Decades later, the Green Hill Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog is gaining fans from different generations. Even critics and fans alike agree that its color design, addictive song, and whimsical gameplay have made a lasting impact on the minds of gamers worldwide. Levels from the Emerald Hill Zones from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to the 3D style Seaside Hill from Sonic the Hedgehog are children of the Green Hill Zone’s luscious art style and classic level design. After numerous remakes, throwbacks, and reconstructions, the Green Hill Zone completely transcended its grass and nature-style levels that traditionally appear throughout the franchise.
Let’s Give Props to the Creator
And who should we thank for the vibrant level design and epic gameplay of the Green Zill Zone? The brilliant Hirozaku Yasuhara. Inspired by California during the level design stages, Yasuhara would also intentionally use the same color scheme found in pop artist Eizin Suzuki’s work to give the Green Hill Z its iconic dazzling bright art style. That style has stood the test of time, too.
What is the Green Hill Zone, Exactly?
Located at the edge of South Island, you’ll get lost in the high grasslands and rocky mountains living everywhere in this tropical paradise. All around the island, you’ll notice totem poles accompanied by large palm trees and bright-colored flowers, showing signs of a civilization. During Sonic’s run through the island, you’ll search through trees for item boxes to get powerups and hidden springs for healing, catch rides on moving platforms, run down hills for momentum to break boulders, and cross bramble bridges while staying away from metal spike pits.
If that’s not enough, you’ll fight against slow robot ladybugs, robot wasps with wings and shooting projects, hungry robot piranhas, robot crabs whose claws shoot projectiles, and robot chameleons who can teleport, fire projectiles, and even morph into missiles.
The Chosen One
With high expectations, the Green Hill Zone had a lot to live up to. If the level failed to capture audiences’ attention, would you continue playing, especially for a brand-new game? Of course, you wouldn’t. Luckily, Yasuhara’s vision paid off! By adding elaborate traps like vertical loops, large ramps, springboards, metal spikes, and game-saving checkpoints, the Green Hill Zone’s popularity soared as this otherwise beautiful island would turn into a deadly but highly entertaining obstacle course.
The Epic Boss Fight That Started It All
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Also found throughout the Green Hill Zone are total poles standing near the island’s large trees, revealing a civilization was home here, but is strongly absent. Once populating the fruitful trees and serene rivers were the woodland creatures, who sadly, have become Doctor Eggman’s prisoners, trapped within robots whose sole mission is to stop Eggman’s arch nemesis, Sonic the Hedgehog.
A staple of Sonic games are the boss fights, which take place at the end of each level. To clear the Green Hill Zone and move onto the next level, you must defeat Eggman by destroying his egg mobile with direct hits, which won’t be easy. So, be careful when trying to attack as Eggman won’t go down without swinging, literally. It’s one of the most iconic boss battles and it is a big reason why the Green Hill Zone is still one of the best Sonic levels.
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