SONIC THE HEDGEHOG POCKET ADVENTURE FAQ
Version 0.5 -final version (probably)-
Written by GurtyGurt ([email protected])
Last updated: 31 May 2000
You can find my homepage at: http://www.emutech.net


Contents:
_____________________________________________________________________________

0.0 Introduction
        0.1 FAQ History
1.0 Quick Guide
2.0 (Guide to the) NeoGeo Pocket Color only features
3.0 How to beat the bosses
4.0 Zones, Acts and Bonus Levels
        4.1 Photo piece locations
        4.2 Chaos Emeralds

5.0 Scoreboard (Trial Room scores)
        5.1 Time Trial
        5.2 Advanced
6.0 Miscellaneous Thingos
        6.1 Game Review
        6.2 weird Things
        6.3 Rumors
7.0 About the Author
8.0 Outroduction
        8.1 Credits
        8.2 Disclaimer

_____________________________________________________________________________



0 . 0   I n t r o d u c t i o n
_______________________________


Welcome to the Sonic Pocket Adventure FAQ. This FAQ was started simply
because there wasn't so much as a hint for the game on any site, apart from
on GameSages where it said 'get 50 rings for a bonus level at the end of the
act' which is in the manual and is not FAQworthy at all. I'm sure most people
want to know how to get photo pieces. Well I hope my directions are clear
enough to you. Maybe some ASCII art diagrams may be in this some day! ^_^


0.1 FAQ History
---------------

v0.1  > The first version. (12 Jan 2000)
v0.2  > The second version. (19 Jan 2000)
     > Extended boss guide and photo piece guide slightly (although no new
       photo pieces were found).
     > Added Chaos Emeralds section.
     > Added Rumors section.
     > Added the first times to the Scoreboard!
     > Swapped 6.1 and 6.2 around because it made more sense to have the
       review first.
     > Added these little greater than signs so people wouldn't get confused
       by all the new additions. Hope it works :P
     > This version has been rushed so if there's any errors, v0.21 will be
       out as soon as I find them :P
v0.5  > Probably the final version (already!). Released 31 May 2000.
     > Skipped 0.3 and 0.4 because this was basically completed in 3
       bursts!
     > Added the following photo pieces:
               * Secret Plant, Act 2, Piece 6
               * Secret Plant, Act 2, Piece 7
               * Aquatic Relix, Act 2, Piece 11
               * Gigantic Angel, Act 1, Pieces 7 and 8
               * Gigantic Angel, Act 2, Piece 8
               * Gigantic Angel, Act 2, Piece 9
               * Gigantic Angel, Act 2, Piece 10
       Only 3 remain!
     > More stuff added to the Scoreboard. A lot more. Expanded maximum
       amount of scores per level from 3 to 5, since it's the final version.
     > More 'weird Stuff'.
     > Altered 'Rumours' slightly, including on how to get Tails because
       about 70% of emails about the FAQ were saing the only way to get
       Tails is in 2 player! I shoulda released it sooner!
     > A number of people asked about the flowers in the Special Stage.
       I tried to address the answer FROM MEMORY. :)
     > FAQ as good as finished, due to NeoGeo Pocket Color being stolen
       when I was playing Dance Dance Revolution in the arcade! I am
       sorry for my tardiness when it comes to replying to emails. Not
       one has been attended to all this time! Note I haven't replied to
       any emails - what would you think if you suddenly got a reply after
       3 months? Most information has been posted. Sorry. (also note a lot
       of this FAQ was typed up in February - many people told me about the
       2 player thing with Tails. Too many to list.) Trust me, it was hell
       just catching up on all the emails! I -did- read them all still...
       I'm just sorry I couldn't reply. I hate it when my letters get
       ignored, myself...

       Also a quick reminder to SPREAD THIS FAQ! Put it on your site! Go
       for it! And since this FAQ is essentially finished...feel free to
       borrow and rephrase the instructions for getting puzzle pieces IF
       you are making a FAQ and intend to complete the work...but REPHRASE
       IT!

       This FAQ may end but another begins. I've started a Dance Dance
       Revolution/Dancing Stage FAQ!



1 . 0   Q u i c k   g u i d e
_____________________________


The aim of the game is basically progression. Guide Sonic from start to
finish without being killed. You're also supposed to collect all 7 Chaos
Emeralds, but that's not essential. Sonic must not collide with enemies (they
are all moving robotic looking creatures) or spikes, or he'll die - unless
he has 'rings' in his posession. Rings can be collected simply by touching
them. There is no limit to how many rings you may posess. If you are hit
when you have rings, you simply lose all your rings - some of them, however,
can be picked up as they bounce around before they disappear. 100 rings will
give you an extra Sonic. You still die, however, if you fall down a hole off
the bottom of the screen, drown (you'll know you're drowning when jaws type
music plays and a countdown beginning from 5 appears above your head - and
you have to be in water, you can't drown from being in outer space or
anything in this game :P) or get crushed by moving objects. However, if you
touch 'start posts' - which look like old gas lamp posts - you can continue
from that point instead of the start of the level. Levels are grouped in 6
groups of two - the 6 groups are called 'zones' and each have a different
theme (sky, underwater, etc), and are made up of two 'acts' (different levels)
and both acts must be cleared in order to get to the next zone. At the end
of the second act in each zone is a boss which must be defeated by jumping
on it, or rolling into it - you can roll into enemies by pushing down on the
control stick, or holding down and pushing jump, then letting go of jump.
Most normal enemies can be defeated in one hit using these methods, however
bosses require 6 hits or so. At the end of Act 1, you will always find a
signpost which falls down from the sky, and if you have over 50 rings
CURRENTLY, a giant ring will hover in the sky - jump into it for a bonus
stage with on-screen instructions. At the end of the second act, you will
always find a metallic dome shaped case with a plunger on the top. Jump on
the plunger to complete the act and the zone. You can also obtain objects
from television set looking contraptions called item boxes. The picture on
them reveals its contents - 10 rings, speed shoes (power sneakers), a 1-up
(extra sonic), invincibility (it looks like stars), or a shield (looks like
a bubble). Each zone features different contraptions to the last - some of
which can be manipulated to your advantage by jumping on them or running on
them. Experiment! And that's all!



