Dr. Crusher Presents: The 30 Days of Sonic the Hedgehog (sponsored by PowerVerte)-Fin, PAGE 150

[Rusty Spy]

Day 3: Favorite Opening Stages

 

For these picks, the one thing they have in common is that they're all stages that, whenever I decide to replay the game, I almost always play through it's first stage at least once, sometimes multiple times.

 

So in chronological order:

 

Green Hill Zone (Sonic 1): This needs no explination, the stage was designed for the sole purpse of being played multiple times. It's so addicting in fact that a lot of times I'll want to play through the whole game, but immediately lose that itch to play the rest of the game once Green Hill is over.

 

Emerald Coast (Sonic Adventure): If there was one thing SA1 did that very few Sonic games did, it was build atmosphere. Sonic's first 3D game went out of it's way to immerse you in the experience, and Emerald Coast gave a very laid back feel with bitchin music that made you feel like you were having an adventure, rather than simply running forward until the victory music plays.

 

City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2): Last time I checked, I had played through City Escape over 300 times, and fuck, it never got old. This stage was the pinnacle of adrenaline pumping action for Sonic, and there has yet to be another experience that's quite as exhilarating as rolling down the streets of pseduo-Sand Fransisco at the speed of sound and outrunning giant killer trucks.

 

Windmill Island (Sonic Unleashed): I almost didn't put this on the list, but since I didn't really have much else I'd rather put here I might as well. The level itself wasn't anything special. but good lord does it look gorgeous. Too bad you hardly get to see much of it since your bluring past everything.

[Sega DogTagz]

Windmill Isle gets the nod,if only because I speedrun'd that stage so completely and extensively that I can literally re-create a map of the entire stage in my head brick for cobblestone brick. as far as opening stages go, its does a really good job of introducing the player to the latest and greatest (BOOOOOOOST) while giving you an idea of what you can expect in later stages. All those sloping alleyways and iconic vistas are burned into my mind as the introduction to one of the most adrenaline pounding experiences Sonic would ever give me. It gets high marks from me.

 

Mushroom Hill gets the honorable mention nod, as does Lost Prologue, if only because the concept is utterly badass. 

[PickleBrows]

Favorite First Stages

 

(No particular order)

 

1) Seaside Hill

 

Sonic Heroes introduced me fully to the series so again I've got some big nostalgia for this level. The visuals are still pleasantly colourful and the music is great (though Seaside Denied has tainted it beyond return ).

 

2) Green Hill

 

Had to make the list let's face it. Aside from being iconic, this zone manages to get so much right with it's design. Those who learn the stage can speed through and pull of sub 30-second runs every time but there's also plenty of exploring to do with hidden goodies to find. The music is...well, we all know by now.

 

3) Apotos (Unleashed HD)

 

I was extremely excited when I finally got my hands on the game on Christmas Day '08. I' watched the E3 walkthrough with Ken Balough and couldn't wait to try out the speed they'd been showing off. Apotos was exactly what I'd hoped for at the time. The speed was unrivaled at the time and was a complete thrill ride. The visuals were also stunning with the Hedgehog Engine bringing out all the little light details that really set the stage off.

[Spin Attaxx]

Yeah, I'm gonna go for Green Hill Zone here. Can't go wrong with the original, especially in it's Mega Drive incarnation. That version in particular just has this... coolness and vividness and a whole load of other stuff that things like Generations don't quite manage to capture. Maybe it's because Generations grounded it more in reality while the original was a straight up cartoon or something, I dunno.

 

Emerald Hill's also pretty neat with those Mobius strips and how it differs itself from Green Hill by confining the checkers to a few spots in the ground. Coconuts can go fuck himself though.

 

Angel Island isn't one I really think about much, but I do like the way they pull a twist on it by setting the whole level ablaze. And I always remember Act 2's music for being used in a flash game which got me into Sonic to begin with. Even then I thought it was badass.

[Zaysho]

Question #3: What are your favorite FIRST zones/stages?

I can think of a few, though it's not always the opening stages that are my absolute favorites. Not in order of preference.
 

 
1) Green Hill Zone: I wanna give a shout out to the original Green Hill first. While my first Sonic game was Sonic 2, I think GHZ is the more iconic of all the Green Hill levels. I suppose that goes without saying, but everything from the visuals to the music have been recycled and made new so many times over, it's hard to deny the impact of this level altogether. And the level maps for GHZ alone felt huge to me. Not quite as huge as the ones from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but they really gave you a sense of the type of world you were about to dive into. It's actually amazing how quickly it whips by... before dumping you into Marble Zone. Definitely a great first level that really showed what Sonic was all about.
 

 
2) Speed Highway (At Dawn): OK, this is a cheat, but it's the opening stage for Knuckles's story, so that's my loophole.
 
