
 /         |  |          | |   \    |  | |  | |       |      |       | |     \
/   -------   |    --    | |    \   |  | |  | |   ----       |   ----  |  |\  |
 \   ------   |   |  |   | |  |\  \ |  | |  | |  |           |  |      |  | | |
  \        \  |   |  |   | |  | \  \|  | |  | |  |           |  |      |  | | |
   -----    \ |   |  |   | |  |  \     | |  | |  |           |  |      |  | | |
  -----    /  |    --    | |  |    \   | |  | |   ----       |   ----  |  |/  |

Written by gamersince93

This FAQ was written using the PC version of the game.  As far as I know, the
level design in each version is the exact same, but if the newest release of
game isn't identical to the PC version, I'll make a note of it.

The alphabet should be triplicated below.  If it is all on one line and you can
see the period at the end, you can view this FAQ.  If not, adjust your browser


Also, make sure that the game's title is visible at the top of the page, as it
is also 79 characters long.

Table of Contents
| 1: Version History |         This FAQ/Walkthrough can be used easily
| 2: Story           |         with your browser's Find function.  Type
| 3: Badniks         |         the first letter of each word in a level's
| 4: Your Moves      |         name, then the act number.
| 5: Rings & Lives   |         Now type either W for a walkthrough or
| 6: Time Warp       |         T for time attack tips.  For example, if
| 7: Items           |         I wanted to get tips for a speed run
| 8: Scoring         |         through act 1 of Goofy Gadget (this isn't
| 9: Special Stage   |         a real level), then I'd type GG1T into the
|10: Walkthrough     |         find tool.
|11: Time Attack     |
|12: Fact & Fiction  |
|13: Other Stuff     |
|14: Challenges      |
|15: Cheats          |
|16: Contact Info    |
|17: Legal Info      |

Version History
This FAQ was started on 6/10/05 to prepare for the game's re-release on Sonic
Gems Collection, but can be used with all versions of the game.

Version 2.0: There's a few differences between the Gems Collection version
and the other versions, so I placed them in the FAQ.  The Time Attack section
has every level done now and times.  I looked at the walkthrough for Stardust
Speedway 2 and found quite a few typos for such a short walkthrough, so they're
now fixed.  The Scoring section now correctly says that bumpers give 100 points
and not 10 (guess I've been playing too much Sonic 2), and the Your Moves
section now tells you how to scroll the screen.

Version 2.1: I spell-checked the FAQ and fixed some spelling mistakes, and
correctly called the FAQ Version 2.0 in the Version History section.  There's a
few minor updates throughout the FAQ, one having been sent to me via e-mail.  I
found a glitch in Gems Collection, so I posted it in the Cheats section.
There's also a miscellany section, aptly named "Other Stuff".  Take a look!
Wherever you see the word "Update", there's something new.

Version 2.11: I removed the comments from beside my high scores because the
scores speak for themselves.  A small revision in the Quartz Quadrant 2 Time
Attack section was made.  But the biggest change was the removal of my e-mail
address because I found five messages that were obviously spyware and one hate
mail.  Thanks to the few people who e-mailed me who actually gave some advice
or asked an intelligent question.  If anyone else has any problems that aren't
answered here, please ask over on the GameFAQs' Sonic Gems Collection board for
Gamecube.  The people there are usually glad to help assuming they haven't
already answered the same question a million times.  You can use a search
engine to find the PC patch if you need it.  This could very well be the last
update (it's really sad, I know...).

Version 2.12: Another minor update.  Even if there was more to add, there
aren't many people talking about Sonic CD anymore, so who would read a guide?
Thanks to everyone who helped this guide reach ten thousand hits before the end
of 2005; as of the Last Updated date on the FAQ Listing page I've gotten an
additional 2500.  A "Challenges" section was added, as well as a statement of
the fact that my routes aren't necessarily the best for time attacking (I have
to pick relatively easy routes that most people can do, so speed is sometimes
sacrificed).  I realized that I wrote something REALLY cheesy in the Metallic
Madness 2 walkthrough -- maybe I wasn't awake when I wrote it -- so I changed
it a bit, for the better or otherwise.

Story (remember, Eggman and Robotnik are the same person)
"Sonic, where are you going now?"

Sonic the Hedgehog looked over his shoulder at Amy, the young hedgehog who was
racing hot on his heels.

"To Never Lake," he called back.

"Why Never Lake?"

Sonic slowed down a little so he could explain.  "Ever heard of the Little

"Isn't that the tiny world that orbits around Mobius?" Amy asked.  "The one
with the special stones that alter time and change everything around them?
passage of time!"

"Yeah.  On the last month of every year, the Little Planet appears over Never
Lake.  It's that time now, and I'm going to check it out.  I bet space travel
will be exciting!"

"With all those Time Stones, I bet you'll try to outrun time itself!" Amy

Sonic didn't reply.  He just smiled, eyes gleaming.

When they arrived at Never Lake, the Little Planet was there as expected.  But
something was wrong.  Where there should have been tall trees and bright
flowers, there was nothing but dry sand and jagged rocks.  The Little Planet
was tethered to a rock with a huge chain, and its surface was covered with
twisted, gleaming metal.

"What happened?" Amy wondered.

Before Sonic could reply, something whooshed over them.  Amy shrieked as she
was snatched up, and she and her captor vanished in a blue streak of light!

"What the -- AMY!"

It didn't take long for Sonic to realize what had happened.  "This has to be
one of Dr. Robotnik's tricks!"

Indeed it was! Upon discovering the location of the Little Planet, the evil Dr.
Robotnik and his robot cronies had immediately set about converting it to a
giant fortress.  When Robotnik saw Sonic approaching, he had dispatched his
prize creation, the Metal Sonic, to grab Amy and lure his archenemy into

"How convenient!" Robotnik crowed, bouncing about like a malicious rubber ball.
"This time my scientific expertise will crush you! Once all the Time Stones are
in my hands, I'll be able to manipulate time and conquer the world!
HO, HO, HO, HO!"

Sonic stood on a rock and thought.  Robotnik had control of the Little Planet.
He had Amy, and soon he would have the Time Stones ...  but not if Sonic got to
them first!

His adventure on the Little Planet was going to be more exciting and dangerous
than he'd planned.  It was time to get a move on!
The storyline was taken from the Help file for the PC version of the game.

Ant: Wanders around on one wheel.  Easy to destroy.
Bees: Some shoot you, some swing a ball and chain.  Just try to get by them,
      it's useless to stop and fight.
Beetle: Attacks with a saw.  Hit from above or behind.
Bomb: Technically not a badnik, since there isn't anything inside of it.  Can't
      be damaged and blows up when you approach.  Stand right next to the
      explosion (yes, I'm serious) to avoid flying shrapnel.
Butterfly: Has no means of attack.
Caterkiller: Returning from Sonic 1.  Roll into the head to destroy.
Grasshopper: Bounces up and down on a spring, but cannot attack.
Lightning Bug: Appear in pairs and create an electrical current between
               themselves.  Destroy one and the other is helpless.
Mantis: Throws metal boomerangs to attack.  Jump over the boomerangs, then
        strike from behind.
Mosquito: Slowly flies through the air, then dives vertically to attack.  Keep
          moving, and it will miss every time.
Scorpion: Shoots a cannon to attack.  It takes time to fire, so run at it and
Snail: Has a spiky backside.  Roll into to destroy.
Spider: Cannot attack, but fires webs that slow you down to a walk.
Water Beetle: Jumps in and out of the water to attack.
There are many other enemies throughout the game, but they are relatively weak.

