Editing Nine Circles

{{IB-Level
 |image      = NineCircles.png
 |id         = 4284013
 |creator    = [[Zobros]]
 |created    = [[Update 1.9]]
 |updated    = [[Update 2.0]]
 |difficulty = {{Demon}}
 |stars      = 10
 |coins      = 3
 |length     = 1m 32s (Long)
 |objects    = 14,894
 |copytype   = Password (121214)
 |downloads  = 126.56M
 |likes      = 3.97M
 |rating     = Featured
 |artist     = [https://rukkus.newgrounds.com/ NIGHTkilla (Rukkus)]
 |music      = [https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/533927 Nine Circles]
 |musicid    = 533927
}}
'''Nine Circles''' (commonly abbreviated as '''NC''') is a [[Update 1.9|1.9]]/[[Update 2.0|2.0]] Hard Demon level by [[Zobros]]. Known for its unique gameplay and wave section, it is widely considered one of the most significant levels in [[Geometry Dash]] history. It inspired the creation of thousands of other remakes that utilized its signature fast-paced wave section and strobing visuals, referred to as [[Nine Circles Levels|Nine Circles levels]].
Soon after its upload, mkComic released a remake called [[Fairydust]], a pink version of Nine Circles, which was arguably the level that inspired other creators to follow the same path. Some popular Nine Circles levels include [[Sonic Wave]], [[Poltergeist]], and [[Jawbreaker]].

==Description==
*'''0-22%:''' Nine Circles begins with a cube section consisting of simple jumps and fakes. It then transitions to a double-speed ship sequence featuring narrow spaces with sawblades to dodge. The section also contains slopes that can make the ship unstable and cause it to fly into the sawblades.
*'''22-34%:''' Next, the player enters a ball segment involving orbs and gravity portals. This part requires memorization due to the many fake orbs and the need for precise timing to avoid crashing into gears or spikes.
*'''34-39%:''' The level then transitions to a slow, easy cube segment with two simple jumps. Then the song drops, signalling a drastic increase in difficulty as it transitions into a flashy wave section.
*'''39-50%:''' The wave section begins with a normal-size wave segment mainly based on timings. At 45%, the player must go through an invisible space in the 'slope'. At 48%, it transitions to a slow but tight wave segment.
*'''50-62%:''' The level transitions into an upside-down wave section, returning to triple-speed with more timing and manoeuvring. At 58%, it turns into a wave dual primarily based on precision.
*'''62-72%:''' The level transitions into a difficult mini-wave section, requiring good precision due to several slopes being in the way, and if the player is not quick enough, it will result in a crash. The section slows down a bit at the end.
*'''72-83%:''' The level transitions to an upside-down mini-wave segment, considered the hardest section of the level. It is similar to the previous mini-wave segment but a little more difficult due to the reversed gravity. The section then transitions to a dual-wave segment mainly based on memory.
*'''84-100%:''' Finally, the level ends with a medium-difficulty cube section, which involves a lot of timed jumps and memorization. The first orb must also be well-timed because hitting it too early will cause the player to hit the ceiling of a block and crash. The level ends with Zobros' name, similar to most of his other original levels. This creator-signature is often replicated in other Nine Circles levels.

==User coins==
Nine Circles contains three user coins, requiring moderate skill to obtain. The second coin is arguably the hardest one to get by a significant margin.
*The first coin is located in the ball segment. The player must skip a yellow orb, land on the fake spikes where the coin lies, and switch their gravity to get back on course.
*The second coin is located in the wave section. When the player is an upside-down wave, a coin is on top of a sawblade. To collect it, the player must take an alternate route and time it precisely to avoid crashing into the sawblade. Upon getting the coin, the player must click once before holding down a second time to exit the danger zone.
*The third and final coin is located in the final cube section. Hitting the edge of the penultimate pad and bouncing on the orb in the last second shoots the cube far enough from the final pad and under Zobros' name. The surrounding spikes disappear, and the coin appears on screen with a message from Zobros: 'NOICE'.

