SONIC SPINBALL WALKTHROUGH
for Sega Genesis

Copyright William Walker. Any alteration, copying or selling of this walkthrough without my
notification and clear permission is strictly prohibited and will result in suing.

Violence: This game involves animals being turned into robots, so it might not by okay for small
kids or kids with strong anxieties or fears. About as violent as other Sonic games. Other than
that, just fine.

Difficulty: Hard.

Credits: George Lu wrote a FAQ for this game, and I'd like to thank him very much. I got the
level select from another source that doesn't tell who submitted it, but I'd also like to thank
whoever did.

My e-mail address: j-d-walker@worldnet.att.net .

INTRODUCTION

Robotnik has built a giant fortress that is turning animals into robots. Sonic tries to assault it but
his plane is blasted to bits by Robotnik's cannons, and now he must destroy Robotnik once and
for all by completing four levels. In each one you'll be bouncing around most of the time, and
must collect 3-5 chaos emeralds to enter the boss room. To move when on land, press C to jump,
and the arrow keys to move. Press down and hold it down while you press C to spin dash. When
not on land (as you almost always are) use the D-pad to move around, and C to flip the flippers.
Unlike other games, badniks can't hurt you - they just get in the way, and you can't get hit and
lose your rings. You'll die if you fall between the flippers... most of the time.

When you complete a level or die you'll get bonus points. You'll get 12500 points per ring, and
for each level you beat ON ONE LIFE you'll get a time bonus, counting down as you take time.
If you can collect every single ring in a level and then find and enter a bonus gate (it looks like a
ring of stars) you'll play a multi-ball stage. I've only done this once, in level one. I recommend
you not try for it until you gain some experience. Each level has individual bonuses too. For
every 20 million points you get, you'll get an extra life!

In some tables (individual areas in a level) on the side of the flippers are two channels that take
you down to whatever's below the flippers and kill you. To avoid this fate you can turn on safety
plugs - just hit all the drop targets in the area on levels 1 and 2, and all the targets on that side for
levels 3 and 4. Also some plugs start on in levels 1 and 2. Plugs are deactivated each time used
with one exception, so you must hit the targets again. Hit the targets while the plugs are already
on for big points! BTW, if you die you'll lose everything except emeralds.

LEVEL 1: TOXIC CAVES

First go right and enter the spring pod to enter the main areas. You can't get any emeralds here so
you should try to leave ASAP. To do so, shoot yourself into one of the channels on the extreme
left and right side of the table, on either side of the two closed sewers. Then you'll go into one of
the two high areas with three worms. If you're lucky you'll hit the target next to the slime tank in
the top center. There's two such targets, one at the top of each area, and if you hit both the slime
drains. You can also enter a worm area by shooting straight up from the flippers, but that's
harder. Once the slime has drained the two sewers open - shoot into one of them.

Once you enter a sewer you'll be in one of the two green area. I'll assume you're in the left one,
but if you're in the right one just treat left as right and vice versa. If you fall between the flippers
you'll be inside a slime barrel and can shoot back up, so it's pretty hard to die. On the right side
is a path with a switch on it. You can't enter through the bottom as that just warps you to the
other side of the screen. You must make a shot up from the flippers to hit the switch... tough.

Once you've hit the switch you need to enter the mine car. To do that, see that sewer on the left?
Well, shoot into it and you'll knock a toxic barrel away. After three shots you'll be able to go up
the sewer and into the upper area. Or, shoot into the top center where you'll go around a loop
bashing two worms up. This is called a worm loop and going through three times opens a door -
enter that door and you'll enter the top section. Once you're in the top area, use the lone flipper to
shoot into the pipe - shoot at the last possible second or you'll go back into the main area.

Now you're in a mine car. Remember which sewer you entered back at the start and press in the
opposite direction. If you go in the correct direction and have hit the switch, you'll go down past
the bridge back to the slime area and go down, through a door, to the first chaos emerald! Now
you'll be back where you started. Go right and you'll enter a pipe that takes you into the other
slime area. Do the same thing - hit the switch, enter the top part and then enter the sewer up
there. Press in the direction you did not go the first time and you'll go down to the next emerald. 

