The next zone is comprised of two parts, each with one act. You start off by entering Eggman's base with Egg Rocket. You're finally closing in on Eggman, and with only one more Chaos Emerald to go!
Egg Rocket[edit]
It doesn't matter which route you take here; the Chaos Emerald is hidden in the next area. Your only goal here is to get to the signpost and complete the act. With no boss lurking at the end, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge.
Springs (and the occasional flipper) will help guide you on your path to the goal, whether you're racing across factory floors or against sunset skies. As with all other stages, moving platforms are scattered all over. Unlike the last zone, not many gimmicks make a comeback here. Instead, Egg Rocket sticks to the simple downward slopes and spike traps. Watch out for lasers or moles popping out of the ground on your way through the Egg Rocket; though the variety of badniks isn't very big here, they're still all over the place. If you take the right route, though, you'll find a new gimmick here; making a comeback from Sonic 2 is the wall flippers. Get higher by bouncing from wall to wall. Another new gimmick would be double-sided barrels; clear on one side, spikes on the other toward the end of the zone. Additionally, whirling rotors help you reach higher areas in the rocket.
Eventually, the ship will begin to fall apart. This happens once again later on, and the hero has no choice but to race higher and higher to the top of the rocket. When you see the sky turn black, prepare for some zero-gravity drops. Your hero will end up walking on the ceiling. By the time you reach the end of the act, the gravity levels will have returned to normal and you can use the spring to hop into the chute which concludes the act.
Cosmic Angel[edit]
This time, you'll have to keep your eyes open for the Special Stage. Once you've passed the first Point Marker, walk into the spring on the wall to be sent on a trip of springs. When you're rolling up a hill, use the momentum you've gained to reach a spring on the left wall and catapult yourself to the landing on the right.
Past the conveyer belts will be the last Special Spring of the game, leading into the final Special Stage. Complete the Special Stage successfully to obtain the seventh Chaos Emerald and secure a good ending for yourself. The two total ring goals, 100 and 200, make this one the most challenging yet. At this point, missing a Trick Ring would be fatal. Get through the rest of the act to be sent right onto the zone's boss.
This time, Eggman hangs from a chain; the chain that you'll be fighting the battle on, that is. He's in a sphere which he rotates two ways: up and down. When he's upside-down, the spikes under him will be facing you as he moves along the chain. You'll want to attack him when he's right side-up. It's your job to bring about his change in position. The chain will shake when you jump up and down on it. Bring this impact close to Eggman and he'll be forced to make himself vulnerable. After a few hits, he'll start shooting some orbs of strange energy at you. At one point, he'll even start racing around the chain in an attempt to trip you up. Avoid these obstacles and continue the attack to defeat him. You'll then drop down to the ground below with him. Instead of freeing animals, this time around, the hero simply continues the pursuit against Eggman into the final zone.