- This article is about the Bonus Stages in the 16-bit version of Sonic Spinball. For the ones in the 8-bit version of the game, see Bonus Stage (Sonic Spinball) (8-bit).
Bonus Stages in the 16-bit version of Sonic Spinball are special areas that the player can visit separate from the main game. There are a total of four Bonus Stages to complete.
The player can play the Bonus Stages after passing through the regular levels. There is also a fourth Bonus Stage that becomes playable if the player collects all the Rings in a level; once that task is completed, a Bonus Gate into this Bonus Stage will appear in the level.
Description[]
The Bonus Stage takes place inside a regular pinball cabinet, with Sonic at the controls. When playing in the Bonus Stages, Sonic himself can be seen playing the pinball table in the reflection of the windows in the background.
Gameplay[]
The Bonus Stages and their gameplay are set up like real-life pinball machines. Each Bonus Stage has its own tasks to complete for gathering more points to the player's total score. The player will not lose anything should they fail, but by completing them, they each will reward the player with the "Rising Jackpot" bonus which adds 10,000,000 points to the final jackpot once the player finishes the game.
The player can only control the Flippers and are given three balls to play with. Flipper controls are the same as in the normal game, but the ball cannot be controlled with . Also, pressing , and at the same time will make Sonic shake the machine, although repeated shakes can cause a tilt and disable the Flippers, rendering them unresponsive to the player's commands.
Completing the bonus stages are optional and serves only to increase the player's score. The three bonus rounds, in corresponding order to the normal zones, are:
Trapped Alive[]
This Bonus Stage can be played after completing Toxic Caves. The player's objective here is to free animals from the purple capsules behind Dr. Robotnik, who is riding in his Egg Mobile. If the player tries to hit Robotnik before blowing up the purple capsules, he will bounce the ball back. When the animals are freed, the player is able to hit Robotnik, which causes his Egg Mobile to explode and the bonus stage to end in success.
Robo Smile[]
This Bonus Stage can be played after completing Lava Powerhouse. The player's objective here is to knock out all teeth on the Robotnik-resemblant head. The targets behind the head that are optional to hit; removing all the targets have no effect on the Robotnik head. Hitting one of the gaps caused by knocking out teeth on the Robotnik head will cause the head to release the ball elsewhere without recieving any damage. After knocking out the final tooth, the Robotnik head will get a "headache" and explode, leaving only its glasses and nose while the bonus stage ends.
The March[]
This Bonus Stage can be played after completing The Machine. The player's objective here is to destroy the giant Capsule and free the animals within. During gameplay, several Scratches will be encircling the Capsule, forming a protective barrier. However, these robots can be destroyed with the pinball. Hitting the capsule enough times will release the animals, destroy any remaining Scratches, and end the bonus stage.
Clucker's Defense[]
This hidden Bonus Stage can be entered from any level through the Bonus Gates that are hidden around the boards. To summon the gates, the player must collect every Ring in the respective level. The player's objective here is to destroy the Crawl, who is protected by a pair of Cluckers, using pinballs. This is the multiball bonus stage, so up to three balls can be released on the pinball board.
Music[]
Name | Artist(s) | Length | Music track |
---|---|---|---|
Bonus Stage | Howard Drossin, Brian Coburn, Barry Blum | 5:56 |
See also[]
Sonic Spinball (16-bit, 8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | Sonic Labyrinth | Knuckles' Chaotix | Sonic Advance 3 | Sonic Runners Adventure | Sonic Mania (Plus) (Pinball Stage) | Sonic Superstars |
Playable characters | Sonic | |
Non-playable characters | Tails · Eggman · Animals (Flicky, Cucky, Locky, Wocky) · Sally · Bunnie Rabbot · Rotor · Muttski · Hip and Hop | |
Stages | Toxic Caves · Lava Powerhouse · The Machine · Showdown · Bonus Stages | |
Enemies | Buster · Buzz Bomber · Cluckbird · Clucker · Crawl · Ferron · Krondor · Magma Worm · Rexxon · Robohead · Scratch | |
Bosses | Scorpius · Roboiler · Veg-O Machine · Robotnik's Ship | |
Moves/techniques | Cliffhanger Flip · Crouch · Spin Attack · Spin Dash · Spin Jump | |
Gimmicks and obstacles | Balloon · Bumper · Capsule · Flipper · High-speed warp tube · Minecart · Sewer Warp · Triangle Bumper | |
Items | Chaos Emerald · Drop Target · Ring | |
Albums | Sonic the Hedgehog Boom · Sonic Spinball (vinyl album) | |
Other | Life · Mount Mobius · Planet Mobius · Sonic Spinball (LCD game) · Sonic Spinball (Life Savers) · Star Circle · Veg-O-Fortress |