You now have two emeralds. The final one is in the slime tank. To get it, simply go back into the
mine car room (you don't need to hit the switch and can use either slime area) and instead of
landing in the cart press no buttons and you'll fall right onto the emerald. Now you have all three
emeralds. The barrel in the two slime areas will move, so be very careful not to fall through the
flippers! Just go back into the mine car room one more time and instead of entering it you'll enter
the boss room.

LEVEL 2: LAVA POWERHOUSE

When you start, some steam blasts you upward into the first area. There's nothing to do here, but
it's dangerous - unlike level 1, you'll die if you fall between the flippers. To leave, you have to
hit the door at the top center three times. To do so, either hit it by flipping up, or shoot into the
piston in the top left corner. After three hits the door breaks and the next hits sends you into the
first steam arena. You can also enter by falling down the right death chute while the safety plug is
active. The targets here are hard to hit, so don't hang around here too long.

Once you're in the first steam arena press C to blast upward on the steam. You need to bounce
off one of the many clucks so you land in the pipe at the top center. Once you enter, you'll collect
the first emerald. Then, hold left or right to enter one of the small side platforms, and spin dash to
enter the upper steam arena. You don't have all the emeralds, so entering the upper pipes won't
do any good. Instead, go to the far side and use the steam to bounce into either upper area.

The two upper areas are slightly different, and if you fall you'll enter a lower area- there's
nothing good down there, so be careful not to fall. Instead, notice how one piston has a cork in it?
Well, go through that piston three times to break the cork and enter an emerald shaft. Bang on C
like mad to let the steam in the shaft lift you up to the platform, then jump to collect an emerald.
There's a lot of stuff in the top that won't do you any good. BTW, jump on the catapult thingy to
get a burst for steam that takes you back to the steam room.

LEVEL 3: THE MACHINE

This level is easy, even though you'll need five emeralds instead of three. First off you'll be in a
large center area with two main areas on each side, each with flippers. To turn on plugs here
you'll have to hit the two targets on each side, and the plugs can sometimes be hit by accident, so
leave here ASAP. In the top area you'll find some rings. The main feature of this place is the
moving platform. Get on, and then when it stops on the left side jump into the chute on the left to
enter the left shaft.

In the left shaft are three pistons, and they spring you up. To the right of them is a chute that
takes you back to the start area. Anyway get onto the lone flipper above the pistons but don't flip
yourself up. Instead, hold down C to catch yourself with the flipper. Hold it down for a few
seconds and the flipper itself moves upward. You'll see some passages on the right, the second
and fourth guarded by badniks. You want the fourth one, so either shoot by at the right time or
beat the badnik and then shoot in. Inside is an emerald.

You're in the animal prison now. You will see a lot of cages with locks, hit each lock 3-4 times
and it opens. The middle cage has an emerald - open it, then go into the bottom center between
the two pistons and it's yours. After this leave by dropping down the left slide - you'll get another
emerald. If you want to go back to the animal prison, enter the left shaft, catch yourself with the
flipper and ride it up so that you flip onto the moving platform. Then jump when you're on the
far left side, go right until you find two badniks - beat the right one and you'll go to the prison.

Now that you have three emeralds, you need to enter the right shaft. To do so, go back to the
center, get on the moving platform and jump into the chamber on the right, called the power
chamber. You'll be supercharged and bounce around wildly for a while, and if you enter three
times you'll stop the right wheel. Three more times reactivates it, so before you enter three more
times enter the wheel on the right by first beating the badnik, then shooting in. Get the emerald
inside. You need only one more emerald, in the right shaft. There's three pistons at the bottom -
get onto the lone flipper and hold C to make it move up. When it stops, flip up so you don't hit
either badnik but flip high enough to land on the platform at the top right. Then jump on the
moving platform, and enter the tube on the far left for the final emerald.


LEVEL 4: SHOWDOWN

When you start you'll be in a center area. There's three targets on each side - hit them all to
activate a safety plug. If you come in from a side shaft, that plug is deactivated. This place eats
up lives like candy. To leave, shoot up into one of the top two channels. The problem is, at the
top center is an emerald, guarded by four blocks. Hit the button on either side of the blocks and
you'll destroy one... this is probably the toughest emerald to get, as if you die the blocks reset.

Once you leave you'll enter a side shaft. If you want to go back to the start area, enter the lane on
the outside. If you don't enter the lane on the inside. If you enter the middle lane, hold in the
direction you do NOT want to go. If you enter the left side, read on. If you enter the right side,
read paragraph 4.

