Dragon Road
- For the Town Stage/Village on the same continent, see Chun-nan. For the location in the Archie Comics, see Dragon Road (Archie).
Dragon Road (ドラゴン·ロード Doragon Rōdo?) is the fifth Action Stage in the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed, and the fourth Stage in the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, depending on the order of previous stages. The area is found in a mountain region with structures reflecting traditional eastern architecture. It is located just outside of Chun-nan.
During the events of the game, Sonic the Hedgehog and Chip came here to look for Zonshen and the local Gaia Temple, and later for additional missions.
Description[]
Dragon Road's setting is based on the real-life mountain ranges in China, such as Huangshan. Coastal, but smooth mountains with peaks extending into the clouds make up the majority of the surrounding environment. In other parts, the foots of the mountains are obscured from view by clouds.
Winding through the mountains are wide gorges with green rivers flowing through them. Due to the steep mountains, only a few river beds along the sides and in the middle of the rivers exist. Additionally, there are a few thin waterfalls joining up with the rivers. In terms of flora, trees resembling real-life Chinese pine trees and patches of moss and grass grow on the mountainsides. Also, on the river beds, there occasionally grow colossal bamboo trees. In the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, one area also has flowering cherry blossom trees.
Although desolate, Dragon Road has a few red and black buildings and structures above the rivers and on the mountains. These include houses, large shrines and tall pagoda-like towers. There are also several solid roads over the waters, from red wooden bridges with roofs and small gates, to grey stone walks. All these constructions follow traditional Chinese architecture. Additional paths include stone paths on the mountainsides and lantern-lit caverns. Also, on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed, there are paths built in the image of red Chinese dragons. A prominent structure in Dragon Road is a immensely long and large grey wall with battlements which is based on the Great Wall of China.
The daytime version of Dragon Road is lit up the sun, but is also overcast by thick clouds. The nighttime version has clearer skies with several insect noises that can be heard in the background.
Story[]
After the earth was shattered by Dark Gaia's most recent awakening, Zonshen entered Dragon Road (on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version, it was to find his village's treasure), but was unable to return.
A while later, Sonic the Werehog and Chip came to Dragon Road to search for Zonshen, eventually finding him unconscious in front of the local Gaia Temple. When they tried to help him, however, the Dark Gaia Phoenix—the guardian of the Gaia Temple corrupted by Dark Gaia's energy—attacked. Sonic was able to defeat the Dark Gaia Phoenix, gaining access to the Gaia Temple underneath the Phoenix's resting place. (on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version, Chip used Chun-nan's treasure to open it, while in the Wii/PlayStation 2 version, they used the Planet Tablet Zonshen assembled). Inside, Chip activated the Temple and Sonic placed the powerless red Chaos Emerald into the Temple's pedestal, restoring the Emerald's power and bringing Chun-nan's continent back into place. Back outside, Sonic and Chip saw the Dark Gaia Phoenix had returned to normal, purified of Dark Gaia's energy, and said goodbye to it, before returning to Chun-nan with Zonshen.
On the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed, Sonic and Chip returned to Dragon Road during the day to clear out the invading Badniks that showed up, securing Chun-nan's safety. On the Wii/PlayStation 2 version, Sonic and Chip returned to Dragon Road during the day to investigate the area further upon instructions from Professor Pickle and found a tablet fragment.
Gameplay[]
In the daytime acts on both versions of Sonic Unleashed, the player must cross water sections which require that the player is moving at top speed, or Sonic will risk sinking into the depths of the rivers. The daytime acts also have sections that make use of the short vaulting manoeuvre in a kind of reverse steeplechase.
The daytime acts of Dragon Road on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed focus on platforming somewhat more heavily than other stages, with prayer wheels functioning as platforms. These acts also feature firework gimmicks that Sonic can ride through midair for a short time. On the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, the daytime acts of Dragon Road, while having no unique gimmicks, feature falling spears as obstacles and exclusive branching pathways that can only be reached by skimming over the water.
In the nighttime acts on both versions of Sonic Unleashed, the most frequent danger is falling into crevasses between small plateaus. On the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of the game, these acts also introduce a slingshot gimmick which lets Sonic launch himself through midair. Exclusive to the Wii/PlayStation 2 version, pagodas and long roads remain prominent in the nighttime acts. It is also in these act that the water barrels are introduced, which the player can use to extinguish fires.
