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 locked-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. Add a photo to this gallery

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)

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 re-release), 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 Mega Drive) North American instruction manual pg. 11.
↑ Sonic & Knuckles (Sega Mega Drive) North American instruction manual pg. 17.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Playable characters	Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Tails (Super Tails**)
Non-playable characters	Dr. Robotnik \| Animals (Becky, Cucky, Flicky, Pocky, Pecky, Cucky, Ricky, Picky, Rocky, Locky, Wocky, Micky, Tocky)
Zones	Emerald Hill Zone \| Chemical Plant Zone \| Aquatic Ruin Zone \| Casino Night Zone \| Hill Top Zone \| Mystic Cave Zone \| Oil Ocean Zone \| Metropolis Zone \| Sky Chase Zone \| Wing Fortress Zone \| Death Egg Zone \| Green Hill Zone* \| Hidden Palace Zone** \| Genocide City Zone* \| Sand Shower Zone* \| Rock World Zone* \| Wood Zone* \| Egg Gauntlet Zone \| Boss Attack Zone \| Proto Palace Zone** \| Special Stage
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	Drill Eggman \| Water Eggman \| Hammer Eggman \| Catcher Eggman \| Submarine Eggman \| Drill Eggman II \| Hidden Palace Zone boss** \| Submarine Eggman II \| Flying Eggman \| Barrier Eggman \| Mecha Sonic \| Death Egg Robot
Moves/Techniques	Crouch \| Glide \| Insta-Shield** \| Propeller Flying \| Spin Jump \| Super Dash Attack \| Super Spin Attack
Gimmicks and obstacles	Bomb \| Booster \| Bumper \| Bumper wall \| Cannon \| Capsule \| Conveyor Belt \| Crusher \| Fan \| Flipper \| Giant spear \| Goal Plate \| Gondola \| High-speed elevator \| High-speed warp tube \| Iron ball \| Jump Panel \| Metal nut \| Seesaw \| Slot machine \| Spikes \| Spring \| Spring Catapult \| Star Post \| Stone pillar \| 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 loop \| Death Egg Robot \| Debug Mode \| Egg Jet \| Mega Mack \| Perfect Bonus \| Shuttle loop \| Time Attack \| Tornado \| Totem pole \| West Side Island \| Winding Tunnel Exclusive to the prototype versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. * Exclusive to the 2013 re-release version.

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 \| 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		Mount Mobius \| Planet Mobius \| Sonic Spinball (Life Savers) \| Veg-O-Fortress

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

Main articles (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic & Knuckles Collection) | Staff (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic & Knuckles Collection) | Manuals (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles) | Glitches (Sonic 3, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic & Knuckles Collection) | Beta elements (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3 & Knuckles) | Galleries (Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic & Knuckles Collection)

Characters		Sonic (Super Sonic, Hyper Sonic) \| Tails (Super Tails) \| Knuckles (Super Knuckles, Hyper Knuckles) \| Dr. Robotnik \| Mecha Sonic (Mecha Sonic's Super State) \| Animals (Flicky (Flicky's Super State), Pocky, Pecky, Cucky, Ricky, Rocky)
Badniks		Batbot \| Blaster \| Blastoid (Carnival Night Zone) \| Blastoid (Hydrocity Zone) \| Bloominator \| Bubbles \| Bugernaut \| Butterdroid \| Catakiller, Jr. \| Chainspike \| Clamer \| Cluckoid \| Corkey \| Dragonfly \| EggRobo \| Fireworm \| Flybot767 \| Hyudoro \| Iwamodoki \| Jawz \| Madmole \| Mantis \| Mega Chopper \| Monkey Dude \| Mushmeanie \| Orbinaut \| Penguinator \| Pointdexter \| RhinoBot \| Ribot \| Rock'n \| Sandworm \| Skorp \| Snale Blaster \| Spikebonker \| Spiker \| Star Pointer \| Technosqueek \| Toxomister \| Turbo Spiker
Zones	Sonic 3	Angel Island Zone \| Hydrocity Zone \| Marble Garden Zone \| Carnival Night Zone \| IceCap Zone \| Launch Base Zone \| Special Stages \| Bonus Stages
	Sonic & Knuckles	Mushroom Hill Zone \| Flying Battery Zone \| Sandopolis Zone \| Lava Reef Zone \| Hidden Palace Zone \| Sky Sanctuary Zone \| Death Egg Zone \| The Doomsday Zone \| Special Stages \| Bonus Stages
	Competition	Azure Lake Zone \| Balloon Park Zone \| Chrome Gadget Zone \| Desert Palace Zone \| Endless Mine Zone
Bosses	Sub-bosses	Doctor Robotnik's Flame Craft \| Doctor Robotnik's Whirlpool Machine \| Tunnelbot \| Self D-Struct Machine \| Iceball \| Swing'm Spikez \| Hei Hou \| Gapsule \| Barrier Eggman \| Guardian \| Heat Arms \| Egg Mobile-H \| Flying Eggman \| Red Eye \| Death Ball
Bosses	Zone bosses	Doctor Robotnik's Flame Craft \| Doctor Robotnik's Waterspout and Depth Charge Machine \| Doctor Robotnik's Jet Drill Pod \| Doctor Robotnik's Energy Ship \| Doctor Robotnik's Freeze-O-Matic \| Ball Shooter \| Beam Rocket \| Big Arm \| Jet Mobile \| Hang Mobile \| Egg Golem \| Hot Mobile \| Knuckles \| Mecha Sonic \| Mecha Sonic's Super State \| Great Eggman Robo \| Final Weapon
Moves/Techniques		Bound Jump \| Crouch \| Double Jump \| Fireball Spin Dash \| Glide \| Gliding Knuckles Attack \| Hyper Flash \| Insta-Shield \| Propeller Flying \| Spin Jump \| Spin Dash \| Spin Attack \| Wall Climb
Items		Air Bubble \| Balloon \| Banana \| Bomb \| Booster \| Bumper \| Bumper wall \| Cannon \| Capsule \| Change \| Chaos Emerald \| Cloud \| Continue \| Fan \| Jump Stand \| Monitor (Water Shield, Flame Shield, Invincibility, Lightning Shield, Super Ring, Super Shoes, Extra Life, S, Eggman) \| Movable box \| Mushroom \| Pulley \| Ring \| Signpost \| Self-Propelled Bomb \| Slow-Down Shoes \| Snowboard \| Sphere \| Spikes \| Spring \| Spinning Top \| Star Post (Star Circle) \| Super Emerald \| Switch \| Transport \| Vine \| Zip Line
Other		Angel Island \| Barrel \| Conveyor Belt \| Corkscrew loop \| Crusher \| Death Egg \| Debug Mode \| Fireball Cannon \| Flipper \| Flywheel \| Freeze \| Giant spear \| Goal \| Gravity Control Switch \| Gumball \| High-speed elevator \| High-speed warp tube \| Icicle \| Iron ball \| Jewel Radar \| Perfect Bonus \| Platform-raising Wheel \| Pole Elevator \| Relief \| Reverse \| Ring Shooter \| Rock Drill \| Seesaw \| Shuttle loop \| Slot machine \| Snowblower \| Sonic & Knuckles • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 \| Strange Relief \| Time Attack \| Tornado \| Warp Point \| Winding Tunnel \| Wonderman

