Sonic in the first level, Labyrinth of the Sky who has collected all 3 keys to finish the stage.

Players control Sonic by moving him around a pinball-like arena, using his power to roll into a ball to defeat Badniks and pick up keys in order to exit through the GOAL door to clear the stage. The only move Sonic can use in the game is the Spin Dash, because Doctor Ivo Robotnik (Doctor Eggman in the new games) secretly replaced his famous red shoes with another pair: the Slow-Down Boots that took away his ability to run fast or jump, and they cannot be removed at all without the use of Chaos Emerald energy. Sonic does retain his ability to walk and Spin Dash, however there is a time limit in each stage so it is best to move quickly (which ironically, isn't even possible).

 Stages

In Sonic Labyrinth, there are a total of four Zones, each containing three Acts and a Boss. The goal is to help Sonic locate three keys hidden throughout the stages and then head to the GOAL door.

Throughout the stages are many enemies just waiting to attack the unsuspecting Sonic, so the player must remain aware of his surroundings. The only time Sonic is able to collect rings is during Boss fights (and before fights as Sonic is rolling down a steep incline toward the Boss) but Sonic will "die" in two hits no matter how many rings the player has unless the player ends up with zero rings, then obviously Sonic will only take one hit. With the keys in hand, Sonic can withstand a few attacks by enemies.