Overview[]
Xbox 360/PlayStation 3[]
Daytime[]
Act 1[]
- Sun Medal level requirement: 4 (min. 45 Sun Medals)
This act takes place in the upper and lower parts of the mountain range outside of Chun-nan and across the Great Wall. There, the player first travels down the Great Wall, before entering the river gorge routes. In these gorges, the player has to race through the winding waterways on grind rails, structures and across water surfaces, before re-entering the mountain range. From here, the player returns to the Great Wall, where they must face the Interceptor, before arriving at the Goal Ring. It is in this act that Sonic and Chip are clearing out the invading forces of Badniks, following this continent's restoration.
Act 2[]
- Sun Medal level requirement: 3 (min. 30 Sun Medals)
This act takes place in the mountains' river gorges, on a circular race course composed of several elements, such a floating platforms, stone paths in the waters and on the mountainsides, wooden walls, and grind rails. Here, the player's objective is to complete a total of three laps on this course. During the course of this act, the player can utilize gimmicks such as Springs, Balloons, Ramps and Real-Time Interactions cannons, to select a variety of alternate pathways. For each completed circuit, the course changes shape and becomes more difficult, being given new platforms, new enemies, gimmicks in new places and more obstacles, such as spikes and iron balls. This whole act is played in 2.5D.
Act 3[]
- Sun Medal level requirement: 5 (min. 60 Sun Medals)
This act takes place above the clouds in the mountain range. This act is almost completely composed of the revolving wheel platforms from the daytime Act 1 that all are positioned above a bottomless pit. Here, the player has to make it across several of these rotating platforms, before arriving at the Goal Ring.
Nighttime[]
Act 1[]
- Moon Medal level requirement: 3 (min. 30 Moon Medals)
This act takes place place at the bottom of the river gorges in Dragon Road. Here, the player starts out at stone path at the river beds, before moving out to several pagoda-like pavilions in the bottomless waters. The player then has to travel to the different pavilions located in the waters by slinging themself towards them with poles. At the end of the act, the player then has to defeat a Big Mother, before gaining access to the Goal Ring. In some locations in this act, there are areas where the waters are shallow and the player can use a nearby Thunder Ball to electrocute enemies.
Act 2[]
- Moon Medal level requirement: 4 (min. 45 Moon Medals)
This act takes place place, like the nighttime Act 1, at the bottom of the river gorges in Dragon Road. Here, the player moves in a circle through different platforms in the bottomless waters by walking on thin balancing bars in a tightrope walking fashion and a few floating platforms. In order to proceed to a new platform, the player has to bring a Key Stone with them from the previous platform to its respective pedestal on the next platform in order to lower the barriers that keep the player from advancing. On each platform, the player is then confronted by a certain variety of Dark Gaia's Minions. At the end of the act, the player then has to defeat a Big Mother to access the Goal Ring.
Dragon Road Adventure Pack DLC[]
The downloadable content pack for the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed, the "Dragon Road Adventure Pack DLC", introduced four additional daytime acts and two additional nighttime acts for Dragon Road to the game. These acts are basically extensions of the original acts in the game, but are much more difficult to complete. The pack was released on Xbox Live for $4.13 on 5 March 2009 and on the PlayStation Network for $3.00 on 16 April 2009.
All DLC daytime or nighttime Acts can be played after the daytime or nighttime version of Act 1 is cleared respectively, and are only accessible through the stage select menu.
Daytime[]
Act 1-2[]
This act is basically the same as the daytime Act 1 in the game, expect the act has been modified, having been given more enemies and more hazardous obstacles, such as normal spikes, bombs and iron balls.
Act 2-2[]
This act is basically the same as the daytime Act 2 in the game, expect the act has been modified to have a generally harder layout, having been given more dangerous enemies and more frequent appearing obstacles in new locations. The player's objective is to complete a total of five laps on this course, and for each circuit the course changes shape.
Act 4[]
This act takes place high above the river gorges in Dragon Road, and has several rectangular towers and pagoda-like towers extending up from below the clouds. Here, the player has to travel across several moving platforms, such as the revolving wheel platforms and regular rectangular, and thin stationary towers, which are all positioned above bottomless pits, while avoiding obstacles, such as poles with spikes and iron balls.
Act 5[]
This act takes place down in the river gorges in Dragon Road, on a circular race course that stretches across the waters' surface. Here, the player has to race at high speed across the water, or risk sinking into the bottomless depths, with the objective of completing a total of four laps on this course. For each completed circuit, the course becomes more difficult, receiving more hazardous obstacles such as bombs, iron balls and even flamethrowers. Also, small stone pillars raising up from the waters threatens to knock the player off course, if hitting them at high speed.
