To access Cyber Space portals in Sonic Frontiers, you must collect Portal Gears by defeating Guardians such as Ninja, Tower, or Asura. Each portal on Kronos Island, Ares Island, Chaos Island, and Ouranos Island requires a specific number of gears to activate, ranging from a single gear for early levels to multiple for later stages.
Accessing Cyber Space Portals
Cyber Space is a digital dimension within Sonic Frontiers that serves as a repository for the memories and data of the Ancients. These linear levels are accessed through stone Portals scattered across the Starfall Islands. Once a Portal is unlocked, it remains permanently accessible, allowing Sonic to return and complete missed objectives or improve his completion rank. Activating these Portals is a critical gameplay loop, as they are the primary source for Vault Keys needed to unlock Chaos Emerald Vaults.
The number of Portal Gears required to activate a Cyber Space Portal varies depending on the stage and island. Early levels may only require one gear, while later stages demand more. These gears are primarily obtained by defeating various Guardians found across the open-zone islands.
| Island | Portal Name | S-Rank Time | A-Rank Time | B-Rank Time | C-Rank Time | Inspiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kronos Island | 1-1 (Green Hill) | 00:43.00 | 00:48.00 | 01:00.00 | 01:30.00 | Windmill Isle Daytime Act 1 (Sonic Unleashed) |
| Kronos Island | 1-2 (Sky Sanctuary) | 00:55.00 | 01:00.00 | 01:10.00 | 01:20.00 | Windmill Isle Daytime Act 2 (Sonic Unleashed) |
| Kronos Island | 1-3 (City) | 01:00.00 | 01:05.00 | 01:15.00 | 01:25.00 | N/A |
| Kronos Island | 1-4 (Green Hill) | 01:15.00 | 01:20.00 | 01:30.00 | 01:40.00 | Green Hill Act 2 (Sonic Generations) |
| Kronos Island | 1-5 (Chemical Plant) | 01:15.00 | 01:20.00 | 01:30.00 | 01:40.00 | Chemical Plant Act 2 (Sonic Generations) |
| Kronos Island | 1-6 (Green Hill) | 01:15.00 | 01:20.00 | 01:30.00 | 01:40.00 | Green Hill Act 1 (Sonic Generations) |
| Kronos Island | 1-7 (City) | 01:25.00 | 01:30.00 | 01:40.00 | 01:50.00 | City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2) |
| Ares Island | 2-1 (Green Hill) | 01:40.00 | 01:45.00 | 01:55.00 | 02:05.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-2 (Sky Sanctuary) | 00:55.00 | 01:00.00 | 01:10.00 | 01:20.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-3 (Chemical Plant) | 00:55.00 | 01:00.00 | 01:10.00 | 01:20.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-4 (Chemical Plant) | 01:10.00 | 01:15.00 | 01:25.00 | 01:35.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-5 (Green Hill) | 01:10.00 | 01:15.00 | 01:25.00 | 01:35.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-6 (Green Hill) | 02:25.00 | 02:30.00 | 02:40.00 | 02:50.00 | N/A |
| Ares Island | 2-7 (Sky Sanctuary) | 01:30.00 | 01:35.00 | 01:45.00 | 01:55.00 | N/A |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of the Cyber Space Portals on Kronos and Ares Islands, including their S-Rank time records and inspirations from previous Sonic games. Achieving S-Ranks in these stages is crucial for maximizing rewards and progression. For example, Portal 1-1, inspired by Windmill Isle Daytime Act 1 from Sonic Unleashed, requires an S-Rank time of 00:43.00. Players should prioritize speed and efficient movement to meet these targets.
