How to Get Super Sonic in Sonic 2: Emeralds, Special Stages and Rings

To become Super Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, collect all seven Chaos Emeralds in the special stages, then, in any level, hold 50 rings or more, jump, and press jump again while you are in the air. Sonic turns gold, runs faster, jumps higher and shrugs off enemies, but he burns a ring about every second, so the more rings you hold, the longer it lasts. Below is how to reach the special stages, how to win the emeralds, how long Super Sonic lasts by our own measurement, and a quick way to try it in Sonic 2 on Yes This Game.

Super Sonic, step by step

1. Collect 50 rings in a level and keep them.
2. Touch a star post, the checkpoint lamp, while you hold 50 rings or more. A circle of stars appears above it.
3. Jump into the stars to enter the special stage.
4. Win a Chaos Emerald by collecting enough rings in the half-pipe (see below). Do this seven times.
5. With all seven emeralds, collect 50 rings in any act, jump, and press jump again in mid-air. Sonic flashes and turns into Super Sonic.

How the special stages work

The special stage is a twisting half-pipe that you run down from behind. Sonic, with Tails behind him, runs forward on his own; you move left and right across the pipe and jump. Each stage has three checkpoints, and at each one you must have collected a certain number of rings. Hitting a bomb costs ten rings. Miss a checkpoint’s target and the stage ends without an emerald; reach the last one and the emerald is yours. Each new special stage asks for more rings than the one before.

• Stay near the inside of the curves, where the rings usually are.
• Bombs often sit right next to rows of rings: jump over them rather than steering around.
• You can try again at the next star post as long as you have 50 rings.

How long does Super Sonic last?

Super Sonic does not have a timer. He has a ring counter that runs down. We gave Sonic all seven emeralds and 50 rings, transformed, and read the ring count from the game’s memory while the game ran: it dropped by 11 rings in 690 frames, about one ring every 63 frames. The Mega Drive shows 60 frames a second, so that is roughly one ring per second, the rate most guides give.

When the counter reaches zero, Sonic turns back to normal, and he also turns back at the end of an act. So the best place to transform is at the start of a long act with plenty of rings, and the best way to keep going is to keep collecting rings while you are super.

What Super Sonic can and can’t do

• Faster and higher: top speed, acceleration and jump height all go up.
• Nearly invincible: enemies, spikes and boss attacks can’t hurt him.
• Still mortal: a bottomless pit, drowning or being crushed still costs a life.
• Sonic only: Tails can’t transform in Sonic 2.

Tips for collecting the emeralds

Start early

The first zones, Emerald Hill and Chemical Plant, have lots of rings and many star posts. Try for emeralds there before the levels get harder.

Use the spin dash

Hold down and press jump to charge, then let go to shoot off at full speed. It helps you keep momentum through loops while collecting rings.

Don’t waste a hit

A hit makes you drop all your rings. If you have 50 or more, play carefully until you reach the next star post.

Try Super Sonic on Yes This Game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 runs free in your browser. Z, X or C jump, the arrows run, down and jump charge the spin dash. If you want to try Super Sonic without the special stages, press the magic wand button next to full screen and switch on Super form: you get all seven emeralds and 50 rings, so one jump and one more press in the air is all it takes. There are also Unlimited lives and Unlimited rings. Then carry on with the story in Sonic & Knuckles.