3. Sonic Forces Story Missions

The story to the game is 30 levels long, and to get all of the achievements, you'll also need to get an S Rank on every one. As you start the game, you'll be given with two options, Normal and Hard. Normal doesn't let you collect as many rings, but lessens the punishment of being hit. You'll need a LOT of rings for some other achievements, however, so you should stick with Hard. Normal mode also doesn't let you put your times onto the leaderboards. Cutscene descriptions will be included throughout the page, and you should naturally try to avoid reading these unless you just don't care about the story. The cutscene descriptions will hopefully be very minimal in spoilers regardless.

If you have the free Episode Shadow DLC, you'll also be able to play as Shadow in certain levels after you beat it the first time. You'll also be able to start the DLC right away from the main menu, but you should really do it later once you have a good feel for the game, or even after you beat the main story. Videos for S Ranks can be found in the playlist link below.

Sonic Forces | S Ranks

Cutscene 01

The story begins with a shot from within Eggman's lab. Orbot and Cubot (from Sonic Colors) make one of there few appearances in the story here as Eggman revels in his new creation, something that should be able to defeat Sonic for once. Soon after, you'll start the first level as Sonic, and as always, it's Green Hill Zone. Tails will call for your help in the city nearby, so dash through the level as fast as you can.

Green Hill - Lost Valley

If you've played any "Modern" Sonic games recently, you'll notice that your Boost Gauge is completely depleted. You won't be able to boost until you reach a Wisp (also from Sonic Colors) to replenish it to full, so just keep running forward. It's a really, really simple level, but built in a way to make speedrunning it very entertaining and challenging. Once you get the Wisp, you can boost with the prompt given in the hint bubbles around the stage in most places to go much faster than you normally would. About a third of the way through the level, you'll see that Green Hill has been heavily affected by by something Eggman is surely behind; there's a bunch of sand everywhere, and it's really messing up how the place used to look. A giant blue worm-like creature will also appear in the background, but he won't be any threat throughout the level. As stated before, the level is among the simplest in the entire series, so finishing from this point won't take you very long.

To get an S Rank, you need 950,000 points. You can increase your score by going faster, defeating more enemies, collecting objects like Red Star Rings, and of course, not dying.

• A New Story Begins

  Cleared Stage 1

  
  

Cutscene 02-04

Once you finish, Sonic will be treated to a big surprise in the city; Eggman has brought his new dangerous ally with him, and four others from previous Sonic games will arrive to fight Sonic as well. In a matter of seconds, Sonic will be defeated, and the Eggman Empire will have spread across the globe due to his capture. After a big gap of time, the resistance against his rule will be shown to have been reduced to many of the staple Sonic series characters, as well as a new recruit. This recruit is going to be your own avatar that you can customize on your from a list of several different options.

I personally went with a wolf, since I didn't care about looks too much and went with the reasoning that I'd be able to collect rings a lot easier. You can make more Avatar characters later, so you don't have to put that much thought into it right now. After selecting a species, you go into detail for the color, voice, and victory pose for your Avatar.

• Your Own Story

  Created an Avatar

  
  

Now that you're all ready to go, you'll be presented with the World Map. You can replay the Green Hill level now too, so you can clean up the collectibles (see the Collectibles page), get an S Rank on the level, or try to get a good time for the World, Local, and Friend Leaderboards. If you have the free Episode Shadow DLC, you'll also be able to play as Shadow, but there won't be any noticeable difference in gameplay. The next level that you're headed to is the Chemical Plant, which is at this point turning into the next Green Hill in terms of how often it appears in games. There are reports that Sonic is alive, and you're going in to rescue him. Select this level when you're ready to start it.

Chemical Plant - Spaceport

The part of the Chemical Plant that you're exploring in this level is much different than anything you've seen in a Chemical Plant stage in previous games, but it's still not hard to navigate. The default Wispon for the Avatar is a flame-based weapon, and since there's no charge or anything related to it, there's no reason that you shouldn't just use your Wispon the entire time to destroy any enemy that gets within range of its flames. There are a bunch of rings to find in the level as well, so if you happened to choose a wolf, you're in luck. After an automatic sequence with a cargo train, you'll be treated with a quicktime event of all things. Pressing the correct key/button at the right moment (when both circles align) will give you more points than if you do so earlier or later.

