What's your favorite hugely metallic "I'm gonna kick your ass" side-scrolling Sonic zone?

[ThisThingIsUseful]

Robots and metallic stuff are a theme to the environmentally friendly Sonic the Hedgehog, trying to free all the wildlife from Eggman's (formerly Dr. ROBOTnik's) evil clutches. However, I feel like every Sonic has that one level that seems to exist in this huge metal ass factory that comes later in the game that wants to kick your ass so bad. In Sonic 1, they literally called it Scrap Brain, named after what happens to Sonic the whole time. In Sonic 2, they made this stage the sole stage with three acts.

I actually enjoy being put through the grinder in these. Do you have a favorite?

I also made another thread previously:

What's your favorite fun/bouncy/flashy side-scrolling Sonic zone?


Scrap Brain Zone (Sonic 1)

Metropolis Zone (Sonic 2)

Metallic Madness (Sonic CD)

Launch Base Zone (Sonic 3)

Death Egg Zone (Sonic & Knuckles)

Metallic Madness (Sonic Mania)

 

[nekkid]

The "bad future" variant music for Metallic Madness (US edition) is amazing. So that.

 

[TyraZaurus]

It's not side scrolling but Eggmanland

 

[yap]

I remember Metallic Madness being more enjoyable in Sonic Mania than in CD, but I'll probably go with Death Egg Zone. Both MM's have the better soundtrack though.

 

[fixurheartordie]

I'm going Metallic Madness (Sonic Mania). I LOVE the whole vibe of Metropolis Zone but it cannot be overstated how bullshit the mantis badniks' tiny projectile blades were on a shitty CRT back in the day.

 

[sir_crocodile]

Death Egg Zone is light years ahead of the others

Launch Base has the best boss tho, Big Arm <3

 

[steviestar3]

Always loved Death Egg. Feels really climatic. Great music and level gimmicks too.

Runner ups are Scrap Brain and Metallic Madness (Mania). Metallic Madness (CD) has awesome music but some of the worst level design in the entire series. Metropolis also has great music and is also totally miserable to actually play through, though that's more because of the awful badnik placement than the level design.

 

[The Unsent]

I don't know, not Sonic Mania's, far too long, so annoying when you run out of lives, have to do 2 stages again and the final boss.

 

[Bigg]

Metallic Madness is one of the best zones in Sonic Mania and should have been the final level instead of Titanic Monarch.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

Metallic Madness is one of the best zones in Sonic Mania and should have been the final level instead of Titanic Monarch.

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I think they probably wanted to end it with an original zone. Metallic Madness is lovely, though.

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

Scrap Brain is decent for a Sonic 1 final level but is held back significantly but the return to Labyrinth Zone at the end. Even if we don't count that, it's just not on the level as the others.

Metropolis Zone has really good moments but the enemies are often frustrating and the third act was not needed.

Metallic Madness is better in Mania than in CD but still not the best.

Launch Base is pretty good.

Death Egg is just so much better than all the others listed here it's not really a competition, though.

Titanic Monarch isn't listed here but it's also pretty good, just not as good as Death Egg.

 

[McNum]

Death Egg is just actually fun to play. Can't really say as much for the others.

The gravity inversion is a fun gimmick, and when you learn the stage, there are some fun tricks and shortcuts to take. Such as learning that the glowing rings sometimes are better off skipped than used.

 

[Deleted member 12129]

Death Egg Zone because of the soundtrack alone.

 

[kimbo99]

If y'all don't vote Metropolis you don't got good rhythm

 

[ResetSoul]

Metallic Madness, easily. Fantastic soundtrack in every time period for both regional versions.

Metropolis is garbage.

 

[Keiriks]

I like Launch Base.

 

[mute]

Launch Base easy.

Metropolis 2nd because of that fucking mantis, you know the one

 

[The Boat]

I'm going from memory, but Death Egg is much better than the others, although I don't quite remember the Sonic Mania one. Launch base is dope too.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

If y'all don't vote Metropolis you don't got good rhythm

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Song is catchy as all hell.

 

[andymcc]

Song is catchy as all hell.

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always disliked the song. metropolis zone is just terrible all around really.

Metallic Madness from Mania is so good tho.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

always disliked the song. metropolis zone is just terrible all around really.

Metallic Madness from Mania is so good tho.

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Well, I actually love Metropolis, partly because I do love the song, but also because it's one of the few zones in Sonic 2 that actually can feel challenging at times, including the boss.

Sonic 2 has the easiest bosses of any 2D Sonic I've played in total. Like, Emerald Hill/Hill Top/Chemical Plant/Mystic Cave/Oil Ocean gotta be trolling us by those contraptions being considered bosses. =P

 

[Virtua King]

Death Egg Zone, but all of these levels are really good.

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

It's not side scrolling but Eggmanland

Click to shrink...

Possibly the worst Sonic level ever (in a Sonic game that isn't complete shit). It's fucking awful, dude. How someone playtested that and told Sonic Team "Yeah that's fine ship it" is one of the greatest mysteries in gaming. Surely SOMEBODY told them yeah you should probably tone this down.

Your post just makes me mad honestly. Thinking about Eggmanland makes me mad.

 

[ResetSoul]

Possibly the worst Sonic level ever (in a Sonic game that isn't complete shit). It's fucking awful, dude. How someone playtested that and told Sonic Team "Yeah that's fine ship it" is one of the greatest mysteries in gaming. Surely SOMEBODY told them yeah you should probably tone this down.

Your post just makes me mad honestly. Thinking about Eggmanland makes me mad.

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40. Minutes. Long.

 

[TyraZaurus]

That's what I like about it :|

 

[Xwing]

Does Titanic Monarch count? I love the creepy vibe and more non-traditional level design for Sonic. You have to be playing with the 10:00 minute time limit turned off to enjoy it though, lol.

