If you're playing as Sonic and have all 7 Super Emeralds by now, you'll be tossed into this zone instead of ending the game. There are 2 bosses that need to be dealt with here. First, gather as many rings as you can ( 90 or more is a good number to have--I usually end up running out of rings & dying if I have less than 80) before you reach Robotnik's big, blue ship (the 1st boss). In addition to the small guns, you'll need to avoid heat-seeking missles (which it fires 3 at a time). These missles seem to be the -only- way to damage the ship; lure them toward the cockpit (upper right part of the ship, where Robotnik is sitting). After -9- missle hits, the ship will go down in flames. Unfortunately, Robotnik escapes it, -with- the Master Emerald, inside a big red robot (or is that a 'mobile suit'?).
Grab more rings, until you have enough to last for a couple of minutes. Then rapidly tap the button (or -spacebar-, if you're playing The Sonic & Knuckles Collection and the game doesn't like your joypad) to zoom to the right, fast enough to catch up to Boss #2. Ram it 9 times & pat yourself on the back for making it all the way through this crazy thing.
