Secrets of Fishing, Chao Raising, and Level Shortcuts!

[Rogkun]

To help anyone stressing out over trophies, I've listed a few tricks that can spare you of a lot of pain while playing the game.

Fishing
Controls: X = reels in the fish quickly
O = reels in the fish slowly
L1/R1 = Affect camera angles to an extent
Moving the Left Stick Left/Right = Moves the lure back and forth
Holding the Left Stick Down = Keeps the lure from moving in water

Now, first I advise you get all the upgrades: the pole, lure, and belt power ups.
Once you are finished with those, this is how it works.

- Cast your lure around a fish and tease it by pressing O.
- Once the fish bites the lure, you may need to MOVE the lure by pressing
left/right/up/down on the left stick.
- The fish will do something I call "leading the lure" once the words
HIT! appear on the screen. When this happens, you'll notice
that reeling the fish in has no effect- the crank does not move and the
fish keeps swimming away. WAIT until the fish stops leading the lure.
- Once you regain control, this becomes a battle of attrition. Use X to
suicidally reel in the fish and O to keep the fish from running away when
it isn't leading the lure.
- If you are lucky, the fish may turn around while it's biting, if this happens
let it swim in your direction, then keep reeling it in!
- Be patient and don't give up, sometimes it takes forever.

There has been rumors in the past that having more rings increases your
chances of catching a fish, but I have easily caught 2100+ gram fish in
seconds with no rings at all. Also, try to cast within the water (using the
life belt to stay afloat). This has proved useful in my fishing.

Chao Raising
This is not a guide on how to get secret chaos (which are cute, look cool,
but that's about it) or on the mechanics of chao raising (which is better
explained than fishing is). Follow this route if you just want trophies:

- Go to your garden and a chao egg will be there for you.
- Wait for it to hatch or smack it around until it hatches.
- Play the game and IGNORE it for now, collect rings by finishing stages.
- When you are ready, start beefing up its stats with animals and
the best fruit (chao fruit is the best imo).
- Try to aim for its stats to be 800/900+ pts- notice I don't mean LEVEL.
- Put it in the beginner courses and let it win.
- After that, aim for 1000+ pts in all stats, you'll see the skill bar change
from yellow to orange.
- Put it back into the races and let it win.

During a race, you have virtually no control. I mean this. The game states
you can give your chao a boost, but your camera must be fixed on the
chao (or else you'll boost someone elses!) and wait for a sparkle around
it to appear- this feels like a 5-10% chance of happening in a race.
Otherwise, you can control the camera. It's best to sit back and let it win
for you if your chao is as strong as I have stated.

Vital Shortcuts

ENORMOUS TIP: If you are doing a level and mess up, but performed
well in previous parts of the level, simply restart! It will take you back
to your previous checkpoint with the time you've accumulated. Make
sure not to restart too much- as this costs lives.

ENORMOUS TIP #2: There is a dash exploit that allows sonic to go
insane speeds. This is performed by rapidly pressing the square button
to make him dash, usually after 2 or 3 dashes you'll see the effect.
This CAN make certain courses a breeze, especially in long/open areas.
Just be sure to use it carefully in tunnels and in areas with lots of
traps and jumps and you'll do fine.

One of the worst levels for me was Emerald Coast (2 minutes). I have won
all 130 emblems and I'm astonished at how difficult this was- until...
- 2nd area, after the HUGE triple spiral you will dash off of a ramp and
across the sea, from there another boost will take up up a vertical
ramp into the air and along a green path with a monkey on it. From here,
literally jump FAR to the right and if you did it correctly you'll land near
the other island's loop-de-loop and dash. Ignore that and jump on the
spring, then the next spring(s), as soon as you land, roll up and dash
under the spikes. You'll only have SECONDS left, give a few quick dashes
and jump on that capsule! Hooray!

The Lost World is a nightmare. It almost sucks the fun out of the game if
you are aiming for the time to beat it. But here's a trick to help give you
some time.
- When you get to the snake room, it will feel like forever, costing you
precious time. Jump the first switch to raise the water and set your
camera to "Free Camera". Aim it at the snake and jump on its head,
then IMMEDIATELY dash down its spine and jump to the next switch.
Wait for it to come back after jumping up and leap on its forehead,
the moment it gets near the stone platform (you should be underwater),
jump off of it and time yourself between the spikes, ignore the badnik
and leap onto the bridge and through the door. When you get to the
mirror room, make NO mistakes. The seemingly worse area is the
switch room with moving walls, hit the first switch in front of you 3
times, jump the wall and move to your right, hit the switch BEHIND
the badnik and jump the wall, move along and jump dash to cut
corners. Jump over the boxes and whatever you do, don't double
jump or you will waste time hitting the boxes. This should help...

