I remember noticing that in the 2-D Sonic games, the more difficult it was to get the chaos emeralds the more effect it seemed to have on the ending.
Like with Sonic and Knuckles, where there seemed to be about as many giant rings as chaos emeralds, (though maybe a couple more) and the special stages seemed harder than the special stages for other 2-D Sonics. And IIRC, the effect of having the emeralds (well, at least in the Sonic part) was the difference between Sonic failing to get the Master Emerald floating again and Sonic succeeding at it while Knuckles watches him leave. I never managed to get all the emeralds for that one, though I did see the "good ending" through S3&K.
In Sonic 2, on the other hand, the chaos emeralds were much easier to get (I recall getting most of them in the first zone even) and though they made a lot of difference to the gameplay, the difference to the ending was whether Sonic was falling or hovering towards the plane, when he was safe either way.
Anyway, this topic isn't JUST about that apparent connection but generally about the role of special stages in 2-D Sonics. (Or 3-D Sonics as well, like Sonic 3D Blast)
I'd say that it comes down to opinion about the difficulty of special stages; I found the S3&K ones far easier than S2's, for instance. Furthermore, interesting though the apparent connection is that you've found, it is just as easily happenstance. S3&K was telling a saga in comparison to the story of S2, so it would make sense that collecting the Emeralds in S3&K creates a significant difference in the storyline.
The only real role special stages (and, by way of equating special stages with their raison d'etre, the Chaos Emeralds or corresponding units) have ever had is good versus bad ending, not unlike so many games with multiple endings. Sometimes the differences between the endings are jarring--Chaotix in particular comes to mind. They give one a bit of an extra challenge to get the satisfaction of feeling that he/she has truly achieved something.
Yea I felt the S3&K ones were easier as well. Only after lots of practice though. Finding the pattern and whatnot is what was the hardest part, really. Sonic 2's later levels are pretty ridiculous by my standards atleast. I still have yet to play Chaotix, I really want to, too. But Sonic CD's special stages are really hard for me. Like...I suppose I haven't spent quite as much time on them as I have with Sonic 2's and 3&K's, but I have trouble with them and apparently it decides on good vs bad ending, I believe.
Yea I felt the S3&K ones were easier as well. Only after lots of practice though. Finding the pattern and whatnot is what was the hardest part, really. Sonic 2's later levels are pretty ridiculous by my standards atleast. I still have yet to play Chaotix, I really want to, too. But Sonic CD's special stages are really hard for me. Like...I suppose I haven't spent quite as much time on them as I have with Sonic 2's and 3&K's, but I have trouble with them and apparently it decides on good vs bad ending, I believe.
For me, the reason the special stages in Sonic CD were so difficult was depth perception. I could never quite tell when I was supposed to jump and hit those things. 
I'd say that it comes down to opinion about the difficulty of special stages; I found the S3&K ones far easier than S2's, for instance. Furthermore, interesting though the apparent connection is that you've found, it is just as easily happenstance. S3&K was telling a saga in comparison to the story of S2, so it would make sense that collecting the Emeralds in S3&K creates a significant difference in the storyline.
The only real role special stages (and, by way of equating special stages with their raison d'etre, the Chaos Emeralds or corresponding units) have ever had is good versus bad ending, not unlike so many games with multiple endings. Sometimes the differences between the endings are jarring--Chaotix in particular comes to mind. They give one a bit of an extra challenge to get the satisfaction of feeling that he/she has truly achieved something.
... hmm? I haven't heard of many games outside of the Sonic series that have multiple endings.
Anyway, I find it a bit surprising people here find the S3/S&K special stages easier than the S2 ones; though I happen to think S&K's special stages are harder than S3's as well. I guess it's just that I've played S2 more than S3, and S3 more than S&K.
... hmm? I haven't heard of many games outside of the Sonic series that have multiple endings.
Just what games have you been playing?
... hmm? I haven't heard of many games outside of the Sonic series that have multiple endings.
Oh, I've heard of many.
... hmm? I haven't heard of many games outside of the Sonic series that have multiple endings.
Just what games have you been playing?
