Sky Sanctuary (Sonic Generations)
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Sky Sanctuary (スカイサンクチュアリ Sukai Sankuchuari?) is the third Stage in the console/PC version of Sonic Generations. It is a reimagination of Sky Sanctuary Zone from Sonic & Knuckles, representing said game in the Classic era.
Description[]
Modeled after the original zone, Sky Sanctuary consists of a series of floating ancient ruins in a clean, light blue sky with few rather large clouds. The aforementioned ruins are made of white marble and are covered by many kinds of vegetation, such as mosses and palm tress. There are also some bridges with floors that are made of glass with technological patterns on them. Also, in the background at the end of both Acts of Sky Sanctuary, the Death Egg can be seen.
Story[]
A version of Sky Sanctuary from somewhere in spacetime got transported to White Space where it was drained of color and life. This would be the third area Classic and Modern Sonic pay a visit to after ending up in White Space. By speeding through Sky Sanctuary, the Sonics are able to fix space, thereby restoring Sky Sanctuary and, by extension, Knuckles, from the lifeless states they had been put in by the Time Eater.
Gameplay[]
Sky Sanctuary is a very open stage. Unlike the original Sky Sanctuary Zone, this stage comes with various alternate paths to take.
Sky Sanctuary Act 1 incorporates most of the elements from the original Sky Sanctuary Zone, including Pole Elevators, clouds, spinning platforms, and Warp Points. Other gimmicks are added as well, such as the Spinning Tops from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and black blocks that become visible and tangible once Classic Sonic presses a switch.
Sky Sanctuary Act 2 uses gameplay elements from the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version of Sonic Unleashed. Most of the stage is in 3D, though there are a few 2.5D sections as well. While the 2.5D sections work the same as in Sky Sanctuary Act 1, the 3D sections make use of Grind Rails, Jump Panels, Dash Rings, etc. The Act also includes the gimmicks from the 2.5D sections with a few modifications. There are also various sections of the Act that require the player to use the Quick Step.
Overview[]
Act 1[]
As Classic Sonic, the player must first run through numerous ancient floating buildings in Sky Sanctuary. Eventually, almost at the end of the Act, the player will have to run up a collapsing path that will lead to the Goal Plate.
Act 2[]
The 3D section of this Act is similar to Act 1. The player must speed their way through numerous ancient floating buildings. Similar to Act 1, Sonic must run up a collapsing path that will lead to the Goal Ring.
Ranking[]
The following are the suggested clear times for achieving a high enough score to achieve each Rank. Maximum time that can be buffered by Ring Bonus are listed as well. Perfect Bonus, acquired by clearing the stage without losing a life, increases the Rank by one Rank.
| Rank | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1 | Act 2 | |
|
3:00.00 | 3:30.00 |
|
8:00.00 | 8:30.00 |
|
13:00.00 | 13:30.00 |
| Ring Bonus Buffer (MAX) | +2:30.00 | +2:30.00 |
Challenge Acts[]
Act 1[]
- Doppelganger Race!: Face off against Sonic's double and beat him in a race to the goal.
- Eggrobo Rush: Reach the goal in time while fending off a bevy of menacing Eggrobos!
- Aerial Paradise: Use Warp Points to make your way to the goal in the allotted time.
- Ring Time Challenge: Use Ring Time Triangle/Y to get a set number of Rings and reach the goal in time to earn the Ring Time Skill!
- Amy: Topsy Turvy: Race against Amy while riding on a spinning top and beat her to the goal.
Act 2[]
- Knuckles: Buried Treasure: Press Triangle/Y to make Knuckles dig up Medals! Collect a set number and reach the goal in time!
- 200% Boost Gauge Challenge: Your Boost Gauge is doubled. Use the Boost Gauge to reach the goal in time.
- Balloon Bonanza: Use balloons to bounce extra high as you make your way to the goal in time.
- Doppelganger Race!: Face off against Sonic's double and beat him in a race to the goal.
- High-Speed Hijinks: Enemies move and shoot at double speed. Get to the goal in time!
Trivia[]
- Sky Sanctuary includes numerous references and Easter eggs:
- Sky Sanctuary Act 1 includes the Spinning Tops from Marble Garden Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. They also look similar to the floating platforms in Chaos Angel from Sonic Advance 3.
- In Sky Sanctuary Act 2, there are indoor areas that resemble Hidden Palace Zone from Sonic & Knuckles.
- The textures of Sky Sanctuary Act 2 resemble those of Astral Babylon from Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity.
- The final paths to the Goal Plate in both Acts are similar to the end of the original Zone in Sonic & Knuckles.
- In both Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic Generations, the Death Egg can be seen in the background of Sky Sanctuary. In Sonic & Knuckles, the next level is Death Egg Zone, and in Sonic Generations, the next level is the fight against the Death Egg Robot, which coincidentally takes place in the Death Egg.
- The Death Egg is seen rising in the background of both acts.
- In the Sky Sanctuary Hub, there are trees with grapes growing on them. In the United States manual of Sonic & Knuckles, it mentions that Knuckles' favorite food is grapes.
- Knuckles is one of the five characters that are saved and appear in a stage of that game, the others being Rouge (City Escape), Espio (Seaside Hill), Blaze (Crisis City) and Charmy (Planet Wisp).
- The crumbling ground from the end of the original level is featured in both Acts.
- As well as Green Hill, when using Boost in this level, the music adds fast-paced drums.
- In Sonic & Knuckles, Knuckles leaps over the initial gap and extends a bridge to allow Sonic to cross. However, in Sonic Generations, the switch to form the bridge is on the side Sonic approaches from.
- Throughout Sky Sanctuary, there are stones that resemble the cuffs that Silver the Hedgehog wears. At the beginning of Sky Sanctuary Act 2, there is a circle of glass panels that resembles the marking on Silver's glove.
- Despite being drained of life, parrots can be seen flying around the ruins.
- The stages 2-5, 2-7, and 3-3 from Sonic Frontiers are based off the 2D sections of Sky Sanctuary Act 2, Act 1, and the 3D sections of Act 2, respectively.
Music[]
| Name | Artist(s) | Length | Music track |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Sky Sanctuary: Act 1" | Naofumi Hataya | 2:18 | |
| "Sky Sanctuary: Act 2 - Normal" | Jun Senoue & Richard Jacques | 2:17 | |
| "Sky Sanctuary: Act 2 - Fast" | Jun Senoue & Richard Jacques | 2:20 | |
| N/A (White Space) | Jun Senoue | 0:53 |
Videos[]