2 . 0   N e o G e o   P o c k e t   C o l o r   O n l y   F e a t u r e s
_________________________________________________________________________


* You can contunue from any act you have already played at any point in
 time - select 'continue' for this.
* 'go to room' screen - you can go to the 'trial room', 'duel room' and
 'puzzle room' from here, as well as select the options screen.
* Options screen - select difficulty (does this have any effect?), turn on
 or off the 10 minute time limit per act (you may want to turn it off if you
 are hunting for photo pieces!), and enable/disable 'auto power off', which
 will turn off your NeoGeo Pocket Color after a period of inactivity.
* 'trial room' - offers two modes of time trial - 'time trial' and
 'advanced'. 'Advanced' is the same as time trial' except you MUST collect
 50 rings for your time to count. The main purpose of time trial is to
 compete with friends who own the game, or to simply keep score of your
 own achievements.
* 'duel room' - If you have a friend and you can link this up with them, you
 can play them in two modes: 'sonic rush' and 'get the rings'. In Sonic Rush,
 you basically race to complete the act. In Get the Rings, you have to both
 try to get a set number of rings first to win.
* 'puzzle room' - collect pieces of photo from each act to make one of six
 16 piece puzzle pictures!



3 . 0   H o w   t o   b e a t   t h e   b o s s e s
___________________________________________________


Neo South Island
----------------

This Robotnik creation is similar to the drill in Sonic 2. Except the hammer
doesn't launch (or it hasn't yet anyway! :P) - so just jump on him as you
would any other enemy - but only hit him twice at a time, because the delay
in Sonic Pocket Adventure for his invincibility flashing afterwards is longer
and thus you can only bounce twice at once.

Secret Plant
------------

Use the spike platforms to jump on his head - but make sure you hit him at the
top. Nowhere else will do damage.

Cosmic Casino
-------------

From the top left or top right platform, jump on Robotnik and CAREFULLY make
sure you don't hit any bumpers. Note that you can hit him from underneath -
that is NOT a spike under him!

I also got this email regarding a possibly better tactic that I can't test
(damn!):

-----

From: "Mark R."
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Sonic FAQ
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:35:45 +0100

 Good FAQ! I'll use it for the photo bits, and when my times are good
 enough, I'll send them.

 Anyway, the reason for this message; Cosmic Casino, Act 2, Boss. I found
 it a very tricky boss to beat without losing my rings until I found the
 following - and it works EVERY time.

 Stand on the top left platform, fairly close to the edge. Go into a
 stationary super-spin, and stay that way. Robotnik will eventually find
 you and keep coming in, but he bounces off hurt each time. This way, you
 can finish the level with loads of rings.

 Hope this helps,
 M

----

I hope it does too :)

Aquatic Relix
-------------

It's best to hit Knuckles in flight. Jump into his butt (no comment!) for
a fairly straightforward victory. Alternatively, you could try to jump on him
when he stops rolling/gliding and pauses and avoid his fists when he throws
punches. This seemed harder to me, though...

Aerobase
--------

Metal Sonic seems to be a lot easier than he was in Sonic 2. Just jump when
appropriate and beware of his jump spin which happens after a little while.
You shouldn't have any troubles at all with this boss.

Gigantic Angel
--------------

Either wait until Robotnik dives down, or jump off the mushroom created by
his bombs (they don't hurt you) into him. The greatest danger here are the
shots fired. This boss is similar to the boss for Secret Plant, although a
lot harder.

Last Utopia
-----------

Your greatest danger here is getting hit, then getting grabbed by the giant
hand move. This is instant death. The giant hand move basically means you
can't get your rings back, too - they all go out the screen since you hit the
border! Since you only have 9 rings and a photo piece, you have to be careful
and play defensively. Hit Robotnik's head, as usual, for a fairly easy
victory. If you have 6 chaos emeralds, jump on the chaos emerald he puts on
the back! After a few hits, it gets knocked out and you can add it to your
collection and after you beat him, this will allow you to progress to...

Chaotic Space
-------------

The main thing in this stage is you're invulnerable. Nothing will hurt you.
Your rings DO deplete, however, so make sure they don't go down to 0 or you
die, since you're Super Sonic. To hit Robotnik, simply press the A or B
button when holding towards him to charge into a missile which will deflect
and hit him. Do this for a little while to win!



4 . 0   Z o n e s ,   a c t s   a n d   b o n u s   l e v e l s
_______________________________________________________________



4.1 Photo piece locations
-------------------------

Currently, not all of the photo pieces have been found. If you know of any
more, please send an email to the address up the top of this document with
clear instructions on where the piece is and how to get it. You will be
listed in the credits in section 8.1 for your efforts. Sorry, only the first
person who notifies me for each photo piece will receive credit.

Photo pieces missing: 3


NEO SOUTH ISLAND ZONE
Act 1

1) Go down the first hole at the start and do a spin dash through the wall
  on the left, but stop once you're through it or you may fall down a hole
  further along! go left, jump the hole and collect the piece.
2) From 1), go right along the waterfall and spin through the wall at the
  end. Slow down here because you don't have too much room to stop on the
  other side, which is where the photo piece is!
3) On the upper route by the first red diagonal spring, jump over the spring
  and go -under- the ledge ahead. At the end, jump into the corner of the
  wall on the other side and walk through it to the photo piece on the
  other side.
4) On the upper route past the spring is a pair of power sneakers. Get them
  and run through the two loops to the right, and keep running up the ramp
  at the end. Land on the platform in the sky and jump to the next moving
  platform, then jump to the left. collect the extra life and the photo
  piece!
5) Just below the moving platforms at 4) is a waterfall - stand above it on
  the left side, then spin off the edge (not a spin dash, not a jump, just
  a regular spin) - you should JUST make it into an invisible hole which
  you cannot jump into, canno spin dash into, or anything else - IF you have
  enough momentum. Now, go right and get the piece of photo there! This may
  take practice, but it's the only way in! If you make it give yourself a
  pat on the back! That is quite possibly the hardest to reach piece of
  photo in the game!
6) Near the end of the act there is a ramp if you take the lower route. Use
  the ramp to launch to the upper left platform, or simply jump from the
  opposite side - a piece of photo is right next to where you land. Of
  course, you could also use the 2nd corkscrew to get here. *shrug* :P
7) Left of the second corkscrew and a loop is a tree with a yellow spring
  in it. Use the spring to jump to the right. On top of the loop are two
  photo pieces!
8) Right next to 7). You could also jump right from the loop onto a red
  spring and get two Super-Rings, but if you hit the spring and aren't ready
  for it, you could land on one of the enemies below. Nasty!

