Cage Dome Challenges Gamers with 16-Bit Tests

24 March, 2009 16 January, 2025

‘Sonic Cage Dome’, an online Sonic gaming community, is battling against the urge to pick up a Wiimote this week by setting their members some fancy activities called the Emerald Challenges.

This has been done before by SCD, way back when they were part of TSSNET. Over the years this concept has been adapted and passed between fansites SCD and The Sonic Center. However, SCD are going for it again in a bid to give Sonic gamers something fun to play with their new Chaos Emerald Challenges.

If you are new to Emerald Challenges, here’s how to participate: the staff over at SCD release a new challenge every week or so. The challenge contains a set of tasks for the user to complete on a classic game which they set for you. It may be something like ‘Complete Green Hill Zone Act 1 in 23 seconds’. The user then has to play the level using an emulator called Gens+. This is an adaption of the well known Genesis emulator called Gens. Gens+ is used because it has a recording function. Users must record their entries using this emulator and then upload them to the SCD forums to prove they’ve completed the challenge. Once a moderator has checked out the recording and confirmed the successful completion of the challenge, the member is awarded for their efforts with a shiny Emerald for their user profile and signature.

Some of you may recognize the Emerald imagery SCD is using from the fan project Sonic 2 HD. The staff at SCD asked the permission of Elratauru to use the template.

There are no confirmed prizes set out for the users who eventually collect all of SCD’s Emerald Challenges. But, SCD notes:

“We do also have a Ring system at SCD. So there may be something being planned along the lines of a certain classic formula; Rings + 7 Emeralds = ???. I’ll let you do the math!”

The first challenge was released on Sunday and the next one comes this Wednesday. The first challenge can be found on the SCD forums HERE. It’s a test of speed for the Green Chaos Emerald!

Source: SCD -> http://soniccagedome.com/home/announcement/emearld-challenges-return

FULL DISCLOSURE NOTE: Mike Taylor is on Sonic Cage Dome staff, and SCD is an affiliate of TSSZ News.