In order to fight the true final boss and see the full ending in Sonic Mania, you’ll need to collect all seven Chaos Emeralds. To earn a Chaos Emerald, you must complete a UFO bonus stage by jumping into one of the many hidden giant rings scattered across the entire game. Today, we’ll show you how to find all 61 giant ring locations in Sonic Mania!
All Giant Ring Locations in Sonic Mania
Finding a giant ring will warp you to a UFO bonus stage in Sonic Mania. There is at least one giant ring in every Act of the game, so you’ll have a good amount of tries to get all seven Chaos Emeralds.
Note that after you complete the game, you can go back and replay through any level you wish on that same save file. You can utilize this to get into easy-to-reach giant rings.
This list is for the giant rings in Mania Mode only. The giant rings in Encore Mode have different layouts and locations.
Green Hill Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
The first giant ring is located on the middle path, so head down, but not all the way to the bottom of the level. You want to keep your eyes peeled for a waterfall that splits into five different streams.
Once you find that waterfall, the giant ring is located directly above you, but it’s out of reach. You have to go through a hidden wall to the left of it. Get on top of a small archway, and you should see a row of three rings that lead directly into the hidden wall. Alternatively, you can just use Tails to fly up there.
The next giant ring is located near the end of the Act, on the middle path. You’ll land on a piece of land that breaks once you step on it, but if you quickly move to the right, you’ll head into the giant ring.
There’s another giant ring in Green Hill Act 1, but it only appears when you’re playing as Knuckles. He starts off in a different area of Act 1, and near the beginning, you climb up a wall and reach a sunflower. Jump to the left to go through a hidden wall where the giant ring lurks.
Green Hill Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Stick to the top path. After the second checkpoint, you’ll be on a wooden, spiky bridge. There’s a swinging platform above you, so jump on it, wait until it get to the left side, then jump off. You’ll want to jump on top of the loop you went through earlier.
You’ll see some zip lines, so follow them all the way to the left and go through the hidden wall to reach the giant ring.
The next giant ring is located on the very bottom path. You’ll hit a spring that sends you looping back to the left, across a big waterfall. You’ll see an item box with rings nestled between the wall and a rock.
Break the item box, then keep moving left to go through a hidden wall where a giant ring is located.
The final giant ring is located near the end. After the previous giant ring, try to transition back up to the top path. You’ll come across a zip line that drops you into this slanted hill.
Be very careful not to touch the wall where the red X is, as there is a hidden spring here that will most likely send you into the hole behind you, which is a one-way trip.
Instead, jump up on the platform above it, then walk to where the red arrow is to launch into the air from a hidden spring. Move to the right, fall into the water, and go right to reach the giant ring.
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Chemical Plant Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
The first two giant rings on this Act are in the same place, laterally. This means you’ll need to pick one or the other.
This is the giant ring you’ll find if you stick to the top path. You’ll come across this section of fluid pipes with springs on the end. When you get to this spring, don’t hit it and instead jump above it and go to the right through a hidden wall.
If you stuck to the bottom path instead, you’ll end up in the pink water. When you get to this gate, keep moving to the right to pass through a hidden wall. The yellow blocks will rise as soon as you step on them, and if you’re too slow, they’ll block the hidden wall.
For the next one, stick to the top path. You’ll find a chemical pipe that leads down, next to an iron grate. Spin-dash down this pipe, as you want to build up as much speed as possible. As you hit the curve at the end that shoots you high up into the air, hold left to land on the platform with the giant ring. You only get one shot at this!
The final giant ring is located on the bottom path. You’ll end up in a narrow vertical shaft, and the pink water will rise up. Instead of going up, you’ll want to make your way down. Try to hug the right side as you go down. Take care not to get crushed by the blocks.
When you land on a horizontal bridge, immediately move to the right to pass through a hidden wall and reach the giant ring. If you’re too slow, the bridge will rise up and block your way. You can move back up a bit and it’ll reset the bridge, but watch your oxygen!
