Tidal Plant Zone


 * See also: Sonic Triple Trouble



Tidal Plant Zone is the fifth level of Sonic Triple Trouble for the Sega Game Gear. As with other stages in this game, Tidal Plant consists of two standard Acts followed by a shorter, third Act which contains the Zone's boss. The level comes after Robotnik Winter Zone and preceeds Atomic Destroyer Zone.



Tidal Plant is Triple Trouble's underwater level. However, unlike most of its contemporaries: Labyrinth Zone, Aqua Lake Zone, Aqua Planet Zone, and soforth, the waters of Tidal Plant are not cluttered with decaying ruins. This zone appears to be exactly what it says on the tin; a tidal power plant, presumably constructed by Robotnik to fuel his electronic behemoth that is the upcoming Atomic Destroyer. Winding, submarine passages bristle with traps and electric eel badniks. Pressing the large, pink buttons along the floor releases giant bubbles which Sonic and Tails can ride inside.

The particularly fun things within this zone, however, are the power-ups. Just as Robotnik Winter gave Sonic the opportunity to snowboard, here the hedgehog can pick up scuba-jet sneakers, which actually enable infamously water-unsavvy Sonic to swim, ableit briefly. Tails, meanwhile, gets to pilot the Sea Fox, his own personal submarine. This one-fox craft would go on to be a major feature in Tails Adventure, released the year after Triple Trouble.

Boss


Although their battle in Hidden Palace Zone during Sonic 3 & Knuckles is much more well known, the hedgehog and the echidna clashed once again beneath the waves in Tidal Plant. Eggman is presumably responsible for providing Knuckles with this bomb-throwing, torpedo-launching contraption. Sonic has to grab air bubbles during the brief interludes in combat, as his lungs won't hold out for the 16 hits Knux's machine can take.