Sonic 4: Special Stages and Bonus Levels

[Indigo Rush]

Just pretend you didn't see that glimpse of the "rotating maze" level from the trailer.

What kind of Bonus Levels or Special Stages would you like to see? How do you want to enter them? 50 rings and a starpost? End of the Act? Special Springs? Some original idea?

I'd like to see both the Bonus Levels and Special Stages make a comeback. The slot-machine level from Sonic and Knuckles was a fun way to earn rings, and the gumball eyez machine was a fun way to snag some powerups, and of course the Special Stage from Sonic 2 is probably the most iconic, but what can we expect that's original?

Thoughts?

[JezMM]

As long as the tube design is more like Sonic 3D PC rather than Sonic 2 I'm happy. Sonic 2 was a nice idea, but the horrible animation and draw-distance filled it with fake difficulty.

Personally, depending on how many episodes there are, I'd love to just see some new designs with new physics etc for each previous special stage. With a new one for each episode.

It wouldn't be that outlandish or rehash-ish. The slot machine in S&K was a throwback to Sonic 1 after all.

Besides, Sonic 1's special stage was my personal favourite. Kept the same platformy rules as the main game while still making it VERY different/trippy.

Edited February 6, 2010 by JezMM

[E.J. The DJ]

If they had to bring back the half-pipe for the 30th time, i'd want it to be more like the Sonic 3D blast special stage instead of the sonic 2 special stage. I would also like to see some type of upgraded variation of blue sphere back too, or a completely new special stage...As long as its innovative.

[JezMM]

Oh hey, almost Rush/Rush Adventure styled, Special Stages would be the perfect place to intergrate motion control if they wanted to.

Well, less fun for 360 players of course, but yeah.

[Solid SOAP]

Wait, they accidentally revealed that the rotating maze is the special stage in this? I'd like to see screens, I don't recall seeing even the slightest glimpse of it.

Also, as cliche' as this sounds I wouldn't mind seeing the half-pipe return again, though perhaps since this game is supposed to be something a little more special I suppose they could whip up a new one. I really don't know what I'd want for a special stage, as long as it isn't either too hard or too easy, the ones in the Advanced games were ridiculously difficult, while the Genesis games were just right for the most part.

[Thirsty Pocket]

Sonic 3 style please. I hated losing all my rings after getting a star post, getting 1 ups was hard enough in that game. As for the style, Im up for anything not used in advance or Rush Adventure.

[Patticus]

I think the Sonic 1 style is still the best; Sonic 2's was legendary but dauntingly hard, Sonic CD's I didn't care for, Sonic 3's didn't appeal, Sonic & Knuckles' was great but not quite as good. The original was by far the best combination of challenge and awesome to me.

All that in mind, I really wouldn't be too bothered if any of the old styles made a comeback.

[Phos]

Wait, they accidentally revealed that the rotating maze is the special stage in this? I'd like to see screens, I don't recall seeing even the slightest glimpse of it.

When the screen goes black and then it fades back in, you can see it in the text.

The special stage appears to be a dry lake bed or a salt flat or something (but this is a special stage, it's orange or something and the clouds are in wireframe or something), and the chaos emerald is sitting on the ground in front of you... But it suddenly becomes so small that it falls into the cracks. You have to become

small enough to go in after it. I suppose you shrink along with the emerald and have to move in such a way that you end up being able to reach it when it can no longer hide in the cracks and gives up. Ehh, sounds too puzzle oriented and hard to program.

I guess I'll just go with my default "Afterburner with a Sonic skin".

[Patticus]

Wait, they accidentally revealed that the rotating maze is the special stage in this? I'd like to see screens, I don't recall seeing even the slightest glimpse of it.

Near the end of the teaser, where it says "In 2010 the adventure continues" in text made up of lots of little arranged squares, through the squares you can make out a rotating.. thing, which we can only deduce must be a special stage. I suppose the chance does exist that it might be a boss or something, but the most famous Sonic-related rotating area is that special zone.

[Badnik Zero]

I used to think about this when I imagined special stages in new games. Now that it's a retro title, not much has changed. The thing about the stages in the old games was that they tried to push the limits. CD's 3D arena was interesting, even if artificially difficult due to limitations. The half-pipe and Blue Sphere stages also tried to put 3D on a 2D console. Chaotix was probably the most successful and it's a shame not too many played it. So I'm asking... even though this is a 2D retro game, would it be better to go all out impressive 3D on top of that? I certainly wouldn't object if we had a new 3D mini-game for Sonic 4's special stages. Something like a Sonic World style playground with a time limit and objective. I'd probably be stupid to expect something like this from a downloadable title, but it's something I'd like to see. The thing about the special stage is that it's a mini-game. It doesn't have to conform to anything you'd expect from regular gameplay. That said though, I'm very fond of the rotating maze. It's got a certain amount of panic to it, the way you get so close to the GOAL, fighting the walls and bumpers at the same time. The one thing I don't want to see is the half-pipe. I love you half-pipe, but how many games do you need. Can't keep looking to Sonic 2 for this.