I thought about this one a lot, and I was gonna go with Emerald Coast, but much as I like Emerald Coast and all there is to do there, Speed Highway (At Dawn) is my joint, whether I'm searching for Emerald shards with Knuckles or just running around and disrupting traffic with Sonic (and inevitably getting hit by cars). In a way, the level can be kind of claustrophobic... but it's a city, ain't it? It feels so lively and energetic to me, and, in a way, it's what I wish Station Square was actually like. The hub world, while fun to just run around in doesn't feel like there's much going on and even the color palette is subdued. At Dawn is bright and colorful for an urban environment, with lots of primary colors, and even the coloring reflects the "At Dawn" aspect.
 
Oh, and the music. One of my favorite pieces of music from Sonic Adventure's soundtrack. It's got a nice mood to it that fits the scenery very well. I'm not the only one that hears that bit of "I Will Survive" in there, am I?
 

 
3) City Escape: You drop down from a helicopter on a piece of metal and slide your way down a busy street... and odds are, you'll send every car tumbling down that steep hill with you. What a crazy opening! Sonic Team just grabbed me by the hand and threw me in right away. The level doesn't load and wait for me to make the first move. Nah, forget that. Get your ass in there and ditch the military! Oh, did I forget to mention you were just mistakenly arrested because apparently nobody has ever seen more than one anthropomorphic hedgehog before? Well, ain't that some... Anyway.
 
I really dig City Escape. The design, the pace, the music. And Sonic Generations took this level... and made it about 100 times better by making the 3D sections in the "Modern" act feel more open. Not that the linearity of the original was an issue per se, but how great would it have been if you could've really done some damage ditching the military by running all over this city? Kind of my same deal with At Dawn, even if you don't get a chance to really dig into it, it just feels like there's some life here. Of course, some of that life is piled in a wreckage you no doubt made when you went screaming down the hill at the beginning or later when you're outrunning a truck that can't possibly be legal with how freakin' huge it is, but what can you do?
 

 
4) Resort Island: I like me my Sonic R, what can I say? Sonic R is game that many openly don't like, and I can understand why, but it's a game I strangely have a lot of love for. More than anything, I can just look past its flaws because I can play this game and have fun in spite of them. The biggest flaw is likely how the characters control as well as how unbalanced the character roster is, but it's still a good time. What I love about the game though are the maps. Few as they may be, they are wonderfully designed by the only man one could trust to do it well (in spite of his objections to using the Sonic IP for games like this): Hirokazu Yasuhara, the man who handled the level designs for the original trilogy and directed Sonic 3 & Knuckles. The maps are huge and you can explore them for every nook and cranny to find shortcuts or the Chaos Emeralds. These levels feel like there's so much going on in them, I almost wish they were retooled, expanded and put into a proper Sonic game, because they're pretty much perfectly suited to be true stages for the Sonic series instead of just race tracks. But that's just me.
 
But yeah, Resort Island. A lot of what I could say about it, I already did with my general opinion on the map design. But Resort Island is a continuation of the standard Sonic beach level, and while not as huge as, say, Regal Ruin or Radical City, it feels like it has a lot to offer too. It features so many interconnected paths that you can run onto to get a jump on your rivals, and if only it had some platforms and enemies to take advantage of many of the racers abilities, it probably could've been what 3D Blast should've been.
 
And I dig "Can You Feel the Sunshine?" but, again, I have a strange love for this game as a whole, and that extends to the soundtrack. It just makes me feel good, even when I'm not at my freshest.
 
Honorable mentions (i.e. don't make me write anymore paragraphs plz)
 
1) Westopolis: Chaotic, dark, fast. Pretty much sets up everything to expect from Shadow the Hedgehog, the good and the bad.
 
2) Isolated Island Zone: "Door into Summer" is one of my favorite Sonic joints, you have no idea. And the level is long and really helps you get used to the game's mechanics. I also love how the background shifts from morning to night, something that sticks around for the entire game. Oh and it's the namesake for my Sonic blog I haven't written for in a like a year, so I need to get back to that.
 
3) Angel Island Zone: Great opening stage that sets up Sonic's and Knuckles's rivalry (Knuckles just knocked Super Sonic the fuck out, and he didn't need to be huge to do it!). Also, Eggman just burns the place to the ground halfway through the first act! That's just insane when you think about it. Kinda makes you wonder how Knuckles let that slide though...
 
4) Emerald Hill Zone: Special mention because it's the first Sonic level I ever experienced, and it's quite fun to boot! Not nearly as big or exploration heavy as Green Hill Zone or other successors in that family, but it lets you know you're in for some high speed fun, especially once you complete it and get sent to the iconic Chemical Plant Zone.

 

5) Misty Lake: Very fun opening level, and it gets points for being a tutorial level that isn't obnoxious or hand-holdy like the ones from Sonic Unleashed (Wii) or Sonic and the Secret Rings. I can actually go back to it and still enjoy it like any other level. And the music is beautiful too. Of course, all of Black Knight's soundtrack is kickin'. Also, read Lady Soniko's post, I think she said everything that needs to be said about this level, but it reminded me this level deserves to be on the list somewhere.
 
EDIT: Well that was longer than I expected...

