S O N I C A D V E N T U R E 2 B A T T L E F A Q ------------------------------------------------------------- Written by PPM - ppm42@yahoo.com L A T E S T U P D A T E - 6 / 2 3 / 0 3 ----------------- Table of Contents ----------------- 1) Introduction 1.1) Intro 1.2) Navigation 1.3) Update History 2) Controls, Plot, Et Cetera 2.1) Basic Controls 2.2) Advanced Controls 2.3) Characters 2.4) Basic Plot 2.4.1) Hero Story 2.4.2) Dark Story 3) Hero Story Walkthrough 3.1) City Escape 3.1.1) 100 Rings 3.1.2) Lost Chao 3.1.3) Timed Mission 3.1.4) Hard Mode 3.1.5) BOSS - F-6t Bigfoot 3.2) Wild Canyon 3.2.1) 100 Rings 3.2.2) Lost Chao 3.2.3) Timed Mission 3.2.4) Hard Mode 3.3) Prison Lane 3.3.1) 100 Rings 3.3.2) Lost Chao 3.3.3) Timed Mission 3.3.4) Hard Mode 3.3.5) BOSS - Dr. Eggman 3.4) Metal Harbor 3.4.1) 100 Rings 3.4.2) Lost Chao 3.4.3) Timed Mission 3.4.4) Hard Mode 3.5) Green Forest 3.5.1) 100 Rings 3.5.2) Lost Chao 3.5.3) Timed Mission 3.5.4) Hard Mode 3.5.5) BOSS - Shadow 3.6) Pumpkin Hill 3.6.1) 100 Rings 3.6.2) Lost Chao 3.6.3) Timed Mission 3.6.4) Hard Mode 3.7) Mission Street 3.7.1) 100 Rings 3.7.2) Lost Chao 3.7.3) Timed Mission 3.7.4) Hard Mode 3.8) Aquatic Mine 3.8.1) 100 Rings 3.8.2) Lost Chao 3.8.3) Timed Mission 3.8.4) Hard Mode 3.9) Route 101 3.9.1) 100 Rings 3.9.2) Don't Hit Other Cars 3.9.3) Don't Hit the Walls 3.9.4) Hard Mode 3.10) Hidden Base 3.10.1) 100 Rings 3.10.2) Lost Chao 3.10.3) Timed Mission 3.10.4) Hard Mode 3.11) Pyramid Cave 3.11.1) 100 Rings 3.11.2) Lost Chao 3.11.3) Timed Mission 3.11.4) Hard Mode 3.12) Death Chamber 3.12.1) 100 Rings 3.12.2) Lost Chao 3.12.3) Timed Mission 3.12.4) Hard Mode 3.12.5) BOSS - King Boom Boo 3.12.6) BOSS - Egg Golem 3.13) Eternal Engine 3.13.1) 100 Rings 3.13.2) Lost Chao 3.13.3) Timed Mission 3.13.4) Hard Mode 3.14) Meteor Herd 3.14.1) 100 Rings 3.14.2) Lost Chao 3.14.3) Timed Mission 3.14.4) Hard Mode 3.14.5) BOSS - Rouge 3.15) Crazy Gadget 3.15.1) 100 Rings 3.15.2) Lost Chao 3.15.3) Timed Mission 3.15.4) Hard Mode 3.15.5) BOSS - Dr. Eggman 3.16) Final Rush 3.16.1) 100 Rings 3.16.2) Lost Chao 3.16.3) Timed Mission 3.16.4) Hard Mode 3.16.5) BOSS - Shadow 4) Dark Story Walkthrough 4.1) Iron Gate 4.1.1) 100 Rings 4.1.2) Lost Chao 4.1.3) Timed Mission 4.1.4) Hard Mode 4.1.5) BOSS - B-3x Hotshot 4.2) Dry Lagoon 4.2.1) 100 Rings 4.2.2) Lost Chao 4.2.3) Timed Mission 4.2.4) Hard Mode 4.3) Sand Ocean 4.3.1) 100 Rings 4.3.2) Lost Chao 4.3.3) Timed Mission 4.3.4) Hard Mode 4.4) Radical Highway 4.4.1) 100 Rings 4.4.2) Lost Chao 4.4.3) Timed Mission 4.4.4) Hard Mode 4.5) Egg Quarters 4.5.1) 100 Rings 4.5.2) Lost Chao 4.5.3) Timed Mission 4.5.4) Hard Mode 4.6) Lost Colony 4.6.1) 100 Rings 4.6.2) Lost Chao 4.6.3) Timed Mission 4.6.4) Hard Mode 4.7) Weapons Bed 4.7.1) 100 Rings 4.7.2) Lost Chao 4.7.3) Timed Mission 4.7.4) Hard Mode 4.7.5) BOSS - Tails 4.8) Security Hall 4.8.1) 100 Rings 4.8.2) Lost Chao 4.8.3) Timed Mission 4.8.4) Hard Mode 4.8.5) BOSS - R-1/A Flying Dog 4.9) White Jungle 4.9.1) 100 Rings 4.9.2) Lost Chao 4.9.3) Timed Mission 4.9.4) Hard Mode 4.9.5) BOSS - Sonic 4.10) Route 280 4.10.1) 100 Rings 4.10.2) Don't Hit Other Cars 4.10.3) Don't Hit the Walls 4.10.4) Hard Mode 4.11) Sky Rail 4.11.1) 100 Rings 4.11.2) Lost Chao 4.11.3) Timed Mission 4.11.4) Hard Mode 4.11.5) BOSS - Egg Golem 4.12) Mad Space 4.12.1) 100 Rings 4.12.2) Lost Chao 4.12.3) Timed Mission 4.12.4) Hard Mode 4.12.5) BOSS - Knuckles 4.13) Cosmic Wall 4.13.1) 100 Rings 4.13.2) Lost Chao 4.13.3) Timed Mission 4.13.4) Hard Mode 4.13.5) BOSS - Tails 4.14) Final Chase 4.14.1) 100 Rings 4.14.2) Lost Chao 4.14.3) Timed Mission 4.14.4) Hard Mode 4.14.5) BOSS - Sonic 5) Last Story Walkthrough 5.1) Cannon's Core 5.1.1) 100 Rings 5.1.2) Lost Chao 5.1.3) Timed Mission 5.1.4) Hard Mode 5.1.5) BOSS - The Biolizard 5.1.6) BOSS - The Finalhazard 6) Secrets 7) The End 7.1) Legalities 7.2) Sites Authorized to Display this FAQ 7.3) Future Plans 7.4) Contributors 7.5) Potpourri ------------------------------------------------------------------------ =============== 1) Introduction =============== ---------- 1.1) Intro ---------- Hidey ho. Looks like you've chosen my FAQ out of all the other ones on the site. I can only feel like you've run out of options =P In all seriousness, this would be my second FAQ published on GameFAQs, my first being Banjo-Kazooie. It sucked, so don't go scouring for it. This is really the bare bones, and I hope I can put in some stuff concerning the 2nd-5th missions in later updates. In the original writeup of this FAQ, I stated that I would have no Chao section because they caused me enough emblem problems already. Even though I now have all 180 emblems, I'm still not including a Chao section. Why? Personal reasons. I plan to have one of the most comprehensive first mission walkthroughs on GameFAQs...and probably the first SA2B-exclusive one. Like several others, I play through the stages as I write this up, so it's almost perfectly accurate. There are points where I get vague, but at those points it's pretty straightforward so I don't really need to get into great detail. Just some preliminary warnings before you continue. Also, you'll notice before every level I list the name of the background music (since the music in this game is awesome), the amount of points needed for an A rank (called A Rank Cap), and my personal best (if you feel a need to be better than me). --------------- 1.2) Navigation --------------- This is a fairly extensive FAQ, if you haven't noticed already, and it can be quite complicated to navigate. That's why I've set up a system which is in no way original. Just search for the number of the section you want. For example, if you're having trouble beating B-3x Hotshot (God knows why, but for the sake of example...), you would open up the search...dealy (Ctrl+F) and type in "4.1.4". It would first bring you to the Table of Contents, then here, then the boss strategy. Simple! ------------------- 1.3) Update History ------------------- v4.0 - 06/23/03 --------------- - Fifth mission walkthroughs complete, which means the entire walkthrough is now complete. Congratu-freaking-lations to me. =P v3.0 - 06/22/03 --------------- - Fourth mission walkthroughs complete. Summer is good. v2.5 - 06/21/03 --------------- - I am SO FREAKING SORRY for not updating for six months. Contrary to what many of you thought, I did not forget about this walkthrough. And I did not totally disregard all your emails; in fact, several of you are now added to the walkthrough where your help was desperately needed! - You'd think with all this downtime, I'd have updated the FAQ entirely, to include all five missions. You overestimate me. v2.0 - 01/01/03 --------------- - File recovery status: 180 Emblems! YAY! ^_^ - Absolutely HUGE update! All 100 Ring missions completed, all Lost Chao missions completed, all missions for Route 101 and Route 280 completed. v1.3 - 10/15/02 --------------- - My file's been erased! WAUGH! T_T - Revised the "authorized site" criteria v1.2 - 07/16/02 --------------- - Began the Lost Chao/100 Ring guides - Began the Advanced Controls section v1.1 - 06/22/02 -------------- - Several new sites under the authorized list - Straightened out the description of the cutscene after Biolizard - Added both Update History and Future Plans sections v1.0 - 05/19/02 --------------- - The entire (first mission) walkthrough is completed! ============================ 2) Controls, Plot, Et Cetera ============================ ------------------- 2.1) Basic Controls ------------------- A - Jump A (in the air) - Homing Attack (Sonic/Shadow) Hover (Tails/Eggman) Glide (Knuckles/Rouge) A (on a pole) - Jump off (Sonic/Shadow) B - Somersault (Sonic/Shadow) Light Dash (Sonic/Shadow) Magic Hand (Sonic) Fire Volkan Cannon (Tails/Eggman) Propeller/Punch (Tails/Eggman, only at close range) Punch/Kick (Knuckles/Rouge) Dig (Knuckles/Rouge) Sunglasses/Treasure Scope (Knuckles/Rouge) Play Mystic Melody (Anyone) Whistle (Anyone) B (in the air) - Bounce (Sonic) Drill Claw/Drive (Knuckles/Rouge) Hold B - Charge Spin Dash (Sonic/Shadow) Charge Light Attack (Sonic/Shadow) Lock-On (Tails/Eggman) Release B - Spin Dash (Sonic/Shadow) Light Attack (Sonic/Shadow) Fire Laser Missile (Tails/Eggman) L/R - Rotate Camera Y - Cycle through the B menu ---------------------- 2.2) Advanced Controls ---------------------- B, then B - Double Somersault (Sonic/Shadow) B, then A - Somersault Jump (Sonic/Shadow) B, B, B - Triple Punch/Triple Kick (Knuckles/Rouge) Spin the control stick 360 degrees, then B - Spiral Uppercut/Spiral Kick (Knuckles/Rouge) --------------- 2.3) Characters --------------- Sonic the Hedgehog - The world's favorite blue hedgehog is back for his 10th anniversary. His stages are fast-paced, start-to-finish levels, and you die if you get hit with no rings. It just wouldn't be Sonic Adventure 2 Battle without...erm...Sonic. Miles "Tails" Prower - The two-tailed kitsune returns for another co- star role. He's either paralyzed from the waist down or Sonic Team didn't want us flying all over, because he's stuck in his robot walker for this game. His stages are shoot-em-up and normally of moderate length. You don't die if you get hit with no rings; rather, your Cyclone Walker can sustain a moderate amount of damage before you die. Rings replenish the energy. And his English voice acting is just HORRIBLE. Knuckles the Echidna - The guardian of the Master Emerald returns, but he's got a new rival with whom to deal. His stages, contrary to the others, are generally large areas with shards of the Master Emerald hidden around the place. There's hint computers which give you a vague idea of their location, though, instead of Tikal from the last game. Shadow the Hedgehog - The ultimate life form, the rival of Sonic, the creation of Professor Gerald Robotnik. Since he's almost the exact same hedgehog as Sonic, his stages play the same way, he dies the same way, et cetera. Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik - The evil scientist with an IQ of 300 continues his schemes to conquer the world in SA2B. He plays the same way as Tails, except his voice acting's better. A LOT better. Rouge the Bat - The treasure hunter with a passion for jewels, she serves as both the rival to Knuckles and the obligatory sex appeal character. But what are her true intentions, anyway? She plays the exact same as Knux. Amy Rose - Not a playable character, really more of a hindrance to the Hero side and a useful bargaining chip for the Dark. Omochao - Replacing Tikal in this game is Omochao, the leader of the Chao, who gives you hints and advice. Most of the time, it's useless, such as, "Keep your health meter above zero". Maria Robotnik - She's the female offspring of Dr. Gerald Robotnik, Eggman's grandfather. She was killed on the Space Colony ARK by GUN soldiers. --------------- 2.4) Basic Plot --------------- +++++++++++++++++ 2.4.1) Hero Story +++++++++++++++++ It is just another ordinary day...until Sonic, hero of justice, is accosted by a secret military force code-named GUN. Escaping the confines of a high-security helicopter, Sonic leaps down into the city streets in an effort to flee from his captors. Suddenly, a mysterious black hedgehog appears in front of him, grasping a Chaos Emerald in his hands. Meanwhile, across the globe, unexplained incidents occur following the declaration of world conquest by Dr. Eggman himself. Once aware of the connection between Shadow and Dr. Eggman, Sonic begins his quest to stop their evil plan, helped along the way by his old friends: Tails and Knuckles. +++++++++++++++++ 2.4.1) Dark Story +++++++++++++++++ While searching for a top secret weapon known only as "Shadow," the evil genius, Dr. Eggman, penetrates the security of a high-level military base. Deep inside the compound, Dr. Eggman discovers that the weapon is actually a black hedgehog claiming himself as the "ultimate life form," a creature known as "Shadow." Shadow invites Dr. Eggman to Space Colony ARK and reveals the Eclipse Cannon - an enormous weapon capable of destroying the world, more than enough to entice the evil genius to help out Shadow in his quest to conquer the world. Just as they begin to revel in their plan for destruction, the villains are startled by a menacing bat named Rouge who offers her help as well. Thus, the plot to conquer the world begins... ========================= 3) Hero Story Walkthrough ========================= You start off with a cutscene where a GUN chopper, codenamed Sigma-Alpha 2 (SA2), is escorting Sonic to a military base on Prison Island. It is revealed, however, that Sonic took out everyone on board and he soon escapes on a makeshift snowboard. ---------------- 3.1) City Escape ---------------- Background Music - Escape From The City A Rank Cap - 18000 points Personal Best - 20200 points You start out falling from the sky on a snowboard made out of a piece of metal. Your first batch of rings is in front of you, then to the right, then to the left. After that last string of rings, there's a ramp off of which you can jump. Do so by hitting A when you're close to the top of the ramp. A slow 180 boardspin is worth 200 points, a 720 boardspin is worth 500, and a half-backflip 900 boardspin is worth 1000. It progresses like this for the first 30 seconds, then you hit some boosters and lose your board. Run up the stairs to your left and Homing Attack the Hunter that falls down. Since you don't have the Flame Ring or the Light Shoes yet, go on the lower path and run up the wall. When you run out of wall, there will be a Hunter in front of you. Homing Attack it, then Somersault into the wooden crates to get them out of your way. Jump on the rail to grind it, then jump again at the end of it to link the grind to the next rail for another 300 points. Hit the booster and run up the vertical wall. When you land, turn left and Homing Attack the 10-ring capsule, then Homing Attack to the other side of the pit. Run through the first checkpoint. You're back on the street, but you don't have a board this time. There's still ramps, but doing tricks off of them gets you 200 points every time. On the last ramp, if you jump through the two ring loops, you'll pull a Nice, worth 200, and a Tight, worth 800. Work your way up the stairs and watch out for the Beetle robot at the top, because it shoots at you. You probably won't have much speed coming off the stairs, but try to pull a decent trick off the ramp to your right. Hopefully you'll hit Speed Shoes, which speed you up and will let you get to the next rail faster. Grind down it, then screech to a halt. Charge up a Spin Dash (Hold B) for just about a second, then let it loose up the vertical wall. When you're coming down, you should see a golden robot, called the Gold Beetle. Homing Attack it quickly for 1000 points. Run into the spring to your right, then let it take you to the next checkpoint. Run through the grassy knoll, watching out for the Hunters lying in wait (if this isn't reenacting history, nothing is) and go through the loop at the end of the path. After your run down the building, let the springs take you to the poles. Hit A when you see the red streak to launch to the other pole. Do the same on that one to get to the high platform. You don't have the required upgrades at this point, but come back here when you do for... U P G R A D E Magic Gloves Required: Bounce Bracelet, Flame Ring Priority: None; though they're fun To get the Magic Gloves, go down to the four iron crates embedded in the ground just in front of the elevated platform. Bounce Attack on them to break them, then hit the green ring to pick up the Magic Gloves. To use them, get close enough to an enemy so that the words "Magic Hand" appear in the B menu. Then hit B to form the enemy into a ball. Hit B again to launch them. I have not once used these in a practical way, so they're definitely nonessential to the game. Make your way across the pit ahead by Homing Attacking the Beetles if you're on the top path or Homing Attacking the one beetle and making your way across on the pillars if you're on the bottom path. Above the next doorway, hit the spring and make your way down the rails, linking the grinds as you go. Let the rail launch you to the poles, then swing up to the final checkpoint. This next part is all running. There's no real big hazards...well, except for that HUGE TRUCK TRYING TO RUN YOU DOWN! Stay on the right side of the road at all times, because you can't see the ramps this time around and you'll just fall off and kill all your speed. And if that truck hits you, you're in trouble. Just keep running forward and you'll get to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.1.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:20:00 Personal Best - 00:52:34 For the easiest way to get 100 rings in this level, get the first seventeen in front of you on the very first street segment. Don't take the ramp and go down the center of this road for eight more rings. Ignore the three rings on the corners of the turns because you'll need the speed on this next ramp. Jump off this ramp and hit the 20 ring capsule. Coming down, grab any number of the six rings on the two corners. Coming down the center of the road, grab every ring before the ramp and jump off it. At the part where you run up the wall (just after you fly off the snowboard), take the lower path. Grab the eight rings before the wall, then run up it and hit the ten-ring capsule. Take care of the Hunter (be very careful) and go forward through the alcove. Grind down the rails and take the ten rings there. Run up the wall and hit the ten-ring capsule over the pit, then hit the checkpoint and run forward to get the few rings you may be missing. ++++++++++++++++ 3.1.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - 2:07:54 For every Lost Chao mission, the Mystic Melody is required. Go and get it from Final Rush first before attempting this mission. The Lost Chao is located in an alcove high above the ground after you run down the building. Finding the Ancient Shrine can be tricky, so pay attention. After you hit the springs at the bottom of the building, don't grab on to the pole. Backtrack to the corner of the building on your left, facing the camera. Play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine you find there and a spring will appear on top of it. Take that spring up to a pulley. When the pulley stops, Homing Attack the Spring Beetle to get to the next pulley. Homing Attack this Spring Beetle to get to a third pulley. When this Spring Beetle is at the highest point of its movement, Homing Attack it to get to a fourth pulley. When the Spark Beetle up here lets his shield down, Homing Attack him and grab the fifth and final pulley. At the top, jump off the pulley and on to the pole. Swing off it when the red streak appears and press towards the alcove, which you will have seen by now. The Lost Chao is in this alcove, so touch him to collect him. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.1.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 18000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts As opposed to giving an entire level walkthrough, since the level remains unchanged, I'm just going to tell you some time-shaving tips. Unfortunately, for City Escape, there aren't very many. Most of your time can be saved in the opening and closing street sections, though there is opportunity in the two in the middle. At the beginning, lauch off every ramp you can. The same applies for the two middle sections. In the first of those, though, make sure you pull off the "Nice + Tight" combo, described in the main walkthrough. On the final stretch of road, don't take any ramps at all! It's easy to know when a ramp is coming, because there is a path of rings leading up to it. Instead, charge up your Spin Dash and motor down the road as fast as possible. You stand to lose a lot of lives here, because it's pretty hard to clear the level in three minutes flat and if you don't do it in time, you have to restart. Another note about the Timed Missions: There are no checkpoints. ++++++++++++++++ 3.1.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 19000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Light Shoes (from Metal Harbor) Hard Mode missions are, expectedly, harder than the main mission. Since the level remains geographically unchanged, I'll just be giving you tips on the changed parts. Frequently, a special upgrade is needed, so that is listed up with the A Rank Cap and Personal Best. Before going into specifics, a rule of thumb is that Hard Mode missions almost always have several more enemies than the normal mission. With that said, there are two specific points to cover for City Escape. One is directly after the first running street section. The stairway is blocked by a large gate, meaning you'll need to either Bounce from the ground to the next ledge, or jump and grab the edge. The second point is after the vertical building which you have to run down. Instead of elevators over the large pit, there is now a Beetle and a string of rings. Wait for the beetle to move in front of the rings, then Homing Attack it and Light Dash across the pit using the rings. This may take you a few tries because it's more than likely that you'll hit B too early and Bounce right into the pit. The Gold Beetle in this level (and most of the levels) has moved. It is now across that pit, right before the long rail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.1.5) BOSS - F-6t Bigfoot ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ As Sonic comments that "this game of tag is boring", F-6t Bigfoot, a huge robot, appears and engages Sonic in a battle. Because he's the first boss of the game, he's naturally not going to be too hard. Run around to dodge the machine gun fire, then when Bigfoot lands, run around to dodge all the semi-homing missiles. After the missiles stop, jump up and Homing Attack the see-through part on his front. When he takes off, watch out, because the jet engines hurt. Three more cycles of that and Bigfoot falls. ---------------- 3.2) Wild Canyon ---------------- Background Music - Kick The Rock! A Rank Cap - 16000 points Personal Best - 17470 points After a brief confrontation with Rouge and Eggman, Knuckles is off to Wild Canyon to search for shards of the Master Emerald. These hunting levels are a lot harder to write walkthroughs for because there are literally hundreds of locations which may house the shards. Fortunately, this level is a lot smaller than most of Knux's other ones, so if your radar doesn't come up with anything after a quick sweep of the ground floor, make a beeline for the Airlift and glide to the left. If nothing else comes up, double back and go right. The Gold Beetle is located to the left of the Airlift, near the weight in the canyon. All directions are relative to the starting point. U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Shovel Claw Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission The Mystic Melody is found in a room behind a wall panel high above the statue when you go right from the Airlift. Dig into the oval of the panel and pick up the Mystic Melody. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. ++++++++++++++++ 3.2.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - 1:11:54 Follow these directions to get 100 rings in the easiest way possible. Pick up the eight rings in the circle at the beginning, then climb to the top of one of the larger pillars and glide around, collecting all those rings. Drop to the smaller pillars and take every ring on top of them, for a grand pillar total of 56 rings. Now, take the airlift up and go to the highest outcropping in the central area. Take the 30 rings from the two ring capsules there. Facing the camera, jump off and glide to the left. Land on the large box with six rings on it to finish this mission. ++++++++++++++++ 3.2.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 00:40:00 Personal Best - 00:38:99 You'll need, in addition to the Mystic Melody, the Shovel Claw (from Pumpkin Hill) and the Hammer Gloves (from Death Chamber) to complete this mission. Jump out of the alcove in which you are from the starting point and glide to the right. Climb up that wall to the top level and smash the iron crates in the box in front of you. Dig through the painting to get to a small room. Play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine in the upper-right corner of the room (relative to your entrance), then in the next room play it at the Ancient Shrine in the lower-left corner (again, relative to your entrance). Jump through the warp point and run forward to take the Lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 2:00 A Rank Cap - 16000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Since this level isn't too big, finding everything quickly won't be a big problem. Simply follow the tips provided in the main walkthrough. I don't recommend using the hint computers, though. You shouldn't need to, anyway. ++++++++++++++++ 3.2.