Ring gambling games, a staple of the amusement park theme, were introduced in Sonic 2's Casino Night Zone.
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. Many of these stages occur at night. There are two main versions of the amusement theme Casino and Park.
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)
- 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.
- Balloon Park Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994)
- 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)
- 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)
- Bingo Highway, Sonic Heroes (2003)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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 underwater theme.
- Asteroid Coaster, Sonic Colors (2010) - This stage also incorporates elements of the space theme.
- Casino Night, Sonic Generations (2011)
- Tropical Resort, Sonic Generations (2011)
- White Park Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (2012) - This zone also incorporates elements of the winter theme and the underwater theme. The amusement park theme predominates mainly in the second Act.
- Samba Studios, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
- Galactic Parade, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
- 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 3DS, Sonic Lost World (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.