[jords]

Day 3: Favorite first stages.

City escape from sonic adventure 2.

I think its safe to say that its my favorite Sonic level of all levels, sitting close to starlight carnival act 1.

As for first stages its my number 1 favorite. The whole stage was just great. Riding downhill the city, escaping the cops, and looking cool while doing it, and it had the perfect soundtrack that everyone knows. It was the best thing ever when city escape was in Sonic generations. Modern city escape went nuts with the gun machine and them saw blades, and had a creative level design on the classic act.

Back then I was hoping other characters would have a level in city escape. But its just sonic. But I cannot lie shadow had radical highway and that stage was......radical.

Sonic 3: angel island

I liked this stage because it kinda showed how things were going without cutscenes and like when knuckles took the emeralds and ran off while you got robots having trees go on fire. L, things were looking bad. It felt like an opening cutscene throughout the whole level, and that's a good feeling...to me at least.

[T-Min]

Day 3: Favorite First Stages

 

All right, here's an easy one!

 

EMERALD COAST

 

I remember, the first time I ever played a video game was when my father first brought home the Dreamcast on its launch day, September 9, 1999. With it came a demo disc, and one of the demos was Sonic Adventure. I, as a mere three-year-old, asked to play. For the first time ever, my request was approved, and thus began my slow descent into the turbulent madness that is called "being a Sonic fan."

 

I would like to reiterate, I was three years old. This was the first time I ever touched a video game.

 

I loved it.

 

I still love it.

 

I love everything about it. I love the atmosphere, I love the music, I love the setpieces, the freaking setpieces. That whale. That whale. It was the most awesome thing I had ever seen or experienced. I love the general design of the area. It's just the perfect first stage. There's so much room to move around in, so many different ways to play with the physics of the game and the way Sonic controls, and everything just feels so organic. There aren't many "paths" in this level, but there are still tons of different ways for Sonic to go, and it's just plain memorable. That's one of the things I love about the Adventure games. Most first stages in Sonic games don't stand out much to me, and that's not even to say they're bad or anything. They're just typically not even the best of what their games have to offer. Green Hill is memorable because it's Green Hill. Emerald Hill is basically just Green Hill 2.0. Angel Island Zone is pretty standard in comparison to the rest of S3&K's zones. But Emerald Coast? It leaves a real impression of its own, and it lingers with you. It stands out even in comparison to the rest of Adventure's stages - and Adventure has quite the impressive list of stages. That's one of many things I love about SA1 and 2 - they really tried to make everything stand out in some way, almost every moment somehow memorable, and the results are, to me, remarkable. 

 

And hey, about SA2...

 

CITY ESCAPE

 

Yeah, I don't even know what I can say about this one to do this justice. It's outright one of the most stupidly awesome stages in the franchise's history, and one of the best period. I honestly just love it completely and utterly. It's simply the best thing. Not much else I can say, really. You've played it. You know it's good. Nothing more to add.

[spinny]

Favourite starting levels, eh?

 

Well, this should be easy!

 

 

 

Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)

 

It's the one that started it all. It demonstrates what to expect from the games' level design so perfectly that it's still a great starting level to this very day. Definitely deserves its worldwide popularity.

 

 

 

Apotos ~Windmill Isle~ (Sonic Unleashed)

 

It helps even more that Mykonos is a beautiful place in real life. It's bright, sunny, beautiful beginning to Sonic's world adventure. Pretty visuals and amazing music, be it the hubs or the actual level itself. I love you, Apotos.

[ProfessorZolo]

Favourite first stages... Aww, don't make me choose!

Well then, in no particular order...!

Windmill Isle- Sonic Unleashed.

Unleashed is probably my favourite game of the entire series, and Windmill Isle is one of the stages that makes the game just feel awesome. Beautiful, bright, and blazing fast. What more could you want? ...And good god, that music is AMAZING.

Wave Ocean- Sonic the Hedgehog (2006/7).

Yeah, yeah. Sonic '06 sucked. We all know that. However! I feel like Wave Ocean was a reasonable adaption of the whole 'green first level' thing. Mostly marred by feeling a little (well, quite) unfinished, I managed to have fun with this level, and the second half- the Mach speed section- was a brilliant introduction to the concept of 'one false move and you're dead'. Plus, the music!

Mushroom Hill- Sonic and Knuckles.

While many people's introduction to Sonic was the iconic Green Hill Zone, mine was Mushroom Hill. At the time, I didn't actually care about Sonic, and went straight to playing as 'the red guy'. If only I'd known he was basically hard mode!

The stage itself probably doesn't deserve to be in a top 5 list, but nostalgia is a force to be reckoned with...! And again, that music man, that music!

City Escape- Sonic Adventure 2.

"ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND. GOT PLACES TO GO, GOTTA FOLLOW MY RAINB-- Oh hell, why is that truck chasing me?!"- literally everyone the first time they played City Escape.

I love that level. I love everything about it. I'm not sure what else I can say!

[MamboCat]

Hmmm favourite first level... lemme seee, so many to choose from...