Your Moves
You're going to have a hard time getting through the levels if you just try to
run and jump everywhere.  Take full advantage of Sonic's moves to clear each
level as fast as possible.

Spin Attack
While running, tap down to start rolling.  You are nearly invincible while spin

Spin Dash
While standing still, hold down and press the jump button to start spin
attacking in place.  Release down to dash forward quickly.

Peel Out
While standing still, hold up and press the jump button to run in place.
Release up to dash forward quickly.  Unlike the spin dash, you'll be running,
meaning you'll be vulnerable, but you'll have an easier time climbing hills.
Try spin attacking after doing a peel out up a hill.

Screen Scrolling
It's not an attack, but it's still important.  While standing, tap up or down
twice quickly to scroll the screen before you make a blind leap.  This is
different than how most 2D Sonic games allow you to scroll.

Rings & Lives
Rings keep Sonic alive.  It's that simple.  Take a hit without rings, and you
die.  However, if you are holding rings, you drop them when you are hit.  Grab
100 or 200 rings to get an extra life.  You can also get lives by finding item
boxes with pictures of Sonic on them.

You can lose a life by:
-taking a hit without rings
-getting sandwiched between obstacles or floors
-falling off the bottom of the stage (this can only happen in Stardust Speedway
 1 and Metallic Madness 3)
-getting zapped by the laser in Stardust Speedway 3
-staying underwater without sucking in air or surfacing
-spending ten minutes in a level

Time Warp
As you race through the acts of Sonic CD, you're sure to notice posts with the
word "Past" or "Future" on them.  Touch one and the word will appear near your
life count.  Now sparks appear behind Sonic when he runs.  If you run for about
six seconds, you'll ward through time in the said direction.  Be careful, as
a sudden drop in speed could cancel the warp (whether you did this on purpose
or by accident).  Approaching the goal also cancels the warp.

The Past
The past of each level tends to be very complex, but sometimes it's the only
place to access some passages before they cave in or erode away.  The past
contains the Enemy Robot Transporter, which keeps badniks operating in all time
periods.  Destroy it, and the Badniks in the act disappear, creating a "good
future" (discussed under "The Future").  Also in the past is a projection of
Metal Sonic; when this is destroyed, animals return to the area (optional).

The Present
This is the starting point of acts 1 and 2 of every level.  If you don't intend
to destroy the Enemy Robot Transporter, try to stay here.  It's the most
straightforward of the time periods (heh... like you didn't know that!).

The Future
Act 3 of every level takes place here.  If you destroyed the Enemy Robot
Transporter in an act, the future is bright and free of badniks.  If you
destroyed the Enemy Robot Transporter in acts 1 and 2, then act 3 is always a
good future.  Otherwise, you'll find yourself in a dark world where badniks run

Items come in TV monitors       ##############
such as the one to the right.   #  ________  #
(This is the last ASCII art     # |  __    | #
you'll see in this entire FAQ.) # | |__|_  | #
When broken, the items become   # | |____\ | #
yours.  They can only help you, # |________| #
so be sure to pick them up      #            #
whenever you see them.          ##############
Super Ring   -Gives you 10 rings
Extra Life   -Speaks for itself
Shield       -You lose no rings the next time you are hit
Invincibility-Become temporarily untouchable
Power Sneaker-Increases you acceleration and max speed for a while
Combine Ring -Can only be seen with the debug cheat.  It might be related to
              the Combine Ring item in Chaotix (for 32X), but in this game,
              nothing happens.
"S" Monitor  -Another debug-only item, except this one works.  It works as if
              Sonic had opened an Invincibility and Power Sneaker monitor at
              the same time.
Time Freeze  -Also only viewable in debug, this may have been intended to
              stop time, but it does not work correctly.  When hit, the water
              in Palmtree Panic stops moving, but everything else is unchanged.

Scoring in Sonic CD is simple.  Each enemy destroyed counts for 100 points.
Destroy several enemies with one attack for more points.  Bosses net 1000
points when destroyed, as does the Enemy Robot Transporter.  Some levels have
pinball bumpers that give 100 points when hit.  At the end of each level, you
win 100 points for each ring and a bonus for how fast you beat the level.

<30 sec.=50000 pts.
<45 sec.=10000 pts.
<60 sec.= 5000 pts.
<90 sec.= 4000 pts.
< 2 min.= 3000 pts.
< 3 min.= 2000 pts.
< 4 min.= 1000 pts.

Many people think points are useless, but remember that for every 50000 points
you acquire, you get one extra life.

Special Stage
Reach the end of act 1 or 2 with 50 rings to see a large ring.  Grab it to
enter a special stage.  Your mission is to destroy the six purple UFOs.  Each
UFO drops lots of rings or a Power Sneaker when hit.  Make sure to stick to the
paths, because falling in the water costs you 10 seconds for each second you
spend in it.  If time dwindles down to 20 seconds or less, a blue UFO appears
in the center of the course and adds 30 seconds to the timer when hit.  You win
a Time Stone if you destroy all six purple UFOs before time runs out.

Besides the water, there are other reasons to watch your feet.  Arrows send you
in the direction they point.  Fans send you sailing on a horizontal path
through the air, great for hitting UFOs.  Springs send you on a vertical path
(these tend to cost you time).  Chopper blocks grab your feet and cause you to
fall flat on your face, costing you rings.

Be sure to grab all of the Time Stones!  If you get them all, almost every
enemy in the game disappears!  Not only that, but you need not even look at
this walkthrough because you are guaranteed a good future in every level.

Palmtree Panic 1 [PP1W]
Odds are nobody is reading this.  After all, not many people get stuck on the
first level of a Sonic game.  But I guess I could type up a walkthrough anyway.

Run forward from the start, up the vertical ramp.  You'll land right in front
of a checkpoint.  Tag it, then jump to the ledge above with a yellow spring.
Use it to propel you over a jump to the next ledge.  You should see two time
warp posts.  Tag the past one and back up to the edge.  Charge up a peel out
and dash back to the right.  Hold the right button and you should warp to the

Keep holding right and you should land on a high ledge.  Don't jump to get the
four rings; instead, walk through the little opening in the wall below them.
Whoa! You'll be sucked behind the level and end up in a lower area, right next
to a hologram of Metal Sonic.

Continue to the right, without jumping up or down to a higher route or using a
spring, until you reach a rock with springs on either side.  Don't hit either
of them, but keep going to the right.  Grab the shield atop the loop and stand
still.  A platform should arrive; ride it to arrive at a sort of natural tower.
Jump to the right for a Super Ring, them jump back to the left, etc... until
you reach the top.  At the top you'll find the Enemy Robot Transporter.
Destroy it, then go to the right to find the goal.

If you have 50 rings or more, you'll see a large ring.  Take it, and read the
Special Stage portion of this guide.  If you didn't have enough rings, try
again in another level.

IMPORTANT: Part of the fun in Sonic CD is in taking your own route.  Therefore,
the walkthrough only states how to find the Enemy Robot Transporter.  After
destroying it, find the goal for yourself.  Warp between time zones as you
please, and go to the good future if you want.

Palmtree Panic 2 [PP2W]
Take the lowest route through the level from the start to find a past post.
Easy, right?  Now move to the right, hitting one yellow spring, then the next.
Land on the ledge above the second spring, and then jump to the left to see a
rock with a spring attached.  Go to the left edge of the ledge that it's on and
face to the right.  Charge up a peel out, release the buttons and PRESS NOTHING
so that you hit the spring, clear the pit, air off of the jump, and warp before
you hit the ground.

