Sonic News Network:Sonic Level Tournament/Week 1

Today begins the very first round of the Ultimate Sonic Level Tournament 2014! Inspired by the Sonic News Network's extremely popular Ultimate Sonic Character Tournament held in 2010, the Sonic Level Tournament will choose a total of 256 stages, and you, the judges, will narrow down the competition until only one stage is crowned the most popular stage in the Sonic the Hedgehog series!

What better way to start than where it all began? This week, the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 compete to see whose stages are more popular! These matchups have been sorted by stage theme and ordered by stage order in each game, and we hope this setup streamlines the process of voting and gives you time to think through your decision before casting a vote. Note that each stage represents every appearance they have had in the entire Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. Please vote accordingly.''

You have one week! Vote below!



The place where it all started! Green Hill Zone is not only the very first stage in the entire Sonic the Hedgehog series but also the most recurring stage in the series. Whether you're playing the original 16-bit level, its first 3D appearance in Sonic Adventure 2, or its makeover in Sonic Generations, this stage is a blast! Waterfalls, the classic checkered soil, and palm trees all over dot the scenery of this island paradise. But Sonic is here for a purpose, and Robotnik is all too eager to stop him! Motobug, Buzz Bomber, and Chopper badniks are on the loose and ready to make trouble for the blue blur himself. Just watch Sonic tear across the landscape in the beginning of a new venture!

The dark, mysterious Mystic Cave Zone is the sixth stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In this zone are many puzzles you will have to figure out using levers and pulleys; along with going on some pendulums. The level takes place inside one of the mountains of Westside Island, with sharp rooks, pits, and vines around you. Be careful running, a badnik might jump out of nowhere and lose all your rings! Some advice: try to avoid the pit in Act 2 with the spikes at the bottom (unless you're playing the remake).

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Green Hill Zone Emerald Hill Zone



Marble Zone is the second level in the original Sonic the Hedgehog. The zone resembles the remains of a lost ancient metropolis; pillars fashioned from stone brick and, of course, marble all around. Obstacles include pits of lava, smashing pillars, and crushers with spiked ends. You will see badniks such as Buzz Bombers from the previous zone, but new ones like Bat Brain and Caterkiller. Watch the catchy tune get stuck in your head as you traverse one of the most enjoyable stages in Sonic the Hedgehog.

The dark, mysterious Mystic Cave Zone is the sixth stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In this zone are many puzzles you will have to figure out using levers and pulleys; along with going on some pendulums. The level takes place inside one of the mountains of Westside Island, with sharp rooks, pits, and vines around you. Be careful running, a badnik might jump out of nowhere and lose all your rings! Some advice: try to avoid the pit in Act 2 with the spikes at the bottom (unless you're playing the remake).

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Marble Zone Mystic Cave Zone



As the name implies, Spring Yard Zone is chock-full of springs ready to send Sonic flying around like a pinball. Bumpers everywhere throwing Sonic off his game, giant blocks ready to crush Sonic at every opportunity, and badniks everywhere trying to hurt him as much as possible... all of this makes for one heck of a zone. Like all good Sonic levels, there is something here to annoy even the most seasoned players; the Roller badnik has a tendency to dart across the screen at incredible speeds, almost always hitting Sonic and scattering his well-earned rings everywhere, which makes emerald grabbing in this Zone somewhat difficult.

Nothing's quite like deadly chemicals designed to kill you in mere seconds. At Chemical Plant Zone, however, the chemicals are everywhere. Badniks such as Grabber actually pose little to no threat at all in this Zone, but the main danger comes in the form of bottomless pits and deadly Mega Mack... especially in Act 2, when Sonic has until his air runs out to reach the top of a chamber. All in all though, this isn't too deadly, but the worst is yet to come.