 

Ahhh! Imma gonna go old school again, sorry guys:

 

Sonic and Knuckles; Mushroom Hill Zone

 

I was just so impressed with the amount of detail that went into this zone, it feels so inviting into the game. First off, as Knuckles you get this neat little cut scene which shows Knuckles' motivation for his trek through his island;

 

 

 

I've always loved how Knuckles is shown to be a peace-loving friend to all animals, as opposed to the trickster he is in Sonic 3!

 

For the level itself, as a widdle kid I was amazed that in the second Act, it changes colours to reflect seasons; from green grass and orange mushrooms, to brown grass and blue mushrooms to represent autumn and finally green mushrooms and pale beige mushrooms to give a wintery feel. I also liked how your character reacts with the ground; leaving a trail of pollen in the "summer", brown leaves in the "autumn" and beige leaves in the "winter".

 

I also quite like Act 2's boss;

 

Hmmmm... Robotnik is hiding underground whilst sending some kind of signal, presumably to his Death Egg base.... I have to say as a kid I was a little confused and I wasn't sure what to do when I saw the satellite! When I finally decided to hit the bugger, my little tiny brain was hit with an "oooh shit!" feeling when Robotnik rose out of the ground! Then the chase through the woods is one of my favourites; since Sonic games are all about going fast I love bosses where you have to chase stuff! It just feels so exciting!

 

[C4k3]

DO YOU LIKE BEACHES?

 

DO YOU LIKE FRIENDSHIPS?

 

DO YOU LIKE MOTHERFUCKING GUITARS?

 

WELL STRAP IN, MAGGOT. WE'VE GOT AN INVITATION TO PARTY!

 

 

 

Ah yes, Seaside Hill. Most definitely top of my list of favourite first stages. After the Adventure series, Heroes kinda dials it back a bit and brings back the colourful and wacky tropes, reminiscent of the classic days.

 

A perfect way to start off the game. The music (you better be listening to it right now) is just phenomenal. It fits so good with the level and has a really great "Opening to a grand advenure" vibe to it.

 

Also, I'm not sure if this counts, but I'm giving an honourable mention to Modern Green Hill from Generations. Blasting through an beautifully remade stage of the very first level in the series, with that glorious remix? So gooooooood~

[Sonictrainer]

Question #3: What are your favourite FIRST zones/stages?

 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Emerald Hill Zone

 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was my first videogame ever and Emerald Hill is more memorable to me than Sonic 1's Green Hill. From the spinal bridges, to the Coconuts and Buzzers, and to Dr. Eggman's Drill Car, Emerald Hill has is definitively one of my favorite starter stages.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Angel Island Zone

 

One of the Genesis Era's only Sonic games to start off with a level that's not a "Hill" stage. It starts out with this beautiful jungle/grass level until Dr. Eggman's sub boss comes in and starts setting everything on fire. Even after you take it down in Act 1, Act 2 has you try to avoid a giant airship dropping bombs on you. Then at its climax, you face off against Dr. Eggman over 2 bottomless pits only to end with Knuckles sending you into one of them anyway. Angel Island is definitely more action packed than the other Starter Zones in Genesis Era games.

 

Sonic & Knuckles: Mushroom Hill

Now we're starting to get into levels that were picked and used in Sonic Generations. The Mushroom Hill Zone is the first Starter Zone that is a Hill Stage, but it's more original. With its Spring like mushrooms, thick vines that can stick to character's shoes, the giant pulleys, the change between seasons in Act 1 and Act 2, and variety of Badniks that work here, make Mushroom Hill another memorable first Zone….if you're playing Sonic and Knuckles by itself.

 

Sonic CD: Palmtree Panic Zone

 

The first level on the Little Planet is this beautiful, tropical paradise where the mountains and hills have hidden tunnels and there are invisible platforms. There are also many areas where you can pick up enough speed to travel to the Past/Future. Speaking of which, the past is this prehistoric area, where it seems that dinosaurs could have lived here. In the bad future, the water becomes polluted and all the plants and life become harvested for their energy, destroying the environment. Meanwhile the good future, everything in the present has been improved with technology that protects its instead of draining it. (Does anyone else think the palm trees in both futures look like spiders?)

 

Sonic Triple Trouble: Great Turquoise Zone

 

A twist on the tropical level theme, where the trees in this level have Springs inside their tops. So you can travel on land or bounce across the treetops to the Goal Post. There were also a few underwater sections.

 

Sonic Adventure: Emerald Coast (Sonic's Story)

 

What's this? Tails' has crashed his plane somewhere on the coast? Let's go and make sure he's Ok! This  beach level is a very calm and casual area where you can enjoy watching your footprints disappear in the sand as you climb your way to the lighthouse and get to Tails' position….if you can ignore the Badniks, the spiky death traps, and the giant killer whale that's going on a rampage….for some reason.

