Sonic X Shadow Generationsintroduces a new collectible type for Shadow’s Story. In Shadow Generations, you can find “Collection Keys” by exploring each of Shadow’s Stages carefully. Three can be found in each main Act, and three more in each available Challenge (Excluding the Hard Challenges unlocked later on).
Tracking down Collection Keys inSonic X Shadow Generationsis crucial to unlocking music, artwork, and Plot Summaries for previous games. This guide will focus on the Collection Keys available in Shadow Generations' First Stage: Space Colony Ark. It will also explain how to reach the Collection Keys in each of the four Challenges offered for Space Colony Ark. This is a total of 18 Collection Keys, more than enough to start cracking open chests in White Space and retrieve some Collectibles.
All Collection Keys in Space Colony Ark: Act 1, in Sonic X Shadow Generations
Space Colony Ark: Act 1 is the first level you’ll take on, but that doesn’t mean that finding every Collection Key will be easy. You’ll need to be on top of your game and make good use of Shadow’s moveset if you want to reach all of them.
Collection Key 1
Reaching Collection Key 1 will require you to make a fairly easy jump at the end of a Grind Rail, launching you up and forward at the end and getting you on top of a tunnel. To get to this point, proceed through the level normally until you reach the spot shown in the first image.
Then, launch using the spring and use a Homing Attack Chain to bounce along the floating asteroids. This will let you reach a grind rail. Ride the rail to the end and then jump just before you reach the end of the rail, allowing you to shoot forward and land atop the tunnel (See the Second Image). The Green Collection Key is found up here, so grab it and then use the springs ahead to continue the stage.
Collection Key 2
To reach the Second Collection Key, proceed through the stage until you’re falling towards the ground and missiles are firing from the left and right below you (See Image 1.) Use Chaos Control to Freeze the Missiles as they pass each other, creating a bridge for you to land on, then use the missile bridge to run towards the Boost Ring and launch over to the Yellow Collection Key (See Image 2).
Collection Key 3
Collection Key 3is found while navigating the interior of the Station.When you reach the section shown in the first image above, use a homing attack to warp past the lasers and take out the Artificial Chaos on the other side, then use a homing attack on the flying enemy at the end of the tunnel and boost in the air to hit the Boost Ring. Proceed ahead, grinding rails and using homing attack + boost to stay on this upper path and reach the boost ring shown in the third image. After hitting it and reaching a spring, use that spring to get onto a Grind Rail that’ll take you to another Spring. This second Spring will launch you right into the Blue Collection Key.
All Collection Keys in Space Colony Ark: Act 2, in Sonic X Shadow Generations
Space Colony Ark: Act 2 steps things up a little when compared to Act 1, acting as the first level where Shadow must use Chaos Spears to proceed and also introducing the 2.5D style of level that will show up throughout the rest of the game. Once again we have three Collection Keys to track down, so here’s how to find them.
To reach the first Collection Key, proceed through the level until you reach the spot shown in image 1,then use Chaos Control to freeze the missiles in placeand climb up to the spring. Use the Spring to reach a platform with an enemy on it, then hop to the right and use the homing attack to reach a grind rail. Ride it to the end and then use the hook nearby to ride up to the Yellow Collection Key.
To get to the second Collection Key, proceed through the level until you get to the area shown above. The Collection Key is on top of the first of the two spinning pillars, so hop over to the second pillar and use it to get up higher so you’re able to jump up to it. This will get you the Blue Collection Key.
To get the third Collection Key you’ll need to start from where you got the second key. Hop up on the second pillar and use the Boost Ring, then homing attack across the asteroids to reach a loop-de-loop. Use this to get to another spinning pillar, which you should climb on top of (See Image 1.) Use the homing attack to bounce across the enemies to the right and reach a Grind Rail.Ride the rail to the end and then use a homing attack to reach the second rail, which has the Green Collection Key on it.
All Collection Keys in Space Colony Ark Challenges, in Sonic X Shadow Generations
There are four challenges available for Space Colony Ark, two per Act. Each challenge contains three more Collection Keys, so here’s how to track them all down.
Act 1: Challenge 1 “Artificial Chaos Counter” Collection Keys
To get the first Challenge Key in Act 1: Challenge 1, use a homing attack on the Artifical Chaos shown above, then boost in the air to reach the Boost Ring. The Boost Ring will launch you right into a Blue Challenge Key.
For the second Challenge Key, use a Homing Attack to hit the enemy shown in image 1 above, getting Shadow past the lasers. Once you’ve done this, continue forward and stay on the uppermost paths available, defeating each group of Artificial Chaos enemies to open the path onward and upward. Once you reach the area shown in image 2, you’ll be able to head up to hit a Boost Ring that’ll throw you right into a Yellow Challenge Key.
For the final Challenge Key,just proceed through the level until the skydiving section shown above, then move to the left so you fall through a Blue Challenge Key on your way down.
Act 1: Challenge 2 “One Ring Challenge” Collection Keys
To get the first Collection Key in Challenge 2, you’ll just need to carefully move across the falling platforms right by the start and jump up to the Yellow Collection Key, which is sitting on a slightly higher platform as shown above.
The Second Collection Key is found a little further in and requires the use of Chaos Control.During the section where missiles are flying towards you, use Chaos Control to freeze them in place and use them as a platform to reach a Blue Collection Key on a raised platform.
The Third Collection Key in this challenge is found in the grind rail section near the end. It’s hovering in the air near the end of the leftmost grind rail, so jump over and grab it as you get close (being sure to avoid the incoming missiles as you do.)
Act 2: Challenge 1 “Crush With Doom Blast!” Collection Keys
This Challenge is a bit tricky, since it’ll take two runs to get all three keys. On your first run-through, aim the enemy shown in image 1 diagonally upward (as shown in image 2) to reach a platform with a grind rail. A Yellow Collection Key is found on this Grind Rail.
Next, when you reach the enemy shown above, aim them as shown in the image and don’t move after teleporting to follow them.You’ll fall through a Blue Collection Key on your way back to the ground.After getting this one, clear the level and start over.
For the final Collection Key, return to the enemy you launched to get the Yellow Collection Key, then aim them as shown in the image above. This will get you to a spot above a Blue Collection Key, so fall through it to pick it up.
Act 2: Challenge 2 “Chaos Control Master” Collection Keys
Right after starting this level, use Chaos Control and jump up to the spring, then jump up to the top of the tower shown above to grab a Yellow Collection Key.
Next up, you’ll need to grab a Blue Collection Key at the top of the platforming section shown above. Get to the stable ground to the right of it and then jump over to grab it. There’s no risk of death on this jump.
The final Collection Key in this challenge is found in the platforming section shown above. Grab the Blue Collection Key from the final platform under the Boost Ring,then hop into the Boost Ring and continue with the level as normal.
