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Sonic Mania
Green Hill Zone
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Green Hill Zone
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Welcome to Green Hill Zone as you've never seen it before! Explore the vistas, ziplines, and tropical pools of the newly-revealed Act 2.


— Description, Sonic Mania trailer[2]

Green Hill Zone (グリーンヒルゾーン Gurīn Hiru Zōn?) is the first Zone of the Mania Mode of Sonic Mania and Sonic Mania Plus, and the second Zone in the Encore Mode of Sonic Mania Plus. It serves as a re-imagination of Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Mega Drive.

Green Hill Zone is a tropical area located on South Island. As with most other Zones in Sonic Mania and Sonic Mania Plus, Green Hill Zone is composed of two Acts, with a boss fight at the end of both.

Description[]

In Act 1, Green Hill Zone is a slightly modified version of its counterpart's first three Acts from the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Presented as a tropical area taking place underneath a clean, light blue sky with white clouds, it is full of moving flowers that take the appearance of either sun flowers or lavender flowers. Also decorating this area are thin, tall palm trees, lavender stones, and totem poles. The soil is brown and has a checkered pattern on it, and is covered by lime grass with slightly darker lines on it. In the background, a clean, blue lake is seen in front of some short and spiky mountains with waterfalls coming out of them. The foreground also features one wooden bridge after another. Also, underneath this area, there is a series of brown caves that are slightly flooded with water and features visible stone stalactites and stalagmites. These underground areas are not very dark, as a lot of sunlight shines into them. The Act itself also ends in a cave with a beautiful subterranean lake in the background and small rock formations. This Act mainly consists of hills that are varying degrees of steep, and hills of varying heights, often leading to higher sections in the Act.

In Act 2, the foreground is pretty much the same. However, the mountains in the background are now much closer and smoother, with numerous visible waterfalls and caves underneath them, pointy mountaintops, and totems in front of them. This section of the Zone also has very tall areas, which are connected to each other by ziplines and wooden bridges. The lower areas of the Act are set in caves that are more complex than those in Act 1. These caves have rocky floors with smaller vegetation and rock formations, but are otherwise no different from those seen in Act 1. There are as well new models of totems in these depths, albeit larger, but otherwise following the same patterns as the smaller ones. Also, at the bottom of Act 2, there are subterranean lakes.

In Encore Mode, Green Hill Zone looks similar as in Mania Mode, except that it has an orange sky and almost all of the area exhibits a strong yellowish hue matching the sky.

Story[]

Mania Mode[]

Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are all transported to Green Hill Zone by the Hard Boiled Heavies after an attempt to stop them from using the Phantom Ruby the robots excavated on Angel Island. After racing through the Zone, and overcoming the DD Wrecker along the way, they are eventually met by Dr. Eggman in his Death Egg Robot mech. The trio manages to defeat him though, and follow him into the hole he fell into upon his defeat. There, they see Eggman take the Phantom Ruby from the Hard Boiled Heavies after they refuse to obey him and hand over the Ruby. With the Hard Boiled Heavies having fled the scene, the evil doctor uses the Ruby to transport the trio to Chemical Plant Zone.

Encore Mode[]

Having lost the Phantom Ruby to the Hard Boiled Heavies, Sonic and Mighty/Ray find themselves transported to Green Hill Zone with the Hard Boiled Heavies by the Ruby's power after the Heavy King used it to resurrect himself and his associates. Upon their arrival, the newly-restored Hard Boiled Heavies flee with the Phantom Ruby, leaving Sonic and his partner to chase after them. Along the way, Sonic and his partner reunite with their allies, who join them on their adventure.

A while after overcoming the DD Wrecker, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty and Ray get attacked by Dr. Eggman, who is armed with his Death Egg Robot. Defeating Eggman nonetheless, Sonic and his crew follow the doctor into the hole he fell into upon his defeat. On the bottom of that hole, they find Eggman taking the Phantom Ruby from the Hard Boiled Heavies after they (again) refuse to obey him and hand over the Ruby. The heroes are then sent to Chemical Plant Zone by Eggman when he uses the Phantom Ruby, after the Hard Boiled Heavies have fled.