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 17000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Shovel Claw (from Pumpkin Hill), Sunglasses (from Meteor Herd) A great thing about the Treasure Hunting stages in Hard Mode is that all the Emerald Shards, Keys, Chaos Emeralds, what have you, are always in the same places. Once you learn the locations, getting an A should be easier than ever. Naturally, I'm going to tell you where to find them. The first Shard can be found in the upper area, near the Lonely Statue. It is hovering under the large circular platform suspended high above the Lonely Statue. Get a good start from the top of one of the boxes nearby and glide into it to pick it up. The second Shard is in the center of the upper area. Under the ledges there are several paintings. Dig into one of them to reach a room with several identical paintings, then put on your Sunglasses and follow the rings to a particular painting. Dig into it for the second Shard. To leave this area, dig into the painting from which you entered. The third and final Shard is in the main area. Leaving the area with the second Shard should bring you right where you need to be. Go to one of the short pillars surrounding the Airlift and put on your Sunglasses. If a spring appears, run into it and you'll be bounced to the third Shard. If a spring doesn't appear, keep looking until one does. ---------------- 3.3) Prison Lane ---------------- Background Music - This Way Out A Rank Cap - 26000 points Personal Best - 27540 points Following a boss battle with Dr. Eggman (covered next), Tails in his Cyclone Walker must storm into Prison Island to bust Sonic out of jail. Most of the prison doors in this level don't open until you shoot every enemy in the room. After you blast the three Beetle robots in front of you, you enter a short hallway which then ends and comes into an open area. There's going to be a Gun Beetle rushing at you from the end of the short hallway, so be ready. Keep moving forward, blasting enemies as you go, until you get to the steel grate in the ground. Stand still on it for a second and it will lift you up to the next platform. Do that again on the next elevator, then blast the two Hunters in the jail cell. When you're about halfway through that hallway, you'll see a Beetle in the foreground. Lock on to that one and the one at the end of the hall to get the next door open. Keep moving forward until you get to the hallway filled with wooden boxes. Be careful at the end of this hallway because a Hunter will drop in from above onto the elevator. Take the aforementioned elevator up to the next platform and target the Hornet-3 and all his bombs for 4 separate lock-ons. Traverse down the short hallway, being wary of the two sneak-attacking Gun Beetles, and hit the first checkpoint. Keep moving deeper inside the compound and target all three Hunters. The door above the elevator on the right wall will open, and you can continue. After another short hallway, you'll come to a room with four Beetles just hovering there. Kill them all to open the door on the left wall. A twisting hallway riddled with enemies leads to an elevator ride. There's 11 Beetles along the way, and the most you can target is 8 at a time before your laser dies out. Knock out the last four at the top (there's one behind you) and pass the second checkpoint. After this hallway, there's an elevator just to the right of the next hall. It's wiser to take this path because you can get an extra life, 20 rings, and a shield, plus you don't have to deal with the insane Gun Beetle whipping around the tight spaces in the hall. Drop down from the hall's roof and target everything on the Hornet-3 again. Go up the two elevators and target the Hornet-3 again. There's two Hunters way in the back that you have to destroy to make your way further. In this long chain of hallways, it's point-and-shoot. When you reach an elevator below two moving Gun Beetles, look to the right on your way up with your laser at the ready. Shoot the Gold Beetle when it appears and continue upwards. The two Hunters up here shouldn't pose a problem, and once you've dealt with them, continue on along the hallways. Shoot every robot you see. When you reach a seemingly dead-end, look to the right to find a door and a single Beetle. Hit the third checkpoint after a few more hallways. You're as deep in the compound as you can get right now, but it can get tricky. To bypass the doors following the third checkpoint, you'll have to target each and every robot past the doors, and most of them you can't see. When you take care of all of them, move forward to the next mechanical room. Three Beetles are there when you begin, then move right and three Hunters fall down. Destroy the six of them, then go behind the half-wall in the center of the room to get on the elevator there. Jump and use your laser to target one last Beetle and open the door behind you. It's one long hallway here, but at the end there's a Hornet-3, a few Beetles, some inactive Hunters, and a Hunter that drops down when you get close enough. Target and kill them all to open the door and...hold up a second. U P G R A D E Laser Blaster Required: Bazooka Priority: Medium; really helps in big swarms of enemies Move to the back of the room with the goal ring and target the right corner (relative to the entrance). There's a Beetle there which you have to kill. Do so, and the gate in front of six iron containers opens. Break them open with the Bazooka and move forward. Kill the two Hunters on either side of you to open the gate in front of you. There's your laser blaster. It's automatic, and it replaces your normal laser missile. The shots explode on contact and destroy any surrounding enemies. Now you can go back and hit the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.3.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - 2:19:14 There are no real hints I can give for this level, except for a couple. First, keep in mind that there are only 124 rings in the entirety of this level. Second, checkpoints always give 20 rings when you have between 60 and 80 rings when hitting them. Third, take the path on the roof when you get the chance; it is described above in the paragraph after the second checkpoint, and you'll net 20 rings and a shield with which to protect your rings. ++++++++++++++++ 3.3.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - 1:49:69 To find this level's lost Chao, you'll need the Booster from Mission Street as well as the mandatory Mystic Melody. Just after the second checkpoint, in the large room with the alternate roof path, get on to the roof and look to your left (you may need to rotate the camera). Hover over to the platform you should see and play the Mystic Melody at the shrine there. A spring should appear, so logically take it. Destroy every enemy in sight and run to the Lost Chao behind the now-unlocked door, or hover over to it to save time. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 26000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Hit and run. Don't stop for anything; you'll accumulate more than enough points just by doing that. Speed things up by shooting enemies as you approach the gates. ++++++++++++++++ 3.3.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 26000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None The only significant change to this level is in the room directly after the third checkpoint. To make the gate rise, you'll need to run into the alcove to the right (behind the half-wall, as described in the main walkthrough) and wait for three Beetles to appear (what, Ringo couldn't make it?). Kill them to make the gate open. That's pretty much it for this level. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3.5) BOSS - Eggman ++++++++++++++++++++ Tails is flying by in his Tornado 2 when he notices Eggman advancing on Amy on an aircraft carrier. Eggman is a pushover. Just lock on and shoot when he starts to move in a circle and fire his Volkan Cannon. Three or four good pops will kill him. Of course, he'll come up with an excuse, as his dying grunts are, "Ugh...I let my guard down...", when he just won't admit that he sucks monkey eggs. ----------------- 3.4) Metal Harbor ----------------- Background Music - That's The Way I Like It A Rank Cap - 20000 points Personal Best - 21560 points Thanks to Tails' help, Amy got into the military complex and unlocked Sonic's cell. He must now escape from the compound by way of conveniently placed loops, tracks, and jumps. Keep moving forward until you get to the ramp where you can see a Beetle beneath you. Jump off at the top of this ramp and Homing Attack on that Beetle, then the other Beetle, then land on the roof ahead of you. Homing Attack the three Beetles ahead of you and land on the roof again. You can't do anything about that long row of rings just yet, so keep moving forward through the first checkpoint. As you pass through that checkpoint, you'll run right into a series of springs. You'll ultimately end up on a platform with a lot of Beetles ahead of you. When you hit the fourth Beetle in the chain, hold back on the control stick and Homing Attack that Beetle there. Next, hit the extra life, wait until the Gold Beetle appears, and Homing Attack it. Homing Attack your way to the next platform. U P G R A D E Light Shoes Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Jump onto the pulley above the upper-left-hand corner of the platform you're on. When you reach the top, jump to the platform with the green light on it. The Light Shoes allow you to Light Dash across any row of rings at supersonic speeds. When you run into a row of rings, just hit B. Next, jump off the platform with the Light Shoes and land on the one below. Line yourself up with the row of rings and hit B to dash across and land on the aircraft carrier. Run to the end, watching out for the bombs the Blue Eagles drop, then hit B at the rings to dash across to the second checkpoint. As opposed to jumping across from platform to fuel tank to platform, Light Dash across the rings and run through the loop, where you'll hit springs at the top. Somersault under the bar to grab the pulley, then do that again on the next platform. At the top of this pulley, jump off, run through the loop, and keep going. Do. Not. Somersault. The game tries to trick you by putting a shadow halfway through there, but if you Somersault like you'd expect a bar, you won't get enough speed to make it over the jump and you'll fall to your watery grave. After you land safely, keep running towards the end, and this time, Somersault. Hit the boosters and Homing Attack across the water via the Beetles. Run to the end of this short pier and hit the checkpoint. Here's where the fun starts. Grab on to the rocket after the checkpoint and run up the catwalks to the spring below the missile handle. Or, if you want to get a big point bonus, jump off before you activate the missile timer and hit the far right spring on the central platform. Run up as usual, but don't hit the spring at the top. Instead, jump off and Homing Attack the Beetles quickly. Hit the booster, then Light Dash across the rings to hit the three springs, which launch you to a spring below a second handle. You get a 1500 point bonus, which really comes in handy if you're trying to score an A. But remember, you'll have to move quickly because you only have 15 seconds. No matter which path you choose, you'll drop from the missile and enter a short snowboarding portion. Hit the capsules to get 10 rings, 20 rings, an extra life, and 5 rings, in that order. Run through the loop and land on the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.4.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:10:00 Personal Best - 00:57:87 (Bounce Bracelet highly recommended) This is one of the easier missions for Metal Harbor, as all the rings are pretty much laid out for you. Starting off, light dash to collect the four rings after the first loop. Take the light dash path described above before you reach the first checkpoint. Take the short route of Beetles to get to the other side quickly, then light dash the rings to reach the aircraft carrier. At the end of the carrier, light dash all the rings. Hit the checkpoint for 20 more rings, then light dash across the canister to the half-loop. Right now, you should have 99 rings. Go up the two pulley shafts, but at the top of the second one, use the Bounce Bracelet to reach the roof of the shaft and get your hundredth ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.4.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 00:50:00 Personal Best - 00:44:55 This mission, however, is one of the more difficult ones for Metal Harbor and, indeed, most of the earlier stages. You'll need the Bounce Bracelet from Pyramid Cave before starting this. Finding the lost Chao isn't hard; it's contending with the 50 second time limit. Rush towards the south end of the aircraft carrier as fast as possible. Bounce to the upper chamber on the left side of the carrier. Play the Mystic Melody at these Ruins to cause some platforms to appear outside of this alcove. Jump to the roof of the right chamber, then bounce to reach the first platform. Quickly and carefully traverse these platforms until you reach the deck with the Chao on it. Expect to attempt this mission several times. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.4.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 2:00 A Rank Cap - 18000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Wow. Just...wow. Okay, remember that long row of rings in the very beginning I mentioned in the main walkthrough? Light Dash them to cut out a lot of the stage and get some more points to boot. That's pretty much it on shortcuts for Metal Harbor. I think the best I've ever done on this level was finishing with roughly two seconds to spare. ++++++++++++++++ 3.4.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 18000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None One substantial difference in this level, aside from the usual multitude of enemies: The rocket used to get to the big rocket near the end of the level isn't there anymore. This is probably better, points-wise, because now you have to Homing Attack several appearing Beetles to get across. The next one only appears after the previous one has been killed. Other than that, since you don't have that ungodly time limit, take your time until you feel safe with this mission, then go for the A. ----------------- 3.5) Green Forest ----------------- Background Music - Won't Stop, Just Go! A Rank Cap - 15000 points Personal Best - 16450 points Prison Island is primed to explode, thanks to the actions of Eggman, Shadow, and Rouge, and now Sonic has to escape the island in eight minutes or less. This is something that's very easily done, because Eggman's plans suck and they're not all that challenging to best. You start in a big snakerun which ends in a jump panel. A few Hunters will drop down on the pathway, and if you're not careful they'll take you down. Press on, going underground, and watch out for the Rhino Spike lying in wait near the exit. Hit the jump panel and land in front of the first checkpoint. Light Dash across the rings in front of you and hit the spring, which launches you to a vine. In this tunnel, there are several Beetles and Hunters, so be on your toes. When you reach the end, hit the spring, which launches you into another vine. This empty tunnel leads into a snakerun. At the end of the snakerun, you will be launched into a tunnel containing three Hunters that drop from above. The Gold Beetle is within Homing Attack range from Homing Attacking off a Hunter. Run up the boosters, then make your way through the loop. U P G R A D E Ancient Light Required: Nothing Priority: Medium; really helps in big swarms of enemies At the top of the loop, you'll land on a large platform. Move towards the camera so that it pans out, then Homing Attack the Bomb Beetle and link it by Homing Attacking the 10-ring capsule and the extra life. The Ancient Light is right next to you. To use it, hold down the B button until Sonic says "Ready!", then release the B button near a swarm of enemies. If you come across a P-100 Artificial Chaos, you'll be in the air for a good 30 seconds, making for some good fun. Coming back from the platform with the Ancient Light, run back up the loop and through the door to hit the second checkpoint. Leaving this checkpoint, you'll enter another snakerun. At the end, bounce from the spring and skid to a halt. Homing Attack the Beetle in front of you, link it to the Beetle ahead of that, then finish it off by Homing Attacking the spring close by. As your bouncing chain ends, you'll land on a booster and fly through the third checkpoint. Run through the loop and the short snakerun to wind up bouncing off a spring. Work your way up, spring by spring, until you get to a platform with a Hunter and a Beetle. Kill them both, then keep bouncing up. At the peak, before you hit the fourth checkpoint, drop down behind you and pick up the extra life. Jump back up and bolt through the fourth checkpoint. As usual, there's a long snakerun after the checkpoint. You'll soon come to a booster and enter a Spring Shaft. At the end, you'll bounce onto a bungee vine. Hold A while going down to hit the balloon and get five rings, but release A before you hit the spike balls at the very bottom. Charge up a Spin Dash when you land on solid ground again and let it take you to the fifth and final checkpoint. Once again, run all the way to the end of the snakerun and bounce off the spring. After you land from the vine swing, rush forward and keep jumping to stay on solid ground and avoid the sinking earth. The last portion stops at the bottom, so run forward into the spring at that point. You'll find yourself in front of the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.5.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- To get the most rings in the least amount of time, follow the first snakerun to mainland. Take the spring to the left of the main path, then light dash that string of ~20 rings. Progress as normal until you reach the first vine swing. Instead of taking the upper path, drop to the lower path for some rings. Progress as normal, getting every ring you can, until you reach the room with the Gold Beetle. After destroying the three Hunters and the Gold Beetle, don't go through the loop. Instead, go to the end of the platform with the loop for two ring capsules totaling 30 rings. By now, you should have 100 rings easily. ++++++++++++++++ 3.5.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- In addition to the Mystic Melody, you'll need the Bounce Bracelet to complete this mission. Get to the platform with the third checkpoint on it as quickly as hedgehoggedly possible, but don't hit the checkpoint. Instead, jump off the back-left side on to a platform with an Ancient Shrine on it. Play the Mystic Melody and jump on the resulting platform. Bounce up to the second platform (which is actually very difficult), then to the third (equally hard). Homing Attack the two Beetles off the top-right corner of this platform to reach the floating island with the lost Chao on it. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.5.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:00 A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts This is a simple one. It's easy enough to get through this level in three minutes with 15000 pts, so just do everything as normal. ++++++++++++++++ 3.5.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - One could argue the Bounce Bracelet (from Pyramid Cave) There are two changes (more if you count each snakerun as a change) which can really trip you up if you're not expecting them...and even if you are. First, all the snakeruns are now lined with spike balls. Many spike balls. They're difficult to avoid and you'll lose many a ring to them. Second, the sinking land at the very end of the stage sinks much faster, which is why one could argue that the Bounce Bracelet is essential for this mission. Use the Bracelet to get from land piece to land piece barely as quickly as the land sinks. Don't press directly up against the land, though, because you'll get stuck halfway up and never get enough height, thanks to the magic of glitches. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.5.5) BOSS - Shadow ++++++++++++++++++++ You'll land in the arena and instantly notice that faker Shadow perched on a log in front of you. He may call himself the ultimate life form, but he's really very simple. Dodge Shadow's movement until he stops, then jump up behind him and Homing Attack. Repeat twice, but beware: If you attack him from the front, he'll jump up, deflect it, and Homing Attack you. Your only danger aside from that is bouncing off the arena when you ricochet from a Homing Attack. ----------------- 3.6) Pumpkin Hill ----------------- Background Music - A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup A Rank Cap - 12000 points Personal Best - 12590 points First things first. Pumpkin Hill is made up primarily of three mountains. To the east is Ghost Train Mountain, to the west lies Church Mountain, and to the southeast is Pumpkin Mountain. All directions are relative to the starting point. A problem you may encounter lies in the clue, "A sad-eyed pumpkin". Don't go looking around Pumpkin Mountain for it. Instead, check one of the large pumpkin pillars with a sad face. Also, if you come across a clue which goes something like, "Step back from the platform and wait for the next arrival", head to the bottom of Pumpkin Mountain. The emerald shard is cargo on the train which goes by there. U P G R A D E Shovel Claw Required: Nothing Priority: Essential Not too hard to find, it's directly in front of you from the beginning. When clinging to a wall, hit B to dig into it. Also, when gliding, hit B to dig into the ground. You can also hit Y until Dig appears in the B menu and dig from a standstill. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:00:00 Personal Best - 02:22:55 Finding rings in Pumpkin Hill can be like looking for needles in a haystack. Your biggest help are the balloons, holding 5, 10, or 20 rings each. Grab the 10-ring balloon in front of you, then glide backwards to hit a 20-ring balloon. Glide to the rocket taking you to Ghost Train Mountain, picking up eight rings on the beam between the main "island" and the rocket, and hit the four 5-ring balloons. Drop to the Ghost Train Turntable and pick up five rings from the capsule there. Fall to the rocket taking you to Church Mountain, pick up the eight rings on the beam, and go to the graveyard at the top. Punch the harmful ghost until he's gone, then pick up the six rings on the platform jutting out of the mountain, then the six rings in the graveyard. Drop to the bottom of Church Mountain and get a 10-ring balloon, bringing your total to 93 rings. Glide and/or take a rocket to the top of Pumpkin Mountain and pick up 14 rings there. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 01:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Finding the lost Chao within the time limit is a piece of cake, and really the only easy mission you'll get in Pumpkin Hill. Turn around and glide to the rocket behind you, which leads to the top of Pumpkin Mountain. Play the Mystic Melody at the Ruins you find here, then jump to the small raised portion of the mountain, across the platforms and beams, to the lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.6.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts As opposed to Wild Canyon, you'll probably want to use every hint computer you can find. While you'll lose some points, the points you get for speed will be substantially greater. Another thing which is recommended is learning the layout of Pumpkin Hill for quick navigation. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 16000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Sunglasses (from Meteor Herd) The first Shard is on Ghost Train Mountain, near the Turntable. There's a pipe on the side of the turntable which you should go to. Rotate the camera until you see some spike balls spinning around in midair. There's the Shard, directly above the spindle of the balls. Glide over and grab it. The second Shard is at the bottom of Pumpkin Mountain. On a ledge facing away from the level, there are two fire-breathing skulls. The Shard is buried in the wall at the point where their flames cross. Wait for them to stop breathing and dig. The third Shard is at the very top of Church Mountain; specifically, at the very top of Church Mountain's steeple. Climb up the narrow point and balance precariously at the top. Put on your Sunglasses and a spring will launch you into the air. Glide forward as soon as you reach the peak of your launch and you should glide right into the final Shard. ------------------- 3.7) Mission Street ------------------- Background Music - Rumbling HWY A Rank Cap - 25000 points Personal Best - 25570 points (For what it's worth, I truly and wholly hate, abhor, detest, despise, loathe, and dislike Mission Street in every sense and synonym.) Tails has a price on his head for breaking into the prison complex, and now he's got to elude the military to escape. When you land, move forward, watching out for the dropping Hunters. When turning the corner, stay to one side of the road, because some Blue Eagles will drop bombs from behind and you'll be hit if you stay in the center. Turn the next corner, shooting the Hunters and the Hornet-3, and press onward. Behind the second set of boxes lies two Hunters that are difficult to lock on to, but you have to do it quickly or they'll shoot. At the end of the tunnel, two additional Hunters will drop down behind the first one. Shoot them, then fall with the fragment of highway. U P G R A D E Booster Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Walk forward to the purple arrow sign, then turn left and jump over the barrier. The Booster is right in front of you, and it allows you to hover over wide gaps by pressing A in the air. Jump over the barricade again and hover over the large gap in the road. Shoot the Hunter in front, then move to one side to make two more drop. Shoot them, then jump on top of the weight when it's lowered. Coming up, keep your laser ready to target the dynamite packs and the Hornet-3 all in one swoop. Hit the pulley in the back, then jump on the pillars to the top. On the fifth pillar, the Gold Beetle will appear in front of you. Quickly shoot it. At the top, pass through the first checkpoint. Stay to one side on the following road, but be wary on the second falling section, because Blue Eagles will launch bombs right in front of you. At the bottom, shoot the Hornet-3 and turn left. Step on the missile button and hover back across. Shoot the Hunter, then aim high to take out the snipers on the beam. Move forward across the breaking bridge and target every dynamite pack in sight. When you blast them all, you should take out a Blue Eagle and a Hunter. Move forward, being careful not to be crushed by a falling pillar, and take out the two Hunters that perch themselves on the support beams. Get rid of the last Hunter and jump while firing your Volkan Cannon to hit the balloon and give you full health. Take out the pillar on the left, then jump on it and jump on the box...thing. Kill the two Hornet-3s and hover across to solid ground again. Destroy the two Hunters and jump on the pillars to the right. Shoot the wooden box and hit the switch to suspend the weights. Run up this long stretch of road, being careful of Hunters positioned on the tops of pillars, and hover across at the top from the weights. Shoot the Hornet-3 and work your way up the pillars to the top. Turn right and pass the second checkpoint. There's going to be a long stretch of fallapart road that you'll have to hover over. When you reach the bottom, shoot both pillars, then jump on the one with the flat top. Hover from the end of that pillar to the angled road segment ahead of you. After this relatively clear stretch of road, you'll come across an earthquake. Jump and hover to the other side from the first segment, taking down the Hunters while in flight. In the following tunnel, there's some robots hidden behind boxes. You can easily target the first two, but the Hornet-3 hiding behind the last set is harder to get. The two Hunters around the corner shouldn't pose a problem, so just run through and blast them. In this last section, there are two falling pieces of highway. You'll notice them by the fact that your camera points upwards. Just run by, because they don't fall very quickly. Shoot only what's in your path and bolt to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 3.7.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Possibly the hardest Mission Street...mission...is this one. You can't take even one hit if you want to ace this. Move slowly on areas you know Blue Eagles regularly bomb (ie long stretches of highway) and collect every ring in sight. Take the bottom path where you found the Booster for a ten ring capsule hidden behind some boxes. Aside from those hints, there's really nothing else I can do for you. The rings are right in front of you, but the lengthy time limit doesn't mean anything. You'll need all but a few seconds of it, if you're lucky. ++++++++++++++++ 3.7.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:20:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You'll, of course, need the Mystic Melody for this mission. Bolt to the second checkpoint, but don't hit it. Instead, jump off the side of the platform opposite the checkpoint. Hover down and you'll reach a suspended area with an Ancient Shrine on it. Play the Melody there and jump into the resulting warp. Jump and hover across these cylinders, being sure to destroy the Laser Hunter on the third cylinder, and get to the elevators. Go up this stack of cylinders to the lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.7.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 22000 pts Personal Best - 22010 pts You read correctly. I've only gotten ten points more than the A Rank Cap. To quote a title of a song from this game, [d]on't stop, just go! Keep moving past anything, but lock on to and shoot anything you see. This could be difficult to do at first, but it took me a good five tries before even breaking a C on this level. Just keep trying. It's a very hard mission. ++++++++++++++++ 3.7.