I'm 35 years old with 3 kids. My eldest son plays all the sonic games I played at his age and loves the sonic movie. There something cool about watching your kids play the same games you did at that age and enjoy them.
@@genericsavings mine will always be 2 because for my birthday my parents bought the sega genesis sonic 2 bundle. My son Likes 2, (because of tails) 3 (because of knuckles), and adventures for dreamcast and mania
One of the all time best soundtracks in video game history. This game gives me a nostalgia that is different from a just a great game nostalgia. Sonic 3 feels like the end of an era for not only the quality of the Sonic series but really as Sega in regards to being relevant in pop culture. Soon both Sega and Sonic would have a rough couple years ahead.
I honestly think Sonic 1's soundtrack destroys it. 2 is better as well. 3's soundtrack always struck me as just forgettable grooves lacking any strong melodies. Everyone's different, right? 👍🏻
@@eskanda3434 dude, you’re trippin’. Hydrocity, Flying Battery, the final boss theme. Some second act progressions were gnarly. A lot of the 2 player tracks are bangers. Endless Mine influenced a lot of the later Sonic releases.
I definitely feel like the 16-bit era was the best Sega ever really gave us when they were in their absolute prime and hitting on all cylinders. It was all downhill from there for pretty much them as a company and Sonic to be honest. Neither Saturn (obviously) nor the incredible but not long for this world Dreamcast were a match for the Genesis / Mega drive. It just was never the same after the 16-bit days.
Back in the day i loved the OST so much i recorded the music in tape directly off the tv. Still like it a lot. The music from Sonic & Knuckles is a great complement to it!
Sonic Team actually originally wanted it to be 3D to an extent. They wanted to use the SVP chip that was eventually used in the Mega Drive port of Virtua Racing. The only reason this didn't come to fruition was because the chip wasn't ready in time when they began development on Sonic 3.
Well...they actually did that, but were clever enough to spare all this "let's make it 3D, because change" here and made a separate project to a game of its own for these changes. It is called Sonic 3D Blast. A good game, but quite inferior to Sonic 3 IMO.
Dude... I just had a nostalgia mindsplosion at the sight of those McDonalds Sonic toys, I remember having every single one of them... Wow... That feeling was strong. lol
God damn what a great game. My absolute favorite Sonic game, and being able to add Knuckles is just the icing on the cake. Fantastic music, beautiful sprite work, and some of the most impressive technological feats the Genesis ever output. So good.
I don't agree. While I still love it, I love Sonic 2 a lot more. Didn't like where they had taken the character sprites, with almost that pre-rendered look that was all the rage back then. The stages also looked more gritty, with more muted colors and shading. I liked the simpler, brighter colors of Sonic 2 more. The music is great from a technical standpoint and Ice Cap 2 (Hard Times) is some of the best in the series. However, the rest of the tunes are kind of meh to me. Sonic 2 was uniformly excellent in that area. Once again, it was less technically impressive, but with better, more memorable melodies for each stage. The same story with the bonus stage... very technically impressive and fast, but rather bland and not making much sense with what you're supposed to do.
@@Prizrak-hv6qk In Sonic 3 A.I.R, there's an option to make the background look more smooth and realistic. It's the complete version of the original one by the way, the original one wasn't finished. The zone music is much smoother too, it sounds better
I'm glad we didn't get Sonic 3D Blast as the official third Sonic game. It isn't a terrible game, but Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) just seems like a much more fitting end to the Genesis Sonic trilogy. The lock-on technology with Sonic & Knuckles was so revolutionary for its time. Playing through Sonic 3 & Knuckles complete is still one of my favorite Sonic games. Ever since Sonic & Knuckles was released, I don't think I could ever go back to playing just Sonic 3 alone. Here's to hoping the Sonic Mania team is planning an all-new Sonic sequel (Mania or otherwise) in the upcoming years!
Had so much fond memories playing this as a kid. I remember being stuck in a certain section in the Carnival Zone with the moving platform. Literally took me years to finally figure out how to get pass it haha.
