Special Stage Tips?

[ParadockGaming]

I swear you can not collect rings to increase your timer or collect enough blue spheres while chasing the UFO because the UFO is always too far away. So does anyone found any tips or techniques towards collecting chaos emeralds in these special stages?

[Divewinds]

The main tip I have is to always try and use shortcuts - you're going round in a loop, so if you can keep on cutting some time off, you'll catch up (coupled with the speed boosts of Mach 3). On the Third Special Stage, I caught up to the UFO on Mach 2 just by using shortcuts, cutting corners, and collecting some rings - I was very surprised but pleased. 

 

Additionally, if you want to get the chaos emeralds and you're not great at the stages, or are struggling to find the big rings - don't quit using the Start Menu if you fail a special stage, but quit the game completely using the PS button (before the results screen comes up), and you'll be able to jump through the ring again (be careful though, you'll only be able to restart from Act 1 of the Zone, but you'll keep all chaos emeralds even ones from Act 2, just like if you got a game over).  

 

Sorry that I couldn't be more useful but I've only done the first three special stages (and the first three zones for that matter)

[IKARUS-RG]

Your focus should be on picking up as many orbs as possible on the chase, while collecting rings on the way to keep your timer up. You can reach Mach 2 in most stages before you complete a lap of the course, and this is sometimes enough to reach the UFO as well. Absolutely learn the shortcuts as the UFO will start taking them as your speed increases, and if you don't use them, you'll never catch it. Hitting a barrier and slowing down almost always screws you over if you're running at a higher speed as it puts the UFO way too far out of reach and your rings will run out, and sometimes running into spikes can really mess you if you snowball into two or three sets at once and lose all your rings in an instant.

 

Jumping around corners is a great way to control your drift and avoid smashing into walls or falling off the course. Try not to use the big ramps unless you really need rings as they waste a lot of time. Keep an eye on where the UFO travels and concentrate on collecting as many orbs as possible on the first lap. 

 

If I failed a stage, I reloaded Mirage Saloon Act 1 and flew through the enemies until I reached the train and used the bonus ring at the back. You can just keep using this bonus ring to try the stage you're up to (don't know if there's a quicker way but this is how I did it). Same goes for the Blue Spheres; you can just abuse the first checkpoint in Green Hill Zone Act 1 and it will take you to a stage you haven't cleared / have a Silver Medal on. (All this is assuming you're playing on a CLEAR file.)

 

Hope this all helps!

 

Edited August 16, 2017 by Kr1st0ph_212

[Lacek84]

2 hours ago, Kr1st0ph_212 said:

Your focus should be on picking up as many orbs as possible on the chase, while collecting rings on the way to keep your timer up. You can reach Mach 2 in most stages before you complete a lap of the course, and this is sometimes enough to reach the UFO as well. Absolutely learn the shortcuts as the UFO will start taking them as your speed increases, and if you don't use them, you'll never catch it. Hitting a barrier and slowing down almost always screws you over if you're running at a higher speed as it puts the UFO way too far out of reach and your rings will run out, and sometimes running into spikes can really mess you if you snowball into two or three sets at once and lose all your rings in an instant.

 

Jumping around corners is a great way to control your drift and avoid smashing into walls or falling off the course. Try not to use the big ramps unless you really need rings as they waste a lot of time. Keep an eye on where the UFO travels and concentrate on collecting as many orbs as possible on the first lap. 

 

If I failed a stage, I reloaded Mirage Saloon Act 1 and flew through the enemies until I reached the train and used the bonus ring at the back. You can just keep using this bonus ring to try the stage you're up to (don't know if there's a quicker way but this is how I did it). Same goes for the Blue Spheres; you can just abuse the first checkpoint in Green Hill Zone Act 1 and it will take you to a stage you haven't cleared / have a Silver Medal on. (All this is assuming you're playing on a CLEAR file.)

 

Hope this all helps!

 

There's a closer Special Stage ring on Oil Ocean Act 1. There's a fire shield near the beginning, just drop down to the oil where the tv was, and go right, and let the fans lift you up to the ring.

 For practicing Bonus Stages you can go back and forth between two posts that are close each other on any map. The very first two on Green Hill are perfect.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Lacek84