----------------------------------
                         - Sonic 3 & Knuckles -
                            - - - **** - - -
                         - Quest for Emeralds -
=======================================================================
                   ----------------------------------

                             2002. VII. 24.

Complete Guide for the Chaos and Super Emeralds in Sonic 3 & Knuckles

Written by:

This FAQ is written by TurboKiller.
However, it's not 100% my work.

- Special Stages & all Debug Coordinates were written by:
     TurboKiller.
     Email: [email protected]
     AIM: turbokillerfka
     http: evilboris.sonic-cult.org

- S&K Giant Ring Locations were written mainly by:
     Warrior of Zarona (Andrew Bautista)
     Email: [email protected]
     AIM: MasterAkiyoshi
  and TurboKiller.

- S3 Giant Ring Locations were written mainly by:
    Janus Operative
    Email: [email protected]
  and TurboKiller


/---------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Giant Rings                                 |
|  and ALL related are copyright of SEGA                              |
|                                                                     |
| This FAQ is copyright of                                            |
| TurboKiller, Warrior of Zarona, and Janus Operative                 |
| You may use this FAQ for personal use only.                         |
| You CAN'T contribute it for money or alter this file in ANY way!    |
|                                                                     |
| If you want to put this FAQ on your website,                        |
| contact one of the authors, and we will figure out something.       |
'---------------------------------------------------------------------'


------------
Contents
------------

A. Why is this FAQ?
B. Updates
C. The Chaos and Super Emeralds    *completed*
   - Super and Hyper forms        *completed*
D. Giant Ring Locations                ---
  a. Sonic 3                          ---
   - Debug mode                   *completed*
   - Angel Island Act 1           *completed*
   - Angel Island Act 2           *completed*
   - Hidrocity Act 1              *completed*
   - Hidrocity Act 2              *completed*
   - Marble Garden Act 1          *completed*
   - Marble Garden Act 2          *completed*
   - Carnival Night Act 1         *completed*
   - Carnival Night Act 2         *completed*
   - Icecap Act 1                 *completed*
   - Icecap Act 2                 *completed*
   - Launch Base Act 1            *completed*
   - Launch Base Act 2            *completed*
  b. Sonic & Knuckles                 ---
   - Mushroom Hill Act 1          *completed*
   - Mushroom Hill Act 2          *completed*
   - Flying Battery Act 1         *completed*
   - Flying Battery Act 2         *completed*
   - Sandopolis Act 1
   - Sandopolis Act 2
   - Lava Reef Act 1              *completed*
   - Lava Reef Act 2              *completed*
E. Special Stages
  a. Items in the Special Stages  *completed*
  b. General Tactics              *completed*
  c. Advanced Tactics             *completed*
  d. Special Stage Selection code *completed*
  e. Sonic 3                          ---
   - Green Emerald                *completed*
   - Orange Emerald
   - Purple Emerald
   - Blue Emerald
   - Grey Emerald
   - Red Emerald
   - Light Blue Emerald
   - (Secret) Golden Emerald      *completed*
  f. Sonic & Knuckles                 ---
   - Green Emerald                *completed*
   - Orange Emerald               *completed*
   - Purple Emerald               *completed*
   - Blue Emerald                 *completed*
   - Grey Emerald                 *completed*
   - Red Emerald                  *completed*
   - Light Blue Emerald           *completed*
   - (Secret) Golden Emerald      *completed*
?. - special section written by Keedude
F. Credits                             ---

=======================================================================
*A.  Why is this FAQ?
=======================

Well, first it started as a simple guide for the special stages in
Sonic & Knuckles. Later I added a few things in, and decided it would
be a nice thing to include the Giant Ring Locations as well. However,
Warrior of Zarona wrote an FAQ out of that by the time. So I decided to
ask for his permission to use his FAQ, and write a big guide about all
the Giant Ring Locations and Special Stages in Sonic & Knuckles.

I also asked Janus Operative to use his S3 Giant Ring FAQ, because the
ultimate goal of this guide will be to cover all of the Special Stages
and Giant Rings in Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles.

=======================================================================
*B.  Updates
==============

2002. VII. 24-27.
 - Started writing this FAQ.

=======================================================================
*C.  The Chaos and Super Emeralds
===================================

Well, the Chaos Emeralds are special treasures in this game.
They can be found inside the Special Stages. To get in a Special Stage,
 you mut find some of the Giant Rings.
If can get all 7 Chaos Emeralds, then the end of the game will change,
 and your character can change into his Super form.
To do this, you must collect 50 rings, perform a jump, and press jump
 again in the air.
     note: Giant rings will award you 50 rings
           if you have all of the emeralds.

However, if you plug in Sonic 3 into S&K, then things will change a
 little.
There will be 2 new rings in Mushroom Hill.
You can get Chaos Emeralds in the Special Stages of Sonic 3.
When you have all of the Chaos Emeralds, then Sonic and Knuckles
 can change into their Super forms. (Tails can't.)
From the first zone of S&K (Mushroom Hill), if you have all of the
 Chaos Emeralds, then the Giant Rings will turn into rainbow colored
 flashing Super Rings.
Touch one of these, and you will find yourself in the Hidden Palace.
When you first enter the Palace, you will lose all of your
 Chaos Emeralds, they will turn into Super Emeralds.
You can't turn into your Super form from now on.
Jump on one of the Super Emeralds to start one of the
 Special Stages of S&K.
If you win the Special Stage, then you will be awarded with the Super
 Emerald you step onto.
After the Special Stage, you will be returned to the location
 where you found the Super Ring.

If you can get all of the Super Emeralds,
then Sonic and Knuckles can turn into their Hyper forms,
and Tails can change into his Super form. (same way as shown above)

With all of the Super Emeralds,
you can see the true ending of Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 The Super and Hyper forms
-----------------------------

 Super Sonic
---------------
- Prerequisite:
   - 7 Chaos Emeralds
- Appearance:
   - His spikes are standing up more
   - His spikes change their color to gold
   - His spikes are flashing
   - His eyes turn green
       (If you saw a Super Saiya-jin in Dragon Ball Z,
        then you know what to except)
   - when he runs at max speed, he leaves a star behind him
- Abilities:
   - Invincible
   - Jumps 2x bigger
   - Runs 2x faster
   - When he runs at max speed, he will fly instead of running
       (You can't lift off during the game though)

 Hyper Sonic
---------------
- Prerequisite:
   - 7 Super Emeralds
- Appearance:
   - Same as Super Sonic, except he's not leaving stars behind
      himself at max speed.
   - His spikes have all the colors of the Chaos/Super Emeralds.
   - His spikes are flashing.
   - Stars circle around him
   - He leaves 2 after-images of himself.
- Abilities:
   - same as Super Sonic
   - Can breathe underwater
   - The Sonic Boom:
      it will kill all enemies in the screen,
      and blast you out in a direction.

 Super Knuckles
------------------
- Prerequisite:
   - 7 Chaos Emeralds
- Appearance:
   - Red changing to white and back (looks like Pink)
   - When he runs at max speed, he leaves a star behind him.
- Abilities:
   - Invincible
   - Faster running, Gliding and Wall Climbing

 Hyper Knuckles
------------------
- Prerequisite:
   - 7 Super Emeralds
- Appearance:
   - same as Super Knuckles except he's not leaving stars behind
      himself at max speed.
   - He leaves 2 after-images of himself, like Hyper Sonic.
- Abilities:
   - same as Super Knuckles
   - Can breathe underwater
   - The Earthquake Glide:
      glide into a wall from a little distance,
      and an earthquake will destroy all badniks
      on the screen.

 Super Tails
---------------
- Prerequisite:
   - 7 Super Emeralds
- Appearance:
   - like regular Tails, slowly flashing to gold.
   - When he runs at max speed, he leaves a star behind him.
- Abilities:
   - Invincible
   - Faster running and Flying.
   - Super Tails has 4 super powered gold Flickeys following him.
      These birds are invincible, and they will attack all
      badniks on the screen, even bosses!

note: There is NO TURBO TAILS. There never was any, and never be.
      Also, there is no Hyper Tails either.

=======================================================================
*D.  Giant Ring Locations
===========================

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Debug Mode
--------------
To access Debug mode, you have to lock-on the
Sonic the hedgehog 3 Cartridge into S&K

Go to Angel Island (with any character)
 and find one of those swinging vines.
Grab onto them and press left 3 times,
 right 3 times, and up 3 times.
You should hear a rings sound.

Press Start to pause the game, and press button A.
(or just press the Reset button if you have a real Genesis. Resetting
an emulator will not work because it will completely reload the ROM,
not just goes back to the main menu)
You will go back into the main menu.
Now there will be a new option, called Sound Test. Choose it.

Choose Mushroom Hill, (with any character) and find
 one of the pulley machines. Hang onto them,
 and press left 3 times, right 3 times, and up 3 times.
You should hear the ring sound again.

note: If you input the code in only one of the levels,
       then you can only access the Sound Test, and these
       key combinations:
       Pause the game and press Button A : Reset the game
       Pause the game and press and hold Button B :
         Slow-motion. While you are in Slow-mo, your
         time will NOT increase. But your rings will
         still decrease as Super Sonic.
       Pause the game and press Button C : advance frame
         this is only useful for creating Screenshots
         or to view the Sprite Scroll (see below)

      For Debug mode, you need to input the code on both
       Angel Island and Mushroom Hill.

Go back to the Sound Test (Start, then A) highlight
 the level you want to play, hold down button A,
 and press Start.

Now you can use Debug mode:
Press button A to reverse the gravity (like in Death Egg zone)
Press button B to activate Debug mode.
 while you are in the Debug, press C to change items
 and press A to place them.
Press button B again to deactivate Debug mode.
Press button C to jump.
And hold C and press B for the Sprite Scroll.
 You can see all of your characters animations.
  Sprite Scroll is only useful with the Slow-motion
  or Advance Frame tricks. See above.
Press B again to exit the Sprite Scroll.

While you are in Debug mode, you will notice that your Score
 will be replaced with coordinates. These are the coordinates
 that I wrote down for every Giant Ring.

The first row of coordinates represent an the objects position,
 the second row represents the cameras position
That's why I only wrote down the first row.
If you search for the rings in Debug Mode, you will
know where to look for them in the normal game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*D-a.  Sonic 3
----------------
This part is under process. I found 77 Giant Rings with Debug,
(42 in Sonic 3 and 35 in Sonic & Knuckles) and it will take some
time to write down how to get all of them.

