Cool Edge


 * For the Town Stage/Village on the same continent, see Holoska.

Cool Edge (クール・エッジ) is the third or fourth Action Stage in the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, and the second or third stage in the PlayStation 2/Nintendo Wii version of Sonic Unleashed (depending on the order of previous stages). During the events of the game, Sonic the Hedgehog and Chip look through this area in their search for the keys needed to unlock the local Gaia Temple.

Cool Edge takes place on a continent-sized ice cap that is the equivalent to the North Pole on Sonic's world, with fields of frozen ice and icebergs floating in open waters.

Overview
Cool Edge' setting is based off real-life locations, such as Greenland, Arctic and Antarctica. The entire landscape is virtually nothing more than a ice cap, accumulated from sea ice to form vast fields of thick, solid ice that are covered a layer of fresh snow and frost. The only signs of actual land masses that appear in Cool Edge are some ice covered rock pillars that extends up from below the sea level. Things such as igloos and snowmen can also be seen dotting the fields. Wildlife that can be found in Cool Edge include penguins and giant whales (which the player can travel across on the PS3/Xbox 360 version).

Being positioned directly above the water, the sea is ever present in Cool Edge as the floating ice masses come apart over the sea. In several place of Cool Edge there are gorges and canyons in the ice field that reveal water leads running through the landscape. Additionally, there are also patches of water that arise in Cool Edge, such as small bays and lakes, as the fields break into large icebergs. At the coasts of Cool Edge, there are also a clear view of the sea, with several tall icebergs floating not too far from the coast.

All across the icy fields of Cool Edge, entire cliffs, pillars and mountains of ice rise above ground level, giving Cool Edge an mountainous environment. Formations that ice-composed environment can take include ice bridges, canopies, breakable layers of ice, open slides which that the player can use, and tunnels throughout the ice mountains, both on the fields and in the water. There can also be found large rectangular ice blocks that are neatly stacked in large pillars of various structures all around the landscape, both on the ice fields and in the sea.

Extending below the surface of Cool Edge are elaborate ice cavern systems, with paths carved out of ice, ravines, underground lakes connected to the sea and icicles in the shape of stalactites handing from the roof and rising from the floor. On the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, these caverns also have railings on the sides of the paths, torches to lit up the paths, wooden bridges across the lakes and even stone building and walls.

In the daytime act, Cool Edge is brightly lit up by the sun, with only a few cloud. In the nigttime acts, Cool Edge is dominated by a dark sky, with aurora borealis adorning it.

History
After Sonic and Chip succeeded in returning Mazuri's continent to its proper place on the Earth's mantle, Professor Pickle had located two other Gaia Temples in Holoska and Spagonia respectively. Hearing the news, Sonic and Chip traveled to Holoska, where they entered Cool Edge to find the pieces of the specific key that would unlock the gate to the Gaia Temple. Blasting across the icy plains during the day, Sonic successfully found the first key fragment. However, because the Gaia Temple still remained inaccessible to them, Sonic and Chip left Cool Edge to search for clues elsewhere.

Some time later, after restoring Chun-nan's and Spagonia's planet fragments, Sonic and Chip returned to Cool Edge to find the second key fragment for the local Gaia Temple. In the dusk of night, Sonic the Werehog made his way into the icy depths and found the second key fragment.

With both key fragments, Sonic and Chip unlocked the portal and got access to the area of the Gaia Temple. On their way to the temple, Sonic and Chip came across Dark Moray, the twisted guardian of the temple. Sonic the Werehog, however, made short work Dark Moray and the duo got to the temple. Once inside, Chip activated the temple and Sonic placed the powerless cyan Chaos Emerald into the pedestal there, restoring the Emerald's power and bringing Holoska's continent back to its proper place.

Gameplay
In the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, the daytime acts have the player traveling across the surface of Cool Edge, with several sections where the player must run across water at high speed, or risk falling into the bottomless depths. In the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, the daytime act and missions do not have any water skimming sections, and only have the player run across the surface of Cool Edge initially, before moving down to the ice caverns where the majority of the action takes place.

In both versions of Sonic Unleashed, the daytime acts feature gimmicks where the player must use a bobsled in certain sections, and have enormous falling icicles that will damage the player upon contact as environmental hazards. For the bobsled sections in the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, the player faces additional obstacles, such as purple spikes and bombs.

The nighttime acts in both versions of Sonic Unleashed have the player traveling across the ice floes and through the caverns of Cool Edge. For the nighttime act in the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, the gameplay focuses much on platforming, but with the additional hazard of the platforms, icicles and poles starting to fall or collapse once the player touches them. This environmental hazard is also featured on the PS2/Wii version, but to a much lesser degree. The nighttime act in the PS3/Xbox 360 version also introduces how the player can use the Egg Flames, the Egg Blizzards and the Egg Typhoons as weapons.

