Subj: UPDATED AGAIN - Sonic The Hedgehog (Game Gear/Master System) FAQ Date: Monday 2 April 2001 13:20:54 From: To: submissions@gamefaqs.com SONIC THE HEDGEHOG For the Master System/Game Gear FAQ by GavLuvsGA@aol.com Copyright notice: The contents of this FAQ are the property of the author. Copying of any part of this without including my name is basically not allowed. Additional note: Some people seem to assume that just because I have written a FAQ for a game on one system (even if I don't have a FAQ on it) I have that game for another system. I do have this game on the Mega Drive (probably the only other version), but please do not start assuming I have all sorts of other games/versions. Other Sonic (and Sonic - related) Games I do have are: Sonic 1 (Mega Drive)*, Sonic 2 (Mega Drive), Sonic 2 (Game Gear/Master System)*, Sonic 3 (Mega Drive), Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive)*, Sonic 3D (Mega Drive), Sonic Blast (Game Gear). Please do not approach me regarding any other Sonic games. I have written FAQs for all the games that are marked with an asterisk. Version 4: 2 - 4 - 01 Revision history: Version 4 - Spill chequed it! Version 3 - Added note about Scrap Brain Zone emerald Version 2 - Not much added really, but extra bit regarding chaos emeralds. Contents 1 The Story 2 Items 3 The sign 4 Baddies 5 Levels 6 How to beat Robotnik 7 Bonus stages 8 1 up locations 9 Chaos Emerald locations 1 The Story I'm sure you all know it; Dr. Robotnik has taken over the planet Mobius and is turning animals into robots. This version is similar to the mega drive version, but not quite as good as the first few levels are very similar to eachother. Each level has a chaos emerald hidden on. Unlike Sonic 2, you can complete the game without them, but having them is more satisfying. I have included a separate section for them at the end. 2 Items Rings Pick these up and you'll get one hit point. If you get 100, you'll get an extra life, but the counter will go back to zero, i.e. you lose the rings. Also, being hit causes you to lose ALL of your rings and there's nothing you can do about it. Chaos Emeralds There is one on each zone; most are in act 2, but not always. Item Boxes These look like TV sets and can include: Restart Points Most acts have one of these. They have an arrow on the box. Break it open to restart from that point. Rings You get ten rings Sonic You get an extra life Shield You get an extra hit point; if you get hit, you'll lose the shield, but not your rings. Getting two shields does not get you two extra hit points. They'll count as one. 3 The sign At the end of each act (apart from boss levels) there is a sign. Run past it and one of the following will appear. Robotnik: This is the most common. You get nothing whatsoever! Exclamation Mark This appears if you have 50 rings or more. You get to go into the special stage (unless you're on one of the last two levels). Ring This will only appear if you have a ring total divisible by 10, AND you're not going into the special stage. You get 10 rings. Sonic If you lost a life during a level, and you're not eligible for the special stage, this is likely to appear. You get an extra life. 4 Baddies Crabmeat (Green Hill Zone, Bridge Zone, Jungle Zone) This is fairly easy to kill, as long as you avoid the bullets he fires from his claws. Buzz Bomber (Green Hill Zone, Bridge Zone) Flies overhead and tries to shoot you. Chopper (Bridge Zone, Jungle Zone) Jumps up from under bridges to snap at you. Spikes (Bridge Zone) This is dangerous; spin attack this bad guy, by running and pressing down. Don't touch the spikes on his shell! Chop Chop (Labyrinth Zone) Just swims through the water. These fish are easy to kill (I think they appear on this version). Orbinaut (Labyrinth Zone, Sky Base Zone) This bad guy is guarded by four spike balls. The ones in the labyrinth zone throw theirs, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The other don't, so avoid them. Caterkiller (Scrap Brain Zone) Be careful only to hit this bad guy's head, and not the spikes on his back! Ballhog (Scrap Brain Zone) These pigs have plenty of ammunition, but are easy to kill as you approach them from above. There are only six in the entire game! Bomb Bot (Sky Base Zone) Go near these and they'll explode, firing shrapnel into the air. When they begin to do so, quickly run out of the way. 5 Levels Important note: There are no cheats for this version, and there is no level select; I've had people accusing me of saying there is one for this game, but there isn't. Level 1: Green Hill Zone This is fairly simple, with the same music, incidentally, as the mega drive version. Whenever you see a sign with a ! on it, it means you're coming to a pit so watch out. There's one at the beginning of act 2, warning you of the hidden hole (which you have to jump down anyway.) Other than that, its a fairly straightforward level. Level 2: Bridge Zone Perhaps the most boring zone in the game. All you do is cross a bridge. There is very little upward or downward scrolling. Fall off the bridge and you die and beware as some of the bridge boards collapse under your feet. The scales - like contraptions are used to catapult Sonic over some gaps and up cliffs; stand on the left side and the weight will fly up into the air. When it lands, you will go flying. Act 2 scrolls along by itself so be careful. Don't get too near to the right of the screen so you can see what's coming. Unlike on Asterix, the back of the screen doesn't kill you, it merely pushes