If all went well, you should be in the past, back where you started the level.
Take any route you want, and you should eventually reach a loop that dumps you
into a tunnel and onto a spring.  Land, then head to the right and jump to the
route with the future post.  Jump over the spring to see a swing going back and
forth.  Jump on it and get off the left side.  The next yellow spring you see
leads to the Enemy Robot Transporter.  Destroy it and head for the goal.

Palmtree Panic 3 [PP3W]
If you destroyed the Enemy Robot Transporters in acts 1 and 2, you'll have a
good future at the start of act 3.  Otherwise, you'll play through a bad
future.  Either way, explore the level.  There are no enemies, and there are
exactly 100 rings in the level, not to mention a slightly hidden extra life
above the loop (use a peel out to jump from the level's highest point to the

When you reach the end of the level, you'll be confronted by your first boss.
This is really easy.  Stand against the left edge of the screen as he walks
towards you and then backs up.  He'll then lower his shields, so jump at the
cockpit.  Rinse and repeat until he's defeated, then head for the goal.

Collision Chaos 1 [CC1W]
Move to the right, and make sure you get the shield hidden behind the blue
sculptures.  Eventually you'll reach a tunnel blocked off by spikes, and Amy
will follow you.  Wait a few seconds, and Metal Sonic will appear in the
tunnel, tear through the spikes, and kidnap Amy.  Race through the tunnel, and
they're long gone.

Drop to the ledge below the Power Sneaker and walk through the wall to the
right to find a hidden passage.  Work your way through, and you'll go up
another chute like the one Metal Sonic came through.  Reach the spring at the
top and roll down the hillside and through the chute, being sure not to land on
the ledge with the future post on it.  Run down the path below it, jumping over
the springs along the way.  You'll hit a future post, but you shouldn't use it.
After jumping a red spring, you'll see another yellow spring.  Jump on to find
a past post.  Take it and use the springs in the room to warp.

In the past, there's a hole in the ceiling of the room you were just in.  Use
the spring to soar out of the hole and land on the ledge above (with the gray
machine on it).  Jump off of the left side and hug the wall.  You should land,
then skid into a spring that pushes you back up the wall.  Halfway up the wall,
jump to the left.  You should catch a glimpse of the Enemy Robot Transporter
during your jump.  Destroy it and head for the goal.

Collision Chaos 2 [CC2W]
Drop down the first chute that you see to land in a room littered with springs.
Use the spring on the far right to make it to the top of the room, landing on
the route with a spring pointing to the left.  Hit the spring while spin
attacking so that you plow through two badniks.  You'll crash into a wall and
roll into another spring.  Halfway up the wall, jump to the left to see a past
post.  Take it and go back to the spring at the bottom of the wall to time warp
to the past.

Once in the past, go to the right.  Use the platforms to cross the pit, and you
should reach the Emery Robot Transporter shortly after.  You know the drill:
destroy it and head for the goal.  Actually, this course has two goals, but
they both lead to the same place.

Collision Chaos 3 [CC3W]
You can catch a glimpse of the boss if you follow the rings on the highest
route, but you can't reach him.  Double back and go down the chute.  You'll
end up in a pinball game.  Work your way to the top (this can take five seconds
or five minutes) to find the goal.

Tidal Tempest 1 [TT1W]
Ugh... nobody likes "water levels".  Anyway, run down the hill and jump before
the hill goes vertical to avoid falling to the water.  Run to the right and the
floor collapses.  You hit the water anyway, but you avoided falling into the
tube on your left.  Follow the passage and hit the Super Ring along the way.
When you reach a swing, jump on the side with the switch so that the door opens
at the top.  Move on and dive into the water again.  Run to the right and hit
the spring.  Climb the ledges and run to the right, jumping the pits.  You'll
pass two checkpoints.  Drop into the pit to the right of the second checkpoint.
You'll land next to a past post.  Go to the left until you reach the bottom of
the level, then go back to the right.  Jump into the tube before the checkpoint
and when you pop out, use the springs on your right to warp.  Go back to the
left of the tube, but jump instead of going down the hill.  The Enemy Robot
Transporter is right in front of you.  Destroy it, and head for the goal.

Tidal Tempest 2 [TT2W]
The level starts, and the wall slides out from behind you, pushing you over the
edge!  Don't move and let it happen (you can jump for the rings), so that you
slide down the left side of the waterfall onto a ledge.  Jump to the right and
go down the hill (watch out for the swinging hazard).  When the air vent pushes
you to the right, try to fall between the platforms, into the pit.  Go to the
right, and when the path splits, take the route with the checkpoint.

Hit the springs to go up.  Go to the left to find 20 rings in a cave hidden in
the wall, then go to the right.  Hit the first red spring you see to find an
area designed for time warping.  But we don't have a post!  Jump into the wall
to the right of the springs to find a past post, then go back and time warp.
As you warp, note which direction you're going, because you need to screech to
a halt after the warp.

If you stopped before flying off of the left side, drop off.  If you didn't,
you probably went sailing to the left, so work your way back.  Either way,
don't use the nearby future post and springs, because that would be pointless.
Follow the path to the right and into the water.  As you walk along the sea
floor, a hidden spring will attempt to force you onto a higher passage.  Let it
do just that.  Follow the path and go to the right at the top, jumping all of
the pits, to find the Enemy Robot Transporter.  Destroy it and head for the
goal (it's not far).

Tidal Tempest 3 [TT3W]
Walk down the hill and come to a complete stop behind the blue post to drop
into a hidden room with a shield.  Get back on track and follow the path.  You
should fall down a pit and land next to a red spring.  Use it to land on top of
the ledge to your left.  Jump at the left wall to find 30 rings in a cave.
There's another hidden cave below it, but it has another shield, so you don't
need it.

Go to the right to find the boss.  He's defenseless, so keep hitting him as he
runs away (just like Sonic 1's Labyrinth Zone boss).  Pick up any bonuses along
the way.  When he goes down, he opens up a passage in the right wall.  Follow
him.  Does this seem TOO easy?  I hope not, because the rest of the level is
just as easy.

When you next see the boss, you'll be underwater.  Air bubbles will surround
the boss, so jump at them to breathe.  When you use most of the bubbles, you
need only hit the boss once to win.  Just head for the end afterwards.

Update:  I forgot to mention something very obvious.  Near the start, jump over
the pit that you're supposed to drop down.  You'll go through the wall into a
room with an Extra Life.

Quartz Quadrant 1 [QQ1W]
This level is just plain fun.  Not only that, but it has great background music
in BOTH versions of the game.  Whenever you get stressed playing the game, go
to Time Attack and play this level.  You'll be enjoying yourself again.

Opinions aside, make sure you don't touch the spring behind you at the start.
Stand to the left of the future post, and a platform arrives.  Ride it to the
top and quickly run across the bridge before it gives way.  When you hit the
arrow switch, the conveyors switch direction.  It makes running harder, but you
need to do it to warp.  Run to the right, jump the next arrow switch, and get
the past post.  Double back, and jump in the chute next to the second arrow
switch you saw.  If the switch points left, the conveyors will cause you to
time warp.

In the past, follow the route to the right.  Drop down the first pit you see,
then go to the right.  Follow this route, jumping the pits, and you'll
eventually reach a large room.  Use the springs to work your way to the top,
where the Enemy Robot Transporter is.  Destroy it and head for the goal.

