Board 8 > Sonic 3 & Knuckles lives up to the hype

(+) Yeah! (+)

I was pretty sour on the series after finally 100%ing Sonic 1 and 2... But 3&K has so far improved on the formula in every way imaginable.

This is the Sonic game I played as a kid (3, at least), but I don't think it's the nostalgia blinding me. This is a near-perfect platformer.

/uncontroversial opinions
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I owned it as a kid and don't really remember much of it. I remember flying around as Knuckles a lot, I did enjoy that.
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Best 2-D platformer ever
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It's up there
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I prefer 2 simply because I hated having to stop and search for the giant rings to get the Emeralds. It just broke the pacing for me, especially having GOTTA GO FAST being hammered into my head since childhood

but I can see why people would prefer 3&K
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But you don't have to stop and go hunting for them since you have save files. You can just go into the big one at the beginning of Mushroom Hill over and over again until you have them all.
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LeonhartFour posted...

But you don't have to stop and go hunting for them since you have save files. You can just go into the big one at the beginning of Mushroom Hill over and over again until you have them all.

I didn't do that and I still got all the emeralds by the carnival act.

I would take this over tip-toeing through a level to maintain enough rings to haphazardly make it through a bonus stage any day. The bonus stages were my #1 complaint about the first two games. Took away so much fun.
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LeonhartFour posted...

But you don't have to stop and go hunting for them since you have save files. You can just go into the big one at the beginning of Mushroom Hill over and over again until you have them all.

I actually did not know you could do this. I thought you could only do that trick after you beat Death Egg Zone
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no one said 100%ing a game would be as fun as beating it!

following this topix
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One of the best games of all time
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Sonic on a snowboard. Iconic 90s.
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I was never a huge fan of Sonic 3 for whatever reason. Sonic & Knuckles is fantastic though. Never played them together.
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2 > Mania > 3&K > Advance 3 > Advance > Advance 2 > CD > 1 > Rush > 4 > Triple Trouble > Chaos > 2 on Game Gear
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Time limits are dumb
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Especially when they count up...
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What's everyone's favorite level?

Ice caps has the best music and atmosphere so far, but Hydrocity might literally be perfectly designed
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Nelson_Mandela posted...

Hydrocity

Hydro-sih-tee or Hy-dross-it-ee?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2OWC5Hosv8" data-time="

Totally relevant to this game.
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Nelson_Mandela posted...

What's everyone's favorite level?

Ice caps has the best music and atmosphere so far, but Hydrocity might literally be perfectly designed

Flying Battery.
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Lava Reef Zone all the way.

That act/setting transition is incredible. That music is incredible. That boss and tease of Death Egg is in-freakin-credible. My jaw was agape that whole ending sequence, and I knew in that first experience playing it that S3&K had elevated itself into all-time greats platformer status for me.

I also think Hydrocity is one of the weaker zones in the game and never fully got all the love for it, but at the very least, it is a water level that is actually super enjoyable.
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Whiskey_Nick posted...

2 > Mania > 3&K > Advance 3 > Advance > Advance 2 > CD > 1 > Rush > 4 > Triple Trouble > Chaos > 2 on Game Gear

3&K > 2 > Mania > CD > 1 > Advance 3 > Advance > Advance 2 > Rush

I need to play Sonic 4 Episode 2 but I honestly like the first episode quite a bit and I hear the second is way better. Also played the others but it just feels weird comparing them to the rest for some reason. Even Rush feels weird on that list and I sort of want to take it off, but eh, that's where it would be if I had to put it on there (and I still quite like it so those are all good games). And Advance 3 and everything prior, well, those are all great games.
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TheRock1525 posted...

Nelson_Mandela posted...

What's everyone's favorite level?

Ice caps has the best music and atmosphere so far, but Hydrocity might literally be perfectly designed

Flying Battery.

Might be my #2 so far (just completed this one)
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Flying Battery is pretty amazing. My favorite one is yet to come though.
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Nelson_Mandela posted...

What's everyone's favorite level?

Sky Sanctuary (the not-Knuckles version), but Flying Battery and Icecap are both great too.
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