* Current progress : 69 Rings covered out of 77 found, about 90% done
                     Only Sandopolis is missing

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Angel Island Act 1
----------------------
  2 covered out of 2 found

- First Ring, Location : 1bc804c0
 Accessible with all characters

  The first ring is simple to find.  At the top of the first hill you
  come to, where a mean rhino-like bot storms up and down and two set
  of imposing spikes stand, there is a platform that collapses as you
  walk over it.  Just drop down, turn around, and spin into the grey
  rock that blocks the entrance to the chamber with the ring. Easy!

- Second Ring, Location : 024003d0
 Accessible with all characters

  The second ring is slightly less easy to locate, but it's pretty
  straight-forward once you realise where it actually is.  After the
  flame-oh-bot (can you tell that I'm making up names!) comes down
  and turns the environment into a fire hazard, proceed to your right
  until you reach a set of springs (two facing up, two facing down).
  Now, instead of choosing the springy route, drop down off the
  platform you are on and, like with the first ring, turn around
  and spin into the rock that blocks the ring room.  Only this ring
  chamber is a little taller (as it puts you back to the position you
  where in after you watched the flame-oh-bot desecrate the
  landscape.  Just bounce on the spring and you'll fly into the ring!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Angel Island Act 2
----------------------
  2 covered out of 2 found

- First Ring, Location : 19b80450
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  I'm not sure if things can get much easier. The game practically
  forces you to enter the first special stage by throwing you down
  a tunnel, across the weak platforms and into the ring room.

- Second Ring, Location : 36b805d0
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  Towards the end of act 2 (after the spike traps with the extra
  life), there's a large U-shaped bend that is filled with water.
  Going over this feature are some disappearing platforms that take
  you further into the level (or, more precisely, onto a platform
  that'll break if you hang about for too long).  Instead of going
  higher, you want to drop down into the U-bend and spin up and down
  the sides.  Eventually you'll gain enough height to be able to roll
  into the ring chamber on the right side of the U-bend.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Hidrocity Act 1
-------------------
  2 covered out of 2

- First Ring, Location : 144005c0
 Accessible with all characters

  The first giant ring can be tricky to locate and find, as you only
  have one shot at it. There's a section in the level where, after
  using a lengthy sequence of conveyer belts and fans, you reach a
  high-up slope that propels you into a loop-the-loop and, in turn, a
  short tunnel that takes you up a very tall wall. (There's one of
  those extra-speed-hand thingys in case you don't have enough speed
  from the lope-the-loop.) At the top of this wall, you'll see one of
  those rail-track-like platforms leading off.  Stand on the very
  first bit of this platform and it'll break, sending you downwards.
  Now you need to push left to get as close to the wall on the left
  as possible, and with a bit of luck you'll land just on the edge of
  the entrance to the ring room that is situated halfway up the wall
  on your left as you fall down from the collapsing platform.
  With Knuckles, just climb up if you miss it. With Tails, fly.

- Second Ring, Location : 314004b8
 Accessible with all characters

  Right near the end on the act, before the final star post, there is
  a place where two rail-track platforms (as I vaguely refer to them
  as) converge.  At the base of the lower rail-track platform,
  there's a ring room built into the nearby wall (it's on the left as
  you come  down the rail-rack). It's relatively easy to locate this
  last ring, since it's on the same height as the ground, and
  sometimes you'll even find it by accident (if you spin dash after
  you come up out of the underwater section where fans propel you up
  to the surface, you fly straight into the room).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Hidrocity Act 2
-------------------
  2 covered out of 2

- First Ring, Location : 26c00640
 Accessible with all characters

  There's a point about half-way through this act, when you fly down
  a water slide (well, they look like water slides!) and at the
  bottom is a speed boost hand-out-of-the-ground machine.  Use this
  speed boost to spin up the wall next to you, then land on the
  moving grey-coloured block that should be directly above you.  Wait
  until the grey block gets close to the left wall, and once it does,
  jump off at the left wall. Hopefully, you'll land in the entrance
  to the first giant ring!

- Second Ring, Location : 37c004c0
 Accessible with all characters

  The next ring is slightly harder to get.  Near the end of level,
  you're thrown through a loop-the-loop and down a spiralling water
  slide.  The speed you gain from this slide forces you to spin up
  high between two close together walls.  One you're at this height,
  you need to land on the spinning blue columns that move up and
  down next to both ides of the wall. Once you're on the column that
  goes up the right-hand wall, wait until it is as high as
  possible, then jump up and into the entrance to the ring room
  (situated just above the column, but it's easy to see the opening).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Marble Garden Act 1
-----------------------
  8 covered out of 8 found

- First Ring, Location : 06c0093c
 Accessible with all characters

  Early on in the level (If you take the upper route) you encounter
  the drill-machine mini-boss and then a section with two of those
  pulverising spiked machines. (You will get to this place from the
  fourth ring too) Proceed past this slope and then spin dash your
  way up the very steep slope you come across. Now use the vertically
  moving platforms to make your way up the level and you should see a
  flame shield monitor on your right. Get this shield and jump back
  onto the platforms. Once you're at the highest these platforms go,
  jump onto one of the three small ledges that are twirling on an
  axis. Once you're at the highest point these ledges reach leap off
  to the left and execute the shield's ability. With a little luck
  you'll have flamed yourself into the ring chamber (it's easier to
  get this ring with the other characters, as you might have imagined.

- Second Ring, Location : 0d4007bc
 Accessible with all characters

  Instead of jumping back on the twirling platforms when you get to
  the ledge with the fire shield, go right. You should move past two
  balloon-spikes (!) and see yet another set of twirling platforms
  (I twirl, you twirl, the whole world twirls), and at the top of
  these platforms is a ledge that leads to the giant ring. Through
  hours of painstaking research I've discovered that these platforms
  can't be reliably reached with Sonic (unless you spend hours trying
  to get that blue twister thingy to move properly). Tails is your
  best bet for this ring, then.

- Third Ring, Location : 0ec00cbc
 Accessible with all characters

  There are two ways to get this ring:
  First way is to fall down from the room where the fourth ring was.
  You will be in a wide tunnel with lots of rings, one Ring TV, and
  a lightning shield. Go to the left to exit from this tunnel. You
  will fall into a 3 sided moving platform. To the right, there will
  be some spikes, and an invincibility TV on a cliff.
  The spike is really a badnik, so stand to the side of the cliff,
  and spindash it! You will destroy the badnik, hit the TV, and
  brake into the secret room where the Giant Ring is.

  The second way: At the start of the level, at the middle of the
  slides, there will be a yellow spring shooting you diagonally up
  to the right. You'll have to stand on a 3 sided moving platform,
  otherwise you will continue falling down. If you managed to stand
  on it, go to the right till you can, and eventually you will find
  the cliff described above.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 0fc00a3c
 Accessible with all characters

  At one point in this stage you reach slope with a ball and chain
  swinging vertically over it. Proceed past this section, down
  another slope and over a platform with three sets of spikes.  Now
  jump over the gap that separates the platform you're on from
  another one to your left and carry on going until you reach a fast-
  sneakers power-up.  Smash this monitor, then spin dash into the
  plain column in the wall on your left.  It should break, letting
  you enter the ring room.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 1540023c
 Accessible with all characters

  You must take the below route for this one, at the beginning when
  you are falling down, you have to fall as deep as you can.

  At one point in this expansive level you reach an area with one of
  those blue circles embedded in the ground. Spindash again it and a
  column will rise in front of you. This column enables you to easily
  reach a platform that is moving horizontally over a section of
  spikes (a balloon-spike enemy is around here). Continue on using the
  platforms to ascend to the top of the steep hill. Then proceed down
  the other side of the hill and spin into the column to knock a
  section out so you can continue your descent. You should see a blue
  spinning top. Instead of using this drop off the ledge and you'll
  fall into that sticky, sinking mud.
  To your left will be the ring chamber.

- Sixth Ring, Location : 18c0093c
 Accessible with all characters

  There's a section in this level where you travel along a ledge
  heading right, then reach an opening with a flame shield monitor and
  three platforms twirling on an axis, before heading back on yourself
  via a higher platform that travels left. At the end of this platform
  you come across a blue spinning top and an arrow that points
  upwards. Jump on the spinning top, keep pressing left and you should
  find yourself moving upwards against the left wall. Once you reach
  the top you'll move through the wall and into the room with the
  giant ring.

- Seventh Ring, Location : 1ac004bc
 Accessable with all characters

  This one is right after Ring #5
  When you encounter one of those long blue poles that spin you
  around, after you roll down a steep hill, try to exit the pole to
  the left (from the player's point of view) by jumping off just as
  Sonic twirls around to that side. Now proceed on up a small hill
  (with two balloon-spikes nearby) and let the red spring you come
  across push you up the quarter-pipe style slope to your left. At the
  top of the jump (propelled by the spring's power) move right and
  aim to land on the spikes sticking out of the ledge on the right.
  Then simply walk into the ring chamber!

- Eighth Ring, Location : 2540023c
 Accessible with all characters

  After you spin through a room with three ring monitors (after
  smashing a column with a huge spiked ball on a chain hanging over
  it) you'll come to one of those ancient faces that spit arrows out
  at you. Hit its red spot (the third eye?!) and the platform will
  break under your feet. Now head left and you'll reach a row of
  spikes with a platform moving horizontally over them (and a sign
  pointing down at the end of the spikes). Leap onto one of the three
  platforms spinning on an axis at the end of this ledge (over a steep
  slope downwards) and then when they get near the top left hand
  corner jump off to the left and you should land in the ring room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Marble Garden Act 2
-----------------------
  3 covered out of 3 found

- First Ring, Location : 084004c0
 Accessible with Tails only

  After you go through the 2 pull up things in the beginning of the
  stage, you will encounter a place with two arrows, one pointing up,
  the other pointing right, fly up and to the left. Then fly up past
  the thing with the ball and chain. When you reach the ledge of the
  floor, fly up, right a little, then left to the pull up thing. From
  there on, go straight until you reach the loop that will make you
  run down on the left and right sides of the ramp. When you are on
  the left side, jump and head left. You will then see a little
  passageway in the ground. Go through it and claim your ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 15400940
 Accessible with all characters

  Go through the stage as normal, after Eggmans/Eggrobos first
  appearance, the floor starts to break. If your with Knuckles, you
  can go on a route behind the wall, don't take it, instead choose
  the route below. Get on the flying plate thing and go through the
  floor that only the plate can break. Keep going until you see a
  little platform flying up and down. Jump down to the floor instead
  of the platform, and go through the falling spikes and through the
  wall and collect your second ring.

