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

[TearForFear]

My top 3 favourite settings:

 

3: Modern metropolis (City Escape, City Empire, Speed Highway etcetera)

 

 

Want to do something transgressive? Run from giant trucks? Catapult cars away like they're made of cardboard? Fall through glass ceilings? Invade shopping centers, gyms, offices, apartments etcetera?

Modern metropolis are the best locations to unleash everyday's frustrations without reprimands.

 

2: Cities of art (Spagonia, Soleanna)

 

 

I once visited Rome, Venice and Florence, among other italian cities, and I can't imagine more beautiful places. This is why I love Spagonia/Rooftop Run (and why not,  Soleanna too. A bit)

 

1: Amusement parks (EggmanLand, Circus Park, Twinkle Park, Eggman's Interstellar Amusement Park etcetera)

 

Why do I like these settings in Sonic games?

 

 

Because you can actually hop in the roller coaster.

Take that, Bowser Land.

[MamboCat]

Mambo's Favourite Sonic level Tropes:

 

1) *Insert Here* Hill Zone

 

I can imagine many of you are sick of the many, many "hill" zones which exist in the Sonic universe, mostly thanks to how many times they have been reused. The most recent I can think of being Sonic Dash reusing Seaside Hill (Zone) as the running/dashing track...

 

But I like them, they are a classic Sonic trope and the first level of the first game is one:

 

 

Nice, pretty and bright... and not too hard to ease the player into the game. :3

 

Of course we have exceptions; one of my favourite 8bit Sonic levels is Green Hills Zone from Sonic 2:

 

 

It's so pretty! :3 Look at it's diamond and heart shaped flowers, and someone is very good a topiary, it seems! The music of this level is pretty sweet too; it's an 8-bit remix of You Can Do Anything. However, it's the fourth level in the game, and it has some pretty nasty spike pits. I'm not sure if it's meant to be the same zone as Green Hill (with a typo) and Sonic is simply returning to it after beating Robotnik in Sonic 1... but still, the almost gardeny feel to it makes it a separate experience...

 

2) Technology is Evil

 

Most of these levels centre around what horrible things Robotnik/Eggman has done. I'll go back to 8bit Sonic and show:

 

 

Green Hill Zone! Turned into Mecha Green Hill Zone (or so I always assumed!)

 

Not to mention Sonic CD has a whole planet turned into Eggman's fortress!

 

 

And who could forget his almighty DEATH EGG!

 

 

Seriously, this zone used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid!

 

3) Other People Live Here, Y'know!

 

Sure, Mambo loves different climate zones such as Ice Cap, Lava Reef etc... but as Sonic has got older I have found myself really enjoying running through cityscapes, wrecking peoples' shit. It started when I played Classic City Escape and got the widdle skateboard. I mean, how much more "rebellious 90s" can you get? Bart Simpson had one, the Teenage Mutate Hero Ninja Turtles sometimes had them... and now Classic Sonic gets one. I just loved it.

 

 

Speed Highway is also a lot of fun, although it's odd there are no cars to mess with! Kinda glad Generations added some in! While not as graphically outstanding as later games, this level still gives you a sense of vastness to the city and there's a lot of excitement to be had skipping across skyscrapers. Back in Sonic Adventure, this was a very new thing!

 

 

Running through Spagonia feels like I am running through Prague or Paris. It's so pretty! Running into patio furniture, sending it flying is hilarious!

 

[Tara]

[ Day 22 : Favorite Level Tropes ]

 

In no particular order

 

1) Eggman Bases

(i.e. Final Egg, Scrap Brain, Death Egg, Hidden Pyramid)

 

 

 

I've already mentioned why I love Final Egg so much in a previous question, but I think it's pretty interesting to see robots in their "natural habitat" if you will.  One thing that's fascinating is that they know you're there, and so the base usually has a heightened security in these levels.  That means they bring out the best of the best to try to stop you, in addition to having a great deal of treacherous traps and obstacles already!

