Mad Space

Sonic Adventure 2

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Mad Space

Mad Space
Twelfth dark storyline stage, Sonic Adventure 2
Level theme: outer space
Mission 1: Find the 3 pieces of the Master Emerald! 14,000 points 12,000 points 10,000 points 8,000 points Finish the mission (total rings: 249 250)
Mission 2: Collect 100 rings! 2:30 3:00 4:30 5:00 Finish the mission
Mission 3: Find the lost Chao! 1:30 2:00 4:00 5:00 Finish the mission
Mission 4: Find the Emerald pieces within 4 minutes 30 seconds! 14,000 points 12,000 points 10,000 points 8,000 points Finish the mission
Mission 5: Clear Hard Mode! 12,000 points 10,000 points 8,000 points 6,000 points Finish the mission (total rings: 193)
← Sky Rail | Cosmic Wall →

Mad Space is the twelfth stage in the Dark story of Sonic Adventure 2 and the fifth playable as Rouge. It represents Rouge's attempt to take Master Emerald pieces that spilled from the ship the heroes used to travel to ARK.

Plot

Rouge and Eggman talk over intercom about the heroes having escaped but she tells him that she'll get them when they arrive, asking for the password for the control panel as well. After Eggman gives it and signs out, Rouge accesses classified files on the research Project Shadow to deliver to GUN. In the middle of doing so, she comes across the information that the Biolizard is the ultimate life form and wonders what is Shadow exactly. Her shock is forgotten as a sign from the Master Emerald bleeps on the screen, and she sets off to get them.

Level layout

Appearance

Mad Space takes place on the outside of the ARK (just like Knuckles' Meteor Herd), with some kind of protective barrier all around it but with no ground level. It’s themed like many space level and scenarios, with lightened gravity just like Meteor Herd.

The major gimmick of this level are the three planetoids, two of them having gravity altering planets and that don't have a gliding descent, and hints for the emerald pieces (which Omochao calls the detector readings) being reversed:

• Each piece's first hint is a string reversal of what it "should be", so "Tilted light" becomes "thgil detlit". EXCEPTION: In the Dreamcast version, pieces found inside enemies have completely normal first hints.
• Each piece's second hint is a rough description of the wrong place to find it, so "Meteorite without grass" is a clue to look on the meteorite that does have grass. EXCEPTION: Pieces that follow a moving path will have all three hints as string reversals, and they generally won't actually lead you to the piece at all.
• Each piece's third hint is a flat-out declaration "Don't go to place X", where of course the piece is in place X.

Other level specific-objects are headlights colour coded for convenience and targeting, star and moon signs, green quartz-like stones that can be broken, Meteorites that will hurt Rouge no matter what, others that will burst if kicked and others that will also burst if Rouge gets closer to them and small and different coloured hexahedrons Rouge can pick up, which are Phantasy Star Online objects (Blue - Defense, Green - Consumable).

Level sections

Mad Space is composed by three major sections.

The first is the low bottom of the level, with several platforms arranged around the circular edge of the protective barrier and surrounding a suspended metal structure. This metal structure is composed of two levels, a lower one with a couple of side platforms, and a higher where Rouge first starts. It's composed of three hallways with headlights coded for convenience, with one rocket each on a platform above, and that are activated by switches. The red rocket leads to the “Capsule Planet”, the yellow rocket leads to the “Spherical Planet” and the blue rocket leads to the “Holy Planet”. These three colours will colour code each planetoid and any rocket or spring leading to one of them will have at least one headlight of the correspondent colour nearby.

The second section is where the three major planetoids are.

• The Capsule planet is covered in grass and has a cylindrical shape. It has gravity pull in the top part of the planet, but none at the bottom. Distinguishable features include red headlights, floating side platforms facing the Holy Planet and several geometric metal structures across the ground, the one numbered “1”, located at the highest tipped edge, facing outside space, “2” located at the highest tipped edge, facing the Holy Planet and “3” located at the lowest tipped edge. There’s a spring that will lead to the Holy Planet and another that will lead to the Spherical Planet.

