Star Circle

Star Circles,^[1]^[2] also referred to as Bonus Gates, are effects in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. They are portals leading into Special or Bonus Stages.

Description

The Star Circles are rings of tiny floating stars created by Star Posts or other significant objects, which appear and grant access to Special or Bonus Stages after specific requirements are fulfilled. These requirements varies between games. The player simply has to jump into the Star Circles to be transported to the designated Stage.

Game appearances

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

First appearing in the 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the Star Circle is in this game red and white, and is created by a Star Post when the player passes it with at least fifty Rings in their possession. In this game, they lead solely to the Special Stages.

The Star Circle rotates around the Star Post upon being activated, but will shrink and disappear after couple of seconds. If the player does not get a Chaos Emerald from the Special Stage, they can repeat the process by activating another Star Post. However, it cannot be activated after getting all seven Chaos Emeralds or in the game's multiplayer mode.

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

In Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, the player can collect every Ring in a Stage to open a Star Circle (referred to as Bonus Gate in the urgent order) leading to the fourth Bonus Stage named "Clucker's Defense". The Star Circle itself can be found in remote sections or hidden areas of each Stage.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the Star Circle work like in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 by activating a Star Post while holding fifty Rings. In this game, the Star Circle leads to the game's only Bonus Stage.

In Sonic & Knuckles, the Star Circle serves the same purpose and work in the same manner as in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, except it can lead to one of the game's two types of Bonus Stages. Where the Star Circle takes one depends on the player's Rings. Having 20-49 Rings creates a yellow Star Circle that leads to the Slot Machine Bonus Stage, and having more than fifty Rings creates a red Star Circle leading to the Glowing Spheres Bonus Stage.

In the lock-on game, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, all three Bonus Stages are featured and are accessed by different Star Circles with different amounts of Rings in the same manner as in both games:

Gallery
With 20-34 Rings, a yellow Star Circle leads to the Slot Machine Bonus Stage. With 35-49 Rings, a red Star Circle leads to the Glowing Spheres Bonus Stage. With 50 Rings or more, a silver Star Circle leads to the Gumball Machine Bonus Stage.

It should be noted that after over fifty Rings, the pattern restarts with 70-84 Rings leading to Slot Machine-type, 85-99 Rings to Glowing Spheres-type and at least hundred Rings to Gumball Machine-type Bonus Stage.

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble

In Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble, there are Chaos Emerald Monitors in each Act which open Star Circles. If the player has at least fifty Rings on-hand, breaking it creates the Star Circle above it. In this game, it gives access to the Special Stage.

Sonic Mania

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, the Star Circle appears when a Star Post is passed while carrying at enough Rings. This time around, they give access to the Bonus Stage and, in Sonic Mania Plus, the Pinball Stage.

To make a Star Circle leading into the Bonus Stage appear, pass a Star Post while carrying at least twenty-five Rings. To make a Star Circle leading into the Pinball Stage appear, pass a Star Post after beating all Bonus Stages with a perfect rank while carrying at least twenty-five Rings in Mania Mode or fifty Rings in Encore Mode.

In other media

Sonic the Comic

Main article: Star Post (Sonic the Comic)

In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Star Circle appears as an energy field surrounding the Star Posts and allows travel between Zones and the Special Zone. In the media, Sonic has to run around the Star Post to charge it with Sonic Speed Energy to create the energy field

Archie Comics

Main articles: Star Posts (Archie) and Star Posts (Pre-Super Genesis Wave)

Star Posts and dimensional portal, from *Sonic the Hedgehog* #189.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Star Circle looks identical to its game counterpart, although it is not referred to by name. In this media, it is created between a set of Star Posts and serves as a portal between dimensions.

Trivia

Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 allows the player to retain all previously collected Rings after exiting the Special Stage which allowed the player to easily activate another Star Circle. In the original game and the 2013 remaster, the player loses all the collected Rings after exiting the Special Stage.
In Sonic Rush, the Special Generator creates a similar portal into the Special Stage.

References

↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis) North American instruction booklet, pg. 11.
↑ Sonic & Knuckles (Sega Genesis) North American instruction booklet, pg. 17.

