History VideoGame / BlueSphere

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Rings are counted downwards rather than upwards like the ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' Special Stages, which makes getting a Perfect easier since you'll always know how many Rings are left on the stage (Perfects are also what are needed to get the Gold Medals [32 of them] when these stages are played as part of Mania Mode in ''VideoGame/SonicMania''). This format of counting down the rings to a Perfect is also what is used for the ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' Special Stages in ''Sonic Origins".

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Rings are counted downwards rather than upwards like the ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' Special Stages, which makes getting a Perfect easier since you'll always know how many Rings are left on the stage (Perfects are also what are needed to get the Gold Medals [32 of them] when these stages are played as part of Mania Mode in ''VideoGame/SonicMania'').

''Blue Sphere'', also sometimes officially named ''[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Blue Spheres]]'', is a hidden minigame included on the ''Sonic & 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 ''3'' into ''[=S&K=]'''s lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. The vast majority of Genesis cartridges you can do this with only give you a single stage.[[note]]Some of the larger Genesis games, specifically ones larger than 2MB, are incompatible and just result in you going to ''Sonic & Knuckles'' instead.[[/note]] If, however, you do this with [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the first Sonic game]] or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3 in 1]]'', you'll have access to a whopping 134,217,728 stages. [[note]][[http://info.sonicretro.org/Blue_Sphere Reportedly]], recycled levels start showing up after stage 128,016,000. Not that you'd even be able to get that far without passwords, anyway.[[/note]]

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Some sources, including ''Sonic Origins'', list this game as ''Blue Sphere'''s'''''.

* NintendoHard: Some of the combinations are devilish, especially when running for perfects.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' or the aforementioned CompilationRerelease locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It is playable in ''VideoGame/SonicJam'' by simulating the lock-on procedure with the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge in the menu. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'', ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which gave the minigame an official name for the first time), ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' for the PC, and ''Sonic Origins'' (another CompilationRerelease for UsefulNotes/TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames).

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Rings are counted downwards rather than upwards like the ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' Special Stages, which makes getting a Perfect easier since you'll always know how many Rings are left on the stage.

[[caption-width-right:320:Get Blue Spheres!]]

!!This game provides examples of:

* ViolationOfCommonSense: This is a game you play by going against what the manual tells you to do.
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-> ''NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY?''
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* OffModel: Eggman's mustache on the password screen is black instead of the usual reddish brown.

->'''''IMPORTANT'''\\
The '''Sonic & Knuckles''' cartridge is designed to Lock-On with a '''Sonic 3''' or a '''Sonic 2''' cartridge. It will not work with non-'''Sonic''' cartridges.''

->'''IMPORTANT'''\\
The '''Sonic & Knuckles''' cartridge is designed to Lock-On with a '''Sonic 3''' or a '''Sonic 2''' cartridge. It will not work with non-'''Sonic''' cartridges.

Finally, included alongside the Retro Engine rebuild of ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' created for ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Origins]]'' are two different versions of ''Blue Sphere'': the original version returns with some of ''Mania'''s improvements (albeit still stuck in 4:3), and new to this release is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z0084ocVg0&feature=emb_title New Blue Spheres]]'', a realization of Stealth's "Blue Spheres 2" concept, complete with Green Spheres, Pink Spheres, and thousands upon thousands more stages to test your skills at.

* CastSpeciation: {{Subverted|Trope}}. You can play as Sonic or Knuckles, 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.

* 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.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' or the aforementioned [[CompilationRerelease compilation re-release]] locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It is playable in ''VideoGame/SonicJam'' by simulating the lock-on procedure with the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge in the menu. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'', ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which gave the minigame an official name for the first time), ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' for the PC, and ''VideoGame/SonicOrigins''.

Finally, included alongside the Retro Engine rebuild of ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' created for ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Origins]]'' are two different versions of ''Blue Sphere'': the original version returns with a number of ''Mania'''s improvements, and new to this release is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z0084ocVg0&feature=emb_title New Blue Spheres]]'', a realization of Stealth's "Blue Spheres 2" concept, complete with Green Spheres, Pink Spheres, and thousands upon thousands more stages to test your skills at.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: ''Mania'' and ''Origins'' both count Rings downwards rather than upwards, which makes getting a Perfect easier since you'll always know how many Rings are left on the stage.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: ''Maria'' and ''Origins'' both count Rings downwards rather than upwards, which makes getting a Perfect easier since you'll always know how many Rings are left on the stage.