Hahaha yeah man I had the same problem you did. I'm sure many a gamer struggled with that portion of Carnival Night back in the pre-internet era. I gotta tell ya....I was so happy once I was finally able to figure out what to do and advance to the Ice Cap Zone. What a feeling!
It always cracks me up how many people say this got them stuck. I was 7 or 8 and didn't have that issue. It's just funny because the Genesis controller basically only uses one button and the d-pad for this game....it couldn't possibly have less input options
I still remember being blown away when I discovered that Tails could swim in Sonic 3! To date, he's the only character in the classic Genesis games that could do that!
I remember renting this from a place called Microplay for a week in like 8th grade. On the very last day right before school, I finished it and ran to the bus already at the bus stop before school. Best Sonic on Genesis.
Microplay was legit the best store on the planet. It was the toys r us of video games but even better since you could buy CHEAPER used games for all console generations! It was a special occasion for me back in the day to go there and buy a used a game. Before the days of the internet you had to go to stores to see what existed and Microplay even let you try the game before you buy it!
I remember playing Sega at my best friends house early in the morning across the street from my house. Our Bus Stop was at the end of our driveways and I remember watching the bus go by. Because we were playing Mortal Kombat at 7 am. Skipping school in the 5th grade
@@JoeyJ0J0 Oh that's awesome. It's about time all those games are featured in one compilation. Hopefully Sonic 3 & Knuckles will be available as one game, it's so dumb when other compilations don't have that option.
That's cool, I've got All the Sonics up tu S&K and a model 1 Genesis, but it would be cool to see an HD rerelease anyways. The games hold up pretty well, but this would greatly expand the potential playerbase.
Hydrocity is so amazing. I don't know how many covers for it I've found on CZcams. Sonic Mania did it so much justice. It's gotta be my favorite Sonic track after Green Hill (the nostalgia with that one is at a different level for me)
I think Sonic 1 and 2's music is a bit stronger melodically but Sonic 3 is all about those beats which is what really makes it stand out, it takes the fullest advantage of the YM2612 chip's bass and percussion sounds. And remixing the music for the second act was a brilliant idea and it's something almost every Sonic game has done since.
I think Sonic 3 is much earlier than the first 2 games but Sonic 3 is still my favourite in the series and the first game in the series I completed by myself without cheating.
I remember when this originally released in the UK for the first week or 2 you could only get the game in a Megadrive console bundle. However it was my birthday that month (February) so my dad had to contact a friend who owned a rental shop to get me a sly copy out of a bundle set for £60... God bless you dad 😊
Having watched videos related to Jackson's involvement I can say confidently his team contributed some of the music for the final product. Ice Cap zone in particular is a dead giveaway to a song Brad Buxer (who is credited and worked with Jackson) had personal involvement on
Glad his name was never officially attached. Guy had bells that would go off when anyone came down the hall when he was in bed with boys. Just bc they didn't convict in one case doesn't mean he didn't do it
@@narcopsy He didn’t do it. There is ample evidence to suggest that his accusers lied. I honestly wish people like yourself would learn to do simple research. Those accusations were levied against him because 1. He outsold every major music act in the industry as a solo artist and that put a target on his back and 2. He bought the Beatles catalogue and became a major player on the business side of the music industry. He was a victim of dirty music industry politics as a result.
my #1 favorite sega game of all time. this is the video i've been waiting for. the most underrated mainline sonic game. it has michael jackson on the soundtrack for christs sake. it doesn't get any better than this.
@@thebotfather9508 The zones are remastered and sound much more smoother. There's a lot more to it, even fun achievements to unlock Knuckles and Tails, different moves Sonic can make, and even Debug mode. There's more to it, that's not all
@@thebotfather9508 No, it sounds more smoother, and there's an option to make it sound like the original version if you want. There are lots of options if you want to change stuff
Not from a mainstream standpoint. Far more people are nostalgic for Sonic 1 and 2's OST's as they sold far better and continue to be on every collection Sega puts out. All the soundtracks are great and I would probably agree S3&K's is my favorite as well.