Nighttime[]
Act 1-2[]
This act mainly takes place on top of the Great Wall and begins at the end of the nighttime Act 1, making this act the unused second half of the nighttime Act 1 in the game. Here, the player moves across on top of the Great Wall, fighting incoming waves of enemies at each of the Great Wall's central battlements. Near the end of the act, the player has to defeat two Big Mothers and a swarm of enemies to access the area where the Goal Ring is located, before following having to defeat a Titan to make the Goal Ring appear. This act relies upon breakable walls
Act 3[]
This act takes place just on the outside the Great Wall, and is generally a large platforming area. Here, the player moves alongside the walls of the Great Wall, mainly by swinging from pole to pole, but also by propelling themself forward with slingshot poles, over bottomless pits. At the end of the act, the play then has to defeat a wave of enemies to make the Goal Ring appear.
Daytime: Head for the Goal! (Wii/PlayStation 2)[]
The act start in the courtyard of a small temple. The player will run down a path and skim over a small pond of water. The player will reach a wide spring in front of a building where the player will be given the opportunity to Homing Attack onto a Spinner and chose whether to access the top or bottom part of the building by using a Homing Attack onto the Egg Fighters leading to these routes. The top route leads to another wide spring bouncing Sonic up to two lines of Spinners that lead to two alternate paths. The harder to access path leads a section where Sonic can either decide to skim on water or a higher path where Sonic can Light Speed Dash above the water. The easier route leads to a temple that looks similar to the ones found in the Night-time stage 'The Floating Shrine'. The player will have to hop over small walls and Quick Step out of the way of some Egg Fighter: Shield. The easiest path to access, which is only accessed by failing the Homing Attack chain or using the bottom route mentioned earlier, has Sonic Quick Step out of the way of some Egg Fighter: Shields down a straight path with some intersections. After finishing either of these paths, Sonic will arrive at a small pond which he can skim over to shave a few seconds off on the timer or follow a curved path around the pond. After that pond Sonic will enter a 2.5D section which requires a Real-Time Interaction and the use of Grind Rails. After passing over a river on Grind Rails, the player can either choose to skim along the water or follow the trail on protruding long platforms where giant spears will fall from the sky. The player will climb a local mountain running up a path that winds around it. At the top they will be launched by a Jump Panel into two Dash Rings and a Rainbow Ring. The final area requires the player to skim across the water whilst avoiding Thunder Balls and using Dash Panels to reach the Goal Ring by some blossom trees. A top route accessed by a wide spring can also lead the player to the Goal Ring quicker.
| Time | Rank | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 3'10"000 | 
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| 3'40"000 | 
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| 4'0"000 | 
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Gather Rings at Top Speed![]
This act mainly include the middle section of the "Head for the Goal" mission act, centralizing around the mountain area. Here, the player has to collect 200 Rings within one minute and ten seconds. Once that is done, the mission is completed, and the player is rewarded with a Moon Medal.
Don't Break Anything Along the Way![]
This act takes place in most of the last half of the "Head to the Goal" mission, in the river gorge section following the mountain area. Here, the player has to make it to the Goal Ring within two minutes, without breaking any of the pots that are located on the path. Once the mission is completed, the player is awarded with a Moon Medal.
Optional Missions[]
| Mission | Description |
|---|---|
| Reach the goal unscathed! | Reach the goal within two minutes and fifty seconds without taking damage. |
| Gather Rings at top speed! | Gather 100 Rings within one minute and thirty seconds. |
| Time Attack! Race for the goal! | Reach the goal within fifty seconds. |
| Time Attack! Race for the goal! | Reach the goal within one minute. |
Nighttime[]
Act I: The Floating Shrine[]
This act takes place in the river gorges of Dragon Road. Here, the player has to get to a large shrine at the end of the act where the Goal Ring is located, by traveling across several pagodas, bridges and some stone platforms, all of which are surrounded by bottomless waters. In the room before the Goal Ring, the player has to clear out a wave of Dark Gaia's Minions before gaining access to the Goal Ring.