Quartz Quadrant 2 [QQ2W]
IMPORTANT: If you've gotten into and beaten every Special Stage up to this
point, then you have all seven Time Stones!  This means that you start every
level with a good future, so you don't need to read this walkthrough any more!
You should warp to the good future ASAP in each level, since it's your reward.
Of course, I also have cheats and tips for bosses and time attack, so look
around before you leave.  If you haven't gotten (or won't get) all of the time
stones, then you should keep reading if you want to clear the game 100%.

With that out of the way, onto the walkthrough!  When the level starts, move to
the right and... (drum roll please) ...there's a past post in front of you!  Go
down the path slowly so that you don't start a warp and then cancel it.  You'll
fall onto a conveyor, and then a spring hidden in the floor will push you onto
a ledge with a shield.  Jump on the shield and another hidden spring pushes you
onto a high ledge with a conveyor.  Immediately peel out to the right and hold
the down button.  You'll roll down a hill, hit a spring, go back up the hill,
and warp.

Now you're in the past.  Take ANY route.  They all merge eventually.  As you
run through the level, keep an eye out for the bottom of a conveyor-powered
chute just like the one you used in act 1 to time warp. (the chute is at the
bottom of the level, has four rings leading up into it, and is to the right of
an arrow switch).  When you find it, make the switch point to the left and jump
in.  The game will throw you into the Enemy Robot Transporter, then into a
small room with a shield.  Jump on the shield to be hit by another spring.
Now just run to the goal.

Quartz Quadrant 3 [QQ3W]
This is another straightforward act 3.  Explore the level (try to get 100 rings
and an Extra Life item), then go to the boss.  He'll be suspended above a
conveyor belt that isn't moving.  Hit him, and the belt starts moving.  He
falls to the ground, and spikes appear on the left side of the room.  To top it
off, mines drop from the ceiling.  Run at the boss, and the belt speeds up,
causing the platform that the boss is standing on to erode.  Keep running, only
falling back when a mine drops, and the boss will give up before the platform

Wacky Workbench 1 [WW1W]
This level could have an entire strategy guide written on it and all of its
strange gadgets.  Exhaust vents spew out air so cold that Sonic freezes in
place if he touches it; jump repeatedly to break free without being hurt.  Live
wires are strung throughout the level that can electrocute Sonic.  Mazes of
pipes and catwalks make FAQ-writing a nightmare.  Worst of all, the floor is
usually lined with a material that conducts electricity, causing anything that
touches it, even Sonic, to fly into the air.

Run to the right from the start (as if you don't know that by now).  Run at the
checkerboard-patterned floor to go sailing into the air.  Go as far to the
right as you can and try to land on a high ledge to the right (the one with the
future post on it).  Move to the right to see two gray pistons moving up and
down.  Stand on one, and when it looks like it's about to crush you, you'll
drop behind them, into a hidden room with a past post.  Grab it and walk SLOWLY
to the right (go too far, and you can't go back).  Stop under the rings, peel
out to the left, and hold the down button to time warp.

If you followed my instructions exactly, you'll hit a spring and appear back
where the pistons were.  Move to the right and roll down the chute.  You'll
land on a ledge with two rings on the right side.  Get a running start, and
jump to a higher ledge to the right of that.  Stand on the left side of that
ledge, and a platform comes down from above.  Jump on it (make sure the wires
aren't charged with electricity, or you're in for a shock), and take it to
another platform.  Follow the platforms up and to the right until you see a
gray exhaust vent on the ceiling.  When it's not spewing cold air, drop down
the pit below it.  The path splits; take the upper path, without the air vent.
You'll go down another chute.  Head to the right and use the bars to avoid the
electricity.  Make a blind leap to the right, and use the stair-shaped
platform to reach more bars.  Go across these and make another blind leap to
the right.  You'll see another piston like the one you saw before you time
warped.  Drop through it to find the Enemy Robot Transporter and an Extra Life.
Now go to the goal.  It's in the lower-right corner of the level, but the
electrified floor threatens to force you onto the high routes.  Jump on the
platforms to avoid touching it.

Update: I was toying around with Debug mode one day, and I stumbled across a
hidden room in two of the time zones.  Try this: take the lowest route through
the level (you've got to use the moving platforms) until there's a vertical
drop below you.  Drop down a little bit away from the edge since the floor
rounds off and causes you to roll onto the electrified floor.  Now try to jump
through the wall.  If you're in the past or bad future, you'll go right through
the wall, into the hidden room.  Jump around and see what happens!

Wacky Workbench 2 [WW2W]
Jump on the gray device near the start, and it will force you into a free fall.
You'll see a past post on the way down, but even the electrified floor can't
push you up high enough to reach it.  Instead, go to the lower left corner of
the room, where a moving platform is.  Try to land on it.  When you do (it's
tough), you can jump through the wall on the left.  Lightly tap the jump button
because the hidden passage is almost touching the electrified floor.  In the
new room, try to work your way to the upper-left.  When you go up the chute,
hold the left button so that you screech to a halt, otherwise you'll have
another free fall.  Grab the past post and jump to the ledge above you on the
left.  Peel out to the left, hit the gray device again, and you'll time warp.

You'll free fall again, and you'll go right over the Enemy Robot Transporter.
You can repeat the process you used in the present to get back to the
Transporter, or you can use the electrified floor to bounce back up (there are
sections of floor in the past suspended higher up, so you can bounce up to the
Transporter).  Now just look for the goal.

Update:  I received an e-mail from "fishmech" that reads as follows:
"In Wacky Workbench Zone 2, you can jump over the sled that makes sonic skip
the Enemy Robot Transporter and Past sign and instead just run down the short
track. Then, you hit the sign, run back up the track and let the sled take you
for a warp.  The past level's floor is raised a lot around the Enemy Robot
Transporter area, so you can easily bounce up and destroy the Enemy Robot
Transporter. It's actually very easy to do this and makes the level take a lot
less time."
It works!  It takes a well-timed jump to land on the track without being thrown
over the edge, but if you can manage it you'll save a lot of time.

Wacky Workbench 3 [WW3W]
Getting to the boss should be no problem.  Beating the boss is a little tough.
The first time you see him, just hit him.  He'll fly away and drill through the
ceiling, causing pieces to fall to the ground.  Be careful not to get crushed,
then stand on them when they land.  The floor will electrify, and the pieces
will fly into the air.  The piece you're standing on won't go as high since
you're weighing it down, so jump to another piece and then up to the next
floor.  Hit him again, and repeat the process, only this time half of the floor
is gone.  After you hit him again, he'll fly away and drop spikes at you.  Try
not to get hit, then repeat the process again, but DON'T SWITCH PIECES IN
MID-AIR.  Stand on a piece near the middle, and you can deliver the final blow.

Stardust Speedway 1 [SS3W]
This level is fast!  If you don't have a hard time controlling yourself, you're
sure to have a hard time knowing whether to stay in the foreground or
background, because this level actually has two parallel tracks, one behind the
other.  If you still need to destroy Enemy Robot Transporters, then go slow.
Otherwise, just have fun.

Drop down the first pit you see, then fall off of the little ledge.  Run around
the loop on your right, then drop down the next pit to find a past post.  Move
to the right, and you'll be sucked into a tunnel.  Try to come to a halt, and
jump to the other track that's weaving over and under the one you were just on.
If your past post disappears, don't worry.  Move to the left and pass the spiky
obstacles.  You'll see a past post on top of a double loop.  Grab it, then jump
at the left wall and hold the down button to warp.

Immediately after warping, you'll touch a future post, so you need to go slow
from now on.  Move to the right, and you'll see a sign with a blue circle on
it.  Hit it, and you'll drop into the background, behind the ivy.  Now you can
run on the dark track.  Touch the gray speed booster to your right, and try to
land in the opening above, where the Enemy Robot Transporter is.  Destroy it
and head for the goal.