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble

Main article | Beta elements | 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		Boing-o-Bot \| Bombaberry \| Sunset Park Zone Badnik \| Kameka \| Rabibin \| Meta Junglira Zone Badnik \| Penguin Bombers \| Spidal Tap \| Tidal Plant Zone Badnik \| Mecha Hiyoko \| Bomblur
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 \| Star Circle \| 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
Other		Sonic Triple Trouble \| Shuttle loop \| Snowboard \| Tornado \| Continue

Sonic Mania

Playable characters		Sonic (Super Sonic) \| Tails (Super Tails) \| Knuckles (Super Knuckles) \| Mighty* (Super Mighty) \| Ray (Super Ray*)
Non-playable characters		Dr. Eggman \| Hard Boiled Heavies (Heavy King, Heavy Gunner, Heavy Shinobi, Heavy Magician, Heavy Rider) \| Phantom Heavies (Phantom King, Phantom Gunner, Phantom Shinobi, Phantom Magician, Phantom Rider) \| Metal Sonic (Giga Metal) \| Animals (Becky, Cucky, Flicky, Locky, Micky, Pecky, Picky, Pocky, Ricky, Rocky, Tocky, Wocky) \| Jimmy
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		Armadiloid \| Aquis \| Asteron \| Ball Hog \| Batbrain \| Blaster \| Blastoid \| Bloominator* \| Bugernaut \| Bumpalo \| Buzz Bomber \| Cactula \| Canister \| Catakiller, Jr. \| Chopper \| Clucker \| Crabmeat \| Dango \| Dragonfly \| Eggrobo \| Fireworm \| Flasher mk.II \| Gohla \| Grabber \| Hotaru \| IceBomba \| Iwamodoki \| Jawz \| Jellygnite \| Juggle Saw \| Kabasira \| Kanabun \| Madmole \| Matryoshka-Bom \| Mega Chopper \| Mic Drop \| Monkey Dude* \| Moto Bug \| Newtron \| Octus \| Pointdexter \| Rattlekiller \| Rexon \| RhinoBot* \| Robot Bee \| Robot Beetle \| 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 \| V. Maximum Overdrive Attack
Gimmicks and obstacles		Beanstalk \| Bomb \| Bumper \| Bungee Rope \| Bumper wall \| Capsule \| Conveyor Belt \| Crusher \| Dash Panel \| Electrical conduit \| Fan \| Fireball Cannon \| Flipper \| Flywheel \| Goal Plate \| High-speed warp tube \| Ice Spring \| Iron ball \| Jump Panel \| Platform-raising Wheel \| Pulley \| Ruby Mist \| Seesaw \| Size Beam \| Snowblower \| Spikes \| Spring \| Star Post \| Switch \| Transport \| Vine \| Zip Line
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 \| Death Egg Robot \| Debug Mode \| Egg Mobile \| Freeze \| Hang Glider \| Klepto Mobile \| Level Select \| Little Planet \| Mega Mack \| Perfect Bonus \| Phantom Ruby \| Rock Drill \| Shuttle loop \| Sonic Mania Adventures (Sonic Returns, Sonic and Tails, & Knuckles, Mighty and Ray, Metal Mayhem, From: A. Rose, The Complete Mini-Series) \| Time Attack \| Time Over \| Time Warp \| Tornado \| Winding Tunnel Appears in Sonic Mania Plus* only

[1] Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Mega Drive) North American instruction manual pg. 11.

[2] Sonic & Knuckles (Sega Mega Drive) North American instruction manual pg. 17.

[1]

[2]