[EXshad]

I wanna see special stages like in Sonic 3: Sonic can find giant rings to enter SPECIAL stages to gain the chance of earning a Chaos Emerald, while if he has 50 rings and walks through a goal post, he can enter a bonus stage with the chance of gaining a new power up, or scoring rings, etc.

I honestly don't care how their done, though I hope that the special stage is new and unique. I would love to see old designs used in the bonus stages, though

Edited February 6, 2010 by EXshad

[Hazuki Heartwood]

I want Sonic 1's way of getting into the special stages.

I don't like to slow down and search for them, I like getting rings and having it be at the end.

[DMNBT]

I'd like to enter special stages S3&K style, with giant rings hidden in the acts. Also, if there's 7 zones in the game, I'd like to see that you can only get the first emerald in the first zone, the second in the second zone, etc.

PD: Please no more halfpipe special stages D:

[Unknown]

I'd definitely want the S3&K style. Blue Sphere was always the funnest of the Chaos Emerald-collecting stages for me (mostly because I was awful at the other two D:) and I don't like having to get 50 rings to get into the Chaos Emerald stages. There are already few enough opportunities for that, they don't need to be limited further by that requirement.

In addition to that, though, I liked having additional bonus stages besides just the Chaos Emerald ones, and multiple types of those bonus stages as well. Variety is always enjoyable.

[Solid SOAP]

When the screen goes black and then it fades back in, you can see it in the text.

The special stage appears to be a dry lake bed or a salt flat or something (but this is a special stage, it's orange or something and the clouds are in wireframe or something), and the chaos emerald is sitting on the ground in front of you... But it suddenly becomes so small that it falls into the cracks. You have to become

small enough to go in after it. I suppose you shrink along with the emerald and have to move in such a way that you end up being able to reach it when it can no longer hide in the cracks and gives up. Ehh, sounds too puzzle oriented and hard to program.

I guess I'll just go with my default "Afterburner with a Sonic skin".

If this is true, then good, I liked Sonic 1's special stages. And at least they're not reusing the half-pipe again, although it has become sort of a Sonic staple and I liked it.

[Sapphire]

I'm REALLY hoping for a brand-spanking new special stage. I mean, Sonic 1, 2, CD, and 3&K all had different special stages, so shouldn't 4 be treated the same?

If I had to choose which special stage had to be re-used, I'd pick Sonic 3&K's. It was fun, but not too easy or too challenging. Sonic 2's is way overused, Sonic CD's was kinda hard and... a little strange (blow up the UFO's? ), and I just plain didn't like Sonic 1's.

[SuperStingray]

I'm hoping the bonus stage is where the motion controls come in. I want to see a Sonic 1 style level where you control the level by tilting the Wiimote/Sixaxis/iPhone instead of Sonic himself.

[The-Master-Board]

I don't care as long as it's trippy and surreal: that is what Sonic special stages are all about. Personally I reckon the whole game being in 2D and having the special stages in 3D would be cool....so maybe the blue sphere stage, but updated? I'm rather fond of the gumball machine and pinball stage of S3&K, and the halfpipe was pretty cool - in fact the rotating maze from Sonic 1 is probably my last choice from classic games special stages, but it's still pretty cool.

As long as it's weird and colourful, contains a chaos emerald, and is a means to and end (that end being Super Sonic available in levels) then I'll like it.

Oh, but if you really want my opinion on what I'd like as a special stage -*stops to grin mischeiviously*- How about something like the special stage from Sonic Triple Trouble! That is; one that has Nack the weasel in it

[DaBatGuy]

One special stage that doesn't get the love it deserves is Knuckles Chaotix's. It was the perfect mix of the half pipe and Blue Sphere with platforming elements. I'd love to see that return with motion control tilting.

[SeanP SunsetPark]

As long as it isn't Sonic 3D for the mega drive. There is such a thing as too easy. I like the Sonic 1 special stages but wasn't too fussed on S3&K with the spheres.

Sonic 1 - Spinning, trippy world

Sonic 2 - Half tube, bomb jumping, ring collecting frenzy

S3&K - Collect spheres

So by rights the pattern should be that Sonic 4 should be something different. Will it be?

[JEV3]

I have always been a fan of Blue Spheres, and an HD-treatment (as in, compared to the original... but still possible on the Wii XD) might help give a buffer to the reaction time by making things a bit smoother... I also liked the way special stages were entered in Sonic 3K. Because it wasn't at every Starpost, you still have to go a little bit out of your way to find it, but it was still common enough that you could get Super Sonic early. (Super Sonic in MGZ, and Hyper Sonic in FBZ, iirc)

With that said, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing something new. After seeing Sonic Rush, I don't think that I'll ever see a half-pipe special stage design that can top that. Sonic Rush Adventure was a pretty cool twist on the same basic principle. Seeing Sonic 1's special stages again but without the cheap shots might be nice. Just imagine it rotating smoothly and with a larger screen to remove situations where you just had a blind shot.

Wow, I never realized what a special stage junkie I was... I would probably buy a wiiware game if it was nothing but Blue Spheres HD. (and by HD I mean compared to... aw forget it)