Stardust Speedway 2 [SS2W]
Grab the rings below you at the start, and the spring will push you onto a
lower route.  Drop down the first pit and hold the left button to find a past
post (If you miss it, peel out up the wall to your left and try to get it).
Drop down to your right to get a shield, but don't use the spring hidden
behind it.  Drop off of the left side of this ledge, then peel out to the right
to time warp.  The Enemy Robot Transporter is above you after you warp, so go
up and get it.  Now head for the goal (short walkthrough, huh?).

Stardust Speedway 3 [SS3W]
The Extra Life item in this level is right above you from the start; use the
small slope to your right as a launch ramp to peel out and jump at it.  Now run
along the course until you reach the boss.

Metal Sonic will be standing still, and Dr. Robotnik (Eggman) will fly over
you.  Stand on the far right side of the screen, and a laser is fired at you.
the right disappears, and the creepy music stops.  Now head for the goal.

Okay, so it's not that simple.  The entire time you're being chased by that
laser, and Metal Sonic is launching attacks at you.  The biggest mistake you
could possibly make is thinking that it's a race.  If you charge up a peel out,
you could be attacked.  Simply run the smoothest line possible down the track.
When you need to jump, lightly tap the jump button so that you don't slow down.
As soon as you reach a long, flat area of track, you're near the end.  Make
sure you're ahead of Metal Sonic, because at the end a motion sensor locks the
room with the goal as soon as someone enters.  Metal Sonic should either crash
head-on into the locked door or be hit by the laser.  Either way, you've won.
The screen scrolls, and you see Amy tied to a pole.  Jump at her, and she falls
to the ground.  Face her and she'll give you a hug and a kiss.

Update:  Before the door to the track opens, the laser won't kill you in one
hit.  I still don't think you should get hit by it, though...

Metallic Madness 1 [MM1W]
IMPORTANT: I will give a complete start-to-finish walkthrough for the last
three acts, as they are insanely complex, particularly in the past.

Jump over the pit in front of you, avoid the badnik (that saw hurts!), and jump
on the red spring.  Get the shield, then jump the next pit.  Jump on the yellow
spring, then jump over the spring that threaten to send you back to the
beginning of the level.  Here's a past post!  Jump another badnik, then
carefully run past the pole when the spikes on it aren't out.  Now it gets
hard.  Get a running start and jump at the spring on a wheel so that you land
on the ledge to the upper right, to the right of the hanging spikes.  Carefully
pass the saw to find a past post... again.  Pass by another saw to see two
springs facing each other; this is the perfect spot to time warp.

Drop down the pit to your right as soon as you enter the past.  Drop off of
either side of the ledge you land on to fall to the bottom of the level.  Head
to the right, under the saws, over the spikes and the pit.  Use the seesaw to
cross the spikes, but be quick, or you'll get shafted by the obstacle that gets
thrown from the other end.  Jump another pit, pass under the two gray pistons,
and avoid another spiky pole.  Jump OVER the red spring on a wheel and follow
the lower path.  When it seems to dead-end, wait a second so that platforms
appear.  Work your way up the platforms, then hit the red spring to find the
Enemy Robot Transporter.  Backtrack to the springs on wheels and spring up to
a higher path.  You'll see blue platforms attached to a conveyor belt.  Hop
up the platforms to see two red springs on wheels.  Use the left one to spring
through an opening in the ceiling, then work your way to the right.  Drop past
the saws, pass over the piston, and head to the goal.

Metallic Madness 2 [MM2W]
Head to the right and stand on top of the second gray piston you see so that
you can jump to the ledge above.  Hit the red spring and land on top of the
piston in the air, then jump to the conveyor belt on the left to find an
Invincible.  Jump on the rotating wheel to the right, and you'll get stuck to
it.  Jump at the top, then jump to the next wheel, jump at the top, then go to
the right.  You'll see a past post, and there's two springs built for warping
mere inches to the right.  Warp to the past.  

You'll appear next to a lit bomb.  Stand as close to it as possible without
touching it (I'm dead serious about this, even though it sounds stupid) so that
the shrapnel from the explosion goes right over your head.  Hit the switch to
your right to open the pipe, then jump in.  Press left when the pipe splits in
three.  Once out, walk to the right and jump as far as you can.  Grab the Super
Rings, then jump on the piston.  Jump to the spring to find the last Enemy
Robot Transporter.

Many people think that the past is a dead-end and that you can't finish the
level without warping to the present.  I'm going to disprove that rumor.  Fall
back down onto the piston and head to the left.  Drop down the pit and follow
the path.  Use the spring to reach a higher route.  Run to the right and step
on the gray cylinder to be placed into the background, just like in Stardust
Speedway.  Run to the right, behind the curtain, and just when you think you're
about to run head-first into a wall...

Whoa!  The floor collapses, dispelling the rumor.  Run into another cylinder to
come back to the foreground, then run to the right.  Jump the next cylinder to
stay in front of the curtain.  Use the yellow spring, then jump over the pit,
then jump over the spikes.  You'll see a huge gray piston.  Stand on it, and it
will throw you into the air.  Move to the right slightly to land on a ledge
with a spring.  Jump on it to fly into the air, where there's another spring
hanging onto the wall.  Hit this spring to land on another ledge.  Jump to yet
another spring, which leads to another spring (this one's yellow, for a change
of scenery).  After using the yellow spring, drop into the first pit you see.

Run to the right, avoiding the bomb and the springs, then drop down the pit.
Run to the left, grabbing the Power Sneaker if you want, then drop down another
pit.  Eventually you'll see a two blue and silver objects that look like
dumbbells.  Jump on the left one, and it moves to the right.  Repeat until you
run them into a wall.  There's a bomb atop the wall, so deal with it as usual,
then head to the right.

You'll see a bright red laser, which you have no choice but to run into.
Touch it, and you'll be knocked backwards.  Suddenly you're half of your
original size, and you're probably thinking "Typical video game... now I jump
lower, weigh less, and run slow due to my tiny steps."  Okay, maybe you're not
thinking that.  But unless this is one of your first video games, you've seen
something like this before, perhaps from a plumber?  Just like with that pipe-
cleaning midget, your size won't alter your physics.  This was most likely made
just to freak you out.  Go to the right and drop down the pit.  Use the spring
to get to the platform, them jump to the upper-right.  Use the next spring to
reach a conveyor belt.  Jump onto another belt, then jump to a bunch of
platforms.  Use the spring at the top and follow the route to the left.  Drop
down a pit and start running to the right, making sure not to be crushed by the
piston (your small stature gives you more time to react before you become a
tiny pancake; it actually seems advantegeous to remain small for the rest of
the game).  Use the spring to reach more conveyor belts.  When the next piston
sinks, drop to another conveyor belt, and when it rises, run into the pit
underneath it.  Run to the left and drop below the floating platforms.  Keep
going left (if you go right, you repeat some of the level) to find a bomb that
towers over you, but it's no different than before.  When it's out of the way,
head over to the white laser to return to normal size, whether you want to or

Hit the switch and enter the pipe.  You'll appear next to another white laser
that is completely useless.  Head to the right and use the spring to reach a
higher ledge.  In this room, platforms with spikes attached to the bottom drop
down on you, but each one has a gap you can pass through.  Once at the top, go
to the right (the left path has a white laser and leads to the beginning) to
find the goal.