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 30000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Bazooka (from Eternal Engine) This level was painful enough as-is, and Sonic Team still had the nerve of making it even harder for Hard Mode. There are three major changes to cause you even more pain. First, during the long stretch of highway with all the pillars you need to knock down, Blue Eagles take out a piece of the road before you can get across it. You need to knock down the pillar on the right and traverse the pit with it. Second, at the end of that section, there are spinning spike balls hovering over the pit. There's also a Hornet behind the spikes; take it out before crossing the pit. Third and finally, the broken piece of highway before the earthquake section now moves to each side, but the pillar used to get to that highway is a different one. Wait for the highway to tilt to the left before jumping to it. ----------------- 3.8) Aquatic Mine ----------------- Background Music - Dive Into The Mellow A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 16340 points Somehow, from Pumpkin Hill, Knux made his way into an old mine filled with water. As Omochao so kindly tells you, the big thing in the center is called the Water-Powered Lift. The water can be raised or lowered depending on which switch you hit. Water Level One, the highest level, and Water Level Two, the middle level, can be changed via the switches behind you from the start. Water Level Three, the lowest level, can be changed from the pulley at the top of the level, which is only accessible when the water level is at one. Frequently, an emerald shard is hidden in the mine shaft in the southeast (relative to the starting point) among the ghosts. U P G R A D E Air Necklace Required: Nothing Priority: Medium; helps a lot in Cannon's Core From the starting point, there is a mineshaft in the northwest. To get to it, you have to lower the water level to three via the switch up top. Drop down the shaft and start swimming for your life. The demon of sucky camera angles will rear its ugly head in the first tunnel, and there's also boosters which you'll have to watch out for. At the end of the first tunnel, turn right and swim around all the wooden bars to get through the next opening and tunnel. Resurface as soon as possible when you're in the vertical shaft to pick up the Air Necklace. It allows you to breathe underwater, so you can take your jolly old time getting back into the main room. It also enables itself automatically, thankfully. ++++++++++++++++ 3.8.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 01:50:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- The time limit isn't much of an issue if you know the layout of Aquatic Mine fairly well. Get the eight rings around you, then jump on the Water Powered Lift and grab a pulley to the higher area. Hit the Water Level 3 switch and the 10-ring capsule up there, then drop into the southeast, or the ghost-infested, mine shaft. Behind a pillar in the far right corner of that room is a capsile with 20 rings in it. Get out of this shaft and go to the shaft in which you found the Air Necklace. Collect every ring here and you should easily get the hundred rings. ++++++++++++++++ 3.8.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 01:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Once again, getting the lost Chao is fairly easy. Use the pulley on the Water Powered Lift to get to the alcove with the Ancient Ruins. Play the Mystic Melody at those Ruins, then punch through the minecarts to the water. Swim to the end, grab the pulley, and take it to the lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.8.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:30 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Remember that the mine shafts, especially the one with the ghosts, frequently have at least one Emerald Shard in them. There doesn't seem to be much randomization in this level and only in this level, which should make it a bit easier for you to pinpoint the Emeralds. Use the hint computers only if you get seriously stuck. ++++++++++++++++ 3.8.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 15000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Sunglasses (from Meteor Herd), Air Necklace (from Aquatic Mine) The first Shard can be found near the Lost Chao. Instead of grabbing the pulley, go behind the spike ball. The second Shard is in the center of the room, hovering near the top. To get this shard, go to one of the oil drilling wheels on the very top level. Climb to the outer plank and put on your Sunglasses. A spring should appear, so hit it and you'll be launched into the second Shard. The final Shard is in a long mine shaft which leads to the very bottom of the mine. Set the water level to one and take the mine shaft on the second level of the mine. Since there's only one route, if you come across a fork, you're in the wrong shaft. Follow the shaft all the way to the bottom. In the final drop, watch out for all of the spike balls. -------------- 3.9) Route 101 -------------- Background Music - Chasing Drive A Rank Cap - 2:45:00 Personal Best - 2:42:99 Eggman is plotting to take over the world and Tails needs to catch the President's limousine to cancel the deal. This is a pleasant change of pace from Tails' normal levels, but there's still some things you need to follow to get an A. The controls have changed, first off, so hold down A to accelerate, B brakes, and Y gives you a speed boost with every 20 rings. Power slide around every turn. To power slide, start turning a corner, let go of the A button, then turn a little more and gun it. It sounds complicated, but it's actually easy to pull off. Only use speed boosts on straightaways, because if you hit a wall when you're moving too fast, you'll bust through it. Be cautious of the few hairpin turns in this level, and always power slide around them. Successful completion of this level unlocks 1P Kart Racing. ++++++++++++++++ 3.9.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:20:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- On either Route 101 or Route 280, the 100 Ring mission is, without a doubt, the easiest. The rings, literally, are laid out for the taking. Grab all the balloons, including those in the pit stops, for 10-40 rings easily. Pick up the stray rings on the road and you'll easily meet the time requirement. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.9.2) Don't Hit Other Cars +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- While this mission seems easy at first sight, actually playing it quickly proves otherwise. You can be the world's most careful driver, but more often than not, other cars will drive into you and cause you to fail the mission. Be very careful in two key points: when driving down the large loop after the first checkpoint, and in the narrow tunnels in the last leg. Carefully and quickly drive past any cars which seem to be swerving and trying to cut you off; they'll cause you major problems later on. If you need to use a boost, only use it on a long straightaway, such as the last piece of road on which you find the President. You have 45 more seconds to complete this mission than you normally would, so utilize that advantage. Drive slow around curves, but power slide around hairpins as usual. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.9.3) Don't Hit the Walls ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Expect to waste about 20 lives on this mission before you even pass it. Trying to beat the rather rigid time limit without hitting the walls is incredibly difficult. If you need to skid to a halt before you go around hairpins, do it. Slow down around turns, and especially when going down the loop after the first checkpoint. When going through narrow tunnels, like that in the last part of the course, slow down and stop repeatedly to make it through without hitting the walls. Only, I repeat, ONLY use a boost on the final stretch of road on which you find the President. Remember, any piece of wall is eligible to stop you. I recall one of my dumber moves...I tried to get the rings in the beginning, missed by a mile, and hit the wall before the course even started. Rings aren't important in this mission, so don't use pit stops, either. ++++++++++++++++ 3.9.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:50:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- The course is entirely unchanged, so this should be a pretty easy mission. Your only problem may be that the cars are a good deal more aggressive. A good point about this is that you can hit the walls and cars again. A bad point is that you only have five more seconds to complete this mission. Also, the time bonus from each checkpoint is about 20 seconds less. Maintain a constant power slide to increase your speed and take turns quicker. Follow those tips and you should easily get an A, but this mission is still quite difficult even with them. ----------------- 3.10) Hidden Base ----------------- Background Music - Down In The Base A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 20640 points The negotiations with the President have been cancelled, but the gang still needs to stop Eggman from firing the Eclipse Cannon again. This means Tails needs to locate Eggman's Hidden Base. When you drop to the lower platform, keep your laser at the ready to lock on to and shoot the hidden Hawk robot. Go to the left and shoot the wooden boxes to make your way up the steps. Hover across the row of rings, with or without shooting the other Hawk to the right, and blast the dynamite packs. Shoot the Eggman Wall until it breaks open, then lock on to and shoot all nine dynamite packs for a big point bonus. Break open the Eggman Tank and climb up the newly formed steps. Break the Eggman Wall up top, shoot the two Hawks lying in wait, then keep moving to the end of the dark hallway, shooting Eggman Walls as you go. Only worry about the Hawk directly in your path, because the other two can't shoot you from inside the walls. Behind the Eggman Wall to your left in this room, there is another Hawk waiting to ambush you. Stay to one side to avoid his bullets. On the left side of this walkway, there is a Sphinx Block. Destroy it, then descend to the first pulley. The Gold Beetle materializes just off-center from the top of the pulley. Work your way back up and hit the first checkpoint ahead of you. Blow up the three dynamite packs in front of you, then break the two Eggman Walls down. Before you make your first pillar jump, a Hawk will descend, cannon firing. Take care of it before you hover to the next pillar. Shoot the dynamite packs under both of the large blocks to advance to the next walkway. After your pillar jump, two Hawks will rise from the sand. Finish the two off, then turn right and blow up the dynamite packs. Grab the pulley, walk forward, turn left, and grab the other pulley. Spin around with your laser activated while still on the pulley. If you target the six dynamite packs and the four Kikis, you'll earn an Extreme, worth 1500 points. Jump onto the large platform you just lowered, ahead of you. At this point, you don't have the proper requirements for the upgrade, but when you do... U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Bazooka Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission Fall down from the large platform and land on the walkway. Shoot the four iron containers with your Bazooka and walk forward. Hover to the pillar holding the Mystic Melody. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. To leave this room, play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine in front of you. If you picked up the Mystic Melody, turn right after you leave the Melody room and destroy the Eggman Tank to reach a pulley which takes you to the second checkpoint. If you didn't, hover to the pillar in front of you from the large platform. Hover from there to the platform with the Eggman Wall. Destroy the Walls in front of you, then hover across the gap to the second checkpoint. Make your way across the pillars to the pulley. At the top, six Kikis lie in wait, so be careful. When they're all destroyed, make your way to one of the two pulleys on either catwalk. This brings you to the next Eggman Wall which you have to break open. There will be two Kikis waiting for you, throwing bombs, when you enter the next room, so hang back a while and wait for an explosion before you shoot them. There's a few Kikis on the elevated area to the right, so take care of them. Hit the spring and shoot the Eggman Wall from the pillar you're now on. Hover over, then enter the maze. Here, it can get confusing. The shortest path is as follows: Shoot the two Sphinx Blocks on the left, then make your way around the pillar that juts out and shoot the Eggman Wall there. Shoot the Sphinx Block, go up the stairs, and hang left to hit the third checkpoint. On the last block, there is a pulley. The camera angle will automatically change when you reach the top, so hover over to the pulley you see and shoot the Kiki staring you in the face at the top. Jump off onto that catwalk, shoot the wooden box between the two metal boxes, and use them as stairs to get to the pulley. After shooting this Eggman Wall, turn left and target the centers of the two Unidus enemies. Jump on the precariously placed blocks ahead of you, target and kill all the Kikis, and make your way to the large platform. Shoot all the dynamite packs, then burst your way through three Eggman Walls. You have three paths you can take here; I find the simplest one is reached by jumping, hovering, and turning a tight right. Remember to not touch the wall while you're hovering. Once you make it to the end, shoot the Eggman Wall and hover from pillar to pillar, making your way to a pulley on either side of the room. Destroy all the dynamite packs, then jump from pulley to pulley to get to the top. Hit the spring, shoot open the Eggman Wall, and there's the goal ring. +++++++++++++++++ 3.10.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:15:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- First, know this: You WILL, no matter what, have to use the "back" ring at the end of this level. There is truly nothing more frustrating than having 89 rings and being caught off-guard by the very first enemy in the level. Aside from the usual wariness of enemies, be especially careful of enemies which swoop down firing. The most dangerous of all is the one before the first point marker, so take special care there. Otherwise, there's a decent amount of rings before the third point marker, in a side alcove in the maze. Grab all the rings in your immediate path, along with the ones previously mentioned, and you should be fine. +++++++++++++++++ 3.10.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:50:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- After making it through the maze and interior area after the maze, you'll find an Ancient Shrine. It's almost impossible to miss. Play the Mystic Melody at this Shrine, then go through the door and hover from block to block. Kill all the enemies in your way to the doorway. Once again, sucky camera angles prevail over all...you may fall to your death in the sand before you know where you're jumping. Hover to the pulley on the far side of the room, which will take you to the Chao. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.10.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:30 A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts For the quickest path through this level...well, I pretty much gave it to you in the main walkthrough. Just follow that path (cutting out the Mystic Melody section) to the end. +++++++++++++++++ 3.10.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None The changes made to this stage aren't that horrible. One specific change, though, is that swooping enemies are attacking in forces to dwarf...something big. The first other change lies in the large rooms with pulleys on either side; specifically, there aren't pulleys on either side now. There's just one in the middle. The second change is the blocks providing passage across the sand. They now spin to dump the unwary Tails into the sand. ------------------ 3.11) Pyramid Cave ------------------ Background Music - Keys The Ruin A Rank Cap - 15000 points Personal Best - 15410 points Now that Tails has located Eggman's Hidden Base, it's Sonic's turn to infiltrate it. You fall from a hole in the ceiling and land just behind some boosters. Hit the boosters and run up the right wall. You'll hit another booster and at that point you'll have to jump through the ring. Jump through the next three rings, then hit the booster and run up the right wall again. Jump through the ring that soon follows, then drop down, hit the booster, and run up the right wall once more. Jump through the two rings in one jump, then take the boosters out of the tunnel. You should have a decent amount of points by now as you hit the first checkpoint. Light Dash uphill and jump on top of the hourglass to open the door. Run through, hit the spring which launches you to a pulley, then jump on the platform. Light Dash the row of rings to your right, then jump on the red bar and swing. When you hit the next bar, do the same thing. You should land on an hourglass behind a row of rings. Light Dash those rings and keep running forward through the loop and off the jump panel. Move downhill, picking up rings, and Homing Attack the E-1000 robot to get to the next ledge. U P G R A D E Bounce Bracelet Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Just run forwards into the Bracelet. Hit B in mid-jump to slam into the ground in a ball. Keep hitting B to attain maximum height. Destroy the two E-1000s in front of you, then Bounce to the next ledge. Do the same on this ledge, then bypass the hourglass and Bounce up to the platform. Kill the E-1000 here, then drop down and hit the hourglass. Bounce back up and hit the spring, then run downhill into the mechanical room. Here, you'll need to grab the glowing apple...thing... and put it on the big glowing circle. It'll automatically move to the center and open the door. Run through the second checkpoint. Here, grind down the rail and go through the short tunnel at the end. Kill the E-1000, don't worry about the Attack Boo, and grind the rail to your right. At the end, drop off the ledge and destroy the E-1000 nearby. Run forwards up the winding hallway, Bounce up on the white blocks, and kill the two E-1000s. This way, if the Attack Boo grabs you, you don't need to worry about getting shot. Pick up the glowing apple and backtrack. Hit the hourglass, run forwards into the alcove and through the door, and keep jumping up the blocks to the top. Hit the boosters behind the ramp and place the glowing apple on the glowing circle. In the snakerun beyond, hit the hourglass and rush to the end. There are several Attack Boos in this tunnel, however, who will hold you still and eat up time. If you get caught by just one of these Boos, you will have to run to the end and fall down the hole to restart the snakerun. However many tries it takes you, make it under the door and hit the third checkpoint. Hit the hourglass and gun it to the end to make it under the three doors. If you don't make it, there are rails on either side of all three buildings upon which you can grind. Any way you slice it, somersault under the bar at the end and hit the jump panel to make it to the next loop. Hit all the boosters to make your way to a hallway which ends with an E-1000 and a springboard. Homing Attack the springboard and hold A on your way up to get high enough to Homing Attack the Gold Beetle. Bounce to the top of the white blocks, take care of the E-1000, and Homing Attack the extra life. Run to the end and grind over the pit. Hit the hourglass, charge up a Spin Dash for a very short time, then let it loose up the hill to get through the door. Zip through the boosters, go all the way through the loops, and you'll wind up at the goal ring. +++++++++++++++++ 3.11.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - 00:58:99 There are 50 rings available to you by the time you reach the first checkpoint...you just need to know where to find them. There is a 20-ring capsule along the top of the left wall just after the area where you can Light Dash a row of rings around a corner. Run up the wall into a Homing Attack onto the capsule. Hit the Extra Life, too, if you want. Get the other rings lining the floor of this snakerun and proceed as normal until you reach the area with the opportunity to swing from your first laser-pole thing. Instead of swinging from that pole, drop down and you can get 20 rings from capsules down there, behind where you land. Past that, follow the level as per usual and you can very, very easily beat the clock. +++++++++++++++++ 3.11.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:45:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Finding the Lost Chao in this level can be tricky, because there are two Ancient Shrines in plain sight along your path. The shrine you want is the second one, near the end of the level. Play the Mystic Melody there to make a spring appear. Bounce off this spring to get to the roof of the "building" from which you just exited. Go through the archway up here and flip the hourglass. Quickly and accurately, swing off the series of poles in front of you to get to the end of the abyss. Pass through the door here to reach the Lost Chao. This could take you a few tries. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.11.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:00 A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Personally, I think this is an easy one. You don't need to worry too much about points, leaving you free to blast through the level as quickly as possible. Remember that grinding rails and jumping through loops often gives you substantial point boosts, too. Don't go too far out of your way, though, to hit the high-scoring loops, since you don't really have much time to spare. +++++++++++++++++ 3.11.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Bounce Bracelet (from Pyramid Cave) There are two major differences that make this level harder than usual. First, the hourglass before the first apple-shaped key has moved from the center of the upraised platform to the alcove to the right of it. There's no spring, either, to get you to the hallway before the key, so you need to Bounce from the upraised platform to get to the hallway. The second is entirely...what do you cool kids say? Ah yes, "wack". This wack change lies in the positioning of items with the second apple key. The hourglass that opens the door is on a white ledge, so you have to drop the apple, hit the hourglass, and pick up the apple again before running through the door. I suggest leaving the apple in front of the door so you can just pick it up while you're running through. You'll also need to throw the apple to the ledge in front of you from the black crates to ascend to the keyhole. ------------------- 3.12) Death Chamber ------------------- Background Music - Deeper A Rank Cap - 12000 points Personal Best - 12070 points Tails found the base, Sonic penetrated the defenses, but the door's still locked. This calls Knuckles in to get the three Gate Keys and let the heroic trio inside. The only real tip I can give you is that you cannot leave the Red Room without picking up the Hammer Gloves. The rest of this level is pretty much luck. The Gold Beetle can be found in the first hallway to the west of the Red Room. There's a missile on one side and a stack of cages on the other. The Gold Beetle is behind these cages. U P G R A D E Hammer Gloves Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level From the starting point, go north, hit the hourglass, and enter the hallway there. Turn right and you'll see some wooden crates with Eggman's mug on them. Break them open to get to the Hammer Gloves. You can now break open iron containers. +++++++++++++++++ 3.12.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Oy. Another difficult one. I hate explaining this one, so I'll just copy what my Versus Books guide says. It's actually pretty accurate, too... unlike a certain other third-party guide maker *coughbradygamescough*. I should get that cough looked at. ^_^ "After grabbing the six rings in front of you at the beginning of the stage, head for the blue section. Play the Mystic Melody at this shrine [In the metallic hallway between red/blue sections. -Ed] to make 14 more rings appear. From there, keep heading for the blue section, where you'll find a Magnetic Shield in the room just after the metallic hallway [See? Told ya. -Ed]. Armed with this useful item, collecting the remainder of the 100 rings you need will be much easier." Accurate, yes. Specific? No. I'll need to elaborate, it seems. A large amount of the rings can be found in the Pyramid Core, the large central room patrolled by ghosts. Never be afraid to use the Back ring if you feel you've milked the area dry. On my best runs, I've gotten maybe 95 rings without using the Back ring, highest. +++++++++++++++++ 3.12.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- (Air Necklace required) First, hurry your little echidna bum to the Pyramid Core as quickly as possible. Play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine on the floor in front of the green section to open a pathway down into some water. Dive down and into the rear of the water-filled chamber. Hit the hourglass, then quickly swim back to the closed door in the front of the chamber. Swim through that door, through a short hallway, and up to dry land once more. Climb the walls of this chamber into an alcove on the lowest overhang. Flip the hourglass in that alcove, then quickly get to the now-opened alcove directly above you on the next-highest overhang. This one also will take some trying. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.12.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 5:00 A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Grr. This level is too big and very confusing. The only tip I can give is to use the hint computers as much as you want and/or need. Once again, the points you get for speed far outweigh what you'll lose for using the CPUs. +++++++++++++++++ 3.12.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Shovel Claw (from Pumpkin Hill), Air Necklace (from Aquatic Mine), Hammer Gloves (from Death Chamber) This level follows the path of the Lost Chao for the last two Keys. You might want to brush up on that mission before attempting this one. The first Key lies on the other side of a painting in the metallic hallway between the red and green rooms. You'll be met with two Attack Boos and two E-1000s which are ruthless in their pursuit of you. Destroy them as soon as you can, then hit the hourglass. Two platforms will come out from the left and right sides of the room; jump on one and smash the crates to reveal another hourglass. This will cause a door in the center of the floor to open; dig there to find the first Key. The second and third Keys are found in the Lost Chao area. The second Key is behind a large crate in the underwater area of the area. There's also an Unidus back there, so be careful. The final Key which will get you out of this godforsaken level for eternity is also in the underwater area, but you'll need to surface to find the hourglass. When you do surface, a weight will block off the water. There's a switch nearby that deactivates the weight permanently. The hourglass is still in the same place as from the Lost Chao mission, but it opens a different door, down in the underwater area. There are two doors which open in a small alcove near the chest behind which the second Key was hidden. Swim down to that alcove as quickly as possible to grab the key before the doors close. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.12.5) BOSS - King Boom Boo ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ After a torturous trek through Death Chamber, the king of all ghosts decides to stop by and take Knuckles out. Your arena is a big circular platform with a large pillar in the center. His first attack is throwing fireballs, which aren't hard to avoid. Don't move too fast or he'll double back and chase you in the opposite direction. Keep running until you hear the King inhale and spew fire. At that time, sprint behind him and punch the ghost holding up the hourglass. In an attempt to avoid the light, the King ducks into the ground. Stand on his shadow and Drill Claw into it. When King Boom Boo emerges, chase after him and punch him. Follow the same routine again until you turn on the lights for the second time. This time around, he'll go up the pillar. Again, keep doing the same thing. Four hits will bring this high-class pile of ectoplasm down to a harmless Slimer. =P ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.12.6) BOSS - Egg Golem ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A short cut scene, in which the Sonic team finally gets into the base, reveals the Egg Golem, a giant rock monster. You're, once again, on a circular arena, but with every punch the Egg Golem deals out, the segment he hits will lower until it falls into the quicksand. After he punches twice (as in both his fists are on the platforms), run behind him and jump up the red steps on his back. Homing Attack the yellow things in rapid succession, then Homing Attack the control unit to take out some of his health. When electricity surges through him, one of two things could happen, both of which are easily avoided. The first possible thing is that he puts both his hands out and spins around. Get on a low section of the arena to have him pass over you totally. The second possibility is that he will slam both his fists down simultaneously, then headbutt the arena. Stand to one side of a fist to avoid the headbutt. No matter what happens, keep following the same pattern and take Rocky out of commission. -------------------- 3.13) Eternal Engine -------------------- Background Music - On The Edge A Rank Cap - 35000 points Personal Best - 40200 points Eggman took off into space, and Sonic hitched a ride on the rocket. Tails and Knuckles also got on, somehow, and now everyone's in space. Yaay. Let all rejoicing cease, though, because Eternal Engine is just one rear pain after another. In front of you are two Beetles, so shoot them and move on. Two Beetles, a Gun Beetle, and a Bomb Beetle await you in this hallway, so destroy them all. Turn right, destroy that Bomb Beetle, then turn left and blow up the two Gun Beetles there. Swerve right, shoot the wooden box, and use the spring to reach the pulley in this next room. Destroy the Bomb Beetle between you and a pulley, then jump to aforementioned pulley. On your way up, the horrible camera angles return. Jump to solid ground when the camera zooms out, then take out the Hornet-6s on this path. Go through the door and hit the first checkpoint. Here, run into the 5-ring capsule and do nothing else. Dynamite was your friend in Tails' last level, now it's out to get you. Turn left and traverse to the end of the hallway where a Hornet-6 awaits you behind the door. Keep moving forward, but walk behind the wooden boxes rather than shooting them, because there's a hidden dynamite pack behind the boxes. Hit the switch, then leave the small room and turn to the door to the camera's right. The locked door here is now unlocked, so progress into space...which makes no sense whatsoever because Tails' head would exploderate the second he walks out. Which could only improve his voice. Anyway, target and destroy the Hornet-9 and the two dynamite packs for an Awesome, plus you should also take out the swooping Gun Wing en route to earn an Extreme!. Keep going forward, through the short hallway (keeping a lookout for TNT on the floor) and you'll emerge in space again. Denying every law of nature, shoot the two rotating Gun Wings and drop down to the narrow strip of land. Hit the green button to launch the missile, then jump on one of the moving platforms to either side of you. When you hit the middle platform, watch out for the Gun Wings swooping in from the right. At the extreme of the platform's movement, jump and hover over to solid ground. In this following room, destroy the Gun Wing coming in from the top and blow up the canister in front of you from afar. Make a sharp left or right around the shadow, then hit the switch to suspend the giant weight. Jump on the spring on the left to launch yourself up to the weight. Grab the pulley, then jump and grab the other pulley. At the top, hit the second point marker. Proceed through this door and you'll catch a glimpse of the Artificial Chaos series. The best way to deal with the Guard Chaos is to continually shoot at it, ever moving closer, until you're close enough to Propeller Punch it and destroy it. Practice this tactic on the Guard Chaos in front of you, then turn left and perfect it on the second Guard Chaos there. Hanging off the ceiling are Laser Chaos who, quite appropriately, shoot lasers from their eyes. Deal with them and proceed through the door. Tangle with the trio of Beetles awaiting you, then jump onto the wooden boxes and, from there, onto the steel platform above the acid. Stand between the laser beams to avoid being hurt, and don't worry, Tails fits. Jump and hover to the next platform, shoot the balloon for full life, then jump and hover down to the third checkpoint. Ahead of you will be a locked door which you don't need to worry about right now. Turn right, kill the Beetles behind the door, and keep moving. Again, you're in space, but there's a lot more explosives and a lot more narrow walkways for you to navigate. Gun Beetles and Gun Wings wait around every turn. Make your way up via pulleys, and if you blow up a platform below a pulley, don't worry. You can hover to grab on. On the last stretch of walkway, three Gun Wings will swoop in from behind and below, then rise. Two more Gun Wings will come down from above at the end. Hovering above the last turn is a Bomb Beetle, which you don't need to destroy but it's slightly easier if you do. Behind the following door is the fourth checkpoint. You enter a room with a veritable treasure chest of explosives and Gun Wings. Being very cautious, work your way around either side of the room without shooting anything you don't need to. Most of the Gun Wings will miss, and the few that do make a shot across...well, they also miss. Pick up the shield in the next room and get ready to fire at the Gun Beetle waiting to take it away from you. Out in space once more, a Hover Chaos waits for you at the end of a long walkway. Two more Hover Chaos float in from the left and right, but you should be down below by now. There's a large platform below you with a switch on it. Hit the switch, double back behind the metal boxes behind you, and destroy the boxes guarding the springs. Up here, a platform will take you up to the door which was formerly locked. U P G R A D E Bazooka Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Just go forward, through the door, and pick it up. You can now break open iron crates. Jump back down to the wall of metal and iron crates. With your newfound bazooka, tear the iron crates apart and advance forward. In this room, there are explosives in every possible place, plus the added challenge of many dropping Gun Wings. Destroy as many Gun Wings as you can, then get just close enough to the door so that it opens. In the room ahead, a Tentacle Hover Chaos awaits you. True to their name, they unleash tentacles and can get you from halfway across a small room. Target and destroy it. You most likely took out the dynamite packs under the pulley in the process, so just jump for it. The gravitational force of space isn't strong enough to pull you downward. From the top of this pulley, hover to the next one, then jump onto the adjoining platform. Progress forward to the end of this hallway, picking up the full health pack, and turn right to hit the fifth checkpoint. From beyond this door, you're hovering wildly. The Gold Beetle appears to your left right after you start your psycho gyrations. Hornet-3s, Gun Beetles, and other assorted Hunters litter your path through space. When you reach solid ground again, a Hornet-3 is right there waiting. Through this next door is a Tentacle Hover Chaos, so take care of it before you start your Mission: Impossible parody. Hover down the shaft, dodging the lasers, Tentacle Hover Chaos, and Beetles, and land on the moving platform below. You'll be locked in place and ready to destroy the generator. Those two red...dealies...will be shooting pink spheres at you the whole time. It's really an opportunity for a helluva lot of points. Lock on to several parts of the generator at once, and when they're all blown up, run towards the goal ring. There's a safety net, so you can just walk off. +++++++++++++++++ 3.13.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Frustrating hard evil difficult every-other-word-meaning-hard mission. There aren't very many hidden rings, so you'll just have to be extra- careful in not getting hit. You'll probably be relying on checkpoints to give you the bulk of your rings, as well. There are no real ways I can help you with this mission...as much as I hate saying it, you'll just have to keep practicing. +++++++++++++++++ 3.13.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:45:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Much easier than the previous mission, but then again, that's not hard to do. When you first enter space, there should be a platform with an Ancient shrine on it to your left. Play the Mystic Melody at that shrine to cause a series of platforms to appear. Take the elevating platform to some more stone platforms, then leap onto the moving platform. Wait until the moving platform is at the extreme left or right of its movement before jumping towards the door. DO NOT SHOOT THE ENEMY INSIDE THIS ROOM!!! If you do so, every hatch in the room will open, thus screwing you. Run past the enemy, do some platform-hopping, then hover over the lasers (or, if you have enough height and some rings, hover through them) when the platform is closest to the door. Go through this door to finally get the Lost Chao. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.13.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 5:00 A Rank Cap - 30000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts GNYAGH! Thirty thousand points in five minutes. It's nearly impossible, and I'm speaking from two files' worth of experience. It's even worse when there are no shortcuts at all. Keep shooting, keep moving, and pray. +++++++++++++++++ 3.13.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 35000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None Since this level's a big enough pain to begin with, there aren't any major changes aside from the enemy and space hatch amount. ----------------- 3.14) Meteor Herd ----------------- Background Music - Space Trip Steps A Rank Cap - 13000 points Personal Best - 14550 points If you were watching some past cutscenes, you would know that Sonic drove the rocket into a meteor and let all the Master Emerald pieces out of the cargo bay. Knuckles, in his last level, has to gather three of those pieces (wonder who picked up the rest?) and fight his second boss. Meteor Herd is riddled with...well, meteors. Not only will you have to punch meteors out of your way to get to several things, you'll have to contend with an infinite amount of falling meteors which seem to track you wherever you go. Some quick tips: The "inverted blue tower" is the tip of the ARK at the top of the stage. When on the ground floor, the floors with blue lasers tracking them can be walked on. "Rotating beacons" are the small, gray-and-yellow rotating pillars. U P G R A D E Sunglasses Required: Hammer Gloves Priority: Required for many Hard Mode emblems On a part of the central tower, there's a meteor on a platform hovering above the ground. Punch that meteor as hard as you can and get it to slam into the door in front of it. Hit that switch, then take a spring so you go between the four pillars of the central tower. Drop down, platform by platform, until you get to the Sunglasses. To put these on, hit Y until Sunglasses appears in the B menu. Put them on where you got them and look around for some surprises. To take them off, just jump. Nicholas Rainville offers his advice for getting 300+ rings in one sitting... "If you want to get some easy rings, go to that little circle of rings near the beginning, and if you fly around in a circle and dig where the rings used to be, you can get a ton of rings! I got over 300 in 3 minutes." I'd add that to the 100 Rings mission...but you can't dig up rings in the 100 Rings mission. +++++++++++++++++ 3.14.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- First, pick up the eight rings in a circle around you at the beginning. There are six more ahead of you, on the ground. Facing the central pillar, go right and on top of the blue tube. At the far end of that tube, there is a 20-ring capsule. On the ground to the right of that capsule, there are six more rings. Near you is a large meteorite and a box. Punch the meteorite into the box for 20 more rings in an easy-to-swallow capsulized form. Run to the other side of the central pillar to the three ledges jutting out from the side. There are five rings there. Run to the left (still facing the pillar) and punch a meteorite into the door there for ten more rings. Pick up the pieces by taking the rocket inside the central pillar to the first large blue platform. +++++++++++++++++ 3.14.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Take the rocket inside the central pillar up to the large blue platform. Take that rocket to the tip of the ARK. Grab onto the ledge directly in front of you and climb to level ground. Glide to the next ledge over, then do that one more time to arrive on a ledge with an Ancient Shrine. Jump into the warp, then play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine in this small room. Jump into that warp to finally reach the Lost Chao. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.14.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:30 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts My VersusBooks guide says to take both rockets up to the top of the stage and hover down in a circle. I frown upon this method, but I don't really have anything better to tell you. To quicken this method a little, though, I suggest using at least one and no more than two hint computers (if needed) for each emerald shard. Those tips I gave you in the main walkthrough are very helpful here. +++++++++++++++++ 3.14.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Sunglasses (from Meteor Herd) The first Shard is behind the door on the main tower with the blue moon next to it. You have to tap a meteorite over using gentle blows to shatter the door, which is easier said than done because of the constant meteors breaking the required meteorite. The second Shard is on the blue platform you reach by bouncing off the spring on the top of the central tower. There is a narrow beam with an extra life on it. Walk to the end of that beam and put on your Sunglasses to reveal a spring. Bounce off of it, then press right slightly to hit another spring suspended in midair. Bounce on that spring for a while until you can see where the Shard is, then glide from the top of your bounce to it. The final Shard of the Hero Story is found by taking the two rockets up to the ARK, then gliding around the lower platforms until you find a platform with a Phoenix robot (it looks like a red Hornet) and a blue moon. Dispose of the Phoenix and put on the Sunglasses to see another spring in front of the moon. Launch off that spring and glide forward into the Shard. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.14.5) BOSS - Rouge ++++++++++++++++++++ Apparently Rouge was tracking the rocket and had to wind up in the same place as Knuckles. Since Knux won't just hand over the emerald shards, Rouge decides she has to take them. Pick up a couple rings at a time in this fight, and try to get over Rouge and Drill Claw her. It's the fastest way to take care of her. When the floor opens up, try to land on the same rafter as the bat so you can Drill Claw her easily. Watch out for her Black Wave attack, which is easily identifiable by the quick close-up on her face as she says Black Wave. Four smacks will make her give up. ------------------ 3.15) Crazy Gadget ------------------ Background Music - Unstable World A Rank Cap - 17000 points Personal Best - 18610 points This level is going to drive you nuts. Gravity switches, Artificial Chaos, and of course, deep space. Anyway, follow the rings from your starting point to the door. Destroy the two Hunters and don't get hit by their shots, because they will hold you in place as a sitting duck. Press onward some more and a Hunter will drop from the ceiling. Destroy it, take the ring capsule, and turn left. You'll come across a nasty Tentacle Laser Chaos, so destroy it. Move up to the gravity switch and hit B to invert gravity. On the ceiling, you'll find an ordinary Laser Chaos, so you can deal with it or just ignore it. Behind it, there is another gravity switch, so flip it and go into the next room. As soon as you open the door, a Hunter will be right there. Further on, there will be another Tentacle Laser Chaos underneath a pulley. Destroy it and try to bounce off its head to grab on to the pulley. If you miss, just Bounce up to it. At the apex of this pulley lies another pulley. Jump to it, then jump off at the top and hit your first checkpoint. Wheee! High-speed warp tube! Homing Attack the glass; you'll be sucked into deep space and from there into the next section. Homing Attack the Beetles to get across the acid pit, then hold forward as you're bouncing off the spring to hit the bomb and destroy the enemies in front of you. If you miss, you know how to deal with them. Hit the gravity switch, jump over the boxes, and hit the spring. Somersault under the tight space, then find your way through the hallway (More bad camera angles! Yay!) and hit the second checkpoint. Jump onto the rail (lucky for that checkpoint) and you'll enter a large, black, vertical room. Hit the gravity switch pointing right and run down to the rail. Light Dash the rings to make it on easier. At the end of the rail, a Tentacle Laser Chaos will be waiting for you, so make a quick right turn to avoid it. When you drop down to the narrow platform, you get to use the Light Attack for once! Charge it up, then let it loose on the Chaos Cells released by the Capsule Chaos (Just to let you know, these aren't their official names). Once they're all dead, take out the head of the Capsule Chaos and go through the door to the third checkpoint. Run down the hallways to the first Shield Hunter. Somersault its feet to take it out. The end of the next hallway has a Shield Hunter as well. Destroy it in the same fashion, then make your way up the boxes and to the Spark Beetles. Wait until their shields are down, then Homing Attack them in rapid succession and try to land on the rail below. Grind that to the spring, which takes you to a door and the fourth checkpoint. More warp tube fun! When you emerge this time, you'll be inverted. Make your way to the gravity switch at the end of the room, but be sure to take out the trio of Laser Chaos guarding the boxes. U P G R A D E Flame Ring Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level From hitting the gravity switch and righting yourself, go back towards the camera and move to the left or right corner. A spring will launch you to the elevated ground above. Trace back to the place where the Laser Chaos hung and pick up the Flame Ring. It lets you break open iron containers with a Somersault or a Bounce. Flip gravity again, then Somersault into the iron crates blocking your exit from this room at the end of the room. Somersault under the tight space, then you'll enter a room with more bad camera angles. Take out the Spinning Laser Chaos on the ceiling, then hit the springboard to make it to the next hallway. Here, take out the Laser Chaos and hit the springboard, but make sure you only move forward enough to just get stable ground. Here, you need to edge closer and closer until Light Dash appears on the B menu. At that time, Light Dash across. Somersault into the iron crate in the center of this ceiling to unveil a spring which will launch you downward so fast and so far that gravity switches. Ignoring all impossibilities of this happening, advance forward and destroy the Tentacle Laser Chaos. At this door, you'll need to Light Dash across the arc of rings to make it to the next room. Charge up your Light Attack here and take out the Capsule Chaos. Turn right, make your way down, and stop. The Gold Beetle materializes just in front of the two Shield Hunters. Destroy it for a hefty 1,000 points, take out the two Shield Hunters, and go through the next warp tube. Take out the Tentacle Laser Chaos here, then the two Laser Chaos on the ceiling. Make your way across the narrow beam, being ever careful of the spike balls, and destroy the Beetle at the end to open the door. Here, grab the rings and don't hit the gravity switch. Instead, jump off and Homing Attack to make it to the other side with the springboards. Hit one, then destroy the Shield Hunter guarding the door. Through this door lies the last checkpoint. Here's the part that'll drive you out of your gourd. Hit the switch before you do anything, then use all the boosters to get into deep space. Hit the gravity switch to get to the purple block. Go left, then forward. Take out the Gun Beetle and hit the Gravity Switch behind it. Make your way forward on the green block, then down. When you reach the two metal boxes, you have to Bounce on them while holding down so you can make it to the next platform. Hit the switch there to make it to one of the faces of the yellow block. Move away from the camera, then up, then take a leap to the blue block. You don't need to do anything about the Beetle there. Light Dash the rings on this face of the blue block, then flick the switch to cure your vertigo for about ten seconds. Take out the Tentacle Laser Chaos, then flick the switch he was guarding. When you hit the spring, hold down to get to the third face of the yellow block. Hit the spring behind the rail and let "gravity" take you back to the green block. Here, just run upwards, avoiding the Spark Beetles, until you reach a spring. Take the spring to the second face of the purple block, then Light Dash across the rings to land on the second face of the blue block. Hit the gravity switch there and you'll be taken to the third face of the purple block. Move away from the camera, then down. It is IMPERATIVE that you hit the switch here before you flick the gravity switch. After hitting the switch, flick the gravity switch and you'll be taken to the underside of the red block. A Spinning Laser Chaos greets you, so take him out before you move away from the camera and hit the gravity switch there. You're back on solid ground again, and the missile to open the final barrier should be emerged. If it's not, you probably don't know what imperative means and you have to go back and repeat the process all over again. Hit the missile button to dissolve the acid barrier and dash to the goal ring. I hope you had as much fun playing this stage as I did running through it over and over trying to get all As. On two separate occasions. Curse it all. +++++++++++++++++ 3.15.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Rather stringent limit, this. It's not so much the time as it is the Artificial Chaos attacking you every three rooms. The best strategy to deal with these guys is to charge up a Spin Dash and zoom right past them as they unleash their tentacles. While they're busy trying to hit you, bash their heads in. This one may take you a couple tries indeed, but it's worth it. +++++++++++++++++ 3.15.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 5:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Run through this level as quickly as possible to get to the Gravity Room at the end of the level with as much time to spare as you can. Get to the red block you would normally end the level with, but go to the left instead of going forward. Flip the gravity switch here to fall on top of the purple block. Run towards the camera and to the right, to an Ancient Shrine. Play the Mystic Melody there and wait a second or two for the rings to fully appear. Light Dash across those rings and hold forward on the control stick to land on top of the red block. Run forward to pick up the Lost Chao and narrowly avoid a shot from a swooping Gun Wing. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.15.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 5:00 A Rank Cap - 16000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts There is only one substantial shortcut in this level, and it turns out I've already given it to you. It's in one of the final rooms of the level; the one with the narrow red beam, the spike balls, and the Beetle. The shortcut is to do what I told you to do in the main walkthrough. You really have to speed through this level. To quote VersusBooks, "Don't attack any unnecessary enemies and don't stray for any rings". You'll have a hell of a time with this one. Like I did. Twice. Bitter? I'm not bitter. +++++++++++++++++ 3.15.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 15000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Flame Ring (from Crazy Gadget), Bounce Bracelet (from Pyramid Cave) Many a change has been made to Crazy Gadget. It's like a twisted Doublemint Gum commercial. "Double your anguish, double the fits, it's a sick ode to Hard Mode Crazy Gadget". With that said and done, the first change lies in the convenient spring in two locations which launches you down from the ceiling to a much lower ceiling. Those locations are after the Flame Ring pickup and just before the long vertical neon-yellow room. The spring has been replaced by a series of boxes held in place by rails which you must use to jump down to reach the lower ceiling. The second change is directly after the high-speed warp tube. You need to grind the short rail and Homing Attack up the Spark Beetles while their shields are down. Speaking of Spark Beetles, the line of rings used to Light Dash across the pit of acid later in the level has now been replaced by a line of Spark Beetles. The only shortcut in this level now has a laser grid guarding it instead of spike balls. It's far harder to navigate, but still semi-useful. In the Block Room of Hell, the rocket switch has been moved to under a black crate on the green block. When you land on the yellow block with normal gravity, go towards the rear of the block to find a gravity switch. Flip it and hit the rocket switch as soon as you can, before the black crate covers it up again. You can progress as normal until you land on the green block again. Instead of Spark Beetles, there are now lasers, but they are easy to jump over. The line of rings you used to Light Dash from the purple block to the blue block are now gone; you'll just have to jump and hope you make it. The changes end there. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.15.5) BOSS - Dr. Eggman +++++++++++++++++++++++++ When Eggman vowed that next time, you wouldn't be so lucky, he was right. This fight is a lot harder than your previous one. You can blow up the canister moving up the middle when Eggman gets close to it and he will be hurt by the resulting explosion. If, after a zoom on Eggman's face, you hear a charging sound (trust me, you'll know it), run. Run like hell. His Power Laser is coming around, and once you're inside, there's no escaping. Keep running around, pulling off shots when you're close to him, and you should make it by fine. ---------------- 3.16) Final Rush ---------------- Background Music - Highway in the Sky A Rank Cap - 13000 points Personal Best - 14200 points Yaay! Sonic's alive! The power of Chaos is strong in this one, yes? Anyway, all fake Yoda quotes aside, you now need to rush to the tip of the Eclipse Cannon to stop it from firing once more. You start off on a rocket, which explodes over a rail. At the bottom of this rail is a green line, followed by a green X. Hit A between those two points to score a big trick. On the purple rail in front of you, just grind down it and don't worry about the Tentacle Hover Chaos. Here, try to Homing Attack the Hornet-6 at the end of the pathway. Jump on the red rail on the platform you land on and grind all the way to the first checkpoint. When you get to the rail split just beforehand, don't worry. You'll catch the rail if you're close to it. Now, run down the hill, grab the rails and hit the spring. A long downward grind commences, but you don't need to do anything except keep your balance. At the end, Homing Attack the bomb capsule to get rid of the two Tentacle Hover Chaos. Hit the rail here, then at the end hit the springboard and run through the second checkpoint. Here, run down the hill and don't catch the rails. Instead, hitch a ride on the rocket and land on the purple rail far ahead of you. Grind down this, hit the springboard, and get to the next platform after the metal boxes. Here, you'll have to Homing Attack the vertical rails to get up. The Gold Beetle lies above the second platform with the single rail on it. Jump at the top of your vertical grind to nail it. Take out the Hornet and grind across deep space. Jump over all the gaps in the rails and hit the boosters to take you to the third checkpoint. Make your way up the vertical rails, be careful of the Tentacle Hover Chaos on top, and use your Bounce attack to break through the center boxes. Take the rail to all the other vertical rails. The first one you have to Homing Attack to get up, but for the next one just hit a booster and you go up it. Homing Attack all the vertical rails and just land on the horizontal ones until you get to the fourth checkpoint. Now, continue Homing Attacking up the rails until you reach a solid blue catwalk again. Turn right and Homing Attack up that rail, then jump over to the platforms with the Tentacle Hover Chaos on them. Destroy them both, then Homing Attack up the two rails. After some more platform jumping, Homing Attack up a rail to a spring. The springs will launch you to another rail. Grind upon that to the next checkpoint. Here, jump over the yellow sign and land on the rail below. Let all the following rails take you to a platform with a single vertical rail on it. Homing Attack up that one, then take the boosters up the long vertical rail. Be sure to crouch or you won't have enough speed going up. Now, you're faced with a choice. If you want to continue, take the purple rail on this catwalk, then run forward and hit the sixth checkpoint. If you want the upgrade, however... U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Nothing Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission Grind down the orange rail, then when you come off at the end, hold forward to land on the platform with the rocket. Take the rocket to another platform, then jump across the platforms to a spring. Grind up the vertical rail ahead of you and the Mystic Melody is right there. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. After a series of rails, you will eventually hit a spring which brings you to a series of platforms. Make your way up to the vertical rail, then grind up and land on the rail in front of you. At the end of this rail, make your way up the vertical rails and hit the bomb capsule to take out the Hornet, and, if you hit the springboard in time, the Tentacle Hover Chaos ahead of you. Use the springboard to get up to the next platform, then just jump up the blocks with rails on them. Take the springboards at the end of the hallway, then Bounce on any of the three stacks of boxes to bust through. Run all the way down the wall, staying ahead of the debris, and you'll launch right into the goal ring. +++++++++++++++++ 3.16.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- There is an abundance of rings in Final Rush, but to get them all in a minute and a half will require some fancy footwork. Launch off every rail; don't crouch on the one rail with four ring capsules slowly materializing above it; coming off that rail, hit the spring on the meteorite; get the 20-ring capsule below the walkway in that same area; don't get hit, though you should be experienced enough by now to be able to avoid most of the shots. +++++++++++++++++ 3.16.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 4:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- After ascending the large vertical wall, take the purple rail as opposed to the orange one. On the platform you end up on, stop running forward and backtrack to an Ancient Shrine. Jump onto the two platforms which appear, then get up the rail in front of you carefully and with as much speed as you can safely gather. You might need to Homing Attack the rail, but it's risky because you'll probably fall. Once you get up that rail, play the Mystic Melody at this Ancient Shrine to cause a row of rings to appear. Wait a tick, then Light Dash across the rings to a solid platform. You'll now need to traverse a bunch of angled rails to get to the other side of this pit. On the other side is a room with the Lost Chao...a fitting reward for your efforts. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.16.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 5:00 A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Chrcol123@aol.com gives a nice description of the level's biggest shortcut. "When you reach the platform with 2 tentacle hover chaos and a bomb capsule. From there, go to the right and a rail will lead to al [sic] the vertical rails." Aside from that, two other things. Lauch off of every X rail (the ones with the green lines) and don't be tempted to cheat death by jumping from the top of the long downward circular grind to the bottom of it. It never works. Trust me. +++++++++++++++++ 3.16.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None A welcome change, this level. There are only two changes and neither are too immense. The Hover Chaos early in the level now attacks, so you need to jump off the rail, attack him, and hit the spring to get to the next platform. In the first room with the three shafts, there should be a weight and two Tentacle Laser Chaos. Kill the one on the right to unveil a switch which lifts the weight covering your way of escape. I can't recall if it's the first or the second three-shaft room, so if it's not in the first one, you know where it is. +++++++++++++++++++++ 3.16.5) BOSS - Shadow +++++++++++++++++++++ Shadow and Sonic meet up racing to the point of the Cannon, where Shadow comments that he can't let Sonic live. For the final boss of the Hero Story, he's not all too difficult. For the first two or three hits, you can just Homing Attack Shadow. However, when you damage him enough, he'll start countering your attacks. At this point, let him advance far enough forward so that he mutters, "Time to put this to rest". At this point, Homing Attack to get out of the way of his oncoming Chaos Spear. Homing Attack him while he's standing still after he unleashes it. Your main hazard in this level is the narrow platform on which you fight. If you miss with a Homing Attack, you'll more than likely go flying off the edge. Also, parts of the path you've already passed crumble and fall to the Earth below. The point: Keep moving and aim. When Shadow fails to withhold his position as the ultimate life form, have fun watching the Hero ending. ========================= 4) Dark Story Walkthrough ========================= You open with the insidious Dr. Eggman trying to break into a top-secret military base. As the guard computer notifies the base that there is an intruder, Eggman is already halfway inside. -------------- 4.1) Iron Gate -------------- Background Music - Remember Me? M.F.M. A Rank Cap - 20000 points Personal Best - 21620 points After you drop from above, the camera angle will slowly change to behind you. Lock on to and destroy the four Beetles in front of you, then follow the hallway to the Hunter and two more Beetles. Take them out, then move to the door. You'll encounter several of these doors in Iron Gate; to destroy them, you have to target all four locks on the corners of the door and shoot them. Once this door is taken care of, move forward to the first checkpoint. In this next room, be careful of the three Hunters that drop from the ceiling. Destroy them and turn right. Step on the metal plate to be taken to the alcove above. Shoot the wooden boxes in your way, then drop down and destroy the robots in front of you. Turn left into the hallway on the back wall of the room. Make your way through, shooting the Hunters, and destroy another security door. Go down the elevator. The Gold Beetle appears on your right, but you have to destroy the other Beetles to make it appear. At the bottom, blow away another security door and hit the second checkpoint. Here, destroy the security door in front of you. In the next room, a good 20 rings awaits you. U P G R A D E Laser Blaster Required: Large Cannon Priority: Medium; really helps in swarms of enemies Destroy the two large canisters in front of you, then break the iron crates behind them. Make your way down the dead-end and pick up the Laser Blaster at the end. It's automatic, and it replaces your normal laser missile. The shots explode on contact and destroy any surrounding enemies. Turn right (left if you're picking up the Laser Blaster) and go into the hallway there. Destroy the security door at the end and you'll enter a large mechanical room. Turn right onto the catwalk, then make your way down until you see another catwalk branching off to the left. Destroy the Hunters in front of you and go down the series of large steps, being wary of the Beetles. Move forward into a smaller mechanical room and destroy the Hunters in front of you. Follow the catwalk to the third checkpoint. Destroy the security door in front of you, then keep moving forward to the second elevator of the level. At the bottom, destroy another security door. Now that you've penetrated the deepest part of the base, it has entered lockdown mode. There will be no open hallways, as they will all be locked with security doors. Proceed through all the rooms, destroying the security doors in your way, until you reach a room with a metal plate and an elevated platform. Move forward so that you lock every door ahead of you, then go to the plate and go to the elevated platform. Lock on to and shoot the control panel to activate the missile. When it launches, just run forward through the hallway and land on the Goal Ring. ++++++++++++++++ 4.1.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:35:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Follow this level as normal until you reach the large room just past the Laser Blaster upgrade. Hover over to the steel pipe in front of you, then onto the steel platform to your left. Shoot the iron crate open and bounce off the revealed spring onto another platform. Get 10 rings there, then bounce onto the pipe in front of you and hover to collect the curved line of rings in front of you. After that, finish the mission as you normally would. ++++++++++++++++ 4.1.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Take the detour previously mentioned in the 100 Rings mission, but don't drop back down to the main level after collecting the line of rings. Instead, hug the wall and drop onto a small platform with an Ancient Shrine on it. Play the Mystic Melody there, then jump to the highest newly-materialized platform. Turn around from there to face the Ancient Shrine. Hover over to the pulley sticking out from the ceiling and you'll reach a hidden room. Go into the alcove to the right, being careful of swooping enemies, and you'll find another Shrine along the left wall. Play the Melody there to cause a spring and several platforms to appear. Bounce off the spring and climb up the platforms to the top of the large central structure. There, the Lost Chao lies on an upraised platform. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.1.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:00 A Rank Cap - 20000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Naturally, the first mission is going to be the easiest. I don't have, nor do I need to give, any tips for this level. ++++++++++++++++ 4.1.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 19000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None VersusBooks sums it up nicely. "The only significant differences here are the addition of more aggressive enemies and the disappearance of quite a few rings." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.1.5) BOSS - B-3x Hotshot ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Robotnik, commenting that it was too easy, has broken into the area where his grandfather's research was kept. He confuses Shadow, the ultimate life form, for Sonic, his arch-nemesis. Shadow decides to prove his power by calling in and dispensing of a guard robot. Since this fight is so similar to that of Sonic's, I'll just copy the strategy. Run around to dodge the machine gun fire, then when Hotshot lands, run around to dodge all the semi-homing missiles. After the missiles stop, jump up and Homing Attack the see-through part on his front. When he takes off, watch out, because the jet engines hurt. However, there is one major difference in this battle. After each hit, Hotshot will charge up one huge laser. Keep moving to avoid being locked on to. --------------- 4.2) Dry Lagoon --------------- Background Music - Bright Sound A Rank Cap - 15000 points Personal Best - 15060 points After a brief confrontation with Knuckles and Eggman, Rouge is off to Dry Lagoon to search for shards of the Master Emerald. This level consists of a little oasis and a big oasis. To get to the larger of the oases, destroy the Hunters guarding the turtle to the right of the little oasis. Stand on its back and hit B to submerge. In the big oasis, to the left lies Three Head Wall and to the right lies the Statue's Pool. The clue "A red flower in the water?" refers to the two springs in the Statue's Pool. U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Pick Nails Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission On the right wall of the little oasis (relative to the starting point), there is a painting. Dig through it to get to the Mystic Melody. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. ++++++++++++++++ 4.2.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You can easily get all 100 rings in the starting area. Good places to look are the numerous ledges and in the air around the large central pillar. You don't even need to free the tortoise. Wow...world's shortest mission walkthrough. ++++++++++++++++ 4.2.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 0:40:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Along with the Mystic Melody, you'll need the Pick Nails from Egg Quarters and the Iron Boots from Mad Space to complete this mission. On the very top floor of the starting area, there is a G.U.N. Tank and several metal crates. Break the iron crates and dig into the painting revealed. There is an Ancient Shrine in that room; play the Melody there to open the door in front of you and cause a warp to appear in the next room. Go through that warp and you'll land just in front of the Lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.2.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:30 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Similarly to Wild Canyon in the Hero Story, this level is small and the emeralds are pretty easy to find. You shouldn't need the hint computers in this level. If nothing comes up on a preliminary sweep of the main area, switch to the Big Oasis and search there. That's all I can say, really. ++++++++++++++++ 4.2.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 17000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Treasure Scope (from Security Hall), Pick Nails (from Egg Quarters) The first Shard is found by smashing the wooden crate surrounded by black crates two ledges above the starting point. This will expose a spring. Launch off that spring and glide forward into the first Shard. The second Shard can be bounced to by digging into the crossbar of the scales in the huge painting on the wall of the main area. A spring will launch you clear into it. The last Shard is underwater, in the Big Oasis. Hitch a ride on the turtle and put on your Treasure Scope. Fall in (DO NOT JUMP!) and you should see a spring under the island in front of you. Hit it to be launched to the final Shard. --------------- 4.3) Sand Ocean --------------- Background Music - Way to the Base A Rank Cap - 25000 points Personal Best - 25000 points Robotnik has pulled a Chaos Emerald, and now he has to return to his hidden base. One question: If his base is so hidden, how come there's GUN robots everywhere? Nevertheless, your goal is to traverse the desert to get to your pyramid. Do not land in quicksand, as it will kill you. Go forward from the starting point onto the spinning disc. U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Jet Engine Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission When the spinning disc's arms are pointing to the left, jump and hover across the quicksand. Destroy the Bomb Beetle there, then pick up the Mystic Melody. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. If you picked up the Mystic Melody, activate the shrine and go through the portal. Then, go to the part of this text that says "WARP POINT". If you didn't, go back on to the spinning disc. Take out the Bomb Beetle hovering above, then jump to the next accessible platform in front of you. Take out the Bomb Beetle soon ahead and jump onto the moving platforms to make your way across the quicksand. Work your way up the blocks and destroy the dynamite packs on the pillar. Move forward on the fallen pillar, watching out for Hawks and Gun Wings, and shoot the balloon. Now, destroy the canister and drop down. Go up the step, then down it on the other side of the fence. Fell the pillar on the other side of the quicksand, then go across and destroy the three canisters there. Quickly dispose of the Hawk behind them, then go up the steps and knock down the pillar there. Follow the pillar to a series of steps, two Gun Wings, and the first checkpoint. Jump on to the spinning disc and navigate the chain of moving platforms to get to solid ground once more. Knock this pillar over and use it to get to the other alcove. The Gold Beetle appears here. Turn left and try to take out the two Hawks before you land on the large rectangular platform. Jump on the spinning disc and jump off when it's facing right to get to the second checkpoint. Once more, navigate the platforms to get to another alcove. Fell the pillar here and walk across to the next room. Fall down, defeat the Rhino, and destroy the canister to get up the steps. WARP POINT Destroy the two Rhinos up here and jump to the next pillar on the side. Move down the pillar steps to the platform with spike balls and a Bomb Beetle. Eliminate the Bomb Beetle and use the wooden columns to get to the next platform, where 40 rings await you. Again, use the columns to get up, take out the swooping Hawk, and go down on the other side of the fence. Use the columns to get to the stone hallway and start destroying canisters. There is only one in the first column, but three in the second. Navigate the platforms below to get to the spinning disc. Jump off when it's facing left and hit the final checkpoint. Near the end of this platform, three Gun Wings swoop down on you. Destroy them and hit the jump panel at the end. Here, you'll need to knock down three pillars to form a large staircase to the top. Once you have accomplished that feat, jump on the small weight at the top and ride it to the runway ahead. Being careful of the various enemies in wait, run to the end and to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 4.3.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Just collect all the rings along your way as you normally would. I was wrong; THIS is the world's shortest mission walkthrough. ++++++++++++++++ 4.3.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You'll need the Jet Engine and the Large Cannon to complete this mission; no Mystic Melody, though. Get to the large spinning disc just before the second checkpoint. There is a small platform with a spring on it far off in the sand. Hover over to that platform, and from there onto the moving one in front of you. Shoot the iron boxes on the platform in front of you, hover over to that platform, then from there onto the path and down to the Lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.3.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:00 A Rank Cap - 25000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts The best time to do this mission is right after you pick up the Jet Engine upgrade. With the ability to hover, you can easily bypass several sand platforms instead of waiting for them. Don't, however, take the warp point. It will certainly get you through the level more quickly, but you'll miss out on several important point opportunities. You shouldn't need that huge of a skip ahead in the level, since you have the Jet Engine and it's not too hard or long of a level in the first place. ++++++++++++++++ 4.3.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 23000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Needed - Jet Engine (from Lost Colony) The moving platforms have been reduced in amount, but that's about it. Aside from the usual proliferation of enemies. -------------------- 4.4) Radical Highway -------------------- Background Music - Vengeance is Mine A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 14590 points The military is pursuing Shadow! You've got to break away from them on one of the craziest highways on Earth! Grind down the rail at the start, then jump off and hit the springboards. Here, dash under the tollbooths and down the hill, being cautious of the bombs being dropped by the Blue Eagles. Take either fork and go through the loop. Center yourself again and hit the booster to make your way through the tunnel. At the end, launch to the next platform, where a Hunter is waiting for you. Take it out and use the pulley on your right to get to the top. Again, a Hunter waits for you, so destroy it and take the springboard to the next piece of highway. U P G R A D E Flame Ring Required: Air Shoes Priority: High, though nonessential On this strip of road, double back and somersault under the roller. Light Dash across the rings, hit the springboard, and pick up the Flame Ring. It lets you break open iron containers with a Somersault. To get back, destroy the iron containers at the end of the segment you're on and hit the switch. Grab on to the rocket to launch yourself to the main path. If you didn't pick up the Flame Ring, go forward to the next pulley, which a Hunter guards. Take the pulley up and grab the rocket to launch yourself to the first checkpoint. Somersault under the roller and dash down the hill. When you exit the loop, hit the springs and go down a spring shaft. At the end, move to the peak of the highway shred you're on. Somersault under the roller and Homing Attack the four Beetles to get across. Some Blue Eagles will take out a piece of highway soon, so get moving and avoid the bombs. Going downhill, you'll encounter a trick ramp, not unlike those of City Escape. Trick off it to grab the pole and swing upwards to the next platform. If you missed the ramp or the pole, destroy the Hunters and somersault into the wooden box to take a spring to the pole once more. On this platform, hit the spring on the far side (ignoring the Hunters) and launch yourself up to a pulley. Take it up, grab the rocket, and move forward a little bit to pick up 20 rings. When you land, move forward, avoid the bombs, and hit the second checkpoint. Run down the hill, through the double loop, and jump off the ramp to hit the spring. Destroy the Hunter, then jump on to the pole and launch yourself to the elevators. Work your way up them very carefully, then Homing Attack across the Beetles when the Spark Beetle in front puts his shield down. Take out the Hunter that drops from the sky on the next strip of land. Hit the springboard and Homing Attack the Gold Beetle perched in the center. Follow the rings down the left bridge support and grind to the bottom. Somersault under the roller, then run down this strip of highway to the third checkpoint. In this tunnel, jump over the barricades by any means, then somersault under the roller and run down the hill. After you go through the loop, be cautious. If you miss the spring at the end of the segment, you'll go hurtling to your death. Once you hit it, swing by the poles to the top of the highway. On this last strip of highway, there are banked turns with no guardrails. If you avoid all those, just have some fun here. Loops, speed, and a double corkscrew! When the thrill ride is over, hit the boosters, launch to the last platform, and run forward to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 4.4.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:20:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- This mission is very easy, even if you're a complete n00b. The important thing to remember is that during the long downhill stretches of highway, stay as close to the center as you can; the rings are all laid out in front of you. ++++++++++++++++ 4.4.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Get to the Gold Beetle's location, then climb to one of the two support beams with cables coming off the front and back. If you went off the front, you'd continue normally. Grind the cable leading off the back of the beam, instead. After landing on another support beam, get to the center of the beam and play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine there. Jump across the platforms which just appeared and you'll pick up the Lost Chao en route. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.4.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts And a quick change from Sand Ocean creates one of the most horrible missions ever to be spawned from the horrible pits of Hell. There's only one reliable shortcut: At the top of the bridge very near the end of the level, take the left support as recommended in the main walkthrough. Other than that, practice until your eyes fall out of your skull and your thumbs become brittle and snap off. It will be worth it. ++++++++++++++++ 4.4.