 

2) City Levels

(i.e. City Escape, Speed Highway, Spagonia)

 

 

These levels are always, always, always a blast to play.  They have a high emphasis on pure speed and cool stunts over careful platforming, which is nice for both a beginning stage and an intermediate stage.  I also enjoy examining the architecture in many of the zones.  Speed Highway, in particular, has a very pleasant urban feel to it.  Spagonia is also beautiful.  I'd love to vacation there if it were real.  (Yes, I know it's based on Venice, but you know what I mean.)

 

3) Spooky Levels

(i.e. Hang Castle, Cryptic Castle, Pumpkin Hill)

 

 

It's a known fact that I love spooky things... well, fun spooky things.  I'm not big into horror movies, but I love Halloween.  It's probably my favorite holiday of the year.  The dark attire, the comedically macabre imagery, and of course the delicious candy.  So it should come to no surprise that I love the spooky levels in the Sonic games.  They're always full of fun little surprises and quirky little tidbits that completely change the tone of the map.  For instance, this is particular section of Hang Castle...

 

 

...or this particular moment from Cryptic Castle. (There's a lot of castles)

 

 

They're great levels and really fun to play through.  They're usually just the right amount of spooky and remind me of the Boo stages in Mario.  Although I will forever hold a vendetta against Team Chaotix's iteration of Mystic Mansion. >=|

[Johnny Boy]

Day 22: Favorite Level Tropes

 

1. Ice

I've always been a sucker for Ice stages in any game and sonic is no exception. The atmosphere in ice stages always seems to be so relaxing and cheerful, not to mention that they have some of the best music in the series.

 

2. Casino

Whenever I play a sonic game, I always look forward to seeing a casino stage. Just seeing those bright neon lights flash against the night sky along with hearing awesome music has just always mesmerized me ever since I was a child. Heck, part of the reason I was so excited for Lost World was because this was the first time since heroes that we would be able to run through a casino stage.

 

3. City

The thrill of blasting past cars and scaling skyscrapers at 760+ mph never gets old no matter what game your playing.

[Ducktor Naldush]

Day 22 : Favorite Level Tropes

 

1) Urban Themed Levels

 

Be it a "normal" city, with sky-scrapers, cars and buildings in the background, or a "hi-tech", "futuristic" city, there is always something beautiful in watching Sonic & pals running around in something more "traditional"...that could always be warped in a more creative manner.  It is to show that industrialization and engineering isn't always bad. Especially with good old man Ivo on the loose. Also, with Spagonia and its Rooftop Run, I can watch Sonic boosting through what could easily be a city near my town. And that's awesome.

 

2) Casino / Festival Themed Levels

They are colourful! They are funky! They are wonderful! Even though, as seen in Twinkle Park, Sonic thinks that these kind of levels are "a pain in the neck", I couldn't disagree more. Places like Casino Night, Casino Paradise, Circus Park (© Eggman Industries), Casinopolis and, heck, even Tropical Resort, are a sight to behold! Sure, there is going to be a pinball trap somewhere...but I don't honestly care. Eggman is that kind of person that would probably enjoy watching Sonic being treated as a ball. Until he gets bored and kills him, of course.

 

3) Winter Themed Levels

It's no secret that I love winter, snow and cold in general. Ice Cap, Ice Paradise, White Park, Robotnik Winter....Sonic can speed through these zones on his feet, or a snow-board, or spin-dashing all the way to the end...I won't get bored. There are lots of ways you can venture through a snow-filled land, after all. Not in a snowball, though. That would be just silly.

 

 I'm joking, mates

[ElectricAngel]

Question #22: Top 3 Level Tropes/Themes

 

#3: Beach Theme

 

 

There's just something I really like about the beach themes. Whether it be Emerald Coast, Neo Green Hill Zone, or even yes, Wave Ocean, I always find myself having a good time. They are nice introductory levels and can really showcase the power of a console.

 

 

The beach theme not only is pretty for the eyes, but it also creates a pleasant, relaxed feeling. For me at least. Maybe it's because it gives off the feeling of summer, without the heat and sunburns, but I always enjoy these types of levels, even if they don't appear that often in Sonic games.

 

 

#2: Factory Theme

 

 

Aside from having awesome music, these zones tend to be filled with tons of boost pads and loops that give off an awesome feeling of speed.

