Every casino level in Sonic the Hedgehog, ranked

Casino levels in Sonic the Hedgehog games go hand in hand. Since the blue blur’s 1991 debut, there has been a variant of a casino or carnival level. But it arguably began with Casino Night Zone in 1992’s Sonic 2 for the Sega Genesis, letting players jump into slot machines that could win or lose rings for Sonic.

As Sonic games became more sophisticated over the years due to more powerful hardware replacing the Sega Genesis, so too have the casino-themed levels. Not content with some light gambling in Casino Night Zone, players have been required to run through the intricacies of a slot machine. To mark the number of casino levels in some of the best Sonic games, we’re ranking them below, with some surprises.

The Escapist recaps 

• Since Sonic’s debut in 1991, there have been over 150 games released starring the Blue Blur.
• Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the ultimate culmination of Sonic Team’s work on the SEGA Genesis.
• Sonic Adventure marked the debut of the Chao creatures, as well as Big the Cat.
• Don’t disregard the Master System port of Sonic 1 — it’s a classic in its own right.
• Sonic X Shadow Generations is a remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations, which features new levels starring Shadow the Hedgehog.

All of Sonic’s casino levels ranked from worst to best 

8. Casino Street Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, 2010)

Sonic 4, released in 2010, is a strange game. Heralded as Sonic’s true 2D return, it was nothing more than a faint remake of Sonic 1, with many levels being retreads of what came before. The same was true for Casino Street Zone, which more reflected Sonic 2’s Casino Night Zone, with plenty of slots for Sonic to jump into to win or lose a bunch of rings.

In Acts 2 and 3, Sonic would run and spin in what looked like the inside of a casino’s halls, with gold walls and the occasional platforms to dodge and jump onto. Ultimately, Casino Street Zone was fine, but with forgettable music and not much originality, this level, and Sonic 4 overall, was essentially a poor man’s copy of previous games.

7. Casino Paradise Zone (Sonic Advance, 2001)

With Sonic Advance heralding the hedgehog’s debut on a Nintendo handheld for the first time, it also meant another casino-based level, called Casino Paradise Zone. With catchy music, an animated background with fireworks and lights, these three acts were very fun to play.

Some parts had objects that reflected a circus and a merry-go-round, taking advantage of the theme in droves. Once players got to Act 3, Dr. Eggman / Robotnik would use some of the objects to move around an area, with a spike-ball in opposite directions. A fun level overall, and one that makes us hope that the game returns on Nintendo Switch 2 via the Nintendo Classics GBA service. 

6. Sonic Pinball Party (2003)

In 2003, Sega meshed several pinball tables with Sonic and ran with it. In Sonic Pinball Party, players could whack Sonic across several levels in Arcade or Story mode, racking up points to progress throughout the game. It’s a to-the-point game, but it’s surprisingly more fun than you think.

With music and levels reflecting past Sega games as well as Sonic’s, the title also features several multiplayer mini-games with other Game Boy Advance owners. Ultimately, Sonic Pinball Party is a fun, colorful game, with great music to boot.

5. Pinball Carnival Zone (Sonic Superstars, 2023)

Although 2023’s Sonic Superstars has moments where things drag or have bosses that are incredibly boring to beat, that’s not true for Pinball Carnival Zone. Players find Sonic at a carnival with points to win by hitting various targets, as well as bouncing on various bumpers and flippers.

When it comes to Act 2, Eggman has seemingly taken over part of the level, with green hues, rollercoasters, and a creepy vibe that takes the Carnival feel of Act 1 into something that’s slowly falling apart. The fight with Eggman is ok, as he uses two discs from the level to try and hit Sonic, but it doesn’t reflect the fun and carnival that the two acts were full of.

4. Casino Park (Sonic Heroes, 2003)

Despite 1999’s Sonic Adventure featuring a couple of 3D pinball tables, 2003’s Sonic Heroes was the first to truly reflect how it would be for a 3D Sonic game to be based entirely on a pinball table. There’s something joyful in playing Casino Park, with great, catchy music, colorful level design that reflects various buildings from Las Vegas’ past, and lots of objects for players to bounce off of.

Of course, there are slot machines too, with up to 200 rings payable on one ball, or 600 with three. You’ll find yourself constantly playing these, seeing how much you’ll be able to win. It also feels less harsh than previous slot machine levels in Sonic games, so you may find a good amount of time has passed before you realise you need to finish the level.

3. Sonic Spinball (1993)

Fun fact, Sonic Spinball was ultimately made to make up for Sonic 3 not launching in the fall of 1993, so Sega quickly got a team together to create another Sonic title to fill the gap. Although mostly disregarded at the time due to its stiff controls and sharp difficulty at times, there’s a great game here once you get used to the level design.

Across five levels, you have to collect a set amount of Chaos Emeralds to face Dr. Eggman in this 2D Sonic entry. You’ll be flicking switches, bouncing between missiles, racking up points, and plenty more to get there. What you get in Sonic Spinball is a very fun game that would greatly benefit from a sequel or even a remake someday.

2. Casinopolis (Sonic Adventure, 1998)

If there’s a stage that accurately emulates a casino, it’s Casinopolis from 1998’s Sonic Adventure. As soon as you begin the level, you’ve got the freedom to hit some slot machines to collect some rings, as well as play the two pinball tables that can win you hundreds of rings to complete the level.

Casinopolis is a strangely faithful recreation of an old-school casino from Las Vegas, complete with music that would fit well if you walked down the Vegas strip, with its piano and saxophone themes. There’s also a NIGHTS cameo, for some reason, which also trolls the player into thinking how that series could have looked on the Sega Dreamcast. 

1. Casino Night Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2, 1992)

The GOAT, as some might say. If you grew up playing the classic Sonic games, you’ll likely have plenty of memories playing Casino Night Zone in Sonic 2. Apart from the great level design, enemies, and iconic music, another great appeal is how it doesn’t require the player to play one of the slot machines scattered throughout.

It’s optional, leaving players to decide if they want to take a chance at winning or losing a bunch of rings to gain an extra life. It’s almost reflective of gambling in general — it’s up to the player to see if they want to take a chance. However, ultimately, Casino Night Zone demonstrated how a real-world aspect of casinos and gambling could be transformed into a fun level for kids, without any negative aspects that can be present in the real world.

Ask The Escapist