Mega Mack

Mega Mack pouring out of a plant, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.

Mega Mack is a substance in the Sonic the Hedgehog series that first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It is a chemical liquid that flows through the Chemical Plant.

Description

The Mega Mack is a pink liquid with texture seemingly identical to that of water. Its properties are inconsistent, though. Western materials refer to Mega Mack as a toxic liquid which can poison Sonic in a manner of minutes, while Japanese sources simply refer to it as water with an odd coloring. Regardless, Tails has been unnerved by Mega Mack, hinting it is indeed an unpleasant substance.

In gameplay, the Mega Mack has the properties of water (apart from its color), meaning that the playable characters can drown after being submerged in it for extended periods of time. Contrary to western descriptions, though, the playable characters will suffer no form of poisoning from being submerged in Mega Mack.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

Sonic and Tails traversing Mega Mack, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit).

Mega Mack made its first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit). It is mentioned in Western manuals that Dr. Robotnik flooded the Chemical Plant Zone with Mega Mack to poison Sonic. This is not mentioned in the Japanese manual.

In gameplay, the Mega Mack has no Air Bubbles in it, so it is easier to drown in. Also, the Chemical Plant Zone boss, the Egg Poison, uses Mega Mack as part of its attack pattern. It will fill up his canister with Mega Mack and attempt to dump it on Sonic or Tails. Additionally, the rotating platforms that the battle takes place on will dump the player into the Mega Mack, which will result in an instant death.

Sonic Generations

Mega Mack in Chemical Plant Act 1, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, Mega Mack appears in the Chemical Plant. It retains all of its properties from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, except that it also contains Air Bubbles.

When Tails is saying that the Chemical Plant looks familiar, he also mentions that the "pink water" makes him nervous. This is a reference to the infamous section in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sonic Mania

Sonic in an elevator section with rising Mega Mack, from Sonic Mania.

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the pools of Mega Mack made a reappearance in Chemical Plant Zone. They primarily appear in Act 1.

During the mini boss fight in Act 1 and more regularly in Act 2, there will be pools with boiling-hot Mega Mack that can damage the playable character if they touch it. There are also pools filled with a bouncy cyan chemical, commonly referred to as "jelly". Jelly is a substance that the playable can walk and bounce on when jumping. The height of the bounce is determined by the type of jelly. This is usually required so the player can access higher pathways in the Zone.

Both boiling-hot Mega Mack pools and jelly pools usually have large syringes full of chemicals set on the sides. When the player presses down on these syringes' switches on top, their chemicals get injected into the Mega Mack/jelly. If cyan chemicals get injected into boiling-hot Mega Mack, it changes into cyan jelly. Similarly, there are syringes with green chemicals that can get injected into cyan jelly to change it into green jelly.

The cyan jelly pool in Chemical Plant Zone Act 2, from Sonic Mania. Spin Jumping to the pool only bounces the player further upwards.

By inserting green chemical from the large syringe into the jelly pool changes its color and generally increases the bouncing height noticeably, from Sonic Mania.

Sonic Forces

In Sonic Forces, Mega Mack makes another return inside the Chemical Plant. In this game, it appears in two stages.

In Chemical Plant, Classic Sonic sneaks into the plant in search of a database. Along the way, pools of Mega Mack can be found in certain areas of the plant. There are fans in these pools for lifting Classic Sonic up to the surface however. The infamous Mega Mack section from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also returns, but at the platform over the pool, there are more fans to push Classic Sonic back up so he does not fall back down and has to start the section all over.

A column of Mega Mack pouring down on the left, from Sonic Forces.

In Network Terminal, Sonic infiltrates the Chemical Plant in search of the main computer. Here, gushes of Mega Mack are constantly pouring down from above. If Sonic jumps over a pit while the Mega Mack is pouring out, it will push him down into the pit. Also, if he is standing on a filter where the Mack pushes through and it pours on him, it will hinder his speed and ability to jump. In some cases however, the Mega Mack columns can also push around rotating platforms, thus allowing the player to get higher elevation.

In other media

Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)

Sonic stuck in Mega Muck, from Sonic the Hedgehog.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog television series, the Mega Mack is referred to as Mega Muck. Also, instead of being a poisonous liquid, it is a glutinous substance which is used to impede Sonic the Hedgehog's movements, similar to super glue.

Sonic the Comic

A tank with Mega Mack, from Sonic the Comic #113. Art by Richard Elson.

In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, Mega Mack is a poisonous substance designed by Dr. Robotnik and another scientist specifically for the purpose of killing Sonic. While toxic in its own right, the Mega Mack will fatally poison Sonic after prolonged exposure.

The second scientist who worked with Robotnik to invent the Mega Mack was caught in a chamber that flooded with Mega Mack, but instead of dying he was transformed into the villain Megatox, whose body is made up entirely of the substance.

Archie Comics

Sonic, Tails, and Mega Man above a Mega Mack lake, from Sonic Universe #53.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Mega Mack is referred to as Mega Muck. Originally, it seemingly had the same properties as the Mega Muck in the Sonic the Hedgehog television series. However, its later appearances would depict it as a toxic chemical, like in the games.

After the events of Worlds Collide, the Mega Mack is now seemingly identical to its game counterpart.

Early canon

Early on in the Sonic series, Mega Mack, also referred to as megamalatricarboSonichloride, was discovered by chance when Dr. Robotnik was fiddling around with chemicals to employ against Sonic, which he marketed as "Mega Mack." The substance was described as extremely lethal, turning anything submerged in it magenta before killing it in less than a minute. However, it was also highly corrosive, disintegrating the barrels for storing it in a few hours. This gave Robotnik the idea of using the Mega Mack to flood the Chemical Plant Zone when Sonic would arrive.

Trivia

• The water in Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 in the original Sonic the Hedgehog is colored pink, like Mega Mack. In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, the water in Palmtree Panic and Tidal Tempest's respective Bad Futures is pink as well.

References

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

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Main article | Staff | Manuals | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery | Pre-releases (Nick Arcade, Simon Wai) | Re-releases (Knuckles in Sonic 2, 2006, 2013, 3D, Sega Ages)

Sonic Generations (console/PC)

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Main article | Script | Staff | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery

Sonic Mania

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Main article | Staff | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery | Re-releases (Plus)

Sonic Forces

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Main article | Script | Staff | Manuals | Beta elements | Gallery