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If you’re a big fan of seeing all the concept art, lore, and extra music thatSonic X Shadow Generationshas on offer, you’ll have to get a ton of Collection Box Keys. These keys are scattered throughout every level in the game and can be pretty well hidden, especially in the more open areas.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Best Levels Ranked
Sonic X Shadow Generations has quite a few incredible levels throughout both campaigns, and picking favorites is what this list is all about.
This is even more apparent when looking for the keys in the Space Colony Ark, a level that’s about as wide open and exploratory as you’d expect from a space vessel.
No matter which act or challenge you’re on while playing this level, here’s the detailed location of every single key you’re able to find.
The first act establishes that these firstlevels will be quite expansive, in full 3D,and have their collectibles tucked away into corners. This one, in particular, teaches you to seek out chaos control paths and hidden rails and use the anti-grav paths to find the keys.
Memory Key
The first key in the game is more of a collectible tutorial to show you how many will be hidden and isn’t too challenging. After the routes with zero gravity and meteors converge onto one rail, jump off the rail and onto a small tunnel for your first key and a fun alternate path.
As a tutorial for how the game handles chaos control paths, you’ll be funneled into a set of rings that launch you down to see a ton of missiles converging below you. Just use your chaos control to stop them when they’re all right next to each other, and walk across the bridge you’ve made for your key.
After beating up a missile and playing the stage as normal for a bit, get to the enemy behind the laser wall, and instead of staying on ground level, boost into a ring behind it to go on the upper route. Once you’re there, continue on the upper platforms on the right side of the big open room. Homing attack the line of enemies, then hit the spring, and grab the collectible. Alternatively, if you missed the ring that kicked off this alternate route, go to the right side of the big room, then use the dash rings to get up, then reverse directions and jump off the rail to get to a platform that puts you back on route.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Best Abilities
Sonic Generations has a treasure trove of abilities to dig through, and you’re able to only equip a few at a time, so these are the best to prioritize.
Act 2 is the introduction to 2D levels, and a fine one at that. The collectibles are more out of the way than the first act, and you’re going to need to seek out new paths. These usually have you going on the upper route, but I’ll be sure to point out any strange divergence to that formula.
This first key requires some intelligent chaos control usage. After stomping and avoiding missiles, you’ll walk across three missile launchers on the floor, and you need to stop time. Use chaos control to turn these missiles into a staircase, follow the path that makes for you, and you get your key.
Once you hit a checkpoint and see a zero gravity pillar right in front of you, you’re already almost in the right spot for the second key. Just walk up that one, spring onto the second one, and then walk almost all the way up the third pillar and jump back for your easily acquired art key. Just be careful not to hit the dash ring at the top.
After all the routes leading from the anti-grav pillars converge to one big loop, go up the pillar you’re sent on and get on the top. Homing attack the beetles above you and get on the rail, then after you’re launched off the rail quickly homing attack the next rail or jump for your reward.
Act 1 Challenge 1 (Artificial Chaos Counter)
These challenges are all rather simplistic, cut-down sections of the levelchanged to fit the needs of a certain challenge, and it’s always rather easy to find the keys. There’s only one or two routes, and the collectible is always on the harder one or out of the way, and it’s the same for all the challenge levels.
Art Key #1
Immediately after starting the act, homing attack the Artifical Chaos (Chaoses?) you see in front of you, and you’ll be taken to a higher platform. After that, attack the last Artificial Chaos, jump into the dash ring, and grab your key.
After taking the same upper route you would for the 3rd key in the normal level by homing attacking an enemy past the laser wall to go up instead of taking the dash pads, you have the key pretty much guaranteed. Just don’t fall off, and you’ll be funneled into a dash ring and given your key for free.
Art Key #2
After you get taken out of the big open room, you’ll be sent into a free-falling segment. Just aim for the key on the left and you’ll be given yet another freebie.
Act 1 Challenge 2 (One Ring Challenge Lv1)
Once you start the level, the first key is already in sight. Just jump up to the next highest platform, then jump to it while avoiding the spikes, plain and simple.
Another one in plain sight, right after the two paths converge, there will be another key visible on a floating platform, but just a bit trickier. You get Chaos Control for free at the start of this hallway, so just save it until you’re almost at the end and jump on the missiles to grab this one.
Somehow the easiest of all 3, the last key is on the leftmost rail immediately after the previous sections and just requires you to jump for it. Ignore the fact that Shadow is invisible.
Act 2 Challenge 1 (Crush with Doom Blast!)
Unlike the previous few, these keys are a bit tricky. After you get sent back, then up, and forward again, you’ll come across a split path with a tempting upper route. For the first key, you’re going to want to go the middle route here weirdly enough, and it’ll be a freebie.
Unfortunately, for the music key, you’re expected to finish out the level and retry for the upper path instead, which would work. However, if you want both of them in one go, take the middle route, get on the rail, jump to reverse direction, and barely make it by boosting up to the top path.
After that double doozy of a pair of keys, simply take the higher route from now on, and as long as you’re using Doom Blast at every opportunity, you’re guaranteed the key.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Hardest Challenges Ranked
Sonic X Shadow Generations isn’t really a difficult game, but this list shows off the most challenging things it has on offer.
Act 2 Challenge 2 (Chaos Control Master Lv1)
This first one is pretty obvious. After running on some falling platforms and hitting a spring at the start of the level, just jump to the left for the key.
After hitting the funny bouncing sticks, you’ll find another key out in the open to the left. Just hold left after hitting the third stick and you’ll grab it.
After running from missiles and hitting a dashpad, there’s another key out in the open, and you need to have decent reaction time to get it. Just hit Chaos Control the moment you’re prompted to, and you’ll earn your final key on the Ark.