Act 2

1) On the upper route, jump on the first red spring. A photo piece hovers
  directly above it. Too easy!
2) On top of the second loop, jump off the diagonal red spring. Jump onto the
  yellow spring near where you land then jump from all 3 red diagonal springs
  where you land. Walk off the left of the ledge you land on (if you make it
  to the ledge! :P) and hug the right side. Two more pieces await you below!
3) Next two 2).
4) Use that funny vertical running thing to launch onto the loop to the right
  of where you come out from it (or take a running jump if you miss - use
  the power sneakers, it's easier!) - jump onto a moving platform to the
  right. It's tricky to see. You'll see a funny looking loop to land on if
  you look down - jump to it and you'll probably land on the 4th photo
  piece without realising it!
5) Use the diagonal red spring next to it to land on a moving platform (it's
  easier). Jump right and get the rings and the photo piece!
6) When you land from the huge tunnel, go right through the post, get the
  Super-Ring box, go onto the ledge above, then jump left as far as you can.
  With luck, you'll land on a moving platform (I only seem to make it if I
  go left as far as I can). Jump left when close enough to get another piece
  of photo.
7) Just past the corkscrew right before the end of the level on the top path
  is another piece of photo.
8) Just before the huge tunnel mentioned in 6) is a red spring. It's easy to
  find because the vertical running thing goes by immediately to the left
  of it. Use the spring to jump left into the wall, avoiding the spikes
  carefully, walk through it and get the piece of photo there. (you can see
  this from the big vertial running thing)

SECRET PLANT ZONE
Act 1

1) From the start, go on the ledge with the Super-Ring box. Continue as
  normal until you reach the first start post. Spin right from here, as
  running right will make you miss the objective...launch in the air on the
  ramp in the end, land on the right platform and collect the photo piece.
  You can use a spin dash if you miss, it has enough momentum to get to
  the ledge.
2) Continue along the path until you go through the first tube. Go right and
  up along the moving platforms and down the tube. When you come out, use
  the spring (it covers the tube) to launch and get another piece!
3) Take the lower path at the start (run straight ahead). Keep running to
  launch into the air at the end and land on the right to land straight
  on the next piece of photo!
4) Go through the tube on the left. Continue along until you come to a baddie
  and another tube. A piece of photo is right next to the tube!
5) Very eays to miss...take the lower path at the start but DON'T land on the
  upper ledge. Continue right until you get to a tube - go down it and hold
  right on the joystick. When you come out, you should move over and onto
  a piece of photo which you would miss if you did not hold right!

Act 2

1) Spin through the big run from the start. You should land on a platform at
  the end (if you move right to land on it :P) from the first spring, jump
  to the left to get a Super-Ring box and a piece of photo!
2) Go back to the right, and ever-so carefully spin through the bad guy.
  A door should seal you in this area. Simply use the rotating platforms
  to get a photo piece which is to the upper right of here!
3) Continue past the start post and you'll enter a vertical 'shaft' (no
  better way to describe it I guess). Jump and hug the left hand side of
  this 'shaft' to land right on a photo piece.
4) Go through the path immediately to the right. After you pass the 2nd
  start post, continue along and take the BOTTOM route when you get to
  the next ramp - don't try to make it up the top! Go through the pipe.
  Go right down the folding step things and under the blue worm thing, then
  use the 2 moving platforms to get to the upper left area to get a shield
  and a piece of photo.
5) Down the bottom of the 'shaft', go alllll the way right until you get to
  the pipe at the end. Jump off that ledge to the left and get another piece
  of photo.
6) Towards the end of the level, past the 'shaft' and -just- past the final
  'jump over water on moving platforms' section is a place with 2 or 3 sets
  of clockwise rotating square blocks, the topmost one being very close to
  the top and too close for Sonic to fit in without being crushed (although
  there is a little part in the middle to jump up) - on the topmost block
  platform, hold left and you can walk through the wall into a room with two
  Super-Ring boxes and a photo piece! Thanks to [email protected] for
  locating this piece (which incidentally is the lower right part of Tails,
  which now completes that puzzle!).
7) In the 'shaft', go in the second hole on the right from the top (excluding
  the top). Continue along through the loop and you'll reach a small mound -
  don't go past the wall on the other side because a door will come down and
  you can't go back. Use the mound to launch up to the right. There's a
  photo piece right above!