You need 1,400,000 points or so for an S Rank here, as opposed to the smaller score from the first level. You can increase your score with the various Red Star Rings easily found in the level, and you'll especially boost your score by holding onto your rings for the entirety of the level. Collecting all five RSR's unlocks Number Rings to find in the stage, and getting all five of those unlocks Silver Moon Rings; all three sets of collectibles can help increase your score, so don't fret about not getting an S Rank on your first few tries.

After you beat this level, you'll be able to customize your Avatar with a set of default items, as well as any that you might have from certain packs that you may have downloaded. Starting the third level activates a cutscene.

Cutscene 05

Tails will have failed to fix and reactive E-123 Omega, and in this unfortunate time, Chaos 0 creeps up on him for an attack. In the nick of time, Classic Sonic (coming straight out of the true ending of Sonic Mania) pops out of nowhere to save him. These two haven't seen each other since the events of Sonic Generations, so after a quick little reunion, you're set to take control of Classic Sonic and make your way through the abandoned city.

City - Ghost Town

The city is totally empty, and is completely in ruins, save for a few standard enemies patrolling the area. Classic Sonic, if you're unfamiliar with the gameplay of Generations or the original SEGA Genesis titles, performs a lot differently than Modern Sonic and the Avatar. The most noticeable gameplay changes are that Classic Sonic always exists in a 2D space, and cannot boost. You can charge up a spin dash to increase your speed, but there's no need for that thanks to the drop dash, a move introduced in Sonic Mania. When you're in the air, hold Space to charge up a drop dash, and continue holding it until you hit the ground. This will immediately give you a lot of speed as soon as you're on the ground, and is super useful for getting through a stage quickly.

You need 900,000 points to get an S Rank on this stage, and it's really easy to do. You get a majority of these points from the time bonus and the retry bonus, which should give you upwards of 750,000 points if you finish in under 01:50 or so.

Cutscene 06

This cutscene is a flashback to when the city was first attacked by Infinite, one of the main villains of the game. Your Avatar is the sole survivor of his onslaught, and sits on the ground in fear as Infinite taunts him.

Rouge will call the resistance to give an update on the Sonic situation. It seems Eggman's been keeping him alive just to show him the completed Eggman Empire before banishing him into space. Apparently, Eggman rebuilt the Death Egg again, and that's where Sonic is being held. Time to go to space. Before you do, though, check out the new missions menu on the world map. More information on these missions is on the next page.

Death Egg - Prison Hall

As the rest of the resistance attracts most of Eggman's defenses, you'll be able to head to the prison hall against much fewer enemies. The first few curves of the level involve the grapple, which comes out automatically. Move in the opposite direction of which you're going to try to position yourself towards ramps in the path to reach higher areas.

The S Rank for this mission requires 1,050,000 points. It's easy to make these points up by collecting rings (most effectively as a wolf) and even Red Star Rings, not to mention daily bonuses from missions that you unlocked after beating the previous mission.

Once you've finished this mission, the first boss battle will open up.

Cutscene 07

Thanks to the work done by the resistance, Sonic's electric binds break just as Zavok approaches him. Sonic's not going to go out without a fight.

Death Egg - VS. Zavok

This battle is pretty easy. Zavok will be riding a big insect-like machine and will spawn individual bug enemies on the platform you're standing on. Collect the rings that spawn as you defeat these small enemies, and then dodge Zavok's laser attack by just running away from it. After this, a horde of enemies will spawn in one after the other. Avoiding damage is easy here, too: jump when the first enemy is approaching you, and then use a double jump to stay up in the air. You don't even have to move for that attack. Next, Zavok and his machine will crash down on the platform, which will send you up in the air. Perform three homing attacks on him to inflict damage, and then repeat the whole process over again. After the second hit, most of the original attacks will not be repeated, and your main concern will be dodging Zavok's charges across the stage as smaller enemies spawn in. After he charges twice, he'll crash down on the stage again. Attack him two more times for a total of four hits to defeat the beast.