Chemical Plant Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
When you get to the big room with the bouncy gel at the bottom, make your way to the bottom left corner of the room. You’ll find that this pool is light blue, so it won’t bounce you as high as the other pools.
Go left to pass through a hidden wall. Jump on the moving platforms to make your way up to the giant ring.
The next giant ring is on the left side of the Act. This Act’s layout is more vertical, so you’ll be moving generally upward. Head left when you can, and there will be a part where you go through three loops, then bounce on gel.
On the new platform, head to the left and jump into the purple bubble to have it take you upward. Continue moving left to pass through a checkpoint, then follow the path. You’ll come to a loop, but don’t follow it all the way through, just jump to the left to reach the giant ring.
The final giant ring in the level is in the top path. Coming from the left, you’ll hit a curve that sends you straight into a block bridge. When you hit it, it’ll lower so you can jump on it. Follow it up to the left to reach the giant ring.
Studiopolis Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
Near the beginning of Act, head forward as normal. You’ll boost up this curve and land on a platform near two rotating sets of bumpers. Wait until the top set is facing up like in the picture, then jump on top and bounce to the left. Don’t hit the spring, land on the platform instead.
This will probably take a few tries, but once you get past the spring, you’re home free. Go left to reach the giant ring.
The second giant ring is located near the middle of the Act, on the top path. Eventually, you’ll come across a large open area with small platforms moving on a conveyor belt. Wait until you get to the top left corner, then jump off to the left.
The giant ring is not too far ahead, but you’ll have to do a spin-dash jump off the ramp to get high enough to reach it.
Studiopolis Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Follow the top path. You’ll reach a curve that goes up and to the left, and you’ll land on a spotlight. Quickly jump up on the platform and go left, making your way across more spotlights. Jump up on a blue platform, and spin-dash—you’ll need lots of speed for the next part.
Go across the blue platform, making sure to hold right, and after the first loop, you’ll hit a spring and fly to the right. If you built up enough speed, you should go right through a hidden wall and straight into the giant ring.
The second giant ring is located directly underneath the first one, so you’ll need to take the bottom path instead of going top. You’ll fall into a funnel, and you’ll be launched out in this area. There are two spotlights you can step on above you, so jump on them and go left. Keep going until you pass through a hidden wall to reach the giant ring.
Follow the top path, and you’ll enter a funnel and launched into this area with the huge monitor in the background. There are three microphone badniks, so jump on the first one and bounce your way across all three, and there will be spotlights at the end.
Quickly jump on the spotlights and jump up to the left to reach the giant ring. If you mess this up at any point, you’ll have to restart the level to try again.
Flying Battery Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
Both of the giant rings on this Act are near the end. Take the middle or lower path, and you’ll eventually reach three spike platforms. Grab the Electric Shield, as you’ll need it for this next part.
Wait until the spike platforms raise up, then jump up. With the Electric Shield on, you’ll magnetize to the ceiling. Instead of going right, quickly go to the left, jump across the hole, and go through the hidden wall to reach the giant ring.
The second giant ring is not too far off. Go back to the right from the first giant ring, and you’ll come across two spikes with a mine in between them. Set off the mine, jump out to avoid damage, then jump back in.
Now push the left set of spikes to the left. Once they’re out of the way completely, walk over where they used to be, and you’ll fall straight into the second giant ring.
Flying Battery Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
The first two giant rings on this map are in opposite places, so you’ll need to choose between the one or other.
When you get to the trash chute, don’t jump out of it and just slide downward. You’ll end up outside the Flying Battery. Hover over to the second fan, wait for it to go down, then drop to the left, hugging the wall. You’ll go through a hidden wall and reach the giant ring.
Go to the trash chute once more, but go upward instead of down the chute. You’ll go through a door that takes you to a different part of the level. Follow the path forward until you get to the spot in the screenshot above.