Mostly Sonic, Mario, Zelda, Ecco, Commander Keen, Sim City, etc... plus a lot of games I've played but haven't seen any ending of. (Such as with games I've rented and didn't think they were worth buying, though not just those either)
As I've mentioned before, I don't have much of a "varied" video game experience, so excuse me if I just so happened to not know what Rapidfire was referring to. o.o
*high fives for not much of a varied video game experience* I'm alot like that myself. But yea multiple endings are fairly abundant in games nowadays. But yea I spent like...a year straight[not kidding] playing S3&K on SMC after I unlocked it, because i'd never had them both when I was little. Those stages were tough, no gonna lie...but I spent soooooo much time learning the patterns and whatnot with my...6 playthroughs or so...it became second nature. So ultimately...S3&K probably were harder for me at first try, yes.
For me, the reason the special stages in Sonic CD were so difficult was depth perception. I could never quite tell when I was supposed to jump and hit those things.
Ah, I'm not the only one who feels that way. They still upset me, mostly because they're less about pattern like S2 or S3&K, and the deceptive depth perception turns it into a game of chance. 
I've heard that jumping earlier than you apparently would think to jump helps significantly, though I've yet to test this postulate.
Haha! Yea I do recall jumping "too soon" sometimes and hitting the spaceships. I'm going to spend a year on those SS so I can master them as well. =P
*high fives for not much of a varied video game experience* I'm alot like that myself.
Same here, but not for too much longer hopefully. 
As for special stages in the Sonic games, didn't S3&K have like..... 30,000 versions of that blue sphere special stage or something? 
*high fives for not much of a varied video game experience* I'm alot like that myself.
Same here, but not for too much longer hopefully.
Well, I think there were 14 in game (I remember about 14 set patterns that never changed, right? 7 for the Chaos Emeralds and 7 for the Super Emeralds?) but a whole bunch more were in that Blue Sphere side game you got when you did an incompatible lock-on.
EDIT: I have no idea why I thought there were 8 Chaos Emeralds.
Blue Sphere has a 'small set' and a 'large set' of levels. The 'small set' consists of the fourteen levels that are required for 100% in S3K plus the two levels that give you the hidden 'Golden Emeralds'.
The 'large set' consists of 128 16*16 maps that are combined in sets of four to create a total of 268,435,456 stages. However, only about half of the stages are accessible within Bluesphere, though most of the inaccessible stages are rotations or reflections of accessible stages.
Yea a set 14 for the actual S3&K game, then a ton for that special blue sphere game. But umm...golden emeralds?! What 'cho talking 'bout Jeffery?
In S3K:
Activate Stage Select and Debug
Play Song 07 in the Sound Test.
Highlight either Special Stage.
Hold A and Press Start.
This will take you to an eighth special stage that is not accessible though normal game play and gives a Golden Emerald as a reward. Interestingly, the Golden Chaos Emerald's Stage is arguably the hardest of the 16 while the Golden Super Emerald's Stage is insanely easy.
Wow, a secret about S3&K that I didn't know about? Thanks Jeffrey.
Yea a set 14 for the actual S3&K game, then a ton for that special blue sphere game. But umm...golden emeralds?! What 'cho talking 'bout Jeffery?
Yup, there were 14 which were connected to the actual S3&K game so that Sonic could become Hyper Sonic and a s**t-load more for those blue sphere special stages in general. However, I don't remember anything about 'golden emeralds'. Thanks for providing that information about them, Jeff. 
Oh ok...so golden emerald suff isn't actually storyline related[because Super Emeralds are! Say what you want people! lol]. Still very interesting indeed. I'll have to check it out sometime. 
Gold? Seemed more like a deep orange or something. Can we get a shot for comparison's sake?
I remember reading about it in the tips & tricks section of some random game mag (GamePro? Probably...) back in the day. I'm surprised to hear that Vec wasn't aware of it.
Coincidently, Sonic 3 wasn't the only one with a hidden Special Stage.
In S3K:
Activate Stage Select and Debug
Play Song 07 in the Sound Test.
Highlight either Special Stage.
Hold A and Press Start.This will take you to an eighth special stage that is not accessible though normal game play and gives a Golden Emerald as a reward. Interestingly, the Golden Chaos Emerald's Stage is arguably the hardest of the 16 while the Golden Super Emerald's Stage is insanely easy.
Now I'm curious; how did you find out about that? I hadn't heard about it at all until now.
Ha! Robotnik's head is huge! xD!
Now I'm curious; how did you find out about that? I hadn't heard about it at all until now.
GameFAQs has it listed under cheats for Sonic & Knuckles, but I cannot remember if that is where I originally learned this trick.
Coincidently, Sonic 3 wasn't the only one with a hidden Special Stage.
The Eggpocalypse begins. o_O