You need 1,250,000 points to S Rank this fight, and as long as you don't miss an opportunity for attack and pick up plenty of rings, you should easily get this score. You'll also probably finish the Challenge Mission for finishing the stage in 135 seconds as well.

• Sextuple Trouble

  Defeated Zavok

  
  

Cutscene 08

After Zavok's defeat, he'll faze out of existence as the strange noise heard in certain circumstances can be heard. Before Sonic can think about what that means or what happened to Zavok, he has to start his escape from the Death Egg.

Death Egg - Egg Gate

As you make your escape, the main threat won't be enemies, but energy ball turrets instead. Dodging them can be a bit of a hassle sometimes, but aren't too tough most of the time. The end of the level consists of a few QTEs as you jump from ship to ship, and getting those down right will really increase your score.

You need 1,200,000 for an S Rank. Going for an all-five Red Star Ring run should help nicely, as well as not getting hit and going with the usual tips for getting an S Rank.

Cutscene 09

Sonic will save your Avatar, and he will talk to the resistance in place of the mute rookie that was sent in to rescue him. They'll take off in one of Eggman's ships and finally be safe from the clutches of the Death Egg. Afterwards, Knuckles will send both Sonic and the Avatar to a factory in Green Hill that Eggman is using, and it has to be taken down in order for the resistance to stand any chance of success.

Green Hill - Arsenal Pyramid

This is the first of a handful of missions where your Avatar and Sonic team up to get through the level together. I suggest using a Lightning Wispon if you've unlocked one, because it'll allow you to perform a move similar to a ring dash found in many other Sonic games. When you've made it past the first area, you'll be given a few seconds to mash Shift to charge up a double-boost. Regardless of whether you take part in this QTE, you'll make it into the pyramid without any hitches. Once inside, it's just a matter of fighting enemies with the Burst Wispon, or speeding ahead over them with the Lightning Wispon if you brought that with you. The stage shouldn't take more than two and a half minutes to complete.

The S Rank score requires at least 1,450,000 points, which is easily done if you use the Lightning Wispon and don't lose any of the rings as you approach the end of the level. This level in particular is useful for grinding rings for the Ring King achievement; more on that is on the Misc Achievements page.

After you finish the level, Silver will report in that he's fighting Infinite in the Mystic Jungle. Head over to the next mission when you're ready.

Mystic Jungle - Luminous Forest

Eggman's robots have swarmed the forest, and bombs are going off everywhere. Rush past it all and make your way to the end of the level, where Silver needs your help. This stage is pretty easy, but the curved tunnel portions of the level might send you flying if you're only boosting throughout their entirety. Try to tilt yourself towards the center of the tunnels at all times to prevent this from happening.

You need 1,100,000 points for an S Rank. Performing well in the QTEs at the end of the level helps your score drastically, and you can get an S Rank without even collecting any special rings if you get those down good enough.

Cutscene 10

Sonic wil arrive just in the nick of time to swap out for Silver. After being a bit too cheesy, Sonic will be launched into the battlefield from Infinite's unusual power, and the fight will begin.

Mystic Jungle - VS. Infinite

This fight takes place along a big, snake-like set of curving pillars. You can run on all sides without falling off, and the only hazard seems to be Infinite's cube-based attacks. Dodge them and try to pick up Wisps when they appear so you can get closer to Infinite and perform a homing attack on him. It's as easy as that. Sometimes you'll be sent into the air towards a bunch of phantom illusions, all of which are defeated easily with homing attacks. Just keep homing on on them and you'll eventually hit the real Infinite in a matter of seconds.

You need 980,000 points to get an S Rank for this fight. As long as you don't die, you shouldn't have any problems with scoring this high.

• Infinite Possibilites

  Drove off Infinite

  
  

Cutscene 11

After defeating Infinite, the losing party will finally decide to go all-out and use their distorting abilities to toss Sonic flat on his face before leaving. On the world map, Tails will tell Classic Sonic that Eggman is nearby, so the two head off towards Green Hill to find him.

