Titanic Monarch Zone

Titanic Monarch Zone is the twelfth Zone in Sonic Mania. It is the secret base of the Hard Boiled Heavies and Dr. Eggman.

Overview
The Titanic Monarch Zone is a high-tech metropolis. In the center of it stands the "Titanic Monarch", a gigantic mech that resembles a cross between the Death Egg Robot and the Heavy King.

Act 1 takes place outside the Titanic Monarch. It is nighttime and the background depicts countless skyscrapers. At the bottom of the Act, these skyscrapers are lit up by light blue lights. As the player get higher up in the Act however, they get above the skyscrapers where the lights are weaker. Even further above is a clouded night sky with the moon visible on it. The foreground on the other hand consists of metallic red roads with red banners depicting the emblems of the Eggman Empire and the Hard Boiled Heavies. Along the roads are also various technological and/or mechanical contraptions. Also, in-between the foreground and background is the Titanic Monarch, which looms over the foreground like a giant shadow.

Act 2 is set inside the Titanic Monarch. This area resembles a cross between the mechanical insides of one such a machine, with all of its inner components present, and a cathedral with stained-glass windows in the background that depict the Hard Boiled Heavies, the Chaos Emeralds, Dr. Eggman and the Phantom Ruby.

Story
After a long chase, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles have found Dr. Eggman in the Titanic Monarch Zone, which contains a gigantic robot ready to be brought online by Eggman's Phantom Ruby. The heroes make their way into the heart of the giant robot where they arrive before Eggman, who is ready to crush Sonic and co. once and for all in his Phantom Egg, a mech suit powered by the Phantom Ruby itself. To make matters worse, Eggman is using his mech suit's powers to force Sonic and co. into rematches with the majority of the Hard Boiled Heavies, which have now been upgraded into the Phantom Heavies.

Following a hard-fought battle, Sonic and co. manage to destroy Eggman's Phantom Egg, triggering a chain reaction that is about to make the Titanic Monarch explode. Upon Eggman's defeat however, the Phantom Ruby triggers, causing Sonic and his seven Chaos Emeralds to be sent to another dimension with Eggman and the ruby.

Gameplay
The Titanic Monarch Zone focuses on gimmick mechanics that help reach higher areas, like plasma spheres that fling the player, bumper walls, and Springs that suddenly pop out from different surfaces.

The Acts have several rocket cars piloted by Egg-Robos that will jet forward once the player jumps into them. These cars will accelerate wildly until they crash into a wall, which will destroy the cars while the player gets tossed out without taking damage. The Zone also features sets of twin poles that produce electrical currents periodically. Such electrical currents inflict damage upon touch. However, if the player is equipped with a Lightning Shield, the currents will instead harmlessly magnetize the player.

Act 1 and 2 share many of the same gimmicks and obstacles. Exclusive to Act 2 however, are the Ruby Mists, purple hazes that teleport the player to different areas within the Act.

Act 2
Act 2 takes place inside the Titanic Monarch. This act introducts the Ruby Mist. Upon reaching a certain point, things become nonlinear, as the player will arrive in a large central area with four passages leading to four areas that loop back to the central area. At this point, the player must go through each of the four areas in any order they choose. Once all four areas have been cleared, a wormhole will appear in the central area, teleporting the player to the final boss fight.

Act 1
The boss of Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 is the Crimson Eye, the successor to the Red Eye. In the first phase, the player must hit it in the eye while avoiding the large exploding spheres that orbit it. Hit it eight times to move onto the second phase. The elevator lift the battle takes place on will then begin to move up and down dramatically, which affects the gravity inside the elevator. The Crimson eye, now detached, will float around the arena then lodge itself on the floor or ceiling and fire out ricocheting energy balls. Hit it another eight times to end the fight.

Act 2
The boss of Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2, and the penultimate boss of Sonic Mania, is the Phantom Egg, a Phantom Ruby-powered mech suit with tethers piloted by Eggman. The battle begins with the Phantom Egg shielding itself before bouncing around the arena while firing missiles. Eventually, it will land and electrify his tethers. When the electricity expires, it can be hit. After this, Eggman will transport the player to a short battle with one of the Phantom Heavies. It should be noted, however, that the player cannot defeat the Phantom Heavies. After these encounters, the character will return to the battle with Eggman and resume fighting him.

Due to the second act's potentially exhaustive length, arriving in the battle against the Phantom Egg will reset the Zone timer as the battle itself is of a considerable length on its own.

In most situations, the battle ends with the Phantom Egg blowing up along with the Titanic Monarch, the characters escaping from the destruction. However, if Sonic has all seven Chaos Emeralds and beats the Phantom Egg, the Phantom Ruby will engage and warp him and Eggman to the Egg Reverie Zone.

Trivia

 * This Zone is the only known location on Little Planet in which its name is not an alliteration.
 * The interior design of Titanic Monarch Zone seems to be inspired by Final Fever, the scrapped final round of the 2011 remastered version of Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
 * Titanic Monarch Zone features several references and Easter eggs:
 * The yellow bumper walls in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 are similar to those from Metropolis Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
 * The arrangement of the yellow bumper walls on the floor and ceiling in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 are similar to those seen in Carnival Night Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
 * The poles in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 that the player swings from when passing them at high speed are similar to those seen in Mushroom Hill Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * The floating platforms in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 that shift according to the player's weight are similar to those seen in Death Egg Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * The plasma orbs in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 that the player can catapult from work much like the magnetic orbs seen in the Glowing Sphere Stage in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * In Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2, the native cables on the ramps, and the night sky are seemingly derived from Chrome Gadget Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
 * The Ball Hog, an enemy that appears in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2, originates from Scrap Brain Zone in the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
 * The horizontal Springs that pop out of walls in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 also appeared in Sky Sanctuary Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * The Egg-Robo's appearance as a crash test dummy in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 and 2 is an allusion to its appearance in Sky Sanctuary Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * The premise in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1, which has the player climb a giant building in Eggman's shape and then entering it, is similar to what happened in Panic Puppet Zone in Sonic 3D Blast.
 * The Crimson Eye, the mini-boss of Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1, is based on the Red Eye, the mini-boss of Death Egg Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
 * The giant gears in Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2 that are used as platforms are virtually identical to those from Metropolis Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
 * The Phantom Egg, the boss of Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2, is based on the inital design for the Metallic Madness boss from Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
 * The Phantom Egg's theme song, "Ruby Illusions", include a part of the final boss tune from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
 * The Phantom Egg's missile reticle graphics are the same as those seen on the Map Screen of SegaSonic the Hedgehog.