For twenty years, Sonic the Hedgehog has been ingrained in gaming culture. He’s had his ups and downs, his strange spin-offs and awesome crossovers, and there’s no reason to think that he won’t be around for another twenty years. He may not have the same consistent quality of Mario, but Sonic fans love him nonetheless. With the upcoming release of Sonic Generations, it looks like these fans, along with every other gamer, will be able to celebrate the evolution of Sega’s mascot. Every one of his eras is represented and appears to be at least as polished as the original release.

And that is a great thing because while Sonic’s personality, speed, and platforming all contribute to his appeal, I believe it’s his level design that truly sets him apart. He’s had fast levels, slow levels, hard levels, and even self-playing levels, but the apex of his stage design was absolutely the classic era on the Genesis. It is with that in mind that I present the top 10 2D Sonic Stages:

10. Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)

The original, the classic, Green Hill Zone was our first introduction to Sonic and was set with the task of drawing players in; something that it did perfectly. I still remember the first day I played Green Hill Zone. The flat areas encouraged players to build up speed and the loops were the reward. It’s hard to imagine now, but that simple element blew many a kids' mind. Here was a character that was so fast he could run upside down for a short time. That was, and still is, awesome. The zone music was also simple yet catchy and set the standard for all songs to follow. But the beauty of Green Hill Zone was that it seamlessly introduced players to all the elements of a Sonic game. There was the speed of course, but also the traps that forced players to be careful and the bevy of alternate paths and secret areas. I would play the game again and again so I could see every corner of each stage. Sonic the Hedgehog was never exclusively about speed for me. Exploration was also key, almost more so than Mario. And Green Hill Zone was the perfect introduction to it.

9. Mystic Cave Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)

This may seem like an odd choice, but I have always enjoyed this stage. The big draw was always the catchy and very spooky music, which always put me in the mood for Halloween. It captured the scary nature of the level, which when you consider that it’s a giant cave full of traps, seems rather fitting. Enemies also played off the fact that it was a cave, such as Crawlton, who burst out of the level and always made me lose my rings. But I never felt cheated by Mystic Cave Zone. It struck that balance between challenging and fun, emphasizing puzzles and platforming over pure speed. Gamers nowadays claim that Sonic was always about speed and getting through levels as quickly as possible. Mystic Cave  proves that this wasn’t always the case. It may not have been fast, but it was fun.

8. Emerald Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)

Emerald Hill was a great reintroduction to Sonic as a kid. It’s similar to Green Hill Zone in a lot of ways but still has its own personality. New enemies were introduced, including the annoying Coconuts, and the level emphasized a new kind of speed: the now-famous spin dash maneuver, which made going back to the original game somewhat difficult. It just felt integral to the character and made sure there was always an opportunity to go fast. And like Green Hill Zone's loops, the new corkscrews further showed how Sonic was different and cooler than Mario. Seeing him dart through a single loop had become standard, but the corkscrew was unreal. Finally, there was the music which gave flashbacks to Green Hill Zone but gave a sense that the game would be bigger and better. It pumped players up to go out and explore. Green Hill Zone may have been the original, but Emerald Hill Zone was the best opening level in the series.

7. Star Light Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Star Light Zone was exactly what players needed after the trauma that was Labyrinth Zone. Where the former was all about pressure and unease at the thought of drowning, Star Light relaxes the player with its soothing music and concentration on speed. It just felt good to let go and run as fast as you could through loops and inclines without having to worry too much about enemies. There were still plenty of traps in the form of bombs and bottomless pits, but they never grew annoying. New elements were also added that were a lot of fun. Fans would speed Sonic up or keep him from progressing and see-saws allowed him to reach great heights. The level is a rush from start to finish. It’s just a shame that it all goes by so quickly.

6. Wing Fortress Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)

Nothing said "epic" in a Sonic game quite like the Wing Fortress. Unlike most other levels, it only had one Act, but it was a damn memorable Act. Sonic and Tails fly after Robotnik’s air base and Sonic’s able to board before Tails is shot from the sky. He then has to navigate the many, many, hazards to finally reach his nemesis with the music underscoring those feelings perfectly. It was both an epic swell for Sonic but gave a sense of malice from Robotnik. As a kid, I was positively pumped as I kept at the stage no matter how many times I died. And make no mistake, the level is tough. Bottomless pits are everywhere, making any kind of speed a risk, and the platforming had a distinct rhythm to it. The sense of accomplishment players felt defeating the Wing Fortress Zone was likely palpable and it was capped off with an even more amazing trek for Sonic as he followed Robotnik into space. It was simply awesome.