Cyber Space Objectives and Rewards
Every Cyber Space stage features four standardized mission objectives designed to challenge speed and exploration skills. These objectives are: reaching the goal, clearing the stage with an S-Rank time, collecting a minimum of 80 Rings, and finding all five hidden Red Star Rings. Successfully completing each individual mission rewards Sonic with a Vault Key, which are essential for progressing the main story by unlocking Chaos Emerald Vaults. Completing all four missions in a single stage grants an additional three bonus Vault Keys, totaling seven keys for a perfect run. These keys allow Sonic to retrieve Chaos Emeralds and transform into Super Sonic to battle Titans like Giganto or Wyvern.
Cyber Space Challenge Mode
The Cyber Space Challenge Mode is post-game content introduced with the Sights, Sounds, and Speed Update, unlocked after completing the main game. In this mode, players are thrown into seven Cyber Space Stages, competing against the clock across all islands. To access it, navigate to the main menu and select “Cyber Space Challenge.”
When playing, your completion time carries over from one race to the next, emphasizing the need for continuous speed across all seven stages. To progress to the next island’s challenge, a final score of at least an A rank is required. Successfully unlocking all five levels and earning at least an A rank in all stages will unlock the Cyber Space Power Boost. This boost can be enabled in the Options menu under Settings, but it cannot be used in Arcade Mode.
Level Themes and Aesthetics
The visual identity of Cyber Space is limited to four primary themes, all derived from Sonic’s memories: the lush greenery of Green Hill Zone, the industrial cityscape of Chemical Plant Zone, the ancient floating ruins of Sky Sanctuary Zone, and the nocturnal urban highways of Radical Highway. While these aesthetics are recycled from previous titles like Sonic Generations, the level layouts often feature entirely new platforming challenges or remixed segments from older games such as Sonic Adventure 2 or Sonic Unleashed. The digital nature of the realm is further emphasized by “glitch” effects, floating data fragments, and a distinct electronic soundtrack composed by Tomoya Ohtani and other Sega Sound Team members.
With the release of “The Final Horizon” content update in 2023, Cyber Space was expanded to include significantly more difficult challenges on Ouranos Island. These new stages feature complex platforming sequences that demand mastery of Sonic’s expanded move set, including the Spin Dash and specialized parkour maneuvers. Additionally, players can control Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna, and Miles “Tails” Prower within specific contexts, though their interaction with traditional Cyber Space Portals differs from Sonic’s. The update also introduced “Master King Koco’s Trial,” which requires players to complete a gauntlet of Cyber Space levels under strict conditions to unlock Sonic’s new power-up form.
Upon completing the main campaign, Arcade Mode is unlocked, allowing direct access to every Cyber Space stage from the main menu. This mode is designed for speedrunners and completionists, removing open-zone exploration to focus entirely on the linear platforming experience. Players can track their best times for each stage and aim for S-Ranks across the 30+ level roster.
FAQ
What are Portal Gears and how do I get them? Portal Gears are items required to activate Cyber Space Portals. They are primarily obtained by defeating Guardians found across the Starfall Islands, such as Ninja, Tower, or Asura.
What rewards do I get for completing Cyber Space stages? Each completed mission within a Cyber Space stage (reaching the goal, S-Rank time, 80 Rings, 5 Red Star Rings) rewards a Vault Key. Completing all four missions in a single stage grants three additional bonus Vault Keys, for a total of seven. Vault Keys are used to unlock Chaos Emerald Vaults.
What is Cyber Space Challenge Mode? Cyber Space Challenge Mode is post-game content unlocked after finishing the main game. It involves competing against the clock in seven Cyber Space Stages across the islands, with your time carrying over between races. Achieving an A rank in all stages unlocks the Cyber Space Power Boost.
Can I replay Cyber Space stages? Yes, once a Portal is unlocked, it remains permanently accessible. Additionally, Arcade Mode, unlocked after completing the main campaign, allows for direct access to all Cyber Space stages from the main menu for speedrunning and completion.
What are the main themes of Cyber Space levels? Cyber Space levels feature four primary themes derived from Sonic’s memories: Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, Sky Sanctuary Zone, and Radical Highway.