▁Hill ▁Zone " ▁and ▁Son ic ▁the ▁H edge h og ▁ 2 s ▁" Ch em ical ▁Plant ▁Zone ". ▁ ▁During ▁each ▁race , ▁the ▁player ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁collect ▁items ▁scattered ▁across ▁the ▁track , ▁best ow ing ▁advantages . ▁R ings , ▁a ▁st ap le ▁Son ic ▁series ▁item , ▁are ▁abund ant ; ▁the ▁player ▁can ▁exchange ▁rings ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁temporary ▁speed ▁boost ▁or ▁open ▁doors ▁leading ▁to ▁short ▁cut s ▁or ▁special ▁items . ▁" Item ▁Pan els " ▁give ▁a ▁random ▁temporary ▁advantage , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁speed ▁increase ▁or ▁shield s ▁that ▁grant ▁ab ilities ▁such ▁as ▁being ▁able ▁to ▁run ▁across ▁water ▁or ▁attract ▁nearby ▁rings . ▁Collection ▁of ▁other ▁special ▁items , ▁such ▁as ▁" S onic ▁Tok ens " ▁and ▁the ▁Cha os ▁Emer ald s , ▁may ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁un lock ing ▁of ▁secret ▁characters . ▁Son ic ▁R ▁allows ▁the ▁player ▁to ▁select ▁the ▁type ▁of ▁weather ▁seen ▁during ▁races . ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁" Time ▁Att ack " ▁mode , ▁where ▁the ▁player ▁races ▁solo ▁to ▁get ▁the ▁fast est ▁time , ▁and ▁a ▁two ▁player ▁compet itive ▁mode , ▁increased ▁to ▁four - play ers ▁in ▁the ▁G ems ▁Collection ▁port . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁standard ▁time ▁trial ▁mode , ▁there ▁are ▁two ▁others : ▁" Get ▁ 5 ▁Bal lo ons ", ▁where ▁five ▁bal lo ons ▁are ▁scattered ▁across ▁the ▁track ▁and ▁must ▁be ▁located , ▁and ▁" Tag ▁ 4