In Sonic X Shadow Generations, Shadow finally gets his moment in the spotlight with a remake dedicated to him, while Sonic joins in with a remaster of a game that was already revamped. However, playing Sonic still feels just as enjoyable as it did when Sonic Generations first debuted.
With that in mind, let’s dive into Speed Highway, a legendary level in Sonic’s history and one of the most thrilling stages in this game. The level is packed with twists, turns, and plenty of collectibles, so we’re here to guide you in locating them all.
Tips for Getting an S Rank in Speed Highway
Speed Highway emphasizes speed. You’ll need to keep up a good pace to dodge police enemies, avoid being hit by cars, and generally stay upright. Maintain your speed to secure an S Rank at the end.
S Rank in Speed Highway Act 1
Playing as Classic Sonic in Act 1 prioritizes speed, but as expected, you’ll also need to pay attention to your jumps and your footing.
Right from the start, leap at the end of the ring trail to bounce off some balloons, leading you to an elevated path.
As you ascend the platforms on this higher path, maintain your speed and bounce off flying enemies to reach an even higher section.
After colliding with the building housing the rocket, jump up right after the checkpoint to access an elevated area, allowing you to skip some lower segments.
After passing through the glass corridors, jump onto the flying enemy to glide down the slope on the left to a faster lower route.
In the area with the dumpsters that launch you into the air, you’ll encounter unstable platforms moving upwards. Time your jumps carefully across these to ascend to a section with a checkpoint.
After following all these steps, you’ll complete Act 1. To achieve an A Rank, aim for any time less than 2:30 minutes and a score of 50,000; a Perfect Clear will upgrade this to an S Rank.
S Rank in Speed Highway Act 2
Act 2, focusing on Modern Sonic, is much faster-paced. However, you still need to be on the lookout for secret routes around every corner.
Right after starting, boost and jump forward. This will lead you to a grind rail for a quicker route.
Upon reaching the next checkpoint, there’s a tricky jump you can take. Rather than leaping off the Rainbow Ramp, jump over it. This will drop you down, but you can skip a large chunk of the interior by boosting into a Dash Ring in a hole in the building.
You’ll also find some Eggman bounce pads on the walls. Boost when you see them to reach the hole in time.
While skydiving from the helicopter, try to land on the three floating platforms. This will help you avoid the lower area and the enemies guarding it.
After touching down on the highway post-rocket, drift around the corner and immediately jump to the upper highway. Be careful and stick to the left. Falling off will force you to take a long route instead of continuing along the lower path.
With that, Act 2 wraps up! Any completion time of under 2:20 and a score of 50,000 or better will net you an A Rank, with a Perfect Clear boosting it to an S Rank.
Finding All Red Star Rings in Speed Highway
The Red Star Rings return nearly unchanged from their original appearance in Sonic Generations. You can find five in each Act, making a total of ten to collect. Here’s where to spot each one and the skills they unlock.
Red Star Rings in Speed Highway Act 1
Act 1 contains five Red Star Rings. Not all of them are on the fastest paths, so be sure to thoroughly explore. Here are their locations:
- Red Star Ring 1: Found in the lowest section of the interior building by jumping through a Dash Ring over some spikes.
- Red Star Ring 2: Located in the parking garage, between spiked balls on a diagonal-moving platform.
- Red Star Ring 3: Positioned near the bell inside the center of the interior building.
- Red Star Ring 4: After the halfpipe in the scaffolding, follow the high path.
- Red Star Ring 5: From the elevated path just before finishing the Act, this ring is found inside a Dash Ring.
Collecting these will grant you the Power Sneakers skill.
Red Star Rings in Speed Highway Act 2
Similarly to Act 1, five Red Star Rings can also be found in Act 2. These can’t all be collected in a single attempt, so expect to play through multiple times:
- Red Star Ring 1: Found at the start; boost and dash to reach a grind rail.
- Red Star Ring 2: Located at the end of a Lightspeed Dash, just before the Rainbow Ramp leading to the helicopter.
- Red Star Ring 3: Spotted while dashing downwards through the skyscraper’s interior, just before landing.
- Red Star Ring 4: Acquired by jumping through Rainbow Rings to land on the highway towards the goal; the star is nestled in the Rainbow Rings.
- Red Star Ring 5: After leaping onto the upper highway near the end, follow the rooftops to discover the final star.
Collecting these grants you the Auto-Gauge skill.
Hidden Chao Locations in Speed Highway
In Sonic X Shadow Generations, you can find three Chao in each Act, totaling six to collect. These adorable additions serve no real purpose but are a fun find.
Chao in Speed Highway Act 1
In Act 1, you can locate three Chao in various routes, warranting a few playthroughs:
- Hidden Chao 1: Following the lower route will reveal this chao on a 24 Hour Coffee neon sign.
- Hidden Chao 2: There’s a chao inside a bell tower on the exterior; hit it several times to free them.
- Hidden Chao 3: After dropping from the helicopter, turn around to discover a chao waiting on the left.
Chao in Speed Highway Act 2
In Act 2, another three Chao await discovery, some tucked away in tricky spots that are all too easy to overlook:
- Hidden Chao 1: As you climb outside platforms, use the directional cannon on the left to shoot upwards; the chao waits beside some spikes.
- Hidden Chao 2: While skydiving from the helicopter, drop onto the floating platforms; one of them holds a chao.
- Hidden Chao 3: In a side-scrolling section near the end, you’ll find a rocket; jump over it to reveal the chao hidden nearby.
By collecting these last few Chao, you’ll have explored the full experience of Speed Highway while hopefully achieving that coveted S Rank along the way!