Just a thought... if this kind of size-altering technology exists in the past,
why hasn't Dr. Robotnik (Eggman) ever used it against you?  Not saying he will,
but it's certainly food for thought.

Metallic Madness 3 [MM3W]
This is it... the final trial of Sonic CD.  Go to the right, using a peel out
to grab the rings over the spikes.  Jump at the spring on wheels when it's at
the exact center of the ledge to fly through an opening in the ceiling.  Now
that you're on the high path, head to the left to find an Extra Life, which you
can grab each time you die.  Head back to the right.  Stand on the left side of
the collapsing bridge to land on a small ledge with a Super Ring.  Jump to the
ledge on the right and follow the path, avoiding the saws.  Now you'll have to
cross one of the only bottomless pits in the game.  There's no set way to do
this, but you can try using the spring attached to the wall below the path you
came here on.  When you reach the right side, a large gray piston will block
the way, but you can stand on the corner of the area it's guarding until it

Grab the shield ahead, then run to the cylinder to head into the background.  A
bar lined with spikes will slide across the room.  When it passes, go back into
the foreground and continue on.  You'll enter a small room and be locked in.
Destroy the enemies in the room to unlock the doors.  Move on to face the final
boss.  The curtains clear, and the boss appears, spinning four saw blades.
Stand against the edge of the screen, and the boss will miss you when he comes
down.  He will the shoot the blades at you as if they were missiles.  Then
he'll expose himself (moron), so hit him.  He'll repeat the cycle, but the edge
of the screen is no longer safe.  After hitting him the second time, he'll turn
the blades sideways before he launches them at you, so that they appear larger.
Deliver three hits, and he'll fire the blade off the side of the screen, so
that you have less room to dodge when it hit the ground.  He'll then bounce on
the blade as if it were a pogo stick.  Time a jump as he pogos to take him down
once and for all.  If you do this, you've beaten Sonic CD!  Play Time Attack
mode to improve your skills.

Update: I forgot to mention that if you haven't gotten the good ending and you
want to, you can choose "Continue" from the main menu to reappear in Metallic
Madness 1, then get all of the Time Stones (two per try) for the good ending.
Remember to watch the ending movie each time, or the game won't save.

Time Attack
Update:  I was looking through my top scores one day, and I realized that the
scores don't add up correctly in the game.  My times for each level ended in
6, 0, 5, 1, 6, 1, and 5, but my total time ended in 6.  Weird...

Since the last version of my FAQ, I have learned some new routes and cleared
some levels much faster.  Unfortunately, I will not detail those routes, as it
is not fair to those who found them.  Don't worry, though: the suggested routes
below are more than good enough to unlock Visual Mode.

      Stage          Developer's Times     My Best
Palmtree Panic    1        24"10            24"58
                  2        21"55            19"58
                  3        21"08            20"70
Collision Chaos   1        49"60            35"15
                  2        47"50            43"28
                  3        14"85            19"40
Tidal Tempest     1        41"20            29"78
                  2        54"75            52"93
                  3      1'01"33          1'07"53
Quartz Quadrant   1        28"85            25"28
                  2        36"25            30"91
                  3        59"60            57"26
Wacky Workbench   1        50"10            45"95
                  2        48"83            44"80
                  3      1'10"50          1'15"43
Stardust Speedway 1        33"65            23"46
                  2        27"96            25"71
                  3      1'09"75          1'09"03
Metallic Madness  1        32"78            27"60
                  2      2'08"41          1'04"96
                  3      1'30"75          1'33"55
Total (Zone)            16'53"39         14'56"87
Special Stage     1        17"00            20"65
                  2        14"85            24"15
                  3        16"00            27"35
                  4        20"65            23"35
                  5        22"35            40"40
                  6        16'95            43"95
                  7        19"20            40"25
Total (Special)          2'07"00          3'40"10

I made all of my times with the PC version of the game.  This means that I
have a little bit of lag when I press the jump key, but I can switch between
left and right in an instant.  Using a console version is exactly the opposite.
There's no advantage either way.

Below are tips for getting the fastest times.  On some of the levels I give
start-to-finish walkthroughs, but on others I only point out some difficult
spots or the way to find a Power Sneaker.  Part of playing Sonic CD is taking a
route that you feel confident about, and that's going to be important to
remember in the mechanical levels because one wrong step can put you in a world
of hurt!

Palmtree Panic 1 [PP1T]
Route time: Under 30 sec.
You really shouldn't have problems with this stage.  Just remember to run to
the left after flying off of the large ramp at the start to find a Power
Sneaker.  Stick to the middle routes throughout the level to avoid springs and
enemies, but go to the top of the level to go over the tunnel shaped like a
mirrored "S".

Palmtree Panic 2 [PP2T]
Route time: Under 30 sec.
Use the spring to run to the end of the starting straight and jump at the end.
Keep running, and hold the jump button after you run over the hump.  You should
land on a Power Sneaker.  Drop to the lowest passage and run until springs
force you to go up.  Hold right until you land, then make a small jump over the
yellow spring.  Just before the course goes downhill, make a long jump to the
right, landing on the loop.  Another long jump puts you on the highest passage
in the level.  Stay on the top passage, remembering to jump over the tunnels
near the end, and you should blast through the end sign without the Power
Sneaker wearing off.

Palmtree Panic 3 [PP3T]
Route time: Under 25 sec.
Just remember that there is a spring tucked behind the Shield monitor on the
lowest route; hitting it will send you flying to the boss.  Don't be afraid to
take a hit, because to beat the boss quickly, you need to go under him or
behind him.  Be sure to release the flowers at the end of the stage, or you'll
waste a few seconds backtracking.

Collision Chaos 1 [CC1T]
Route time: Under 55 sec.
This level is a matter of finding a route to take that you're comfortable with.
You need to take the Power Sneaker placed after the first tunnel to get to the
end in record time, but after that you're on your own.

Collision Chaos 2 [CC2T]
Route time: Under 55 sec.
Peel out from the start and drop into the chute.  When you drop into the next
room, try to get to the chute in the lower-right corner.  Keep following this
route and walk through the wall on the right when the path appears to dead-end.
Get to the top of this room and roll down the slope.  Fly into the air and head
right.  You'll pass over/through several columns with bumpers attached to the
top and bottom.  There's a Power Sneaker if you pass between the columns or go
over them and then drop down.  Now dash to the right.  Follow the route until
you see a yellow spring at the bottom of a chute.  Don't go down the chute;
instead, drop down the pit to the left and use a flipper to get onto the
level's ceiling.  Run across the ceiling, jumping whenever the ceiling ends.
You'll go far if your Power Sneaker hasn't worn off.  Once you have to fall,
run to the goal (either goal) any way you can.

Collision Chaos 3 [CC3T]
Route time: ???
You're looking for a walkthrough of this level?  You're out of your mind.  It's
too random for a walkthrough.  All I can say is that when I scored 20"56, I
went straight up the right side of the pinball table and stopped once to aim
better.  Going up the middle works too, but the left side is too congested.

Tidal Tempest 1 [TT1T]
Route time: Under 1 minute
As usual, don't fall down the tube from the start, but since you can retry as
many times as you want you might want to try rolling down the first hill,
dropping down the pit, and landing on the tube's rim, then falling off and
taking the passage in the walkthrough.  The trick to this level is simply to
take the highest route you possibly can.  After you leave the water for the
second time, go to the left after scaling the stair-shaped platforms to find a
red spring that'll send you flying.  There's no Power Sneaker to find, so there
is no reason to go out of your way for anything.

