Want to earn some crazy stuff in Sonic Mania? Hop inside the blue spheres and complete those Bonus Stages. There’s a variety of cool stuff you can unlock — new modes, and moves transplanted from Sonic’s past. There are even mini-games and cheats. There’s a lot of cool stuff, and one of the coolest is the inclusion of Puyo Puyo.
Puyo Puyo, for those not in-the-know about (semi) obscure Sega puzzle franchises, is a simple Tetris-like connect-the-colors game you can play alone or with friends. It’s a fan favorite, and this isn’t any regular Puyo Puyo game included in Sonic Mania. It’s the ridiculously western-ized Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, an oddity from the Sonic franchise’s spin-off past that fully included in Sonic Mania.
That’s a pretty big bonus, and I haven’t even started talking about the return of Debug Mode, the Insta-Shield, the Super Peel-Out, and more.
More Sonic Mania guides on Gameranx:
- Sonic Mania: “What Nintendon’t” Studiopolis Easter Egg Guide
- Sonic Mania: How to Fight the Secret Final Boss | True Ending Guide
- Sonic Mania: How To Beat Every Boss | Battle Tips Guide
- Sonic Mania: 7 Chaos Emerald Locations | Super Sonic Guide
- Sonic Mania: How To Unlock “& Knuckles” | Secret Bonus Mode
- Sonic Mania: How To Access Level Select | Cheat Code List
- Sonic Mania Trophy List
All Blue Sphere Bonus Stage Rewards | Unlock Guide
[Work-in-Progress: Here are all the bonus stage rewards we’ve found so far. If there are more, we’ll update this article with any new info.]
For completing blue sphere bonus stages, you’ll unlock the following extras in order. Some are special moves, others are unique modes or mini-games.
- Unlockable Bonus Stage Rewards:
- Super Peel Out
- Insta-Shield
- & Knuckles Mode
- Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine (Puyo Puyo)
- Debug Mode
Super Peel Out: The figure 8 super peel out lets Sonic “charge up” and launch at full speed from a standing position.
Insta-Shield: This special move, first appearing in Sonic 3, creates a wind-slash that damages enemies in range without having to touch them. Despite being called the “Insta-Shield”, its a jump-attack.
& Knuckles Mode: Instead of having an AI Tails follow you around (like in Sonic 2), & Knuckles mode pairs you with Knuckles. He can join Sonic, Tails, or himself for double the Knuckles.
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine: An attempt to introduce Sega’s Puyo Puyo puzzle game to western audiences, it was re-branded the Mean Bean Machine. A largely forgotten corner of the Sonic expanded franchise, this is still an awesome little game. It’s Puyo Puyo in Sonic Mania!
Debug Mode: A special menu that allows you to break the rules of the game or toggle “cheats” in-game. Originally, Debug Mode was only unlockable by inputting a cheat code. Debug Mode is a fixture of the classic Sonic franchise, appearing in just about every major game before the Dreamcast era.
Are there more unlockables in Sonic Mania? We’re keeping our eyes open.
