History Main / BlueSphere

* ...[[VideoGame/BlueSphere that game that came with]] ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic & Knuckles]]''?

* A ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' game? Or...
* ...[[VideoGame/BlueSphere that game that came with]] ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog3 Sonic 3]]''.

->''"NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY?"''
-->-- ''Blue Sphere'' opening acreen

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic and Knuckles]]'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (almost) any Genesis cartridge other than ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' into ''[=S&K=]'' lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (called ''Blue Sphere'', despite not having an official title).

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] ''[[StarOcean Star Ocean: Blue Sphere]]''.
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!!This game provides examples of:
* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence and the button combination required to play it weren't mentioned in the manual, which in fact [[LyingCreator said not to put in any other game.]]
* EndlessGame: After a while, certain levels repeat themselves...and eventually just carries on from Level 1 again. Only if you put in the specific cartridge needed to play the full game, though.
* NintendoHard: Some of the combinations are devilish, especially when running for perfects.
* PasswordSave: There are two kinds of passwords -- one for the stage as presented in the main game, and one for the version of the stage where a non ''Sonic 1'' or ''Sonic Classics 3-1'' cartridge was used.
* NoPlotNoProblem: Just press the buttons and go right in!
* PaletteSwap: You can play as both Sonic and Knuckles (some mods let you play as Tails), but there's no difference — all you can do is run and jump, and the speed you move at and your jump height is out of your control.
* OneHitPointWonder: Sort of. You can't die, but hitting the only thing that "harms" you (Red Spheres) makes you fail instantly.
* ScrewDestiny: The manual says that putting any game other than the second or third ''Sonic'' game won't work. You do it anyway. And then you press all the buttons for no reason.
* SchmuckBait: [[EasterEgg Scroll back up.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Some sources list this game as ''Blue Sphere'''s'''''.
----

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence and the button combination required to play it weren't mentioned in the manual, which in fact [[ShmuckBait said not to put in any other game.]]

-->--'''Blue Sphere''' opening acreen

-->--'''Blue Sphere''' Opening Screen.

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic and Knuckles]]'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (almost) any Genesis cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' into ''[=S&K=]'' lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage.

Each stage consists of four procedurally-generated blocks, in any combination, giving the game over '''100,000,000''' different levels. [[hottip:*:The precise number is 2^27 = 134,217,728.]]

The goal is to navigate a pseudo-3D environment and collect all of the blue spheres in the level, either by running through them and turning them into Red Spheres, or by encircling groups of Blue Spheres in loops of Red Spheres. For the entire level, you're stuck running on the grid between the tiles and can only turn in 90-degree angles on the intersecting lines. You have no control over your running speed, you can't stop running, and you'll automatically speed up at regular intervals, decreasing your chances of survival the longer you take.

The most common obstacle is the Red Sphere, and running into one means instant failure. (In case you're wondering, the Blue Spheres you transform don't become hazardous until you've passed through them.) Other obstacles include Star Bumper Spheres and Yellow Spring Spheres. Running into a Star Sphere makes you run backwards until you run into another one or push up to run forward again. Touching a Yellow Sphere bounces you up and lands you five grid units ahead (or backward, if you're running in reverse at the time).

Rings can also be found in ''Blue Sphere'', but here they're individually worthless, providing no protection from Red Spheres. Collecting all the rings in a stage and then winning the stage gives you a "perfect" ranking, which skips you forward by 10 levels instead of the usual 1. However, most rings in each stage are hidden, and the only way to reveal them is to enclose groups of Blue Spheres within a loop of Red Spheres, at which point the grouped spheres turn into rings. In order to get every ring, you must transform every sphere that can become a ring. Messing up and hitting even one wrong sphere loses you the "perfect" ranking. And even if you manage to hit all the right spheres, if you hit the last Blue Sphere before collecting all the rings, the stage immediately ends and you progress a measly one stage instead.

Why yes, ''Blue Sphere'' '''''is''''' [[NintendoHard Sega Hard]].

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] ''[[StarOcean Star Ocean: Blue Sphere]]''.
----

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence and the button combination required to play it weren't mentioned in the manual, which in fact [[ShmuckBait said not to put in any other game.]]
* EndlessGame: After a while, certain levels repeat themselves...and eventually just carries on from Level 1 again. Only if you put in the specific cartridge needed to play the full game, though.
* NintendoHard: Some of the combinations are devilish, especially when running for perfects.