 

 

I also like how these levels tend to be massive. By that I mean everything in the factories seem huge. The tubes, turbines, everything looks so cool and deadly. You get a real feeling of danger and adventure in these zones.

 

 

#1: City Theme

 

 

Yes, I'm one of those people.  I am aware that the Sonic series is meant to be in a fantasy world, but I can't help but love city themed levels like City Escape or Speed Highway.

 

 

I love the feeling at running around at blistering speeds on the road. It kind of gives a feeling of what Sonic would be like if he were running in our world, and it's really fun to pull off massive jumps since levels like these tend to have lots of downwards slopes.

[Dr. Crusher]

It's a known fact that I love spooky things... well, fun spooky things.  I'm not big into horror movies, but I love Halloween.  It's probably my favorite holiday of the year.  The dark attire, the comedically macabre imagery, and of course the delicious candy.  So it should come to no surprise that I love the spooky levels in the Sonic games.

 

On one hand, I do like the haunted zones in Sonic games as well. On the other hand, I dislike Halloween even more than I dislike April Fools, mainly because it's the time in which you see (even) more grrrriiiimdaaaark artwork everywhere... and I got fed up with that ages ago.

[Tara]

On one hand, I do like the haunted zones in Sonic games as well. On the other hand, I dislike Halloween even more than I dislike April Fools. (Mainly because it's the time in which you see (even) more grrrriiiimdaaaark artwork everywhere... and I got fed up with that ages ago.

Yeah, I don't like the super bloody grimdark stuff.  I just like the cute and fun spooky stuff.  Think Luna Eclipsed, for example, or a good deal of Tim Burton films.  Or this-

[Covskin]

3. Night-time

 

In an odd fashion, this choice isn't necessarily due to how much I enjoy the levels that use this "trope", but more the asethetics. For example, not a big fan of Carnival Night or Star Light as gameplay, but boy are they nice to look at. Casino Night obviously makes a unique setting, and then you have the sense of foreboding that Final Fortress gives you.

 

2. Hills

 

Ask the average Joe (or Josephine) on the street to think of a Sonic level, and they'll imagine lush green countryside with blue skies. Who could blame them? Green Hill and Emerald Hill may look almost identical, but they're both iconic in their own way. Everyone loves the thrill of a new adventure, and if most start with hills, then its no surprise hills get a lot of love. The good levels themselves help, of course.

 

1. Eggman's final level

 

Not each of Eggman's bases (NOT YOU Metropolis) and not each Final Level (NOT YOU Cannon's Core). No, specifcally a Final Level that Eggman prepared. The balance between death traps intended for Sonic, killer robots and Eggman's need for utility comes across in levels like Final Egg, Wing Fortress (Death Egg is just a boss rush, doesn't count, shut your faces) and Egg Fleet/Final Fortress. Everything is designed in a way to stop Sonic, but you can see how Eggman can still get around and do his dastardly work. They just feel more epic than a random base, or random setting that just happens to be the end of the game.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

my three favorites? its hard to say. I really like the amusment park zones like musical plant toy kingdom and eggmaland. why? i think they are really colorful and they add the fun to a Sonic game. i love happy waky zones like these and in music plant i love how they put the spikes and springs.

 

i also like the water zones like aquatic park and lost laybrinth zone and coral cave to. the water levels are the fun levels but they get really tense to get out when you run out of time. i want to see how long i get out of the water. and to coral cave i love the coral theme i think its very pretty. lost laybrith zone is really fun and challgne to the puzzles.

 

another one is citys. i am piky about cities. i dont like citys like crisis city its to boring and not fun look. but i love route 99 and speed highway and bingo highway. bingo highway is my favorite. its really hard when you roll the table but the look look like a Sonic game. its coloful and waky colors. route 99 has the best highway music and its really fun to go throug.  speed highway i like better in Sonic Generations is a good level to play and its waky colors and it fit in a Sonic game.

[Splash the Otter]

My favorite level themes? To be honest I like them all, but I guess my favorites are:

Green Hill

I love the natural beauty of zones with this theme, and the way it can be seamlessly combined with other themes. I actually wouldn't mind living in a place that looked like this.