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Spring Yard Zone Chemical Plant Zone



A lost, flooded ruin awaits Sonic in the infamous Labyrinth Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog. Spikes and spears galore are ready to catch Sonic off guard as he struggles to adapt in an environment dominated by his worst fear: water. Every move, every jump is painfully slow compared to his movements on land, but obstacles and badniks are at home underwater and move normally, which can ruin the player's timing. Careful maneuvering and a watchful eye are absolutely necessary to get Sonic to the goal in one piece.

Just like Labyrinth Zone, Aquatic Ruin Zone is a flooded ruin which lies between Sonic and the dastardly Doctor Robotnik. Aboveground seems quite harmless, but the innocuous totem poles in the background will fire deadly arrows straight ahead once Sonic passes by. Whisps attack in swarms, but then Sonic enters the water. The spin dash makes the slowed movement more bearable, but going too fast or too slow will put Sonic directly in the way of a collapsing pillar! To make it all worse, Grounder badniks burst out of walls at random intervals, so Sonic must stay alert on his journey through the ruins.

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Labyrinth Zone Aquatic Ruin Zone



Anyone can relax to the soft music and calm atmosphere of Star Light Zone, when Sonic takes a trip during a starry night in the city. The zone also has many loops and roller coaster-like sections that can cause Sonic's speed to rise quickly, thus making this zone a strong point to showcase some speed. A bit of construction and Bomb badniks may get in Sonic's way, but a bit of skill can nullify the threat in no time. Although the zone seems even more enjoyable by comparison because of its placement between the two hardest zones of the game, it still has enough charm to make it one of the best stages in its time.

Casino Night Zone from ​Sonic the Hedgehog 2' is the best place to showcase the series' recurring casino theme. With a bit of luck, any player can win some quick rings by gambling... or he could lose everything. This zone also has a pinball motif in which the player can bounce off bumpers (which can be both a blessing and a nuisance), and flippers to send the player to very high places. If you want to go to a zone where you can gamble like a high roller and bounce up and away into the night sky, Casino Night is the place to go.

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Star Light Zone Casino Night Zone



It's time for our favorite hedgehog to gear his running shoes, catch some rings and race his way through the altitude limits of alpine canopies in Hill Top Zone. It's got the blue sky and lush 16-bit grass a good Sonic level has to offer. Did we mention an underground cave partially full of burning lava and shattering landslides? Racing yourself through the breeze is gonna get you to an underground cavern filled with fiery aspects awaiting your doom! Get through not one but two stage themes to make your way to the goal!

The oil refinery of Oil Ocean Zone is long gone and has dissolved into a sea of metal scraps and pits of racing oils beneath every step. Dash through the metallic base, shoot yourself out of cannons and make sure every jump counts once you've fallen into the pit of endless oil since any platform can fall off before you know it. Although you can stay alive in the oil below by jumping, don't try your luck, since a wall will block your way to the finish. Slip, slide, jump, and duck your way through this oil-ridden landscape!

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Hill Top Zone Oil Ocean Zone



As the final countdown to the climax of Sonic the Hedgehog, the Scrap Brain Zone is where the action picks up the heat! Scrap Brain Zone is a giant fortress filled with buzzsaw gimmicks, rotating-chained-spikes, and conveyer belts: everything in this stage has the intent of slowing down or destroying Sonic. Things get tricky when Dr. Eggman himself drops Sonic into the dangerous waters of Act 3 (very reminiscent of Labyrinth Zone)! It's up to Sonic to find his arch-nemesis and stop him once and for all!

Make way for the infamous Metropolis Zone, easily the most dangerous zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2! A scattered series of warp rooms send Sonic hurtling at light speeds and giant screws can be used as a means of vertical transportation. not to mention the badniks–Slicer, Asteron, and Shellcracker–can give the player a run for their money! The only three-act zone within Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ends with the boss confrontation between Sonic and Eggman. This groundbreaking zone has touched the heart of hundreds of players everywhere, either with joy or sorrow!

Gameplay

Which is the better stage? Scrap Brain Zone Metropolis Zone