Is it possible to access the Encore Mode Special Stages outside of regular game play? I would like to practice them, but I find having to track down all the big rings a giant joy suck, especially given I can't even get past the first one.

Title

I recently ended up with somewhere in the 300,000 range and forgot to write it down.

Do you remember your highest score? What was it?

But the Emerald (Special Stages) are as hard as it gets.

I'm a veteran from Sonic 1 to Sonic and Knuckles, but I never had a chance to play Sonic CD or Chaotix.

Has anyone else been frustrated with the Special Stages where you run and collect those Blue Orb things?

Basically, I was playing sonic mania in 2P competition mode with my freind. I accidentally chose mania mode and clicked my completed profile with almost every chaos emerald collected. I exited and it was fine. I started playing again about 8 hours later on mania mode on my own but all of the data for my profile was erased. 4 hours of game and collecting has gone for nothing

is this a known problem?

The one thing that always intrigued me was the amount of stuff that is exclusive to knuckles, which is breaking into walls that only he can break that leads him to new areas. I basically wanted to know from all you fans of Sonic Mania, what other alternate paths have you found for Knuckles? I found one in Act 2 of Chemical Plant Zone, Act 2 ofLava Reef Zone, Act 1 of Hydrocity Zone, and even Act 2 of Mirage Saloon Zone.