Navigation templates to Star Circle

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

Playable characters		Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Tails (Super Tails) \| Knuckles (Super Knuckles**)
Non-playable characters		Dr. Robotnik \| Animals (Becky, Cucky, Flicky, Locky, Micky, Pecky, Picky, Pocky, Ricky, Rocky, Tocky, Wocky)
Zones	Main	Emerald Hill Zone \| Chemical Plant Zone \| Aquatic Ruin Zone \| Casino Night Zone \| Hill Top Zone \| Mystic Cave Zone \| Hidden Palace Zone** \| Oil Ocean Zone \| Metropolis Zone \| Sky Chase Zone \| Wing Fortress Zone \| Death Egg Zone \| Special Stage
Zones	Other	Boss Attack Zone \| Egg Gauntlet Zone \| Genocide City Zone* \| Green Hill Zone* \| Proto Palace Zone** \| Rock World Zone* \| Sand Shower Zone* \| Wood Zone*
Enemies		Aquis \| Asteron \| Balkiry \| Banper* \| Batbot** \| BFish* \| Bubbler* \| Bubbler's Mother* \| Buzzer \| Cactus* \| Chop Chop \| Clucker \| Coconuts \| Crawl \| Crawlton \| Flasher \| Frog* \| Gator* \| Gohla \| Grabber \| Grounder \| Jellygnite** \| Lobster* \| Masher \| Nebula \| Octus \| Rexon \| Shellcracker \| Slicer \| Snail* \| Spiker \| Spiny \| Stegway \| Turtloids \| Redz \| Whisp
Bosses		Egg Drillster \| Egg Poison \| Egg Hammer \| Egg Claw \| Egg Scorcher Mk II \| Egg Digger \| Brass Eggman** \| Eggmarine \| Flying Eggman \| Barrier Eggman \| Mecha Sonic \| Death Egg Robot
Moves/Techniques		Climb \| Crouch \| Drop Dash \| Glide \| Insta-Shield \| Propeller Flying \| Spin Jump \| Super Dash Attack \| Super Spin Attack \| Swim**
Gimmicks and obstacles		Arrow column \| Bomb \| Breakaway column \| Booster \| Bumper \| Bumper wall \| Cannon \| Capsule \| Conveyor Belt \| Crusher \| Drop Target \| Elevator \| Fan \| Flipper \| Giant spear \| Goal Plate \| Gondola \| High-speed warp tube \| Iron ball \| Jump Panel \| Metal nut \| Seesaw \| Sinking pool \| Slot machine \| Spikes \| Spring \| Spring Catapult \| Star Post \| Switch
Items		Air Bubble \| Chaos Emerald \| Monitor (Eggman, Extra Life, Flame Shield, Invincible, Lightning Shield, Power Sneakers, Random, S, Shield, Super Ring, Teleporter, Water Shield) \| Ring \| Star Circle
Music		Sonic the Hedgehog 1&2 Soundtrack
Other		Continue \| Corkscrew \| Death Egg \| Death Egg Robot \| Debug Mode \| Eggman's Mobile \| Life \| Lock-on technology \| Loop \| Mega Mack \| Perfect Bonus \| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 CD \| Space rocket \| Time Attack \| Tornado \| Totem pole \| Tunnel \| Water \| West Side Island Appears in the prototype versions of the game only *Appears in re-releases of the game only

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

Main article | Staff | Glitches | Gallery

Playable characters		Sonic
Non-playable characters		Tails \| Dr. Robotnik \| Animals (Flicky, Cucky, Locky, Wocky) \| Sally \| Bunnie Rabbot \| Rotor \| Muttski \| Hip and Hop
Levels		Toxic Caves \| Lava Powerhouse \| The Machine \| Showdown \| Bonus Stage
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 \| Duck \| Jump \| Spin Attack \| Super Spin Dash
Gimmicks and obstacles		Balloon \| Bumper \| Capsule \| Drain Bumper \| Flipper \| High-speed warp tube \| Minecart \| Sewer Warp
Items		Bonus Gate \| Chaos Emerald \| Drop Target \| Ring
Music		Sonic the Hedgehog Boom
Other		Life \| Mount Mobius \| Planet Mobius \| Sonic Spinball (Life Savers) \| Veg-O-Fortress