Gameplay[]

Most of the gimmicks in Green Hill Zone (especially in Act 1) are taken from its counterpart from the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Common elements in the Zone are rocks that can be pushed aside to reveal secrets. Another returning gimmick is the rotating spiky bridge which the player need to cross carefully. These spiky bridges can be burned if the playable character is wearing the Fire Shield. The new pathways in Act 1 also introduce floating, moving platforms with Springs on them and shallow underwater areas with no Air Bubbles in them that are infested with Choppers and Crabmeats. Act 2 makes more use of the new gimmicks than Act 1. It also introduces ziplines which are an easy way to travel between high areas. There are also many walls that can only be broken by Knuckles, although some of them can also be destroyed by the Fireball Spin Dash.

Many edges on some of the hills also crumble apart when stepped on, so the player must be careful. There are also hidden chambers that can sometimes be found inside walls. Some of the entrances to these chambers are blocked by stones that can be moved. There are also floating platforms that can move or collapse when the playable character makes contact with them. In addition to them are also swinging platforms. In the lower sections of this Zone are also rising, vertical platforms, which mainly allow one to move across spike pits. In some sections in the caves though, they serve as additional hills.

Across the landscape are various loops from the original Zone, as well as tunnels. There are also corkscrew paths that appear in the upper section of the Zones. There are also often bridges leading over waterfalls, where the player has to watch out for Choppers that pop up from below.

In Act 2, flying wooden platforms have been added. Bodies of water are also more common here, even in the highest sections. In addition, all previous gameplay elements from Act 1 are kept.

Overview[]

Act 1[]

The first part of Green Hill Zone Act 1 is very similar to the first Act of the original Green Hill Zone until near what would have been the end. At that point, the Zone presents a couple of areas taken from Act 2. Many new pathways are introduced as well, both underground and in high points, which also make use of new obstacles. Eventually, the player will use a tunnel to be taken to a cave where the battle against the DD Wrecker begins.

If the player is playing as Knuckles in Mania Mode, Act 1 begins in a cave. Here, the player will have to take advantage of Knuckles' abilities to continue. Eventually, they will be taken to the surface of the Zone, where they will be able to continue the Act as with any other character.

In Encore Mode, Act 1 uses a similar layout, except that it starts on the surface for all characters. Some gimmicks are either modified, added or removed to make the Act slightly harder. Also, at the start of the Act, there is an area Mighty can burrow through with the Hammer Drop to gain access to where Knuckles would have started the Act in Mania Mode.

Act 2[]

Green Hill Zone Act 2 begins in the cave at the end of Act 1. After that, they will go to the surface, whose layout is similar to Act 3 of the original Green Hill Zone. After that, the Act will make heavy use of the gimmicks that were introduced in the new pathways of Act 1, as well as ziplines. Act 2 is divided into several different paths, the lower ones being slower and more dangerous, and the top ones having more items and being more open.

In Encore Mode, the level layout of Act 2 remains mostly the same, except that some parts have been slightly modified.

Bosses[]

Act 1[]

Main article: DD Wrecker
Sonic-Mania-Green-Hill-Zone-Boss

The DD Wrecker in Mania Mode, from Sonic Mania.

The boss of Green Hill Zone Act 1 is the DD Wrecker, a robot consisting of two mini Dr. Eggman-like satellites linked by a chain. This boss attacks by swinging around its satellites. During its attack patterns, either one of the satellites will heat up and become immune to damage. To defeat it, the player must attack its satellites. After destroying one satellite, the remaining one will bounce around until the player destroys it too.

Act 2[]

E3GHZ21

The Death Egg Robot in Mania Mode, from Sonic Mania.

The boss of Green Hill Zone Act 2 is the Death Egg Robot itself. When the boss fight begins, it will slam down into the ground, and then it starts chasing the player across the plains of Green Hill, occasionally launching out its claw or bombs. It takes eight hits to defeat, and it speeds up after the sixth hit. If the player takes too long to beat this boss, they will arrive at a cliff that ends with a bottomless pit.

Giant Ring locations[]

Mania Mode[]

Act 1[]

  1. As Knuckles, the player is able to enter a Giant Ring above the first climbing section.
  2. At the bottom of the Act, accessible by falling into a pit below the first loop as Sonic, Tails, Mighty or Ray; there is a hidden room with a Giant Ring above a water pond.
  3. Near the end of the Act, there is a Giant Ring right next to a crumbling platform that leads to the bottom of the Act.

Act 2[]

  1. At the very top of the Act, the player can enter a room with a Giant Ring near the first section with the ziplines.
  2. By following the lower path of the Act, the player can find a hidden room that has a Giant Ring. Its entrance to this room is below a Blue Shield Item Box.
  3. At the very top of the Act, right next to the end, there is a tunnel that leads to a circular room with the Giant Ring.

