Green Hill Zone

Information about the Zone

First appearance : Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

Game appearances : Sonic the Hedgehog 16-bit (1991), Sonic the Hedgehog 8-bit (1991), Sonic Drift (1994), Sonic Blast (1996), Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), Sonic Battle (2003), Sonic Jump (2005), Sonic Jump 2 (2008), Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (2008), Sonic Generations (consoles, PC) (2011), Sonic Generations (3DS) (2011), Sonic Jump (2012), Sonic Jump Fever (2014), Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013), Sonic Dash (2013), Sonic Runners Adventure (2017), Sonic Mania (2017), Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017), Sonic Forces (2017), Sonic Racing (2019).

Different versions : Green Hills Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 8-bit (1992)), Mecha Green Hill Zone (Sonic Chaos (1993)), Sunset Hill (Sonic Advance 3 (2004)), Splash Hill Zone (Sonic 4 Episode 1 (2010)), Lost Valley ; Arsenal Pyramid ; Green Hill ; Guardian Rock ; Virtual Reality ; Bomb Block 1 ; Flying Pod ; Reverse Block 2 (Sonic Forces (2017)), 1-1, 1-4, 1-6, 2-1, 2-6, 3-1, 3-2, 3-4, 3-5, 4-5 (Sonic Frontiers (2022)).

Type : Action Stage, Racing Track, Battle Arena, Open Zone.

Zone description : One of the most iconic locations in video game history located on South Island, Green Hill Zone is the first location in Sonic the Hedgehog history, where players were first introduced to the blue hero in 1991. Since then, the Green Hill Zone has appeared in one way or another in many games, including those outside of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The zone has gone through some forty iterations, many variations and reimaginings, but its key features are always there – green tones, cubic brown earth, green palm trees, waterfalls, and bizarre loops, as if specially designed to run through them. The Green Hill area is a favorite location of Sonic the Hedgehog and is still an integral part of the whole series’ image.

OSTs used in this Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 16-bit (1991)

Sonic the Hedgehog 8-bit (1991)

Sonic Drift (1994)

Sonic Blast (1996)

Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)

Sonic Battle (2003)

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (2008)

Sonic Generations (2011) [Act 1]

Sonic Generations (2011) [Act 2]

Sonic Mania (2017) [Act 1]

Sonic Mania (2017) [Act 2]

Sonic Forces (2017) [Lost Valley]

Sonic Forces (2017) [Arsenal Pyramid 1]

Sonic Forces (2017) [Arsenal Pyramid 2]

Sonic Forces (2017) [Green Hill]

Sonic Forces (2017) [Guardian Rock]

Events

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

The whole story of the series began on Green Hill, when the evil genius Dr. Ivo Robotnik decided to build his evil empire with the might of an army of robots. The Doctor goes to South Island to find six Chaos Emeralds and use them to build the ultimate weapon – the Death Egg, a space station that would become the capital of the evil empire. Once on the island, Robotnik used his army of robots to capture animals who live on the island and put them inside the robots, charging his machines with the energy of the animals.

Soon, the supersonic hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, arrives on the island and begins rescuing the animals by destroying the robots and searching for the Chaos Emeralds. It was on Green Hill that the first meeting between Sonic and Robotnik took place, which, naturally, ended in a fight. Dr. Robotnik on his Egg Wrecker tried to crush Sonic, but the hedgehog defeated the villain in the fight.

After the complete liberation of the island Sonic, who has already found all 6 Chaos Emeralds, returns to Green Hill, whereupon the Emeralds, to Sonic’s surprise, return Green Hill to its former glory and are scattered all over the world.

Sonic Chaos (1993)

Using the power of the Chaos Emerald he found, Dr. Robotnik recaptures South Island and creates weapons based on Chaos energy. Later, Sonic and his best friend Miles “Tails” Prower arrive on the island, find 5 Chaos Emeralds and fight to retrieve the remaining Emerald from Dr. Robotnik, thus freeing the South Island.

In the process of the capture, Green Hill suffered almost the most, as it was almost completely roboticized, becoming Mecha Green Hill. Sonic and Tails liberate the entire Island, including Mecha Green Hill, where they defeat a particularly powerful robot, the Tree Crawler. In time, however, Green Hill will regain its former natural beauty.

Sonic Advance 3 (2004)

Using the power of the Chaos Emerald, Dr. Eggman (aka, Dr. Robotnik) splits the planet. South Island is one of the locations residing on the planet. Sonic, Tails and his newfound friends Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose and Cream the Rabbit go in search of the Chaos Emeralds, as well as the Master Emerald to protect them from Dr. Eggman and his powerful new robot, Gemerl.

Along the way, the team visits Sunset Hill, another iteration of Green Hill (essentially the same Green Hill, but with a much larger number of waterfalls and shrouded in the rays of the setting sun). On Sunset Hill, the team faces off against Gemerl and Eggman in his new vehicle, Egg Ball No.2.

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (2008)

After defeating Eggman in a fierce battle which, as everyone thought, the Doctor didn’t survive, Sonic goes on a journey around the world and no one knows where he is for a long time. One day, however, a new threat appears in the form of high-tech criminals, nicknamed Marauders, who hunt the Chaos Emeralds. After Knuckles is defeated in battle with the Marauders and captured along with the Chaos Emeralds, Tails is forced to call Sonic for help and the hedgehog does not refuse his friend.

The first place Sonic visits on his journey is Green Hill. There he meets Amy and heads in the direction of Tails’ lab, but they are attacked by distraught animals, old Eggman robots and even a Marauder warrior. It turns out that it is the Marauders who have installed certain machines in Green Hill that make the animals aggressive, as well as seizing control of Eggman’s old bases, directing his robots against Sonic and the team. Soon it also turns out that Eggman had been hiding from Sonic and the team all this time in Green Hill and was in fact alive. Nevertheless, using detectors wrested from robots controlled by the Marauders, the team managed to find the Doctor.

Sonic Generations (2011)

Being attacked by a godlike entity called Time Eater, Sonic finds himself in a dimension beyond time and space. Trying to figure out where he is, the first place Sonic finds is the lifeless Green Hill. After running through the old familiar location, Sonic brings it back to life, thus rescuing Tails from the captivity of the Time Eater.

Sonic Forces (2017)

Using a mysterious new artefact called the Phantom Ruby, Eggman forms an alliance with a new villain, Infinite, who is particularly adept at controlling the artefact. Using its power, the villains fill Green Hill with sand, thereby turning the once-green place into a desert. Sonic, trying to thwart the villains, loses his battle with Infinite and finds himself captive.

In six months 99% of the world is overrun by the Eggman Empire, but with Sonic’s release from six months captivity, The Resistance begins to reclaim the world and regain its freedom. After defeating Eggman and Infinite, The Resistance set about rebuilding the ruined world, including the sand-filled Green Hill.