game is not fully compatible, the characters on the title screen have a blue tint and do not animate. Only by locking the original Sonic the Hedgehog (REV00 or REV01) or Sonic Classics (on real hardware only) can one play through all the stages.

If a game is locked on which brings the total file size to more than 4MB (for example, Super Street Fighter II), the vanilla Sonic & Knuckles game start up. This is because when locked-on to a ROM larger than 2MB, Sonic & Knuckles maps the last 2MB of the locked-on ROM rather than the first 2MB, so when Sonic & Knuckles tries to read the locked-on header, it actually reads from the second half of the ROM, finds no header, and loads Sonic & Knuckles normally. An exception to this is Sonic Classics, which happens (or was designed?) to put Sonic the Hedgehog at the 2MB mark. This is a quirk in the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge's mapper, which is not reproduced in emulators.

It is not known if Blue Sphere's creation was intentional from the beginning, or as a result of problems encountered when trying to insert Knuckles into the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Unlike Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (and its locked-on creation, Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2), palette issues are encountered when trying to import Knuckles into the first game, as more objects and enemies share Sonic's palette line (for example, Knuckles' inclusion would likely mean Buzz Bombers would appear as red rather than blue).

List of icons by difficulty level

The final difficulty with all the characters present

Each difficulty level contains the icon of all difficulty levels below it.

  1. Nothing
  2. Sonic
  3. Tails
  4. Knuckles
  5. Dr. Eggman
  6. Mecha Sonic
  7. Eggrobo (flying)
  8. Cuckys
  9. Rickys
  10. Pockys
  11. Master Emerald
  12. Sonic & Knuckles logo
  13. (MAX) Sonic turns into Super Sonic
Disney's Aladdin & Knuckles offers just a single Blue Sphere stage, as do all non-Sonic Mega Drive games (that aren't larger than 2MB).

Unofficial Pro Action Replay cheat codes

Code Effect
FFE443:00 All Rings Collected
FFE439:01 Only Need One Sphere

Also released for

External links

References


Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic & Knuckles title.png

Main page (S3&K|KiS2|Blue Sphere)
Comparisons
Maps (S3&K) (KiS2) (Blue Sphere)
Achievements
Credits


Manuals
Promotional material
Magazine articles
Video coverage
Reception
Merchandise


Development
Hidden content (S3&K)
Bugs (S3&K)
Region coding
Hacking guide
Bootlegs