 

City

I don't particularly like the linear setup that these zones usually have, but you can't deny that they look really pretty. The way all the roads are in midair adds to the fantasy setting.

 

Sky Ruins

It isn't a common level theme, but if I just said "ruins" that wouldn't be specific enough. What I love most about these zones is the whole concept of an ancient city suspended in midair.

[Fletch]

Day 22 Challenge: Top 3 zone types/tropes

21/30 Challenges Completed

 

Who doesn't like the beach levels?! Everyone does!

 

Though, I don't love the beach themed zones enough to place them in my top 3! Sorry! On the bright side, at least we know Dr. Eggman loves getting out and enjoying himself! (Is it Summer time yet?!)

 

Anyways, let's get this list rolling!

 

 

3. Carnival/Theme Park/Amusement Themes

(Tropical Resort, Toy Kingdom, Casino Night, etc)

 

I really do enjoy these types of zones/levels. They are bouncy, bright, and contain a good fun atmosphere. Some of the zones/levels I really like Casino Night Zone because I can gamble and lost my rings, Music Plant because of how it's a unique music level where you bounce around and different musical notes will play, and even Tropical Resort because not only is it a great starting level but it's really a straight forward carnival with balloons everywhere and Eggpawns waving their signs at you. 

 

 

2. Green Hill Theme

(Green Hill Zone, Emerald Hill Zone, Seaside Hill Zone, etc.)

 

First and foremost, I really like the zones/levels that have the checker pattern. Anyways, I really like this theme because of the fact that the zones/levels are usually starter levels and are quite simple, peaceful, and fun. Some of my favorites are Green Hill Zone because of it starting the checker patterns and being an overall fun first zone/level, Seaside Hill for not only keeping the checker patterns but also mixing in some beach and ancient ruins themes, and even Windy Hill Zone for having the nice day transition. 

 

 

1. City Themes

(City Escape, Route 99, Grand Metropolis, etc.)

 

This really shouldn't be a surprise if anyone knows me. I really do love the ctiy theme zones/levels. They always continue to provide me with a chance to go fast and breeze through the levels. The music for these levels themselves are always giving me a great feel most of the time. Some zones/levels I like are City Escape for being my all time favorite with a great vocal song and a sweet version of San Francisco, Skyscraper Scramper for being an awesome version of New York City and for truly letting me go wild through the level, and finally '80s/'90s Boulevard for having so many SEGA references. Also, that music is just amazing.

 

22/30 Challenges Completed

[Vertekins]

3. Ice-themed levels

 

There's always been a pretty consistent thing about icy zones. Their music is consistently amazing. In particular, Cool Edge Night is my fave song in the entire series.

 

But then that's only one single aspect as to why icy stages are amongst my absolute favorite. These kinds of stages tend to have the most awesome meldings of settings. I mean...

 

- Icecap changes from snowboarding down hills to going into an ice crystal-composed cavern to eventually leading you outside where it's snowing lightly and there's glaciers in the background.

- SA's Icecap is effectively Sonic 3's Icecap in reverse

- Ice Mountain melds snowy hills with underwater gameplay

- Ice Paradise is a cool combination of ice and city

- Twinkle Snow is like a more fantasy-ish take on Ice Mountain.

- Holoska has cool running on water segments not to mention the bobsleigh.

 

2. Forest/Jungle theme

 

Can't help but love these bountiful natural green wonderlands.

 

They're often graphically-lush and have the best musical themes. They also tend to show how well the Sonic series shows-off it's contrast to it's famous industrial Eggman bases as well. Makes me somewhat contemplate one of the things that Sonic is fighting for and why Eggman must be stopped.

 

But yeah, I love Sonic 1's Game Gear's Jungle Zone. I've always found the way Angel Island zone turns from lush to blazing quite the change of pace, White Jungle was one of the most atmospheric stages in SA2 next to Lost Colony and Frog Forest had an interesting gimmick in the form of the rain-summoning frogs.