- Third Ring, Location : 264006c0
 Accessible with all characters

  Keep going through the stage until you reach a slope with a yellow
  spring throwing you diagonally backwards. jump over it, and proceed
  to the right, you'll find a flying automatic plate after one of the
  moving 3 sided platforms. This the one crashes against a yellow
  spring and throws you up onto a ground with a wall only the the
  plate can destroy. When you are in the hallway, jump off and head to
  your left. Go past the platform that breaks when you step on it, and
  into the secret room in the left wall to collect the last ring in
  this level.
  If you are Knuckles, you will probably only find this ring if you
  take Sonics route, it's described in the Second Rings location how
  to do so.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Carnival Night Act 1
------------------------
  6 covered out of 6 found

- First Ring, Location : 0cc0014c
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  This one can be accessed by different ways with different
  characters. With Tails, from the beginning of the level, use the
  5 balloons in a row to reach a platform with 3 ring bonus TVs on it,
  and a spinning black wheel. Use the wheel to jump up to the left.
  After some jumping through the white/red cylinders, you will
  eventually find yourself in a corner with a lightning shield TV, and
  some spikes around. Fly up, avoiding the spikes in the wall.
  You will reach a room with some rings above some spikes. jump over
  the spikes, and you will find a secret room with the Giant Ring.

  With Sonic, after the second vacuum tube (or first, depends on the
  route you take) you will end up in a strange shaped room, it's like
  the downer half of the letter S. The room has 10 rings right above
  the vacuum tube. Go to the left to find a spinning black wheel,
  and a "jelly platform". To the left there is the secret room with
  the Giant Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 0dc00848
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  After 2 moving spikes (one coming out of the ground, one coming
  out of the ceiling) there will be a swirling red/white pole.
  After you went down on that, turn back and go to the beginning of
  the pole. Charge a Spindash to the maximum, and go up on the pole.
  If you are lucky, you can jump to the moving cylinder from the
  other side of the pole. From there, go left, and there is a secret
  room with the Giant Ring behind the yellow wall.

- Third Ring, Location : 1b4003cc
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  Two ways to get this one:
  After the first vacuum tube, (you may miss it if you're taking
  an other route) there's an ORANGE speed-up wall to the right, and
  a spinning black wheel above. If you can jump on the black wheel,
  then you can launch yourself to the upper right tunnel. To the
  right, there is a secret wall with the ring.

  If you miss this one, don't worry. After the first orange spinning
  tube, if you get out of it on the left side, there will be an
  invincibility power up, a spring, and a badnik. To the right from
  that area there are special springs on the ceiling and on the
  floor, shooting you to the right. After that run to the right,
  and there will be a J shaped wall where you will run up, with a
  closing door at the end of it, and a yellow spring launching to
  the right. After that you will find some of those things that
  will make you float (the middle one is moving). Below there is a
  lamppost (or checkpoint) and a hole to the right. Fall down on
  the hole and push to the right, to go into the hidden chamber
  with the Giant Ring. If the spinning orange tube shoots you out
  to the right side, then just go right, jumping through the
  cylinders and balloons, and stay close to the downer part of
  that area. Eventually you will reach the place.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 23c00248
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  After Ring #3, go back to the things that will make you float.
  Jump to the middle one, and you can get past them to the upper
  side. After some running, there will be another spinning orange
  tube. AVOID the orange tube and carry on past it, you fly into
  one of those long white columns that twirl you around. Jump from
  the first spinning column to the second spinning column (it'll be
  on the right of the first column). Then, jump into the gap in the
  right-hand wall and you'll be in the ring chamber.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 2dc0064c
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  After Ring #4, when you fall down from the ring chamber you should
  land on a red/white cylinder. Jump to the hole below the cylinder.
  go to the right, and after some obstacles you will find 3 of those
  white twirling columns. Go to the highest point you can, and jump
  to the right. There will be a moving spike, and a water shield.
  Behind the water shield there is the secret room with the Ring.

  You can find this place if you don't avoid the spinning orange tube
  before the fourth Giant Ring.

- Sixth Ring, Location : 2ec00acc
 Accessible only for Knuckles

  At the end of the level, at the last lamppost, there's a hidden wall
  to the right with the Ring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Carnival Night Act 2
------------------------
  5 covered out of 5 found

- First Ring, Location : 0f40084c
 Accessible with all characters

  Again, there are two ways to get this ring. You can jump off the
  swirling red and white pole onto the platform just above it at jut
  the right time, but this is near impossible so I don't know why I'm
  mentioning it!
  (I know - this is the only way to reach it with Knuckles!!
   - TurboKiller)
  The best way is to use the jelly platform to reach
  the platform, near the start of the level, with a cannon on it.
  Instead of using the cannon, though, jump into the secret passage
  built into the wall to the left of the cannon.  Smash the power-up
  monitors here and fall down through the gap.  But make sure to move
  very close to the left side so you land on the ledge by the side of
  the ring chamber, otherwise you'll fall straight through the ring
  room and back to the bottom of the swirling red and white pole!

- Second Ring, Location : 13c0024c
 Accessible with Sonic and Talis only

  After the Third Ring, and some running (not much though), you will
  be sucked up by a vacuum tube. to the left there will be a red/white
  cylinder moving up and down. Wait until it moves up, then enter the
  secret room behind the yellow wall to the left

- Third Ring, Location : 1640054c
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  About half way through the level, you come to a corridor with three
  expl-oh-do bots (silvery electric things)(one on the ground, one on
  the ceiling, and another in the ground). Near the corridor is a
  spinning red column.  Use this column to reach the platform above
  it, with the fire and ten-ring power-up (push up when the column
  moves up and down when it moves down to get it to move higher).
  Then jump off this platform and into the gap on the left wall and
  you'll be in the ring chamber.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 30c002cc
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  Near the end of this level you'll fly up a vacuum tube and arrive
  in an area with those spinning, 'tinging' bouncy circles and a load
  of strategically placed balloons.  You need to use these balloons
  to bounce yourself up the narrow gap (use the speed from the vacuum
  tube to reach the first one) and then you will be able to enter the
  ring room at the very top of the right wall.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 45c009cc
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  Almost at the end of the stage, after two red/white cylinders and a
  cannon white a spike trap on the wall, (you have to aim with the
  cannon, or you will hit the spike on the wall) there will be some
  running through the stage. After you run through a wall, pay
  attention. You will hit a lot of "speed-up walls". Try to slow down,
  because after this you will fall to a place with 3 TVs and no way
  back, if you run too fast. Before running through this wall, try to
  glide up on the upper route. If you managed to do it, just run to
  the right. You will pass three bats, then some "speed-up walls".
  Run to the right, and eventually you will fall to the secret room.
  Just press and hold to the right, because you can fall through this
  room easily.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Icecap Act 1
----------------
  2 covered out of 2 found

- First Ring, Location : 42b80648
 Accessable with all characters

  Near the really small ice-oh-chuck boss and the frozen switch at
  the start of the level is a small gap in the wall on the right (or
  is it a wall? I guess it's more of an ice barrier thing... but I'll
  just use wall!).  Go in this gap and find the ring.  Simple!

- Second Ring, Location : 473801c8
 Accessable with all characters

  The next ring is harder to get.  It's located on the never-ending
  slope, just after the slope with the big ice barrier that you need
  to break through on the right.  You should be able to see the small
  blue square marking the entrance, and if you'd you can just keep
  going past it until you see it.  Anyway, you need to jump just as
  you get onto the correct slope, and hopefully you'll fly into the
  ring room.  But you do have an infinite number of chances to get it
  right, as the sequence continually loops!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Icecap Act 2
----------------
  3 covered out of 3 found

- First Ring, Location : 14400b48
 Accessible only with Knuckles

  After the first loop-de-loop where you have to dig inside the ground
  you will land on an iceberg. Fall on the left side, you will find
  a secret room in the wall. To get back from there, fall down, there
  will be a spring right next to the wall.

- Second Ring, Location : 31c00b48
 Accessible with all characters

  About half way through the level there's a loop-the-loop that sends
  you flying through a tunnel which, in turn, sends you flying
  through two more loops.  Finally, you'll end up on a platform with
  an ice-oh-chuck enemy.  Proceed along this route until you reach a
  platform with ro-boh-penguins on.  Next to this platform is a small
  iceberg type ledge that moves down when pressure is applied to it.
  Simply jump on it and wait until it goes underwater, then jump off
  into the right-hand wall and you'll find the big ring room.  To get
  back up to the surface after you've won (or lost) an emerald, fall
  straight down the side of the wall and you should land on a red
  spring that'll send you high above the water.

- Third Ring, Location : 41400448
 Accessible with all characters

  The final giant ring is right at the end of the level.  After you
  spin round a series of loop-the-loops you'll race up a small ramp
  (past an ice-oh-chuck; blink and you'll miss it!) and into a
  catapult type device.  Use this catapult to reach the platform
  above you on the right and you'll soon see the ring chamber.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Launch Base Act 1
---------------------
  3 covered out of 3 found

- First Ring, Location : 02c00740
 Accessible with all characters

  There's this big ugly grey cylinder early on in this level, and you
  need to get underneath it.  That isn't too hard a challenge,
  admittedly. Anyway, now go left towards the wall and jump into the
  tunnel built into the wall to access the first giant ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 08c00140
 Accessible with all characters

  On coming out of one of those Tardis-like tube (you're a fool if
  you've never heard of the Tardis; I think of it every time I play
  this level, bizarrely!) proceed into the speed boost thing on the
  ground. (There's a frog sitting on a red frame above this speed
  booster if you're not sure where I mean.) You should race right into
  a spinning machine that'll take you to a high ledge. Instead of
  jumping right here (like you're meant to), jump left and you'll
  land on a narrow ledge.  This is the entrance to the ring room.

- Third Ring, Location : 23c00840
 Accessible with all characters

  Later on in the level you'll see another ugly grey cylinder with
  two non-ice-oh-chucks on.  Again, you need to be on the bottom of
  the cylinder so jump down and land on the platform below it (there
  will be one of those flame spitting machines on your right). Now,
  go left and jump across the gap into the ring chamber to get the
  final giant ring for this act.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Launch Base Act 2
---------------------
  5 coverered out of 5 found

- First Ring, Location : 06c006c0
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  Jump off the pipe at the very start of the stage and then down and
  off the platform you land on. Now you'll be underwater -- just head
  left and you'll see the tunnel leading to the ring chamber.
  For a final level, this ring is extremely easily found.