Green Hill - Green Hill

This level in Green Hill is a lot more reminiscent of the usual look the Zone has in previous games. The drop dash is your best friend once again, just not when there are moving platforms above pits. The stage isn't really that difficult aside from the occasional time you fall into those pits, so it shouldn't take you over two minutes to complete if you've played earlier Sonic titles.

You need 900,000 points for an S Rank. Finishing in a time under a minute and 45 seconds without dying should give you an S Rank easily, and you'll definitely get one if you're going for the challenge to beat the level in under 75 seconds.

After beating this level, your first SOS Mission will appear on the map. Replay the level, which will have differing circumstances depending on the level that the SOS comes from, which is entirely at random. If it's a dark blue symbol, then you need to play through the level and find the lost Avatar stuck in a cage somewhere in the area. If it's orange, you have to play as that Avatar instead of your own and finish the level without dying, and if it's green, you use the Avatar in distress as a rental. If it's a green SOS Mission, you don't even have to use the Rental Avatar at all.

Cutscene 12

Tails and Classic Sonic will be eavesdropping on a conversation Eggman and Infinite are having about prototype Phantom Rubies. It seems Eggman must've been trying to duplicate the one found in Angel Island in Classic Sonic's dimension. Or, perhaps, Eggman sent that Phantom Ruby there as a prototype? As Infinite leaves, Tails and Classic Sonic reveal themselves to fight Eggman.

Green Hill - VS. Eggman

This is a really easy fight. The first phase is against a more traditional form Eggman has in his carrier, similar to that of the original Green Hill Zone boss battle. Jump into his carrier five times as soon as you can, and Eggman will retreat into a much larger contraption, the Egg Dragoon. Here, Eggman will fire bullets at you, which you can easily dodge by running away from them or jumping off of the ground. The Egg Dragoon's tail is used to dig up dirt and rocks in another attack, and you'll want to hit the rocks back at Eggman to inflict damage. Do this enough times, and the Egg Dragoon will be destroyed. Eggman will fly out of it in his carrier as the Dragoon sinks into the abyss below.

The S Rank requires 950,000 points, and all that you really have to do is not die and beat Eggman quickly. There's a challenge related to this fight that requires you to beat it in under 1:15, so you may as well forget about the S Rank until you go for that time.

• Mean Egg Machine

  Drove off Eggman

  
  

Cutscene 13

After Eggman's defeat, the two heroes will get closer to his carrier. Eggman will reveal that he has a three-day plan to wipe the resistance clean before Classic Sonic and Tails just let him get away. Back on the world map, your Avatar will be placed in charge of saving the people in the city, since Sonic and Silver are recovering from their wounds they received against Infinite in the Mystic Jungle.

City - Park Avenue

Like almost every other stage up to this point, there's nothing really special about this one, and there's not much to say when it comes to difficulty either. You can use a Burst Wispon for the entire level and still manage an S Rank without having to try at all. The resistance will somehow make advances through the city thanks to your work, and will compliment you on your skill. You need 1,150,000 points for an S Rank, and you'll easily get that score without having to try too hard.

After completing the mission, you'll get some respect from the crew. Tails and Classic Sonic are headed to the Mystic Jungle to find this dimension's Sonic in an attempt to warn him about Eggman's upcoming scheme.

Mystic Jungle - Casino Forest

Nearly every Sonic game has a casino level, and this is it for Sonic Forces. There are bumpers and flippers galore to both frustrate and send you forward. There is also only one enemy in the level to be found, and it's just a single robot. Thus, the true challenge to finishing the level in a good time is just being lucky with where you're placed when you touch a bumper or some other object.

You need a flat 1,000,000 points for an S Rank. If you're having trouble with this for some reason, nearly every set piece in this level gives you points for merely touching it. You have up to an hour to complete each level (which is insane) so if you want to take the lazy route, you can always hit something a bunch of times.

With Classic Sonic and Tails running about, their presence has been picked up by the resistance. They're not sure who's out there, but the Avatar is sent to see what's going on.

