Deep in the Marble Zone, a group of Badniks have cornered their prize. Tufftee, a squirrel from the Green Hill Zone, has come to the Zone to save his friends but is now about to be crushed by a Checker-Wrecker Ball! Back in the Green Hill Zone, Sonic is too busy listening to his Walkman to hear any protests from Tails, so it takes a kick up the bum from the fox to earn Sonic's attention (and ire). The reason for the rude awakening is that Sally Acorn is here and she's upset about her little brother, Tufftee, going missing. She explains that Tufftee just wanted to be a hero like Sonic, so he found an old pair of Power Sneakers and headed to the Marble Zone. Realising that his old boots might still have a bit of energy in them, but not much, Sonic speeds off to the Marble Zone before Tails c