Sonic the Hedgehog: Terminal Velocity

Beta title screen.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Terminal Velocity is a Sonic the Hedgehog ROM hack developed by Team Knothole, based on the CD port developed by HCKTROX. The team started development on the ROM hack in late 2015 and managed to get a working version a year later when it was revealed to the public at SHC 2016. Terminal Velocity is an expansive ROM hack, which includes a lot of features to the original Sonic the Hedgehog, such as multiple characters, new moves for each of them and even CD quality level music.

Story
Over a year after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Dr. Ivo Robotnik is presumed dead following the destruction of the Death Egg and the restoration of Angel Island to its former glory when in reality the rotund dictator is laying low until the time to strike is right. He continues constructing new robots and whilst attempting to conceive a plan to eliminate Sonic for good, his hand slips, activating a machine which will suck all animals aboveground into his robot assembly line for later usage. Robotnik quickly deactivates the device and hopes nothing else has come of it until he hears spinning sounds coming from the assembly line. Thinking Sonic was directly above him and was sucked underground, Robotnik snickers before soon discovering it isn't Sonic, but rather a brown hedgehog named Sonny, who is furious at his capture. He is soon set free and tells Robotnik is in his debt and states he will help him with any possible goals. Unsurprisingly, Robotnik takes advantage of Sonny and states that Sonic and his friends have been terrorizing him by destroying his environment-benefitting machines and forcing him into a state of submission. Sonny agrees to help Robotnik and is sent to Cryptic Desert Zone, where Sonic was last seen.

To be continued.

Gameplay
Terminal Velocity is a traditional 2D Sonic game. The players take control of a variety of characters, with the objective of each level to reach the end of the level and hit the goal post. Like in traditional Sonic games, each level is called a zone and each zone has three acts. Each character has their own moveset and gameplay style, making them unique to each other. Each act provides a unique path that only one character can go through, similar to Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

Each zone has five Red Rings hidden in it and getting them in all the acts of the zone gives the player access to one act of the Grand Palace, an extra zone in the game. When all of the rings are collected, Sonny Challenge is unlocked, giving players access to harder versions of the zones in the game in a time limit. Collecting 50 rings and reaching the end of an act unlocks the Giant Ring and allows the player to go to the Negative Zone, this game's equivalent of the Special Stage, where the player has to outrun a creature known as the Devourer and get the Emerald at the end.

Shared Techniques

All of the characters have all of these abilities.

• Hold and tap - Charges up the Spin Dash. The more is tapped, the faster the character will go. Release the buttons to unleash the Spin Dash. Amy cannot use the Spin Dash, although she does have her own variant in the form of the Super Peel-Out, which has the same setup, but it requires to be held instead of .

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic is one of the three characters available from the start of the game. He is the fastest of the group in unadulterated speed and his gameplay style involves him blazing through the levels.

• Hold - Charges up the Light Speed Dash. Press again to release it. This will make Sonic go through a trail of rings incredibly fast.
• Press while in the air and next to an enemy - Uses the Homing Attack, in which Sonic strikes the closest enemy to him. Can be chained and hit multiple enemies in a row. Does not making Sonic invunerable to enemy attacks.
• Press while in the air and not close to an enemy - Uses the Jump Dash, giving Sonic a small boost of speed.

Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow is the one of the three characters available from the start of the game. He is the slowest of the starting characters, although he can charge up his speed through his Chaos Meter, which increases by defeating enemies. When full, the plaer can use one of two Chaos Abilities.

• Press while in the air and next to an enemy - Uses the Homing Attack, in which Shadow strikes the closest enemy to him. Can be chained and hit multiple enemies in a row. Does not making Shadow invunerable to enemy attacks.
• Press when the Chaos Meter is full - Uses Chaos Control, which makes Shadow go incredibly fast through the level, although this doesn't makes him immune to enemy attacks.
• Press when the Chaos Meter is full - Uses Chaos Blast, which releases a huge explosion around him, defeating all enemies. Useful against bosses.

Amy Rose

Amy Rose is one of the three characters available from the start of the game. She has medium speed, neither as fast as Sonic or as slow as Shadow. She is the only character that cannot use the Spin Dash, although she has her own unique variation, the Super Peel Out. Her main unique ability is the Piko Piko Hammer.

• Press - To attack the enemy with a Hammer Smash. This is a powerful attack that can even bypass spiked enemies although it halts her momentum.
• Press while Amy has her arms stretched out - To utilize the Hammer Flip, allowing her to jump very high, although this doesn't makes her invunerable from enemy attacks, so the player needs to be careful.
• Press while Amy has her arms stretched out - To utilize the Hammer Spin, where Amy spins around with her hammer and hits all enemies while keeping momentum.

Metal Sonic

Metal Sonic is an unlockable character, whom is available to play as after defeating him in Crimson Deck Zone. Metal Sonic is slightly faster than Amy, making him the second fastest character in the game. Metal Sonic is more durable than the other characters, he doesn't usually gets damaged by certain enemy attacks that other characters get hit.