Mystic Jungle - Aqua Road

This level is composed nearly entirely of water slides. They're also the most broken thing in the game thus far, surpassing even the Casino Forest. There's really no good advice to give, because you can get knocked off at a moment's notice and die. Fortunately, the level is SUPER short for an Avatar stage, so it won't last too long.

You need 1,050,000 points for an S Rank, and it's actually pretty easy to get, assuming you make a somehow-deathless run of the level. You should get it on your first try through the level if you can manage to not die.

Cutscene 14

At the end of the jungle, your Avatar will pick up an object similar to the Phantom Ruby, unless it is; it might just be a prototype. The Avatar will take Tails and Classic Sonic back to base. Tails will be very relieved to see Sonic alive, who will comment that it's been "generations" since he's seen Classic Sonic. You know you would've made the same joke if you had the power to.

For whatever reason, finding Tails and Classic Sonic marks a victory for the resistance, as they've now taken back the Mystic Jungle from Eggman's grasp. You'll unlock your first Secret Stage, which you can find more on in the respective page in the walkthrough, as well as an achievement.

• For the Future

  Liberated a world

  
  

Another problem has arisen: Shadow is tearing down resistance fighters like nobody's business. Sonic's finally back in good condition, and is determined to figure out why Shadow is helping Eggman. He hasn't been on Eggman's side in a long time.

City - Sunset Heights

Almost all of this level is cut from City - Park Avenue, so you should absolutely zero trouble navigating the area, and will likely not need any tips on anything in particular aside from collectibles, which are of course on another page.

The S Rank requires only 850,000 points, so just go fast and keep a good grip onto your rings at the end of the level. If you can't seem to get to that high of a score, try grabbing some Red Star Rings.

Cutscene 15

As Sonic meets up with Shadow, another Shadow, the real one, will smack the faker out of existence. How ironic. Back on the world map, Shadow will inform Sonic that Infinite can create illusions with his power. They're as strong as the real deal, and Infinite can create as many of them as he wants. As Sonic talks with Shadow, the events of the next Stage occur. The rest of the resistance is set to perform a full-frontal assault on Eggman's main city.

Metropolis - Capital City

As you run through the city, Infinite will use the Phantom Ruby to completely obliterate the resistance's forces. Lots of giant illusions of Infinite will appear, along with gravitational changes to make things even more off-kilter. Quickly escape the failed assault to complete the mission.

The S Rank requires 1,250,000 points. Holding on to your rings and collecting Red Star Rings works wonders for reaching this score.

Cutscene 16

Infinite will be overly edgy and ask for a real challenge, which is when your Avatar steps in to fight him.

Metropolis VS. Infinite

Dodging Infinite's attacks is far easier than it should be for a fight this late in the game against one of the main antagonists, but you can still easily get hit; it just won't matter that much. I suggest bringing a Burst Wispon with you so you can constantly burn Infinite whenever he's within range of the flames. This should end the fight in less than a minute.

You need a flat 1,000,000 points for an S Rank, which requires you to beat the fight very, very quickly.

• Courage in Hand

  Drove off Infinite again

  
  

Cutscene 17

After the fight, Infinite will prepare to end the life of your Avatar, but they'll use the prototype Phantom Ruby to avoid being shot by Infinite's cannons. Infinite won't know how you've avoided the attack, but will convince himself that it doesn't matter if they can't stop his and Eggman's plan anyway. Tails and Classic Sonic are then sent to the Chemical Plant to discover more about the relation between the Phantom Ruby and virtual reality.

Chemical Plant - Chemical Plant

This stage operates almost like a classic Genesis stage, but not as open and there are way fewer enemies. Traversal through the level shouldn't be confusing for anyone, so you should be out of the plant quickly.

You need 900,000 points for an S Rank. Since you need to beat the level in 70 seconds (see the Challenge Missions page), you may as well just do that and earn the S Rank that way.

Tails will discover the secrets of the Phantom Ruby inside the Chemical Plant as he talks to Classic Sonic on the world map. As they get ready to return to base, Sonic and the Avatar are about to set out to the city to fight what may or may not be a fake Metal Sonic.

