Sonic & Knuckles/Special stages

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This is the Master Emerald Altar in the Hidden Palace Zone. As Super Emeralds are acquired, the other emeralds in the room begin to glow.

In the combined version, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, these are accessed by entering the Hidden Palace Zone through the Special Rings. As Emeralds are acquired, they light up at the altar. Once the collection of the Super Emeralds has begun, the ordinary Chaos Emeralds can no longer be used to become Super Sonic or Super Knuckles. After all 14 Emeralds have been collected, Hyper Knuckles, Hyper Sonic, and Super Tails become available.

[edit] Game Screen

	This counter in the top right corner shows how many rings have been collected. If you collect: 50 rings, you get a continue. 100 rings, you get an extra life. all the rings for one stage, you get a Perfect, which is worth 50'000 points.
	This counter in the top left corner shows how many blue spheres are remaining.

[edit] Items

	You must collect all of these to get the chaos emerald. When you touch them they turn red.
	If you touch any of these you lose.
	You bounce off these making you go backwards. Just press up to go forward again.

[edit] Making Rings

Groups of blue spheres can be turned into rings by going around the outside of them.

[edit] Example 1

1. 2. 3.

There must be at least 1 blue sphere in the center.

[edit] Example 2

1. 2. 3.

Notice how only the spheres in the outline and the center turn into rings.

[edit] Example 3

1. 2. 3.

[edit] Stage Maps

Click on an image to view a larger version.

Blue Spheres: 67 Rings: 61	Blue Spheres: 37 Rings: 54	Blue Spheres: 72 Rings: 64	Blue Spheres: 155 Rings: 64
Blue Spheres: 54 Rings: 68	Blue Spheres: 64 Rings: 144	Blue Spheres: 71 Rings: 58	Blue Spheres: 48 Rings: 64