The Hub worlds are only playable in 2D, so they are not free roam like they were in Unleashed. The hub world starts out at White Space, but opens up more as the Sonics pass through more levels. Five can be found in each Act, and collecting them unlocks extras such as music, art, and movies. Red Star Rings return in the console version. Modern Sonic's levels, on the other hand, carry on the current modern 2D/3D gameplay of recent titles such as Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors, featuring the Homing Attack, Freestyle Tricks, a Drift, the Stomp, the Light Speed Dash, and the Sonic Boost. Classic Sonic's levels are strictly two-dimensional side-scrolling stages, using classic moves like the Spin Attack and the Spin Dash. Each level can be played with either Classic Sonic or Modern Sonic, each taking their own routes throughout the level. There is a level taken from each mainstream Sonic game to represent the different times.
The game features levels derived from twenty years of Sonic history, ranging from the Classic era, through the Dreamcast era, to the Modern era.