 

1 - Urban/City-themed levels

 

These stages tend to be really stylish ways of showing-off Sonic's speed. Speed Highway was amazing at showcasing Adventure the first time it was ever revealed and lived up to that in the final product. City Escape is IMO the best first level in any 3D Sonic game because it's such a great opening to the game and it's seriously cool how Sonic Team USA took influences from their surroundings at the time.

 

This theme also plays extremely well with the futuristic theme too. The Riders series shows this off most aptly and I only wish that 'Futuristic City' was a more common level trope in the main series. Grand Metropolis and Power Plant in Heroes were good at doing this.

[DocAzure]

Well, I knew this question was coming!

 

3. Beach Theme

(e.g Emerald Coast, Wave Ocean)

 

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside..."

 

Classic theme this, one of the most memorable too, thanks to it being immortalized by being featured in Sonic Adventure. I like how this theme is exactly how it sounds, it's a beach, there's gonna be sand, rocks, bridges, all that stuff. Next to that however, we have wildlife, something not usually seen in Sonic level tropes. Beach stages tend to have Killer Whales in them, some friendly...some, not so friendly...

 

2. Volcano Theme

(e.g Lava Reef, Flame Core)

 

 

"Fire, I'll take you to burn..."

 

This theme has appeared every so often in Sonic games, always bearing the deadly damaging lava. I just like the feel of these levels, they're kinda threatening, much darker than the usual Sonic fare. I certainly enjoy seeing a bit more red and brown over green now and then, variety is nice. It's also easily stuck on to other levels, as some can combine the mechanical theme with this, to create such stages as Lava Powerhouse from Sonic Spinball.

 

1. Air Fleet Theme

(e.g Flying Battery, Egg Fleet)

 

"I believe I can fly..."

 

Yes, this is my favorite theme, and it's all thanks to one fear, and that fear is Acrophobia, or the fear of heights. You're so far up in the damn sky with these stages, the pure thrill this has is unrivaled. Nothing beats having to anticipate each jump, having to know where to step, just so you don't mess up and fall to your death. Pure joy. Also, they're usually built by Eggman, and Eggman related stages are the best.

[Forte-Metallix]

Day 22: My Top Three Level Tropes:

 

In no particular order: 

 

1) "Grassy Hills"

 

Need I say more?

... Oh, I do? Well, then-  We all know and love these places: Green Hill, Emerald Hill, Splash Hill, Windy Hill, Green Hills, Great Turquoise, Leaf Forest, Seaside Hill, Green Hill II: Green Harder, etc. These kinds of levels leave a great first impression for me. The clear sky, the bright green grass, the flowers, the upbeat music, the loop-de-loops, the spike traps- it all looks so inviting!

 

2) "City"

 

 

Ah, the city. Sonic always fits right into the hustle-and-bustle attitude of modern society! Whether it's the downward sprint in Speed Highway, the collateral-damage-fueled snowboard down City Escape, or the Mach 1 rampage through Skyscraper Scamper, these places fill me with overwhelming adrenaline and a desire to mow down anything in my way! (Which is why it took me several attempts to get a licence, but that's another story.)

 

3) Eggman's Bases

 

Every villain has their own theme when it comes to bases, except Eggman- he has several!

Ol' Baldy McNosehair has had a huge variety of final challenges for us, ranging from the ominous Death Egg to the sadistically-festive Eggmanland! I love a final level that puts all the skills a player has accumulated throughout the game to the ultimate test, and Eggman has done that consistently over the years while still offering surprises in every installment!

 

Heck, an entire GAME took place on one huge base that took over multiple PLANETS, each with their own trope!

 

 

I know where I'M going this summer! Oh, wait...

 

 

 

DARN IT, SONIC!

[Kiah]

Day 22: Top 3 Favorite Zone/Level Tropes:

 

The beauty and diversity of the places in Sonic's world knows no bounds, which made it rather tricky to select the my top 3 favorites. After giving quite some thought to my choices, I came up with these 3 tropes in descending order:

 

Ice/Snow Tropes:

 

 

 

 

I love levels that have a weather element to them, especially snow. The snow levels such as Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone, Sonic Unleashed's Cool Edge and Sonic 4 Episode 2's White Park for example are all absolutely amazing to look at with the wintery white beauty. I've always found the snowboarding gimmicks to be fun too.

