A slot machine, a staple of the amusement theme, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The amusement theme is a stage theme that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Stages with an amusement theme typically have bright lights, bouncy obstacles (mostly springs and bumpers), and colorful backgrounds. The theme is highly varied and levels may include balloons, theme park rides, pinball-style flippers or casino-style gambling games. See: Amusement gimmicks.
Many of these stages occur at night. The two main versions of the amusement theme are Casino themed stages or Park themed stages. Most of these stages may contain elements of the Urban theme.
Many of the elements of the amusement theme appear in Dr. Eggman's bases, most obviously Eggmanland from Sonic Unleashed. The game Sonic Colors is entirely set in an orbital amusement park and most levels share some elements with this theme.
Stages with an amusement theme[]
- Spring Yard Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) - The earliest stage with springs and bumpers, the Spring Yard Zone is the prototype of amusement park stages, although its background and setting is more similar to the urban theme.
- Casino Night Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) - The Casino Night Zone is the most famous example of the theme and introduced most of the elements that came to define it, including flippers, pinball-style gameplay, nighttime setting, and gambling games in the style of slot machines.
- Collision Chaos, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1993) - Bad future incorporates elements of the industrial theme.
- Stardust Speedway, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1993) - Good future only, while bad future incorporates elements of the Industrial theme, present contains elements of the Urban theme, and past contains elements of the Ancient ruins theme.
- Carnival Night Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) - Although Carnival Night did not include gambling games, it incorporated the other elements of the theme and brought them into an actual amusement park setting for the first time. It also includes some underwater areas in Act 2 (removed when playing as Knuckles).
- Balloon Park, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994)
- Sunset Park Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble (1994) - A unique example of the amusement theme, as the stage takes place in a run-down abandoned amusement park, lacking the bright colors and lights levels with this theme typically feature. Also incorporates elements of the industrial and railway themes.
- Casino Night, Sonic Drift 2 (1995) - This racecourse also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Speed Slider, Knuckles' Chaotix (1995)
- Amazing Arena, Knuckles' Chaotix (1995)
- Casino Night, Sonic the Fighters (1996)
- Spring Stadium Zone, Sonic 3D Blast (1996)
- Radical City, Sonic R (1997) - This racecourse also incorporates elements of an urban theme.
- Casinopolis, Sonic Adventure (1998)
- Twinkle Park, Sonic Adventure (1998) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Cosmic Casino Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999)
- Casino Paradise Zone, Sonic Advance (2001)
- Music Plant, Sonic Advance 2 (2002)
- Casino Park, Sonic Heroes (2003)- This stage also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Bingo Highway, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stage also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Casino Ring, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stage also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Pinball Match, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stage also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Casino Course, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stage also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Toy Kingdom, Sonic Advance 3 (2004)
- Circus Park, Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)
- Night Carnival, Sonic Rush (2005)
- Sky Park Zone, Sonic Rivals (2006)
- Neon Palace Zone, Sonic Rivals 2 (2007)
- Eggmanland, Sonic Unleashed (2008) - This stage also incorporates elements of the fire and industrial themes.
- Roulette Road, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010) and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
- Sunshine Tour, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010) and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
- Studio Amigo, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (DS) (2010)
- Jump Parade, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)
- Pinball Highway, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)
- Rocky-Coaster, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)
- Sun Fair, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (DS) (2010)
- Bingo Party, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010)
- Casino Street Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (2010)
- Tropical Resort, Sonic Colors (2010) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Starlight Carnival, Sonic Colors (2010) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Aquarium Park, Sonic Colors (2010) - This stage also incorporates elements of the East Asian and underwater themes.
- Asteroid Coaster, Sonic Colors (2010) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Casino Night Pinball, Sonic Generations (2011)
- Casino Night, Sonic Generations 3DS (2011)
- Tropical Resort, Sonic Generations 3DS (2011) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- White Park Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (2012) - This zone also incorporates elements of the winter, underground and the underwater themes. The amusement park theme predominates mainly in Act 2.
- Samba Studios, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
- Galactic Parade, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Frozen Factory Zone 3, Sonic Lost World (2013) - While the rest of Zones belong in the winter theme, the third Zone is completely based on the amusement park theme.
- Sky Road Zone, Sonic Lost World 3DS (2013) - Acts 1, 2 and Extra all are set in one.
- Circus Zone minigame, Sonic Lost World (2013) - There are circus minigames in the Wii U version similar to the Chao Bounce from Sonic Advance 2.
- Hidden World, Sonic Lost World (2013) - This stage also incorporates elements of the cyberspace and sky themes.
- Studiopolis Zone, Sonic Mania (2017) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the urban theme.
- Luminous Forest, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Casino Forest, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Aqua Road, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Eggman's Facility, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Fire Cannon 1, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Vanish Panel 2, Sonic Forces (2017) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Dash Vegas, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017) - This track also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Electric Arbor, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017) - This track also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Glowing Grotto, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017) - This track also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Lambent Grove, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017) - This track also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Tangled Tunnels, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017) - This track also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and forest themes.
- Bingo Party, Team Sonic Racing (2019) - This track also incorporates elements of the Space theme.
- Pinball Highway, Team Sonic Racing (2019)
- Roulette Road, Team Sonic Racing (2019)
- Pinball Carnival Zone, Sonic Superstars (2023) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the haunted theme in Act 2.
- Golden Capital Zone, Sonic Superstars (2023) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and fire themes.
- Starlight Carnival, Sonic Rumble (2024)
Trivia[]
- Similarly to Green Hill theme stages being the first levels, and Industrial theme stages showing up as final levels, stages with the Amusement theme have a tendency to be either the 3rd or 4th level in their respective games.