Scrap Brain Zone

The Scrap Brain Zone is Robotnik's first base and one of his most iconic fortresses.

Acres of industrial superstructure. Ground encased in soulless concrete and steel. A thousand automated factories, belching jet-black pollution into the rancid air as robotic horrors crawl across the metal gangways.

Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)


Scrap Brain Zone in the original Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) is the sixth of seven zones. It is a trap-filled industrial stage containing many dangerous machines such as saws, flame vents, plus disappearing and rotating platforms.

At the end of Act 2, Robotnik appears behind a force field and pushes a button which sends Sonic into Act 3 (the only level-ending sequence in the game). This is a level similar to Labyrinth Zone (although the colors are changed), and unlike all the other Act 3s, features no encounter with Dr. Robotnik at the end. Instead, Sonic springs directly to the Final Zone.

This difficult third act is essentially a harder rendition of the Labyrinth Zone, mainly because air bubbles are few and far between, forcing Sonic to cover long distances on one breath, racing to the next bubble before drowning. Most of this, however, can in fact be bypassed completely. When Sonic pushes the button at the beginning, causing the floor to move downwards, he can fall in front of it and down the slope. From then on, if he avoids falling down the pits, he will soon find himself at the end of the level. Taking this route, the act can be completed in about 35 seconds with the minimum of danger to Sonic's life count.

Badniks
Aside from Ballhog, all of the Badniks from this Zone first appeared in previous Zones.

Music
thumb|left|300px|Scrap Brain Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)


Scrap Brain Zone also appears in Sonic the Hedgehog for the Game Gear/Master System, as the fifth zone. Unlike the other stages in the game, Scrap Brain has three standard Acts, and lacks a boss. Scrap Brain Zone Acts 2 & 3 are very maze-like, and Sonic may find himself doubling back to re-activate switches or take a different route through a teleporter platform.



In lieu of a boss fight, the end of Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 shows Sonic chase Eggman onto a floating platform, which the Doctor uses to flee to his airship hidden within Scrap Brain Zone's industrial smog. After helplessly watching his nemesis escape, Sonic is no doubt relieved to discover the platform comes thumb|300px|right|Scrap Brain Zone Music (8-bit)back down, allowing the hedgehog to continue on to Sky Base Zone.

Sonic Drift
The 6 racetracks in Sonic Drift are sited within the first 6 zones of Sonic the Hedgehog; accordingly, Scrap Brain Zone features as one of the courses.

Sonic Drift 2: Iron Ruin?
The future of Robotnik's massive bases after Sonic has defeated the Doctor (this time) is rarely discussed in the games; however, for Scrap Brain Zone, hints as to the South Island base's fate may lie within Sonic Drift 2. The background for the Iron Ruin racetrack bears striking resemblance to the immense industrial zone, though (as the name suggests) the giant manufactures lie corroded and destroyed.

SEGA Superstars Tennis


Scrap Brain Zone is an unlockable court in SEGA Superstars Tennis. It appears a bit gloomier than the 16-bit version. On the side of the court is the machine Robotnik used as the final boss from Final Zone, still moving up and down. Spectating from the sideline is Metal Sonic and the Egg Gunners from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). This is also the location of many of the missions in Superstar mode. In these missions, Egg Gunners fire at the player while collecting rings and avoiding bombs that resemble Bomb from Knuckles' Chaotix. There are a number of unlockable tracks for this court from different Sonic games: Music from Final Fortress, Bullet Station, Egg Fleet, and Scrap Brain Zone are available.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Genesis version of the Scrap Brain Zone music is an unlockable prize in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It can only be used in Green Hill Zone or on Custom Stages.

Trivia

 * The beta name for this zone was Clock Work Zone. It was also referred to by this name in Sonic the Hedgehog Story Comic Volume 3, a manga published in 1991 to coincide with the release of Sonic 1. During early-development of the Sonic the Hedgehog, the in-game footage at the beginning of the level did not correctly render the letter 'W', making the level appear to be called the "Clock Ork Zone".
 * In part 2 of Archie's Sonic Genesis story arc, Sonic and his friends travel across Scrap Brain Zone and "defeat Eggman".
 * A Scrap Brain Zone remix can be heard in the options menu for Sonic Advance.
 * Scrap Brain Zone Act 1 has a remake in Game Land (Sonic Colors) in 3-2.

=External Links=
 * Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) page at The GHZ
 * Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) page at The GHZ
 * Sonic Drift 2 at The GHZ
 * SEGA Superstars Tennis Official Website