Tidal Tempest 2 [TT2T]
Route time: Under 1 minute, 15 sec.
Take the route in the walkthrough, but don't go out of your way to time warp
(duh!).  Once again, there's no Power Sneaker to find.  If you're trying to
get out of the water, remember to hit the switches to unlock the doors.  On the
highest route there's a bunch of blue fireballs in a current that pushes you to
the right.  They're harmless, but you can't run through them, so keep jumping.

Tidal Tempest 3 [TT3T]
Route time: Under 1 minute, 30 sec.
Don't stop for the shield this time through.  As you're chasing Robotnik, be
sure to roll every time you go over an edge so that you don't land on him and
take damage.  Getting a good time requires some luck in jumping between the
air bubbles surrounding the boss.  There's not much else to say except that
practice (and a little luck) makes perfect.

Quartz Quadrant 1 [QQ1T]
Route time: Under 30 sec.
Hit the spring behind you and race down the hill.  When you reach the end of
the conveyor belt, jump over to another conveyor on your right.  On this route,
run across the bridge, jump the pit, and make sure to jump the tubes in the
floor or else you'll be sucked in.  At the end of the next conveyor is a spring
that sends you onto a route with an invincible, but you shouldn't slow down for
it in the middle of a Time Attack.  Charge up a peel out next to the checkpoint
to run down the path.  You should eventually reach a Power Sneaker.  Grab it
and race to the finish (try not to use the higher routes because they're much

Quartz Quadrant 2 [QQ2T]	
Route time: Under 40 sec.
Peel out from the start.  When you drop down to the lower route, be sure to hop
over the spring hidden in the floor.  Roll down the hill and hit the yellow
spring.  It'll push you into an S-shaped chute.  Exit the chute slowly so you
don't waste time flying into the air.  There's a Power Sneaker below you and to
your right once you leave the chute.  Grab it and use the spring right next to
it to reach a higher route.  Pass through the zigzags and you'll drop down onto
a conveyor that goes over a series of hills.  Watch the floor as you run, and
jump when you see the tubes in the floor.  Drop down the next pit to go to the
bottom route.  Follow it to it's end and you'll hit some red springs that'll
push you to the top of the level.  Jump the next pit and go down the chute.
As you exit the chute, lightly tap the jump button to gracefully jump over a
pair of springs floating over a pit and land at the entrance to another chute.
(If your Power Sneaker didn't end yet, you're on a roll!  You're near the end!)
Once you exit this one, peel out to the right so that you run over the pits and
right to the goal.

Update: After the Power Sneaker, you can take the bottom route through the
level instead of hitting the spring next to it.  If you choose not to hit the
spring you can score a better time, but there's lots of enemies and small
zigzags in the floor that may bring you to a halt if you roll over them.

Quartz Quadrant 3 [QQ3T]
Route time: Under 1 minute, 15 sec.
This level is very easy to clear quickly because there's nothing to stop you.
If you don't get hit at the boss, then you probably don't need to come back to
this level because you can't really improve your time.

Wacky Workbench 1 [WW1T]
Route time: ???
There is no "correct" way to go through this level.  What's important to know
is that the electrified floor tends to push you into dead-ends.  When you try
to fall back on track, the trick is to fall straight down, NOT to hold right.
Falling straight down usually puts you on a moving platform, so you can do a
running jump and bypass the dead-end.

Wacky Workbench 2 [WW2T]
Route time: Under 1 minute
Most people start the course by following the lines of rings to the floor, but
these are the people that are missing out on two semi-hidden passages, one of
which leads to a Power Sneaker.  They're above the area where you first hit the
electrified floor.  Hold left when you get on the launcher at the start and
release when you get 14 rings, then hold left again when you hit the floor.
This should release you in front of a pipe in the wall.  Enter it and navigate
the zig-zag section at the end.  When you enter the turbine that spins you in a
figure-eight, jump out to the upper-left for a Power Sneaker.  Now race to the
finish along the lowest route, using the same strategy as in Act 1.

Wacky Workbench 3 [WW3T]
Route time: Under 1 minute, 30 sec.
The Power Sneaker is so far out of the way in this level that it's not worth
getting.  Just focus on not getting stuck somewhere and you'll be fine.

Stardust Speedway 1 [SS1T]
Route time: Under 35 sec.
Peel out from the start and clear the small gap in the path.  When the path
goes uphill, jump so that you stay on the high path.  Once you land, follow the
path you're on and don't go up or down.  Eventually the track will end with a
vertical drop.  Jump down a few feet away from the wall so that you hit a panel
and get pushed into the background.  On this new route, you'll have to use a
spring to clear a pit; get a small running start, and jump on the spring to
land in a very narrow passage to the upper-right.  Follow this route to find
the Power Sneaker.  Now get to the goal any way you can.  It takes some
practice to get to the Power Sneaker quickly, so you might want to take it slow
a few times until you can remember exactly when to jump and how to fall into
the background after the drop.

Stardust Speedway 2 [SS2T]
Route time: Under 35 sec.
The road splits into three shortly after the start.  Use the middle path, and
try not to slide backwards when you land on the road below.  Dash to the right,
and you should go fast enough to clear a pit; jump off of the small slope to
the right of the pit to find a Power Sneaker.  Go back to the pit and drop in.
Now race along the bottom passage until you reach the goal, but be sure not to
get caught up in the springs as you pass by the enormous Eggman-shaped statue.

Update: By holding the Up button while passing through a four-way intersection
in the mazes, you can stick to the ceiling and roll into the upper passage.  If
you're using the lowest entrance to the maze before the goal, you can shave two
seconds off of your time by doing this.

Stardust Speedway 3 [SS3T]
Route time: Under 1 minute, 30 sec.
The walkthrough says it all: run the smoothest line you can.  You don't need
the Power Sneaker in this level because it will continue to wear off during the
small scene with Metal Sonic and the laser.

Metallic Madness 1 [MM1T]
Route time: Under 45 sec.
Run the smoothest line you can along the upper route, until you see the spring
on wheels.  Then...
      Hard, fast way                             Easy way
Get a running start and jump             Jump over the spring on
on the spring on wheels.  Try            wheels and continue down
to land in an alcove to the              the path.  When you see
upper-right (if you miss, you'll         your third spring on wheels
hit some spikes hanging from the         (it's next to an enemy holding
ceiling).  Watch for the saw             an item box), jump on it to
coming out of the ceiling, and           spring up to the next route.
follow this route until you find         Now follow this path to find
the Power Sneaker.                       the Power Sneaker.

Metallic Madness 2 [MM2T]
Route time: Under 2 minutes, 30 sec.
There's not much that can be said about this level.  The beginning splits into
three or four paths, but as long as you don't run into dead-ends they all take
about the same amount of time.  Shortly after all of the paths merge you have
to drop from the top of the level to the bottom via a series of runs to the
right, then to the left, etc... so be sure to hold the correct direction as you
fall to lower areas.  Once you reach the bottom, don't use the strange
dumbbell-looking device; instead, wipe out the enemies on the path and peel out
to a jump on the small uphill slope.  Remember that the shrink ray doesn't
affect Sonic's physics at all for some reason, so play as you normally would.
You'll spot a Power Sneaker shortly before you return to normal, but it doesn't
help much, so feel free to get it but don't double back if you miss it.  When
you're in the room where spike-studded platforms drop from above, try to jump
out using the second or third one.  That's about all of the help I can give you
in this level, so just follow the path, don't get hit too much, and don't get
freaked out by the shrink ray.

Metallic Madness 3 [MM3T]
Route time: Under 2 minutes
The route listed in the walkthrough is the fastest, so check there.  Just
don't go out of your way for that extra life because it's not there.

