Objective: Reach the Goal Ring with all characters. A-Rank Strategy: Cannon's Core is a multi-character stage, requiring you to play as Tails, Eggman, Rouge, Knuckles, Sonic, and Shadow in sequence. Each section is relatively short but challenging. For Tails and Eggman, focus on destroying all enemies quickly and using flight to navigate. For Rouge and Knuckles, efficiently find the Chaos Emerald shards using your radar and movement abilities. For Sonic and Shadow, maintain maximum speed and utilize grind rails and Homing Attacks. The key to an A-Rank here is to complete each character's section as quickly and efficiently as possible, minimizing damage and maximizing enemy destruction where applicable. There are no specific hidden paths for an A-Rank, but knowing the optimal route for each character's segment is vital. This stage is a true test of your overall mastery of the game.