@@supersexysega Its kind of not surprising Sonic 1 and 2 related content are more well known, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles have been in copyright hell for the past 10 years thanks to MJ's involvement in the music, and Sega has had no ability to re-release the games until only very recently. Kind of hard for S3&K's music to be popular if access to buy the games have been out of the public's hands for so long.
I have a love-hate relationship with Sonic 3. Big Arm was such a huge struggle for me. With how short it seemed at the time, I was genuinely upset after the "final" boss slog. Then S&K released, with the combined game becoming my favorite 2D Sonic.
I've been waiting for this. My all time favorite with the S&K add-on. The new features, shields, amazing music and levels, and the save feature blew my mind.
I don't like Sonic 1 & 2 much nowadays. The former falls apart after Green Hill Zone and lacks the convenient spin dash, and the latter is shockingly buggy and trial & error heavy for something that takes multiple hours for a newcomer, has to be beaten in one sitting, and with limited resources. For such massively successful games, they sure feel lacking in critical areas that the likes of Mario, Mega Man, and Castlevania nailed before or just around their release.
Sonic 3 ans Sonic & Knuckles are the best games on the franchise, I've got great memories playing them on my Genesis. Thank you for reviewing this old games that brings us so much memories.
44 here and still love reminiscing of those days. I absolutely loved the Sonic 3 music. I remember rigging up our old console record player stereo with RCA cables and a 3.5mm jack adapter to connect to the headphone jack on the Gen1 just to listen to the music in stereo and it sounded even better! It's so hard to find a functional Genesis that's complete without a hefty price tag nowadays. Still have 17 of the games from back then in a tote.
Honestly, I am more of a Sonic & Knuckles guy myself. I like the levels & music far better in that one. Of course having both games locked on is even better still, with the hidden final Doomsday Zone being an amazing & fitting end to the original 2D era of Sonic :) Sonic Mania was the first thing to do it right ever since then, almost 30 years later.
Although I had a Genesis growing up, Sonic 1 was the only game I owned for a long time. I remember renting Sonic 3 and working really hard to beat the other players' times in the time attack mode. Great memories with a great game. Possibly the best soundtrack in the entire Sonic franchise.
I used to play Sonic 3 on Sega Genesis all the time! I could never get passed the carnival zone I think due to the amount of lives that I was left with.
Great review and I totally agree about the music, but you fogot to mention two of the main inovations of the gameplay: the Tails ability to swim and carry Sonic during flight
To me, Sonic 3 + Knuckles is the absolute crowning jewel of the Sega Genesis. It had the best graphics, the best music, the best gameplay, it was cinematic, it had unbelievable pacing, it just did it all, something the Sonic Franchise would never do again until Mania, but Mania was kinda just a rehash of the best parts of Sonic 3 anyway.
WHAT! I been on a Sonic 3 binge just these last few days and ofcourse along with Sonic & Knuckles it's my all time favorite so this came at the PERFECT time!
14:55 - Hearing an American say ‘Fiver’ in that context is surprising to me. It’s common to hear that or ‘Tenner’ in the UK (definitely England) when referring to £5 or £10, hadn’t realised it’s used across the pond too!
The subtle storytelling, especially when combined with Sonic & Knuckles, always impressed me. The games really should be viewed as one whole. I would also say Hydrocity and Icecap Zone's music can stand with any of the tunes from the first 2 games.
I still play my original Sega Genesis and Sonic games I did as a small kid in the 90s. The Genesis is my favorite system. Sonic 3 was amazing and still is today!
The Sonic and Knuckles cart was the most awesome thing I had ever seen when that came out, added a new character to the already pretty much flawless Sonic 3. Sega nailed it with these. Sorry, a little random but if you know you know.
I would love for you to review Sonic Mania. Its been out for a little over 4 years now and im shocked you never reviewed it. It's truly an amazing game.
Sonic 1, 2 and 3 were gems. I played so much of those games they became my "homework break" games. I was already in college but they were so inspiring and entertaining. You picked another rich topic with plenty of memories attached. I would love it if you did a review of Segas Spider-Man Genesis game. Great job SLX!!