Fact & Fiction
Facts:-There are two soundtracks to Sonic CD
      -Sonic CD was planned to be released in Sonic Mega Collection but wasn't
      -Sonic CD has been released on the PC, Sega CD, Gamecube, and PS2
      -Some item boxes were removed from the final version of the game.
       Strangely enough, if you use debug mode to go straight down after
       beating the boss of Palmtree Panic 3, there is a sealed-off room with
       the items!
      -Gems Collection has perfectly clear water in Tidal Tempest, but the
       other versions of the game change color depending on the time period
Myths:-The Japanese soundtrack is superior (that's a matter of opinion)
      -After destroying the Enemy Robot Transporter in Metallic Madness 2, you
       must return to the present to finish the level (see the walkthrough to
       learn how to get through the level in the past)
      -The level designs in Sonic CD aren't very fluid (people who say this are
       simply bad at the game or haven't found a route they like).  I know this
       sounds opinionated, but no matter how many times I compare this to the
       Genesis/MegaDrive games, I don't see a difference in fluidity.

Other Stuff
This section tells of random things in the game's levels.  Some of it is worth
knowing, but most of it is just thoughts that struck me as I played the game.

-Palmtree Panic 1 starts off with a large wall that Sonic runs straight up.  As
 you run, watch the background: it loops!  Perhaps you're on the underside of
 the Little Planet in every level.  That would mean that the upside-down part
 of the background is Mobius (or Earth, if you think this game is canon to the
 current-gen Sonic storyline).
-Also in Palmtree Panic 1, look for hidden passages in the walls along the
 lowest route.  One of the passages has two extra lives!
-You can run along the level's ceiling in some areas of Collision Chaos 2.
 But you can't stand on the ceiling in Quartz Quadrant's Bad Future: you fall
 right through.  There's a few other areas in the game where you can run on the
 ceiling, as I noticed when watching others time attack the game.  It wouldn't
 be fair for them if I detailed their methods, though.
-The Special Stages run faster than normal if you are playing Gems Collection.
 Don't let anyone tell you "That's how they were meant to be," because if you
 time attack the special stages,  the timer will display seconds and split
 seconds so that you can see exactly how fast it's moving.

More soon (maybe)...

Challenges (just for fun)
By now, there's not much left to see in the FAQ.  For those of you who are
still reading at this point, try doing the challenges below (although they're
not really that challenging: it's just to keep you occupied for a bit longer).

-Go to Palmtree Panic 1 Present.  Head through the S-tunnel, and land right
 where you pop out.  Stand on the ledge to your right with an enemy on it.
 WITHOUT pressing left or right, open an invincibility monitor.(Easy)
-Finish Metallic Madness 2 Present within two minutes.(Hard)
-Touch all 77 rings in Collision Chaos 3.(Medium)
-Earn a total time of less than 16 minutes in the time attack mode.(Very Hard)

Developer's Best Times: > > ^ ^ v C (Spacebar in the PC game)

          Stage Select: ^ v v < > B (Spacebar in the PC game)
                        A is Present
                        B is Past
                        C is Good Future
                        D is Bad Future
                        Zones are numbered incorrectly since level 2 was cut
                           from the game

            Sound Test: v v v < > A (Spacebar in the PC game)

     Hidden Artwork in
            Sound Test: Enter any of the following (you may not have the
                        numbers in parentheses):
                        (FM42) PCM03 DA01
                        (FM46) PCM12 DA25
                        (FM42) PCM04 DA21
                        (FM44) PCM11 DA09

  Hidden Special Stage: Go to the Sound Test and enter 07 in every entry

            Debug Mode: Go to the Sound Test and enter (FM40) PCM12 DA11.
                        While playing the game: PC Game  Sega CD  Gems
                            Turn Debug On/Off     Esc       B     Jump
                                Change Object    Space      A     Jump (alt)
                                 Place Object      C        C     N/A (sorry!)

        Easy Game Over: Press nothing for three minutes (unpaused)

     Unlock Play Music
    a.k.a. D.A. Garden: Perform well in Time Attack mode (total under 37'27"57)

   Special Time Attack: Perform well in Time Attack mode (under 30'21"05), then
                        press left at the Time Attack Stage Select

    Unlock Visual Mode: Perform well in Time Attack mode (under 25'46"12)

 Debug Menus (PC Game): Find the file "sonic.ini".  Open it, scroll to the
                        bottom, and type:
                        Save and play the game.  There are other debugging
                        commands, but by having the Windows XP patch, they
                        should already be there, so just scroll through
                        sonic.ini and check for "User=".

       PC Version with
   Japanese soundtrack: Not really a cheat, but cool nevertheless.  Credit goes
                        to superyoshi of GameFAQs for showing me this.  Below
                        is what he posted (***** represents website names that
                        I can't post without permission, but any search engine
                        should bring you a working result):

                       "Here's something I came up with a few months ago when I
                        was bored and yes, it does work. Hopefully this hasn't
                        been posted anywhere before.

                        You WILL need a CD Burner for this to work

                        1. Buy the PC version
                        2. Install it fully on your computer (so you don't need
                           the CD to play the game, not to mention go to *****
                           and download the XP patch, you'll need that)
                        3. Download the soundtrack to the Japanese Sonic CD
                           (It can be found on *****)
                        4. Put the Sonic CD CD in either a CD player or play it
                           in a media player on your PC.
                        5. Go into a CD Burning program and match the tracks on
                           Sonic CD US to the Japanese soundtrack (You'll
                           notice some tracks have that weird sound effect. I
                           just ripped that from the CD and put it on there,
                           just in case)
                        6. Now that the tracks are matched, burn it
                        7. After burning, put the CD in the drive
                        8. Run Sonic CD
                        9. Enjoy :P

                        Hopefully that covered everything"

                        I myself have done this, so here is the order I
                        arranged the tracks in (X2 means put the track in

                        Stage Clear (X2), [Present-Good Future-Bad Future for
                        the levels in order], Boss, Final Boss, Title (X2),
                        Stage Clear, Super Shoes, Invincible, Game Over,
                        Special Stage, Time Attack, Opening Movie, Ending
                        Movie, [Past for the levels in order]

                        Some of the tracks are filler, others are there just to
                        make the CD seem authentic (the movies will always run
                        with the American soundtrack), but this method works if
                        followed correctly.  Thanks superyoshi!

  Music Doesn't Change
    in Gems Collection: If you repeatedly pause and unpause as the music track
                        changes in a level (boss appears, open an item box),
                        the music will remain the same.

Update:  Since Gems Collection is a port of the PC game, Gems users can press
either Start or Jump when A, B, or C is called for in a cheat.  Gems seems to
be very strict about the cheats, though: you only get about two seconds to
flawlessly enter the cheat.

Contact Info
Unfortunately, this section has been removed due to the fear of spyware and
one hate mail that came from someone who misunderstood what I wrote and got
frustrated.  If anyone else has any problems that aren't answered here, please
ask over on the GameFAQs' Sonic Gems Collection board for Gamecube.  The people
there are usually glad to help assuming they haven't already answered the same
question a million times.  You can use a search engine to find the PC patch if
you need it.

Legal Info
Copyright 2006 Michael Nichols.  All trademarks and copyrights contained in
this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders.

This FAQ is only to be viewed on GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) and GameSpot
(www.gamespot.com).  These sites tend to share information with each other, and
they are the only respectable sites that I visit, so my FAQ may not appear
anywhere else.  That means no re-creating parts of the walkthrough and changing
the words around, either.