- Second Ring, Location : 09c001c0
 Accessible with Sonic and Tails only

  Further into the level, you'll come to a section with a hoop that
  pushes you up a wall and onto a platform with spikes that appear
  and then disappear.  From this platform jump into the spinning
  machine and let it take you to the edge of the ledge, now jump
  onto the platform and run back towards the gap and leap into the
  left wall.  You should land in the entrance to the ring room.

- Third Ring, Location : 1d400ac0
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  Early at the level, there will be slope down to the right, and a
  special speed-up thing. Avoid that thing, and jump over it to the
  right, theres a secret room there. You can notice a platform there
  that will crash if you stand on it for too long.
  This room is before the first water tunnel slide.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 30400240
 Accessible with Sonic ant Tails only

  In this level you'll eventually come to a section with two ugly
  grey cylinders, one above the other. (after one of the water
  tunnels, and 2 of the laser-guarded gates) There are lots of
  non-ice-oh-chucks here, too. But anyway, you need to land in the
  middle of these ugly grey cylinders on the platform near the right
  wall. From here you'll see the nest ring chamber.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 30c004c0
 Accessable with Sonic and Tails only

  The fifth ring is right next to the fourth. Just jump down
  underneath the bottom ugly grey cylinder and go right along the
  pipe you land on. You'll easily notice the tunnel to the ring room,
  as it stick out of the wall.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*D-b.  Sonic & Knuckles
-------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mushroom Hill Act 1
-----------------------
  5 covered out of 5 found

- First Ring, Location : 01c00680
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only, only in S3&K

  At the beginning, after Knuckles runs off, jump on the switch
  to open the door where he came from. go inside, and there will
  be a Super Ring inside. This one is always a Super Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 04c00a00
 Accessible with Knuckles only, only in S3&K

  At the beginning, just run to the right. It's virtually impossible
  to miss it. This one is always a Super Ring too.

- Third Ring, Location : 22400440
 Accessible with all characters

  Taking Sonic's route, move on forward until you reach the pull up
  machine. Take it up to the next level and continue forth, making
  sure that the following loop launches you across and that you do
  not fall down.

  Continue on until you reach the rope swing. Make sure you launch
  yourself across and onto the high land. Finally, move on forward
  until you reach the vine that stretches out so that you can walk on
  it. (I'll call it the Stretching Vine.) Instead of going across,
  fall down below. There should a swing pole at the bottom right of
  that pit. Fall down onto it, and you should land on a cliff. Enter
  the wall on your right to access the third Giant Ring.

  For Knuckles, you will need to head forward until you reach a spring
  that will lead you to Sonic's route. From here, go on back to the
  pull up machine and follow the guide above.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 2d4006c0
 Accessible with all characters

  From Giant Ring #3's location, head straight out to the right to
  return to Mushroom Hill. You should find another rope swing.
  However, don't use it to launch you up in the air. Rather, take the
  lower route. Continue down this route, making sure that you keep
  dropping down and not going up, until you reach a pull up machine
  and a spring facing to the left. Jump ONTO the spring and jump
  through the wall. The fourth Giant Ring awaits here.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 38c00740
 Accessible with all characters

  From Giant Ring #4's location, head straight to the right to return
  to Mushroom Hill. Continue heading right, passing along one loop.
  Now this part is tricky. Stop where you see a loop that curves
  upwards making almost a U-turn. (Therefore, I am naming it the
  U-Turn Loop.) This type of loop makes Sonic/Knuckles run up (or
  down, depending on your location) the vine, then turns him right
  side up. However, at the end of this loop is a spring that hits you
  to even higher land. You do NOT want to touch this spring. Instead,
  once you turn right side up, stop yourself right away. Jump, don't
  run, (as running will turn you upside down and back to the beginning
  of the loop) to the right. Just continue on from here until you
  reach the Giant Ring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mushroom Hill Act 2
-----------------------
  6 covered out of 6 found

- First Ring, Location : 104003c0
 Accessible with all characters

  For Sonic or Tails, start on his route and head right until you
  reach a Mushroom launcher. (I don't know what to call these things,
  however I CAN describe it. It is a U-shaped plant with two
  mushrooms, one with a weight on top. Jumping on the other mushroom
  causes the weight to bounce up and then down, launching you.)
  Continue using the mushroom until you reach the land with the red
  spring on the left. Launch yourself. There will be a thing on the
  ground that should make you jump over a U-shaped pit. Avoid this,
  you need to fall in the pit. there will be a pole in the pit that
  will give you super speed, use it to dash to the upper right, and
  you should land on a red spring, making you cross a loop and into
  another location of a Giant Ring.

  For Knuckles, the best you can do is continue down his route until
  you reach the Mushroom Parachute. (This is the mushroom that lets
  you glide down gently) Use the Mushroom launcher on the ground
  until you reach the land above. From here, head left until you
  reach the pull up machine. Make sure you DON'T fall down here, but
  glide to the left. Continue on here until you reach the same
  u-shaped pit as above. Continue on from there.

- Second Ring, Location : 1cc00640
 Accessible with all characters

  From Giant Ring #1's location, head straight to the right to return
  to Mushroom Hill. You should come across a U-Turn loop that will
  bring you down and heading left. Follow it until you fall down the
  small pit. Then continue on to the right, crossing many loops. As
  you run, a hidden spring should launch you to the higher land.
  Continue on until you see the Stretching Vine and a Red Spring
  underneath. Use the spring to launch yourself onto a cliff with a
  Mushroom launcher. The wall to the right will lead you to your next
  Giant Ring.

- Third Ring, Location : 23c00840
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  It is suggested that you get Giant Ring #6 first before
  entering here.

  As Knuckles, return back to the U-Turn loop. When you reach the top
  of the loop, jump off and continue to the left. You should encounter
  a huge loop with a Spring near the end. Try to jump off before you
  hit the spring. Then fall to the right where there should be a
  U-shaped pit. On the right wall should be a bunch of blocks that
  Knuckles can break through. Continue on, falling into another small
  pit and swing down the Swing poles. When you reach the bottom, there
  should be a Yellow Spring to your left. Jump to the left and into
  the left wall, making sure you don't touch the spring, and you will
  find the Giant Ring.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 294002c0
 Accessable with all characters

  In Giant Ring #2's location, there should be a hidden spring. This
  spring will launch you up to the higher land. Continue on to the
  right, making sure you don't fall, until you reach a pull up
  machine. Use the machine to reach even higher land. Continue on
  until you reach a dead-end with a Red Spring hanging on the wall,
  and a Power Sneaker TV to the right. The spring will lead you
  through a route until you reach a rope swing. Launch yourself far
  and high. Continue on through the many loops and springs until you
  reach the Giant Ring.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 2dc009c0
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  After #3, take the route of Knuckles, there will be a pit with
  spiked walls, then a room where you have to grab a Mushroom
  Parachute, and the wind will blow you up. After that room, there
  will be 2 walls, break them and run to the right. There will be a
  bottomless pit after a short route. You'll have to glide to the
  right, but on halfway turn back, and there will be a secret room
  behind the wall, with a Giant Ring.

- Sixth Ring, Location : 39c00640
 Accessible with all characters

  The last Giant Ring is easy to get. From wherever you are (as
  Sonic or Knuckles), continue far into the stage, passing many loops,
  until you reach a dead end with a pull up machine. Don't use the
  pull up machine yet. Instead, kill the badnik on the small cliff and
  enter through the wall. Here you will access the last Giant Ring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Flying Battery Act 1
------------------------
  2 covered out of 2 found

- First Ring, Location : 1d4005c0
 Accessible with all characters

  Right from the beginning, continue through Flying Battery as usual.
  There should be only one route thus far until otherwise noted. Keep
  going until you reach the second post, or checkpoint. In this area,
  you should reach a dead end with two routes: a grey switch that
  opens a door on the floor on the far wall, and another route at the
  top. Press the switch and fall down. Head left (or right if you want
  an Invicibility Box) and proceed with the route.
  Later on, you should reach a dead end, and the floor should collapse
  below you. DON'T FALL THROUGH!! Instead, you should see an opening
  near your left with a series of platforms coming out of the walls.
  Climb up that small opening. Continue your route until you see a
  small set of spikes with what looks like a tube is connected to its
  base. Push the spikes to the right, and it should move. Fall
  through, and you'll find your first Giant Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 24c007c0
 Accessible with all characters

  From Giant Ring #1's location, head right. After a series of spikes
  and magnetic platforms, you should come across another small set of
  spikes with a tube under it. Push it to the right and fall through.
  There is your second Giant Ring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
 Flying Battery Act 2
------------------------
  2 covered out of 2 found

- First Ring, Location : 18400740
 Accessable with all characters

  This one can be easy to miss if you don't pay attention. Go through
  the level as usual until you find yourself on one of those circular
  brown corkscrews that brings you upwards. When you reach one that
  has a whole bunch of spikes on both sides of it, and towards the
  top, you find a flaming spring to the right, you are on a good track.
  After the spring launched you, you'll be in a place with a magnet
  on the ceiling, and several spiky boxes around you. Go to the
  right, after a switch that opens the downer route, you will run
  through a loop that sends you down. After the loop, stop. There
  will be a set of collapsing platforms there. Underneath you will
  find a secret route that has two exits. Take the upper one, which
  is a brown corkscrew moving upwards. But don't exit to the right,
  move to the left instead to find your Giant Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 25c00740
 Accessible with all characters

  This Giant Ring is ALL the way to the end of the stage, but right
  before the first boss fight with the Laser Beam on the ceiling.
  Continue through the stage until you reach a huge cylinder that
  spins you upwards. If you look around and see that there are two
  rows of rings above you, plus the higher land on the right has sets
  of spikes and magnetic platforms, you're almost there.
  With Knuckles, climb up to the left wall and through the long
  passage.
  With Tails, just fly up for the passage.
  With Sonic, there are 3 methods:
  First, there is the upward spinning cylinder. If you are fast, it
  will blast you up high, and you can maneuver to the left while in
  the air.
  Second: after the cylinder, ther is the ledge with the two magnetic
  lift ups. Charge a spindash from the left side of the ledge, and
  immedieatly jump when you release it. If you are lucky, you are
  right in the tunnel leading you to the Ring.
  Third: use a lightning shield or Hyper Sonics "Sonic Boom"...
  (Thanks to Sonic AD for helping me find this!)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sandopolis Act 1
--------------------
  0 covered out of 7 found