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Playable characters		Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Tails \| Knuckles*
Non-playable characters		Dr. Robotnik \| Animals (Flicky, Pocky, Pecky, Cucky, Ricky, Rocky)
Enemies		Batbot \| Blastoid \| Bloominator \| Bubbles \| Bugernaut \| Catakiller, Jr. \| Clamer \| Corkey \| Flybot767 \| Jawz \| Mantis \| Mega Chopper \| Monkey Dude \| Orbinaut \| Penguinator \| Pointdexter \| RhinoBot \| Ribot \| Snail Blaster \| Sparkle \| Spiker \| Star Pointer \| Turbo Spiker
Zones	Main	Angel Island Zone \| Hydrocity Zone \| Marble Garden Zone \| Carnival Night Zone \| IceCap Zone \| Launch Base Zone \| Special Stage \| Bonus Stage
Zones	Competition*	Azure Lake \| Balloon Park \| Chrome Gadget \| Desert Palace \| Endless Mine
Bosses	Sub-bosses	Fire Breath \| Big Shaker \| Tunnelbot \| Bowling Spin \| Big Icedus \| Twin Hammer
Bosses	Zone bosses	Egg Scorcher Mk III \| Egg Vortex \| Egg Drillster Mk II \| Egg Gravitron \| Egg Froster \| Egg Cannon \| Egg Rocket \| Big Arm
Moves/Techniques		Bound Jump \| Crouch \| Double Jump \| Fireball Spin Dash \| Insta-Shield \| Propeller Flying \| Spin Attack \| Spin Dash \| Spin Jump \| Swim
Gimmicks and obstacles		Balloon \| Bomb \| Bumper \| Bumper wall \| Cannon \| Capsule \| Crusher \| Elevator \| Fan \| Fire \| Flywheel \| Glove on a stick \| Goal Plate \| High-speed warp tube \| Icicle \| Iron ball \| Laser gate \| Movable box \| Pulley \| Platform-raising Wheel \| Sinking pool \| Snowblower \| Spikes \| Spring \| Spinning Top \| Spinning Wheel \| Star Post \| Strange Relief \| Switch \| Vine \| Zip Line
Items		Air Bubble \| Banana* \| Change* \| Chaos Emerald \| Continue \| Giant Ring \| Gumball \| Monitor (Eggman, Extra Life, Flame Shield, Invincibility, Lightning Shield, Super Shoes, S, Super Ring, Water Shield) \| Ring \| Self-Propelled Bomb* \| Slow-Down Shoes* \| Snowboard \| Sphere \| Star Circle
Music		"Wonderman"
Other		Altar of Emerald \| Corkscrew \| Crusher \| Death Egg \| Debug Mode \| Floating Island \| Freeze \| Jewel Radar \| Life \| Lock-on technology \| Loop \| Perfect Bonus \| Sound Test \| Time Attack \| Tornado \| Tunnel \| Water *Appears in Competition mode only.

Sonic & Knuckles

Main article (Blue Sphere, Knuckles in Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles) | Credits | Manuals | Beta elements | Gallery

Playable characters		Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Knuckles (Super Knuckles)
Non-playable characters		Dr. Robotnik \| Tails \| Rock Drill \| Mecha Sonic (Super Mecha Sonic) \| Animals (Flicky, Pocky, Pecky, Cucky, Ricky, Rocky)
Enemies		Blaster \| Butterdroid \| Chainspike \| Cluckoid \| Dragonfly \| EggRobo \| Fireworm \| Hyudoro \| Iwamodoki \| Madmole \| Mushmeanie \| Rock'n \| Sandworm \| Skorp \| Spikebonker \| Technosqueek \| Toxomister
Zones		Mushroom Hill Zone \| Flying Battery Zone \| Sandopolis Zone \| Lava Reef Zone \| Hidden Palace Zone \| Sky Sanctuary Zone \| Death Egg Zone \| The Doomsday Zone \| Special Stage \| Bonus Stage
Bosses	Sub-bosses	Hey Ho \| Gapsule \| Barrier Eggman \| Guardian \| Heat Arms \| Egg Mobile-H \| Flying Eggman \| Red Eye \| Death Ball
Bosses	Zone bosses	Jet Mobile \| Hang Mobile \| Egg Golem \| Hot Mobile \| Knuckles \| Mecha Sonic \| Super Mecha Sonic \| Giant Eggman Robo \| Final Weapon
Moves/Techniques		Bound Jump \| Crouch \| Double Jump \| Fireball Spin Dash \| Glide \| Insta-Shield \| Punch Attack \| Spin Attack \| Spin Dash \| Spin Jump \| Wall Climb
Gimmicks and obstacles		Bomb \| Booster \| Bumper \| Capsule \| Cloud \| Crusher \| Electrical emitter \| Elevator \| Fan \| Fire \| Fireball \| Flipper \| Goal \| Goal Plate \| Gravity Control Switch \| High-speed warp tube \| Iron ball \| Jump Stand \| Movable box \| Mushroom \| Pole Elevator \| Reverse \| Ring Shooter \| Seesaw \| Sinking pool \| Slot machine \| Spikes \| Spring \| Star Post \| Switch \| Transport \| Warp Point
Items		Chaos Emerald \| Continue \| Giant Ring \| Gumball \| Monitor (Eggman, Extra Life, Flame Shield, Invincibility, Lightning Shield, S, Super Ring, Super Shoes, Water Shield) \| Ring \| Sphere \| Star Circle
Music		Sonic & Knuckles • Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Other		Altar of Emerald \| Death Egg \| Debug Mode \| Floating Island \| Life \| Lock-on technology \| Loop \| Perfect Bonus \| Tornado \| Tunnel