 

Casino/Carnival Tropes:

 

 

 

 

I like both of these levels for the same reasons: they are levels taking place at night, and both Casino and Carnival levels look amazing, brightly lit amid the dark night sky with bold beautiful, bright colors and fun playful details such as the Ferris wheels and balloons in Tropical Resort, for example. Aside from that barrel in Sonic 3's Carnival Night Zone, these levels are fun to play, especially playing the slot machines trying to get the jackpot in Casino Night Zone from Sonic 2. 

 

Food Trope

 

 

 

 

I like this trope the most because it seems to be the most creative to me (not to mention I have a huge sweet tooth as well). As far as I know, Sonic Colors and Sonic Lost World are the only games to have this type of trope, but it never ceases to amaze me. Cake, cookies, candy, donuts, ice cream, cheeseburgers all being part of the level design...I continue to be most impressed with Sonic Colors' Sweet Mountain and Sonic Lost World's Des(s)ert Ruins Act 2, and how, well, delicious it looks.  I thought this level in Sonic Colors was the most creative with loop de loops being made out of candy canes, for example. Every time I play through these levels I always see something new. I had no idea that a level design based on food would be so fun to both look at and play through!  

[ProfessorZolo]

Three, huh? Okay...

Number 1: Cities.

My first proper Sonic game having been Adventure 2, City Escape had a huge impact on the way I perceived the series. Ever since, I can't recall a single city level I haven't liked. Yes, I even liked the one that's on fire.

Number 2: Deserts.

There've been considerably fewer of these (I think?) but I love them just the same. Something about the atmosphere. Maybe I just like yellow.

Number 3: Ruins.

Again, atmosphere is key with these. Like Lost World (Adventure) with it's great views and immense set pieces. I suppose the burning city also counts as a ruin? Might explain why I'm partial to a bit of '06 every now and then.

[PickleBrows]

Day 22

• Upy Downy levels
• all aroundy level
• levels with stuff in them

Forest Levels

 

These are a nice spin on the traditional green hill trope and can have some really nice visual flare. The Sonic series often has a tropical element to forests that give them that extra kick of personality.

 

Beach Levels

 

Often have a brilliant song going in the background and it really is a great time running along the beaches, the sea beside you and the clear skies beaming down as you speed by.

 

Snow Levels

 

Often have less going on in them compared to other levels which allows for a more tranquil run through the glaciers. Unleashed HD's Ice Cap is the pinnacle of what these levels can be like.

[ImPantsAtThis]

Day 22: Top 3 level tropes?

 

#3: Green Hills

 

 

A bit of a cheap choice, but come on! Look at it! Iconic, stylish and delightful to the eye. The lush, rolling slopes are the perfect starting point for Sonic's adventures, making it easy to gather speed by curling up. Mm-mmm.

 

#2: Modern City

 

 

Moving at high speeds through tight, twisting modern streets is exhilarating to say the least, but to say more it's an action-packed thrill ride that always leaves a smile on my face. City Escape's background is great, but we shouldn't forget Rooftop Run's fantastic aesthetic in and out of the play area. In short, these stages are brilliant.

 

 

#1: Futuristic City

 

 

Fast. Furious. Funky. Advanced future-cities have it all; unique, bright visuals; potential for speed gimmicks; and awesome music. These stages make me all gooey inside because of how well they fit in with the Sonic universe -- the crazy architecture on display is a perfect environment to blast through at sonic speed!

 

 

Honourable mention:

 

Government bases/harbours/prisons

 

 

Metal Harbor. One of my favourite stages. Opportunity for set pieces and a frenetic atmosphere caused by bomber jets makes this a level designer's dream and my personal playground. Real fun stuff, breaking out of a maximum security prison at super speed while dodging missiles and catching a ride off a rocket.