Stand on the platform to your right, face left, spin-dash, and then jump as you approach the edge. If you do it right, you’ll hover across the fan and grab onto the spinning pole above the blades. Go up the pole, and swing to the right. Keep going until you reach a chain. Grab onto it, and it’ll pull you up to the giant ring.
This one is a pain in the butt to get to. Stick to the middle path, and you’ll end back outside, floating across an area with electric wires. Avoid the wires, go right to head back inside the ship. There’s a speed strip on the floor that will send you zooming forward, and you’ll launch upward.
Hold right as you’re in the air to find a gateway that leads you outside. Follow the roundabout path that goes right, then up, then back left, and you’ll fly down an automated corridor. At the end is a chain that pulls you up to the giant ring.
We’re going to be honest—this one is almost indescribable. Generally, you want to stick to the top path, and you’re going to have to go in and out through a lot of gateways. Eventually you’ll drop through one of the spinning cylinders, so go down, then left and up through a curve. There’s a gateway that leads you outside, right in front of the giant ring.
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Press Garden Zone Act 1
Near the beginning of the Act, drop from the first large spinning cylinder. Head left, and you should find a bunch of bouncy belts, so bounce up to the left to reach the giant ring.
Continue through the Act as normal, and eventually you’ll hit this part where a giant platform comes down on you from above. The crusher only activates once you touch the bottom of the pit.
When you get to this point, stop exactly where we are in the screenshot. Don’t jump in yet, instead you’ll want to jump across and land on top of the orange box on the right. Spin-dash from where you are, then immediately jump to reach the box.
It’s a very tricky jump, so it may take a couple of retries. Once you make it, hit the glowing button to break it and open a gate. Move forward, and after the bouncy conveyor belt, head to the left. The gate is now open, and you can head into the giant ring.
Press Garden Zone Act 2
Run through Act 2 as normal. Eventually, you’ll get to a checkpoint inside a cathedral-type building, and you’ll be able to see the giant ring below you. Head right some more, run down the ramp, but don’t go too far. When you’re on top of the tree tops, head to your left to pass through a hidden wall to the giant ring.
From the previous giant right, head back out across the tree tops. There are some ice cubes to break down, so fall down, but when you get to the loop, try to avoid getting frozen. There’s a curve that you don’t want to go across all the way coming up, so slow down at all costs.
If you slowed down enough, stop yourself at this point, and you can walk through a hidden wall to reach the giant ring.
Back to the tree tops again. Instead of going down through the ice blocks, there’s a small side tree above that you have to get on. It’s easier to get here by sticking to the top path of the Act.
There’s a fallen log you can go through that will lead you into a small internal chamber. Break the ice cubes in the center, then jump on the spring to get launched into a new chamber with the giant ring.
Stardust Speedway Zone Act 1 Giant Ring
Only one giant ring here in Act 1. Stick to the bottom path, and when you get to this checkpoint, hold left as you enter the automatic rolling tunnel. This will spit you out at the giant ring.
Stardust Speedway Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Right at the very beginning, head right and take the bottom path. Maintain momentum, and you should fly right into a spring launcher. Aim directly left, hit the spring, and just run all the way down into another spring launcher that’s pointing up. Follow the launchers into the giant ring.
Be careful not to miss the second shot. If you miss, you’ll be redirected into another spring launcher that will shoot you out of the area.
Stick to the bottom path. There’s a part where you’re between two loops. Stop in the middle, and jump up to the left to reach the point in the screenshot above. Jump into the small alcove to hit a spring, then hold right to slow yourself down.
If you don’t slow yourself down, you’ll overshoot the whole thing and won’t be able to come back. Retrace your steps, jump on top of the upside down J, then go to the right to reach the giant ring.
Stick to the topmost path. When you hit this yellow spring, it’ll take you across two different loops. Keep going right to find a small chamber with the third giant ring.
