The introductory level to any video game is always crucial for scene-setting, and the games in the series are no exception. We’ve spent the last few decades following our prickly blue friend as he rolls, jumps, and attacks his way through dozens of levels, taking place in different areas called Zones. Eac💃h Sonic game is rife with new scenery for you to enjoy as you power through the courses to stop whatever danger threatens the world (typica🐻lly Robotnik, in some way).
But not all first Zones have been created equal, and every longtime Sonic fan is bound to have chosen a favorite Zone or two as they've progressed through many first stages across the series. We wanted to take a look back at some of the most stand-out introductory Zones from all the mainline Sonic games and give credit where credit is due.
9 🍃 Windy Hill (Sonic Lost Wo꧒rld)
Whe🀅n Eggman blasts off the wing of the Tornado and causes Sonic and Tails to plummet from the sky, they find themselves in the Windy Hill Zone. It ought to look somewhat familiar to fans of the series, with its abundant greenery and iconic checkerboard soil.
There are a number of different pathways in this Zone, and which you take will depend on what you’re looking for. If speed is the name of your game, then there are ample chances to have at it and go fast. If you’re looking for Red Star 🌟Rings in the level, you can do that as well. In the 3DS version, players can find Green Material here if they finish the level quickꦆly enough.
8 Wave Ocean (Sonic The Hedgehog 2006) ♌
Wii-based fans of the series had to give Sonic ’06 a miss due to hardware incompatibilities, which is unfortunate because Wave Ocean was a solid first Zone. It’s a beach resort on the outskirts of the capital city of Soleanna, and while it's Sonic’s first stage, you'll revisit it when playing as Shadow and Rouge, and also when series newcomer Silver sends in Blaze the Cat.
But they're not the only ones - don't forget about Tails, who 168澳洲幸🐎运5开奖网:has his own shot at running Sonic’s෴ course later in the game, too. He’s helpful in Sonic’s level, closing the gate for the protagonist so that ෴the orca doesn’t go into open water, but yoꩵu’ll be able to enjoy the stage as him later on as well.
7 City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2 ✱- Hero Story)
Since this is a Sonic game and Sonic is the hero, we felt it most fitting to look at the Hero Story starting spot for this game, which is City Escape. If you're playing the Dark Story, you'll start at the Iron Gate instead, playing with the villainous characters - including Knuckles, who's sometimes on your side, and sometimes not, depending on the game.
While in Central City, the capital of the United Federation, Sonic is blamed after Knuckles sneaks into the Federal Reserve Bank and steals the Chaos Emeralds. Your introduction to the game consistღs of running from a G.U.🌌N. Helicopter, meeting Omochao, fighting waves of enemies, and darting your way through high-speed pursuits.
6 Tropical Resort (Sonic Colors)🎶
We really hope you’re prepared to start the game when you launch Sonic Col﷽ors, because you’re immediately thrown into the Tropical Resort, the hotel section of Eggman’s Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park.
Tails tries to tell Sonic to unwind and have fun for once, bu♌t the hero sees Orbot and Cubot harassing and trying to capture the White and Cyan Wisps. You’ll get the Cyan Laser Color Power for a moment as the Cyan Wisp gets into Sonic, and Yacker, the White Wisp, is the one to tell you the plotline of the game after you’ve saved them in this colorful, fast-paced Zoౠne.
5 Seaside Hill 🐼(Sonic Heroes)
While Sonic Heroes follows four totally separate teams of characters as they fight on through their own storyline, every group will come through the Seaside Hill Zone at some point dﷺuring their adventure. Teams Sonic and Dark begin here to go for the whale island, Team Rose heads for the other ⛎side of the sea, and Team Chaotix is here trying to find hermit crabs to prove that their detective skills are up to standard.
It's a tropical, picturesque area with islands in the shape of whales off the coast, featuring various sea ruins that imply the history of an ancient civilization. Fun fact: you'll see the Zone again in Sonic Generations, where it’s been drained of color in White Space.
4 Mushroom Hill Zone (Sonic And Knuckle𝐆s, Sonic Origins)
This one might be the most aptly named of all the Zones, because in Sonic and Knuckes, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:as well as Sonic Origins, there sure are a lot of mushrooms here. Some are small enough to๊ be background set pieces, while others are unmissable, standing the size of buildings. Many of them are how you&rs𝓡quo;ll traverse the level, using them as springs and platforms.
While you start the game off here as Sonic, you&rsq🎉uo;ll be able to go back and play it as Knuckles, too. We see him sneak off at the beginning while playing as Sonic and try to pursue him, taking on Hey Ho in the process. Mushroom Hill is fun, fast, and colorful – just what we want from a Sonic Zone.
3 Angel Islan꧂d Zone (Sonic The Hedgehog 3) 🤪
The lush jungle on the coast of the Floating Island, spotted with🌺 exotic plants and waterfalls before the Fire Breaths use their bombs to set the landscape abl🐟aze, Angel Island is a strong starting point for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. After enduring a cheap shot from Knuckles, who then steals your Chaos Emeralds, Sonic begins his trek through this slower-paced tutorial level.
This is another one that features multiple paths and alternate routes, with the top section hosting the most paths, while the bottom has the most straightforward selection of enemies with fewer secrets to distract you if a beat-‘em-up is what you’re after. When you play it again later as Knuckles, you’ll be unable to take the same path as before due to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Knuckles’ inequal jump height, forcing players to take a hidd✨ꦉen path designed especially for the echidna and keeping the level feeling fresh even on a second visit.
2 🐲 Emerald Hill Zone (Sonic The Hedgehog 2)
On the shores of West Side Isla♕nd lies one of the most beloved Zones in the Sonic series: Emerald Hill. It’s the starting point for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which sought not only to improve upon the first game, but also introduced Tails as Sonic’s signature player-two character.
You’ll find two paths in this Zone when you first begin, but both lead you to the same spot. The upper one ꦕis longer with more rings, enemies, and options for deviation, with the lower one being a more straightforward path. Set against vibrant greenery with rich waterfalไls and natural elements, Emerald Hill was a standout for a reason, both aesthetically and in terms of gameplay.
1 Green Hill Zone (Too Many Sonic Games To List) ꩵ 🍨
While the other Zones on our list are wonderful in their own ways, ther✤e’s none even almost as iconic as the very first. Debuting as the introductory level to the very first Sonic the Hedgehog game in 1991, it’s re𓆉turned a number of times since then – with a whopping 23 appearances, according to the Wiki. It’s been heralded by gamers over the last three decades as “one of the most famous and iconic video game levels of all time.”
It was here that players were introduced to elements 🧸that’d become Sonic staples: backgrounds composed of dense greenery against the expansive blue sky, sprouting from the signature checkerboard-pattern dirt. Not only is the level itself straightforward and fun in terms of tutorials, but the visuals were immediately cemented into the minds of fans, and no other Zone has established quite the same legacy since.