• The Holy planet is bluish-grey and has a bowl-like shape. It has no gravity pull of its own. Distinguishable features include blue headlights, a metal structure at the top with a rocket that will lead to ARK area above and two monorail transport systems, one circling the metal structure, the other around the planet’s equatorial plane. There’s a spring at the edge that will lead to the Capsule Planet.

• The Spherical Planet is brownish-yellow and has a sphere shape. It has gravity pull of its own, in all the planetoid’s surface and the only means to escape is to take the rocket on top of the metal structure, which will lead to the Capsule Planet. Distinguishable features include yellow headlights, a metal structure at the top, floating platforms, a monorail transport system that circles around the planet’s equatorial plane and that defines the boundaries of the directional control inversions.

The third section is located above the three planetoids' air space, and it's the Platform and ARK area. There is a lower platform section which is themed alike Knuckles’ Meteor Herd correspondent section, but it’s much simpler, with only two floating platforms and three containers. Above these there's the ARK itself and this one is also themed alike Knuckles’ Meteor Herd correspondent section as well, but again, it’s also much simpler.

Other versions

Mad Space shares its outer space setting with Knuckles' Meteor Herd. However, its topology is actually closer to that of Pumpkin Hill.

Enemies

• Beetle Series: Gold Beetle
• Hawk Series: Laser Hawk
• Artificial Chaos: Articifial Chaos P-1, Artificial Chaos Float Type

Locations

Animals

Animal	Number	Location
	1	Capsule planet: Close to the central hive of metal structure No.3
	1	Capsule planet: Inside a wooden container, close to the metal structure No.2 and a spring.
	2	Holy Planet: Around the base of the metal structure, close to a steel container. Spherical Planet: At the top of the metal structure, near the headlights and the rocket.
	1	ARK: Amongst two indestructible boxes, right on front of the platform with the red headlights.
	1	Rocket platform: Under a metal container next to where Rouge first starts.
Random	4	Lower bottom: In a pipe next to a street light to the platform clockwise to the one with the missile. Rocket platform: In pipe located at a side platform in the lower level. ARK: In a pipe inside a steel container at the top level, in the red headlights platform. ARK: In a pipe next to a street light, in the Mystic Melody platform.
Total	10

The level specific animal (third Chao container) is a Phoenix.

Big the Cat

Go to the ARK section and find the blue headlight platform. Glide towards the barrier light, Big is sitting on top of it and turned to the left, seemingly trying to fish in outer space. It shifts positions in Hard Mode, an excepción to the rule, and its location (if it exists) is currently unknown.

Chao containers

• Rocket platform: In a side platform in the lower level.
• Capsule Planet: In the highest side platform of all, to the upwards tip of the planet.
• ARK: On the platform with yellow headlights.

Gold Beetle

The gold beetle is between the platform with indestructible container and the yellow headlights one, on the ARK section. Its location (if it exists) is currently unknown in hard mode.

Lost Chao

• Recommended upgrades: Mystic Melody

From where Rouge first starts, take the rocket to the Holy Planet, take the one there to the platform section and the one there for the ARK. Head for the next platform clockwise from where Rouge lands, and drop to the suspended platform below it. Activate the Mysic Melody and jump to the warps through the containers.

Master Emerald shards - Hard Mode

Emerald shard	Hints
#1	The bottom of the meteorite. On the ground. It's not right below the round meteorite.
#2	The platform is the out of control area. The biggest meteorite. It's not the only floating platform right below the round meteorite.
#3	Quick Screw Kick The lowest place. Don't use that technique above a star on a platform with spinning traps!

• The first shard is at the underside of the Holy Planet. Simply glide it from where Rouge can't climb down an further.
• The second shard is above the only platform at the bottom of the Spherical Planet. Simply glide to it from a higher height level.
• The third shard is in a platform high above on the ARK section. From where Rouge lands after taking the rocket there, head for the next platform anticlockwise. Head for the platform with the two spinning spikes visible and stand below the rings, quickly doing a Screw Attack to get it.

Upgrade

Rouge's Iron Boots upgrade can be found in this level. It's inside the metal structure on the Spherical Planet.

Comparisons

Main article: Sonic Adventure 2/Comparisons/Mad Space