Hydrocity Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
Stick to the to top path. When you get to this hand booster, run straight, and when the curve launches you into the air, hold left to fall onto a conveyor rope. Keep going left to reach the giant ring.
Stick to the middle path. When you get to this lake, slow down. Drop into the water, but hug the left side—there’s a whirlpool in the middle of the lake that will pull you into another area. Go through the hidden wall on the left to reach the giant ring.
Finally, stay on the lower path. You’ll reach two spikes with fans in them. Go past them and through the hidden wall on the right to reach the giant ring.
Hydrocity Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
No matter what path you take, you’ll always end up here at this big water slide. It drops you off into a big body of water at blazing fast speeds, but as soon as you fall out of the slide, hold left to slow yourself down.
Sonic will run across some water, but if you slow yourself fast enough, you can go into the water. Do so, and head to the left, through a hidden wall, to reach the giant ring.
After a long spiral slide, you’ll reach these slow-moving platforms. Jump across them to the left to reach a giant ring.
Mirage Saloon Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
After the flying sequence, you’ll land on the train. Go to the left and drop to reach the giant ring. Hold right as soon as you go off the ledge!
Mirage Saloon Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
When you reach the first saloon, go to the right to find a large barrel. Push it to the right, and it’ll reveal a secret hole that will drop you onto a spray bottle. Follow the water trail into the giant ring.
After you fall down the vertical shaft with piano keys and hit the checkpoint, go left. You have one shot at this, so don’t slow down. You’ll hit a sand curve that sends you up, so jump over to the right. Jump against the wall to the right to find the giant ring.
Stick to the top path. You’ll reach this small half pipe with a spray bottle and rotating spike ball. Roll into the half pipe, and just hold down until you build enough momentum to shoot up to where the giant ring is. You won’t hit the spikes as long as you don’t move left or right.
Oil Ocean Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
Follow the path to the right, until you get to this valve that pops up and down. Don’t ride the valve, but instead go to the right to find a secret hole.
This will drop you into the Oil Ocean, so keep jumping to avoid drowning. Move to the right under the beams, and you’ll see a set of small fans. Jump over them to hover, and go up to reach the giant ring.
Take the top path when you can and stick to it. When you get to this checkpoint, jump on the green valve and let it pop up. When it gets to the top, jump to the left, cross the breaking bridge, and hop on the moving platform.
When the platform goes up, go to the right and hover using the fan. Go to the left, go across the two humps, and then jump to the top left to reach the giant ring.
Transition over to the middle path. When you get to this part in the screenshot above, quickly move right and jump into a hidden wall. If you’re not fast enough, the elevator below you will take you up, and you’ll have to restart.
Oil Ocean Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Stick to the top path. When you get to this checkpoint, sink into the oil below it to go through a secret hole. You’ll come out of a pipe, so follow the oil all the way down into the giant ring.
Follow the top path, and stop here when you get to the spot shown in the screenshot above. Don’t take the cannon, instead stop right at the edge of the curve. Spin-dash, then hold right as you descend the slide.
If you do this right, you won’t touch the slide at all, and instead slam right into a curve that sends you upward. Keep holding right, and you’ll land on a platform with a ring item box—break it and go right to walk through a hidden wall to the giant ring.
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Lava Reef Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
Follow the path forward until you get to this giant spike trap that slams down. Jump on top as it’s rising, then hug the left wall to go through a hidden wall to the giant ring.
Follow the lower path. You’ll fall into a dark chasm full of rocks that crumble away when you step on them. As soon as you get in, jump to the right to land on a spin-dash elevator. Take the elevators up to reach the giant ring.
Lava Reef Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Take the middle path. After you break through four blocks, you’ll come to a fork in the road, with a path up and down. We’ll be going upward.
Wait a bit, and you should see a moving box float down. Jump on it, then jump on the second box. Now, jump to the left and onto the crumbling bridge, and quickly go left to reach the giant ring.
