Sonic Superstars: Zone Speculation/Wishlist

[Sonictrainer]

 

(Awesome artwork by Pamela Ojeda/Drawloverlala)

The Northstar Islands seems to be an amazing new addition to Sonic's World.

So far, we've raced past the gray checkerboard hills of the Bridge Island Zone, trail blazed through the trees of the Speed Jungle Zone, and watched Amy bounce around a new amusement themed Zone that was shown in the recent Nintendo Direct.

Now that we know that there are at least 12 Zones, I took a break from Angel Island Research to predict what else we might see in the other 9 Zones that haven't been revealed yet.

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NOTES:

1. Mostly talking about the Main Zones in this topic. Bonus & Special Stages will have to wait until a later date.

2. I'm skipping themes that are already covered by the 3 Zones mentioned in the Intro. This includes:

• Green Hill Themed Zones
• Grass/Forest/Jungle Themed Zones
• Amusement Park/Casino Themed Zones

3. I'll briefly talk about potential Chaos Emerald Powers throughout certain predictions, although I may do a Emerald Power Speculation Topic in the future.

4. My computer recently died so I don't have access to certain files and pics at the moment...

RIP (Sonictrainer's Mac Mini 2010-2023)

However, don't worry because future Zone Topics and the Sonic Games World Tour are still ongoing. Plus, I'm working on getting everything from its corpse backed up so I should be completely back in business soon.

Sonictrainer Fast Fact: My computer died while I was typing up the original version of this topic.

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 Prediction #1: A Ruins Zone

Over the past 30+ years, Sonic Advance 2 is the only Sonic Game that doesn't have a ruins themed level.

Bonus Points if the Zone has underwater sections with narrow tunnels with fast currents where our heroes have to quickly grab poles and change positions to avoid a deadly set of wall spikes.

 Prediction #2: A Fire Zone

South Island has the Marble Zone and Red Volcano Zone, Westside Island has the Hill Top Zone, and Angel Island has the Lava Reef Zone and Red Mountain.

Even Flicky Island has the Volcanic Valley Zone!

I wouldn't be surprised if the Northstar Islands have a lava level.

Quote

Sonictrainer Spitballing

Do you think one of the Chaos Emerald Powers will be fire? I know Blaze and the Sol Emeralds kind beat them to it, but still...

Also, do you think the Water Power-Up will have to be used to put out fires?

 Prediction #3: A Cave Zone

It doesn't have to have ruins or lave to be a cave Zone.

It could an active Mine like the Gimmick Mountain Zone, Mystic Cave Zone, and Endless Mine Zone.

Or we could get another set of cool gem caverns like the Westside Island Hidden Palace Zone or Little Planet's Quartz Quadrant Zone.

 Prediction #4: A Sky Zone

After the Wing Fortress and Flying Battery, I wouldn't surprised if Eggman bought a giant airship to get to the Northstar Islands

I'm not sure if we'll get another Sky Chase Style Zone though now that there are 4 players at once...

...Unless Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy each get some kind of flying machine and the gameplay style changes to a Sonic Adventure Style Sky Chase/Tornado Defense level...

 Prediction #5: A Snow Zone

OK, this one is more of a want than a prediction.

Give me another Ice Capped Zone please!

There are 7 Classic Sonic flavors of them in the Sonic Zone Ice Cream Shop already and I need more!

Quote

Sonictrainer Spitballing:

• What if instead of an Snowboard section, we get a Ski section?
• What if using the Water Power-Up in the ice stage allows our heroes to freeze things?

 Prediction #6: A City Zone

We can't let Modern Sonic hog all of the City Zones anymore!

To be honest, there aren't a lot of Classic Sonic City Zones, besides the Star Light Zone, Stardust Speedway Zone, Gigalopolis Zone, and Radical City.

While there may be a village in the Speed Jungle Zone, I think we might get a City Zone later in the game.

Quote

Sonictrainer Spitballing: What if that city that we saw in the Sonic Origins animations was actually a preview of a city Zone on the Northstar Islands?