 

Sonic Adventure: Final Egg (Gamma's Story)

 

What's the best way for Dr. Eggman's newly assembled robots to prepare for their lifelong missions? Test out their abilities in a shooting gallery filled with dolls of Dr. Eggman's greatest enemies!

 

Sonic Adventure 2: City Escape (Hero Story)

 

What everyone else said.

This level starts off fast and crazy and ends fast and crazy.

 

Sonic Advance: Neo Green Hill Zone

 

Sonic Advance's Neo Green Hill Zone is like a combo of every other first level at the time.

 

Sonic Advance 2: Leaf Forest Zone

 

Leaf Forest's big, wide hills are a great place to practice Sonic's new Boost Mode and skills.

 

Sonic Advance 3: Route 99

 

Instead of starting off with a grassy area, Sonic and Tails must go through a highway near a big city. While Act 1 is fast and furious, Act 2 and Act 3 make you want to slow down and see what's ahead before running into traps and Badniks.

 

Sonic 2006: Wave Ocean

 

Ok, so Wave Ocean is very similar to Emerald Coast, except with Grind Rails. However, I thought some of the ideas such as Sonic sliding across the water was cool at the time.

 

Also, I like the Mach Speed Section of this level:

http://youtu.be/ahXzlX6OH_8

 

Sonic Unleashed HD: Apotos/Windmill Isle (aka White Island)

 

After the awesome opening, Sonic Unleashed starts Sonic off in the city of Apotos. Whether it's day or night, the quiet and peaceful atmosphere and music is perfect to learn Sonic's new Boost Mechanics and other moves as you take out Egg Fighters and Dark Gaia Minions while exploring the island and eventually saving Tails.

 

Sonic Generations: Green Hill

 

What's the best way to start off Sonic's 20th Anniversary? With a remixed version of the level that started it all.

[Semi-colon e]

Favourite first levels:

 

Green Hill, the OG level

 

What can be said that others already haven't? It's fast, it's intense, it's Sonic through and through. The giant slopes, the loops, while it's been done to death, there's a reason it's iconic. There's also a fair amount to explore and it's just really fun. There's literally nothing else I can add because it's so good and speaks for itself. Sonic's got the 'tude, got the speed, and this level was the opener.

 

Angel Island, Sonic 3&K

 

Honestly, this isn't even close to being one of my favourite levels in 3&K, but it's a fairly simple tutorial. It also showcased that this third game wasn't just a repeat of the first two, no, this one was more badass by having the whole level enflamed, with the vibrant effects. There's also a fair few ways to go and even some underwater sections thrown into the mix to add variety.

 

Emerald Coast, SA1

 

Wave Ocean ain't got shit on this. As Green Hill did for 2D Sonic, Emerald Coast did for 3D Sonic. Two fantastic music tracks, running up loops, being chased by the whale, the lighthouse, the wall running, so much shit going on. It's a fairly simple tutorial level that doesn't feel like a tutorial as it's really fast paced and there's loads to do. Again, it's not my favourite level in the game (Speed Highway hnnnnng) but it makes such an impression.

 

City Escape, SA2

 

Badass level. It really set the scene, and it was really unique to start in a city at the time, and showed SA2 was a completely different beast to it's predecessor. The song is pretty great and you're just running down the hills, boarding, jumping off massive ramps, grinding, and getting chased by the GUN truck which, unlike the Generations version, doesn't overstay it's welcome. Another thing is that this is how the game starts. Generations couldn't capture that because it was halfway in the game in there. City Escape is so good it's a shame to go to a shitty emerald hunting stage afterwards.

 

Plant Kingdom, Rush Adventure

 

This is like Mushroom Hill except badass. Water running, giant T-rex boss, loads of crazy vines and mushrooms to bounce along, it's just so much fun and sets the level types perfectly. The pre-historic theme is really great, and the music is so funky it's hard not to like. It sets the pace and does not let up in the slighest.

[SlickEvan]

Day 3: Favorite Opening Stage(s)

 

Time to close the doors, bust open the books, and tell you my favorites. I guess.

 

This is a really hard one too. But I'll take a crack at it.

 

Emerald Hill Zone

I don't know what about but it's just so gorgeous and I don't even know why. While not being a super-action packed stage, it's really fun and a nice opening for the stages to come. It takes some of Green Hill but then, I feel, bumps it up. Now the original Green Hill will always be where it's at, but I think we all already know that =P

 

Emerald Coast

It's weird but starting at the back of the hotel right next to the beach and continuing on, really just feels good. It's nice and relaxing and gets you into the mood of the later stages to come. Being in that 'Resort' area and seeing it flow into the cave-ish area back out to more beach, almost gives you a feel of the world they were in with just that one level! It's just so amazing and the graphics aren't any less brilliant. Also whale.

 

At Dawn ~ Speed Highway 

I love the feel and the beautiful backdrop, that music, ooooo that music. It's overall vibe and even being such a small piece of level is just brilliant. A nice way to start Knuckles story. There isn't much I can say about this one but I can say it does make it into my favorites list.