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 16000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Air Shoes (from White Jungle) The safety net after the two consecutive loops about halfway through the level is gone, so you need to take the high road. On the high road, the string of Spark Beetles has instead been replaced by one Beetle and a line of rings. Because Shadow doesn't get the Bounce Bracelet, there's little danger in Light Dashing the rings. Later on, you NEED to hit the Gold Beetle (which has moved to your direct path) to make it across a bottomless pit. That's really the entirety of the level. ----------------- 4.5) Egg Quarters ----------------- Background Music - Lovely Gate 3 A Rank Cap - 12000 points Personal Best - 16150 points Rouge is ordered by her mysterious "boss" to infiltrate Eggman's hidden base. In order to do this, however, she has to find three gate keys which oh-so-conveniently happen to be hidden in the general vicinity. The big trap in this level is the Giant Beetle patrolling the halls. If it sees you, you only have a few seconds to get into a shadow or get out of there before it blasts you. Like Knuckles' Death Chamber level, this is made of three rooms: a red one, a blue one, and a green one. Mechanical halls and rooms are also dotted here and there. The Gold Beetle for Egg Quarters lies in the left alcove of the green room (facing the giant statue). An Attack Boo will be waiting to surprise you, and it will stun you for so long that the Beetle will disappear, so be ready. U P G R A D E Pick Nails Required: Nothing Priority: Essential In the blue room, a mechanical room is blocked off by some cages. Hit the missile button aimed at the cages to open the room. The Pick Nails are literally right in front of you. When clinging to a wall, hit B to dig into it. Also, when gliding, hit B to dig into the ground. You can also hit Y until Dig appears in the B menu and dig from a standstill. ++++++++++++++++ 4.5.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You'll have a lot of difficulty getting 100 rings, much less getting 100 in two minutes. Get every ring in the room you start in, then run forward through the door below the giant scorpion into the green room (Egg Snake Room) while picking up every single ring along the way. Upon entering the Egg Snake Room, take the exit to the left and into the large red room (Snake Altar Room). There's a caged animal in this room, next to which is a wooden crate with 20 rings in it. Pick up the final rings on top of the Altar and between the tops of the pillars surrounding the altar. ++++++++++++++++ 4.5.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine on top of the Altar in the Snake Altar room. Get there from the start by going out the right exit. Jump into the warp which appears to materialize in a room with a weight and a painting on the wall. Dig through the painting, then break the iron crates along the left side of the room until you find a switch. Flick that switch, then dig through the painting in the hole in the floor. The weight in the previous room, to which you now return, is suspended permanently. Grab the Chao from under it. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.5.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts The level is circular and only has one floor. You can figure out what to do...of course, run in circles! Run in circles until something comes up on radar, then track that signal. Three minutes should be more than enough. ++++++++++++++++ 4.5.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Needed - Treasure Scope (from Security Hall), Iron Boots (from Mad Space), Pick Nails (from Egg Quarters) The first Gate Key is in a cage in the hallway between the Egg Fish and Egg Scorpion Chambers. To break this cage, walk through the Egg Fish Chamber and pick up one of the bombs the Kiki in the cage throws. Bring it back over to the Gate Key and throw it at the cage. The second Key can be found in the Snake Altar room. It's buried in a painting blocked by cages, so you need another bomb. Before getting the bomb, however, kick open the iron crate and the wooden box in front of the cages. The closest Kiki is on a bar near the ceiling of the metallic hallways you just came from. Grab a bomb and throw it at the cages, then dig in. The final Key is in the Egg Snake chamber. First, pick up a bomb from a Kiki in the hallway. Turn on the Treasure Scope, then make your way to the Egg Snake Chamber. Bounce off the spring the Treasure Scope reveals, then throw the bomb at the cage up there for your last Gate Key. ---------------- 4.6) Lost Colony ---------------- Background Music - Trespasser A Rank Cap - 34000 points Personal Best - 35830 points Eggman needs to find the central control room so he can give the Chaos Emerald to Shadow. Since ARK was shut down 50 years ago, everything is very dark and only GUN robots remain. When you come up from below, destroy the two dynamite packs on the door in front of you to advance. Go down this hallway, destroy the Beetle at the end, and turn left. Kill the Gun Beetles in this room, then in the next room, jump off and hug the north wall. Destroy the dynamite packs when you land, then progress forward and take care of the Hornet-3 and the Beetle. At the end of the hallway, two Gun Wings will swoop down when you open the door. They don't pose a threat, so don't bother unless you need the points. Open the wooden crates in the corner of this room to expose a switch. Hit it, then move to the next room. There is a Rhino hidden on the floor of this room, so shoot it and go down the hill. Again, a Rhino haunts the floor. Take the left platform up, then hit the switch up there and go through the door to the first checkpoint. In the maze ahead of you, walk around until you see a Hornet-3. Dispose of it, then look to the side for a stack of metal boxes against the wall. Use them as stairs to get to the top. U P G R A D E Jet Engine Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level On the platform you're on right now, it calls to you. It allows you to hover over wide gaps by pressing A in the air. Hover across to the next platform and hit the missile there. Hover to where the missile hit and progress into the next room. Take either platform up to the high rise (I'm running out of synonyms, so sue me) and take out the Beetle there. Move to the arm of the platform and jump on. Destroy the three Gun Beetles at the top and hover across. If you go too far, you'll miss the second checkpoint. The two Beetles in front of you and the Rhino in the next room don't pose a threat, but shoot them anyway. Turn left, destroy the Beetle and the Rhino, then blow apart the wooden containers to form a crude staircase. Take it to the switch, then leave the room through the now- open door. A Hornet-3 hides in the shadows at the end of this hallway. You enter space for the first time in the next room. As usual, there are several Gun Wings coming around. Look out for one in particular; it comes down in front of the gap between the catwalk and the exit door. 10 rings are in the next room, then you enter space once more. Lock on to and destroy all the Beetles as quickly as you can. The Gold Beetle appears in front of you on your descent via the elevator. At your stopping point, hover across to solid ground and go through the door. Watch out for the two Gun Wings that come down just before you hit the third checkpoint. Go to the end of the hall, open the door, and target all the Hornet-3 parts you can. Once everything is down, step on the secure platform at the end of the catwalk and ascend up a shaft of Beetles. A great opportunity for points lies here. At the top, open the door by shooting the dynamite packs. In this short hall, pick up the rings and exit into space. Destroy the Hornet-3 hidden in front of you, then hover down to the missile. Hit the button, then go forward to the door (wary of any enemies) and open it. Make your way through the final hallway, open the door at the end, destroy the Hornet-3, and hit the goal ring. Some Gun Wings will be shooting in the background during your cinema, causing for a cool drama effect. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- In the room with the Jet Engine upgrade, there are two 10-ring capsules among the boxes. Shoot them both. Otherwise, progress as normal. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Get out into space for the very first time and you'll see a floating platform just below the first turn in the pathway. Jump onto that platform, then play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine at the end of this catwalk. Follow these platforms through a door. There is a hidden enemy in this next room which will appear as you're hovering to the next door. Shoot that enemy while hovering to open the door in front of you, then run forward to grab the Lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 3.6.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:30 A Rank Cap - 34000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Simple to beat the level in the time limit, but it's slightly harder to get the required 34K to nab the A. Since you have time to spare, move quickly but lock on to as many enemies as possible, especially in the long elevator shafts swarming with Beetles. ++++++++++++++++ 3.6.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 44000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Large Cannon (from Weapons Bed), Jet Engine (from Lost Colony) That first step's a doozy. You're liable to blow off a portion of the walkway while you're starting the stage. That's the first change in this level. Next, in the third room (the one with the switch to open the door), destroy all the iron containers and follow the rings to the switch. In the room full of slime, only the elevator on the right works and the switch to open the door is in the beginning of the room, under some iron containers. Immediately to your right in the room in which you found the Jet Engine, there's a stack of iron containers which you have to destroy to advance to the next room. To get on top of those boxes, hover over from the cages to the left. In the second room which needed a switch to open the door, there is no longer a switch. Instead, you have to destroy all the enemies in the room. There is one hidden in the corner which you can only destroy by breaking all the crates and grabbing a pulley. ---------------- 3.7) Weapons Bed ---------------- Background Music - Crush 'em All A Rank Cap - 30000 points Personal Best - 32650 points The Eclipse Cannon, a weapon of total annihilation, is the reason Shadow wants the Chaos Emeralds. Eggman plans to grab all the Emeralds, when Rouge drops down and offers her services. Cut to the Prison Island coastline, where the Dark side has regrouped. Eggman's task is to break in and distract the military. The first thing you'll notice in this level are the hordes of deactivated robots which are points for the taking. Destroy as many as you need, remembering it only takes 11 to get 2000 points. Go to the garages on the end of the aircraft carrier and take out the nearby Hornet-6. U P G R A D E Large Cannon Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Break open the door of the center garage and pick up the Large Cannon. You can now break open iron crates. Use the Large Cannon to break down the iron crates and form a makeshift staircase of metal boxes. Jump the fence and hit the first checkpoint. From this platform, hover all the way over to the far left platform. Two Hawks will drop down and shoot rapidly, so take care of them as fast as possible. A large block of iron crates blocks your progress, so break them all to advance. Work your way up to the gap in the catwalks. A Hawk will drop between you and the crates on the other side, so destroy it. Break open the crates on the other side, hover across, and hit the springs to launch upwards. Break the iron crates here, then target and destroy the Hawk shooting upwards at you before advancing. Hover across to the platform ahead, destroy the Hawk, and take the pulley up. Eliminate the Hawk up here, then stick to the right all the way down this aircraft carrier. Destroy the Hornet-6 here, then keep your laser at the ready as you hover to the next platform. On the next platform, after the Hornet-6 you just blew up, hover across to the catwalk and hit the second checkpoint. A Hawk will swoop down behind the stack of iron and metal crates, so don't stick around long enough for it to hit you. Break the iron containers between the metal boxes, then hover to the next catwalk and hit the springs behind the crates. If you need rings, hit the three capsules, then hover to the catwalk to the right. It gets tricky here, as many robots are shooting at you at once. Take out as many as you can, go to the catwalk on the right, and shoot the Hawk that drops down to your left. Break the green box to the right of the next catwalk for a better chance to get to that catwalk. Run forward to the checkpoint. Grab the pulley and destroy the Hornet-6 at the top. When you jump off, three Hawks will drop down and ambush you. Ignore them and run to the end of the carrier. Hover to the next platform, but watch out for the Blue Eagles dropping bombs. When the bombs all explode, another Hawk will come up from in front of you. Destroy it, hover to the next catwalk, and work your way up again. Destroy all enemies and crates in your way to get to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 4.7.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- If you try very carefully to not get hit (which can be a mission all in itself), you'll easily complete the level with an A. Stop into all the garages on the carriers with rings in them. As a general rule, all garages blocked by explosives hold rings. You still should check out the other garages. Also, shoot every balloon and ring capsule. You can get 100 rings off of those two items alone. ++++++++++++++++ 4.7.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:15:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- There is an Ancient Shrine in the last garage on the third aircraft carrier. You know what to do. The Lost Chao is among some crates in the area to which the warp takes you. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.7.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 2:45 A Rank Cap - 30000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts The time is easy to beat, and the score is easy to beat, but getting that score in that time is the hard part. VersusBooks says to avoid killing all the robots just lying there on the decks of the carriers, but I disagree. Lock on to all the ones in plain sight for some huge point bonuses and ignore the ones tucked away in alcoves to the side. The trick is getting up from the second-to-last platform to the last platform without smashing the green box with your missiles. If you know what I'm talking about, you know how difficult it is to do that. You can avoid shooting that box, but it's very difficult. ++++++++++++++++ 4.7.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 30000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - Jet Engine (from Lost Colony), Large Cannon (from Weapons Bed) The only real change comes early in the stage. When you're crossing the pit with iron containers on the other side, you'll need to hover over from the metal crate to the right of you. +++++++++++++++++++ 4.7.5) BOSS - Tails +++++++++++++++++++ You've successfully distracted the military and allowed Shadow and Rouge passage into the island, but that still doesn't stop Tails from coming in. However, fox-boy is a pushover. Just lock on and shoot when he starts to move in a circle and fire his Volkan Cannon. Three or four good pops will kill him. ------------------ 4.8) Security Hall ------------------ Background Music - I'm A Spy A Rank Cap - 12000 points Personal Best - 15450 points For some reason, Eggman is convinced that his 30-second fight with Tails calls for a 15-minute reduction of schedule. This may prove to be one of the more difficult levels for Rouge, because she thinks highly of herself and sets the timer to five minutes. Your first problem in this level will involve the numerous safes. First off, you have to unlock them to open them. To unlock the safes, take the spring on top of the large platform in the center of the red level. From that platform, take the pulley to the second floor. Incidentally, the Gold Beetle happens to appear on your way up. On the second floor, the red and blue safe switches can be found to the left and right, respectively. The yellow safe switch is on the large platform in the center. To open the safes, dig into the black center. If you're close to some giant fans and your radar is flashing red, try Drill Driving into the abyss near the fans. U P G R A D E Treasure Scope Required: Mystic Melody, Iron Boots Priority: Needed for many Hard Mode missions On the far end of the yellow level, you'll see an ancient shrine. Play your Mystic Melody there, then take the platforms to the iron crates. Kick them open, then move forward to the Treasure Scope. To put this on, hit Y until Treasure Scope appears in the B menu. Put it on where you got it and look around for some surprises. To take it off, just jump. ++++++++++++++++ 4.8.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 4:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Four minutes seems like a long time, but it fills up fast. Get to the top floor of the central pillar and go up into the safe lock room. There is a platform above the red safe lock with an Ancient Shrine on it. Use the Shrine to make 40 rings appear above the vent below you. After gathering those up, there are 24 more rings on the floor in front of the safe locks. There are ten rings inside an iron crate near the blue safe lock, facing away from your line of sight. To get the rest, drop down and sweep the lower floors. ++++++++++++++++ 4.8.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 0:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You need the Treasure Scope for this mission, but no Mystic Melody. Get to the safe lock room and climb to the yellow lock letters. Put on the Treasure Scope and a spring will appear. Let it launch you to a platform high above you with the Lost Chao on it. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.8.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:30 A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Search each of the floors consecutively and briefly. If nothing shows up on the exterior of the level, go up to the safe lock room and kill the Spike Rhinos, because they frequently hold Chaos Emeralds. In fact, all of the Spike Rhinos are eligible for holding an Emerald. The level is, once again, not that big, though it may seem that way. ++++++++++++++++ 4.8.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 16000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Needed - Treasure Scope (from Security Hall) The first Chaos Emerald is just where I said you could look; among the large fans. You'll have to Drill Drive to get it. The second Emerald is up in the Safe Lock area. Go up to the Yellow Lock platform where the second Emerald is floating between two blocks with junk on top of them. While you're up there, hit the Red Lock switch and go back to the main level. Climb to the highest beam of the level and put on your Treasure Scope to reveal a spring. Hit that spring to deactivate a weight on the first floor. Behind that weight is the safe holding the third Emerald. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.8.5) BOSS - R-1/A Flying Dog ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Despite her best attempts, Rouge is still caught in the security hold. Flying Dog is sent in to take care of the intruder. Aside from the fact that he never lands, R-1/A Flying Dog is almost the same as B-3x Hotshot. If you plan to hit him, you'll need to climb onto the gates on either side, then glide into the cockpit when he stops shooting missiles. After four hits, his only attack will be shooting the laser. One more hit will kill him. ----------------- 4.9) White Jungle ----------------- Background Music - Rhythm and Balance A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 15250 points Shadow picks up a transmission from Rouge; it turns out she got trapped anyway! The bombs go off in ten minutes, and if you will not have gotten to the safe, Rouge will die. Your mission in White Jungle is to blow through it in ten minutes or less. You drop from a waterfall onto a booster, then run down a snakerun with a spring at the end. The spring takes you to a vine, which in turn takes you to a springboard. Homing Attack the three enemies, then take the launch vine to the upper platform. Roll under the blockade and take the next launch vine up to a snakerun and the first checkpoint. Run down this hill, through the loop, and to the jump panel at the end of the snakerun. Hit the springs to launch yourself into a 20-ring capsule, then dodge the Rhino Spikes on your way down. Roll under the barrier and hit the Bomb capsule to destroy the enemies in your way. Hitch a ride on the launch vine to the next platform. Wait until the weight falls down and jump on it. Homing Attack the Hunter, then link it to the spring. Again, dodge the Rhino Spike on your way down and hit the launch vine to be sprung upwards. Destroy the Hunter on the small platform you land on, roll under the gate, and run to the end of the tunnel to get the next checkpoint. Head down this snakerun, through the broken loop, and hit the jump panel. Ahead of you, two Hunters will drop down. Destroy them, roll under the barricade, ignore the Spark Beetle, and go up and through the loop. Destroy the two Hunters at the very top, break through the wooden crates, and run through the third checkpoint. After hitting the spring at the end of this snakerun and landing on solid ground again, you'll need an important item to progress. Destroy the Rhino Spike first. U P G R A D E Air Shoes Required: Nothing Priority: Required to finish level Break the wooden crate to your right and drop down the revealed hole. It doesn't get much easier. The Air Shoes allow you to Light Dash across any row of rings at supersonic speeds. When you run into a row of rings, just hit B. Roll under the blockade to your left and Light Dash across the many rings you see. When you emerge near the spring, take it up to the boosters. Run through the snakerun to the spring at the end. When you land, the Gold Beetle will appear right behind the Hunter. Hit the launch vine to get to the next platform, on which your only hazard is the Gun Wing coming around the corner that the weight lies on. Roll under the gate, hit the spring, and follow the launch vines to the goal ring. ++++++++++++++++ 4.9.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- You can find 30 extra rings which will greatly aid you. The first one is described in the walkthrough for the level, actually. It's the 20-ring capsule obtained after launching off a jump panel into a spring. The second is just after that, worth 10 rings. After passing a weight and a Hunter robot, hit the spring in front of you and land in the top of the palm tree. Otherwise, be sure not to get hit by the Rhino Spikes (kill them by somersaulting). ++++++++++++++++ 4.9.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:20:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Get to the near-end of the level, just before your triple bungee-rope fling. Instead of taking the first bungee rope, run to the back of the platform and play the Melody at the blah blah blah. Traverse the platforms which appear up to the robot. Homing Attack the Beetle, then land on the platform behind it. Ride the vine to another platform, where you'll meet a Shock Beetle. Wait for him to put down his shield, Homing Attack him, then Homing Attack the enemy which just appeared. Keep going like that until you reach solid ground and the Lost Chao. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.9.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 3:00 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts This level is ridiculously easy to beat in three minutes. Like Green Forest before it, you can pretty much follow the main walkthrough for this mission. ++++++++++++++++ 4.9.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 13000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Needed - Air Shoes (from White Jungle) Four big changes here. The first lies within the first ten seconds of the level: The spring at the end of the opening snakerun has been replaced in lieu of a floating platform with a spring on it. The second comes slightly later in the level. Shortly before the second checkpoint, you'll notice the Launch Vine you used to reach a platform high above has disappeared. You now need to take the platforms to the right all the way up. The third change is that the upper path near the Air Shoes has disappeared and you need to take the lower path where you found the Air Shoes. The final change is another spring removal, near a giant weight late in the level. Since the spring is gone, you need to jump on the weight to get to the next level of the ground. All this and no spike balls in the snakeruns. +++++++++++++++++++ 4.9.5) BOSS - Sonic +++++++++++++++++++ You'll land in the arena and Sonic will soon come up behind you and instigate a fight. Dodge Sonic's movement until he stops, then jump up behind him and Homing Attack. Repeat twice, but beware: If you attack him from the front, he'll jump up, deflect it, and Homing Attack you. Your only danger aside from that is bouncing off the arena when you ricochet from a Homing Attack. --------------- 4.10) Route 280 --------------- Background Music - Chasing Drive A Rank Cap - 3:20:00 Personal Best - 3:15:30 You have six of the seven Chaos Emeralds, thanks to a noble effort on Shadow's part, and you've put off a demonstration of the power of the Eclipse Cannon. Unfortunately, to bring it to full power lest the world not submit to the Eggman Empire, you need all the Emeralds. Fox-boy still has one from the last game, so it's Rouge's job to chase and catch him. This is a pleasant change of pace from Rouge's normal levels, but there's still some things you need to follow to get an A. The controls have changed, first off, so hold down A to accelerate, B brakes, and Y gives you a speed boost with every 20 rings. Power slide around every turn. To power slide, start turning a corner, let go of the A button, then turn a little more and gun it. It sounds complicated, but it's actually easy to pull off. Only use speed boosts on straightaways, because if you hit a wall when you're moving too fast, you'll bust through it. Be cautious of the few hairpin turns in this level, and always power slide around them. Successful completion of this level unlocks 2P Kart Racing. +++++++++++++++++ 4.10.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:00:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- On either Route 101 or Route 280, the 100 Ring mission is, without a doubt, the easiest. The rings, literally, are laid out for the taking. Grab all the balloons, including those in the pit stops, for 10-40 rings easily. Pick up the stray rings on the road and you'll easily meet the time requirement. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.10.2) Don't Hit Other Cars ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- While this mission seems easy at first sight, actually playing it quickly proves otherwise. You can be the world's most careful driver, but more often than not, other cars will drive into you and cause you to fail the mission. Be very careful in two key points: when approaching the double hairpin after the third checkpoint, and in the narrow tunnels in the last leg. Carefully and quickly drive past any cars which seem to be swerving and trying to cut you off; they'll cause you major problems later on. If you need to use a boost, only use it on a long straightaway, such as the last piece of road on which you find Tails. You have 10 more seconds to complete this mission than you normally would, so utilize that advantage. Drive slow around curves, but power slide around hairpins as usual. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.10.3) Don't Hit the Walls +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:45:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Expect to waste about 20 lives on this mission before you even pass it. Trying to beat the rather lenient time limit without hitting the walls is incredibly difficult. If you need to skid to a halt before you go around hairpins, do it. Take special care when going around the double hairpin. When going through narrow tunnels, like those in the last part of the course, slow down and stop repeatedly to make it through without hitting the walls. Only, I repeat, ONLY use a boost on the final stretch of road on which you find Tails. Remember, any piece of wall is eligible to stop you. Rings aren't important in this mission, so don't use pit stops, either. If you need to hit some cars in your way, feel free to do it. It clears your path and kills your speed, which is a good thing. +++++++++++++++++ 4.10.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:20:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- The course is entirely unchanged, so this should be a pretty easy mission. Your only problem may be that the cars are a good deal more aggressive. A good point about this is that you can hit the walls and cars again. Maintain a constant power slide to increase your speed and take turns quicker. Follow those tips and you should easily get an A. -------------- 4.11) Sky Rail -------------- Background Music - Mr. Unsmiley A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 14100 points The Tornado has crossed the path of Shadow, and now he must track it. I like this level, simply because there's many paths you can take and you'll never get lost. When you're done on the rail in the beginning, hit the boosters and launch off the springboard. Move forward to a Propeller Spring. To activate these, you have to repeatedly Homing Attack them until you reach the orange circle at its peak. At the top of this one, hit the 10-ring capsule in front of you and follow the path to the rocket. If you're going for the fastest way, take the rocket right here. U P G R A D E Ancient Light Required: Nothing Priority: Medium; really helps in big swarms of enemies Homing Attack across to the platform beyond the rocket and go to the ledge with the Chao Box on it. Jump off here and two Beetles will appear. Homing Attack them, then Homing Attack the Spring Beetle to get to the top where the Ancient Light lies. To use it, hold down the B button until Shadow says, "There's no time to play games!", then release the B button near a swarm of enemies. If you come across a P-100 Artificial Chaos, you'll be in the air for a good 30 seconds, making for some good fun. From the upgrade, Homing Attack the Beetles as far as you can, then get to the first checkpoint by any means possible. Here, grind all the way down the long set of rails until you reach the bottommost ledge. Homing Attack the spring in front of you to bounce up to a ledge with a Propeller Spring. Work your way up in the same fashion as before and hit the second checkpoint. This set of rails curves around a pumpkin pillar, then ends above an outcropping with a Rhino on it. Head to the left, Homing Attack the Beetle, and make your way up on the Propeller Spring. Up here, go up once more. Homing Attack the capsule and move to the steel platform with another Propeller Spring on it. Keep going up and hit the third checkpoint right before the rails. This Gold Beetle is probably the trickiest of all. When you see two Beetles off to the side, jump off the rail. Homing Attack the Gold Beetle in front of and below you, then try to make it back to the rail. At the big rail split, just keep on your straight path and you'll land safely. When you launch off, run to the end of the outcropping to the Propeller Spring. Keep going upwards via the enemies and hit one of the two rails at the top. Grind all the way down, keeping your balance, and run to the end of this platform to the goal ring. Be sure not to run under it and off the edge. +++++++++++++++++ 4.11.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:15:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- When you reach the spring you have to Homing Attack which is over a pit (after your first long rail ride), don't hit it. Instead, jump down past the spring and land on a steel scaffold far below (you'll probably need to do a Homing Attack to make the jump) and you'll reach 30 more rings. Be cautious working your way back up via the Propellor Spring because Hawks will constantly be shooting at you. When you get past the second checkpoint, take the right rail off the end. Jump off early and Homing Attack the 20-ring capsule in front of you. It should give you the 100 you need. +++++++++++++++++ 4.11.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:10:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Get to the second checkpoint. Behind some crates there is an Ancient Shrine. Blah blah blah. Light Dash the rings that appear, then use the Propellor Springs on the sides of the hill to reach the Chao, being careful of the Hawks. +++++++++++++++++++++ 4.11.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 2:00 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Another easy mission. While getting a high enough score could be a slight problem, just follow the point-boosting techniques from the main walkthrough and you'll be set. To speed things up if the two minute limit is too tight for you and you're willing to sacrifice some points, take the rocket instead of the Ancient Light path in the beginning of the level. One more point-gain tip if you go for speed: By transferring between the two rails in the beginning to get all the rings, then launching off into a special trick by hitting A at the right time, you'll get (IIRC) 1000 points for the trick and roughly 80 for the rings. +++++++++++++++++ 4.11.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 10000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None There's nothing "hard" about this mission. They've added spike balls to the rails, but they're sickeningly easy to avoid. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.11.5) BOSS - Egg Golem ++++++++++++++++++++++++ You've realized that the Tornado is heading straight towards you, and now Eggman is heading the gang off at the pass. One big problem - Sonic destroyed the control mechanism of the Egg Golem, and now it's set on destroying its creator. There's a very easy way to beat this boss, but it's kind of tricky. When you start, drop down and land on a block with a pulley above it. Grab the pulley and shoot like a madman when you see the Golem. If he lunges for you with a fist, hold back on the control stick and jump off. Hover down slowly and grab the pulley again when it's safe. After the three cracks in his chest open up, lock on to and destroy the flashing lights. Destroy all nine of them to fell the beast. --------------- 4.12) Mad Space --------------- Background Music - 34 Degrees N, 12 Degrees E A Rank Cap - 14000 points Personal Best - 15750 points (Note: Just because I'm bored like that, I mapped 34N by 12E. It's an uncharted area of water.) This will certainly make your Top Three Most Hated Levels list. First off, Mad Space is just huge. Second, all the hint computers are reversed in unique ways which will soon be explained. Third, two of the three large meteorites have very distinct gravitational fields that will piss you off badly. Like I said, the hint computers are reversed. The first one is written backwards (ie diuqil live is evil liquid) and the next two are opposites of the actual one (ie the highest place means the lowest place). On the central space station, there are three rockets. One takes you to the Spherical Planet. This is the one with the most confusing gravity. If you drop below the center line, your controls are immediately reversed. Hopefully, you won't need to spend much time on this planet. Another one takes you to the Capsule Planet. This one, quite aptly, looks like a capsule. If any Emerald Shards are hidden on this one, they're going to be at the ends. The final one takes you to the Holy Planet, which is blue and has a huge crater in it. If you take the rocket on the Holy Planet upward and keep going up, you'll reach the tip of the ARK. The Gold Beetle is located up here, between two ledges at the very top. U P G R A D E Iron Boots Required: Nothing Priority: Essential On the Spherical Planet, the Iron Boots can be found in the central pillar-type structure. You can now break open iron containers. +++++++++++++++++ 4.12.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 2:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Thankfully, this mission is much easier than the others. For best results and least hair pulling-out, use the Treasure Scope for this mission. Put it on in the location where you start and hunt the small station for 70 rings, easily. It's not really hunting, though. Don't forget the lower area of the station. To get the remaining rings, rocket to the top of the ARK and search there to complete the mission. +++++++++++++++++ 4.12.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Get to the top of the ARK, then onto the ledge with several floating boxes. There is a blue platform in front of you; go onto it and play the Mystic Melody at the shrine. Jump into the warp, then lather, rinse, and repeat for the next few enclosed rooms. You'll find the Chao at the end of the final room. +++++++++++++++++++++ 4.12.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 4:30 A Rank Cap - 14000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts AAARGH!! VersusBooks gives the same strategy in different words for this mission as they did for Meteor Herd. I recommend the strategy this time, though. Instead of maintaining a constant hover, however, stop hovering and drop a bit sometimes. This will definitely speed things up. If you happen to find an Emerald Shard on top of a container or something, don't hesitate to pick it up; after all, it's one less thing you'll have to get on your next trip up. +++++++++++++++++ 4.12.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 12000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None The first Shard is directly below the Holy Planet. Scale down the side of the Holy Planet as far as you can, then jump off and glide under the planet. You'll probably miss the first couple of times, but keep trying. The second Shard is on a platform on the underside of the Spherical Planet. It's hard to miss, but also hard to get to. You need a good running start, then jump up and glide to the platform and grab the Shard. The final Shard can be found near the ARK. To get up to the ARK, you'll need the rocket from the Holy Planet. It's activated by using the switch in the contaier- room-thing directly below the rocket. Once you're on the ARK, there's a platform with several rotating spike balls and a meteor nearby. You need to get to that platform and Spiral Kick the meteor, which holds the Shard. +++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.12.5) BOSS - Knuckles +++++++++++++++++++++++ Somehow, from Mad Space, you made it into Meteor Herd and a confrontation with Knuckles. Quite typically, it's over the possession of the Emerald Shards. Pick up a couple rings at a time in this fight, and try to get over Knux and Drill Drive him. It's the fastest way to take care of him. When the floor opens up, try to land on the same rafter as the echidna so you can Drill Drive him easily. Watch out for his Thunder Arrow attack, which is easily identifiable by the quick close-up on his face as he says "Take this!". Four smacks will make him give up. ----------------- 4.13) Cosmic Wall ----------------- Background Music - Soarin' Over Space A Rank Cap - 80000 points Personal Best - 109120 points Sonic and gang have infiltrated the ARK and Eggman decides he has to be the one to stop them. You have to travel into space once more to accomplish this in what may be the longest level in the game. The game allows you to hover upwards because of the weak gravity. I don't believe it for a second because there's no gravity in space, but physics be damned, let's get on with it. You'll start off in front of two ring capsules. Snag them and hover upwards to the next platform. You move a lot faster if you're in front of the arrows. Up here, destroy the green guard robots and the Tentacle Hover Chaos. Hover up again to the next platform and take out the enemies hovering over space. Turn left to realign yourself, move to the end of the platform, and hover upwards again. Turn right, destroy the enemies onto which you can lock and jump over the perpendicular gap. When hovering up to the catwalk above, be careful of the Tentacle Laser Chaos clinging to its underside. Target and destroy the guard robots and the Hornet surrounding this platform, then hover upwards once more. Jump on top of the weight, then hover to the next catwalk when you reach the apex. Again, wipe out the guard robots and the Hornet surrounding this platform, then hover upwards. Destroy all five Beetles ahead and run forward through the first checkpoint. After jumping up the platforms, use your Volkan Cannon on the tent structure. Try to stay a decent distance away from the next platform as you hover up, for two Tentacle Laser Chaos await you on the underside. In front of you on this platform are four guard robots; destroy them and advance forward. Destroy the Hornet to your left, break the tent, and hover upwards again. Destroy the tent while in mid-hover, land on the platform, and hover to the next one. There are three Tentacle Laser Chaos at the end of this platform, but you're able to target and destroy them. Once they're taken care of, run to the end of the platform, up the steps, and through the second checkpoint. Hover up, break the tent in mid-hover, and land safely on solid ground. The two Hornets on either side should either be sitting idly or getting ready to launch. Lock on to and blow up as much as you can. Destroy all the Tentacle Laser Chaos in front of you, walk up the steps, and hit the springs. Hover to the platform with the tent (no need to destroy it) and follow the rings upwards to the next platform. In this vertical shaft, you'll be making your way upwards by means of platforms and pulleys, then downwards by any means possible. These sections are pretty much self-explanatory, and the camera often focuses on the next place you need to be, so I'll only be pointing out places of significance. U P G R A D E Protection Armor Required: Nothing Priority: Medium, helps in the fight against Tails When dropping down from the top of the shaft, stick to the far left corner. You should land on a platform with a missile on it. Hit the missile, then hover between the two platforms in the far right corner. You should pick up the Protection Armor, which adds another level to your health gauge, meaning you can sustain more damage before dying. After you drop from the shaft, move forward and destroy the Artificial Chaos. Jump onto the elevated area and hit the third checkpoint. Here's where you get to ride the rails. To those thinking a score of 80000 points is impossible, I'm about to prove you wrong. After a few Beetles, you'll come across a group of canisters. Your first instinct is to lock on to them all; do NOT do that. Instead, shoot them individually for a nice 3500 points a pop. Do this technique on every group of canisters you see. After the canisters, you'll come across a field of guard robots and Tentacle Hover Chaos. Your first priority is the Chaos, as they can easily reach out and cause you to lose all your rings. There are only two in this field, thankfully. Proceeding the field of guard robots is a long straightaway which leads you back into the space colony. Run forward off the platform and into the fourth checkpoint. After destroying a Hornet-9, you'll start to go up a slightly trickier vertical shaft. Here, there are two Tentacle Laser Chaos positioned in strategic places: one under the first platform (after you start ascending) and one on top of the third. Dealing with these, work your way to the top. Stick to the corner at which you are positioned to pick up a good supply of rings. Drop down the shaft, don't worry about the Chaos and guard robots, and hit the fifth checkpoint in front of you. In order to advance, first destroy the Hornet-9 ahead. Jump and hover all the way across to the platform with the spike balls on it. If you get shot down or miss your mark or anything else happens, just make your way up via the platforms. From the spike ball platform, destroy the Hornet and hover upwards. Watch out for the Hornet-3s on either side, head to the platform in front of the hover arrows, and take care of the Tentacle Hover Chaos. Be sure to stand back, because he's closer than it seems. Coming up to this platform, you'll encounter a Tentacle Laser Chaos and several brown guard robots. These robots take two hits to destroy, but they make for easy Perfect! point combos. Lock on to and destroy all the robots and the Chaos here, then hover upwards to the next platform. Take care of the Beetles, destroy the Tentacle Laser Chaos hanging from the underside of the next platform, and hover up. A Hornet greets you, so make that your first priority. Then, lock on to and destroy as many enemies as you can see to your left. From here, all the platforms are clean up to the second platform with a tent on it. Shortly after destroying the tent, two Hover Chaos will fly in from behind you. Destroy them both and take the low route across the asteroid field and to the sixth checkpoint. Aside from an abundance of enemies, this vertical shaft is the same as the other two. When you reach the top, a Hover Chaos and two guard robots will be behind you. They don't attempt to attack, so vaporize them while you can. When dropping down the shaft, stick to the near left hand corner. Destroy the enemy in front of you at the bottom and run forward through the seventh and last checkpoint. Your second and last rail trip starts in an asteroid field which soon clears up. Again, seek and destroy any and all Tentacle Hover Chaos. Just so you don't get confused, that's EVERY Chaos here. As you go through the loop, shoot wildly in any direction. If you're lucky you'll hit a canister or two. After coming out of the loop, the next set of canisters is in front of you, but to your left when the camera straightens out. Going up the hill, canisters appear everywhere. At the top of the hill, some canisters will appear on either side of you. Once you descend into the tunnel, turn around and face the drill-bot coming towards you. Lay into the B button like a madman. If you hold off the drill long enough, you'll launch off your platform and into the goal ring. +++++++++++++++++ 4.13.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Just like in Sand Ocean, get every ring in your immediate path and you'll easily get an A. +++++++++++++++++ 4.13.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- There's a catwalk above the second checkpoint; hover up to it and play the Mystic Melody at the Ancient Shrine inside the pyramid structure. This will activate a spring, which will bounce you up to one of several platforms you must hover to. When you reach the top, smash open the pyramid and reveal the Lost Chao. +++++++++++++++++++++ 4.13.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 8:00 A Rank Cap - ~85000 (VersusBooks lists the DC value; this is an educated guess.) Personal Best - ----- pts This is far too easy a mission to be put so late into the game. I'm beginning to think Sega just said one day, "Hey, we don't have enough points in this game. Let's put in SPACE TRASH CANS that give 2,000 points a pop". Blaze through the actual walking parts of the level. You can rack up 85000 easily on the shooting gallery areas. +++++++++++++++++ 4.13.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 100000 pts Personal Best - ------ pts Upgrades Required - None This is a joke. Cosmic Wall was probably a joke level put in by Sonic Team that somehow made it to the final game. There are no changes in the level except the amount of enemies and improvement of their AI. 100,000 points is nothing. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.13.5) BOSS - Tails ++++++++++++++++++++ You've blown up Sonic, so what's a faithful sidekick to do? Avenge his death, of course! This battle is much harder than the one on the aircraft carrier, but if you picked up the Protection Armor in the preceding level, you'll have an obvious advantage. You can blow up the canister moving up the middle when Tails gets close to it and he will be hurt by the resulting explosion. If, after a zoom on Tails' face, you hear a charging sound (trust me, you'll know it), run. Run like hell. His Power Laser is coming around, and once you're inside, there's no escaping. Keep running around, pulling off shots when you're close to him, and you should make it by fine. ----------------- 4.14) Final Chase ----------------- Background Music - The Supernatural A Rank Cap - 12000 points Personal Best - 13680 points Rouge has done her homework, all right, and she's found that Shadow may not be the true ultimate life form. However, Shadow's done his as well. He realizes that Rouge is actually a government spy sent to steal the Chaos Emeralds! Eggman, however, requires Shadow's assistance with the Eclipse Cannon, for he has picked up the seventh Chaos Emerald. Shadow dismisses Rouge with a threat to her life as he rushes off to assist Eggman. As you grind down the rail in the beginning, you may believe this level to be the same as Final Rush of the Hero story. When you finish the rail and bounce off the springboard, the first checkpoint is in front of you. If you find yourself desperate for points, jump off the top of this hill and Homing Attack the Tentacle Hover Chaos, then off the 20-ring capsule. Otherwise, just run down and avoid the meteors. At any rate, when you reach the bottom of the hill, a Tentacle Laser Chaos will be there in front of you. Once you destroy it, a gravity drum will be next up. Get close to it so its gravity sucks you in. Run up it to the springs on either side. Hit either spring and Somersault into the Shield Hunter on the platform ahead. Hit the springboard, Homing Attack the capsule, and try to destroy the Tentacle Laser Chaos. Hit the springboard here and enter the tunnel. Somersault into the Shield Hunter, run to the end, and stick to the gravity drum. Navigate to the central platform with the spring, hit the spring, and jump off the drum to the next platform. Avoid the tentacles of the Tentacle Hover Chaos up ahead, Homing Attack it, and land on the platform below. Hit the springboard and launch yourself to the vertical drum. Run up and grab the pulley, then jump to the next platform. A meteor ahead will explode, leaving clear passage up the drum. Hit the spring and get launched to the jump panel. This string of drums requires no jumping whatsoever. Your two hazards are the exploding meteors on the horizontal drums and the bombs from the Hornet-6 chasing you up the vertical drums. When you reach the top, hit the spring for 300 points and the second checkpoint. To get the Gold Beetle, you have to jump off this hill and angle to the right. You'll see some drums ahead; latch on to them, then transfer to the lower group. At the very end of the last drum, the Gold Beetle will appear. Make a blind leap of faith to the platform far below. Rush past the Hornet-6 and hit the third checkpoint inside the tunnel. Go up either drum in the corners and Homing Attack the Tentacle Hover Chaos. Drop down the center tunnel and try to stay centered. The boosters will often shove you off into space if you're not centered. Grind down the rail to the springboard and bounce off to the drum. Homing Attack from capsule to Chaos to drum from the top. Up top of this drum, Homing Attack from Chaos to drum and make your way up again. Once more, Homing Attack from Chaos to drum and go up. Finally, do it once more. U P G R A D E Mystic Melody Required: Nothing Priority: Needed for every Lost Chao mission Make your way to the top of the drum on which you are. At the top of this drum, you should see another in front of you. Jump above the electric fences to the top of that drum, then jump over to the platform. The Mystic Melody is in front of you. It allows you to activate Ancient Shrines which cause objects to appear or doors to open. In nearly every case when you come across an Ancient Shrine, you will need to use your Mystic Melody to reach the Lost Chao. Otherwise, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. Play the Mystic Melody at this shrine to cause a warp to appear. Take the warp to the platform far below and destroy the Shield Hunter by Somersaulting into it. Ahead, every step counts. Homing Attack the Tentacle Hover Chaos, then Homing Attack onto the drum. Keep moving upwards thusly until you come to a platform with a spring ahead of you. Jump to that platform, hit the spring, and grab the all the rings on the rail above for 500 points. Hold back on the control stick to hit the fourth checkpoint. Grind down this rail to the hill. Run down the hill, follow the rails ahead, and you'll land on a green platform. Jump down to the next green platform, then take either side of drums to the other side. You'll have to jump from one to the other, and at the end, to the Tentacle Hover Chaos. Once you're back on solid ground, hit the fifth checkpoint ahead of you. Take the boosters up the steep incline, then jump off the top of the hill in front of you. If you hit some gravity drums on your way, just jump off and press onward. After you land, run forward carefully to the rail. Grind down it, and hold back to slow yourself down after you come off the rail. At the break in the drums, wait until you're on the top side until you jump to the next one. An electric fence lies below. At the platform at the end, grind down the rail to the right. Move close the drums at the end to advance upwards to the vertical drum. Once you make it to the top of the vertical drum, jump to the platform off at an angle. Grind up the rail via the two boosters before it, then move forward above so that you don't fall back down. Homing Attack the Hornet-6 before it gets a chance to hit you, drop down, and move forward to the sixth checkpoint. Very carefully navigate the string of drums and springs to get to a drum at the end with a pulley above it. Jump straight up and grab the aforementioned pulley. At the top, jump off and Homing Attack the Tentacle Hover Chaos, then Homing Attack the drum. Run up, hit the spring, and grab the rocket. From here, just run straight down until you reach a platform with a spring on it. The final test is to jump off the drum onto that spring to reach the goal ring. +++++++++++++++++ 4.14.1) 100 Rings +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 1:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- First, get to the first checkpoint. Jump off the top of this hill and Homing Attack the Tentacle Hover Chaos, then off the 20-ring capsule. There are more rings past the first tunnel you come across, a little later in the level. Get to