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble

Main article | Beta elements | Manuals | Gallery

Playable characters		Sonic \| Tails
Non-playable characters		Dr. Robotnik \| Knuckles \| Nack \| Metal Sonic \| Flicky
Zones		Great Turquoise Zone \| Sunset Park Zone \| Meta Junglira Zone \| Robotnik Winter Zone \| Tidal Plant Zone \| Atomic Destroyer Zone \| Special Stage
Enemies		Bombaberry \| Bomblur \| Eeliotte \| Ladybuggy \| Mecha Hiyoko \| Kameka \| Penguin Bomber \| Rabibin \| Ridal Tap \| Spidal Tap \| Springshell
Bosses		Tart Turtle \| Marve-Shupopolous-Gou \| Wood Buttarundorf \| Giga Thomas "Pen" \| Knuckles the Echidna \| Metal Sonic \| Atomic Destroyer Zone Boss 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| Nack the Weasel
Moves/Techniques		Crouch \| Flying Spin Attack \| Heli-Tails \| Spin Attack \| Spin Jump \| Strike Dash \| Super Spin Dash \| V. Maximum Overdrive Attack
Gimmicks and obstacles		Bomb \| Bonus Panel \| Booster \| Breakaway Bumper \| Conveyor Belt \| High-speed warp tube \| Spin Coaster \| Spring \| Switch \| Teleporter
Items		Air Bubble \| Chaos Emerald \| Monitor (1-Up, Chaos Emerald, Hyper Heli-Tails, Invincibility, Jet Board, Marker, Pogo Spring, Power Sneakers, Propeller Shoes, Rocket Shoes, Super Ring, Time Bonus) \| Ring \| Sea Fox \| Star Circle
Other		Sonic Triple Trouble \| Continue \| Life \| Loop \| Snowboard \| Tornado \| Water

