Game Land

"Welcome to Game Land, home of the ever popular Sonic Simulator. Waste time with your pathetic friends in Multiplayer Mode."

- Dr. Eggman

Game Land (ゲームランド) (widely known as Sonic Simulator or Sonic Sim) is the location of the Sonic Simulator multiplayer stages in Sonic Colors. It is available to play alone in Single Player, or with friends in Multiplayer. The stages are represented by the Chaos Emeralds, each of which sports three stages of its color, totaling 21 stages. Designed in the style of retro arcade games, Game Land features 8-bit versions of each stage's main theme and holds several challenging obstacles best attempted cooperatively. Only Virtual Hedgehog and Miis are playable.

Wii
The mode is unlocked by collecting Special Rings throughout the in-game stages. Unlocking them is optional and therefore, it does not play a role in the game's story and is selected on the menu screen.

Game Land is divided into seven worlds (Game Land 1, Game Land 2, etc.) with three acts each. Each world represents a Chaos Emerald, which is collected at the end of the third act of that world. Each world has a simple tiled layout and a solid background with floating shapes, the color of which depends on the color of the Chaos Emerald it represents. Each world features 8-bit versions of each stage's main theme (Game Land 1 has a 8-bit version of Tropical Resort Act 1's theme, Game Land 2 has a 8-bit version of Sweet Mountain Act 1's theme, etc.).

There are three different ways to play. The "1 Player" option means that the player plays alone, switching between the two Virtual Hedgehogs at any time. The "1.5 Player" option means that the second player can drop in or out at anytime, with unlimited tries. The final option, "2 Player", means that two players play through the level together.

In multiplayer mode, two players control Virtual Hedgehogs (or Miis), playing through the level cooperatively. There are also several gameplay mechanics not available in single player mode. "Assist" allows one player to press the // in order to turn into an invulnerable hovering orb that follows the other player. When both players use the same Wisp's Color Power simultaneously within a certain distance, they access a "Combined Form" in which they form a different, more powerful Color Power.

After collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds by playing all 21 levels in the Sonic Simulator, the Super Sonic option becomes available in the options menu.

DS version
In the DS version of the game, Game Land does not have a Sonic Simulator, but instead allows the player to play stages in Time Attack mode, race against the CPU or friends via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and play Special Stages that the player has already completed.

Trivia

 * The Sonic Simulator was first leaked by Amazon's Japanese website showing a picture of Virtual Hedgehogs running in a colorless world, but it was removed soon after.
 * The music in this level is entirely 8-bit. When a Color Power is used (i.e. the Yellow Drill), an 8-bit version of Reach For The Stars plays.
 * Some references to the classic stages are seen in the game. For example, in Game Land 3 Act 2, a section has platforms that move very similarly to that of Scrap Brain Zone. The layout of that one area of the stage is also similar in that regard. Also a certain level has a layout almost identical to that of the Spring Yard Zone.
 * In some levels, there is a question mark capsule, which is actually a trap placed by Eggman. If collected, a floating Eggman head with a heart aura will appear, shooting mines at the player(s) periodically. In some cases, it holds two kinds of Wisps, such as the Yellow and Cyan Wisps.
 * The player's Mii wears a plush hedgehog body.
 * This is the only place in the game besides Asteroid Coaster where the Sandworm appears.
 * The theme of the Sonic Simulator is an 8-bit remix of Dr. Eggman's theme from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), which is also used in Sonic Colors.
 * As the Sonic Simulator is the means by which the player obtains the Chaos Emeralds, it can be considered the Sonic Colors' parallel to the Special Stage.
 * This only applies to the Wii version as the DS version has actual Special Stages.
 * There are floating, pink heart-shaped medals hidden in each of the acts known as Egg Medals. Though they are akin to Special Rings, collecting these medals only gives a decent-sized points bonus, and has no other effect on the gameplay.
 * Depending on which kind of gameplay you are using (1 Player, 1.5 Player, 2 Player) the player's Mii can be stuck in an endless Spin Dash.
 * When the player moves the cursor over at the Game Land zone in the Wii version, he/she may sometimes listen Eggman's clip as the "Game Plant" instead of Game Land.