you. When you reach the scales, try and catapult yourself up the cliff as there is a restart point there. This is the only way it can be reached. Level 3: Jungle Zone This is like a mixture of the previous two zones. Watch out for the spikes carved into the rocks. The best features here are the log rolling sections. Jump on the log (well, you can only see the end of it...) and push left or right to move across the water. Act two goes vertically upwards and its advisable to try and have a shield as you exit (there's one available). I recommend you don't activate the restart point so if you die you can go back and get the shield again (its before the restart point). Also, be careful of the last item box. It has a horizonal spring behind it which could catapult you down to the floor again. Level 4: Labyrinth Zone While the Mega Drive version of this had me frustrated for ages, this version is fairly simple. Most Sonic games have a main "water stage" and this is it. If you stay under water for a certain amount of time a countdown will begin from 5 and when it reaches zero, you drown. Grab the bubbles that are located along the way. Be careful of the platforms that rise. Jump off them as soon as you can or you'll be impaled on a bed of spikes! You have to fight Robotnik underwater too, but - curiously - you cannot drown on the last act! Level 5: Scrap Brain Zone Wow! This is MUCH easier than the Mega Drive Version. Act 1 is the shortest act in the game. Act 2 is more complex, with several teleports. To get past this section, go along to the point where the path forks (just after you enter the factory) and go down and through the door. Go down the passage, killing the ballhogs and jump over the gap at the bottom. Jump in the teleport and then go left. You will be in - between two gates; the one on the left is closed and the one on the right open. Run right and step on the switch; the right door will close, and the left one will open. Run right and down, and make your way over the gaps with the flame throwers above and you will find yourself at the fork in the path. Go down again and kill the ballhogs, which will have come back to life. Get back to the doors and continue to the left and make your way to the exit. Be warned, however, that you automatically restart at the point where you entered the factory when you die and cannot leave. There are no rings in this section! Act three has no boss; simply make your way through the maze and get to the top. The only hazards are the bottomless pits at the start (ironically, this is the only act 3 where you get rings!) Level 6: Sky Base Zone Act 1 shouldn't be too much of a problem. Two things to watch out for, however, are the electrodes, which conduct electricity through them during each lightning flash (which takes place every few seconds). Either get out of the way or duck to avoid the bolts that appear all over the screen. Also, be careful when using the propellor platforms. They only move when you do, and at one point there is a bolt that intermittently appears directly in its path. Simply jump up and down and the platform will stop. When the bolt goes, get past quick. Acts 2 and 3 take place on an airship and NEITHER contain rings, or shields. The former is particularly hard as you are being shot at from all angles. It is very hard to avoid taking a hit. 6 How To Beat Robotnik Be warned! Robotnik turns up on act 3 of all zones, although you don't fight him on level 5. There are no rings on these levels! If you can, come equipped with a shield. Robotnik takes eight hits to kill each time. After beating him, run right and break open the prison egg (except for the last two levels, where these don't exist...) Green Hill Zone This is really easy. He hovers overhead and after a while, goes down to ground level and tries to ram you. However, you can hit him while he's in the air and can easily finish him off before he gets to this stage! Bridge Zone Stand in the middle and Robotnik will appear from under the bridge, on either side. Wait a few seconds and jump as he is about to fire at you and you'll land on his head. Jungle Zone This can be really annoying. Get up to the top of the level and you'll be on a curved vine, which goes up at either side. Don't fall off or you'll die. When Robotnik appears, try and get some hits in, then get out of the way. He'll drop a bomb and it will begin to roll back and forth before exploding. When you can, hit Robotnik. When it explodes, he'll drop another. Labyrinth Zone Robotnik appears from the hole in the middle; don't try to hit him, but avoid the bullets he fires. He will then appear over your head. Hit him, then leap over the gap and avoid the torpedo he shoots. He does this again, in mirror image, before repeating the sequence. Scrap Brain Zone Just chase him and he'll escape on a moving platform. Jump on it when it returns and be transported to the next zone! Sky Base Zone This is disappointing! Robotnik has three pads on the floor, and one will spew flames every few seconds. It's always in the same sequence (left, right, centre). When you can, run up and hit him behind his screen. Also avoid the white homing missiles from the ceiling. When you've beaten him, follow him to the teleporter and jump in after him. You'll both be warped to the Green Hill Zone where you'll automatically finish him off! 7 Bonus Stages There are four of these, but if done properly, you will visit each twice. You will have two minutes the first time and one the second time. Each has a continue box in. If