- First Ring, Location : 0ac007b0
 Accessibility unknown

- Second Ring, Location : 194005b0
 Accessibility unknown

- Third Ring, Location : 1c4008b0
 Accessibility unknown

- Fourth Ring, Location : 25400130
 Accessibility unknown

- Fifth Ring, Location : 28c00539
 Accessibility unknown

- Sixth Ring, Location : 378007e0
 Accessibility unknown

- Seventh Ring, Location : 3e200400
 Accessible with Knuckles only

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sandopolis Act 2
--------------------
  3 covered out of 4 found

- First Ring, Location : 06c006b0
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  From the very beginning of the stage, climb up the left wall, past
  the two moving blocks. Keep going until you reach the light switch.
  From there, jump up to the left wall, then back up to the right
  wall. CLimb it, and go through the knuckles-destroyable bricks. Jump
  up on the spring, go past the two TV's, and glide over the spikes
  until you reach solid ground.
  Break through the wall, and there is your ring.
  After you get it, you will be right at the sandslide, which leads
  to the 2nd Giant Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 154005b0
 Accessable with all characters

  Go through the stage as normal until the part where you have to
  jump from one sand slide to the other. The trick is to get to the
  top of the other slide, right when you fall into this thing.
  With Sonic, as you first fall into this contraption from the first
  slide, you have enough propulsion to make some big jumps that will
  get you to the right side easily.
  With Tails, you can just fly up there,
  With Knuckles, you can jump and glide your way up.

- Third Ring, Location : 39400600
 Accessibility unknown

- Fourth Ring, Location : 50400340
 Accessible with all characters

  Right at the very end, before you go fight the boss, there will be a
  door-opener lever, a platform to lift you to ignite a sandfall, and
  a lightswitch to the right. After the sand is flowing, open the door
  and go to the right. Keep going and do not fall, there is a hidden
  room to the right, blocked by the closed door. If you were quick
  enough, it's still fairly open for you to access the last Giant Ring
  you can get in the desert.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Lava Reef Act 1
-------------------
  3 covered out of 3 found

note : There are a lot of small, unaccessable rooms
       without Giant Rings, check them out with Debug mode.
      Maybe they were accessable and had Giant Rings,
       but later they were removed while the game was made?

- First Ring, Location : 114006b0
 Accessible with all characters

  With Knuckles, you must get to Sonics route to find any of the Giant
  Rings. To do this: when you encounter the drilling machine, go to
  the left, and avoid falling down. Go to the left, then go back
  right, and the machine will dissappear, and you can glide above the
  pit. There will be a stairway leading to Sonics route.

  After the appearence of the drilling machine, (second appearence
  with Knux), you'll fall down into a room with lava and some rocks.
  Exit to the right, and in the next room, there will be a special
  lift, the one that will move up or down if you spindash on it. Go
  up. Once you're at the top, move to the left, and there will be a
  large hidden room with the Ring.

- Second Ring, Location : 16c005c0
 Accessible with all characters

  After the first Giant Ring, go up with the "spindash lifting
  machine" and from the top, move to the right. Brake through some
  walls, and there will be a room with a moving platform with spiked
  bottom. There is Lava at the bottom of the room. Jump on the
  platform, and there will be two rooms: the upper one will lead you
  to the Giant Ring, and the bottom one will lead you to a 10 ring TV
  box.
  note: If you fall down from the upper room, you'll fall into
  the bottom one.

- Third Ring, Location : 1a40023c
 Accessible with Tails only

  Not even Hyper Sonic can jump high enough to reach this one.
  After the second Ring, soon you will find a room with 3 yellow
  springs, 12 rings above them, and a star post to the left. If you
  bounce on the springs, you can collect the rings, but watch out for
  the lavaball shooter on the wall to the right. Here you'll have to
  fly up, and there will be a secret room right above the middle
  spring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Lava Reef Act 2
-------------------
  5 covered out of 5 found

- First Ring, Location : 14400b40
 Accessible with Knuckles only

  After the first lamppost, there is a big room with some moving
  platforms with spikes on their bottom. (At the bottom of the room
  there are lot's of spikes, and you have to exit through the right
  into a tube. This tube is the second one you'll encounter). Climb
  the left wall of this room, and you will found a secret room.

- Second Ring, Location : 15c006c0
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  At the beginning of the level, there will be a big room with lots
  of moving platforms, and 2 Eggman TVs on the lower right corner.
  There are two exits from here, one to the upper side, and one to
  the right side. Choose the one to the right. After the first two
  walls that you have to brake with a spindash, there will be a red
  spring in the right side, shooting you up. With the help of it, try
  to fall on the moving platform way up there. If you are on it, you
  can access the Giant Ring through a very narrow secret tunnel
  inside the wall to the left. The tunnel is in the same position as
  you, when you are standing in the moving platform.

- Third Ring, Location : 1bc00840
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  After Ring #2, and some running, you will find 3 flamethrowers built
  in the floor. Go past them, open the door and go inside. This room
  will have a big machine with several moving platforms on it. The
  platforms are moved with a rope, and their have spikes on the
  bottom. Go as high as you can, and jump from that place to the left.
  If you are high enough you will reach the third Giant Emerald.

- Fourth Ring, Location : 214001c0
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  When you pass one of the places with a few giant moving cylinders
  with spikes and hangers on them, check the springs to the left.
  They will shoot you up to hidden places. But the ring is trickier to
  get. After one of these cylinders (the first one if you took the
  route mentioned above) jump on the spring, and move to the right
  where are 2 moving platforms. At the right in the wall there is a
  secret passage with the Ring, use the platforms to get there.

- Fifth Ring, Location : 26400640
 Accessible with Sonic or Tails only

  After the fourth Ring, there will be a 3d half-loop, launching you
  across lots of rings. After this, go back to the left as much as
  you can, and there will be a pit with a Ring TV, a lightning shield,
  some spikes, and a yellow spring to the right. Above the the spring
  there's a hole in the wall. There's the last Giant Ring in the game.
  After you used the ring, jump on the switch below it to open the
  door to the right.

=======================================================================
*E. Special Stages
====================

You enter the Special Stage if you find a Giant Ring in the Zones.

The point of the Special stage is to get the Chaos Emerald in this 3d
 maze.
To to do this, you must get all of the blue spheres in the stage.

Rings are worth the collecting, cause if you get 50 rings, you will
 get a Continue
- With a Continue, you can continue the game even if all of your lives
  are lost.

Not on the level maps : I made the using Gerbil's SHWP. many thanks to
 him. In all of the level maps, I use these symbols:

x = Blue Spheres
o = Red Spheres
* = White/Red Bumper Sphere
Q = Yellow Spring Sphere
r = rings

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-a.  Items in the Special Stages
------------------------------------

 Blue Sphere
---------------
Get all of this to gain a Chaos Emerald.
If you touch a Blue Sphere, it will turn into Red Sphere.
If you enclose a Blue Sphere with Red Sphere, all of them (Blue and
Red) will turn into Rings.

There is a counter in the top-left corner, showing how many Blue
Spheres remain on the current Stage

 Red Sphere
--------------
Don't touch one of these, cause if you do, then the stage ends and you
won't get the Chaos Emerald!

 Bumper Sphere
-----------------
(White with Red star)
These will bounce you back, making you run in backwards. They are quit
annoying, but sometimes they are the key in the completion of the
Stage.

 Spring Sphere
-----------------
(Yellow)
These will make you bounce very high, over 5 other Spheres.

 Rings
---------
After getting 50, you get a Continue.
If you can get all of the rings in the stage, you will be awarded with
the "Perfect" bonus - 50,000 points.

There is a counter in the top right corner of the screen, showing how
many rings you gathered in this stage.

 The Chaos Emerald
---------------------
You will be awarded with this, if you manage to touch all the Blue
Spheres in the stage.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-b.  General Tactics
------------------------

The most important things:
Don't panic. Even if the game runs uncontrollably fast.
If you panic and mess things up in the stage, there's a good chance
that you can't finish that stage.

There IS a pattern in EVERY stage.
Some of them are fixed, (with only minor detours) but some of them are
not. If you can find the pattern of the stage, then you are halfway
through, you just have to practice if you can't finish the stage.

Last but not least: practice makes perfect.
Practice every level, and you have some chance even if you don't know
the pattern of that level.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-c. Advanced Tactics
------------------------

If you enclose a Blue Sphere with red ones, they will turn into rings.
However, you don't get rings if you enclose Red, Yellow, Bumper
spheres, or Rings.

xxx     /-\
xxx     |r|
xxx  ->-|-ÿ
        ¡
It works if there are Red Spheres already:

ooo     rrr
oxo     rrr
xxx   ------>

Practice makes Perfect!

oooooxooooo   rrrrr|rrrrr
oxxxxxxxxxo   rrrrr|rrrrr
oooooxooooo   rrrrr|rrrrr
                   ¡
              |
xxxxx       <-|---\
xxxxxxxx      |rrr`--\
xxxxxxxxx     `\rrrrr`\
 xxxxxxxx      `--\rrr|
    xxxxx         `---'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-d. Special Stage Selection
-------------------------------

There is a code to choose the desired Special Stage in S3 and S3&K.
 Sonic 3 method:
 First, get the Sound Test menu: When the SEGA sound stops, and the
 screen fades black, press up, up, down, down, up, up, up, up. You
 have to finish the code when the screen is still black. This code is
 extremely hard to pull of.
 Once you get it done, go to the Sound Test, set the Sound Test to the
 number of the level, then highlight Special Stage 2, hold A and
 press start.

 Sonic 3 & Knuckles method:
 First, activate the Debug code. Then in the Sound Test, use the same
 method, except for Special Stage 1 launches the levels of Sonic 3
 with Chaos Emeralds inside them, while Special Stage 2 launches the
 levels of Sonic & Knuckles, with Super Emeralds inside them.

