Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)/Sky High Zone

Select controller:

Master System/Game Gear, Wii

Act One

Glide to the finish!

This is a pretty straightforward level. Run to the right across the bridge, but be quick, as it disappears behind you. You can avoid this by jumping over it. Keep going right, but be careful, as there is a pit of spikes nearby, followed soon after by another. To safely clear both, jump across the first, but just before you land, release so you stop on the spot. Then, get a good run-up and clear the second. Break the Super Ring Monitor for 10 extra Rings. Go right and jump up on the spring. If you want an extra life, keep going right and clear another pit of spikes, then break the Sonic Monitor, go back to the left, and jump on the spring. Hold to reach a platform above you with a spring to Sonic’s right. Walk into the spring, and as soon as you hit it, hold down until you hit another spring. Keep held until Sonic grinds to a halt. You can now go either left or right, following a series of springs to the top of the level, to the right. The right route is preferred, as it is easier to judge how long to hold in order to reach the highest platform this way, but be careful, as a Game-game Badnik is not far away.

At the top is an Invincibility Monitor. Break it, and continue right to your first encounter with the hang-glider, at the bottom of the hill. However, if you aren’t sure how to control the hang-glider, stop before you reach it, and read on. It can be easy to fall into the vast emptiness below on your first attempt, if you, by instinct, keep held as you run off the ground. This causes Sonic to point the nose of the glider down, making him fall at a high speed. The hang-glider is the most difficult “vehicle” to control in the game for a beginner, but is not so bad once you get used to it. To clear the abyss, press pull as soon as you are in the air, then release it. This will make Sonic rise just enough to fly to the finish, if you press pull again about once every second. (Complete controls for the hang-glider are here.) If you do it right, you should hit the eastern edge of the level before you land. This will force Sonic to fall, and the finish panel should be just to the left of where he lands.

Act Two

The hang-glider at the start is important...

Arguably one of the most difficult Chaos Emeralds to obtain in the entire game is hidden in this level. Begin the level by running left to the edge of the level. Next, run right and jump up to grab the hang-glider. As always, press pull as soon as you grab it, in order to take flight correctly. You have to keep airborne as long as possible, using every technique you need to keep as high as possible. This may include pressing pulling sooner than usual after you let go, and catching the many breezes that blow as you fly. Make sure that the hang-glider’s nose is pointing upwards when you fly into the breezes. However, be very careful, as you will meet a Game-game and Meleon along the way. It may take several attempts to perfect this, but eventually, among the clouds in the far-right of the level, is this Zone’s Chaos Emerald. As soon as you grab it, press pull to fall to the “ground”. Run right and grab the hang-glider, remembering to pull press pull as soon as you run off the cloud. The end of the level is a basic flight to the finish panel.

If you want to get this Act’s Chaos Emerald.

Act Three

The first part of the battle.

The Boss Act, as ever, has no rings, so be extra careful to avoid being hit. Run right up the hill. Jump across the two abysses, being wary of the Game-game waiting on the central platform. Keep running right until you reach the clouds, and stand on the centre of the cloud platform. Four small bird-like Badniks, Mecha Chicks will appear, and begin jumping about. Simply jump on these to defeat them. Four more will appear. Defeat these, and you will drop down to a lower level, the next part of the boss battle. Below are the four nests, which produce the Mecha Chicks. Destroy all four (begin with the left two, as they don’t produce any Mecha Chicks at first), and any Mecha Chicks that they make, and the parent, Goose Mecha, will appear. It attacks by spitting energy balls at you, which home in at Sonic as they travel right, but luckily, they cannot move left. Attack the Goose Mecha nine times to defeat it. Be careful when jumping on it, as you will rebound off, leaving you prone to energy balls or the Mecha flying into you. When the Boss is defeated, go right and break the capsule that appears to complete the Zone.

The Goose Mecha rises.