Encore Mode[]

Act 1[]

  1. By breaking through a breakable floor as Mighty, the player can enter a hidden section that resembles that of Knuckles in Mania Mode. Above the second water pond, the player must make their way through a series of platforms to end on a wooden bridge, on which they can move to the left and find a Giant Ring.
  2. By taking the very top path of the Act near the end, the player will find a room with a Giant Ring below a rock they can push to fall into the Giant Ring.

Act 2[]

  1. By burning the first spiked bridge using a Flame Shield (found where the first Giant Ring would be in Mania Mode's Act 2), the player can find a Giant Ring.
  2. A Giant Ring can be found in the same place the third Giant Ring can be found in Mania Mode, using the same method.

Trivia[]

  • This is the only Zone in Sonic Mania to originate from the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
  • Green Hill Zone features several references and Easter eggs:
    • The level layout of Green Hill Zone Act 1 is heavily reminiscent of the original first two Acts of the Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog, differing with slightly different objects, Badnik placements, and alternative pathways.
    • Green Hill Zone Act 1 makes use of pushable rocks like Angel Island Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
    • In Knuckles' Green Hill Zone Act 1, there are parts that are taken from Sonic the Hedgehog CD's Palmtree Panic.
    • The boss of Green Hill Zone Act 1 is seemingly based on the Egg Wrecker from the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
    • Green Hill Zone Act 1 and 2 features higher pathways with corkscrews like those in Emerald Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
    • Green Hill Zone Act 1 and 2 have hidden paths with rectangular windows, like those in Emerald Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
    • The inclusion of cavern sections on the lower paths in Green Hill Zone Act 1 and 2 is very similar to the previous version of the Zone seen in the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.
    • The moving platforms with Springs on top of them are similar to those from Quartz Quadrant in Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
    • Green Hill Zone Act 2's background is heavily inspired by the earliest takes on Green Hill Zone shown at the Sonic the Hedgehog Tokyo Toy Show 1990 Demo.
    • The area in which Sonic can find a 1-Up Monitor around the start of Act 2 is similar in layout to the beginning of Act 3 from the original game. The monitor is even placed where Sonic would have stood in the original.
    • Green Hill Zone Act 2's usage of the zipline gimmick is similar to the same level layout seen in Angel Island Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
    • A few sections of Green Hill Zone feature various wooden bridges connected to each other, resembling those in Emerald Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
    • The shallow pools of water on the lower pathways in Green Hill Zone Act 2 are similar to those seen in Angel Island Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
    • The breakable floor at the bottom of some of the loop-de-loops in Green Hill Zone Act 2 appear to be based on the same ones from Hill Top Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
    • The linked bridges in Green Hill Zone Act 2 may be a nod to the level layout of Bridge Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit).
    • The cavern areas filled with shallow water pools are similar to those seen in Green Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit).
    • The boss of Green Hill Zone Act 2 (the Death Egg Robot) is the same as the final boss in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
  • At the beginning of Sonic and/or Tails' Green Hill Zone Act 1, a glitch allows the player to travel into Knuckles' beginning segment of the said Act if they fall into pit at a certain spot next to a row of spikes. This has been fixed in the 1.03 update and falling into the pit now results into losing a life.
Ghz crumble

The crumbling platform in Act 2 with Choppers underneath it, from Sonic Mania.

  • There are fewer bottomless pits in this version of Green Hill Zone than in the original; in Act 1 especially, all of the pits from the Sonic the Hedgehog-inspired layouts have been replaced with either rows of spikes or simply new areas to explore, and even the new areas do not have any pits.
    • Above one of the pits seen later on in Act 2 is a unique crumbling platform. Unlike other platforms of this type which will start crumbling instantly, this one will take a few seconds. This is likely to balance out the Choppers jumping from underneath (which could cause the player to spend more time in that spot and potentially endanger themselves), as well as the sideways spring to the right.

Music[]

Name Artist(s) Length Music track
"Green Hill Zone Act 1" Tee Lopes 0:56
"Green Hill Zone Act 2" 1:37

Video[]


See also[]

References[]

  1. McAleeCh (29 August 2017). Sonic Mania: Hacking Diccussion. Sonic Retro Forums. Retrieved on 31 August 2017.
  2. Sonic Mania - Green Hill Zone Act 2 Raw Gameplay. YouTube. Sega (10 March 2017). Retrieved on 7 September 2017.

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