Uploaded March 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
After completing Act 1, a short in-game scene takes place where a large, industrial train blazes through the station in the background. It's the Eggman Express- a dark red and black, high-speed freight train carrying a massive cargo of badniks, hazardous materials, and supplies for Robotnik's plans. (this stage would either be before or after Virulent Vault Zone, as the train would be transporting these items either to or from the vault).
The stage then begins with Sonic having to run to try and catch up to the train, with Sonic running in the foreground, and the tracks and train being in the background, at varying distances depending on the section of the level.
The first section of the stage would, again, be relatively flat and straightforward, with the tracks of the train being in the immediate background. This is the primary portion of the level where Sonic is trying to catch up to the train. If Sonic comes to a standstill for any reason, or loses too much distance between him and the train, a red timer would appear at the top of the screen, counting down how much time Sonic has to bridge the gap before losing a life.
Once caught up to the caboose, a mini-fight sequence would take place, where various robotic appendages and weaponry would permeate from the side of the caboose. This section would be a “forced scrolling” section, much like the Metal Sonic fight of Sonic 4's White Park Zone, or the scripted running sequence where the aircraft drops bombs at the end of Angel Island Zone of Sonic 3. The train still being in the immediate background, Sonic would need to time his jumps into the various guns/weapons firing at him to destroy them. When all are destroyed, the caboose would self destruct. At this time, the train goes into a tunnel, leaving Sonic to progress the level as normal for a short period of time. Similar hazards as Act 1 appear in this portion.
The next section of the stage would be another scripted scrolling/running sequence, as the train is now in view again- this time in the distant background. Sonic continues to run along a straightaway, as more artillery is fired at him from the train in the background. The player would need to use visual cues to avoid falling bombs, cannonballs, and etc as they rain down. After surviving this section, the train disappears into another tunnel, again allowing the player to traverse the level normally for another short time. A finite timer appears at the top of the screen, and Sonic must reach a specific point in the level before the clock runs out.
The final section would begin as Sonic comes to a small bridge, the final checkpoint of the stage. Another in-game cutscene would take place, showing the train rapidly approaching from the background, headed straight towards the screen. As the train passes by, Sonic would automatically jump down and onto the speeding train. Perspective would shift to side-scrolling view, and Sonic would make his way along the top of the train, from the smoldering caboose, all the way to the engine. Each car would have it's own unique hazards/badniks emanating from it, to reflect the type of cargo each car is carrying, approximately 10-12 total. If Sonic falls in between the space between cars, it's a life-loss.
Once reaching the engine, the boss fight would begin, still atop the speeding train. I have a few ideas for the boss, but am going to reserve them for later, until I flush out the rest of my ideas and “story” of this little fan-project of mine. But I will say this much about the boss fight- one of my ideas for this fight would feature an enemy other than Robotnik, since he would be presumably engineering the train during the fight. We'll see how it goes. :)
After defeating the boss, and getting the results screen, another cutscene would show the damaged and smoldering train careening out of control, with no one behind it's command. It would barrel through several barricades and warning signs, before plummeting off of an unfinished bridge, Sonic still aboard the top. As the train plummets Sonic would jump off at the last second, though still falling off the bridge himself, and into the next zone...
After completing Act 1, a short in-game scene takes place where a large, industrial train blazes through the station in the background. It's the Eggman Express- a dark red and black, high-speed freight train carrying a massive cargo of badniks, hazardous materials, and supplies for Robotnik's plans. (this stage would either be before or after Virulent Vault Zone, as the train would be transporting these items either to or from the vault).
The stage then begins with Sonic having to run to try and catch up to the train, with Sonic running in the foreground, and the tracks and train being in the background, at varying distances depending on the section of the level.
The first section of the stage would, again, be relatively flat and straightforward, with the tracks of the train being in the immediate background. This is the primary portion of the level where Sonic is trying to catch up to the train. If Sonic comes to a standstill for any reason, or loses too much distance between him and the train, a red timer would appear at the top of the screen, counting down how much time Sonic has to bridge the gap before losing a life.
Once caught up to the caboose, a mini-fight sequence would take place, where various robotic appendages and weaponry would permeate from the side of the caboose. This section would be a “forced scrolling” section, much like the Metal Sonic fight of Sonic 4's White Park Zone, or the scripted running sequence where the aircraft drops bombs at the end of Angel Island Zone of Sonic 3. The train still being in the immediate background, Sonic would need to time his jumps into the various guns/weapons firing at him to destroy them. When all are destroyed, the caboose would self destruct. At this time, the train goes into a tunnel, leaving Sonic to progress the level as normal for a short period of time. Similar hazards as Act 1 appear in this portion.
The next section of the stage would be another scripted scrolling/running sequence, as the train is now in view again- this time in the distant background. Sonic continues to run along a straightaway, as more artillery is fired at him from the train in the background. The player would need to use visual cues to avoid falling bombs, cannonballs, and etc as they rain down. After surviving this section, the train disappears into another tunnel, again allowing the player to traverse the level normally for another short time. A finite timer appears at the top of the screen, and Sonic must reach a specific point in the level before the clock runs out.
The final section would begin as Sonic comes to a small bridge, the final checkpoint of the stage. Another in-game cutscene would take place, showing the train rapidly approaching from the background, headed straight towards the screen. As the train passes by, Sonic would automatically jump down and onto the speeding train. Perspective would shift to side-scrolling view, and Sonic would make his way along the top of the train, from the smoldering caboose, all the way to the engine. Each car would have it's own unique hazards/badniks emanating from it, to reflect the type of cargo each car is carrying, approximately 10-12 total. If Sonic falls in between the space between cars, it's a life-loss.
Once reaching the engine, the boss fight would begin, still atop the speeding train. I have a few ideas for the boss, but am going to reserve them for later, until I flush out the rest of my ideas and “story” of this little fan-project of mine. But I will say this much about the boss fight- one of my ideas for this fight would feature an enemy other than Robotnik, since he would be presumably engineering the train during the fight. We'll see how it goes. :)
After defeating the boss, and getting the results screen, another cutscene would show the damaged and smoldering train careening out of control, with no one behind it's command. It would barrel through several barricades and warning signs, before plummeting off of an unfinished bridge, Sonic still aboard the top. As the train plummets Sonic would jump off at the last second, though still falling off the bridge himself, and into the next zone...
