Side-scrolling platformer where you race through zones as Sonic (or his two-tailed fox companion Tails) to thwart Dr. Eggman's Death Egg construction. The doctor's converting captured animals into robot workers, and your job is collecting seven Chaos Emeralds hidden across stages while smashing through his mechanical forces. Levels emphasize speed—loop-de-loops, springs, and momentum-based traversal let you blitz through acts if you've learned the routes. Tails can fly short distances and swim, offering different navigation options. Special stages appear when you grab enough rings, presenting rotating bonus areas where emeralds wait. Stopping Eggman means reaching the Death Egg itself after clearing multiple themed zones, each with two acts and a boss encounter.
