Mirage Saloon Zone: Sonic Mania's Saloon

A Wild West desert, a saloon, and a biplane flying at full speed: Mirage Saloon Zone is one of the most original zones in Sonic Mania (2017) — to the point of changing depending on the character you're playing as.

🤠 Fang, into whom the Heavy Magician transforms.

🤖 the Hard-Boiled Heavies.

The Sonic Mania Western

Mirage Saloon Zone is a new zone in Sonic Mania (2017), the 8th in the main mode. The theme: a western saloon in the middle of the desert, with trains, cacti, vultures, and slot machines.

🤠 A saloon in the middle of the desert, cacti, vultures and slot machines: Mirage Saloon Zone borrows the whole western outfit, a genre where nothing starts until the hat is screwed on tight — and yours is waiting among our Sonic hats and bucket hats.

Act 1 where the hero changes

The main peculiarity of the level: its Act 1 differs depending on the character. With Sonic or Tails (and Mighty or Ray in Sonic Mania Plus), it's an aerial sequence aboard the Tornado biplane — a direct homage to Sky Chase Zone from Sonic 2. With Knuckles, it's a ground level instead. Act 2, however, is common to all.

At the controls

Sonic Plush - Tails

Tails, pilot of the Tornado in the aerial sequence of the level.

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⌚ Act 1 takes Sonic and Tails up in the Tornado biplane, a machine from the age when the hour left the pocket for the aviator's wrist: our Sonic watches put it back on yours, even if you keep your feet on the ground like Knuckles.

Uber Caterkiller and Heavy Magician

Two bosses punctuate the zone. In Act 1, the Uber Caterkiller, a giant version of the caterpillar badnik, summoned by the Heavy Magician. In Act 2, the Heavy Magician herself, a shapeshifting Hard-Boiled Heavy (8 hits).

The Sonic the Fighters nod

The fight against the Heavy Magician holds a nice surprise: she successively disguises herself as three forgotten villains from Sonic the Fighters (1996) — Fang the Hunter, Bean the Duck, and Bark the Polar Bear. A delightful nod to long-time fans.

🐻 Bark the Polar Bear, one of the three disguises the Heavy Magician borrows from Sonic the Fighters, has his own fur to face winter; for your January outings, you are better off counting on our Sonic scarves and neck warmers.

Its reappearances

Mirage Saloon returns in Sonic Mania Plus (Encore mode), where Act 1 reprises Knuckles' ground variant. It's also where Mighty and Ray, added in Plus, shine in the aerial sequence.

Summary table

FAQ

• In which game is Mirage Saloon Zone found?
  In Sonic Mania (2017), where it is the 8^th zone of the main mode.
• Why does Act 1 change?
  It differs according to the character: an aerial sequence on the Tornado for Sonic and Tails, a ground level for Knuckles.
• What does the aerial Act 1 refer to?
  To Sky Chase Zone from Sonic 2, the famous flight sequence on the Tornado biplane.
• Into whom does the Heavy Magician transform?
  She disguises herself as Fang, Bean, and Bark, three villains from Sonic the Fighters (1996).
• Who are the bosses of the zone?
  The Uber Caterkiller in Act 1, then the Heavy Magician (a Hard-Boiled Heavy) in Act 2.

🔎 To learn more: Titanic Monarch Zone.