COSMIC CASINO ZONE
Act 1

1) From the start, go right past the first pinball set then jump far to the
  right from the top of the second. You should land on a flipper. Use it to
  land on the moving block above, then bounce from the nearby yellow spring
  to the bumper, to the platform above it to the right (phew!) - the first
  photo piece should be in clear view.
2) 'Simply' use the bumpers to bounce to the left. From the leftmost bumper,
  take a flying bump into the second piece of photo.
3) Go right from here and you'll see some flattish looking bumpers. Bounce
  off these to the right and you'll see a diagonal, almost horizontal
  tunnel. Where it turns to a 45ø angle, jump through the top. You'll see
  an invincibility box there - ignore it for now. Jump through that green
  mesh looking wall and run right to find a hidden piece of photo!
4) Now go right and take the upper right route ahead (the lower route has a
  loop, FYI) Try to land on the moving boxes first go, because there is
  messy network of bumpers below which can be VERY hard to get out of, and
  you can only go up, which is where you're going. Continue until you reach
  the start post. Use a spin dash from the flat ground here, then JUMP when
  you touch the post. You will catapault yourself into a piece of photo!
5) Next time when you're where 1) was, take the lower route through the loop.
  In the pinball area, go down the bottom of the field and you should fall
  through an invisible hole onto the photo piece below!
6) If you continue past 5, you should see a pinball area with conveyors up
  the top. Ride the top one and fall down, avoid the spikes (forgot to
  mention those...oops!), then you should see a hole going down. Fall, and
  you should land on one of two platforms near a piece of photo...don't slip
  because there's no way to get back up the top that I know of! At least not
  backwards! This is VERY tricky to get. It may look as simple as getting
  onto the bottom platform, but it's not. If you land on the bottom plaform,
  JUMP RIGHT STRAIGHT AWAY! Don't line up! Don't run up! JUMP NOW! ^_^
7) Just past 6) is another pinball set. At the right side are 2 bumpers which
  disappear after being bounced on a number of times and a regular circular
  one to their left. Use the circular one to bounce on these two and to the
  photo piece on the right! Walk through the wall on the right at the end
  here, if you like (what's the point of it being there? :/)
8) Very tricky. Right before the end of this act is a pinball area.
  On the lefthand side, where you come out, is a flipper. Above that is
  another flipper. Make it to the upper flipper, then flip yourself when
  you're about to roll off it...you should land on another pinball area!
  Jump, and you should land on some of the bumpers which disappear after
  time. This is the tricky part! You have to make it onto one of the
  flippers nearby, and flip yourself into the slot machine starting gizmo
  in the middle, where a piece of photo awaits!
9) Right before 6), if you take the lower route, you'll see several moving
  blocks. Jump on the far right one and you'll notice IN the wall is a
  piece of photo!

Act 2
1) From the start, head right. If you jump from the ledge after the spring
  you'll see a photo piece. Don't bother trying to jump to get it from here.
  Continue going right. Take a big jump from the upper ledge after the
  spring here to land on a conveyor - jump carefully onto the next conveyor
  (beware, it carries you to the right!) - use the flipper above it to
  launch to a fipper which is about -1 flippers length right of the wall-.
  Use this flipper to get onto the right side of the top of the wall. Avoid
  the spikes and jump to the conveyor above. Go to the next conveyor (it
  moves left, beware) and then continue left. Jump over the lift and keep
  going left. The next lift shaft has no lift in it so ignore it and keep
  walking left. At the end, drop straight down to fall through several 100
  point gizmos and finally onto the photo piece you saw soooo long ago!
2) Go back to the lift you jumped over before. This time, use it, go left
  and take the lift there too. Go left from where you come out and get the
  speed shoes. Go to the ledge on the right, take a flying leap to the
  left side and run left to get a piece of photo!
3) You may have figured this out for yourself, but why should you have to? :P
  Go right along the top route for a bit until you get to a few moving boxes
  and from here, take the lower path - there should be a lift. use it and
  you'll come out near a Super-Ring box. Take it, then go on the legdge to
  the right. See that photo piece? Use a spin dash followed immediately by
  a jump to reach it!
4) Right from here somewhere is a start post - you'll be able to identify it
  because it's near the bottom of the map, and there's a long vertical shaft
  filled with bumpers which can be destroyed after a few hits, with a spring
  at the bottom and an extra life hidden in the right wall at the bottom
  (no really!) - and there's also a flipper just above the shaft to the left
  which you can't miss. Go right from here, jump the 3 sets of spikes and go
  through the first pinball table. Then, go through a curvy tunnel and you
  will come out by a pinball table thing again. Carefully jump down below
  and OVER the hole at the very bottom, then spin dash up to the other side.
  From the right hand side of the platform, jump up onto the ledge with
  the photo piece and um...get it. :P (You can make the jump)
5) From 1) continue right you'll pass an empty lift shaft and come to a long
  funnel shaped drop (the funnelhead can only be seen if you look up) -
  ignore the funnel, jump down and hug the left wall. See that diagonal
  bumper there? Use it to bounce into a photo piece opposite. Not hard
  at all.
6) Near the end is a gigantic pinball table - avoid falling down it at all
  costs! Near the upper left hand side is a little bumper filled room with
  a photo piece in it. It may take several attempts to get it. You'll need
  to use the flipper on the upper right side, and you will have to launch
  Sonic from the middle, not the tip.
7) Drop down the left side and through the hole into a second table. Drop
  down the hole in that one too and you'll land on a moving box. Go left
  here. Ride the first box up and under the second is a photo piece. Don't
  kill yourself getting it if you can!
8) From 2), go right and stay as high in the level as possible. When you get
  to a pinball table with a hole in the middle that goes to a ball launcher
  you know you're on the right track. spin up the right wall and keep going
  right until you see two moving boxes. Drop down from these...now jump to
  the platform on the left for an easy photo piece!
9) Go back up from 8) And go right over the conveyor belts, and be VERY
  careful of the spikes. On the other side are bumpers. These are harder
  to bounce over on than normal because you're so close to the top of the
  play area! If you fall don't worry, there's a spring below. Now take a
  fairly big leap to the right...you'll land on one of two conveyor belts
  so beware, the left one moves left and the right one moves right. Take
  a VERY CAREFUL run-up to the right and jump...you'll probably land on
  bumpers so steer to the right and avoid the spikes. At the end of the
  platform is another bumper. Bounce on it just to the right of the middle
  and you'll go flying up and right and smack-bang into a photo piece!

