Mystic Realm/Levels/Labyrinth Woods Zone

Single Player levels
Emerald stages
MAPAP: Labyrinth Woods Zone
MKZ RKZ LWZ BFZ	SCZ NCZ STZ ISZ DWZ
Extra levels

MAPAP, Labyrinth Woods Zone, abbreviated as LWZ, is the third emerald stage in Mystic Realm, containing the Blue Chaos Emerald. It is accessed by activating the Mystic Shrine in Verdant Forest Zone Act 2. Similar in style to the Lost Woods from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, this level consists of a labyrinth of nearly-identical forest areas where the player has to pick up subtle environmental clues to figure out where to go.

Walkthrough

You start the level in a forest area, with the entrance to a cave in front of you. Walk through it to enter a room that is laid out in a four-pointed star shape, with an exit in each corner. Aside from the first and last room and an intermediate room with a Star Post, all rooms in the level are laid out this way. Only one of the exits leads forward, while the other ones will take you back to earlier rooms. In order to progress, you need to search the rooms for subtle clues that will point you towards the right exit. The level is divided into three sections, with each section using a different type of clue:

• In the first section, a patch of flowers in the center of the room forms an arrow pointing towards the right exit.
• In the second section, there is a large tree trunk in the center of the room. One of the four sides of the trunk has a small root sticking out that points towards the right exit.
• In the third section, there is a group of bushes in the center, the middle one of which holds berries. Look between the bushes for a small purple budding flower and figure out where it lies in relation to the bush with the berries. The flower always lies on the side with the right exit, effectively pointing towards it.

Make sure to recollect your rings if you get hit by a Crawla, since there are no rings in the labyrinth parts of the level aside from two Super Ring Monitors. After the second section, you will pass through a room with a Star Post before you continue into the third section. After the third section, you will enter the final room, which contains the Level End Sign and the third Chaos Emerald just before it.

Points of interest

• In the first room of the first section (not counting the room with the spawn point), instead of following the arrow to the left, take the exit to the right. The room that it leads to has an Attraction Shield in the center.
• In the second section where the tree roots serve as clues, keep going until you reach the final room of the section, where the root points backwards to the exit you came from. Walk around the tree trunk in this room to find an extra life.
• In the room with the Star Post, the wall to your right bulges outward in the middle. Walk around the tree trunk in that bulge to find a Whirlwind Shield.
• Sonic's emblem location contains three extra lives.

Emblem locations

Blue ( 一 )

Accessible by: All

In the room with the Star Post, the very first tree trunk to your right (when you enter the room) conceals the Blue emblem. Simply walk around this trunk to find it nestled between the wall.

See image

Red ( 二 )

Accessible by: All

After reaching the final room with the Chaos Emerald and the Level End Sign, go to the spot with the Chaos Emerald and turn around, then look to your left. In the distance, you should see the Red emblem sitting behind a large tree trunk.

See image

Green ( 三 )

Accessible by: All

After reaching the final room with the Chaos Emerald and the Level End Sign, turn around and go back through the tunnel you entered from. You will reach a room with three extra lives. Walk around the widest of the four tree trunks in the room to find the emblem.

See image

Speedrunning

Since all you need to do in this level is walk through the correct exit in each room, the best character to use is Sonic since he is fast and can cut corners with a thok. To get a good time, you will need to memorize the path through the level. The following is a list of the exits you need to take, with "F" standing for forward, "B" for back, "L" for left and "R" for right. The letters in parentheses belong to the first room and the room with the Star Post, where all you need to do is go forward – they are merely included to avoid confusion.

• First section: (F), L, R, L, L, F
• Second section: F, L, R, B
• Final section: (F), R, F, R, R, B, F, L

Technical data

Note While the next level is Blazing Forge Zone according to the level header, a custom exit in the map changes the actual next level to MAPA9 – Verdant Forest Zone Act 3.