On the left, flip when on the far right side of the left flipper (be relieved that there are no death
chutes here or on the right) and you'll enter a path on the far right and hit a button. Hit it three
times to remove the blocks. Once the blue blocks are removed go up the path they blocked and
you'll enter a windsock sending you to the emerald. Enter the left lane to go back to the start, and
this time, shoot up the right channel and enter the left lane.

Now that you're on the right, do the same thing as the left, shoot up the far right channel. The
first time you'll knock out a badnik and the second time you'll grab a hook. Spin dash left, and
keep pressing C to build up power. Then release and an emerald is yours. You're also in the
outside area. If you started on the right, go back here. Now that you've gotten outside, make your
way to either the far right or far left, but don't try to go up. Instead make your way to the
absolutely far left or right. Once there you'll be on a thin platform. jump and grab the hook and a
flipper appears. Flip up and toward the center and if you timed it right, you'll get an emerald. If
you miss, you can try again.

LEVEL SELECT

Well, great job! You've beaten Robotnik. But if you get stuck at some point in the game, you can
use this code to go to any level.

At the options menu, press A, down, B, down, C, down, A, B, up, A, C, up, B, C, up. You'll here
a sound. Go back to the title screen. Hold down A as you press start to start at level 2, B for level
3 and C for level 4. Good luck!

MISCELLANEOUS BONUSES

Toxic Caves: In the first area after draining the slime, enter the far pipes three times for 200 K
(200,000). Plus if you fall between the flippers at the start, let the monster grab you, then press all
the buttons like mad. If you escape, you'll get 15 K. This is dangerous, though.

Lava Powerhouse: In each upper area at the very top with the catapult jump up and outward to
the three bumpers that bounce you around. You can also get there by teleporting. Each bump
scores points. Also at the top of each lower area are three lanes with lights. Go through all three
to double all bonuses.

The Machine: In the center, go through the loop at the top center three times to double all
bonuses. Plus, in the animal prison open all the cages to get 500 K.

Showdown: At the top of each side shaft the three lanes that dictate where you go, if all are lit,
will double all bonuses. Also if you can hit the three targets in each of the two areas left and right
of the start within ten seconds you'll get an eruption bonus of 25 K. even better, after destroying
all the blocks in the center or left side hit a button again for 50 K.

END OF BALL/LEVEL BONUSES

Toxic Caves: If you can go by a switch in the slime areas five times you'll get 200 K. also go
through the worm loop three times for 100 K.

Lava Powerhouse: Enter any piston five times for 200 K. Go through a cool loop five times for
100 K. for a cool loop, go along a path with five lights that isn't near a piston.

The Machine: In either shaft, enter each piston once for 200 K. In the center screen, enter either
power chamber three times for 100 K.

Showdown: Go through the path on the right side with six rings and four lights four times for
200 K. In the center screen go through the top left or top right exit three times for 100 K.

All levels: Each ring collected is 12.5 K. If you complete it on one life, and quickly you'll also
get a time bonus. Even better, each emerald you get, besides being required, is worth 500 K.

End of game: You'll get a jackpot, life bonus and Robotnik bonus. I don't really understand the
Robotnik bonus, but I think it represents how many times you entered a windsock (the ones in
Robotnik's ship don't count) and how well you did in the final battle. The jackpot will award you
10 million points for each bonus round you beat. You'll also get 5 million points per ball.

BONUS ROUNDS

Multi-ball, Toxic Caves: Shoot upward past the two badniks and hit the crab behind them enough
times.

Multi-ball, all other levels: Unknown.

Toxic Caves: There will be seven jars imprisoning your animal friends. Hit each one 3-4 times to
open it. For bonus points, hit the bottom of Robotnik's ship. After all the jars are open, hit
Robotnik's ship and you've won. Be relieved that this and no other bonus round has death slides.

Lava Powerhouse: A large Robotnik head moves back and forth. You've got to hit it from below
and hit each tooth 3-4 times. to get bonus points, hit the three targets above the head, the top of
the head and open spaces. Smash all the teeth to beat this round.

The Machine: Six chickens are marching around a machine that imprisons some of your animal
friends. Hit them enough times to destroy them and get bonus points, and open up the machine.
After hitting it enough times it'll explode and you've won.