Sonic Mania

Playable characters		Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Tails (Super Tails) \| Knuckles (Super Knuckles) \| Mighty* (Super Mighty) \| Ray (Super Ray*)
Non-playable characters		Cluckoid \| Dr. Eggman \| Egg-Robo \| Hard Boiled Heavies (Heavy Gunner, Heavy King, Heavy Magician, Heavy Rider, Heavy Shinobi) \| Jimmy \| Metal Sonic (Giga Metal) \| Phantom Heavies (Phantom Gunner, Phantom King, Phantom Magician, Phantom Rider, Phantom Shinobi) \| Rock Drill \| Animals (Becky, Cucky, Flicky, Locky, Micky, Pecky, Picky, Pocky, Ricky, Rocky, Tocky, Wocky)
Zones		Angel Island Zone* \| Green Hill Zone \| Chemical Plant Zone \| Studiopolis Zone \| Flying Battery Zone \| Press Garden Zone \| Stardust Speedway Zone \| Hydrocity Zone \| Mirage Saloon Zone \| Oil Ocean Zone \| Lava Reef Zone \| Metallic Madness Zone \| Titanic Monarch Zone \| Egg Reverie Zone \| Special Stage \| Bonus Stage \| Pinball Stage*
Enemies		Amy Doll \| Aquis \| Armadiloid \| Asteron \| Ball Hog \| Batbrain \| Blaster \| Blastoid \| Bloominator* \| Bugernator \| Bumpalo \| Buzz Bomber \| Cactula \| Canister \| Caterkiller Jr. \| Chopper \| Clucker \| Crabmeat \| Dango \| Dragonfly \| Fireworm \| Flasher Mk. II \| Gohla \| Grabber \| Hotaru \| IceBomba \| Iwamodoki \| Jawz \| Jellygnite \| Juggle Saw \| Kabasira \| Kanabun \| Madmole \| Matryoshka-Bom \| Mecha-Bu \| Mega Chopper \| Mic Drop \| Monkey Dude* \| Motobug \| Newtron \| Octus \| Poh-Bee \| Pointdexter \| Rattlekiller \| Rexon \| RhinoBot* \| Roller Mk. II \| Scarab \| Sentry Bug \| Shutterbug \| Silver Sonic \| Spiny \| Splats \| Sweep \| Technosqueek \| Toxomister \| Tubinaut \| Turbo Spiker \| Turbo Turtle \| Vultron \| Woodrow
Bosses	Mini-bosses	DD Wrecker \| Amoeba Droid \| Heavy Gunner \| Big Squeeze \| Shiversaw \| Hotaru Hi-Watt \| Dive Eggman \| Uber Caterkiller \| Meter Droid \| Drillerdroid \| Egg Pistons mk.II \| Crimson Eye
Bosses	Zone bosses	Death Egg Robot \| Mean Bean Machine \| Weather Globe \| Spider Mobile \| Heavy Shinobi \| Metal Sonic \| Laundro-Mobile \| Heavy Magician \| Mega Octus \| Heavy Rider \| Heavy King \| Gachapandora \| Phantom Egg \| Phantom King and Klepto Mobile
Moves/Techniques		Air Glide* \| Bounce Jump \| Climb \| Crouch \| Double Jump \| Drop Dash \| Fireball Spin Dash \| Glide \| Hammer Drop* \| Insta-Shield \| Propeller Flying \| Ring Spark Field \| Spin Attack \| Spin Dash \| Spin Jump \| Super Peel Out \| Swim \| V. Maximum Overdrive Attack
Gimmicks and obstacles		Arrow column \| Beanstalk \| Bomb \| Bumper \| Bungee Rope \| Bumper wall \| Cannon \| Capsule \| Conveyor Belt \| Crusher \| Dash Panel \| Dropping platform \| Electrical conduit \| Fan \| Fireball \| Flipper \| Flywheel \| Glove on a stick \| Goal Plate \| Hang Glider \| High-speed warp tube \| Ice Spring \| Iron ball \| Jump Panel \| Platform-raising Wheel \| Pulley \| Ruby Mist \| Saw \| Seesaw \| Sinking pool \| Shrink ray \| Snowblower \| Spikes \| Spring \| Star Post \| Switch \| Transport \| Vine \| Zipline
Items		Air Bubble \| Chaos Emerald \| Giant Ring \| Giant spear \| Item Box (1-UP, Blue Shield, Bubble Shield, Character, Hyper Ring, Eggman Mark, Fire Shield, Invincible, Lightning Shield, Player Swap, Power Sneakers, Random, S, Super Ring) \| Little Planet flowers \| Master Emerald \| Metal Sonic Projector \| Medallion \| Ring \| Robot transporter \| Schrodinger's Capsule \| Sphere \| Star Circle \| Time Warp sign \| UFO \| Warp Point
Music		Sonic Mania (vinyl album) \| Sonic Mania Original Soundtrack (Selected Edition) \| Sonic Mania Plus Original Soundtrack
Other		Angel Island \| Auto Running \| Continue \| Corkscrew \| Death Egg Robot \| Debug Mode \| Egg Mobile \| Freeze \| Game Over \| Klepto Mobile \| Level Select \| Life \| Little Planet \| Loop \| Mega Mack \| Phantom Ruby \| Perfect Bonus \| Popgun \| Sonic Mania Adventures ("Sonic Returns", "Sonic and Tails", "& Knuckles", "Mighty and Ray", "Metal Mayhem", "From: A. Rose", "The Complete Mini-Series") \| S pipe \| Time Attack \| Time Over \| Time Warp \| Tornado \| Water Appears in only Sonic Mania Plus*

[1] Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis) North American instruction booklet, pg. 11.

[2] Sonic & Knuckles (Sega Genesis) North American instruction booklet, pg. 17.

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