Showdown


 * See also: Sonic Spinball



Showdown is the fourth and final level of Sonic Spinball for the Mega Drive / Game Gear / Master System, coming after The Machine. As with other stages in this game, Sonic must bounce through the pinball-like level, acquiring Chaos Emeralds which are in turn used to access the boss. In this stage, there are 5 to find.

After Sonic destroyed the Veg-O-Machine in the previous stage, the Eggman detatched his self-imaged spacecraft from the launch base at the top of Mt. Mobius, attempting to escape to the stars. Showdown takes place both in the sunset scaffolding of the rocket's launch pad, and inside the hovering starship itself. At the bottom of the level rests the magma-filled caldera of the mountain; missing the flippers means instant, fiery death.

Boss


This is a difficult one. As with all of Spinball's bosses, the Fat Man's starship has no means of harming Sonic directly; but it does have plenty of ways to throw the heroic hedgehog out of the boss area, sending him air surfing down, down, down towards the foot of the stage so you have to work your tedious way back up to the top.

For victory here, Sonic must flip onto the button directly underneath Robotnik's shielded control room, sequentally deactivating the various passive defences that guard the glass shield over the Doctor's pod: first the grabbing claws, and then the rubber nets which otherwise throw you into (and possibly out of) the plexiglass windows at the side of the boss room. Eventually, you are able to crack a hit against Ivo's personal bubble, at which time the defences reset. Lather, rinse, and repeat multiple times for victory.

End Sequence
While normally we have just Sonic plummeting to probable doom all the way from space, this end sequence shows the Fat Man falling with him. Sonic is rescued in time-honoured fashion by Tails on the Tornado; meanwhile, Robotnik is left to tumble back into the crumbling maw of the Veg-O-Fortress, as Mt. Mobius collapses into the sea.

...but it obviously didn't injure Eggman that much, since he's back to his old tricks in no time. Evidently, fat guys bounce.