[Pawn]

I'm a big fan of common Sonic tropes like Tropical, Casino, Ruins, City and Industrial/Eggman base. It really depends on the execution though, as there are plenty of zones in each of those categories that don't catch my eye as quickly as the following:

 

 

 

Space

 

Space levels are usually pretty damn epic in the first place, serving as Eggman's endgame in many a grand scheme. They often feature some of the most exciting gimmicks, with gravity switching being a great example. Their appeal can vary, as sometimes they'll be intense and foreboding like the trap-filled Death Egg, a precarious thrill ride above the Earth in Final Rush or follow a neon road among fireworks in Starlight Carnival. I do love a zone that alternates between the interior and exterior of the setting and these examples do just that.

 

 

 

 

Ice

 

Who doesn't love an Ice zone? It was my absolute favourite theme in any game as a child, with Ice Cap sitting firmly at the top of my most-loved level list. The trouble with them is that they can look very similar across platformers, but Sonic normally finds a way to make them unique. The key is to add in elements of other tropes, like Underground Cavern or Carnival. While Ice Cap begins with you snowboarding down a mountain, it's not long before you enter a dark cave filled with crystals and crushing stalactites. The trope's seen some interesting combinations in recent years, with the Carnival-themed White Park and both the Industrial and Casino sections of Frozen Factory. It's clearly a versatile theme and I'd love to see Sonic Team mix it up even more in the future.

 

 

 

Spooky

 

Another childhood favourite is the Spooky trope. As previously mentioned in this topic, I've long been fond of the Halloween themes and characters. From the Jack-filled Pumpkin Hill to the haunted rails of Hang Castle, the franchise has had a lot of fun with them. Despite causing some annoyance now and then, the ghosts add a great sense of tension to the atmosphere; whether it meant waiting intently for the right time to flip the switch in Sandopolis Act 2 or treading carefully in the Pyramid Base. Of course, dimly lit environments are also right up my alley.

 

 

Hmm... Clearly my dream zone would take place in the haunted, frozen interior of an abandoned Egg station (neon lights flickering, of course). Sounds plausible. =P

[Junko]

So going by Sonic Retro's list of level themes...

 

3. Spooky Levels

So I couldn't think of a third one buuut - I recollected stuff like Pyramid Cave, Haunted Ship and Mystic Mansion, and I realised just how found they are and especially with a level like Skeleton Dome it can be pretty chilling.

 

2. Ancient Ruins

If you say you hate Levitated Ruin, I will fite you. These levels (Levitated Ruin, Misty Lake, Kingdom Valley, Faraway Avalon) just end up looking absolutely gorgeous and I love the theme to death.

 

1. Flying Fortress

Need I say anymore? Flying Fortress' levels are just incredibly visually spectacular - look at Egg Fleet, Final Fortress, Air Fleet and Sky Troops. So much going and they generally end up looking amazing.

[buba]

Question #22: What are your top three zone types?

 

I don't even know how to categorize this stuff, but here goes.

Beach Zones. By beach, I mean stuff like Seaside Hill, Emerald Coast and Jungle Joyride.

 

 

I really like when this zones start in an actual beach with the sand and sea and as you go, you enter a jungle or a "grassy" place.

The sand, the clear water and the tropical feel, I like that stuff. It's relaxing.

 

Destroyed Zones. This shit probably isn't even a zone type, but I find zones that are totally busted and stuff cool.

Westopolis and Crysis City are the best examples.

 

 

It's cool to have shit break and explode while you run through.

I think we need more of this stuff in Sonic games.

 

And finally the Desert Zones. Bullet Station, Arid Sands, Sand Ruins, Sandopolis, etc.

 

 

I'm not sure why I like this kind of zones. I guess it's because deserts are such big isolated places where you can run freely. Too bad most of the stuff that represent this type of zone doesn't do that.

I just probably like all the sand and rocky canyons.

[Jolt_TH]

Day 22: Favorite Zone/Level Tropes

 

In no particular order:

 

Sky Zones

I love these zones, they can differ so vastly in both secondary theme and in the gimmicks present. We have things like Eggman sky fortresses, ruins in the sky, or fighting badniks on the tornado itself!

 

But the reason this is one of my favorite tropes?