• Hold while standing still - To charge up Overdrive, that when unleashed, makes Metal Sonic go incredibly fast for a short time. Unlike Shadow's Chaos Control, Overdrive goes through enemies. After it's over, Metal Sonic loses all momentum.
• Hold while standing still - To charge up Energy Shield, making Metal Sonic immune to enemy projectiles and certain hazards for a short period time, the duration depending of how long the player kept B held, although there is a limit to how much it is charged. Press again to unleash Energy Shockwave, which defeats all enemies in a medium distance to Metal Sonic. Overdrive cannot be charged up while the Energy Shield is up. There is a cooldown period and the player cannot spam Energy Shields.
• Hold anywhere - To charge up Spark Field, which when unleashed, stuns all the enemies on the screen. Like the Energy Shield, there is a cooldown period and the player needs to wait before using another Spark Field.

Miles "Tails" Prower

Tails is an unlockable character, whom is available to play as after being rescued in Sky Bridge Zone. Tails is slightly slower than Amy, but makes up for it by having greater mobility. With his ability to fly and swim, Tails can easily get around the stage in ways other characters wouldn't.

• Press in the air - To start up Flight. Tapping will increase the height although it will tire Tails faster. Once Tails is tired, he will quickly start to fall.
• Press while running - To use Tail Swipe, making Tails spin around attacking enemies with his twin tails. Can be used anytime while running and Tails won't lose momentum.
• Hold standing still - To charge up Tornado Boost, which makes Tails go considerably fast for a while. Unlike other boosts, the momentum of Tornado Boost can be kept around.

Knuckles the Echidna

Knuckles is the last unlockable character, whom is available to play as after being rescued in Wave Castle Zone. Knuckles is slightly faster than base Knuckles, although he receives a boost in power and a small advantage in mobility thanks to his glide.

• Press while running - To use Blazing Fist, making Knuckles leap forward and strike an enemy. If succesful, Knuckles will gain height and will keep his momentum, if not, he is possibly getting hit by the enemy.
• Press in the air - To start Glide. If Knuckles glides towards a wall, he will cling to it and be able to climb on it.
• Press in the air - To perform Drill Dig, allowing Knuckles to move underground, similar to the Drill Wisp in Sonic Colors.

Zones

	The stage begins with Sonny racing past Sonic before the Blue Blur rushes into the level, which is littered with camouflaged Badniks, cacti, bottomless pits, and an oasis halfway into the stage. It's simply designed as both a challenge for both Sonic veterans and newcomers alike.
	Sonic eventually reaches the highest altitude available on the ship and finds Metal Sonic waiting for him. A fight ensues similarly to the fight in Sonic CD while Robotnik fires lasers from his new Egg Knight mech suit to cut through parts of the arena. Upon defeating Metal Sonic, Robotnik's Egg Knight jumps forward, rocking the ship slightly, and Sonic now must engage with the Egg Knight. Beating the Egg Knight and Metal Sonic leads the robotic version of the hedgehog to join Sonic's team of characters.
	As the Egg Hawk 0.5 crashes nearby, Sonic escapes the wreckage, deadset on finding Robotnik, Tails, and Sonny.
	After completing this stage and defeating the boss, Tails is unlocked as a playable character.
	After completing this stage and defeating the boss, Knuckles is unlocked as a playable character.

Items

Ring	Singular rings that appear in the stage. If the player is hit while holding a ring, the player loses all of their rings of their rings and don't lose a life.
Super Ring	Awards 10 rings to the player.
Invincibility	Turns the player invincible for a short time.
1-Up	Gives the player an extra life.
Static	Gives the player a random award, be it 10 coins, extra life, a shield, invincibility or in some cases, nothing.
Goggles	Makes the player go around underwater without drowning.
Shield	Makes the player immune to enemy attacks. Goes away after being hit once.
Power Sneakers	Makes the player run faster for a short time.
Fire Shield	Allows other characters to utilize Sonic's Jump Dash. Like the normal shield, it protects the player and goes away after either being hit or if the player goes underwater with it.
Water Shield	Allows the player to bounce, protects from enemy damage and allows the player to go underwater without drowning. Goes away after being hit.
Lighting Shield	Allows the player to jump twice and attracts coins to the player. Like the normal shield, it protects the player and goes away after either being hit or if the player goes underwater with it.
S	After getting all the Chaos Emeralds, this monitor will appear. It rewards the player with 50 coins, enough to transform into their super form.
Star Post	Serves as a checkpoint. If the player loses a life, they will restart in the Star Post.
Giant Ring	Appears at the end after getting 50 rings. Warps the player to the Negative Zone.
Goal Sign	When passed, it clears the level.

Credits

hitkid96fan mike1967 e122 psi sonicmechaomega999 SupaChao anotherblazehedgehog Divine Insect Athena Hawkins

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