How many Chaos Emeralds can you collect in the first Sonic The Hedgehog?

In the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, originally released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1991, players can collect a total of six Chaos Emeralds. These emeralds are hidden throughout the game's special stages, accessed by finding and jumping into giant rings hidden in regular stages. By successfully completing the special stages and collecting all six emeralds, players can unlock the true ending of the game, where Sonic becomes Super Sonic and gains enhanced abilities.