 

City Escape

Starting directly in the city and with a streetboarding segment nonetheless was amazing! You can't see as much progression as Emerald coast or Angel Island but you can feel that your Escaping this city. Speeding through the city the sense of the environment around you and- what's that sound? What the heck is that rumbl- OH FACK! That Gun truck sold me my first time playing as a kid it sill gets me every time and I think that I replayed it so much that I can picture myself being Sonic, just running away with a smirk or something!

 

Seaside Hill

It's not exactly my most favorite stage but it's still really cool. I like feeling of how relaxed it is compared to say SA2's first stages. It's aesthetics are beautiful though! Something about playing as all the heroes at once makes it feel pretty cool too, it's like I can't imagine it otherwise (I know Generations =P) It's so pretty, sounds awesome, and feels great to play!

 

Tropical Resort

This is iffy for me. It's short and to the point, it looks okay to play (haven't played this one) and it's kind of beautiful. I definitely  included this for the reason of liking it though! It brought something completely new to the table and was really different in terms of Openers so it really catches you like "Woah! This is new" and it looks and sounds nice!

I'd really want to see this redone on say dreamcast, to see how they would have made it. Same level design and stuff but something about emerald coast's charm packed into this level would be awesome. I feel they would really have to try which would intern make it even more beautiful and awesome! =D

 

Sylvania Castle

It had a nice look to it and even though it was re-used level ideas re-purposed it was still brilliant. I really, I mean I really, like how this one looks I like the combination of Aquatic Ruins and Marble Garden as a first stage! The level design was quite nice too and the overall stage was such a great mix up from the normal.

 

EDIT: Also here's a couple I didn't think about.

 

Windy Valley

I really like this stage and the whole mid-air well, windy valley, aesthetic! I like the how it handles bottomless pits, there surprisingly not as cumbersome as you'd think and makes for a really nice show once you get to the tornado part, that Tails unfortunately doesn't experience. I like how it could be handled as a first and second stage. The only bad part about this stage is Tails get's easy mode shortcuts =P and he has to race instead of play it normally.  

 

Final Egg

The final egg! But... wait, it's the first stage. There's something I loved about blowing up those 'action figures' that Eggman made. I find that kind of hilarious that he'd mass produce those for those testing areas (or he either bought them xD) While not the most pleasing to play as Gamma it was still a really cool refresher in the beginning level aesthetic category! 

 

I hope the other story first stages count, too.

[Fletch]

Day 3 Challenge: Favorite FIRST Zones
Completed 2/20 Challenges

 

You can almost say that I usually always love every single last first stage in a Sonic game. Though, the ones I love the most will be listed below... 

 

Well, first and foremost, I love Green Hill Zone. If you looked at my profile, you'll see that I have it as a background. Green Hill Zone is the first zone/level/stage that was introduced to us and it was what started the iconic checkerboard patterns (which I love a lot). It also introduced us to the awesome Robotnik/Eggman badniks, especially the great and almighty Motobug. The music is pretty great as well. I really love how beautiful the HD remake in Sonic Generations was, along with the glorious music remix it received. I tend to see myself replaying Green Hill Zone classic and modern the most in Sonic Generations all together. 

 

I really do love Emerald Coast. The first level for us to go through in Sonic's true 3D game. The level is big enough for you to explore and find secret things, it looks lovely since it's a sweet beach setting, and it even has a killer whale that's after you. While this level is extremely fun to play through, and is probably my overall favorite level in Sonic Adventure, I really do love the music. The Sonic Generations remix of 'Azure Blue World' for Classic Sonic is just...amazing. It can really get me tearing up from time to time when I listen to it and just think of the good times of playing Sonic Adventure DX. Also, I did enjoy playing through this level in the 3DS version of Sonic Generations. 

 

 

City Escape is obviously one of the most popular first levels. What's really not to love about it? It's a city themed level (and city levels are usually my favorite type of levels in all Sonic games), the level is extremely fun to play through, and it has the glorious vocal music that really defines Sonic character to a degree in my honest opinion. Out of all levels in Sonic Adventure 2, this was the level I played through the most. While this level isn't as big as Emerald Coast, I still enjoyed it quite a darn bit, heck, even more than I enjoyed Emerald Coast. I also love the Sonic Generations classic and modern versions of this level. 

 

Before I talk about the next console first level I like, I'll like to take the time out to mention this handheld first level. Route 99 from Sonic Advance 3. It's the first level to my favorite Sonic Advance game and it's a city level as well (I really do love city levels). The music is pretty good too (obviously) and always put me in the mood to speed run through this level with Sonic&Tails partnership. 

 

Now, onto the next level! Seaside Hill! I really love Seaside Hill/Ocean Palace, not just because it comes from the game that I cried inside Walmart until my mom bought for me, but because this is the one level that I constantly played over and over in Sonic Heroes. I think this was a fantastic starting level for the game. I also love how he has the checkerboard patterns that Green Hill Zone started! It's also one of my favorite stages to play through constantly in Sonic Generations. 