5. Casino Night Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)

How do you top the most epic moment in a game? Simply add pinball and gambling. Casino Night Zone is pure joy, taking the basic idea of Spring Yard Zone from the original and fulfilling its potential. Seeing Sonic bounce this way and that was fun to see and being in control of the pinball bumpers only made it better. It gave a sense of control that prevented getting through the level from becoming a simple game of luck. Instead, I was able to get so good that I could put Sonic where I wanted at any time. The lack of enemies in Casino Night placed the focus squarely on the player versus the level--a great design choice since it just begged to be explored. Taking the time to check every nook and cranny rewarded players with plenty of secrets and the chance to listen to its great Vegas-like music even more. But the absolute best part was the slots. The chance to win and lose rings was both fun and addictive. I remember spending minutes at a time trying to hit the jackpot so I could go into the bonus stages. Casino Night Zone just works and set a legacy for all Sonic games to come.

4. Icecap Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)

I’m ashamed to admit this, but a few days ago was the first time I was ever able to beat Icecap Zone as Sonic. The cylinder puzzle in Carnival Night Zone always stumped me and for that reason alone, I will always hate that stage. That just goes to show you how amazing Icecap Zone really is. The entire time I played it, I wished I could have experienced it as a kid. From the snowboarding sequence in the beginning to the great speed to the infinitely entertaining music, Icecap Zone just rocks and more than makes up for the hell that was Carnival Night. The level never feels cheap and there are tons of secrets to explore. More than I found in my short playthrough. This is the type of stage that begs to be played again and again, constantly rewarding the player and showing just how cool Sonic really is.

3. Flying Battery Zone (Sonic & Knuckles)

I love a good challenge and Flying Battery Zone delivers it in spades. This level is out to kill you in every way possible. Flame jets, spiral cases, spikes, and even fake animal capsules are just some of the hazards. It really hammers the fact home that this place is controlled by Robotnik. But the level isn’t just traps; it also allows Sonic to build up real speed in every direction imaginable. Flying Battery Zone is fun yet fair and never became frustrating for me. Of course it doesn’t hurt that it feels like a perfect combination of Metropolis Zone and Wing Fortress Zone, two other great Robotnik bases. To top it off, the music is catchy as hell and one of my favorites in Sonic & Knuckles. The fact that this is only the second level in the game (though the eighth in Sonic 3 & Knuckles) just goes to show that Robotnik wasn’t messing around this time. Flying Battery combines many of the best elements of Sonic’s gameplay into a great package.

2. Sky Sanctuary Zone (Sonic & Knuckles)

Like Wing Fortress Zone, Sky Sanctuary is only a single Act but boy what an Act. By this point, a lot of plot was told with Knuckles being betrayed by Robotnik, Robotnik injuring Knuckles and stealing the Master Emerald, and Sonic chasing after the repaired Death Egg to get it all back. This leads him to an ancient city in the sky. The level is pure fun with Sonic taking on EggRobos as he navigates higher and higher. This provides an extra bit of challenge since a fall doesn’t kill the player but forces him to work his way back to the earlier spot. It’s a different kind of "epic" than Wing Fortress focusing equally on the wonder of the level and the push to stop the Death Egg. The music reflects this and is one of my favorite tracks in the series, providing an entirely different feel compared to the rest of the game. And then there’s Mecha Sonic, who is faced three times throughout the level; the first against the Wrecking Ball Egg Mobile, the second against Bubble Pod Egg Mobile, and finally against Mecha Sonic itself. While none of the fights are too difficult, it goes that extra step to show just how big the stakes are. The stage was one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to play it again in Sonic Generations.

1. Chemical Plant Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)

Some may complain that the stage was too difficult since it was only the second Zone. I say nut up. This level does absolutely everything right. It’s fast. It takes time to slow down. The traps are tough but fair. There’s real challenge. The enemies are frequent. I can’t think of anything wrong with the Chemical Plant outside of the water sections and even those are avoidable if you’re good enough. The stage also encourages exploration by showing snippets of other paths while speeding inside pipes. Even the boss is more challenging than the typical Robotnik battle, killing me multiple times in my playthroughs. To top it off, the music is absolutely perfect; industrial, fast, and oh so catchy. Try not to nod along with it. I could praise every inch of this level, but I won’t. I’m sure you already get the idea. But the best thing of all is that Chemical Plant Zone is returning for Sonic Generations. If they can nail it now like they did then, Sonic will have a whole new generation of fans. I guarantee it.