Tidal Plant Zone

Tidal Plant Zone is the fifth zone of Sonic Triple Trouble for the Sega Game Gear. As with other stages in this game, Tidal Plant consists of two standard acts followed by a shorter, third act which contains the zone's boss. The zone comes after Robotnik Winter Zone and precedes Atomic Destroyer Zone.

Overview
Tidal Plant is Triple Trouble's underwater level. However, unlike most of its contemporaries: Labyrinth Zone, Aqua Lake Zone, Aqua Planet Zone, and so forth, the waters of Tidal Plant are not cluttered with decaying ruins. This zone appears to be exactly what its name implies: a tidal power plant, presumably constructed by Robotnik to fuel his electric behemoth that is the upcoming Atomic Destroyer. Winding, submarine passages bristle with traps and electric eel badniks. Pressing the large, pink buttons along the floor releases giant bubbles which Sonic and Tails can ride inside.

There are rather unique power-ups in this zone. Just as Robotnik Winter Zone gave Sonic the opportunity to snowboard, here the hedgehog can pick up Screw Shoes, which actually enable Sonic to swim, albeit briefly. Meanwhile, Tails gets to pilot the Sea Fox, his own personal submarine. This one-fox craft would go on to be a major feature in Tails Adventure, released the year after Sonic Triple Trouble.

Boss
Sonic and Knuckles clash once again beneath the waves in Tidal Plant. Eggman is presumably responsible for providing Knuckles with this bomb-throwing, torpedo-launching submarine-like contraption.

The battle is fought entirely underwater, and Sonic has to grab air bubbles during the brief interludes in combat; without them, he won't be able to hold out for the 16 hits the red echidna's submarine can take. Tails battles Knuckles with his Sea Fox, which not only gives him an indefinite supply of oxygen, but also long-ranged torpedoes, allowing him to simultaneously avoid Knuckles' projectiles more easily and attack him from a safer distance.

For a boss machine, the contraption is quite durable, taking up to 16 hits, after which it will explode.