This zone right here

 

 

City Zones

This trope, although mostly very similar has some levels that are very different and interesting. Plus the added bonus of having Sonic zooming at breakneck speeds through a bustling city. Some notable examples are:

 

 

Rooftop Run (again, one of my favorite levels)

Taking place in the middle of Spagonia, this city is much less modern and more traditional and old fashioned. not only does it look amazing but it provides a change from the normal skyscrapers and open roads Sonic usually runs along,

 

Crisis City

This is a great level, purely for asthetic purposes, I love the idea of a ruined, post apocalyptic city for Sonic to run through, maybe something ruined by Eggman. It feels so epic to run through and survive to the end of the level

 

City Escape

Sure, this one is your normal city level, but this is arguably one of the best and most memorable levels in Sonic history, it made a change from Speed Highway (which is also amazing) by taking place in the daytime. The start the level, streetboarding down the streets is really exhilarating and the end, it takes you by surprise the first time you play it.

 

Eggman Bases

Again this one is because of the sheer amount of designs there have been over the years, there has been ground based factories, flying fortresses, flying fleets of ships, actual companies, underwater bases, bases carved out of ancient architecture, heck even space stations! Not to mention the grand doctor even made himself an Eggmanland that perfectly personified his personality. Some notable ones are the Death Egg, for being being sheer awe inspiring due to its size. Egg fleet because the intimidating nature of the ships and the fun level design. Flying Battery for the awesome music and great gimmicks, plus the escape at the end and also Eggmanland for being the good doctors dream personified, hard as nails, wacky but deadly and just down right awesome

[RustyRick]

Day 22: Top 3 favorite themes in Sonic stage design?

I'll keep this short for the sake of my sanity.

1: Forest themes.

Myself being a bit of a environmental douche, I love the visual sight of forests far away from humanity or much civilication at all, so area's like Frog Forest or the jungle area from Sonic Adventure's Mystic Ruins section are right up my alley.

2: Eggman-themed bases/locales

I always enjoyed listening to the music as I wreck through the doctor's bases destroying the last of his reserves and ultimately confronting the big guy if it's not one of the 3D games, and it's always visually surreal to see just how much the guy can impose his own egocentric image in virtually everything he constructs.

3: Theme park stages.

These are usually rare to me, but something about the likes of Twinkle Park and that first stage in Colors really always bring a joy to my inner conscience as I always liked to imagine myself just going rampant in a big amusement park without being held up by long lines of people for a simple 1-minute long attraction at best. It was just the biggest guilty pleasure to see Sonic tackle some of that stuff in Twinkle Park.



And yes, I'm personally not a fan of city-themed stages, unlike most people here.
 

[Gabz Girl]

Here's my top three favourite level tropes!

3. City! City is probably the most common trope in Sonic games nowadays but there are so many different versions of city stages that they don't always look or play the same way. My favourites include Speed Highway, for being the first speedy Sonic level, its cool city night time vibe and the crazy good music. Up and down and all around~ City Escape is another amazing stage because it's probably the best first stage in a 3D Sonic game with great music and awesome parts like the boarding, running down the wall and of course the GUN truck. Oh, and I really like Power Plant, though I dunno if that counts as a city since it's more like a factory. But meh.

2. Water! This one is one of my favourites yet so many Sonic fans seem to hate this trope! D: Whyyy? Except for Labyrinth Zone in Sonic 1 (yeah that one does suck), you got Hydro City which is the best stage in Sonic 3 hands down and should've been in Sonic Generations, Dry Lagoon in SA2 which is very serene and pretty and Aquatic Mine which is my favourite Knuckles stage alongside Meteor Herd. There's just something about water stages that I really like. Maybe it's the music or the awesome atmosphere, or that I don't find these stages frustrating at all unlike most. Or maybe it's because i love to swim in RL and be near water. Ah, who knows.

1. Forest/jungle! I like these because of all the greenery and how, like water stages, they can look really serene and pretty too. Of course there's Mystic Ruins in Sonic 2 and Frog Forest in Sonic Heroes, but my favourite one by far is Angel Island in Sonic 3. It's a great opening stage and is fun to play through. Hope we get more of these type of stages in future Sonic games!