The object is to collect the Blue Spheres scattered throughout the wrap-around stage. Red Spheres are to be avoided; touching one results in a GameOver. Star spheres are bumpers that will send you moving in reverse in the direction you came from until you move forward or make a turn. Yellow Spheres jump you five spaces forward. Rings can be found on the stage as well; collecting all Rings in a stage is required alongside getting all the Blue Spheres for a "PERFECT". Grids of Blue Spheres larger than 3 by 3 cells can be turned into Rings by collecting the Blue Spheres that make up the perimeter of the grid, and ''only'' those spheres.

''Blue Sphere'' makes a return in ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' as the Special Stage format for Star Posts. Since the "Catch the UFO!" stages are already used for Chaos Emeralds, ''Blue Sphere'' is instead used for collecting Medallions, which are required for unlocks. This version is [[{{Retraux}} designed to look like its 16-bit counterpart]], though with a few liberties taken to make it look a bit more modernized such as smoother sprite animations and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, the standalone unlockable version of ''Blue Sphere'', taking cues from a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cACZxuUy6zY "Blue Spheres 2" proof-of-concept]] created by ''Mania'' co-developer Simon "Stealth" Thomley, adds Green Spheres and Pink Spheres: Green Spheres are double-durability spheres that each must be tagged to turn it into a Blue Sphere, and Pink Spheres that teleport you to a different location on the grid.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' or the aforementioned [[CompilationRerelease compilation re-release]] locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It is playable in ''VideoGame/SonicJam'' by simulating the lock-on procedure with the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge in the menu. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'', ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which gave the minigame an official name for the first time), ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' for the PC, and ''Sonic Origins''.

''Blue Sphere'' is a hidden minigame included on the ''Sonic & 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 ''3'' into ''[=S&K=]'''s lock-on slot and press the A, B, and C buttons at the same time. The vast majority of Genesis cartridges you can do this with only give you a single stage.[[note]]Some of the larger Genesis games, specifically ones larger than 2MB, are incompatible and just result in you going to ''Sonic & Knuckles'' instead.[[/note]] If, however, you do this with [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the first Sonic game]] or ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Classics 3 in 1]]'', you'll have access to a whopping 134,217,728 stages. [[note]][[http://info.sonicretro.org/Blue_Sphere Reportedly]], recycled levels start showing up after stage 128,016,000. Not that you'd even be able to get that far without passwords, anyway.[[/note]]

''Blue Sphere'' makes a return in ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' as the Special Stage format for Star Posts. Since the "Catch the UFO!" stages are already used for Chaos Emeralds, ''Blue Sphere'' is instead used for collecting Medallions, which are required for unlocks. This version is [[{{Retraux}} designed to look like its 16-bit counterpart]], though with a few liberties taken to make it look a bit more modernized such as smoother sprite animations and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, the standalone unlockable version of ''Blue Sphere'' adds Green Spheres and Pink Spheres: Green Spheres are double-durability spheres that each must be tagged to turn it into a Blue Sphere, and Pink Spheres that teleport you to a different location on the grid.

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

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' or the aforementioned [[CompilationRerelease compilation re-release]] locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It is playable in ''VideoGame/SonicJam'' by simulating the lock-on procedure with the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge in the menu. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'', ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which gave the minigame an official name for the first time), ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' for the PC, and ''VideoGame/SonicOrigins''.

Upon completion of the stage, you'll be given a twelve-digit password for use when you play the game with the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' or the aforementioned [[CompilationRerelease compilation re-release]] locked into the top slot of ''[=S3&K=]''. It is playable in ''VideoGame/SonicJam'' by simulating the lock-on procedure with the ''Sonic & Knuckles'' cartridge in the menu. It also appears as its own game option in ''Sonic Mega Collection'', ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' (which gave the minigame an official name for the first time), and ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' for the PC.