The Labyrinth Zone





(Ohmigod! LOOK! It's Hydrocity! Teleported down off the Floating Island to Mobius! How'd THAT happen? Hee hee...snark...)

The Labyrinth Zone is the second-to-the-last level of Sonic 1 (not counting the Final Zone, which isn't really a level) and the one in which Sonic comes up against his SECOND worst enemy for the first time:
WATER.
Yes, Sonic HATES water and you can see WHY after playing THIS level. It is VERY easy to drown. However, you probably won't live long enough for that to happen! Not when there are spikes popping out of nowhere at any random time, ravenous pirhana-bots, and--my personal favourite--ancient carved statues shooting fireballs at you. Yes, you heard me. FIREBALLS. UnderWATER. Well, Mario can throw fireballs underwater in HIS first game, too, so I guess I'll let it slide for now...(However, by Sonic 3, they had figured things out better, as in THAT game, when you have a Fire Shield and you plunge into water, it "goes out" and you lose it.)
It is reminiscent of Hydrocity in some ways (but not as fun) being a Zone that takes place MOSTLY in an underwater ancient city/ruin of some kind, with slides, flumes, currents, tunnels, and such. However, the resemblance ends there, as Hydrocity is far larger and more complex than the Labyrinth Zone. The Labyrinth Zone does have some things to its credit, however...the beautiful crystal/coral structures and dangling seaweed strands in the background are a very nice touch and make it seem like you're truly under an OCEAN. (I think Hydrocity is under a humongous lake, as far as I can tell.) It's a difficult level to get through, but is interesting, creative, and fun, with catchy music. It also represents the first time Sonic has ever been significantly slowed down--the water makes you do everything in slo-mo, whether you want to or not, and that can be deadly!



Click HERE to return to the Mobius Tour Route.

Click HERE to return to the Freedom Fighters' Fortress.

Click HERE to return to Sandopolis.



321 curious tourists have plunged into the refreshing waters of the Labyrinth Zone since July 26, 1999...and none of them have ever surfaced again...