 

[The Deleter]

Possibly the worst Sonic level ever (in a Sonic game that isn't complete shit). It's fucking awful, dude. How someone playtested that and told Sonic Team "Yeah that's fine ship it" is one of the greatest mysteries in gaming. Surely SOMEBODY told them yeah you should probably tone this down.

Your post just makes me mad honestly. Thinking about Eggmanland makes me mad.

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If someone can enjoy 06, someone can enjoy the difficulty and size of Eggmanland as a final stage lol, everyone has preferences

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

Does Titanic Monarch count? I love the creepy vibe and more non-traditional level design for Sonic. You have to be playing with the 10:00 minute time limit turned off to enjoy it though, lol.

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Yup, I was just limited in the number of choices I could put.

 

[Nali]

Launch Base and Death Egg Zone are a clear cut above the rest of their 2D competition, while Titanic Monarch is astonishingly weak for how solid the rest of Mania is.

Spoiler

Eggmanland is the best one of these in 3D.

 

[Xwing]

Also, I will say despite Metropolis Zone being a slog, it is absolutely top tier one of the greatest ear worms of all time. Even now, 25 years after first playing it, I just randomly start humming it to myself at least once a week.

 

[Starlatine]

isnt chemical plant zone the better equivalent of scrap brain zone? you just didnt want it winning dont ya

 

[Pascal]

Most of these zones kinda suck looking them over lol. Death Egg from S&K was pretty cool I guess.

 

[Liminal Cat]

Scrap Brain Zone Acts I and II are back to back the greatest Sonic stages ever. The intense atmosphere and music do an excellent job of conveying a sense of dread, and you really have to pay attention to everything because everything is out to kill you. They are memorable every step of the way. I also like that the two zones have different backdrops unlike the previous stages. Labyrinth Zone Act 4 is unfortunate, but I don't hate it.

 

[AStrangerIsHere]

None. I always hated those stages in every Sonic game and I don't know which one I hate more, those or the water stages.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

isnt chemical plant zone the better equivalent of scrap brain zone? you just didnt want it winning dont ya

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I've never equated the two (though the Chemical Plant in Mania is fantastic, especially the changes in the second act) and always felt Metropolis was much more in line with Scrap Zone.

None. I always hated those stages in every Sonic game and I don't know which one I hate more, those or the water stages.

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Definitely a poll I plan to do. xD~~

I think Hydrocity in Mania gets it right. I know in Aquatic Ruin, it's just a really slow trudge if you get stuck in the bottom, but since it's not really hard, it's something I avoid if I replay the game.

Labyrinth Zone has such happy music for what is an underwater death trap.

 

[Steven]

Goddamn this thread just reminds me of how fucking *GOOD* classic sonic (+Mania) music is.

 

[Starlatine]

I've never equated the two (though the Chemical Plant in Mania is fantastic, especially the changes in the second act) and always felt Metropolis was much more in line with Scrap Zone.

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how not
theyre both metal big industry thingies full of pollution and evil and bad technology and stuff
they even have a similar looking red city background

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

how not
theyre both metal big industry thingies full of pollution and evil and bad technology and stuff
they even have a similar looking red city background

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That is true! But I don't really associate them because there's always that heavily metallic game that tries to kick your ass near the end of the game, and Chemical Plant is a pretty easy early level with a criminally easy boss. So I wouldn't really passionately disagree with someone who sees the similarities, but it's not difficult like Scrap Brain or Death Egg are. And that's what I mean by those huge metal gonna kick your ass levels.

It's not even that difficult in Mania, but it is fun as all hell, bouncing 100 feet into the air because of that goo xD~~.

Scrap Brain is decent for a Sonic 1 final level but is held back significantly but the return to Labyrinth Zone at the end.

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Labyrinth Zone Act 4 is unfortunate, but I don't hate it.

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At least mercifully, there's a big shortcut available that makes Act 3 take less than a minute.

 

[mrmickfran]

Metallic Madness (Mania) > Death Egg > Launch Base > Scrap Brain > Metropolis >>>>>>>> Metallic Madness (CD)

I only like the first 2 honestly. Launch is okay I guess, Scrap would've been great if not for the Labyrinth Zone reskin.

I will NEVER forget my reaction when I saw Metropolis Zone Act 3, CD Metallic Madness is fucking miserable

 

[Poltergust]

I don't know, not Sonic Mania's, far too long, so annoying when you run out of lives, have to do 2 stages again and the final boss.

Click to shrink...

Um, I think you're mixing Metallic Madness up with Titanic Monarch there.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Gimmick Mt. Zone is the best.

 

[TheCongressman]

Launch Base, but it's a tough choice. Metallic Madness has a great aesthetic, but the level design is pretty annoying in CD, it's so much better in Mania though.

Launch Base has such a unique vibe imo. It isn't super intense, but still climactic. It works perfectly as a final stage for Sonic 3, but also just as well as the midpoint of S3&k.

 

[Giga Man]

I normally hate these zones because they kick my ass so hard.

Techno Base in Sonic Advance 2 sure kicked my ass, and even though I don't like it, I'm mentioning it because it's visually unique and cool.



I do like Cyber Track from Sonic Advance 3 however because that music is bumpin'.



But if these don't count and you want something like an Eggman's Base, well, I REALLY hate this zone.



Egg Rocket from Sonic Advance was a true ass kicker in the worst way. An extra long gauntlet of pain, worse if you're playing as Sonic, EXTRA worse if you're playing as Amy. 8:26 of that video felt impossible to me because I always got stuck there are Sonic and Amy, and I would always run out of time.

 

[Ferrs]

Metallic Madness slapping around

 

[AstralSphere]

Metropolis Zone kinda plays like shit, but the music alone elevates it above the others.