City - Red Gate Bridge

As Sonic and the Avatar approach the bridge, not much will be happening until another Death Egg Robot attacks from below. This will lead to two quicktime events, with the second one improving your score depending on your performance. After defeating it and running a little further, you'll find the illusory illusion Metal Sonic. He has three types of attacks: an electric charge tackle, which you can jump over, an electric hazard trap, which you can quick step away from (the Red Star Rings are stuck between the hazards), and finally, he'll try to protect himself with smaller enemies. You can destroy the smaller enemies with either homing attacks or by using a Burst Wispon, which is what I would suggest for your first time through this fight.

The S Rank score is 1,150,000. You should be able to get it more easily on your other runs of the fight, and you'll earn even more points if you can manage to collect a few RSR's along the way. For completing this level, you'll unlock Secret Stage 2.

Cutscene 18

The Avatar and Sonic celebrate their victory against Metal Sonic, and their bond becomes much more apparent.

Tails has discovered that the Phantom Ruby runs on power provided by the Death Egg (but what about Sonic Mania?), so the plan is now to distract Eggman, disable the Death Egg's weapons while he's distracted, and then deactivate the power connection between the space station and the Phantom Ruby. The Avatar will be sent to Green Hill to initiate the first part of the plan.

Green Hill - Guardian Rock

There won't be too much to do here; the level is actually almost entirely in 3D, save for a final chase scene. Most of the level is a bunch of platforming and the legs of the mechanical spider are tossed in to shake things up. You'll occasionally run into a group of enemies, as usual, but they never take too long to dispose of.

You need 1,350,000 points for an S Rank. Getting the QTE down perfectly at the end of the level helps greatly, and so does keeping your rings and finding RSR's. You should be familiar with these standard S Rank tips by now.

Sonic will be at the entrance to the Chemical Plant as the rookie is distracting Eggman's forces at Green Hill. Finishing this mission also unlocks Secret Stage 3.

Chemical Plant - Network Terminal

This level is surprisingly quick for a Modern Sonic stage. The exterior of the facility breezes by in a very short span of time, and all of a sudden you're in the Chemical Plant. The one hazard to watch out for here is the pink chemical Mega Mack that occasionally spills down from above. This will send you downward with it, so don't jump across any gaps if Mega Mack is currently being poured down said gap.

You need 950,000 points for an S Rank. Just going fast will get you this, even without looking for Red Star Rings or the sort.

Finishing this mission unlocks the fourth Secret Stage as well as an achievement for regaining control (or rather, getting rid of Eggman's control) of the majority of the world. There are only two Secret Stages left, and they'll unlock very soon.

• Hope

  Turned the tide of the conflict

  
  

Now that the weapon systems are down, it's Classic Sonic's turn to pitch in and shut down the Death Egg's power systems.

Death Egg - Death Egg

The Death Egg's weapon systems are still active due to it having started using auxiliary power, so you're going to have to face a few threats as you approach the core. Energy turrets, beam pathways, conveyor belts, and overly-extended ray beams are what make this level unique from the rest, and none take too long to get used to. There are also occasional gravity switches in certain parts of the level. In these, moving left still moves Sonic left, but you now have to go up to charge a spin dash and to curl up in a ball.

You need 1,150,000 points for an S Rank. The scoring is extremely forgiving when it comes to time, so you might even get this on your first try, when you're not entirely sure of how the level is designed. For finishing the level, you unlock the fifth of six Extra Stages.

Cutscene 19

By finishing the level, you will have somehow destroyed the Death Egg. Eggman and Infinite will make a "tactical retreat" after they discover what's happened to the station. Now that the Phantom Ruby is much weaker, the resistance will return to the city to make another attack.

Metropolis - Metropolitan Highway

In this mission, Sonic will be looking for Eggman in the city so they can capture him and win the war. There won't really be much opposition here, but there is a new stage gimmick that you should look out for. There are panels with green arrows on them that move quickly to the side the arrows are pointing to very shortly after you make contact with them.

Getting 1,050,000 points will earn you an S Rank. Since there are some easy-to-find Red Star Rings in the level, I suggest picking a few of those up on another run to boost your score up.