* NoPlotNoProblem: Just press the buttons and go right in!
* PaletteSwap: You can play as both Sonic and Knuckles (some mods let you play as Tails), but there's no difference — all you can do is run and jump, and the speed you move at and your jump height is out of your control.
** There's a nifty newish hack that lets you play as the unusual combination of Knuckles and Tails, but again it makes little difference gameplay wise.
* OneHitPointWonder: Sort of. You can't die, but hitting the only thing that "harms" you (Red Spheres) makes you fail instantly.
* ScrewDestiny: The manual says that putting any game other than the second or third ''Sonic'' game won't work. You do it anyway. And then you press all the buttons for no reason.
* SchmuckBait: [[EasterEgg Scroll back up.]]
* [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Spell My Name Without An S]]: Some sources list this game as ''Blue Sphere'''s'''''.

Each stage consists of four procedurally-generated blocks, in any combination, giving the game over '''100,000,000''' different levels.

* ShmuckBait: [[EasterEgg Scroll back up.]]

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence and the button combination required to play it weren't mentioned in the manual, which in fact [[ShmuckBait said not to put in any other game.]]

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''SonicAndKnuckles'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (almost) any Genesis cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' into ''[=S&K=]'' lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage.

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''SonicAndKnuckles'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (almost) any Genesis cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''SonicTheHedgehog3'' into ''[=S&K=]'' lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Some sources list this game as ''Blue Sphere'''s'''''.

->''"NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! [[OrIsIt NO WAY?]]"''

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''SonicAndKnuckles'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (almost) any Genesis cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''SonicTheHedgehog3'' into ''[=S&K=]'' lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (called ''Blue Sphere'', despite not having an official title).

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence and the button combination required to play it weren't mentioned in the manual, which in fact said not to put in any other game.

Upon completion of the stage, you will be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (called ''Blue Sphere'', despite not having an official title).

The goal is to navigate a pseudo-3D environment and collect all of the blue spheres in the level, either by running through them and turning them into Red Spheres, or by encircling groups of Blue Spheres in loops of Red Spheres. For the entire level, you are stuck running on the grid between the tiles, and can only turn in 90-degree angles on the intersecting lines. You have no control over your running speed, you cannot stop running, and you will automatically speed up at regular intervals, decreasing your chances of survival the longer you take.

The most common obstacle is the Red Sphere, and running into one means instant failure. (In case you're wondering, the Blue Spheres you transform don't become hazardous until you've passed through them.) Other obstacles include Star Bumper Spheres and Yellow Spring Spheres. Running into a Star Sphere makes you run backwards until you run into another one or push up to run forward again. Touching a Yellow Sphere bounces you up and lands you five grid units ahead (or backward, if you happen to be running in reverse at the time).

Rings can also be found in ''Blue Sphere'', but here they are individually worthless, providing no protection from Red Spheres. Collecting all the rings in a stage and then winning the stage gives you a "perfect" ranking, which skips you forward by 10 levels instead of the usual 1. However, most of the rings in a stage are hidden, and the only way to reveal them is to enclose groups of Blue Spheres within a loop of Red Spheres, at which point the grouped spheres turn into rings. In order to get every ring, you must transform every sphere that can become a ring. Messing up and hitting even one wrong sphere loses you the "perfect" ranking. And even if you manage to hit all the right spheres, if you collect the last Blue Sphere before collecting all the rings, the stage immediately ends and you progress a measly one stage instead.

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from doing ''Knuckles in Sonic 1'', so they put this game in. The game's existence (as well as the button combination required to play it) wasn't mentioned in the manual, which in fact said not to put in any other game.
* EndlessGame: After a while, certain levels repeat themselves...and eventually just carries on from Level 1 again. Only if you put in the specific cartridges needed to play the full game, though.

* PaletteSwap: You can play as both Sonic and Knuckles (some mods will let you play as Tails), but there's no difference — all you can do is run and jump, and the speed you move at and your jump height is out of your control.

Rings can also be found in ''Blue Sphere'', but here they are individually worthless, providing no protection from Red Spheres. Collecting all the rings in a stage and then winning the stage gives you a "perfect" ranking, which skips you forward by 10 levels instead of the usual 1. However, most of the rings in a stage are hidden, and the only way to reveal them is to enclose groups of Blue Spheres within a loop of Red Spheres, at which point the grouped spheres turn into rings. In order to get every ring, you must transform every sphere that can become a ring. Messing up and hitting even one wrong sphere loses you the "perfect" ranking. And even if you manage to hit all the right spheres, if you collect the last blue sphere before collecting all the rings, the stage immediately ends and you progress a measly one stage instead.

--> ''"NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! [[OrIsIt NO WAY?]]"''
-->-- '''Blue Sphere''', Opening Screen

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden mini-game included on the ''SonicAndKnuckles'' cartridge, based on the Special Stages of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It is playable when you place (mostly) any cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''SonicTheHedgehog3'' into ''SonicAndKnuckles''' lock-on slot and press the A, B and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage. Upon completion of the stage, you will be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (called ''Blue Sphere'', despite not having an official title).