AQUATIC RELIX ZONE
Act 1

1) Take the upper route from the start. Just before the first loop, do a
  spin dash which will launch you from the ramp just past the loop. Once
  you got the Super-Rings box, which you undoubtedly will (heheh :P), use
  the springboard nearby, and just continue right and up and you'll come to
  a piece of photo soon enough...
2) After this, go right and walk off the ledge and be ready to jump into
  the baddie waiting for you below. Continue right, jump over the first two
  gaps and fall down the bigger third gap and hug the left side! You'll land
  right on a piece of photo! Carefully avoid the two arrow shooters on your
  way out...
3) Run right over the mound once you get out of the underwater ditch at 2).
  Keep running until you go through the loop and bounce off a yellow spring.
  When you land, go left, through the loop, jump up onto the ledge, roll up
  the hill (beware of the grounder here!), then jump onto the platform above
  to the right. Use the springboard at the end and land just past the rings.
  You should land on a Super-Ring box...kill the enemy hovering above and
  get the box, then walk right off the edge and get the piece of photo.
4) Take the lower route from the start. Continue past the first spinning
  platform array and get the shield past the second spinning platform array.
  Continue right up the ramp at the end and you should see two blocks moving
  up and down with a platform in the middle. Simply go under one of the
  moving blocks to collect the next photo piece!
5) Continue right to the end of the water section where there is a
  springboard - from here, do a spin dash left and jump, then hold left on
  the control stick - you should reach a piece of photo!


Act 2

1) Go right from the start and bounce off the spring. Continue along the
  high route (note that the large gap has swinging platforms which may not
  be in view when you arrive at the edge) and progress right/upwards until
  you come to a loop. Just before it is a hole - fall down it and use the
  red spring below to bounce onto the platform above the column to a right,
  jump to the top of the loop and get the piece of photo!
2) From the top of the loop, run at the springboard on the right...you should
  land on or near a Super-Ring box. Hit it, then take a run-up to the right
  and jump. You should land on another platform. Tag the start post to the
  right, then go back left to the very edge of the platform. If you look
  directly below it, there's another platform with a photo piece on it.
  You will probably have to jump to get this one...a red springboard to the
  right should put you back by the start post.
3) Run right and just past a Super-Ring box on a mini platform, you come to
  the edge of the platform - take a running leap from here and you'll land
  on flat ground. Go back left, drop off the edge and you'll land on a lower
  platform going right - so go right, through a loop and you'll come to an
  edge. Look carefully and you'll see a moving platform disguised here! Use
  it to get to the other side where there is a red spring. Jump on it. You
  should land by a Super-Ring box. Get it then go left past the spikes...a
  piece of photo is hidden just off screen!
4) From the start, go along the upper route and at the first swinging
  platform, drop straight down to land on an invincibility box right next to
  a photo piece!
5) Continue right from 4) - After you reach a part with a curved ramp going
  up which has a platform right above it to prevent you from rolling back
  down the way you came, you will see a platform floating in the water.
  Jump onto the platform, and jump left quickly, as it falls - you should go
  behind the wall and be able to collect a photo piece! (watch your head
  coming out - running straight out will make you hit the spikes)
6) Go right and take the lower route where possible. Go past a start post
  and through a narrow diagonal tunnel right and you'll come out at a part
  with blocks falling from pillars. Get to the other side then by the air
  bubble outlet is a platform - use it, then jump to the left (ignore the
  moving platform). Continue left above the falling pillar parts to get a
  photo piece.
7) Now use the moving platform you ignored before to reach the upper right
  platform to get a piece of photo again. :P DROP BACK DOWN TO GET AIR!
  Air is hard to find if you go straight ahead.
8) Continue right until you see a long, almost vertical ramp. Spin dash up
  it, then jump somewhere on it and you'll be sent soaring upwards and
  slightly right. You should land near a grounder. Defeat it then go left
  and jump the gap for yet another piece of photo!
9) Past the long, almost vertical ramp mentioned before is an air bubble
  outlet in a little dimple shaped ditch. Spin dash to the left and up
  the side of the ditch, and jump so that it sends you flying into the
  air. (yes, there is another way to do this but this way is more fun and
  safer with the air there!) You should easily be able to land on a moving
  platform here. Position yourself on the left side of the platform facing
  right and start a spin dash. when the platform moves as far right as it
  can, let go of the button and jump so you get sent soaring over to the
  platform on the other side. Jump through the platform above and get the
  photo piece there!
10)From the start, go to swinging platform #1 (again!) and jump on it. Now,
  jump down right where the little ball thing that it swinging off is. You
  should land on a platform. Continue right, use the springboard if you
  like, ride the moving platform to the right, ride the next moving platform
  for a few seconds then jump off and get yet ANOTHER photo piece!
11)AND ANOTHER! Near the end is a loop. Just before it is a very slight hill.
  Spin dash up it and JUST before it levels out, JUMP! You should land on
  top of the loop and there is a photo piece here! This is PROBABLY the last
  one on this zone...

SKY CHASE ZONE

1) Go up from the very start and jump.
2) Appears up the top at 0:50. Bounce off the incoming enemy to get the piece!
3) Right under 2) is another piece!
4) Appears near the top at 1:08. Beware of the spikes under the photo piece!
5) An enemy appears up the top at 1:45. Bounce off it to get the photo piece!

AEROBASE ZONE

1) After the first start post, go left, up over the retracting platforms,
  then continue left past the first set of revolving narrow white platforms
  to a second set. Go up here, then roll left under the blade and try to
  steer right, and you'll find another piece of photo.
2) After the second start post, go right until you get to a blade which can't
  be rolled under. Go over it then go up the right angle ramp on the other
  side. Jump over the launching gizmo, go down the hole and walk left. Hug
  the left hand wall because there's retracting spikes to the right which
  you won't see yet. Fall of the edge and hug the left wall as there's a
  spring to the right of it...walk left through a hidden passage and on the
  far end is a piece of photo and a Super-Ring box!
3) After you go through a passage with 3 sets of retracting spikes, you go
  down a hole and there is a walk-through passage to the right - on the
  other side, there are strong winds where Sonic has to grab onto plates
  which look like this: [X]. Go through and when the wind starts blowing,
  hold up. Continue going upwards with the wind and at the very top, at
  the very end, is an easy to get piece of photo!
4) There are moving platforms past 2) - continue right from here and you'll
  get to some more retracting platforms. Just at the end of the retracting
  platforms, jump up to the platform above. Now, jump up one more time
  and you'll find a photo piece suspended in the air.
5) After this are some rolling platforms. After the first one, continue right
  and walk off the platform carefully. Drop down again and you'll land over
  a big air duct thing. Float to the left CAREFULLY...you have to drop to
  a ledge directly to the left of this. Do so with extreme care, then when
  you reach the lower ledge, take a jump right - not too high or you will
  get sucked into the vent and back up the top, not too low or you'll
  fall and die. Make the jump and you can reward yourself with a piece of
  photo - not so hard really!
6) Go back up and go to the second spinning platform. Jump on it and jump
  to the regular platform to its left. Jump to the left set of rotating
  platforms - they rotate every 6 seconds or so. Get the timing right
  and you can make it to the other side where an easy to find and easy to
  collect piece of photo sits.