Cutscene 20

After Sonic confronts Eggman, Infinite will send Sonic and the Avatar into Null Space, an area completely devoid of everything, which is to say, it has absolutely nothing in it. Tails will question how this was possible since the Death Egg was destroyed, and Eggman will reveal that a backup power source was created under Metropolis.

Metropolis - Null Space

Leaving Null Space is as easy as pie. You don't even have to touch your controller for the Double Boost QTE. You'll also get a ridiculous amount of points to start the level off, but the S Rank score is beefed up to adjust for this. Most of the level is just grind rails, and these are interrupted by the occasional section of enemies to use (preferably) the Burst Wispon on. Some groups of enemies have the spring to the next area openly ready for you to use, so you can just skip the enemies when you can find the spring.

You need 1,500,000 points for an S Rank. Boosting whenever you can is always good to improve your time, and you might want to actually destroy the robots to improve your score instead of ignoring them. Not dying and collecting Red Star Rings is always helpful.

Cutscene 21

Sonic and the Avatar will surprise Eggman with their presence. Although confused as to how it was possible to escape Null Space, Eggman and Infinite leave, and Sonic and the Avatar do absolutely nothing to stop them from doing so. On the world map, Knuckles will inform everyone that there's only one hour before Eggman's plan takes effect. Tails will also express some remorse that when the Phantom Ruby is taken care of, Classic Sonic will return to his own universe (for some reason). You'll also unlock Secret Stage 6 for completing the previous stage.

Cutscene 22

The resistance will face Infinite's ruby illusions, and E-123 Omega will arrive repaired and ready to fight alongside them. Before they can start a proper brawl, Infinite creates a giant sun that will collapse onto the earth. This is the big plan that Eggman had this whole time. The Avatar's prototype Phantom Ruby will react to him, and Tails will give him the idea of using it to get rid of the sun. You'll have to rush to the top of the tower as soon as you can.

Eggman Empire Fortress - Imperial Tower

This level has a lot of wall jumping in it. To stick to the wall properly, move in the direction of the wall that you need to stick to. Once you approach the tower itself, a giant blue laser will trail you from behind. You'll have to constantly move ahead towards the goal to avoid the imminent death provided by this weapon.

You need 950,000 points for an S Rank. You should be able to get a good enough score by using the Burst Wisps around the level and using them to avoid a lot of the wall jumping segments to improve your time, and therefore your time bonus.

Cutscene 23

At the top of the tower, the Avatar will use his prototype to destroy the sun. The prototype will shatter, and Infinite has used too much of the Phantom Ruby's power to create a new one at the moment. This is yet again a turning point for the resistance, and Sonic will head into Mortar Canyon to deal with Infinite for good.

Eggman Empire Fortress - Mortar Canyon

Mortar Canyon really is a canyon; the first few parts of the level are really screwy in that just boosting in the "wrong direction" will send you off the edge. On your first time through, be a little careful and try not to pull any crazy moves off until you know the level a bit better.

You need 950,000 points for an S Rank. As long as you don't die and finish in a good time, you should get an S Rank without too many attempts. Getting Red Star Rings wouldn't hurt, especially since some are pretty easy to spot as you play the level.

Cutscene 24

Infinite claims that although the Phantom Ruby has been weakened, he can still easily defeat Sonic. Challenging this with the usual snarky remarks, Sonic charges forward, ready to fight this menacing foe once and for all.

Eggman Empire Fortress - VS. Infinite

Get ready for a letdown. This is basically a carbon-copy fight of the one again the fake Metal Sonic from earlier. Because of this, you should know exactly what to do. The Avatar will join in halfway through the fight, but their presence won't really make any difference. You need 1,200,000 points for an S Rank.

• Bonds of Friendship

  Defeated Infinite

  
  

Cutscene 25

After the battle, Infinite will start to get all fizzy as Sonic lectures him on friendship. Infinite will fly away, and Eggman will taunt Sonic before leaving.

