
As time goes on, your ring count will steadily drop, and as the rings do not reset after each lap, you have a limited amount of time to clear the stage. Rings are a different story, representing your time in the Special Stage. Blue spheres also reset after each cycle around the track, giving you an endless supply. While the higher speed may be tempting, don't go too far out of your way to collect the blue spheres if you don't keep a steady pace behind the UFO, catching up to it before time runs out may prove impossible. Fill the gauge at the top of the screen by collecting blue spheres to enter Mach 2, then fill it again for Mach 3. The Special Stages themselves are very simple: Sonic is constantly running, first at Mach 1 speed. These giant rings give you access to one of seven Special Stages once you clear the first Special Stage, the giant rings will take you to the second, and so on. However, before you can attempt Special Stages, you must first find the giant rings scattered throughout the game's zones. Special Stages are modeled after Sonic CD's take on the series staple, in which a UFO carrying a Chaos Emerald must be chased down. Find these giant rings within each zone and jump into them to enter Special Stages.Ĭhaos Emeralds can be obtained in only one way in Sonic Mania: clearing Special Stages.
