There is now an "Extras" section in the Option Satellite that includes cutscenes (which are now named rather than simply numbered, although they cannot be viewed fullscreen) and music.The Super Sonic menu in the Options Satellite now has a list of criteria for using Super Sonic.Races are unlocked by collecting fifteen Red Star Rings in an Area, and Metal Sonic will race in one specific Act per Area. The game introduces a new mode called "Rival Rush", which are challenges where Sonic can race against Metal Sonic (who did not appear in the original game) and win rewards for beating him.Attacking the score during the results screen grants a Tails Save instead of a 1-Up.Getting an A or S- Rank in an Act will now reward Park Tokens instead of 1-Ups.The sound effect for collecting a Park Token or a Tails Save is recycled from the old 1-Up sound.They also function as continues for Challenge Mode and Game Land. Players can exchange these to unlock items, songs, artwork, and Sonic's cosmetic customizations. The Park Tokens are collectable throughout the Acts.However, the customization items do not affect the in-game cutscenes. All the customization options can be unlocked with the new Park Tokens. These are merely cosmetic, and do not affect Sonic's control performance in gameplay. In the case of the aura, the player can give Sonic different colored energy auras. In the case of the Boost for example, the player can customize which effects that will follow Sonic when he uses the Boost. This includes Sonic's gloves, shoes, Boost, and aura. The player is able to customize Sonic's appearance and visual effects in the Options Satellite's Customize menu.The Homing Attack has a new feature, the "sweet spot attack", where timing the attack just as a green circle overlaps the Homing Attack reticle will award Sonic with Boost energy for the Boost Gauge.In this game, in addition to granting the player one hundred Rings when picked up, it makes Sonic invincible for a short time. The 100 Count Ring returns from the Wii/ PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Unleashed, replacing the 1-Up in Acts.When using a Tails Save, rather than respawning from the beginning of an Act, starting over from last Star Post touched, or getting a game over, Tails will come in, pick up Sonic and fly him to his last known location. This can be accomplished by obtaining a new type of collectable called Tails Saves that appears in the Acts, and the counter for the amount of Tails Saves the player has replaces the life counter. Tails now has the ability to lift Sonic back into the levels.Likewise, lives and 1-Ups have been replaced by different features. The life system has been entirely removed, meaning that players can start over from where they failed without fearing a game over.Sonic being lifted up by Tails after falling into a bottomless pit.
This Color Power can be obtained in various places and allows Sonic to go through solid objects in order to discover alternate paths that were not in the original game.