Showdown: None

BOSSES

Toxic Caves: Scorpius

Getting there: Enter the mine car room and some rocks will have cleared allowing you to enter. 

Once you enter you cannot die (except for running out of time) or go back to the rest of the level,
as if you fall through the flippers or into a death chute you'll just be bounced back up by one of
those pods. First shoot up onto one of the platforms at the top, by either shooting up the side or
landing in the sink hole at the center. If you shoot up the sides you must time it so you don't hit
an acid drop.

Once on the top jump down under Scorpius's tail and press nothing and you'll bounce around in
there until the tail is destroyed. Then jump on the body four times to destroy it, avoiding the top
sinkhole that takes you back to the bottom. You should have no trouble at all.

Lava Powerhouse: Roboiler

Getting there: Enter one of the upper steam arena's pipes by bouncing off a cluck.

I hate this boss. That's because if you fall between the flippers you'll go through a pipe to a lower
area where you'll die (if you can survive, e-mail me, it'll save me a LOT of frustration). Your
first goal is to activate the safety plugs, so that if you fall down a death chute you'll go back to
the steam arena instead of the death pipe. The two drop targets are located on the bottom of the
boiler. Once hit they stay closed forever, even if you die.

Once that's done you can go about beating this boss. To do that shoot up one of the side channels 
and land on the platform. When the steam turns off, jump inside and go about hitting the four
Robo-heads. You can also enter by shooting through the small opening at the bottom once the
bottom head is destroyed, but that's tougher. This is largely a matter of luck - sometimes you'll
land on a platform only to be drained out to the bottom, or lose three lives trying to activate those
drain plugs, or jump into the boiler only to bounce back out after one hit. On the other hand, you
might be bouncing around those heads like crazy and smash them up in style. You can only
destroy one head per shot, and also a red ferron at the bottom will try to make trouble for you.
You'll beat this boss after beating all the Robo-heads.

The Machine: Vego-Machine

Getting there: On the left or right shaft, get on the moving platform at the very top, jump up to an
extreme upper area and you'll find two badniks. Destroy the first one you see.

This evil machine turns animals into robots, and you've got to stop it. If you fall past the flippers
and land in the center you'll bounce back in, but if you fall down the left you'll go to the animal
prison or the right the right shaft. To avoid that hit the two green targets to activate an electric
surge that automatically takes you to the center. It shorts out after one use, though.

To beat it, first aim for the sides, hit the electric field to bounce up to the tube that feeds animals
into the machine. Each of the two tubes take eight hits to destroy, but if you hit the right spot on
the field you might just destroy them really quickly and easily. After destroying both aim for the
very center to bounce into the core, flashing blue and white. If you're unlucky you'll bounce back
out. If you're lucky you'll be able to bounce in long enough to destroy it in one shot. Hold left or
right to stay in longer.

Showdown: Robotnik's Ship

Getting there: There's three ways.

1. Use the falling bombs in the very center to bounce up to the hook between the two rockets.
2. Use either the pairs of flippers on each side of the top area between two drop targets each to
bounce toward the center, or alternatively use the hook to the outside of them to make a flipper
appear - flip upward. Try following arrows. You'll land in a small shaft that take you up onto the
wings of Robotnik's ship. Spin dash and hit the window three times.
3. Get on one of the two platforms with a small ramp leading upward toward the center. Spin
dash and press C to build up power. Then spin dash up and grab the hook, then jump onto the
open door and spin dash in (after charging up well).

Once inside, you first need to hit the button at the very center of the room five times. It's not too
hard once you have practice. Then shoot up the side channel and you'll hit Robotnik. Keep doing
so until the status bar says Smell My Socks. Then you've got to hit the button five times again.
There's no way to tell how many times it's been hit so you've got to count. If you shoot up the
side channel prematurely, either:

1. A mechanical hand will drop you down a death chute.
2. A sock will slam you against a window.

If you fall down a death channel hold toward the outside and you'll land next to a door. Charge
up a spin dash and fly back in. If you don't do this or fall between the flippers you'll be drained
out and land in the bomb area. If a sock grabs you you'll crack the window... after three hits
you'll fly out. If that happens when and if you get back, the window will be replaced. After ten
bashes, that's the end. And trust me, you'll be very, very glad. Crummy ending, though.
GREAT JOB!!!