Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I)

For Special Stages in general, see here.

Special Stage
Overview
Game appearances	Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I
Description	Rotating mazes in a mystical dimension with numerous gimmicks and colorful cubes.
Statistics
Players (story mode)	Sonic the Hedgehog
Number of acts	7

This stage is played by pressing to rotate the screen. Pressing will cause Sonic to jump. Spin Sonic through the map to get to the Chaos Emerald.

— Opening instructions, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (Wii)

Special Stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I are a series of seven special levels. Based on the ones from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), the player can enter the Special Stages by jumping into the Giant Ring that appears at the end of one of the first two Acts of a Zone while holding at least fifty Rings.

The objective of the game's Special Stages is to guide Sonic through a rotating maze to a Chaos Emerald at the end. Collecting all seven Emeralds gives Sonic the ability to transform into Super Sonic, and changes the game's ending.

Gameplay

When entering the Special Stage, Sonic will be constantly using the Spin Attack while the stage's maze rotates in a 360 degree angle. Unlike in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), the player controls the rotation of the maze rather than Sonic. In the PlayStation 3/Wii version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, rather than using the left stick/, the player can tilt the Six-Axis controllers/Wii Remote to control the maze's rotation. On the mobile version of the game, the rotation of the maze is controlled by tilting the device or swiping the screen. The player can also shake the Special Stages' maze by pressing the jump button ( or / or /).

When entering a Special Stage, the player is given a time limit for how long they have to reach the end of the local maze. This time limit can be extended by collecting Time Bonuses. If the time limit expires, the Special Stage ends without the player receiving a Chaos Emerald. Rings are also found around the mazes which the player must collect in certain amounts to open gates blocking the paths. Collecting fifty Rings grants an extra life on the results screen. Many other gimmicks are also found in the Special Stages, but the player has to avoid Goal blocks which will make Sonic exit the Special Stages without getting a Chaos Emerald.

Upon reaching the end of a Special Stage and touching its Chaos Emerald, the player exits the Special Stage while getting a Ring and Time Bonus added to their score. After the player collects the Chaos Emeralds from all seven Special Stages, they can return to the Special Stages to collect 1-Up icons instead of Emeralds.

Gimmicks and obstacles

Image	Name	Description
File:!-Goal-Sonic-the-Hedgehog-4-Episode-I.png	Goal	Red cricles found in small wells and row formations. Touching one will transport the player out of the Special Stage without a Chaos Emerald. Avoid these at all times.
	Bumper	Objects similar to the ones from the Casino Street Zone. They do not grant points, but will bounce the player away.
	Jump Stand	Red and white blocks that come in two variants. The first works like a normal square block that bars the player's path, and the second variant is transparent and intangible, but will usually turn solid after the player passes through it.
	Color Block	Diamond-shaped crystals in different colors that serve as platforms or passage blockades. Touching one causes it to shrink and change color. If touched enough times, it breaks.
	Time Bonus	Orange and yellow orbs that appear separately. Touching one increases the Special Stage's time limit by the amount of seconds shown on it (5, 10 or 15 seconds).
	"Ring Gate"	Orange Ring barriers that repel the player. To turn this barrier intangible so Sonic can pass through them, the player must obtain a certain amount of Rings from around the maze. The amount of Rings required are shown on the barrier.

Special Stage information

No.	Emerald color	Starting time limit
1st	Red	1:30:00
2nd	Blue	1:30:00
3rd	Yellow	0:30:00
4th	Green	1:30:00
5th	Gray	0:30:00
6th	Cyan	1:30:00
7th	Purple	1:30:00

Endings

If the player collects the Chaos Emerald from all seven Special Stages, Sonic can transform into Super Sonic with fifty Rings in gameplay. It also lets Sonic transform into Super Sonic just before the credits by collecting enough Rings during the ending sequence after clearing the E.G.G. Station Zone. After the credits, the player is then treated to a teaser of the next episode of Sonic the Hedgehog 4. If the player does not collect all the Chaos Emeralds, however, the game tells the player to try again.

Screenshots

Gallery
The first Special Stage. The second Special Stage. The third Special Stage. The fourth Special Stage. The fifth Special Stage. The sixth Special Stage. The seventh Special Stage.

Special Stages

Template:Sonic 4 Episode I