Sonic the Hedgehog / How to unlock
How to unlock the good ending in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
How to get the good ending and what the codes unlock in the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
Edition covered
Original 1991 16-bit Mega Drive/Genesis game. The Master System/Game Gear game is separate; later remaster moves, extra characters and Super transformations are outside this hub.
Good ending
Collect all six Chaos Emeralds from the Special Stages before beating Dr. Robotnik in Final Zone.
Bad ending
Beat the game with fewer than six emeralds. The ending finishes with a Try Again screen where Robotnik juggles the emeralds you missed.
Level select and debug
These are unlocked with title-screen codes, not by finishing the game.
More Sonic the Hedgehog quick answers
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) codes: level select and debug modeWhere to find the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)FIELD NOTE
Go for emeralds early in Green Hill and Marble Zone, where it is easiest to keep 50 rings.
Picture details
Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.