Each stage consists of four procedurally-generated blocks, in any combination, giving the game over a ''hundred million'' different levels.

The goal is to navigate a pseudo-3D environment and collect all of the blue spheres in the level, either by running through them and turning them into red spheres, or by encircling groups of blue spheres in loops of red spheres. For the entire level, you are stuck running on the grid between the tiles, and can only turn in 90-degree angles on the intersecting lines. You have no control over your running speed, you cannot stop running, and you will automatically speed up at regular intervals, decreasing your chances of survival the longer you take.

The most common obstacle is the red sphere, and running into one means instant failure. (In case you're wondering, the blue spheres you transform don't become hazardous until you've passed through them.) Other obstacles include star bumper spheres and yellow spring spheres. Running into a star sphere makes you run backwards until you run into another one or push up to run forward again. Touching a yellow sphere bounces you up and lands you five grid units ahead (or backward, if you happen to be running in reverse at the time).

Rings can also be found in ''Blue Sphere'', but here they are individually worthless, providing no protection from red spheres. Collecting all the rings in a stage and then winning the stage gives you a "perfect" ranking, which skips you forward by 10 levels, instead of the usual 1. However, most of the rings in a stage are hidden, and the only way to reveal them is to enclose groups of blue spheres within a loop of red spheres, at which point the grouped blue and surrounding red spheres turn into rings. In order to get every ring, you must transform every sphere that can become a ring. Messing up and hitting even one wrong sphere loses you the "perfect" ranking. And even if you manage to hit all the right spheres, if you collect the last blue sphere before collecting all the rings, the stage immediately ends and you progress a measly one stage instead.

Why yes, ''Blue Sphere'' '''''is''''' [[NintendoHard Sega Hard]].

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] ''[[StarOcean Star Ocean: Blue Sphere]]''.

! Tropes used in ''Blue Sphere'':

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. Technical difficulties with the palette prevented Sonic Team from putting Knuckles in the original ''Sonic'', so they put this game in. The game's existence (as well as the button combination required to play it) wasn't mentioned in the manual, which in fact said not to put in any other game.
* EndlessGame: After a while certain levels repeat themselves (and I mean a LOOOOONG while), and eventually, it just carries on from level 1 again. Only if you put in the specific cartridges needed to play the full game, though.
* NintendoHard: Some of the combinations are devillish, especially when running for perfects.
* NoPlotNoProblem: Just press the buttons and go right in!
* PaletteSwap: You can play as both Sonic and Knuckles, but there's no difference as all you can do is run and jump, and the speed you move at and your jump height is out of your control.
* OneHitPointWonder: Sort of. You don't die, but hitting the only thing that "harms" you (red spheres, of course) makes you fail instantly.
* ScrewDestiny: The manual says that putting any game other than the second or third ''Sonic'' game won't work. You do it anyway. And then you press all the buttons for no reason.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Some sources list this game as ''Blue Sphere'''s'''''.

* EarWorm: The SONG.

* ThatOneLevel: Certain block combinations are insane.

''"NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! [[OrIsIt NO WAY?]]"''

''Blue Sphere'' is a mini-game included within ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''. It's based on that game's Special Stages, and is played from a top-down 3D perspective where you have to walk around and collect blue orbs while avoiding the red orbs (touching one immediately ends your game). Touching any set of blue spheres so that they surround the red ones will turn all of them into rings, which provide extra points, and count toward a "perfect" score. There are also bumpers which will push you backwards if you touch them, but can easily be jumped over, and gold spheres which send you forward (or backwards if you hit them in reverse) 5 spaces, which are often crucial. Getting the "perfect" score sends you forwards a whopping ten levels.

''Blue Sphere'' is playable as a separate game when you place (mostly) any cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''SonicTheHedgehog3'' into ''SonicAndKnuckles''' lock-on slot and pressing the A, B and C buttons at the same time. If you do this with any cartridge other than ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3-In-1]]'', you'll only get to play a single stage. Upon completion of the stage, you will be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Game/SonicTheHedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which list this as its name, even though it doesn't officially have one).

''Blue Sphere'' is playable as a separate game when you place (mostly) any cartridge other than ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' or ''SonicTheHedgehog3'' into ''SonicAndKnuckles''' lock-on slot and pressing the A, B and C buttons at the same time. Upon completion of the stage, you will be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''SonicTheHedgehog'' locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'' and ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which list this as its name, even though it doesn't officially have one).

* EasterEgg: The game's actual existence outside of ''Sonic3AndKnuckles''.
* EndlessGame: After a while certain levels repeat themselves (and I mean a LOOOOONG while), and eventually, it just carries on from level 1 again.

Each stage consists of four procedurally-generated blocks, in any combination, spanning upwards of billions of levels.