GIGANTIC ANGEL ZONE
Act 1

1) Go right from the start and after the ramp go right and up the spring
  tunnel thing. From here go right and past the crushers, down the first
  hole, then right. You will be in a U shaped tunnel. On the opposite side
  of where you enter the U shaped tunnel is a photo piece which easily
  can be collected.
2) Go through the transport device to the right. When you come out you'll
  be sent into another spring tunnel - once you reach the top, drop back
  down and go right through the start post. Run right through the ) shaped
  loop but just before the spring at the end, jump down. Walk left and
  collect the next photo piece!
3) Go up from here then jump over the spear boxes carefully. Jump over the
  spikes on the other side then go up to the conveyor belts above them.
  There's a teleport device just past them - use it, tag the start post and
  continue on. Go past the first set of conveyored platforms (the ones on
  belts which move around like a conveyor belt) and on the second set to
  the right, drop down to the left for a shield and a photo piece.
4) Go right. When you pass the third set of conveyor platforms, you can drop
  down a few levels - there's an extra life here. Continue down and right,
  being careful of the lava. At the lowest point you'll find a start post
  on the left and a Super-Ring box with a photo piece on the right!
5) From the start, go right and when you get to the spear boxes, cross over
  on them to the left. Use the ramp, then the spring, then the transporter
  device on the left. Use the springs just ahead to bounce up and on the
  left is a shield, Super-Ring box and a photo piece.
6) Go right, up the right angle ramp, left, around the 180ø loop, up through
  the springs, over the spear boxes over the lava, down through the passage
  the switches open up and over the spring tunnel, through the first opening
  on the right, launch off one of the pistons onto the platform above and
  take the right route and go through the transport device, and you'll come
  out at a photo piece!
7) From the start go right until you to get to a pulverizer (which pulverizes
  upwards) - go past it, down the gap, past the next pulverizer, through
  the half-pipe up to the springs above, right, up at the springs, then take
  the lower right path, take the moving platform down, then go right and
  fall approximately straight down underneath the spear block - a photo
  piece awaits!
8) Go right and you'll see a sinking platform again. Ride it down and there
  is a photo piece there!

Act 2

1) After the extremely Scrap Brain Act 2-esque start, hold right. You'll hit
  a spring which will send you into a room with a photo piece which you will
  probably land on top of :P (don't take the transporter out, walk off the
  ledge and hug the left wall for an extra life!)
2) At the bottom, go right and when you see a platform rotating on two cogs,
  jump onto it and jump to the ledge to the left for another photo piece.
3) Go back down and take the bottom right route. You'll come to a switch with
  a stationary red platform next to it. Press the switch and it'll move.
  Drop down to the photo piece below which you'll have noticed by now.
4) By a start post later on in the level which has a platform directly above
  and a loop to the left (easy to spot), jump onto the platform above the
  post and go over on the platforms to the left to get on top of the loop.
  Continue left and get the photo piece!
5) Go left and jump onto the platform there and quickly jump up, because it
  falls. You'll hit two springs and land on a ledge - right up from where
  you land is a red platform with a photo piece on it. Simply jump up
  through the platform as it's not a solid one.
6) Go left and past the crusher to find a start post. Continue going up/left
  and you'll reach a closing trapdoor thing which prevents you from going
  back down - go left for a rather unhidden photo piece.
7) Go right, through the transport device, over the springs, onto the upper
  ledge where the red platform comes in and out of the wall, right off the
  ledge at the end, jump over the gap, run down the hill, onto a revolving
  conveyor platform at the end, onto the conveyor belt on the upper right
  side, then onto a platform right of that which has a photo piece on it.
8) From the start post at the bottom of where you begin, go right and take
  the upper right path. go past the pulverizer, spin dash up the 180ø
  reverse loop so you land on the baddie on the other side, go left and
  use the rotating platforms to get onto the conveyor above and then go on
  the second set of rotating platforms. Go right through the transporter
  at the top here, then drop down the first gap onto a conveyor. Drop down
  again and roll into the enemy straight away when you land. You should see
  an almost vertical drop to the right - fall down onto the top part of this
  ramp, then jump into the gap on the right from it (it's tricky). There's a
  photo piece here.
9) From the boss room door, go left and down. You should see nearby a spring
  tunnel thingy which has a ledge above it so you can't fall down. Go left
  and down. You should see lava if you continue this way - jump over it to
  the left for a photo piece!
10)Go through the transporter next to 9) and it'll spit you out right by a
  photo piece.

LAST UTOPIA ZONE

1) You automatically run over a photo piece when you start.

CHAOTIC SPACE ZONE

1) There are no photo pieces in this stage.


