@ICEknight: yes, I assumed he meant "3 levels" as 3 acts, not as 3 zones. It does make sense. Instead, having them in a row doesn't.
I'm going to assume you meant Chemical Plant, because it's the only way this post makes sense. But you did get me thinking. Angel Island Zone does manage to get a similar idea across, merely halfway through the first act, by lighting everything on fire. Yeah, it was a cool visual effect, and it was fun to see how much difference a palette change, a few fire sprites, and heat waves could make, but it also went a long way toward showing off just how destructive the bad guys could be. Here was a lush landscape being utterly ruined for the sake of attacking Sonic. I kinda feel like doing things like this mid-stage produces a more powerful emotional effect than doing it between stages through level order.
I agree, but he still makes a good point. Plus the whole idea of inter-act cutscenes wasn't really a thing yet in Sonic 2. I'm kind surprised nobody's made a hack where Angel Island Zone DIDN'T get set on fire! I suppose it has something to do with the different art assets and the inherent difficulty of hacking S3&K. But I've always really loved the art in that first little stretch of the zone. How crazy would it be to just destroy the first Fire Breath and continue through that tropical paradise?
While this is being brought up, there are a few related things I want to bring up. In the final version of Sonic 2, Death Egg has been "moved" to Zone 0E, and slot $10 has become Sky Chase. While the music ID's might not be much to go by, it's curious to note that in both the Simon Wai Prototype and the final, Zone slot 09 plays Sky Chase Zone's music. It's not necessarily related to the topic at hand, but it is curious. More on topic, is the mention of the enemy, Bubbler's Mother (and Bubbler of course). A fish badnik with 3 eyes. To begin, having 3 eyes is a hint at being eradiated or infected in such a way that it deformed (which is rather fitting to the theme of Chemical plant, more than any other Zone). Bubbler's Mother itself, and the fact that it's unused (but present in the form of art) in the Nick Arcade Prototype AND Simon Wai prototype of Sonic 2, are a pretty big hint to me that at some point, the level was massively redesgined to better fit the identity of a second level. Also, another quick thing: http://info.sonicret...ket_bubbler.png "Chemical Factory Zone, it says? Chemical factory? I've never heard anybody mention this (to my memory), but it may suggest the Zone's name was changed at some point... Or just a concept artist not knowing the right name, that's possible too. And, jumping back to present I'd fund it.
I've always found Chemical Plant to be weird. Like, I feel like none of it fits. The background doesn't fit the foreground and the music seems... off. It's a fun level, I just don't feel the pieces line up together. On top of that, it's the second level when it should be like, the 5th. Personally I'd like to see Metropolis Zone with Chemical Plant's graphics. I never cared for the vibe of Metropolis, but if Chemical plant was later in the game, I think it's tile set would work perfectly. Of course then you lose a fun level overall.
Hmmm, what do you think as a layout? I'm thinking this: 1. Emerald Hill Zone 2. Aquatic Ruin Zone 3. Hill Top Zone 4. Mystic Cave Zone 5. Oil Ocean Zone 6. Metropolis Zone 7. Casino Night Zone 8. Chemical Plant Zone 9. Sky Chase Zone 10. Wing Fortress Zone 11. Death Egg Zone Sonic 2 really does have a lot of technology levels huh.
Well, Chemical Plant had it's level layout almost complete in Nick Arcade prototype so it's position and level art seems intentional to me. Sonic 2 is a weird game even on it's 8-bit iteration. I mean, starting with Underground zone...? Wtf.
Didn't Retro deduce in another recent thread that the order could have been originally: Green Hills Zone Sky High Zone Aqua Lake Zone Underground Zone Gimmick Mt. Zone Scrambled Egg Zone Crystal Egg Zone It is better flowed thematically. But they changed it due to either Green Hills was too hard/Underground too easy or they didn't want to show reused tiles in different zones so close together?
Pretty much all the levels are way more difficult, bar Emerald Hill. If anything, Emerald Hill is a bit too easy. The only difficult parts in Chemical Plant is the part in act 2 where you have to platform above the water. It forces you to take things slower, which is necessary for all the rest of the game. Still odd for a speedway level to finish off with slow paced platforming, but to be fair you can skip all of that. In retrospect did any other zone really allow for speeding around, other than Chemical Plant?
With Neo Green Hill/Aquatic Ruin late in the level numbering system, can we make the big assumption that if it was intended to appear later in the game it could have been themed similarly to Sky Sanctuary?
Ya but Sky Sanctuary made sense because it was close to the Death Egg launching and it was a vertical level. Aquatic Ruin was just... water Marble zone.
For me chemical plant zone always felt like a kind of Star light zone type deal ( with the way speed and platforming sections were done )
I thought Green Hills was pretty straight forward, the only really difficult part was the constant leap of faiths in Act 3. I'm guessing from the sudden difficulty spike that they were a late addition.
So yeah, I'm surprised there's hardly been a mention of the two methods of bypassing the "hard part" of CPZ Act 2 entirely.
Chemical Plant Zone is the developers showing the players respect. Emerald Hill is a little refresher; been a while, y'know? Then Chemical Plant comes up, the audience panics, "Aw, shit! The stakes have been raised!" and you come in, right palm up, lowering and lowering it as to calm them and then simply say "I got this." The game doesn't treat you like an idiot that needs your hand held the entire way. It does feel like an accomplishment when you beat it. It's incredibly rewarding.