you get to the sign at the end, all the rings you collected will be multiplied by 1000 to give a points score; also for each additional stage you go in, the figure goes up by 1000, so if you get into all the stages and complete them, you will get your ring total multiplied by 8000 the last time. You will screw this up however, if you fail to finish, or you miss a stage. The only way you can get it is by entering all the bonus stages and completing them. Most have 1 ups too; the 4th/8th stage has FOUR, but it only lets you take one! 8 1 - up locations Each act has a 1 - up hidden on it, but you can only get it once, unlike some games (i.e. when you die it won't appear again). Green Hill Zone Act 1 After the first pit of spikes, count two trees (near to the restart point) and jump into the second; a 1 up will fall out. Act 2 When you fall into the cave, drop right down and go left through a false wall to get to the TV set. Act 3 Jump over the spikes, then fall down the next hole and there's a 1 up there. Bridge Zone Act 1 Use the second scales to get up to a high ledge with a 1 up on. Act 2 This is - for once - in plain sight, floating in the water. Jump to get it and you should bounce out onto the bridge. Act 3 Run to your left from the start point and get it. Jungle Zone Act 1 This is also obvious, above the first waterfall. It shouldn't be a problem. Act 2 About half way up, cross over a platform, avoiding the spikes and drop down to the right to get it. Act 3 Run right and jump into the water. You should land on the box. Labyrinth Zone Act 1 At the end of the level is a box with a ring on it. DON'T GET IT! Run left and press the switch. The box will become a 1 up. Act 2 At one point (just after you go under the first time, I think) you will fall down a shaft and can go left or right; go left and roll along under the spikes to get the 1 up. Act 3 Use the spring and you will end up on a high platform. If you can avoid the spikes there's a 1 up at the end, but you are likely to lose more lives than you gain here if you're not careful. Scrap Brain Zone Act 1 Run along the first conveyor belt and catch up with the item box before it is carried off the end. Act 2 You can see it, but how do you get to it? After you see it, run right and go to the bottom door (leading to the ballhogs) and drop down the shaft; you will land in a corridor. Run left and use the teleporter. Run right and the 1 up will be infront of you. Act 3 Make your way to the top right hand corner of the maze and drop down the shaft to the bottom to claim the life. Sky Base Zone Act 1 After the second propellor platform, go down a series of levels to the item box. Act 2 Instead of taking the obvious route, which is difficult (especially the section where you run along the corridor with the Bomb Bot in and the spikes chasing you!), drop down to the left. You will land on a propellor platform. Ride it until you see another ladder. At the top is a 1 up. Act 3 I think this one only appears if you made it through act 2 without dying; it will be right infront of you when you start the act - you can't miss it! 9 Chaos Emerald Locations Note: I hate to tell you all this, but I thought I'd have to mention it anyway, but you *CANNOT* go Supersonic from collecting all the emeralds on this version (which only has six anyway), or Sonic 1 on the Genesis, or Sonic 2 on the Game Gear/Master System. I'm only saying this because I get lots of e-mail asking me this. Here they just ad to your final score (about 50, 000 pts per emerald). Green Hill Zone (Act 2) After you reach the restart point, run into the cave and don't spring up to the top passage, Don't use the spring that leads up to the top, but go on and drop down at the end to a chamber with the emerald in. Bridge Zone (Act 1) This is in plain sight, but hard to get; stand on the first tile of the last bridge and it will drop down. Jump off to the ledge with the emerald on. Jungle Zone (Act 1) At one point you drop down using a log platform to a series of waterfalls. There is a log on the left in the water. Jump on it and roll it left until you come to a platform with the chaos emerald on. Labyrinth Zone (Act 2) This is easy! I won't even tell you where it is as you can't possibly miss it. Scrap Brain Zone (Act 2) After you kill the ballhogs, run right and go into the teleporter. Go down, trip the switch as usual and go down again. When you reach the first shaft with a flame thrower, fall down it. This leads to a teleporter (the other two are bottomless). The teleporter takes you to the emerald. NOTE: If you die after tripping the switch, you will restart at the fork in the path. To get the emerald this time, do not go down, as the gates will still be the same after you switched them, forcing you to go left. Instead, head up and jump over the first two shafts, then down the third. After that, complete the level as normal Sky Base Zone (Act 2) Get the 1 up, then continue flying on the propellor platform, jumping onto the new ones when you see them. Avoid the missiles (its really easy) and jump on a platform that moves up and down. At the top, jump over the giant screw (I think it kills you if you touch it) and claim the final chaos emerald. If you think there is anything missing here, e- mail GavLuvsGA@aol.com. But PLEASE only write about problems regarding the game. Also, please note that there is NO level select cheat for this game, although other people have said there is. I am fed up with people approaching me via e - mail to ask for an explanation.