In the PS2/Wii version of Sonic Unleashed, the player frequently encounters junks of ice blocking the path, which the player must destroy in order to proceed.

In the PS3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, in both daytime and nighttime acts, another environmental hazard that the player faces in certain sections is a slippery foothold (due to a icy layer), which can cause the player to unintentionally slide off the intended path.

Head for the Goal Ring
This act includes the majority of Cool Edge, with about the first half occurring on the surface of Cool Edge, and the rest in the caves. Here, the player first travels across the snowy fields in a bobsled, before eventually entering the cavern systems below the ice where to player continues on foot. After having gone through the majority of the ice caves, the player will then enter an area of the caves where ancient ruins can be found. At the end of these ruins, the player will then find the Goal Ring.

Gather Rings at Top Speed!
This act mainly takes place around the middle section of the "Head for the Goal Ring" mission, from the spot where the player enters the caves to where the initial cave introduction ends. Here, the player has to collect 150 Rings within one minute and forty-five 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 place inside the cavern section of the "Head for the Goal Ring" mission, somewhere around the midway through them. Here, the player has to make it to the Goal Ring within one minute and thirty seconds, without breaking any of the ice pillars that are located on the path. Once the mission is completed, the player is awarded with a Moon Medal.

Act I: The Aurora Snowfields
This act takes place on the snowfields of Cool Edge. Here, the player starts out in a small village and travels through the outskirts, ascending the snowy hills. Towards the end of the act, the player has to make it through a section where balls of ice are constantly rolling down the hills, and which will damage the player upon contact. At the end of the act, the player then has to defeat a wave of enemies to unlock the Goal Ring.

Act II: The Ice Floe
This act takes place at the coast of Cool Edge. Here, the player has to enter and make it through a large iceberg, by crossing ice pillars over bottomless pits and ascending the iceberg through passages from within. After making it through the iceberg, the player then has to cross some more ice pillars (some which will crumble upon contact) to get to the Goal Ring.

Act III: The Temple of Ice
This act takes place in the ice caves below Cool Edge, inside an ancient temple buried beneath the ice. Here, the player must travels through the temple, where he/she will encounter unique ice-flowing valves that will freeze him/her, and unlock doors through Switches. Halfway through the act, a Dark Energy Force Field will appear and block the path. To unlock the force field, the player must collecting three Dark Energy Keys from the same room. At the end of the act, the player then has to defeat two Titans and a swarm of Spike before gaining access to the Goal Ring.

Act 1
This act takes place across much of Cool Edge, starting from the snowy fields to the coast. Here, the player first start out by running across a wide open field filled with snow, pits and water, before entering a more icy half-pipes section where it is easy for the player to unintentionally slide. The player then enters a bobsled section, which includes moving across the back of a surfacing whales, which ends at a ice tunnel that the player has to pass through, before having to cross a water section with another whale and a mountain section. The player then enters another bobsled section, which ends at the Goal. It is in this act that Sonic and Chip are looking for one of the halves of Holoska's Gaia Key.

Act 2
This act mainly takes place in one of Cool Edge's water leads, on a circular race course that stretches across the waters' surface. Here, the player has to race at high speed across the water, or risk sinking into the bottomless depths, with the objective of completing a total of three laps on this course. For each completed circuit, the course changes and becomes more difficult, receiving more hazardous obstacles such as bombs, purple spikes and falling ice pillars and additional gimmicks such as Quick Time Event cannons.

Act 1
This act takes place at the coastline of Cool Edge, and later in the caverns below the ice. Here, the player first travels across the various ice floes at the coast, using platforms and poles, before moving into the ice caverns, where he/she has to use precarious icicles and slides to proceed. At the end of the act, the player then has to defeat a wave of enemies before accessing the Goal. It is in this act that Sonic and Chip are looking for one of the halves of Holoska's Gaia Key.

Over the course of the act, the player has to use Egg Flames to melt frozen doorways in order to utilize switches.

Holoska Adventure Pack DLC
The downloadable content pack for the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, the "Holoska Adventure Pack DLC", introduced four additional daytime acts and two additional nighttime acts for Cool Edge to the game. These acts are basically extensions of the original acts in the game, but are much more difficult to complete. The pack was released on Xbox Live for 250 MS Points on 9 April 2009 and on the PlayStation Network for $3.00 on 23 April 2009.