4.2 Chaos Emeralds
------------------

There's no real tactics to use during the bonus levels in which you get the
chaos emeralds, giving instructions on what to do would be too confusing
to read while you play and drawing maps would take some time. What I might
suggest, however, is that you pause when you think some rings or bomb things
are about to come up and memorize the patterns or write them down. However,
note that you don't nessecarily have to collect them in order - each zone has
a different emerald. Do Gigantic Angel's one last, however, because it's
insanely difficult and unlike any other bonus stage in this game OR Sonic 2!
You will NOT make it without playing it several times over because it's
deliberately set to trick you. My advice for the last bonus stage is: Make
sure you get the rings ABOVE the half-pipe too, don't get greedy, and try to
memorize what's coming up next. You can only afford to be hit once or so. The
7th Chaos Emerald is on the back of the boss of Last Utopia - dislodge it by
hitting it several times then beat the boss. You can now play the Chaotic
Space level.

People claim that you get a sound test if you beat the game this way - I
didn't, at least I never found it THAT way! (see the Rumors section) Oh, and
the flowers in the bonus levels appear to be continues or extra lives.



5 . 0   S c o r e b o a r d
___________________________


Please submit your times to the email address up the top of this FAQ! I have
not received too many emails at this stage, so it's fine for you to send all
the times you like. This will probably contain the top 5 for each act. The
times are set out as follows:

Zone Act
Time/Rank
Recorded by Name

This system is pretty simple to follow...note I have no way to check if times
are legitimate, however if your time is ludicrously short in comparison to
others times and my own estimation for the minimum time for the level, then
maybe I'll remove it. I don't see why anyone would lie anyway! Note that the
name doesn't have to be the 4 letter nonsense in the game itself. To give
everyone a fair go, I'm not gonna include any tips here. :P

Ranks:
P - Platinum
G - Gold
S - Silver
B - Bronze


Time Trial
----------

Zone 1 Act 1
0'26"87/P
Recorded by [email protected]
0'29"42/P
Recorded by Adam Reed
0'29"48/P
Recorded by SayainTom
0'35"36/G
Recorded by Erik Christiansen
0'38"72/G
Recorded by [email protected]

Zone 1 Act 2
0'57"72/P
Recorded by Adam Reed
1'21"03/S
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 2 Act 1
0'50"87/P
Recorded by Adam Reed
0'54"03/P
Recorded by [email protected]
0'54"39/P
Recorded by Albert Ying
0'58"27/P
Recorded by [email protected]
1'22"87/B
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 2 Act 2
1'44"48/P
Recorded by Adam Reed
1'48"45/P
Recorded by [email protected]
1'52"51/?
Recorded by Albert Ying
2'34"30/B
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 3 Act 1
0'31"54/P
Recorded by [email protected]
0'38"54/?
Recorded by Albert Ying
1'11"87/B
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 3 Act 2
1'24"36/P
Recorded by [email protected]
1'37"33/P
Recorded by Albert Ying
2'14"69/S
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 4 Act 1
0'36"21/P
Recorded by Albert Ying
0'38"12/P
Recorded by [email protected]
0'53"21/S

Zone 4 Act 2
1'04"15/P
Recorded by Albert Ying
1'16"66/P
Recorded by [email protected]
1'35"12/G
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 5 Act 2
2'41"47/?
Recorded by Albert Ying

Zone 6 Act 1
0'49"12/P
Recorded by GurtyGurt
0'57"54/?
Recorded by Albert Ying
1'26"45/S
Recorded by Erik Christiansen

Zone 6 Act 2
2'02"41/?
Recorded by Albert Ying

Final Zone
0'35"53/P
Recorded by [email protected]
0'40"77/G
Recorded by Erik Christiansen


Advanced
--------

Zone 2 Act 1
0'57"87/G
Recorded by [email protected]



6 . 0   M i s c e l l a n e o u s   T h i n g o s
_________________________________________________


6.1 Game Review
---------------

If you go to the site up the top of this FAQ you'll see it's a review site
for emulated games - however I don't follow modern emulation nor do I support
it. I don't care if you like it or not...so don't email me asking for the
Sonic ROM. I don't have it and from what I've heard it isn't emulated yet
anyway (good! :P) - I paid for this game. You probably won't listen if you
are one of those types, but...you should too. Okay. In Emutech review style,
here we go!


SONIC THE HEDGEHOG POCKET ADVENTURE
For the NeoGeo Pocket Color
Review by GurtyGurt

Well, there's no mention of plot in the manual. So let's make something up.
Um...Robotnik's been naughty again, so go get those chaos emeralds yet again.
This is basically the same deal as its predecessors in gameplay style,
except for a few new features. There are photo pieces for you to collect -
80 of them or so, and they reveal 5 different pictures. There's also time
trial modes which record your times, and linkup modes which allow you to
compete with friends. Um...and that's basically it.

GURTYGURT: After reading a review by GameFan which failed to mention the
sound at all and gave it 98% or something, I was highly sceptical if this
game was as good as people said it was...since they were all based on the
GameFan review. When new reviews popped up and it still got good ratings,
I went and bought Sonic and a NGPC. It took almost a month to arrive here.
Was it worth it? I dunno. It's exactly what I was afraid of. This is the
easiest Sonic ever! The continue mode ruins the game somewhat...since you
can continue from any stage you've played. The option should have been
disabled until you complete the game! Also, I think the graphics have been
overhyped a bit. They're not that much better than the screenshots, even
when they're moving. And the sound? Instead of a different tune for each
zone, they seem to have different tunes for each act - and they are repeated
sometimes. The music is only average, too - recompositions of old songs from
Sonic 2, 3 and Knuckles...nothing fancy. But yes, there are good points about
this game too! Collecting the pieces of photo - the pictures themselves might
be dumb once finished, but the point of it is, it's a challenge to explore
every single inch of the game! Some parts are so riddled with secret walls
that they remind me of Spring Yard Zone from Sonic 1 on Genesis...there are
no scrolling problems in Sonic. The screen size is fine and you won't be
running into enemies because you didn't have time to react...no more than
the other versions, anyway! People complain about the lack of parallax
scrolling with the backgrounds, but personally, I was concentrating on the
gameplay the whole time and they were fine. As for the bonus stages, they
play identical to Sonic 2 - and personally, I didn't like them in Sonic 2
because I thought they were only made for showing off and really had limited
gameplay. The original Sonic had the best bonus games...Sonic can either be a good game
or a bad game - it's a bad game if you aren't a fan of the series and like
picking at every detail, but if you ARE a fan of the series, Sonic is an
excellent addition to the series and the best handheld version yet, and I'm
sure a lot of people will be impressed just because it has the traditional
Sonic hallmark - after you turn the NGPC on, you get heralded with the
beloved "SEEEEEEGAAAAAAA" introduction, complete with digitized speech!
Beware, however - it's also the easiest Sonic ever, even for Sonic fans!