 Prediction #7: A Desert Zone

The Sandopolis Zone, Yellow Desert Zone, and Mirage Saloon Zone shouldn't be the only Classic Sonic Desert Zones we have.

Something also tells me that this will be Fang's main Zone where we fight him one last time.

 Prediction #8: A Spooky Zone

Technically, there are 3 Spooky Classic Sonic Zones:

• Sandopolis Zone Act 2 in Sonic 3&K
• The Labyrinth of the Castle in Sonic Labyrinth
• Witchcart's Dark Castle in Tails Skypatrol

However, we need an official 2 Act full Zone Spooky themed Classic Sonic Zone

This is my number #1 most wanted Zone theme on this entire list.

 Prediction #9: A Train Zone

Bet you didn't see this one coming.

How often has Sonic has to race a train?

Sunset Park Zone? Rail Canyon? Radical Train? This one Act of Mirage Saloon Zone?

If I have to have to use Knuckles to suplex an evil Eggman version of Thomas the Tank Engine, so be it.

Spoiler

If Amy can get a birthday wish, I can too 

 Prediction #10: An Eggman Base

Easiest and hardest Zone to predict.

What will it be?

Will it be a grounded factory base like the Scrap Brain Zone, Metallic Madness Zone, and Metropolis Zone?

Will it be a space station similar but different to the Death Egg?

Will it be an underwater base like the Atomic Destroyer Zone?

Will it be a crazy fusion of themes like Eggmanland or the Titanic Monarch Zone?

Who knows what Dr. Eggman has cooking this time...

Quote

Sonictrainer Spitballing: Instead of using Metal Sonic in this game, how we finally come face to face with Mecha Sonic Mk 3?

You know, that Sonic Badnik we see in Eggman's Mystic Ruins base next to Metal Sonic in Sonic Adventure?

 

Zone Discussion Questions

1. What are some Zone Themes or Ideas that you predict or wish to see in Sonic Superstars?

2. What are some Zone Themes or Ideas that you don't want to see in Sonic Superstars?

3. Anything. Feedback, questions, comments, etc.

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

1. I hope we get a zone from sonic advance like ice mountain zone. (BOO!! REHASH!! OLD ZONES!!!) I know, I know, I just thought it would be a nice call back to the advance series since all 4 characters from that game are playable again. It doesn't have to be ice mountain for me, it could be any zone from the trilogy like a cyber zone or route 99.

2. What I don't want to see is green hill zone and it looks like that box is checked.

[Shiny Gems]

For the first question, how about these for levels?

 

A video arcade themed level. (though we might have an amusement park or pinball, so...)

A neighborhood.

A shopping mall.

A honey and bee themed level.

A level set in the outback.

An optical illusion themed level

A mint or bank themed level full of money.

A magic show themed level.

And a joke shop themed level.

For the second question, I am open to any zone theme, so there is not really one I don't want, unless it doesn't fit in with Classic Sonic, maybe.

As for the third question, no comments.

[StaticMania]

2 hours ago, A super No.1 washedupgamer said:

What I don't want to see is green hill zone and it looks like that box is checked.

You see a blue variant early in the game.

[Shiny Gems]

Here are some other zone themes I would like to see.

 

A Nightclub level.

A giant playground level.

A western Cartoon themed level.

A spa level.

A hotel level.

A campgrounds level. (Summer camp, anyone?

A hospital level.

And a level that takes place at the zoo.

 

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

48 minutes ago, StaticMania said:

You see a blue variant early in the game.

Still not green hill.

[Blue Blood]

12 hours ago, StaticMania said:

You see a blue variant early in the game.

Sure, Bridge Island is more Green Hill than it is Angel Island or Mushroom Hill, but that's doing it a disservice really. There's really no mistaking it for any other level in the series. It's got a unique colour scheme, some new gimmicks and the terrain itself is structured like sea-battered cliffs. As one of the many fans who's been sick of Green Hill since at least 2011 when it was in both versions of Generations as the only S1 rep, Bridge Island is a pretty great new GHZ-like first level. 