Act 1-2
This act is basically the same as the daytime Act 1 in the game, expect the act has been modified to have a generally harder layout, having been given more enemies, more hazardous obstacles, such as purple spikes and bombs and has even been given large ice pillars blocking the path and ice-blowing valves that can freeze the player.

Act 2-2
This act is basically the same as the daytime Act 2 in the game, expect the act has been modified to have a generally harder layout, having been given more frequent appearing obstacles in new locations. Like in the daytime Act 2 in the game, the player's objective is to complete a total of three laps on this course and for each completed circuit changes, with each having its own theme; the first lap focuses on precise acrobatic movements with the Homing Attack, the second lap has the use the bobsled to traverse the majority and the third lap has the player run normally.

Act 3
This act takes place in the sea area of Cool Edge, on a circular race course made of ice and snow. Here, the player has to complete a total of three laps on this course within one minute and twenty seconds, or end up losing a life and having to start over. The area outside the course is bottomless waters which the player can race across by running at high speed, though it cannot be used as a shortcut. Additionally, the race course does not have any fences, meaning the player can easily walk over the edge and fall into the water, especially due to the ice covered pathway, either by accident or on purpose. The entire act is designed around the Sonic Drift maneuver, which is essential for the player to use if he/she wishes to complete the act in good time.

Act 4
This act takes place out at the sea outside of Cool Edge's coast. Here, the player is launched from platform to platform that are placed above the water, through the use of Ramps and Springs, while using Sonic's various moves, such as the Sonic Boost, the Light Speed Dash etc. to correct himself/herself in midair. At the end of the course, the player has to hit a Switch, which will make the Goal Ring appear at the beginning of the act. The player then has to play the act backwards to make it to the Goal Ring, but with the course having being altered to become more difficult, having received more daunting obstacles such as spiked balls and harder means of proceeding between the platforms.

Act 2
This act takes place on the top of the icebergs in the sea of Cold Edge. Here, the player has to travel between platforms high above bottomless pits through ledges, climbing poles and swinging poles, which are made harder to travers due to buzz saws and being covered in ice. In this act, the player has to utilize Egg Flames to ignite torch relic that, once ignited, will open up new path for the player to proceed through.

Midway through the act, the player has to defeat a Big Mother to proceed. Then, at the end of the act, the player is confronted by three Big Mothers at once, which the player must defeat to make the Goal Ring appear.

Act 3
This act takes place deep inside the icy ravines of Cool Edge. Here, the player starts out at the bottom of a ravine and has to work himself/herself up to the top of the ravine, and proceed through paths surrounding the Goal Ring, before actually gaining access to the Goal Ring. When advancing through the act, the player has to use utilize Egg Flames to ignite torch relic that will open up new path once ignited, in conjunction with Key Stones that must be placed in their appropriate pedestals, to unlock doors that are needed to proceed. When making it to a new area, the player is confronted by a wave of enemies.

Boss
The boss for Cool Edge is Dark Moray, a colossal member of Dark Gaia's Minions that resembles a snake/eel. It can be fought after unlocking the Boss Gate in Chun-nan's Entrance Stage in the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed, and after unlocking the Boss Stage in Chun-nan's Gaia Gate in the PlayStation 2/Nintendo Wii version of Sonic Unleashed. For this boss battle, the player controls Sonic the Werehog.

When beginning this fight, Dark Moray will surround itself by an energy field to protect itself. On the PS3/Xbox 360 version, it will additionally try to hit the player with ice bombs while the shield is up. To reach Dark Moray, the player has to lower its energy field by destroying the machines/minions at the base of Dark Moray's platform. The player then has get up close to inflict damage on Dark Moray. At this point, Dark Moray will attack by either blowing a freezing breath or swing its body around (PS3/Xbox 360 version only). Once taking enough damage, Dark Moray will repel Sonic the Werehog and reestablish its energy shield. The player then has to repeat this process two more times to defeat Dark Moray.

Trivia

 * The music played during the day stages in Cool Edge may be based on "The Inlet" from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). The BPM is almost the same.
 * Oddly enough, in the Wii/PS2 version of Cool Edge's daytime level, except for the bobsled part in the beginning, all of Sonic's time spent running is inside a big, icy cave. In the Xbox 360/PS3 version of the level, almost all of Sonic's time running or bobsledding is spent outside.
 * In the PS3/Xbox 360 version, Cool Edge is the first level in Sonic Unleashed in which Sonic runs on water.
 * In the Wii/PS2 version, Sonic can boost while riding the bobsled, but in the Xbox 360/PS3 version he can't.
 * The glaciers that Sonic and his friends visited to in episode 20 of Sonic X resembles this stage.