Level numbers:

 0 : Green Emerald
 1 : Orange Emerald
 2 : Purple Emerald
 3 : Blue Emerald
 4 : Grey Emerald
 5 : Red Emerald
 6 : Light Blue Emerald
 7 : Golden Emerald (Hidden Stage)
After 7, the numbers recycle. (8=0, 9=1, 10=2, etc.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-e.  Sonic 3
----------------

* under construction *
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Green Emerald
-----------------

First, get the 16 Blue Spheres in front of you, then proceed to the
 "tunnel" (blue spheres inside Bumper spheres), and get the blue
 spheres from it while the game is not fast. Get the other Blue
 Spheres (remember, if you enclose them, they will turn into rings).
The second "tunnel" will be a bit tougher because of the speedup.

This level hardly needs any description. Only a little practice.

Map of the level:

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oo             **             oo
oo             **             oo
oo  xxxx                xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx  xx   **   xx  xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx  xx   **   xx  xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx                xxxx  oo
oo             **             oo
oo             **             oo
oo        oooooooooooo        oo
oo        oooooooooooo        oo
oo  *x**  oooooooooooo  **x*  oo
oo  *xx*  oooooooooooo  *xx*  oo
oo  **x*  oooooooooooo  *x**  oo
oo  *xx*  oooooooooooo  *xx*  oo
oo  *x**  oooooooooooo  **x*  oo
oo  *xx*  oooooooooooo  *xx*  oo
oo  **x*  oooooooooooo  *x**  oo
oo  **x*  oooooooooooo  *x**  oo
oo        oooooooooooo        oo
oo        oooooooooooo        oo
oo             **             oo
oo                            oo
oo  xxxx       **       xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx  xx   **   xx  xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx  xx   **   xx  xxxx  oo
oo  xxxx                xxxx  oo
oo             **             oo
oo             **             oo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Orange Emerald
------------------
Map of the level:

oooo   ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooo   oooooooooooooooo
oooo   oooooooooooooooo
oooo   oooo*********ooo  xxxxx
ooo*       xxxx xxxx     x***x
ooo*       xxxx xxxx     x***x
ooo*       xxxx xxxx     x***x
oooo***oooo*********ooo  xxxxx
ooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo   ooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo   ooo
ooooooooooo           ooo*   *oo
ooooooooooo           ooo*   *oo
ooooo****oo           ooo*   ***
    xxxx     xxxxx   ooo*
    xxxx     xxxxx   ooo*
    xxxx     xxxxx   ooo*
ooooo****oo           ooo*   ***
ooooooooooo           ooo*   *oo
ooooooooooo           ooo*   *oo
ooooooooooooooo   ooooooo*xxx*oo
oooooooooooooo*xxx*oooooo*xxx*oo
o         oooo*xxx*oooooo*xxx*oo
o         oooo*xxx*oooooo*xxx*oo
o  xxxxx  ooo**xxx**oo****   *oo
o  xxxxx              xxxx   *oo
o  xx*xx              xxxx   *oo
o  xxxxx              xxxx   *oo
o  xxxxx  oooo*****ooo********oo
o         oooooooooooooooooooooo
o         oooooooooooooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Purple Emerald
------------------

Map of the level:

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x*oooo
o      oo      **      oo      o
o      oo      xx xxxx oo      o
o  xx  oo  **  ** xxxx oo  **  o
o  xx  oo  **  oo xxxx oo  **  o
o      oo      oo xxxx oo      o
o      oo      oo      oo      o
o*x*ooooo*x*ooooo*x*oooooooo*x*o
o*x*ooooo*x*ooooo*x*oooooooo*x*o
o      oo      oo      oo      o
o xxxx oo      oo      oo xxxx o
o xxxx oo  **  oo  **  oo xxxx o
o xxxx **  **  oo  **  ** xxxx o
o xxxx xx      oo      xx      o
o      **      oo      **      o
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o      **      oo      **      o
o xxxx xx      oo      xx      o
o xxxx **  **  oo  **  **  xx  o
o xxxx oo  **  **  **  oo  xx  o
o xxxx oo      xx      oo      o
o      oo      **      oo      o
o*x*oooooooooooooooooooooooo*x*o
o*x*oooooooooooooooooooooooo*x*o
o      oo      **      oo      o
o      oo      xx xxxx oo  *   o
o  **  oo  **  ** xxxx oo    * o
o  **  **  **  oo xxxx oo *    o
o      xx      oo xxxx oo   *  o
o      **      oo      oo      o
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x*oooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Blue Emerald
----------------

Map of the level:

*************oo***oo************
*oooooooooooooo x ooooooooooooo*
*oooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo*
*oo                          oo*
*oo           *x**           oo*
*oo  ******   *xxx   ******  oo*
*oo  *xxxxx   ****   xxxxx*  oo*
*oo  *xxx**          **xxx*  oo*
*oo  *xxx*            *xxx*  oo*
*oo  ***x*  o  **  o  ***x*  oo*
*oo    *x*  o  **  o    *x*  oo*
*oo         o      o         oo*
*oo       ooo xxxx ooo       oo*
*oo           xxxx           oo*
*oo   *x*   xxxxxxxx   *x*   oo*
*oo   *x* **xxx**xxx** *x*   oo*
*oo   *x* **xxx**xxx** *x*   oo*
*oo   *x*   xxxxxxxx   *x*   oo*
*oo           xxxx           oo*
*oo       ooo xxxx ooo       oo*
*oo         o      o         oo*
*oo  *x*    o  **  o  *x*    oo*
*oo  *x***  o  **  o  *x***  oo*
*oo  *xxx*            *xxx*  oo*
*oo  *xxx**          **xxx*  oo*
*oo  *xxxxx   ****   xxxxx*  oo*
*oo  ******   xxx*   ******  oo*
*oo           **x*           oo*
*oo                          oo*
*oooooooooooooo x ooooooooooooo*
*oooooooooooooo***ooooooooooooo*
*************oo x oo************

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Grey Emerald
-----------------

Map of the level:

ooooo***ooooo   ooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo   ooooo***ooooo
ooooooooooooo   *    xxx    o
ooooooooooooo   *    xxx    o
ooooooooooooo   *    xxx    o
ooooooooooooo   ooooo***ooooo
ooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo***ooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo
*ooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo**
    ooooooooo   ooooooooo
    ooooooooo***ooooooooo
xxx  ooooo           ooooo  xxx
xxx  ooooo           ooooo  xxx
xxx  ooooo    * *    ooooo  xxx
    ooooo   x* *x   ooooo
    ooooo  *** ***  ooooo
**   ooooo     *     ooooo   **
**   ooooo  *** ***  ooooo   **
    ooooo   x* *x   ooooo
xxx  ooooo    * *    ooooo  xxx
xxx  ooooo           ooooo  xxx
xxx  ooooo           ooooo  xxx
    ooooooooo***ooooooooo
    ooooooooo   ooooooooo
*ooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo**
ooooooooooooo   ooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo***ooooooooooooo
ooooo***ooooo   ooooooooooooo
o    xxx    *   ooooooooooooo
o    xxx    *   ooooooooooooo
o    xxx    *   ooooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Red Emerald
---------------

Map of the level:

oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
      oooooooo        oooooooo
**  ** oooooooo **  ** oooooooo
*xxxx* oooooooo *xxxx* oooooooo
xxxx  xx    xx  xxxx  xx    xx
xxxx  xx    xx  xxxx  xx    xx
*xxxx* oooooooo *xxxx* oooooooo
**  ** oooooooo **  ** oooooooo
      oooooooo        oooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
      oooooooo        oooooooo
**  ** oooooooo **  ** oooooooo
*xxxx* oooooooo *xxxx* oooooooo
xxxx  xx    xx  xxxx  xx    xx
xxxx  xx    xx  xxxx  xx    xx
*xxxx* oooooooo *xxxx* oooooooo
**  ** oooooooo **  ** oooooooo
      oooooooo        oooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
ooxxooooooooooooooxxoooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo
oo  oooooooooooooo  oooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Light Blue Emerald
----------------------

Map of the level:

ooooooooo     ****     ooooooooo
ooooooooo   xxo  oxx   ooooooooo
ooooooooo   xxo  oxx   ooooooooo
ooooooooo   ooo  ooo   ooooooooo
ooooooooo   ***oo***   ooooooooo
oooooooo***x*o*rr*o*x***oooooooo
oooooooooo*x*o*rr*o*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*x*o*rr*o*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*x*o****o*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*x*oooooo*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*x*oooooo*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*x*oooooo*x*oooooooooo
oooooooooo*          *oooooooooo
oooooooooo*   o**o   *oooooooooo
o             o**o             o
*                              *
x  oooooooo          oooooooo  x
x  o*******ooo    ooo*******o  x
*ooo****** xxo    oxx ******ooo*
*********  xxo    oxx  *********
********     *o  o*     ********
*ooo*    o  **o  o**  o    *ooo*
x  o*      ***o  o***      *o  x
x  o*     *oooo  oooo*     *o  x
*  xooo   *o        o*   ooox  *
o  xxxo   *o        o*   oxxx  o
o  xxxo****o  oooo  o****oxxx  o
o  xxxxooooo  oooo  oooooxxxx  o
o             oooo             o
o             oooo             o
ooooooooo     oooo     ooooooooo
ooooooooo     ****     ooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Golden Emerald (Hidden Stage)
---------------------------------

You can only get this level with the Stage Select Code

The hardest level out of all 16.
Basically, you'll just have to run forward, jumping over the bumper
 spheres, and turning left when you have to. The trouble is, that
 this level will get EXTREMELY fast. It will take incredebly good
 reflexes to go through this level. I can only do it on a slowed-down
 emulator, and even then it's hella hard.
This level is almost impossible.

Map of the level:

o              x*x            o
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o              x*x
o ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o o                           o
o o ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o o o          x*x            o
o o o ooooooooooooooooooooooo o
o o o o        x*x          o o
o o o o ooooooooooooooooooo o o
o o o o o      x*x        o o o
o o o o o ooooooooooooooo o o o
o o o o o o    x*x      o o o o
o o o o o o ooooooooooo o o o o
xoxo oxoxoxoxo  x*x    o o o o o
*o*o o*o*o*o*oxoooooooxoxoxoxoxo
xoxo oxoxoxoxo*o x*x o*o*o*o*o*o
o o o o o o o o ooo oxoxoxoxoxo
o o o o o o o o  xo o o o o o o
o o o o o o o ooooo o o o o o o
o o o o o o o  x*x  o o o o o o
o o o o o o ooooooooo o o o o o
o o o o o o    x*x    o o o o o
o o o o o ooooooooooooo o o o o
o o o o o      x*x      o o o o
o o o o ooooooooooooooooo o o o
o o o o        x*x        o o o
o o o ooooooooooooooooooooo o o
o o o          x*x          o o
o o ooooooooooooooooooooooooo o
o o                         o o
o ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*E-f.  Sonic & Knuckles
-------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Green Emerald
-----------------

This is easy, but I never found a fixed pattern in this stage.
 I always get lost in this stage, but it's not a problem if you are
 used to big speed.
 Remember, if you enclose the blue spheres with red, they will change
 into rings.
Just keep practicing on this one.