| Rank | Reward |
|---|---|
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| Target time: 9'00"000 Rings required: 200 Force required: 2496 |
Act II: Rising Dragon Falls[]
This act takes place in the area bordering the river gorges and the mountain ranges. Here, the player has to follow a nearby river upstream to the top of the mountains. At the start of the act, the player has to make his/hers way to the river while avoiding obstacles such as swning blades and spikes, before following it to a waterfall. The player then has to climb the waterfall through stone platforms, poles, and Dark Bats. Once on top of the waterfall, the player then has to defeat a wave of Dark Gaia's Minions on top of a stone structure, before gaining access to the Goal Ring.
| Rank | Reward |
|---|---|
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| Target time: 9'00"000 Rings required: 160 Force required: 2016 |
Act III: Path to Darkness[]
This act takes place on the top of the mountains in Dragon Road. Here, the player first has to travel down a long, straight path on top of the Great Wall. After reaching the end of the road, the player then has to scale a mountain side. At the top of the mountain, the arrives at a cluster of rock pillar platforms over a bottomless pit. Here, the player has to defeat a Titan and some other enemies, before gaining access to the Goal Ring at a large palace.
| Rank | Reward |
|---|---|
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| Target time: 9'00"000 Rings required: 248 Force required: 2592 |
Optional Missions[]
| Mission | Description |
|---|---|
| Reach the goal ring without getting hit!? | Reach the Goal Ring within five minutes with only a small amount of health. |
| Battle Royale! Take on all comers! | Defeat thirty enemies within three minutes and forty seconds. |
Boss[]
The boss found in Dragon Road is the Dark Gaia Phoenix, a majestic phoenix corrupted by Dark Gaia's energies into one of Dark Gaia's Minions. He is fought directly after clearing the nighttime Dragon Road Act 1, in the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed, and after clearing Act III: Path to Darkness in the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed. For this boss battle, the player fights as Sonic the Werehog.
During the battle, the Dark Gaia Phoenix will fly around the arena where he will try to charge at the player, launch harmful feathers that hone in on the player, create waves of fire when landing on the ground, or fire a steady barrage of feathers (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version only). To defeat the Dark Gaia Phoenix, the player has to extinguish his flames with water barrels, deal some damage to him, and then complete a series of Real-Time Interaction. This process has to be repeated three times.
Collectibles[]
Nearly all Acts/Missions in Dragon Road in both versions of Sonic Unleashed contain a number of collectibles the player can obtain when playing through them:
Xbox 360/PlayStation 3[]
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 4 | Day Act 1 |
| 11 | Night Act 1 |
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 9 | Day Act 1 |
| 24 | Night Act 1 |
| 25 | Night Act 1 |
| 34 | Day Act 1 |
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 8 | Day Act 1 |
| 9 | Day Act 2 |
| 32 | Day Act 3 |
| 34 | Night Act 1 |
| 62 | Night Act 2 |
Wii/PlayStation 2[]
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Reach the goal ring without getting hit!? |
| 41 | Time Attack! Race for the goal! (one min.) |
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 19 | Act III: Path to Darkness |
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 6 | Act II: Rising Dragon Falls |
| 7 | Act III: Path to Darkness |
| 13 | Act I: The Floating Shrine |
| No. | Location |
|---|---|
| 10 | Head for the Goal! |
In other media[]
Archie Comics[]
Trivia[]
- In another game by Sega, Dragon Coins, there is a level called Dragon Road.
- In the Wii/PlayStation 2 version of the game, the second Ring collecting mission as well as the second Time Attack mission are both set in an exclusive part of the level not seen in the main stage. It primarily takes place within a bamboo swamp complete with several oriental structures and even a few set pieces similar to the ones from the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version.
- Furthermore, the Reach the Goal Unscathed! mission takes place up in the mountains, with oriental-themed bridges and a crystal-filled cave tunnel with a dragon head-shaped entrance.
- The DLC stage, Night Act 1-2, actually has sections playable in the base game, being used for certain Town Missions. The stage also ends in front of the Action Stage's boss arena and Gaia Temple entrance.
- The stage 2-2 from Sonic Frontiers is based off Dragon Road Daytime Act 3.
Music[]
| Name | Artist(s) | Length | Music track |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Dragon Road - Day" | Kenichi Tokoi | 3:08 | |
| "Intro: Dragon Road - Night" | Kenichi Tokoi | 0:08 | |
| "Dragon Road - Night" | Kenichi Tokoi | 3:10 | |
| N/A (Sonic Unleashed (mobile)) | Kenichi Tokoi | 1:00 |
Videos[]
Xbox 360/PlayStation 3[]
Daytime[]
Nighttime[]
Wii/PlayStation 2[]
Daytime[]
