Sinking pool

This article's name is conjectural. Although this article is based on official information, the actual name of the article's subject is pure conjecture, meaning the name is made by the community members instead of the original creators.

A sinking pool in Oil Ocean Zone, from Sonic Mania.

The sinking pool is an obstacle that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It refers to the pools filled with a hazard that can cause a playable character to sink in them. Said hazard is most commonly quicksand, but has also consisted of other substances like petroleum.

Description

Overall, sinking pools consist on pools of either oil, mud or quicksand depending on the Zone's theme. If a playable character falls in one of them, they will gradually sink into it. The player can jump continuously in the sinking pools to stay above their surface and cross them. Some sinking pools have secrets underneath; others can be lethal if a character sinks deep into it.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

A sinking pool in Oil Ocean Zone, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, its numerous ports and remasters, and the lock-on game Knuckles in Sonic 2, sinking pools are featured in Oil Ocean Zone. Here, the bottom of the entire Zone is flooded in thick crude oil that serve as the sinking pools. If the playable character sinks to the bottom of the sinking pool, they will eventually fall into a bottomless pit, costing them a life. The player can survive in a sinking pool if they constantly jump, allowing them to stay on its surface.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

A sinking pool in Marble Garden Zone, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the lock-on game Sonic 3 & Knuckles, sinking pools of mud swamps (ドロ沼, doronuma^?) are featured throughout Marble Garden Zone. They work the same as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. A single dark blue mud swamp also appears in Azure Lake. Sinking to the bottom of this mud swamp will cause the player to respawn at the start of the course. There is also a large quicksand pit in Desert Palace, which will lead the player into a bottomless pit if they sink in it.

In Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3 & Knuckles, there are quicksand pits throughout Sandopolis Zone. Most of them serve as sinking pools that will kill the playable character. Others, however, have secret areas underneath them that can be accessed if the player lets themself sink into them. The Guardian must as well be defeated by luring it into or knocking it into a quicksand pit.

Sonic Adventure 2

In Sonic Adventure 2 and its enhanced port Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Hidden Base and Sand Ocean have quicksand fields. However, should Tails or Dr. Eggman fall into these quicksand pits, they will be unable to leap out of the quicksand due to both of them using a heavy walking mech, although they will still slowly sink into it, resulting in an instant loss of life. Sinking pools also appear in the fight against the Egg Golem. Playing as Sonic here makes the quicksand behave like in previous games; if he falls into the quicksand, he can repeatedly jump to avoid sinking to his doom, and grab onto one of the pulleys to return to the upper area.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, sinking pools consist on quicksand sections, similar to Sandopolis Zone. They are found in the first three Acts of Oil Desert Zone, where sinking into the quicksand slows the playable character down rather than makes the player lose a life.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, sinking pools made of oil make an appearance in Oil Ocean Zone. Like in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, large sinking pools appear at the very bottom of the Zone, costing the player a life if their character sinks deep into them. There are also sinking pools at various points of Oil Ocean Zone Act 2. However, sinking into them will not make the player lose a life. Some of them can also lead to secret pathways. In addition, if the fire of a Gohla or a Flame Shield touches a sinking pool, it will catch fire for a few seconds.

References

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

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Main article (Knuckles in Sonic 2)

 · Staff  · Manuals  · Glitches  · Beta elements  · Gallery  · Pre-releases (Nick Arcade, Simon Wai, CENSOR)  · Re-releases (2006, Dash!, Crash!, 2013, 3D, Sega Ages)

 · Version differences

*Appears only in prototype versions

 · **Appears only in re-releases
V·T·E  · {{Sonic 2 (8-bit) info}}

 · Category

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

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Main article (Sonic 3 & Knuckles)

 · Staff  · Manuals  · Glitches  · Beta elements  · Gallery  · Pre-releases (November 3, 1993  · May 17, 1994)

 · Version differences

*Appears in Competition mode only

 · ⁺Appears in S3&K  · **Appears in Origins only
V·T·E  · {{& Knuckles info}}

 · Category

Sonic & Knuckles

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Main article (Blue Sphere, Knuckles in Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles)

 · Credits  · Manuals  · Beta elements  · Gallery

 · Version differences

⁺Appears in S3&K only

 · *Appears in Origins only  · **Both appearances
V·T·E  · {{Sonic 3 info}}

 · Category

Sonic Adventure 2

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Main article

 · Scripts (Hero, Dark, Last)  · Staff  · Manuals  · Glitches  · Beta elements  · Gallery  · Pre-releases (The Trial, Preview, TRIAL Version)

 · Re-releases (Battle, 2012)

*Appears or is playable in only the 2P mode

 · ^Appears in only the original Dreamcast version
V·T·E  · {{Adventure info}}

 · Category

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

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Main article (Episode Metal)

 · Credits  · Glitches  · Beta elements

 · Gallery

V·T·E

 · {{Sonic 4 Episode I info}}

 · Category

Sonic Mania

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Main article

 · Staff  · Glitches  · Manuals  · Beta elements  · Gallery

 · Re-releases (Plus)

*Appears in Mania Mode only

 · ^Appears in Sonic Mania Plus and/or Encore Mode only
V·T·E

 · Category

Sonic Superstars

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Main article

 · Credits  · Glitches

 · Gallery

V·T·E  · Category