Red Mountain stinks. And the only advice I can give you is hit the bouncing
targets when you are sent into the sky in the first section- this saves you
time. In the second area, use boost wisely (hehe..peppy joke). There is a
moment when you get on the rock platforms near the end of the level
(near the dancing tombstones with dancing monkeys..sheesh) where you
can take a leap of faith and skip to the platform in the distance. This
WORKS as I have done it tons of times.

Also! Remember you can check your emblems in the starting game
menu by selecting Trial and then Emblem Results!

Hope this helps you guys, sorry for the long post.

[Brocky_Christ]

Should add in that with statting up the Chao a neat little trick you can do is,
When you've got an animal in your hand, Don't actually give it directly to your Chao.

Place it just in front of him and his stats should level up as well as the animal remaining shiny meaning you can re-use it.
Good way to boost up to level 99 without having to repeat stages 9000 times.

[Dark Chaotix]

do you place the animal in front of it or place the chao infront of the animal?

[Rogkun]

Hehe, forgot to mention that trick- thanks. =)

Something to note: On the DLC, if you gained all the emblems on SA but
did NOT upgrade to Sonic DX, don't fret. You can still get the 130 emblems
(Mecha Sonic). Simply access Mecha Sonic through the Trial mode, a
giant yellow ? should be an indicator.

I know this sounds like an incredibly stupid thing to mention, but if you
have never played the DX version, this could give you a slight heart
attack. Hehe.

[Brocky_Christ]

Originally Posted by Dark Chaotix

do you place the animal in front of it or place the chao infront of the animal?

The animal in front of the Chao.
Can be a pain sometimes when your Chao likes to get up and run around.
Sometimes if you pet him he will stay there and smile for a little while giving you a chance to go for it.

[Vyrastas]

Originally Posted by Rogkun

Something to note: On the DLC, if you gained all the emblems on SA but did NOT upgrade to Sonic DX, don't fret. You can still get the 130 emblems (Mecha Sonic). Simply access Mecha Sonic through the Trial mode, a giant yellow ? should be an indicator.

I know this sounds like an incredibly stupid thing to mention, but if you
have never played the DX version, this could give you a slight heart
attack. Hehe.

I don't understand this. How do you access Metal Sonic? I don't have an option to pick him. I have the DX version and have cleared the Sonic story. Do I need to do something else?

[Dark Chaotix]

Is there a particular place or area where you can repeat the animal / chao trick? I cant seem to do it more then 3 times cos chao either throws it and I grab chao instead or i get too close and end up giving it to them the normal way...

[Brocky_Christ]

Originally Posted by Vyrastas

I don't understand this. How do you access Metal Sonic? I don't have an option to pick him. I have the DX version and have cleared the Sonic story. Do I need to do something else?

well in the original Sonic Adventure DX, Metal Sonic doesn't become available until you've got all 130 emblems.

Also about the whole 130 emblems thing... It says to get all 130 emblems then there is another trophy telling us to get 130 emblems in DX.
Isn't that essentially the same thing? IE. If I buy the DX upgrade when I have all emblems it'll automatically pop up?
Because thats a lame trophy lol.

[Spooky]

About the 130 emblems trophy and the 130 in DX, When you first get 130 emblems you get a trophy. Then if you have the DLC you should get the 130 in DX the first time you select metal sonic as your character. Also metal sonic is only playable in trial mode.

So get 130 emblems Unlocks
The Perfect Adventurer trophy
Get 130 Emblems

Playing as Metal Sonic Unlocks
Metal Sonic Trophy
Get all 130 Emblems by playing Sonic Adventure DX

[Vyrastas]

Originally Posted by Brocky_Christ

well in the original Sonic Adventure DX, Metal Sonic doesn't become available until you've got all 130 emblems.

Originally Posted by Spooky

About the 130 emblems trophy and the 130 in DX, When you first get 130 emblems you get a trophy. Then if you have the DLC you should get the 130 in DX the first time you select metal sonic as your character. Also metal sonic is only playable in trial mode.

So get 130 emblems Unlocks
The Perfect Adventurer trophy
Get 130 Emblems

Playing as Metal Sonic Unlocks
Metal Sonic Trophy
Get all 130 Emblems by playing Sonic Adventure DX

Thanks for this, it makes sense now. I was freaking out about having to get all the embelms again after unlocking Metal Sonic.