Stardust Speedway's first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
Stardust Speedway is a recurring Zone in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a region on Little Planet which is best known for being the site of the first clash between Sonic the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic.
One of the fastest levels in Sonic history, Stardust Speedway is a highway adorned with musical instruments above an enormous city; like its namesake implies, the city glows with many lights.
Game appearances
Sonic the Hedgehog CD
Sonic racing against Metal Sonic in the Good Future.
Stardust Speedway's first appearance was in Sonic the Hedgehog CD, as the game's sixth Round. Stardust Speedway is the most fast paced Round in the game, and due to its nature, it's also the largest Round of the game.
At the end of the Round, Metal Sonic appears and challenges Sonic to a race; should Sonic win, he will rescue the captive Amy Rose.
Sonic Generations
Stardust Speedway appears in Sonic Generations as the setting of the rival battle between Classic Sonic and Classic Metal Sonic. As opposed to the original race/battle, Dr. Robotnik is absent and instead the path Sonic is on is crumbling behind him, forcing Sonic to move ahead. The battle (as well as the music) is set in the bad future timeline of Stardust Speedway.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal
Stardust Speedway as it appears in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal.
The level returns in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal in a cutscene showing the defeat and revival of Metal Sonic. The level appears exactly as it was in Sonic Generations.
In other media
Archie Comics
Sonic racing Metal Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog #290.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, Stardust Speedway Zone was an area within Collision Chaos Zone - a Zone created by Dr. Ivo Robotnik and used as a trap for Sonic the Hedgehog, in which Amy Rose served as bait. In Stardust Speedway, Sonic races and defeat Mecha Sonic so he could save Tails and Amy.
After the Super Genesis Wave, Stardust Speedway became much more similar to its game counterpart, being a Zone under Dr. Eggman's influence on Little Planet and having the same role it had on the games.
Trivia
- Stardust Speedway is one of the Zones with the most different versions of its music.
- In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, there are seven versions, including Present, Good Future and Bad Future for both soundtracks, and the Past version.
- In Sonic Generations, there are two versions, including the Metal Sonic boss fight remix (which is composed largely of the Bad Future JP theme, and a bit of the Present JP theme), and an unlockable remix of the Bad Future version (US version).
- In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, another version of the JP Bad Future theme appears in the Metal Sonic race in the Death Egg mk.II Zone, which also incorporates the new arrangements brought in from the Sonic Generations JP remix.
- In Sonic Mania, there are three versions; the theme in Act 1 is based on the Past version, Act 2 is based on the Present and Good Future versions, and the Metal Sonic boss theme is based on the Bad Future version, all of them based on the Japanese soundtrack.
- In Sonic Forces, the Metal Sonic boss fight features a remix of the Bad Future version from the US soundtrack.
- In Team Sonic Racing, a slightly sped up remix of the theme used for the Metal Sonic boss fight in Sonic Forces is used for Metal Sonic's Team Ultimate theme.
- Stardust Speedway in Sonic Generations is the same in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal. Interestingly, the same music has been remixed in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II for the exact same circumstance: an obstacle course race against Metal Sonic.
- In the opening cutscene of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal, after "A long time has passed...", Stardust Speedway is shown in the bad future.
- In Sonic Generations, the unlockable remix of the North American/PC theme is listed as Stardust Speedway Zone.