Eggman Empire Fortress - Iron Fortress

There isn't a whole lot here, but there are two new things to look out for. First off are some red missile-launching crates that fire spinning red missiles. You wont be able to come in contact with them until after they've stopped spinning, so you can use the gap of time you have before that happens to jump straight through them if you have to. There are also big, rotating circular pieces with their own field of gravity. To use these to progress, move "down" as if you were about to charge a spin attack, and then let go at the right moment once you have enough momentum. There's also a side-scrolling portion of the level for some reason, which makes zero sense for a Sonic level that isn't a chase or something of the sort.

You need 1,100,000 points for an S Rank. Holding onto rings and grabbing Red Star Rings would be the ideal thing to focus on, because you'll likely not finish in the best time to make your time bonus support your score enough.

Eggman Empire Fortress - Final Judgement

The approach to the center of Eggman's base is a dangerous one. Giant insta-killing spike wheels appear very early into the level, and laser bots and electrified grind rails don't make things easier. Bring a Hover Wispon to make light of the reactor by blowing the sets of enemies on either side of the checkpoint into the first two pylons, then attack the third one directly five times each between its attacks.

You need 1,100,000 for an S Rank. Since there's not a whole lot of ways you can improve your time, you should focus on collecting Red Star Rings if you're having trouble reaching this score.

Cutscene 26

Eggman will appear with his Death Egg Robot, which looks nothing like the usual Death Egg Robots that have been in the series so far. Powered by the Phantom Ruby, this new model is threatening enough that it'll take the three of you to defeat it.

Eggman Empire Fortress - VS. Death Egg Robot

Bring a Burst Wispon with you; that's going to be the most useful of the bunch for this fight. These tips will also cover how to beat the Death Egg Robot in under 270 seconds, since that needs to be done for a challenge as well. For the first third of the fight, you'll be playing as Classic Sonic. Quickly grab a few rings and jump over the laser attack. Then get as far to the right as you can, and stand still once the D.E.R. sends a bunch of rocks hurtling towards you. Jump into it to send it back into the shield, and then jump into it again once it bounces back to deal a second hit. Dodge another laser attack, move to the right, and stand still again, but this time you'll be able to hit two rocks. Make sure you hit both rocks twice, dealing four more hits, and this phase of the fight will end.

As the Avatar, quickly position yourself in front of the D.E.R.'s right hand, which will fire missiles towards you. Jump in the air and destroy at least one of these missiles, and then jump towards the cockpit and home in on it with your wire. As soon as you can, move to the right to avoid being hit by the D.E.R.'s right hand, and then hit the cockpit once again. After this, you'll be sent a few more missiles from both hands, which you can ignore completely by jumping and attacking the cockpit once the D.E.R. gets close enough to the stage again. Dodge the hand that comes down again and deal the fourth hit towards the cockpit just like before, but after landing this hit, you'll want to quickly move left as much as possible. Jump as you do so to avoid falling into the chasm that the D.E.R.'s hand makes as it crashes down, then hit the cockpit a fifth time. Then dodge a laser that will be fired towards you, and jump to attack the cockpit a sixth and final time to enter the third phase of the battle.

In Null Space, you're going to want to run into some little block piles that show up on the ground every once in a while. The middle always contains a Boost Wisp, but the other two have rings inside. You're going to have to balance collecting both of each to ensure that you stay alive, and mash Space once you can perform homing attacks on the D.E.R.'s final form until you're back on solid ground again. Keep doing this and dodging the D.E.R.'s various attacks until you defeat him, and hopefully finish in under 4:30. Beating it in this time takes a lot of practice, so try not to get upset if you're having a lot of trouble with it at the start.

This last S Rank requires 1,950,000 points. You'll easily get this many by finishing in under 270 seconds for the challenge, so don't worry about having to do both separately.

Cutscene 27

With Eggman defeated, the Phantom Ruby's illusions will dissipate, and the resistance will celebrate the victory they've been striving for. Classic Sonic and Tails will say goodbye to each other for now, and the mute hedgehog will fade back into his own dimension. The credits will roll shortly after Sonic gives a motivational speech. You won't be able to skip the credits.

• Saved the World

  Restored peace to the world

  
  

Cutscene 28

Back at HQ, the resistance will wind down. The Avatar and Sonic will do one last fist bump before they go their separate ways. After this, you'll be able to make up to 14 more Avatars, for a total of 15.