the second checkpoint and jump off that hill, onto the gravity drums to the right. There are a few rings in capsules there. The other rings you should be able to obtain from save points. +++++++++++++++++ 4.14.2) Lost Chao +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 5:15:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Rush to the near-end of the level, where you must bounce off a Chaos from a pulley, then land on a gravity drum. Go to the top of that drum, then take the pulley behind you to get to a higher platform. On this platform, you will find an Ancient Shrine. Play the Melody, then wait a little for the rings to materialize. Light Dash across the rings to another gravity drum. Run up that drum to yet another pulley, leading you to the Lost Chao. +++++++++++++++++++++ 4.14.3) Timed Mission +++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 5:30 A Rank Cap - 11000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Now THIS is what I would expect from a fourth mission on the final level of the game, not that pansy mission from Cosmic Wall. Even then, to get an A, you need 1,000 points less than in the first mission, and there's no real challenge added to the level. It all depends on jumping off those drums fast enough. Try to leap off of one and soar over most of what's in front of you. You can do this most easily after going vertical in the middle of the level. +++++++++++++++++ 4.14.4) Hard Mode +++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 10000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None The Chaos are out in force. I can't give any tips, but I can warn you about everything. There are Spinning Laser Chaos, Tentacle Laser Chaos, Stationary Laser Chaos, Tentacle Hover Chaos, and Hover Chaos everywhere. This is one of the most dangerous missions of the game. In addition to all these Chaos, several gravity drums can only be accessed by small rails or springs. All I can say is be very careful. Take your time. With all the Chaos around, there are plenty of opportunities to get 10,000 points without the time bonus. ++++++++++++++++++++ 4.14.5) BOSS - Sonic ++++++++++++++++++++ Sonic is...NOT dead? He's more than an ordinary hedgehog, indeed. After a quick conversation in which Shadow states that he cannot let Sonic live, the battle starts. For the final boss of the Dark Story, he's not all too difficult. For the first two or three hits, you can just Homing Attack Sonic. However, when you damage him enough, he'll start countering your attacks. At this point, let him advance far enough forward so that he mutters, "I'm not done with you yet". At this point, Homing Attack to get out of the way of his oncoming Sonic Wind. Homing Attack him while he's standing still after he unleashes it. Your main hazard in this level is the narrow platform on which you fight. If you miss with a Homing Attack, you'll more than likely go flying off the edge. Also, parts of the path you've already passed crumble and fall to the Earth below. The point: Keep moving and aim. After you defeat Sonic, the villains of the game can celebrate a great victory over the Dark Story ending. ========================= 5) Last Story Walkthrough ========================= Professor Gerald Robotnik has implemented a program which causes the ARK to plummet into Earth upon attempting to fire the Eclipse Cannon at full power. What this means to all six characters is that somehow they must overcome their rivalries and work together to stop their deaths and the deaths of the citizens of Earth. To accomplish this, they must break into the core of the Eclipse Cannon and shut it off manually. ------------------ 5.1) Cannon's Core ------------------ Background Music, Tails/Eggman - Scramble for the Core Background Music, Rouge/Knux - Cooperation Background Music, Sonic - Deep Inside Of... A Rank Cap - 29000 points Personal Best - 31590 points Since this level is so bloody HUGE, I won't be following my normal "separate-into-paragraphs-based-on-checkpoints" method. Instead, each character's section will be a separate paragraph. In a way, though, those are checkpoints, because if you happen to die, you'll start at the beginning of that character's section. Note that to finish this level in the easiest way possible, you should go back through all the levels and find every upgrade. But enough babble, you have to stop the ARK! First up is Tails, whose job is to seek out and destroy the first security door. After dropping down, shoot the four dynamite packs and open the door. Shoot the Shield Hunter when he stops to fire and advance into the next room. Destroy the Hornet-9, turn left, and go to the next room. Hit the Time Switch to stop the spiked balls and go through the door into the next room. Turn around at the doorway, hit the Time Switch again, and run forward to destroy the Guard Chaos while it's still inactive. Just for future reference, any type of any enemy will be totally frozen and inactive while a Time Switch is activated. Go through this door and descend on the platform. At the bottom, Hover through the doorway, hit the Time Switch, and run through the hallway. When time starts to resume, hit the Time Switch again and keep running down. There's one mounted above the doorway at the end, behind the Hornet-9. Drop out into space, land on the moving platform down below, and destroy the Hornet-3. Carefully hover down to the door and blow it open with the dynamite packs. Destroy the Hornet-6 in front of you, then the Guard Chaos ahead. Two Hunters will drop down behind you, so destroy them as well to open the door. Hit the Time Switch ahead of you to freeze the weights and stop the lasers. Go into the next room, destroy the Hornet- 9, and hit the Time Switch. To your left, jump on the platform and from there, to the ledge. When you see the weight ahead fall, hit the Time Switch again and jump on the weight to the central ledge. After time resumes, five Hunters will drop down around the center. Destroy them all and shoot the large door with your Volkan Cannon until it shatters. One step closer to the core, one more character as whom to play. Eggman also has to hunt down a security door. Move slightly forward and lock on to the three Shield Hunters, then destroy them when they drop their guard. Keep going forward and four Hunters will drop from above. Destroy them all, then quickly shoot the Hornet-6 behind the door to your left. Ascend on the elevator to the next door. In this room, you'll never get by with as many rings as you started. You'll have to trigger both Tentacle Laser Chaos, shoot one, and use the conventional method on the other. On the right, shoot the 20-ring capsule and grab the pulley. Target the two Shield Hunters, destroy them, and jump onto the cleared platform. Once you open the door, two Beetles will spin into existence on either side of you. Ignore them, but be careful of the three Hover Chaos which descend from above. Hit the Time Switch, shoot the inactive Guard Chaos, and open the door. Shoot the Time Switch when the block on the right is just coming out of the acid, jump on it, and hover down to the lower area when time resumes. Keep hovering over the right-hand block dispenser until a block comes up. Ride it to the door up top, which you should enter. Shoot the nearby Time Switch and rush to the end of the hallway before time resumes. In this room lies the only checkpoint. Turn right and fall down the shaft, avoiding the lasers. When you see three Tentacle Hover Chaos, start slowing up and lock on to and destroy the three of them. Stick to the wall ahead of you, lock on to the center time switch, and quickly hover over to the platform ahead. Release the shot about halfway through your flight and drop onto the platform in front of the door. Destroy the two inactive Guard Chaos and advance into the last room. Lock on to the Time Switch and release the shot when the block in front of you passes you and another block is just rising. Use those two blocks as steps and, when time resumes, jump off the block moving upwards and hover over to the central platform. Just shoot open the door. Rouge, for a change, has to hit the button which drains the liquid out of the core. Why? Search me. The button is enclosed in a cage right in front of you, but you need to find the switch which opens the cage. This section is fairly simple once you figure out where you need to be. First, ascend all the pillars by climbing up and controlling the camera. After you get to the top of the tallest pillar, hit the Time Switch and drop down to the door covered in sand directly in front of you. Run forward, destroy the Shield Hunter with a swift kick, and drop down. Cling to the front wall below the door. Hit the Time Switch directly after a block comes out of the door. Run through, hit the inactive Tentacle Hover Chaos on the right, and break the iron crates to get invincible. Jump up onto the central platform, destroy the Tentacle Laser Chaos, and hit the switch he guarded. This opens the cage, so now you can return to the main room. This will take a little bit of doing, though. First, jump off the central platform (ignoring the Time Switch) and run back into the acid room. Hit the Time Switch below the door and hit the spring in the acid behind the platform on the ground. Push forward to land in the corridor, then run through the sand into the central room. Hit the uncovered button to clear Rouge's portion. Now, Knux has to unlock the final security door, which is right in front of him. Dive down into Rouge's main room, hit the Time Switch (the same from Rouge's section) on top of the pillar, and resurface quickly. Run behind the inactive Tentacle Hover Chaos and Drill Claw into the boxes to hit a spring and launch yourself up. Here, hit a switch which removes the lasers from a door down below. Drop down the hole in front of you and dive into the water to the corridor. To swim the quickest, keep hitting B while staying in the center of the corridor. However, in this one, follow the rings. At the end, swim right and hit the bomb capsule behind the block dispenser. Hit the switch to remove the lasers in front of you, then go above the entrance to the room and hit the Time Switch to shut off the current. Use the effective swimming method described earlier to quickly make it through this waterway and down the laser room. If you don't have the Air Necklace (which you should have if you had listened to my directions earlier), swim into an air bubble. Hit the Time Switch at the bottom and use the swimming method through this corridor. Drop down at the turn and hit the second Time Switch, then swim through the last leg and hit the security door button behind the central platform. Sonic is the gang's last hope for survival, so make this count! After you fly off the rail in the beginning, hit the Time Switch and quickly Homing Attack across the Tentacle Hover Chaos to solid ground. Charge up your Light Attack (for which you also should have the upgrade) and let the Capsule Chaos release its spawn. Take care of business, then go through the door on the right and destroy the two Shield Hunters. This Tentacle Hover Chaos can cause a problem; to destroy it, you'll have to Homing Attack it, then Homing Attack towards the camera with help from the control stick. Once that's destroyed, the door now ahead of you will open. Charge up your Light Attack again and let it loose after the two Hunters drop and the Capsule Chaos releases all the Chaos Cells. Hit the Time Switch and run forward, past the blocks, to the sandy area. The Gold Beetle finally lies in front of the gate. Bounce up to the top of the gate to hit another Time Switch, then Somersault under the gate and move up to the ledge beyond. Jump on the rail in the red corridor and work your way up the sand slide. Do this again in the next room, then slide to the end of Cannon's Core. Bassmas314@aol.com has possibly the best strategy I've ever seen for dealing with that perilous Hover Chaos over the pit... "What you do is after you dispatch the Shield Hunters with somersaults, you walk right up to the edge of the pit, then use the Magic Gloves upgrade to grab it, then spike that sucker Volleyball-style back at the camera before proceeding on." I believe Bassmas314@aol.com deserves a parade, presidential recognition, and a freakin' medal. And on the medal, it shall read... This medal is presented to Bassmas314@aol.com for finding the only practical use for the Magic Gloves upgrade in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle ++++++++++++++++ 5.1.1) 100 Rings ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 3:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- ...Well. I can't say I'm not impressed by the multitude of people who contributed specifically to Eggman's Twin Chaos Dilemma. I think you can figure out the rest of the 100 Rings mission by yourself, but here is a montage of contributors giving their opinions and aid on this specific area. Brother Captain JRO of the GameFAQs forums gives his specialized tactic... "Oh ho, this is interesting. Someone needs my help. Luckily, after dozens of botched attempts, I was able to form a n00b-proof tactic in the Cannon's Core 100 rings mission. That room with two Chaos constructs in Eggman's section caused me problems too. Message board suggestions of "try shooting them both" didn't work, as I'm sure you've noticed. Well, this method does: run past them! This may sound crazy, but if you run right between the Chaos right after the doors open, you'll run past them before their bodies and tentacles form. This gives you ample time to paste them afterwards. It takes a few tries, but is very easy once pulled off the first time. If that's done correctly, the rest of the level is simple. The first time I actually passed the damn thing, I got an A rank. One thing to mention to readers of your FAQ if that the time does stop when the freeze-switches are on, and that if you get hit on Eggman's section, you can die and restart at his beginning with all of Tails' previous rings and points. I'm sure you know this, but it's good to mention this in the 100 rings section as a reminder." Darkrol15@aol.com shows practice makes perfect with the "hit and run" technique... "[R]un directly in between them while continuously shooting them. They can't attack you when you're attacking them, since they're always hiding. Run in between them until you're behind both. Then keep shooting them from behind, and you should be able to destroy them. It took some practice, but I was able to pull it off 3 times in a row." Aaron A. Williams thinks bouncing will get the job done... "All you have to do with eggman is to run in between them after that keep jumping up and down while shooting at the same time this should get rid of the first. Running in between them will cause them to aim in front of them where you was [sic] at. Then keep jumping up and down again while shooting to get rid of the other one." Several people think a backstabbing style works, and they're all right. Jocke C/MetalAngel: "I got two ways to do that with the Artificial Chaos it works for me to wait when they have done their first attack and then go behind them and wait for them to attack then you shoot their heads. The other way is to press constantly on B and wait to they show their heads then you shoot them. The second way is harder on 2 Artificial Chaos but a good way on one if you don´t have other enemies that shooting on you." PSam95@aol.com: "[I]f you run around to the back of the artificial chaos, and you have quick reflexes, you can shoot them as they pause for a moment[.]" Gerard van Lent: "u must hold the B button (with tails and eggman) and target them both and keep holding the button untill u are behind him or them then release the button and dont worry now because if u are behind him or them they cant hit u anymore :) from then wait untill they come out and blast theire heads off." Gcndan3702@aol.com: "When you reach that room, [immediately] do the following 1.run straight forward 2.Target both enemies and fire You have to run and fire on the enemies while running. Now this wont kill them, but it will delay them, allowing you to reach the other side (behind them) without their arms attacking you. Anyway, keep on targeting and hitting them until you are behind them. Once you are behind them (a couple feet, dont be literally right behind them) they should stick their heads out, and shoot their arms out in the other direction. This is your chance to attack them." Thanks profusely to EVERYBODY!!! ++++++++++++++++ 5.1.2) Lost Chao ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 7:30:00 Personal Best - --:--:-- Finish Tails' section as normal, then get to Eggman's area where you drop down the long laser-filled shaft. Jump on the railing of the stationary platform attached to the wall, then hover over to the door on the other side of the room. Break through the crates, then play the Mystic Melody at the Shrine and finish Eggman's section as normal. In the very beginning of Rouge's section, a new tunnel has opened. Enter the tunnel, run to the end, then play the Mystic Melody and finish as normal. In Knuckles' area, some platforms have appeared above the water. Climb up those platforms, take the pulley, and play the Mystic Melody at that Shrine. Finish as normal. Finally, in Sonic's section, get to the beginning of the waterslide area. A row of rings has appeared. Light Dash up those rings, holding forward on the control stick the whole way, then kill the two Chaos guarding the door. Once they're dead, run through the door and pick up the Chao. Finally! ++++++++++++++++++++ 5.1.3) Timed Mission ++++++++++++++++++++ Time Limit - 7:00 A Rank Cap - 29000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts The Time Switches are your friend...and one, in particular, is your best friend. Use all the switches you can find and use them to their fullest. The one I told you was your best friend lies fairly late in Cannon's Core, but is still very useful nonetheless. It is the switch in Sonic's section surrounded by walls of lasers. Hit that switch, then stand on it to keep time frozen. Charge up a Spin Dash, aim forward to the place where the Golden Beetle is, and let loose. If you avoid the black blocks in your path, time should permanently be stopped. Follow the stage as normal, but do NOT hit any other Time Switches. If you do, time will restart. Which is bad. There's a disadvantage to this, though; you can drown in the non-moving sand slides at the end of the level. This isn't a huge disadvantage, though, because you'll restart Sonic's section with all the rings and points, just minus one life. I've beaten the level in four minutes with this glitch. ++++++++++++++++ 5.1.4) Hard Mode ++++++++++++++++ A Rank Cap - 29000 pts Personal Best - ----- pts Upgrades Required - None, but all of them are recommended Like Final Chase, I don't have any tips, but I can warn you against most of what you'll see. Most, if not all, of the traps and puzzles have changed location. Time Switches have moved or disappeared. You can still do the Time Freeze Glitch from the previous mission, though. Nothing should prove too challenging for you at this point, though...I mean, this is the last actual mission of the game. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 5.1.5) BOSS - The Biolizard +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Amy, noticing Shadow alone staring into space, tries to nudge him into helping out the others. He flashes back to Maria, begging that he gives the people on Earth a chance to be happy. Instead of listening to Amy's comments, he drives himself to help upon the promise he made to Maria. Shadow's boss battle proves to be one of the most frustrating, if not the hardest, boss in the game. The Biolizard first chases you around his arena. Pick up some rings while he chases you. Keep in front of his mouth until he stops and a pipe coming out of his mouth starts sparking. Grind up this pipe and jump off at the end. Homing Attack the glowing life support system. For the next four hits, the Biolizard will shoot energy balls at you after he chases you around. His pattern changes for each hit, though. For the second hit, after chasing you he will only shoot energy balls at a moderate speed. Somersault under the high ones and jump over the low ones. Grind up the pipe and Homing Attack the life support system. For the third hit, he will shoot energy balls at you at a quicker pace. Again, Somersault under the high ones and jump over the low ones. Grind up and Homing Attack. For the fourth hit, after launching the energy balls at an even faster pace, he summons several eggs. To make your way up, you'll have to Homing Attack the eggs and get closer and closer to the life support system until you're in range. Hit him. The fifth hit is the same process over again, but the energy balls are blazingly fast now. The sixth and final hit has no energy balls, but it can be the hardest one to score. After the fifth hit, the Biolizard sends you into the air immediately, among several eggs. Your job is to navigate through the eggs to one of the glowing pipes on the life support system. Once there, hit A repeatedly until you actually hit him. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 5.1.6) BOSS - The Finalhazard +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Biolizard is finally defeated, and while Shadow had him occupied, Sonic and Knuckles ran up to the Core and places the Master Emerald into it. Knuckles then recites a verse told to him earlier by Tikal. This dictation stopped the power of the Chaos Emeralds and sent the Biolizard off to somewhere else via the true power of Chaos Control. However, as Shadow enters the shrine, the entire colony starts to shake uncontrollably. Eggman then comes on the intercom and tells everyone that the Biolizard latched on to the space colony and intends to keep it on its collision course! This leaves but one option for Sonic and Shadow...Super forms. In an awesome cinema, Sonic and Shadow transform into Super Sonic and Super Shadow, then go off to face the Finalhazard. The Finalhazard is really a piece of cake for the last boss of the game. Use the control stick to advance forward, hold A to slam upwards, and hold B to plummet downwards. If you run low on rings, fly behind the Finalhazard before you die. In order to injure this guy, you have to smash into the swelling part on his body. As you advance for your first hit, he releases a weak defense barrier of eggs. Blow through it and slam the area. In his second phase, he releases a stationary laser periodically. Since it only stays in one place (this time), you only need to be slightly careful as you advance and hit him. During his third hit, the laser is both constant and sweeping. Now you need to be on your toes until you figure out the pattern of his laser. For future reference, it follows a roughly circular pattern. Rush in and hit him fast. The fourth hit introduces a second laser into the mix, but they both follow the same rough circle for a pattern. You'll probably get hit at least once during this or the next two hits, so be prepared to fly behind the Finalhazard. These last two hits are identical. Learning from his mistake, the Finalhazard's defensive egg shield is much larger now, plus you have the two lasers with which to contend. Smack him twice and he will be gone for good. I don't want to spoil anything else, so I shall leave the ending for you to see yourself, as I have before. ========== 6) Secrets ========== What would a Sonic game be without secrets out the wazoo? Of course, I must warn you about the MAJOR SPOILERS in this section...so you are hereby warned about the MAJOR SPOILERS in this section. If you want to find the secrets yourself, please leave now. I'll wait TIME'S UP! I'll be listing the secrets in order of the easiest to the hardest to obtain. First, you can unlock the Kart Racing mini-game and Kart Racing 2P by beating Routes 101 and 280 in Story mode. But you knew that already, unless you didn't go about reading my carefully-prepared FAQ and just skipped straight to here. Kind of like I do. Anyway, did you know you could obtain alternate karts for both 1P and 2P Kart Racing? All you need to do is beat all the missions for a character to get their kart. For example, if you want a Chao Racer, you'd beat all of Tails' missions. That means Story Mode, 100 Rings, Lost Chao, Time Limit, and Hard Mode. Next, if you manage to obtain an A rank in each and every mission for a specific character, you get a new multiplayer costume for them. For example, if you want a sexy Goth outfit, get an A on all of Rouge's missions. Not that I think Rouge is sexy...video game perverts. =P Finally, the Big One. If you manage to get all 180 emblems (that's all the missions, all A ranks, and the Chao Emblems), you'll unlock a remade version of Green Hill Zone from Sonic 1! All the sound effects and enemies are the same, yet sadly there are only Buzzbombs and Pirahnas. Apparently Sonic Team forgot about Crabmeats and Chameleons. The old Sonic foe, the spikes, return, as well. Everything is identical to the Genesis version, right down to the zip tunnels. They also added several more things which totally take advantage of the 3D capabilities of the next-gen systems. ========== 7) The End ========== --------------- 7.1) Legalities --------------- Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Knuckles the Echidna, Rouge the Bat, Prof. Gerald Robotnik, Maria Robotnik, and all other related characters and concepts are copyright (c) Sega/Sonic Team 1993-2002. This FAQ and all reproductions and revisions are copyright (c) Colin Spence 2002-03. GameFAQs and all related materials are copyright (c) CJayC 1995-2003. ----------------------------------------- 7.2) Sites Authorized to Display this FAQ ----------------------------------------- It's been quite a hassle keeping track of all the websites who want to use this walkthrough...I recall a brief legal battle with a certain person who shall remain nameless...but I digress. Anyway, one may use this walkthrough on their site, but ONLY IF THEY GIVE PROPER CREDIT TO ME. That means keeping the copyright information verbatim and listing me as the writer on both one's site on which they link to this walkthrough and retaining the information at the top of this walkthrough. ----------------- 7.3) Future Plans ----------------- With the 100 Ring and Lost Chao guides finished, I plan to write up fourth mission demi-guides, describing helpful shortcuts so one may finish the level within the time limit. ----------------- 7.4) Contributors ----------------- - Brother Captain JRO - Darkrol15@aol.com - Aaron A. Williams - Jocke C/MetalAngel - PSam95@aol.com - Gerard van Lent - Gcndan3702@aol.com -- For contributing to Cannon's Core 100 Rings, specifically the two Artificial Chaos problem - Nicholas Rainville -- For coming up with a way to get more rings and therefore, more lives, in Meteor Herd - Bassmas314@aol.com -- For two things: 1) Finding a better way to kill the Hover Chaos over the pit in Sonic's Cannon's Core section 2) Finally finding a practical use for the Magic Gloves - Chrcol123@aol.com -- For his help in the fourth mission walkthrough of Final Rush - VersusBooks -- For making the guide to help me with two or three missions -------------- 7.5) Potpourri -------------- Length: 90 pages File Size: 227K Version: 4.0 First Mission Completion: 100% Second Mission Completion: 100% Third Mission Completion: 100% Fourth Mission Completion: 100% Fifth Mission Completion: 100% Overall Completion: 100% Special thanks to... - CJayC, proprietor of GameFAQs - Sonic Team, creators of this game - Nintendo, creators of Gamecube - Me, because shameless self-promotion is good