Anyway, OP is missing a few things. First of all, we've seen an overview of the entire North Star Island map from the intro:

You can't see everything on there, but you can see a huge Bridge Island in the lower left, the amusement park to the right plenty of other features. 

And secondly, there's this digital level from the trailer:

The levels aren't wildly creative so far, but they do seem. To be doing enough to stand apart from their contemporaries both visually and mechanically. The digital level is the unique of the bunch, seeing as the trope itself has only shown up in a handful of games so far. 

I'm most interested in seeing a ruins level and haunted level, personally. And when I say ruins, I mean something more selling the lines of Marble, Aquatic Ruin, Marble Garden than something set entirely indoors ala Hydrocity, Tidal Tempestand Labyrinth. I tend to put the latter three into their own category. It's a staple trope of the Classics that Mania was kind of missing. Dgmw, Hydrocity is my favourite level in the Classics and I'd surely be happy with another water level in its vein, but I'd love to see something where ancient ruins are a focal point. 

And as for haunted levels, the series has barely don't those before. In the Classics, Mystic Cave was loosely haunted themed whilst Sandopolis 2 has ghosts, but that's where it ended. Heroes' Hang Castle and Mystic Mansion are full of creative ideas that blend well with the gameplay opportunities. I'm sure something else like them would be a winner. 

[Salamander]

2 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

Anyway, OP is missing a few things. First of all, we've seen an overview of the entire North Star Island map from the intro:

You can't see everything on there, but you can see a huge Bridge Island in the lower left, the amusement park to the right plenty of other features.

It's a shame it's so blurry and difficult to inerpret.  Looks like some sort of factory zone adjacent to the amusement park.  The mountains are presumably a zone?  I think those are temples in the upper-left?  It's not clear if they're part of the same location as the orange area nearby, which might also be ruins-themed.

2 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

And when I say ruins, I mean something more selling the lines of Marble, Aquatic Ruin, Marble Garden than something set entirely indoors ala Hydrocity, Tidal Tempestand Labyrinth. I tend to put the latter three into their own category. It's a staple trope of the Classics that Mania was kind of missing. Dgmw, Hydrocity is my favourite level in the Classics and I'd surely be happy with another water level in its vein, but I'd love to see something where ancient ruins are a focal point.

It's curious that, when I think of dedicated water levels in the series or at least in the 2D games, they are always ruins levels.  So something which would be relatively original without actually being that crazy in the grand scheme of things would be a water zone set in entirely naturalistic environs.  Rush Adventure had Coral Cave, something like that!  They could throw in a sunken ship and it could be the spooky level too, although that might not be very economical with what are relatively untapped niches in 2D Sonic.

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

8 hours ago, Salamander said:

It's a shame it's so blurry and difficult to inerpret.  Looks like some sort of factory zone adjacent to the amusement park.  The mountains are presumably a zone?  I think those are temples in the upper-left?  It's not clear if they're part of the same location as the orange area nearby, which might also be ruins-themed.

It's curious that, when I think of dedicated water levels in the series or at least in the 2D games, they are always ruins levels.  So something which would be relatively original without actually being that crazy in the grand scheme of things would be a water zone set in entirely naturalistic environs.  Rush Adventure had Coral Cave, something like that!  They could throw in a sunken ship and it could be the spooky level too, although that might not be very economical with what are relatively untapped niches in 2D Sonic.

I've always wanted a water zone set on a giant cruise ship. Huge crisis from rush came close but it was a military ship and it had no water sections.

Edit: we need another marina madness zone. 

[Sonictrainer]

4 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

Anyway, OP is missing a few things. First of all, we've seen an overview of the entire North Star Island map from the intro:

You can't see everything on there, but you can see a huge Bridge Island in the lower left, the amusement park to the right plenty of other features. 

I had a copy of this image on my computer...before it died... 

4 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

And secondly, there's this digital level from the trailer:

Honestly, I completely forgot about it.

Although I am wondering if this is a Main Zone or a Bonus/Special Stage

[Shiny Gems]

I had this thought; how about a sports or art themed level?