 

Apotos - Windmill Isle (Act 2) from Sonic Unleashed HD must be on the list. The music is fantastic, the level is fun to speed through, and the overall look of the level is great. You have to understand that my first experience with Sonic Unleashed was the Wii version, so when I played it the level wasn't really anything all that special. It was fun, but isn't fun enough to make this list. Now, after a few years I finally got to play Sonic Unleashed HD and my goodness when I played through the HD level, it simply blew me away. It was so much faster than the Wii version and much beautiful too! I really just love how the level overall look because of the art style as well. I don't know much when it comes down to graphics and engines and whatnot, but if the Hedgehog Engine was the main reason that Unleashed HD came out looking so beautiful, then I thank SEGA and SonicTeam for using it. 

 

If I were to make a list... My top 5 favorite first levels would probably be... 
1. Green Hill Zone

2. City Escape 

3. Apotos - Windmill Isle

4. Emerald Coast

5. Palmtree Panic

 

It's just that those 5 really do stand out the most for me and I enjoyed them greatly. Might be a bit strange to see Palm Tree Panic on the list (even though I didn't talk about it), but yeah. That's just kinda how I roll. 

Challenges 3/30 Completed

[TearForFear]

Favourite first levels, uh?

 

In no particular order:

 

Windy Hill Act 1

I should renamed it "The Great Playground in the Sky". Filled with things to spot at every corner (even though the level is cilindric ), beautiful colors and backgrounds, enjoyable music, it's the perfect place to unleash the parkourer that lives in you,

Oh, and at the very beginning you can see Tails piloting the Tornado in the distance and probably crushing it for the nth time, but I'm not sure.

 

Sylvania Castle Act 1

What a lovely place to start a new adventure and crash that poor airplane one more time, as the noise at 0:30 is anything to go by and learn new game mechanics with your buddy while you admire the HD graphic and listen to the upbeat music.

 

Tropical Resort Act 1

Game starts and Boom! no cutscene, no introduction, you're already catapulted in the Interstellar Amusement Park where Eggman himself welcomes you with his PSAs. Come one, do I really have to complete the level? I want to take it easy and admire every single detail of it!

 

Apotos/Windmill Isle Act 1

Same here. Seriously, this place is too beautiful to be rushed through. I wanna live there, I wanna!

But yes, it's also fun to run through, smash robots, grind... you know, being Sonic.

 

City Escape

I wonder how hard it be to live in this city. First, it looks like a maze. Second, it's freaking TALL (I know there are trams, but still). Third, cars flies like leaves and the police doesn't care to unleash a monster truck that can barely cross the street

All in all, with Sonic on the run in every sense of the term and the kickass music, it's the perfect way to start an epic adventure.

[Junko]

Favourite First Stages

 

5. Shadow the Hedgehog - Westopolis

Music and music only.

 

4. Sonic & Knuckles - Mushroom Hill

When I was younger, the aesthetic change from Act 1-2 blew my freaking mind. And I still love it.

 

3. Sonic Colours - Tropical Resort

Tropical Resort is absolutely gorgeous; all the bright neon lights and colours, all the patterns and airships, and so much is going on without it being cluttered.

 

2. Sonic and the Black Knight - Misty Lake

Have I mentioned that Black Knight fucking rocks? Misty Lake is one of my favourite stages in Sonic games. The music, the mist hanging over the level, inb4 excuse for low draw distance.  and the general ambience.

 

1. Sonic Unleashed - Windmill Isle (Day/Night)

Windmill Isle is just gorgeous, okay? And a great starting level, in terms of teaching you the mechanics, the level design itself, and the music.

 

DAY 3 COMPRETE.

[Dr. Crusher]

2. Sonic and the Black Knight - Misty Lake

Have I mentioned that Black Knight fucking rocks? Misty Lake is one of my favourite stages in Sonic games. The music, the mist hanging over the level, inb4 excuse for low draw distance.  and the general ambience.

 

I will say, even though I might not care that much about Black Knight (soundtrack included, I have a lot of trouble remembering it, which is really odd since that very rarely happens with me), I do like the visuals of Misty Lake. It is basically a foggy Kingdom Valley, and it's a unique location to start a Sonic game, if nothing else.

[Chooch]

Dare I say one of my favorite first stages is Mushroom Hill? Yeah, that Mushroom Hill.

 

When I was younger, I actually played Sonic and Knuckles alone an unbelievable amount. You can, so why not? I always saw it as the better half of 3 and Knuckles anyway. Mushroom Hill is also the start of the Sonic and Knuckles portion, so I think it more than qualifies as a first stage.

 

Everything in Mushroom Hill from the aesthetics, to the music, to the Badniks and level design is so fun and inviting. The mushrooms for bouncing and paragliding, the way the leaves and such move under you as you run through the level, hell, I even like the mini-boss that is themed after lumberjacks and the like. The most notable thing being the seasonal changes made as you progress through each section. Combine that with the multi-tiered level design and pulley gimmick and you've got one of the most fun and replayable stages in the entire Sonic series.