The next one is for Knuckles only. From the previous giant ring, head down instead of up. You’ll come across a rock barrier that only Knuckles can break, so spin-dash through it.
Follow the path forward, and you’ll reach a small lava pool with two floating boxes. On the left, you’ll see a lava geyser shoot up periodically—take note of where it stops. Glide into the wall on that spot and you’ll pass through a hidden wall.
For the next giant ring, go down from where the rock barrier was from the previous giant ring. Follow the path forward, and you’ll get to a number of conveyor belts moving rocks. You’ll need the Fire Shield for this next part.
The Fire Shield makes you immune to lava, so walk on it and go to the right. Work your way through the tight hallway to reach the giant ring.
From the previous giant ring, backtrack and head up on the conveyor belt. You’ll see a small curve with a flamethrower on top—spin-dash into it and hold left to land on a platform.
Keep going left until you reach this platform. Jump on it, and it’ll move up. When it stops, jump to the left to go through a hidden wall and reach the giant ring.
When you reach the checkpoint next to a pair of lava walkers, use them to cross the lava pool with the three Nessie badniks. At the very end, keep going right and don’t go up yet. Hug the wall and you’ll fall down a secret hole.
You’re on a conveyor belt suddenly, so start moving left. You’ll reach the giant ring after you build up some momentum.
Metallic Madness Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
When you reach this part of the bottom path, spin-dash and jump before the floor starts to descend. You’ll make it up onto a secret path, so jump over the hole and hit the red spring to bounce into the giant ring.
Near the end of Act 1, you’ll go into the background. You’ll see another launcher on spikes as seen above, so jump on it, but quickly jump to the platform next to it. You don’t want to go back into the foreground just yet.
Follow the background path. You’ll encounter another launcher, but bypass that one too. You’ll find one more launcher in a dead end, and that’s the one you want. You can even see the giant ring in the foreground.
Metallic Madness Zone Act 2 Giant Rings
Take the bottom path. When you get to the room with two green wheels and a small platform between them, take the bottom path once more. There’s a slope and a hole—avoid the hole at all costs and go up the slope.
This will lead you through a gauntlet as mini Sonic, and the giant ring awaits you at the end.
Take the top path. When you get to this section, make sure you’re behind the rotating grates, and fall into the open space to drop onto a hidden spring.
When you reach the top, use the rotator to your left to get behind the rotating grates again. Head right and jump through the wall to reach the giant ring.
Titanic Monarch Zone Act 1 Giant Rings
When you get to this part with the electric orbs, aim Sonic up and to the right. You’ll hit some bumpers that will send you into a hidden spring. You’ll find three more electric orbs, so take them all the way to the top.
You’ll notice that there is a small platform that curves down. Try to get on it, but don’t go too far to the right, as you’ll hit a bumper. When you’re on, face left, and spin-dash. This will take you straight to the giant ring.
You’ll ascend up a shaft full of bumpers. When you get here, don’t go to the right. Instead, jump to the left and you’ll go through a hidden wall.
You’ll end up on an electric orb. Aim yourself straight up, and fire away to launch straight into the giant ring.
Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2 Giant Ring
When you get to the main room with the five warps, take the bottom right one. Follow the path forward, you’ll reach an open room with a bunch of bumpers on the sides.
Your goal is to hit the bumpers on the right side, so that they bump you high enough into the left bumpers, so that they can bump you back to the right. You’ll grab onto a swinging pole that launches you into the bumper on the right, which will throw you back to the pole, swinging to the left.
You should now launch straight into a small space above. Hit the bumpers on the left side to get rid of them, then move through the wall to reach the final giant ring.
And that’s it! Quite the journey, huh? Those are all 61 great rings in Sonic Mania, to our knowledge. Know of any giant rings we may have missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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How to Find All 61 Giant Ring Locations in Sonic Mania