Map of the level:

 *oo*   *ooo*oooo*     *o*
  **     *oooooo*   *   *    *
          *oooo*   xxx      xxx
*           *oo*Q  *xxx*    *xxx
   *        *oo*   xxx      xxx
  *o*       Q*oo*   *   *    *
 *oo*       *oooo*     *o*
*oo*       *ooooo*    *ooo*
*oo*       *ooooo*      *ooo*
oo*         *ooo*        *ooo* *
o*     *     *o*     *    *ooo*o
*     xxx     *     ***    *oooo
Q    *xxx*         *xxxx    *oo*
*     xxx         **xxxx*    *oo
o*     *     **    *xxxx**   Q*o
oo*         *oo*    xxxx*    *oo
ooo*       *oooo*    ***    *ooo
oooo*     *oooooo*    *    *ooo*
*oooo*   *oooooooo*       *ooo*
*oooo*Q*ooo*oooo*       *ooo*
 *oooo*ooo*Q*oo*       *ooo*
  *oooooo*   **    *    *o*
*   *oooo*         ***    *   *x
x   Q*oo*         *xxxx       xr
*   *oo*   *x*   **xxxx*      *x
  *oo*Q   xrx    *xxxx**
 *oooo*   *x*     xxxx*
*oooooo*           ***
*oooooooo*           *    *
oooooooooo*              *o*   *
*oooooo*ooo*   **       *ooo*
*oooo*Q*ooo* *oo*     *ooo*

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Orange Emerald
------------------

This is very easy too, just go straight.
There is a few turns to the left and the right, but it's easy.

But you have to jump two times:

First, a yellow spring sphere, don't worry about this cause if you
 miss you will end up in a room full with white/red bumpers, you just
 have to turn back.
The second:

** **
*oxo*
*oxo*
*ooo*
** **
 /|\
  |
you will just need to time your jump here, if you time it very
 good, you can turn the red and blue spheres to rings.

Map of the level:

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo******
ooooooooo******ooooo*******    *
ooooooooo*    ******* ooo**    *
ooooooooo*    Q    Q  xxo      *
ooooooooo*    *** *** ooo**    *
ooooooooo******o* *o*******    *
oooooooooooooooo*x*ooooooo**Q***
**********oooooo*x*ooooooooooooo
*xxx  xxx*oo***** *ooooooooooooo
*xxo**oxx*oo*     *ooooooooooooo
*xoo**oox*oo* *** *ooooooooooooo
* ****   *oo*     *oooooooo*Q*oo
* *oo*   *oo* *****oooooooo* *oo
* *oo*   **** *oooooooooooo* *oo
* *oo*   xxx  *oooooooooooo***oo
* *oo**********oooooooooooo* *oo
*x*ooooooooooooooo********** *oo
*x****oooooooooooo*xxx    xxx*oo
*    *oooo******oo*xxo****oxo*oo
*    QooooQ    *oo*xoo*oo*ooo*oo
*    *oooo*    *oo* ***oo*****oo
******oooo**** *oo* *ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo* *oo* *ooooooooooo
****oooo****** *oo* ***ooooo****
  *oooo* ooo  *oo*   **oooo*
xx QooooQ oxx  *oo*    QooooQ xx
  *oooo* ooo  *oo*   **oooo*
****oooo********oo*****ooooo****
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Purple Emerald
------------------

this is a bit more complicated, but it's still easy

xx  <--\
**   **|
**   **|
xx  >--ÿ

the same with the other:
**   **
xx  <-\
xx  /-ÿ
**  |**
    ^
******                   *******
o    *                  <-\    *
*xoo *                   *|rr  *
*xxo *                   *|rr  *
*xxx *                   *ÿ---\*
****o* this is easy too: *****|*

  you can turn back for the rings if you want

After these there is a yellow spring, and the whole thing will
 start over. If you are back at the starting point (You don't find
 any Blue Spheres) turn left, and jump over the yellow springs.
That place is like 3 rooms;
 The two rooms in the edge has 6-6 blue spheres,
 The one in the middle has 16, shaped like a 4*4 block.
Just jump over the yellow springs.

Map of the level:

*************o    o*************
*************o    o*************
**********oooo****oooo**********
*********oo          oo*********
****ooooooo  x****x  ooooooo****
****o******  x****x  ******o****
****o*    x          x    *o****
****o* oox* ooQQQQoo *xoo *o****
****o* oxx* oo    oo *xxo *o****
***oo* xxx* oo xx oo *xxx *oo***
**ooo*x**** oo xx oo ****x*ooo**
**o         oo xx oo         o**
**o    ooooo**    **ooooo    o**
**o    ooooo**QQQQ**ooooo    o**
**o ** Q***Q  xxxx  Q***Q ** o**
**o xx Q***Q  xxxx  Q***Q xx o**
**o xx Q***Q  xxxx  Q***Q xx o**
**o ** Q***Q  xxxx  Q***Q ** o**
**o    ooooo**QQQQ**ooooo    o**
**o    ooooo**    **ooooo    o**
**o         oo xx oo         o**
**ooo*x**** oo xx oo ****x*ooo**
***oo* xxx* oo xx oo *xxx *oo***
****o* oxx* oo    oo *xxo *o****
****o* oox* ooQQQQoo *xoo *o****
****o*    x  Q****Q  x    *o****
****o******ooo*oo*ooo******o****
****oooooooooo****oooooooooo****
*********ooooorrrrooooo*********
*************orrrro*************
*************orrrro*************
*************o****o*************

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Blue Emerald
----------------

This is nasty.
But it can be done with closed eyes after some practice ^_^

Okay, when you start, go straight,
 pick up 6 blue spheres, then turn right (time the turn!).
Then get 6 more, turn, 6 more, turn,
 6 more then don't turn, go on the spring sphere.

You will end up in a room like the previous one, but there are blue
 spheres in the corners too.
 The technique is the same, but at the end, you have to jump to the
 spring sphere, cause a red sphere is blocking your way.

You will end up in a "room" just like the one you left, same technique
 here. Next "room" is the same too, but at this point the game will
 speed up a little (if you are not collecting rings)
You will end up in a tunnel instead of a spring, just go into the
 tunnel.

The next room is just like the others, but MUCH smaller,
 watch out. Same technique.

The next spring will take you to a long tunnel, full with blue
 spheres. Go straight, then turn right, turn again, again,
 and there you have to jump over a red sphere.

You will end up in a spring taking you to the last piece of the
 stage, but I can give you no help in this place,
 just try to find a solution ^_^

Map of the level:

oQQQQQQQQQQooooQQQQQQQQQQo*x*ooo
oQxxxxxxxxQooooQ xxxxxx Qo*x*ooo
oQx******xQooooQx******xQo*x*ooo
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQo*x*ooo
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQo*x*ooo
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQo***ooo
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQooooooo
oQx******xQooooQx******xQooooooo
oQxxxxxxxxQooooQ xxxxxx Qooooooo
oQQQQQQQQQQooooQQQQQQQQQQooooooo
ooooooooooooooo********oooQQQQQQ
ooooooooooooooo* xxxxQ*oooQxxxxQ
ooooooooooooooo* ******oooQx**xQ
oooooooooooooooo oooooooooQx**xQ
oQQQQQQQQQQooooQ QQQQQQQQoQx**xQ
oQxxxxxxxxQooooQxxxxxxxxQoQx**xQ
oQx******xQooooQx******xQoQx**xQ
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQoQxxxxQ
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQoQQQQQQ
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQooooooo
oQx*rrrr*xQooooQx*rrrr*xQooooooo
oQx******xQooooQx******xQooooooo
oQxxxxxxxxQooooQxxxxxxxxQooooooo
oQQQQQQQQQQooooQQQQQQQQQQo******
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo*xxxx*
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x**x*
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x**x*
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x**x*
ooooooooooooooooooo*****oo*x**x*
ooooooooooooooooooo* xx*ooQxxxx*
ooooooooooooooooooo*****oo*x****
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo*x*ooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Grey Emerald
-----------------

Get the two blue spheres in front of you, and go onto the spring.
 Turn left or right, just follow the blue spheres.
If you are out of that maze and back to the starting point,
 (from the direction you come in) go right or left.
Get the 2 blue sphere, go onto the springs.

This is a very easy room,
 after you got all the blue spheres, leave in the other direction.
You are back to the starting point. Onto the spring,
 another maze, just keep following the blue spheres.

Map of the level:

ooooooooooo   ****   ooooooooooo
ooooooooooo   ****   ooooooooooo
         x   x  x   x
* xxx **  oooo*  *oooo  ** xxx *
* xxx **  oooo*  *oooo  ** xxx *
* xxx **  oooo*  *oooo  ** xxx *
         oooo*QQ*oooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooo****oooooooooooooo
     oooooooo*QQ*oooooooo
     oooooooo*  *oooooooo
*     ooooooo**  **ooooooo     *
* ooo **oo*****xx*****oo** ooo *
r xxx Q*oo*Q  x  x  Q*oo*Q xxx r
r xxx Q*oo*Q  x  x  Q*oo*Q xxx r
* ooo **oo*****xx*****oo** ooo *
*     ooooooo**  **ooooooo     *
     oooooooo*  *oooooooo
     oooooooo*QQ*oooooooo
oooooooooooooo****oooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
       x   oo*QQ*oo   x
*** ooo ooo oo*  *oo ooo ooo ***
rr* xxx ooo oo*  *oo ooo xxx *rr
*** ooo oooxoo*  *ooxooo ooo ***
       ooo   x  x   ooo
ooooooooooo   ****   ooooooooooo
ooooooooooo   ****   ooooooooooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Red Emerald
---------------

This one is like the 1st stage, I don't know a fixed pattern,
 only advice here is to AVOID THE YELLOW SPRINGS!!!!

Cause if you are unlucky, they will make you fall on red spheres!

This is an easy level, it's just long, and it will get very fast.
 For the 6 blue spheres that are enclosed in red and yellow spheres,
 just pick up the front two blue sphere and all of the blue/red
 spheres will turn into rings.