Presentation: 88%
Ruined by a horrible continue mode which saves your
progress from any act thus virtually giving you
infinite continues!

Graphics: 91%
Very good graphics for the NGPC, however they are
not amazing. Scrolling is more than adequate.
Faultlessly converted simulated 3D in Bonus stages.

Sound: 87%
Straightforward conversions of 16-bit version tunes
and SFX which sound borrowed from the Master System
version - excluding the excellent digitized speech
at the start.

Hookability: 94%
It's Sonic - simple, but effective! And it also has
a certain nostalgic feel to it with all the things
borrowed from its 16-bit cousins!

Lastability: 91%
The photo piece collecting mode will stretch the
lifespan of the game out for a long time - unless
you don't like it, in which case you won't like
the Time Trial either and you're stuck with yet
another 'once completed, never retry' Sonic game.


OVERALL: 90%
A great game which is an essential purchase, but
if you're the kind of person who buys games, beats
them in 2 days then never touches them again, think
twice before buying Sonic Pocket Adventure!


6.2 weird things
----------------

* Ever notice there's a smiley face made of bricks in Aquatic Relix Act 1
 just under the first photo piece described in the photo piece section?

* The six Chaos Emeralds gained in bonus stages all look like the ones from
 Sonic 3. The seventh Chaos Emerald, the one Knuckles has, looks more like
 the diamonds in the game Bubble Bobble. But, when Sonic gets circled by
 them at the end, they all look alike. Why did they do two sets of drawings
 for the same emeralds? (this is not a conspiracy theory)

* That's all I've found. If you find anything weird, submit it to the email
 address at the top of this FAQ. I don't think there's anything within the
 visible areas of the map, though - if there's a debug code there's bound to
 be more.


6.3 Rumors
----------

After some people had started asking me questions about my FAQ, I noticed
there seemed to be one or two rumors spreading about the game. So, I'm
listing rumors here as they get asked or as I see them. Credit will be given
where possible, however at least one rumor is so widespread that I have no
idea of the origin and nobody reported it to me first.


Rumor:  When you beat the game with all the Chaos Emeralds, you can access a
       Sound Test in the options screen.
Answer: When I beat the game with all the Chaos Emeralds, I -didn't-. The
       Sound Test is enabled when you finish 3 of the 6 puzzles. It does not
       matter which 3 you finish, despite rumors.

Rumor:  There is something you can do which will let you play as Tails.
       (rumor brought to my attention by [email protected])
Answer: I hadn't heard this one myself, but apparently lots of gaming
       magazines say you can (Game Informer was named as one). Screenshots
       were shown. You can play two player linkup and the second player
       will control Tails in one or two of the modes, but you can also play
       as him in one player IF you turn on the debug mode. Nobody knows how
       to do this, however the emulator apparently has it enabled. It is
       possible that the emulator has altered routines which automatically
       activate the debug mode which very well might not be normally
       available AT ALL. It is also possible that the ROM image that some
       people use has been altered. Knuckles is NOT available.
       (A lot of people have emailed me telling me that Tails is only
       playable in 2 player. And you were wrong! Hahaha! But thanks anyway.
       I can't give credit though because there's too many people to mention
       this time around. Find the debug mode in the REAL cart and credit
       will be given!)



7 . 0   A b o u t   t h e   a u t h o r
_______________________________________


Eek. This is MY bit :P um...I'm GurtyGurt. This is not my first FAQ, but it's
the first FAQ I've written in recent years...the last time was in the BBS
days when I wrote something about Strife which probably never even made it
onto the net. I'm a video game collector, you see. I run a website,
www.emutech.net, which some of you may be familiar with - Emutech's goal is
to review old games, largely to help people with emulators to enjoy old
systems by finding games they like on them. (at the moment Emutech hasn't
been updated in a month cos' I've been distracted...but life goes on!)
So that's about it really. I don't wanna start talking about stuff nobody
cares about!



8 . 0   O u t r o d u c t i o n
_______________________________


Thank you for reading my FAQ, I hope you've enjoyed it.


8.1 Credits
-----------
Thanks to:

[email protected] for telling me about the Tails code story (which
subsequently started the rumors section).

Kulock for informing me about the debug mode information in a very detailed
form.

Erik Christiansen for pointing out several silly errors. They were very
silly. A few others pointed some out too, but Erik told me the most! Eek!

8.2 Disclaimer
--------------

This document is copyright 2000 by Peter Hegedus. Nor this document or any
part of it may not be printed in magazines or sold for profit either by
itself or on a form of media bundled with other things (ie CD-ROMs) without
my written permission. You may, however, put this FAQ on websites, give it to
friends, or use it for your own personal use. This FAQ may only be
distributed if it is un-edited - nothing may be replaced or removed. And you
don't need my permission to put this on websites. SPREAD THIS FAQ! :)

Sonic the Hedgehog, Robotnik, NeoGeo Pocket, NeoGeo Pocket Color and soforth
probably remain the registered trademark, trademark or copyright of their
authors, although I could not find anything in the majority of cases in their
respective manuals.

Please do not send questions on what to do in certain places - these will be
answered in future versions of the FAQ. I have to leave SOMETHING for later,
right? Comments, flames, praise, etc. can go to the normal address up the
top. If you wish to criticise, I suggest you make it positive criticism
instead of just abuse and then I'll probably read it. Steve, why are you
more impressed by this disclaimer than you are by the FAQ itself? :P

I refuse to use a NGPC emulator, even now. If I get a new
NGPC...I'll be back!

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