When the blue blur made his debut on the Sega Genesis, he changed the landscape of gaming. Following the success of his debut title, countless knock-off mascots sullied players' consoles for years, while others were more successful in capitalizing on Sega's character action formula. While Sonic may not be king of the hill anymore, his series has managed to live on and be re-introduced to a new era of gamers.RELATED: Castlevania: 10 Toughest Bosses In The Series, RankedHowever, players mustn't let the series' adorable characters and vibrant visuals fool them as many of the Hedgehog's finest outings require a certain amount of finesse and patience to be conquered. Even the fastest thing alive will have his work cut out for him when tasked with traversing the following stages.

10 Carnival Night Zone From Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Will Have Players Over A Barrel

It's rare when a single environmental hazard can cause a stage to gain infamy, but Sonic fans of all shapes and sizes will shudder at the mere mention of Carnival Night Zone's barrel of doom.

The level starts out with a great first impression as Brad Buxor's music and the vibrant visuals trick players into thinking this stage will be a non-stop thrill ride. That is until they reach one of the many barrels that require very specific steps to overcome. Since this was years before the internet was widely available, this stage usually marked the end of many gamers' playthroughs.

9 Wing Fortress From Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Will Kill Players Who Have Their Heads In The Clouds

Bottomless pits, a sudden shift in gameplay, glitches that'll kill players who trigger their Super Sonic transformation, and many more instant-kill hazards await players in the penultimate level of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The stage starts out on Tails' plane, but players are still in control of Sonic in a weird hybrid of a scrolling flight stage and platforming.

Once players make it to the second act, the plane is shot down, and the blue blur is on his own. The hog's speed may have come in handy in the previous stages, but it's a complete liability in this area.

8 Sandopolis From Sonic & Knuckles Will Be An Unskilled Player's Tomb

While the first act is no big deal, the second part of this expedition may lead the hedgehog or echidina to their final resting place. Sandopolis' hazardous tomb is separated by timed doorways that players must reach before they shut. Restless spirits do their best to slow players down and trap them in this subterranean crypt.

These spectral foes thrive in the dark and can only be warded off by timed light switches that are scattered throughout. If that wasn't enough, rising sand threatens to crush unwary gamers. It's a long, tedious affair where players are constantly in danger of running out the game's time limit.

7 Night Carnival From Sonic Rush Is A Neon Lit Nightmare

Players mustn't be fooled by Night Carnival's bright neon visuals and outstanding track by Hideki Naganuma, as this stage is treacherous and will result in countless deaths. Special springs require players to hold down and let go when ready to launch. However, if players aren't wary, they might hit an enemy and end up falling into a pit.

Neon bridges, grind rails, and platforms lead players to progress, but if the timing of their jumps is just slightly off, they'll end up falling into a pit. There are also sections where a giant ball chases sonic and Blaze, and if they're not quick enough, they'll either be flattened or fall into a pit.

6 Marble Zone From Sonic The Hedgehog Turns Up The Heat

Following the far more leisurely Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone will certainly serve as a wake-up call to any gamer who thinks they're in for a breeze with the first Sonic the Hedgehog title.

The underground temple that players must traverse is home to numerous hazards such as bats, multitudes of deadly spikes, and piping hot lava, which tends to rise and burn unaware players to a crisp. Gamers must actively slow down and proceed with caution as they learn that speed without discipline is a one-way ticket to numerous game overs.

5 Sky Canyon From Sonic Advance 2 Requires A Very Specific Move

Developer Dimps had a particularly nasty habit of incorporating bottomless pits in many of their Sonic titles, with Sky Canyon being one of the most egregious examples. Since Tails and Cream have the ability to fly and Knuckles can glide, it's not too bad a level until players are put in control of the title character.

In one of the most infuriating moments in the series, one part of the stage requires Sonic to perform a specific move that the game does not teach players about and is never needed again. Don't know that the R-button allows Sonic to perform a special jump? Too bad. Game over.

4 The Clock Is Constantly Ticking In Titanic Monarch From Sonic Mania

One of the toughest final stages in the series, Titanic Monarch serves as a suitably challenging end to the speeder's grand return to 2D gaming. Players must mind their surroundings as one ill-timed jump from a plasma sphere will undo precious seconds of progress or lead the heroes into a spike trap.

Act 2 tasks the gang with traversing through portals that'll lead to progress while avoiding the ones that set them back. Caution is advised, as the clock is constantly ticking in this race to the finish. Elements of this area were taken from the scrapped final stage of the 2011 HD Sonic CD remaster.

3 Altitude Limit From Sonic Rush Is Aptly Named

Dimps really couldn't help themselves when it came to areal-themed stages with instant death bottomless pits. Players might wonder if the good doctor had a hand in designing Sonic Rush because its stages require plenty of hedgehog toe tags. Altitude Limit takes these hazards to absolute absurd extremes, and the space between the DS' dual screens conceals a lot of info which can lead to some very cheap deaths. Players may know what hazards lie ahead of them when they're gliding with a parachute and riding a jet platform, but there's too much ambiguity as to how much time they have to get out of the way.

2 Labyrinth Zone From Sonic The Hedgehog Gives Players That Sinking Feeling

Water water everywhere and no time for a drink. Underwater levels are the bane of the hedgehog's existence as his trademark speed is slowed to a crawling pace, and he's constantly in danger of drowning. The first such stage, Labyrinth Zone, showed up before the series incorporated more helpful elements such as Tails or bubble shields.

Players' only hopes for surviving this aquatic temple are the air bubbles scattered throughout, which help stave off drowning. Even then, the hog will have to contend with spikes and badniks while handicapped by his slow movement.

1 Scrap Brain Zone From Sonic The Hedgehog Pulls Out All The Stops

Sonic's first entry was definitely one of the hog's tougher outings. The formula hadn't quite been refined, and many of the series' reoccurring tropes were absent. While the blue blur was certainly faster than Nintendo's portly plumber, the levels he ran through were less focused on speed and more on precision platforming.

Scrap Brain Zone is the culmination of every kind of hazard players must face throughout the journey. Spikes? Check. Bottomless pits? Check. Fire? Check. Water hazards? Check. Indeed, Robotnik throws everything but the kitchen sink at the speedy mammal who dares to infiltrate his base.