Dragon Road


 * For the hub world on the same continent, see Chun-Nan.

Dragon Road (ドラゴン·ロード) is the fourth or fifth Action Stage that appears in Sonic Unleashed (depending on the order of previous Action Stages). During the events of the game, Sonic the Hedgehog and Chip travel through this area in their search for Zonshen, and later to rid the area of Eggman's robots. It is located just outside of Chun-Nan.

Dragon Road takes place in a mountain area, filled with river gorges and several constructions in the likeness of traditional eastern architecture.

Overview
Dragon Road's primary setting is based on the real-life mountain ranges in China, such as Huangshan. Coastal, but smooth, mountains, many of them having patches of mose and grass on them, makes up the majority of the surrounding environment, forming giant walls for the stage, with countless tall mountain peaks extending into the clouds.

Near the foot of the mountains, running through them, are wide gorges that winds through the mountain ranges. These gorges are mostly filled up with green darkened waters as rivers flows though them, with only very few river beds present alongside the mountain walls and in the middle of them. Additionally, there are also some thin, but tall waterfalls present, which join up with the main rivers in the various acts. In other parts of the stage, the foots of the mountains are obscured from view by white clouds.

In terms of flora presented in Dragon Road, large trees that resemble real-life Chinese pine trees, can be seen growing on the mountainsides. On the few patches of dirt at the borders of the paths found in this area, both on the mountains and on the river beds, grow colossal green Bamboo trees. In the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, one area also features some flowering cherry blossom trees at the borders of the path.

Despite being a seemingly desolated area, Dragon Road also features several occasional buildings and structures, both above the river surfaces and on the mountains. Buildings found in Dragon Road include both big and small houses, large shrines and tall pagoda-like towers, all of which are primarily colored red and black, and which follows the design of traditional real-life chinese architecture. There are also several solid roads over the waters, which can either be red wooden bridges with roofs and small gates, or grey stone walks, all of which are also following traditional Chinese architecture. Additional paths include, stone paths on the mountain sides, lantern-lit caverns in the mountains, and paths that lead straight into the rivers. Also, in the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, there are paths build in the image of red chinese dragons, which the player can use as both primary and alternate pathways.

A prominent architectural presented in Dragon Road is a immensely long and large grey wall with battlements that is based on the Great Wall of China. This wall forms prominent paths on top of it that the player uses to pass through the stage.

The daytime version of Dragon Road are brighten up the sun but are overcast by several thick clouds, while the nighttime version of it have clearer skies, with several insect noises that can be heard in the background.

Gameplay
In the daytime acts in both versions of Sonic Unleashed, the player travels down pathways that weave in and out between various buildings, through and over mountain tops and also across water sections, which requires that the player is moving at top speed, or risk sinking into the depths of the rivers. It also has sections that make use of the short vaulting maneuver in a kind of reverse steeplechase.

The daytime acts of Dragon Road in the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed focus on platforming somewhat more heavily than the other continents, with revolving wheel platforms covered in Chinese patterns. These acts also features firework gimmicks that Sonic can ride through midair over long distances for shortcuts.

In the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, the acts, while having no unique gameplay gimmicks, features giant spears falling as environmental hazards, and exclusive branching pathways that can only be reached using by skimming over the water.

In the nighttime acts in both versions of Sonic Unleashed, the more frequent danger is falling into crevasses between small plateaus. In the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, the player mainly focuses on traveling across various structures that are located in the middle of the waters. These acts also introduces a slingshot gimmick, where Sonic pulls a pole towards himself and lets it propel him forward.

In the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, the nighttime acts first have the player travels between buildings in the water through bridges, but later changes to mountain scaling and heavy platforming across stone surfaces. Regardless, pagodas and long roads remain prominent along the way.

Head for the Goal!
This act includes the majority of Dragon Road. Here, the player mainly passes through the river-filled gorges and above the mountain peaks. When moving across the water sections, the player either follows solid paths over the water or on the mountainsides, or crosses directly over the water by sliding, while passing by and/or through buildings. Around the middle of the act, the player will ascend into the mountain tops, but will eventually return to the river gorges. Near the end of the act, the player will enter an area filled with cherry blossom trees.

Gather Rings at Top Speed!
This act mainly include the middle section of the "Head to the Goal" mission act, centralizing around the mountain area. Here, the player has to collect 200 Rings within one minute and ten seconds. Once that is done, the mission is completed, and the player is rewarded with a Moon Medal.

Don't Break Anything Along the Way!
This act takes place in most of the last half of the "Head to the Goal" mission, in the river gorge section following the mountain area. Here, the player has to make it to the Goal Ring within two minutes, without breaking any of the pots that are located on the path. Once the mission is completed, the player is awarded with a Moon Medal.

Act I: The Floating Shrine
This act takes place in the river gorges of Dragon Road. Here, the player has to get to a large shrine at the end of the act where the Goal Ring is located, by traveling across several pagodas, bridges and some stone platforms, all of which are surrounded by bottomless waters. In the room before the Goal Ring, the player has to clear out a wave of Dark Gaia's Minions before gaining access to the Goal Ring.

Act II: Rising Dragon Falls
This act takes place in the area bordering the river gorges and the mountain ranges. Here, the player has to follow a nearby river upstream to the top of the mountains. At the start of the act, the player has to make his/hers way to the river while avoiding obstacles such as swning blades and spikes, before following it to a waterfall. The player then has to climb the waterfall through stone platforms, poles, and Dark Bats. Once on top of the waterfall, the player then has to defeat a wave of Dark Gaia's Minions on top of a stone structure, before gaining access to the Goal Ring. It is in this act that water barrels are introduced and ís shown how they can extinguish fires.

Act III: Path to Darkness
This act takes place on the top of the mountains in Dragon Road. Here, the player first has to travel down a long, straight path on top of the Great Wall. After reaching the end of the road, the player then has to scale a mountain side. At the top of the mountain, the arrives at a cluster of rock pillar platforms over a bottomless pit. Here, the player has to defeat a Titan and some other enemies, before gaining access to the Goal Ring at a large palace.

Trivia

 * Despite that the Werehog night stages are generally long, the nighttime Act 1 can be completed in less than 3 minutes as it is needed to complete a Hot Dog time trial.