Based on the Sonic the Hedgehog cross-media franchise (consisting of video games, comic books, television shows, and more), the game has a six-button layout based around a set of special moves for each character, each activated with one button. Enemies often come in unrelenting swarms at players, encouraging use of these moves. The game features both two-dimensional and three-dimensional stages, as well as special running stages based on the Mach Speed Sections. The game features a map to select levels. In addition to the 19 Sonic characters (taken not only from games, but comics and TV as well), the game also features a number of special guest heroes unlocked by helping them put in specific levels. A group of four heroes who initially inspired Sonic are amongst them, as are other characters inspired by them and Sonic.
Characters
Playable
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Miles “Tails” Prower
- Knuckles the Echidna
- Princess Sally Alicia Acorn
- Bunnie Rabbot D’Coolete
- Antoine D’Coolete
- Rotor Walrus
- NICOLE the Holo-Lynx
- Amy Rose
- Johnny Lightfoot
- Porker Lewis
- Tekno the Canary
- Shortfuse the Cybernik
- Turbo
- Sonia the Hedgehog
- Manic the Hedgehog
- Vector the Crocodile
- Espio the Chameleon
- Mighty the Armadillo
- Charmy Bee
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- Rouge the Bat
- E-123 Omega
- Blaze the Cat
- Silver the Hedgehog
- “CODEX”
- “JUMPINJAX”
Unlockable Guest Players
- Dave “Rash” Shar (Battletoads)
- Morgan “Zitz” Ziegler (Battletoads)
- George “Pimple” Pie (Battletoads)
- Chance “T-Bone” Furlong (SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron)
- Jake “Razor” Clawson (SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron)
- Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Michaelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Epsilon Eagle (Alien Soldier)
- Earthworm Jim
- ToeJam
- Earl
- PaRappa the Rapper
- And more to come…
Bosses
- Metal Sonic
- Mecha Sonic
- Mephiles the Dark
- E-103 Delta
- Scratch
- Grounder
- Coconuts
- Colin “Snively” Kintobor Jr.
- Shocking Spin (Modification of S3K sub-boss Bowling Spin)
- Toxic Drone (Modification of S3K sub-boss Fire Breath)
- General Slaughter (Battletoads)
- Big Blag (Battletoads)
- Dr. Viper (SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron)
- Bebop (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Rocksteady (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Big Arm
Enemies
- Egg Pawn (coming in Bomber, Heavy, Gunner, and Knight types as well as the basic kind)
- E-121 Phi (in both Cyber and Scrapper varieties, referred to as “Emerl”. There is also a Rider variety in the sky stages)
- Security Robo (in Tazer and Drill varieties)
- Hopter-Copter
- Beetlesaw
- Beetle-Rally
- Camera-Turret
- Clubtank
- Damsiltron
- Bombardier-Blast
- Egg Gunner (referred to as “Badnick”, comes in normal and hover varieties, along with Auto, Fire, and Shock)
- Swat Bot
- SWATBOT Raider
- Swatbot Heavy
- Swatbot Demo
- Swatbot Seeker
- Slicer
- Nebula
- Raptoid
- Mega Chopper
- Chop-Chop
- Purple Dragons
- Boxer
- Chain
- Pipe
- Dynamite
- Foot Soldier
- Mouser
Controls
- Attack: Each character has a four-attack combo of four distinct Attack moves, ending with a launcher or knockdown move. “Shooter” characters have shorter combos with no launcher Attack. When in a 2D level, players can press Down+Attack to perform a descending attack to hit enemies below them. Some characters can also grab enemies and press Attack to pummel them, or back, up, or down and attack to grapple them away. They can also perform a running attack. In a running stage, the default attack is replaced with the run attack. Press attack while walking in any direction in a 2D or 3D stage to engage in a different combo. This allows for sudden lunging attacks that can be quickly mixed with dodges. In flying stage, this becomes a singular attack. In either a flying or running stage, press Back+Attack to perform a quick rear attack that usually sends your character backwards.
- Jump: Characters can jump. While jumping, one can attack with a knockdown move by pressing Attack or a jump-in move with Down+Attack. While holding a foe, you can also press it to launch the enemy away.
- Attack 2: Activates one of the character’s special attacks.
- Attack 3: Activates a special move of higher potency than Attack 2
- Attack 4: Activates a special more potent than either previous special.
- Special: This activates a very powerful Special Move for each character. This move knocks away enemies into one another to deal damage, and can be used at cost of life if your power bar has ran out.
Levels
Campaign 1
- Leaf Forest
- Colision Chaos
- Tidal Tempest
- Mushroom Hill
- Pollution Panic
- Chemical Plant
- Metal Harbor
- Toxic Caves
- Techno Base
- City Invasion
- Quartz Paradise
- Battle Forest (unlocks the Battletoads)
- Megakat City (unlocks the SWAT Kats)
- Manhattan (unlocks the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Crystal Coast (unlocks Epsilon Eagle)
- Scrap Brain
Campaign 2
- Emerald Hill Fleet
- New Junk City
- Sunset Hillside
- Speed Slider
- Carrotus
- Western Jungle
- Azure Lake
- PaRappa Town
- Wumpa Island