Just don't panic if you get lost.

Map of the level:

***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******QQ******  ******QQ**o
**    ****oooo****    ****oooo**
  xx     xxxoQ    rr    QoxxoQ
  xx     xxxoQ    rr    QoxxoQ
**    ****oooo****    ****oxxo**
***  ******QQ******  ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***QQ******  ******  ******  **o
**oooo****    ****oxxo****    **
Qoxxx     rr    QoxxoQ    xx
Qoxxx     rr    QoxxoQ    xx
**oooo****    ****oooo****    **
***QQ******  ******QQ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******QQ******  ******QQ**o
**    ****oooo****    ****oooo**
  rr    QoxxoQ    xx     xxxoQ
  rr    QoxxoQ    xx     xxxoQ
**    ****oxxo****    ****oooo**
***  ******  ******  ******QQ**o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o
***  ******  ******QQ******  **o
**oxxo****    ****oooo****    **
QoxxoQ    xx    Qoxxx     rr
QoxxoQ    xx    Qoxxx     rr
**oooo****    ****oooo****    **
***QQ******  ******QQ******  **o
***  ******  ******  ******  **o

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Light Blue Emerald
----------------------

This one has a fixed pattern, but this is one of the hardest stage.

First, get the 9 sphere in front of you, then the 9 one behind of you.
Jump out of that room to the left
(I mean left from your starting point)

On the next "room" there will be some bumper spheres, and some blue
ones. Get one row of the Blue Spheres, then get the other,
 you just have to jump over the red one you leaved there at the
 middle. The exit from this "room" is a yellow spring between two
 bumpers. Jump on it.

At this tunnel, the bumper will make you run backwards, get the 2
 blue spheres then a bumper will make you run forward, turn right.
Jump over the red sphere onto the spring.
There is another trick like this one, you have to turn left here.

You will end up in "room" with 16 blue spheres in a 4*4 square,
 change them to rings.
The exit is in the corner, jump over the red sphere onto the spring.

Another backward-running tunnel, after that there is a room full
 with blue spheres, red spheres and bumpers. Just keep moving forward
 from the tunnel, then turn left and get the blue spheres. The other
 ones will turn into rings. Tricky one.
The exit is in the corner, jump over the red sphere onto the spring.

Another backward-running tunnel, but at the end there is no bumper.
If you want to get all all of the rings, then jump over the blue
 sphere, get the rings, then get the blue sphere while
 running backwards.

Map of the level:

ooooooooooooo          oQ*  xx *
ooooooooooooo  *  *  ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo *xxxx* ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo  xxxx  ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo  xxxx  ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo *xxxx* ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo  *  *  ooooooooooo
ooooooooooooo        ooooooooooo
oooooooooooooxoooooooooooooooooo
ooo*oooooooooxooooooooooooo*oooo
ooo ooooooooo ooooooooooooo oooo
oooxooooooooo oooooooooooooxoooo
oooxooooooooo oooooooooooooxoooo
r*o      or*  xx *ooooooooo   xr
ooo ooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
ooo*ooooooooooooooooooooooo*oooo
oooQoooooooooooooooooooooooQoooo
ooo*oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooo oooooooo*****oooooooooo oooo
ooo         *xxx*oo         oooo
ooo ***x*** *xxx*oo **ooo** oooo
ooo ***x*** *xxx*oo **oxo** oooo
ooo ***x*** *   *oo **oxo** oooo
ooo xxxxxxx *   *oo xxxxxxx oooo
ooo ***x*** *   *oo **oxo** oooo
ooo ***x*** *xxx*oo **oxo** oooo
ooo ***x*** *xxx*oo **ooo** oooo
ooo         *xxx*oo         oooo
oooooooooooo*****ooooooooooxoooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooxoooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Golden Emerald (Hidden Stage)
---------------------------------

You can only get this level with the Stage Select Code

The easiest level out of all 16.
 When the level starts (when it's saying "collect blue spheres") turn
 left, and go forward. Run on the Spring Sphere, and quickly turn to
 collect all 4 Blue Sphere at the middle. When you got them, head for
 the bumpers, and jump through them to get out of that place.
After that, just collect the remaining Blue Spheres. Easy.
Map of the level:

QQQQQ         ****         QQQQQ
Qxxxx                      xxxxQ
Qxxxo                      oxxxQ
Qxxxo                      oxxxQ
Qxooo    QQQQQQQQQQQQQQ    oooxQ
       **oooooooooooo**
      ***oooooooooooo***
     ***              ***
    ***                ***
   Q**                  **Q
   Qoo   QQQQQQQQQQQQ   ooQ
   Qoo   Q****QQ****Q   ooQ
   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ
   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ
*   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ   *
*   Qoo   QQQQQxxQQQQQ   ooQ   *
*   Qoo   QQQQQxxQQQQQ   ooQ   *
*   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ   *
   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ
   Qoo   Q*oooQQooo*Q   ooQ
   Qoo   Q****QQ****Q   ooQ
   Qoo   QQQQQQQQQQQQ   ooQ
   Q**                  **Q
    ***                ***
     ***              ***
      ***oooooooooooo***
       **oooooooooooo**
Qxooo    QQQQQQQQQQQQQQ    oooxQ
Qxxxo                      oxxxQ
Qxxxo                      oxxxQ
Qxxxx                      xxxxQ
QQQQQ         ****         QQQQQ

=======================================================================
*?.  Special Section
======================

Here you will find all info about the various powerups through all of
the Sonic games. These were written down by Keedude.

This is the exact message he posted on the S&K board, I had absolutely
 no time to arrange it. maybe in the future,

Super Sonic
Needs: 7 chaos emeralds
Appearance: Spiky gold hair, eyes originally black, then green, then red
First Game: STH 2
Other Games: STH 3, &K, 3&K, A1, A2, a1, and most other Sonic games
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible, Flying
Vulnerabilities: Drowning, falling off the screen, being crushed

Super Knuckles
Needs: 7 chaos emeralds
Appearance: Glows
First Game: S&K
Other Games: S2&K, S3&K
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible
Vulnerabilities: Drowning, falling off the screen, being crushed

Super Shadow
Needs: 7 chaos emeralds
Appearance: Spiky cream/silver hair
First Game: SA2
Other Games: SA2:B
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible, Flying
Vulnerabilities: Drowning, falling off the screen, being crushed

Super Metal Sonic
Needs: Master Emerald
Appearance: Bright gold/bronze
First Game: S&K
Other Games: S3&K
Abilities: Invincible, Can fly, Shoot energy balls, shoot out deadly rings
Vulnerabilities: Must recharge offten

Hyper Sonic
Needs: 7 Super Emeralds
Appearance: Spiky hair, Flashes color of chaos emeralds, leaves trails
First Game: S3&K
Other Games: None
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible, Flying, Breathes under water,
Sonic Boom attack
Vulnerabilities: Falling off the screen, being crushed

Hyper Knuckles
Needs: 7 Super Emeralds
Appearance: Glows, Leaves trails
First Game: S3&K
Other Games: None
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible, Breathes under water, Earthquake
attack
Vulnerabilities: Falling off the screen, being crushed

Super Tails
Needs: 7 Super Emeralds
Appearance: Glows, Surrounded by 4 super flickys
First Game: S3&K
Other Games: None
Abilities: Super Fast, Super Jump, Invincible, Flickys home in and attack
badnicks
Vulnerabilities: Falling off the screen, being crushed, drowning

Chaos Emeralds

Sonic 1: Have 50 rings after completing a zone for a giant golden rings
to appear. Enter the ring to enter the secret zone. The secret zone
is a rotating maze where you search for the chaos emerald itself.
There are only 6 emeralds in this game

Sonic 2: Have 50 rings when hitting a star post to create a ring of
stars, enter that ring to enter the secret zone. The secret zone is a
3D tunnel where you collect rings to earn the choas emerald, first game
with all 7 emeralds

Sonic 3 & Knuckles: Find a giant golden ring in a zone, enter it to
enter the secret zone. The secret zone is a 3D sphere where you must
convert all blue spheres to red spheres by running into them.

Other games such as Sonic Advance, Sonic 3D have secret zones that are
similar to others and well I don't feel I need to cover all of them
Other games such as Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 use the chaos emeralds
merely as plot points.

Super Emerald

Sonic 3 & Knuckles: The super emeralds are not necessarily collected
but instead activated by the same bonus levels used to collect the
chaos emeralds in the same game.

Master Emerald

Sonic 3 & Knuckles: The master emerald is merely a plot point and is
only used for the transformation of Super Metal Sonic. It also has the
ability to increase the power of the chaos emeralds creating the super
emeralds. As a matter of plot the M.E keeps angel island floating.

Sonic Adventure 2: The master emerald is shattered and the pieces must
be searched for in the hunting levels. It is mostly a plot point and
its only practical purpose appears in movie scenes. It seems the
change size constantly and is used to stop the powers of the chaos
emeralds.

Other games use the Master Emerald for a variety of plot points
including the housing of the being Chaos.

Time Stones

Sonic CD: Have 50 rings by the end of the level for a giant golden ring
to appear, enter it to enter secret level. The secret level
is a 3D world where you destroy UFO's within the time limit to win the
time stone. No transormitive ability they're used to ensure a good
future.

Chaos Rings

Knuckles Chaotix: Have 50 rings at the end of the level for a giant
golden ring to appear, enter the ring to enter a secret level. The
secret zone is a 3D, gravity defying rotating tunnel where you need to
collect blue spheres by running into them. The chaos rings are used to
get the true ending.

=======================================================================
*F.  Credits
==============

- VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Warrior of Zarona and Janus Operative

- Special thanks to Psykiv, who helped in MGZ 2 and Sandopolis 1

- Special Thanks to Sega for creating these amazing games, and
   releasing them to first the Genesis/Mega Drive, then the
   Saturn, the PC, and now the Gamecube.

- Special Thanks to CJayC, for creating GameFAQs, and putting this
   FAQ up there.

- Thanks to Stealth : for creating the cool utility called SonED
   I used it to get the correct Giant Ring coordinates.

- Thanks to Gerbil : for creating the cool utility called SHWP
   I used it to make the Special Stage maps

- Thanks to MasterGamer64 : I made this FAQ originally to help you ^_^

- All users on the Sonic Message Boards on GameFAQs.
   Especially the Genesis ones.

- Thanks to Keedude

=======================================================================
-eof

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