 

Honorable mentions go to of course Sonic 3's Angel Island, Sonic Unleashed's Windmill Isle and Sonic Adventure's Emerald Coast.

[Dr. Crusher]

Mushroom Hill is also the start of the Sonic and Knuckles portion, so I think it more than qualifies as a first stage

 

Oh sure, not to worry, it's totally counted in this topic. When I was making my own list, I was simply thinking about the full S3&K (and I was also thinking about the more traditional games in general, hence why I didn't mention racing courses like Megalo Station despite liking that one), but that was just my own way of doing it. Mushroom Hill is indeed another good one.

[Forte-Metallix]

Day 3: Favorite First Stage

I'll go with my favorite Zone in Sonic history: Emerald Hill! To me, this place beats out Green Hill in every aspect: better music, brighter colors, cooler Badniks (Yay, Coconuts!), and if you're skilled enough, you can get all 7 Chaos Emeralds by the time you reach the boss!

 

...Also, corkscrew-loops. 'Nuff said.

[StaticMania]

Favorite 1st Zone(s):
 
Angel Island Zone:

Not only is it something different from the games prior with their "Hill Zone(s)" its also gives a nice showing of how we get there, an introduction to Knuckles, and it has a nice way to show Eggman is still up to no good. Its a fun 1st level, good speed, good platforming, "Great" music...its a pretty standard Sonic level with a nice scenery change, then you get to the 1st appearance of the mini boss...who sets the area on fire! That's something cool that makes it stand out from other 1st levels in the 2D Sonic games, it shows Eggman ain't screwin' around...he's ready to take Sonic out by any means necessary the 1st level. I also like the major difference from taking the top,middle, and bottom paths...when you get on that bottom path, they really make you notice how much slower it is than the other 2. Provides a basic introduction, but doesn't stop what amount of action there is to go on in the stage(from an opening level anyway)and it gets the player pretty excited for what's to come on their 1st playthrough.

 

Emerald Coast:

 

For their very first attempt at a real 3D Sonic game, Emerald coast is a very decent 1st stage. Its a very simple level, basic enough to not die when trying to experiment, gives you the basic control and introduces re-occurrng mechanics later on. Its one of the many examples of how the game-play is a 3D Classic Sonic. You can gather some good speed, make some very good shortcuts with the spin dash, and it shows how the momentum still plays a factor in the stage design. Plus with a stage that has some awesome music such as this, it definitely deserves a spot here. A fine 1st stage that does everything it should to get players into the controls and prepare them for mechanics that come back later on and we go to the aid of Sonic's best friend Tails.

[Covskin]

Damn, pretty much every opening stage is the best one in the whole game, so this a toughie. I'll do one 2D and one 3D.

 

For 2D, I guess I'll go for Emerald Hill Zone, I;ve probably played this more than any other, and even if it is a pretty blatant rehash of Green Hill, I like how it uses the Spin Dash to differentiate itself a little bit. You still have the option of exploring everywhere, for which you will be rewarded, or you can blast through in a matter of seconds. Great stuff.

 

For 3D, I'll be conformist and say City Escape, as it is exhilirating. The action doesn't let up (unless you have trouble getting used to the grinding mechanics), and that song. Oh, that song, I'm sure every single person knows the lyrics of by heart. Props for daring to be different too, its a gamble that certainly paid off.

[Tori Himemiya]

PRESIDENT CROW'S DAY 3 OF FIRST MEMORIES!

So CROW can't choose between these two but they are both pretty good stages.

Angel Island Zone!

This is probably one of the more popular stages in the series and its easy to see why. Sonice 3 and Knuckles was actually my first Sonic game and I do remember this stage fondly. At first the stage seems so calm and peaceful with Eggman's robots hanging out but later Act 1's boss nukes the island, setting it on fire. No other Sonic game does a transition like this stage did and it sticks throughout the level. It gives you an idea of both what's in stake and the fact Eggman is pretty serious about fighting Sonic. There's a lot of bombing in this level but if you choose Sonic and Tails during the ship bombing raid in Act 2 Tails will try to keep up with Sonic but can't cause he's the second ai controlled character so its pretty funny watching him get blown up with no side effects. But that's that.

Iron Gate!

Sonic Adventure 2 was one of my favorite games of all time, though my tastes changed through the years I'll still remember it. Usually when you think of first stage in SA2 its City Escape but I'll be creative this time around and say Iron Gate. When you start up SA2 they give up the choice between Hero and Dark story. Hero story starts off with Sonic of course but when you start up the Dark Story you get Eggman in a mini-mech blasting everything in his path to obtain something to defeat Sonic with. You know this is going to get good once you see Eggman blow everything up. Its a little slower paced compared to other Sonic levels but its pretty fun to relax and cause some havoc.

[azoo]

I was actually gonna make Mushroom Hill listed as my favorite first stage in my post, but I decided altogether it was actually the seventh stage in one big game instead of the beginning of a short one. :v

 

Still, though. Mushroom Hill is so dang good <3