Meteor Herd

Meteor Herd is the fourteenth stage in the Hero storyline of Sonic Adventure 2 and the fifth and last stage playable with Knuckles. It represents Knuckles's attempt to find the Master Emerald pieces that spilled from the ship the heroes used to travel to the ARK.

Plot

Halfway through the heroes’ trip in space, the cargo bay of the shuttle opens and the Master Emerald shards that were being kept there are released onto outer space. After unsuccessfully trying to stop the shuttle right then, Knuckles disembarks with the others at the ARK but immediately sets off to the outside of the colony, to search for the shards.

This is also where Knuckles has a show-down with Rouge for the Master Emerald, after this level and Mad Space ends.

Level layout

Appearance

Meteor Herd takes place on the outside of the ARK (just like Rouge's Mad Space), but inside some kind of protective barrier. It appears to be modelled after many classic Sci-Fi, especially those set on Mars.

The major gimmicks of this level are the falling meteorites that will aim randomly around the area where Knuckles is with explosive impacts, light blue meteorites that can be used to open cubic containers and locked doors around the central structure and lighter gravitational pull, which allow Knuckles to jump higher and glide further. The meteorites that can be punched should take a special mention, since they will travel farther as the strength of the punch is: stand next to it and punch it will tilt it a bit, running to one and punch it will send it flying.

Other level-specific objects are yellow bulldozers, blueish-grey towers, moon and star signs, rotating beacons, light blue cubic containers that can be destroyed, some containers may be floating due to the low gravity and small red and grey level specific containers that can be punched.

Level sections

Meteor Herd is divided into three major sections.

The first section is an arena in the lowest height of the level, with ground in different colours and see-through floors that allows seeing the bubbling lava below and leaving Knuckles' detailed footprint on it's surface for awhile as well. To the north is a grey ground area where loading dock 0-1 is, to the west is a yellow ground area where loading dock 0-2 and 0-3 are, both very close together, to the south is a red ground area where loading dock 0-4 is, on which Knuckles first starts, and to the east is a yellow ground area where loading dock 0-5 is. There’s also a central structure in the middle that raises up, which will lead to the platform section.

The second section is a platform section, which is filled with large and rectangular ones, along with small and square ones as well. There will be two important areas to take notice here: one is the northern region which will appear on the right after letting go of the rocket and that as two containers stacked together; and a larger one, the southern region which will appear to the left after letting go of the rocket and that has lots of containers in rows. In one of the highest platforms, the one on the left, there will be a rocket that will lead to the ARK section.

The third section is the ARK area, with two major height levels, each with four attached platforms. There are some small and square platforms as well, along with two sealed containers, in which the lost Chao is in third mission, specifically in the one in the left, if Knuckles is facing outer space and not the ARK.

Enemies

• Beetle Series: Gold Beetle
• Artificial Chaos: Articifial Chaos P-1, Artificial Chaos Float Type
• Hornet Series: Hornet-3 (Normal Mode), Hornet-6 (Hard Mode), Phoenix (Hard Mode)

Locations

Ancient ruins

• On the upper level of the ARK section, on the platform opposite to the one Knuckles arrives in if he takes the rocket: warps to the right sealed container, if Knuckles is facing outerspace.
• Inside the right sealed container, if Knuckles is facing outerspace: warps to the left container.

Animals

Animal	Number	Location
<iimg>Penguin!</iimg>	1	Ground level: On the ground, below the three arch structures to the east, more specifically, under the southern arch.
<iimg>Phoenix!</iimg>	1	Platform area: Flying under the platform above the two containers stacked together, easily seen if Knuckles is standing on one of them.
<iimg>Rabbit!</iimg>	2	Ground level: On the ground, between the excavator and dock 0-3. Central structure: On the entrance platform to the Sunglasses upgrade, facing dock 0-1.
<iimg>Seal!</iimg>	2	Platform area: Floating next to an indestructible container, in the platform with a rocket that leads to the ARK. ARK area: Floating amongst indestructible containers, in a platform in the lower level.
<iimg>Ram!</iimg>	1	Ground level: On dock 0-9, close to the large container.
Random	3	Ground level: In a pipe, located on the foot of the tower, close to dock 0-4. Ground level: In a pipe, located on the foot of the tower to the northwest which is close to a crusher. Platform area: In a pipe, located in a small floating platform, which is directly above the crusher and jailed switch puzzle.
Total	10

The level specific animal (third Chao container) is a Phoenix.

Big the Cat

Head left around the central tower until you're between loading docks 0-2 and 0-3. Upon turning to face the tower now, you'll see 3 square pipes come out and extend a long way below the floor. Go up to the glass section of the floor, and look through it, hoping to catch Big hanging onto the left side of the center pipe. Even if the camera has the correct view of the shot, you may have to reposition yourself as Big's location is at the very edge of draw distance and may well escape past that distance depending on your location.

Chao containers

• Ground level: Inside the shovel of a bulldozer, close to dock 0-9.
• Central structure: Behind one of the blinking doors, directly in front of dock 0-9.
• Platform area: Inside the front and left container, on the large container area.

Master Emerald Shards - Hard Mode

Emerald shard	Requirements	Hints
#1		Use a meteorite that flies when you hit it! Pyramid-shaped base. Try throwing a meteorite at the blinking door near the moon symbol.
#2	Sunglasses	Sunglasses The top of the steel beam. Try getting to the suspended spring!
#3	Sunglasses	Wear sunglasses on the moon. The inverted blue tower. Beyond the rings that you see using sunglasses on the moon.**

*This Emerald Shard can be obtained without the Sunglasses upgrade, but having it will make it easier.

**This Emerald Shard can be obtained without the Sunglasses upgrade as well, but having it will make it easier.

• Central structure: Behind one of the blinking doors, facing platform 0-5 and the one to the left. Throw a meteorite at it to get rid of the door.
• Platform area: In the air, close in height to the two containers stacked together, northeast, exacly above the cubic container near dock 0-1. In the platform with a spring, there is a steel beam with an extra life, and putting the sunglasses here will reveal a spring that will lead to another and from this to the emerald shard. It can also be obtained by gliding into it's location.
• ARK area: In the air, close in height to the edge of the lower level. In the platform with a moon symbol and a Hornet Phoenix, using the sunglasses will reveal a spring thet when hit will send Knuckles down a direction of rings, which will lead to the emerald shard. It can also be obtained by gliding into it's location.

Lost Chao

From where Knuckles first starts, hit the spring on the Central structure and then use the rocket. As Knuckles lets go of the rocket, glide left and catch the other rocket towards the ARK. Climb to the highest level of the ARK and go to the platform with the Mystic Ruins, which is opposite to where he's sent to. Activate it and jump the warp holes to access the sealed containers.

Upgrade

Knuckles' Sunglasses upgrade can be found here, though it requires the Hammer Gloves to access. It's in a room underneath the Central structure, accessed by hitting a switch behind the blinking door that faces dock 0-1.