==Gameplay==
{{VC|GpxlCvVpRic}}

==Trivia==
*Nine Circles was ranked #3 in Geometry Dash Today's list 'The Top 100 Greatest Geometry Dash Levels Of All Time'.
*The colours and theming at the drop were inspired by the level The Dragon Mayhem from the game ''Open Hexagon''.<ref name="Facts">https://gdforum.freeforums.net/thread/8319/5-facts-circles?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjeeBEpWDmU</ref>
*Nine Circles was easier when it was first created, but Zobros then updated it to make it harder before reverting it to the original version. Most recently, he updated the level to add user coins.
*NIGHTkilla's songs often have identical structures and beats. Because of this, Nine Circles seems to synchronize perfectly with the second part of the NIGHTkilla song '[https://newgrounds.com/audio/listen/541786 Fairydust]'.
*The first person to record Nine Circles on YouTube was mkComic, the one who made the second Nine Circles level, Fairydust.<ref name="Facts" />
*This is Zobros' most famous level, having received countless other remakes that have gotten noticed and occasionally featured.
*In late December 2015, Nine Circles was renamed; its capitalization was corrected from 'Nine circles' to 'Nine Circles'.
*Nine Circles' popularity has spawned a large number of [[Nine Circles Levels|similar levels]], many of which are significantly more difficult. The current most difficult Nine Circles-styled level is Subsuming Vortex, verified by [[Cursed]] on 10 November 2025.
*Like many of Zobros' levels, Nine Circles' description reads 'Easy', making it highly misleading.
*Nine Circles was the 1,215th [[Daily Level]], as a joke from [[Robert Topala|RobTop]] on 1 April 2020.
**By extension, Nine Circles is the first Demon level to have ever been the Daily level. It would be followed by Level Devil six years later.
*On 1 April 2021, RobTop accidentally deleted all of Nine Circles' comments, which made many players infuriated because that meant the comment from [[Michigun]] (whose death had been announced only a few days prior), 'guess whos first' was deleted too, with many stating it as 'disrespect'.
*In the level [[Dark Odyssey]], there is a part from Nine Circles found at 79%.
*Before Update 2.2.11, Nine Circles was the only Demon level that could be played on [[Geometry Dash World]], being found on page 130 of the Featured tab.
*Nine Circles was the only Demon level available in Geometry Dash World that had never been a Weekly Demon. It was changed as part of the weekly rotation update in Update 2.2.11.
*Nine Circles is the second-most-downloaded and second-most-liked level not featured in a [[Map Packs|Map Pack]] or a [[Gauntlets|Gauntlet]].
**[[Bloodbath]] is the only level in this category with more likes or downloads.
**By extension, Nine Circles is also the most-liked and downloaded Hard Demon level.
*The name of the achievement for clearing 90 Demon levels in Normal Mode, '9 Circles of Hell', is likely a direct reference to both this level and [[Wikipedia:Inferno (Dante)|Dante Alighieri's ''Inferno'']], from which the concept of 'The 9 Circles of Hell' originates.
{{Togglebox
 |header = Errors
 |body   = <nowiki />
*After the first cube segment, the player can enter the ship sequence upside-down due to the misalignment of the blue pads. This bug will always result in a crash because there is no normal gravity portal before the ball segment.
*There are two bugs in the dual-wave segment before the mini-wave transition. One is where the player can enter the mini-wave segment upside-down, and the other is where the wave misses the mini-portal and stays large.
*At the end of the slow, tight wave, the player can spam between the sawblade and the gravity portal, which causes them to enter the second part of the wave in normal gravity, making it easier to manoeuvre.
}}
{{Togglebox
 |header = Notable fails
 |body   = <nowiki />
*razing717 failed at 93%.
*BackLash failed at 93%.
*Bycraftxx failed at 94%.
*Emerald failed at 94%, which led to her giving up on Nine Circles, and she still has yet to return to it.
*Flub failed at 94%.
*CrowTRobot failed at 94% x5.
}}

==Videos==
{{VC|4WCgpSYz-ug|f82ae2v7vdQ|sqJ29ENxvB4
 |cpt1 = Verification
 |cpt2 = Original version
 |cpt3 = Old buffed version
}}

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Classic levels]]