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The Special Stage in Sonic Rush is played by utilising the Nintendo DS system's touch screen capabilities. To get there, the player will have to amount enough energy in the Tension Gauge as Sonic the Hedgehog, jump on a Special Generator and perform a Super Boost. There is usually more than one found in any Act. Blaze the Cat's stages do not have any Special Generators, as she earns Sol Emeralds directly from the bosses.
Gameplay
To play the Special Stage, the player has to touch the bottom screen with a stylus or their finger and move along the left or right to guide Sonic in that direction. It is reminiscent of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which sees the player running through a half-pipe, grabbing as many Rings as possible to hit the required amount. However, Sonic can't jump normally, making the Special Stage slightly more difficult. If the player has Sonic run off the side of the tube, he will still be able to jump off, allowing him to reach items above each side.
Objects
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Rings: The player needs to collect a certain amount of Rings before reaching the end or middle of the stage. Not doing so will return them to the main stage empty-handed.
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Extra Ring: These are worth 5 Rings each.
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Spike Balls: If the player hits one, it'll subtract 10 Rings from their total. It will also make Sonic unable to move for a short amount of time, but he also is invulnerable for a slightly longer period.
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Switches: Activated when Sonic runs over them. These usually make a string of Rings appear not far ahead.
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Dash Panels: These boost Sonic ahead at a faster-than-normal speed along a predetermined path. They're usually useful for avoiding Spike Balls, gathering Rings, or hitting Switches and Springs.
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Trick Springs: When touched, they will make Sonic jump. Then, numbers will appear on the screen, and the player will have to touch them or drag the stylus over them within a time limit, in order to earn 15 Rings for each set of numbers. Making a mistake or running out of time will make the numbers disappear and send Sonic back to the half-pipe.
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Egg Flappers: These red Badniks fly about in groups during portions of some Special Stages. If they hit the player, Sonic will lose Rings, but if they are tapped with the stylus, Sonic will Homing Attack at them and they will be destroyed, giving Sonic 2 Rings.
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Bat-Egg Flappers: Purple Egg Flappers that home in on Sonic three times. These can be defeated in a similar manner to Egg Pawns, but require three taps with a stylus. However, if they are not defeated within a certain time, they shall fly away intact. Upon defeat, they give Sonic 5 Rings.
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Chaos Emerald: If the player succeeds, they will earn a Chaos Emerald. Each Chaos Emerald is collected through its respective Zone in a similar fashion to that of the Sonic Advance series' Special Stages. The player cannot collect more than one Emerald per Zone. Beat the game with all 7 Chaos Emeralds and Sol Emeralds to access the Exception level.
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List of Special Stages
References