Well, that didn't take long. Here are the assembled backgrounds for the Special Stages in order. I've put two versions of the first one because the colors cycle between blue and red and I wanted to show both, and two versions of the sixth with the background as it appears originally milliseconds before getting heavily distorted. Enjoy
I love the graphics of this game. They suggest such a rich world, especially these special stages:
1: Seems to be in orbit of either Mobius/Earth or the Little Planet
2: In orbit of a Jupiter-like planet!?
3: Underwater complex
4: On an island near a huge city featuring waterfalls and floating buildings
5: A huge domed-city, either underground or in space
6: A city lost in the twilight zone?
7: Yet another city/base most likely at night, unless the green sky indicates yet another moon/planet
8: Robotnik/Eggman's cup of tea?
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"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." [...] The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
B*tch, meet reality. Reality, meet b*tch. - Me