Worm Tunnel

The Worm Tunnels are levels that appear Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal. They are six additional levels to the adventure levels in the game where Sonic the Hedgehog races through an underground tunnel with Driller Worms. Each World Map in the game has its own Worm Tunnel.

Unlike other levels, the Worm Tunnels are not related to the game's story and instead serve as a way for the player to earn Sonic Badges and Tokens.

Overview
The Worm Tunnels are underground rock tunnels with some stalactite-like formations and roots on the roof and some water pools on the bottom. Along these tunnel are sections of green-arrowed, transparent paths with cables below them. These paths are aligned next to each other so they outline a tube or half-pipe. At various points, there are mechanical gates that open as Sonic approaches. Also, a Driller Worm will occasional pop out of the walls.

On the Worm Map, an incomplete Worm Tunnel has a Driller Worm coming out of it. A completed Worm Tunnel has a broken Driller Worm lying around it however.

Gameplay
In a Worm Tunnel, the player plays in 3D, unlike the 2.5D adventure levels. Here, Sonic is stuck at full run and can only move left and right (akin to the Quick Step). For gimmicks, the Worm Tunnels have Bounce Pads and Ener-Rails which the player uses to cross chasms or reach otherwise inaccessible rails, as well as Boost Pads.

Stationary obstacles in these levels include dash blocks which can be plowed through by pressing (which also increases speed), and red energy circuits that force the player to start the level over if they are touched.

Description
The general layout for all Worm Tunnels are the same: Sonic runs down a pre-set path and it is the player's objective to guide him safely down to the end of the tunnel. During the course, the player must shift lanes on the path to dodge obstacles and use gimmicks to move between path sections at the right time.

The Worm Tunnels get progressively harder as the player advances with the game, with obstacles appearing more frequently. As such, the player has to make more careful movements in favor of charging ahead. Upon clearing a Worm Tunnel, Sonic will boost into a Driller Worm's mouth at the end and destroy it from the inside, marking the end of the level.