Little Planet

The Little Planet (sometimes referred to as the Miracle Planet) is a fictional satellite in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the setting of the game Sonic CD. According to legend, the Little Planet appears over Never Lake one month out of every year, and vanishes completely for the remaining eleven months. It is unclear where precisely it vanishes to, although during its appearance above Sonic the Hedgehog's homeworld (Earth or Mobius, depending on continuity) would suggest that it is in geostationary orbit.

Also notable is that the Little Planet is home of the so-called Time Stones. These gems replaced the Chaos Emeralds as collectable objects during Sonic CD. They cause various temporal anomalies on the Little Planet, and may be largely responsible for the planet's annual disappearance. Through the use of special signposts (similar in design to Star Posts), it is possible to travel to three distinct time periods - the present, the distant past, and an unspecified point in the future - although in Sonic the Comics adaptation of Sonic CD this sort of time travel was only possible if in possession of one of the Time Stones itself.

Sonic CD

During Sonic CD, Doctor Eggman attempts to conquer the Little Planet, using Metal Sonic as his primary minion. In fact, it is one occasion when Eggman actually succeeds in creating his "Eggmanland utopia", by using the Little Planet's bizarre chronology to invade the planet in the Past so that it would be under his control in the Future. The grim future of the Little Planet ruled by Eggman is bleak and mostly in ruins, though, with the badniks around the levels broken down and deteriorating. Through destroying Eggman's machines in the past and/or collecting the Time Stones (finding all 7 of which automatically gives a good ending for all levels), it is possible to liberate the planet from Eggman, and institute a truly utopian "Good Future". If Sonic fails to save the planet however, the planet will disappear at the end of the game and reappear immediately after as a metallic fortress. Otherwise, it will vanish entirely. Little Planet has not appeared in any game since Sonic CD.

Areas of Little Planet

• Palmtree Panic, a lakeside palmtree resort with invisible standing blocks and vertical ramps.
  • Present, a nice grassy plain with some hills and palmtrees.
  • Bad Future, the lake and air are polluted, pipes are scattered all over and the trees are robotic.
  • Good Future, almost exactly like the Present, but the trees look very different from the present.
  • Past, very much like the Present, but with somewhat paler colors.

• Collision Chaos, a pinball-themed stage with bumpers and spikes at every turn.
  • Present, like Palmtree Panic at dawn, but with some mechanical objects such as pipes.
  • Bad Future, contains a dark sky, and several mechanical "enhancements."
  • Good Future, much like the Present, but all mechanical objects are gone, and there is more plantlife.
  • Past, a large forest.

• Tidal Tempest, a subterranean underwater labyrinth filled with vacuum pipes.
  • Present, old ruins in a watery cave.
  • Bad Future, a rusty, broken sewage system.
  • Good Future, a bio-mechanical greenhouse with various plants.
  • Past, a prehistoric volcano. Strangely, it does not have any lava.

• Quartz Quadrant, a mine-like cave with conveyor belts.
  • Present, a gem-filled cave.
  • Bad Future, an industrial city inside a gigantic cave.
  • Good Future, a city with tall skyscrapers.
  • Past, set inside the cave (which has less gems), and next to a large peaceful lake.

• Wacky Workbench, an area featuring electrical conduits and an electrified floor.
  • Present, a factory filled with strange-looking machinery and pipes.
  • Bad Future, a dark, rusted factory.
  • Good Future, an amusement park-like area.
  • Past, a construction site near a mountain.

• Stardust Speedway, an area containing a complex network of highways.
  • Present, a city with golden highways and a giant Robotnik statue under construction.
  • Bad Future, an industrialized city with polluted air, blue highways, and a finished Robotnik statue.
  • Good Future, a carnival-like city with purple highways and a cathedral in the distance.
  • Past, a jungle filled with large vines and what appears to be some ancient buildings.

• Metallic Madness, Robotnik's personal base, filled with mechanical contraptions.
  • Present, a typical Robotnik Zone. Fully metallic and with tons of traps and robots.
  • Bad Future, the base is rusty and falling apart.
  • Good Future, a peaceful city with lots of plantlife.
  • Past, the base still under construction.