Emerald Tokens Inside Special Stages

[U.Flame]

While a friend and I were playing online, we collected two emerald tokens on a level. Near the end, I accidentally hit a key that minimized SRB2. resulting in an annoying problem that messes up the display when I return. The screen is vertically smushed to about a quarter size of what it should be and is in a practically blinding state of black and white. I usually close and reopen SRB2, but I decided to wait until after the special stages in case I can still help despite the blindness.

I derped around in what I believe was the first special stage. Then when I hit a corner, I collected something unexpected. I couldn't see what it was, but it made the sound of an emerald token. At first I thought it could've been an emblem, but then I remembered emblems don't appear in multiplayer. My friend was as baffled as I was when I told him. He thought it'd be strange to access another special stage from a special stage. So we continued to the next one and beat it. Then we entered a third special stage. We were positive we only collected two, remembering that we were cut off from one of them. So I guess it was an emerald token I collected from the special stage.

We both looked it up online to see if this was a thing that happens and could not find any mention of this. Has anyone else found one? Why isn't it documented?

 

[MascaraSnake]

There is a hidden token in the third special stage, but not in any of the others. Are you sure you didn't start out in Flooded Cove?

 

[U.Flame]

You might be right, I couldn't see at the time. Thanks! So why just Flooded Cove?

 

[Rob]

Why not?

 

[Eblo]

I actually noticed this back when 2.1 first released. I spent my time tearing apart the special stages looking for the emerald tokens because it would seem arbitrary that only the third special stage has one. Now that it's confirmed to be just Flooded Cove, I must say that I am also curious why it is the only one to have a token.

 

[U.Flame]

Not that I don't appreciate just the one, it does seem weird to not be a pattern of some kind, just on one stage. Not even the first or last, just the third.

 

[Puppyfaic]

Rob is weird. But I'm not complaining because, hey free Special Stage Token.

 

[Mystic]

Actually, I'm the weirdo that put that in there. I like messing with people's expectations.

 

[Sapheros]

Looking at 2.1's special stages, I don't think there would be room to hide a token in the other special stages...

 

[Rob]

You underestimate my sadism.

 

[U.Flame]

First thread I make and I get all the best devs trolling us. This is great. But hey free token, yay. Just wish I knew before sinking like 20 hours in a save trying to collect as many lives and emeralds as possible. Woulda helped.

 

[clairebun]

It would be awesome if there was a hidden token in every special stage. Then I could go Super Sonic on a no-save in GFZII.

 

[Unknownlight]

...I'm intrigued by that idea.

 

[Boinciel]

And a lack of a token in the next special stage if you failed the special stage but got the token in it?

 

[U.Flame]

So basically create a chain? Accomplishing it allows for Super Sonic very early on but failing at any point interrupts it? Still handy either but will bug perfectionists and the OCD. Love it.

 

[clairebun]

You could do something similar in Sonic 2 because of Emerald Hill's checkpoints. You kinda don't need it here because SRB2 has save files, but I still think it would be a cool idea to carry over.

 

[Liliam]

This would all be much more interesting if SRB2's special stages weren't trivially easy except for maybe the very last two.

 

[U.Flame]

News update from my friend. He says he's pretty sure we were in the first special stage. Like I said, I couldn't see at the time so, dunno what to say to that. Mystic, you're sure the one in the third special stage is the only one?

 

[Rob]

The third special stage is the only one, yes.

 

[U.Flame]

He says he may have been mistaken. So yay no more confusion.