You are so right about the length. I still remember going to my friends for his bday in the 90s and we were stunned when it ended after an hour and a half. If only it released the way it should have. Sadly back then we weren't the only ones annoyed that the game felt way too short and incomplete then.
Hydrocity, Icecap, and Launch Base are some of my favorite soundtracks of all Sonicdom. If you count S&K, Flying Battery and Lava Reef are also banging. Just slightly edges out Sonic 2 IMO
Sonic 3’s soundtrack more than just edges out Sonic 2 ir completely blows it out of the water with my personal favourites beings “Hydro City act 1 and 2” “Marble Garden act 2” Carnival Night Zone act 1 and 2” Ice Cap Zone act 1” “Launch base zone act 1” “Flying Battery act 2” “Sand Polis Zone act 1” Lava Reef Zone” and “Death Egg Zone act 1”.
No, you're not. I rented it a few times and never managed to pass that damn barrel, because it's the only one that works that way. Many years later I read on the internet how to solve that and finished game on the emulator.
I owned the Sonic 3 And Knuckles combined game, and it was my favorite Sonic experience. The graphics were the best, the soundtrack was killer, Knuckles was an awesome antagonist, and depending on how many Chaos emeralds you collected, you could even play bonus levels for Super Emeralds to get a hyper version of Sonic with your progress carrying over from both versions. It seriously to this day is my favorite Sonic title.
If i remember correctly, the not as much enemies in stages was a delibirate design choice of devs, since dr eggman crashlanded on the island, and had not that much time to make an army before sonic and tails arrived.
Jackson : from what I gathered Producer Bill Bottrel composed Sonic 3's music. Bill Bottrell made one tremendous job in Jackson's Dangerous album with glass smashing all over the place and trumpets fading. Sega had grown very fond of New Jack Swing since Streets of Rage. Michael Jackson didn't compose the music. You have to remember HOW Michael Jackson worked. He would beatbox and hum a tune in a tape recorder, as you'd do under the shower, and leave the rest to actual people who knew arrangements, such as Quincey Jones. This basic method made his pop music easy to listen and appeal to a very large audience. But he also relied on knowledgeable songwriters such as Rod Temperton, Steve Porcaro from Toto, Van Halen and obviously Slash from Guns'N Roses. Once these great writers faded off the picture, Jackson's music took a dive. He went from king of pop to tramp of R'N'B. Sonic 3's was not composed by Michael Jackson because he was not capable of it and this mere fact made the whole copyright excuse all the more irrelevant as I and all Sega fans are very grateful for this near perfect conclusion to the classic Sonic Trilogy. This game used a lot of time and money but it has everything we could wish for.
Sonic 3 is a great game. Sonic 3 with Sonic & Knuckles is one of the greatest games. That deal Sega made with McDonald's prevented Sonic 3 from being one of the greatest games of all time. They had to have something out by February 1994. It would have been nice to see the game released in its entirety on one cart. However, the lock-on technology with Sonic & Knuckles was pretty awesome at the time.
Fun fact: the only appearance of super tails is in this game(s), if you combine both sonic 3 and sonic & knuckles and gather all chaos emeralds in both of them!
I remember there was a Sega Genesis display at my Sears that let you select between multiple different games in the cabinet and Sonic 3 was playable in it in advance of its release. I couldn't believe it. I played the CRAP out of it, selfishly making my mother sit in the car in the parking lot... I had just never been so addicted to gaming as I was then.
My dad was a manager at Sears at the time, and I recall going up there in Feburary '94 and seeing Sonic 3 for the first time. It took me a minute to realize it was a new game and not Sonic 2 lol
Oh my goodness, I remember the massive amounts of hype for this! Me and my brother had the happy meal toys, ran to the living room every time we heard the commercials playing and once the game arrived, played the holy hell out of it!
Lol same, I even listen to Marble Garden Zone Act 2 remastered on loop, and it's my absolute favorite. You should listen to the Sonic 3 A.I.R version of it, it's way smoother than the original and hits deeper since it's remastered a bit
This is simply one of the best platformers ever made. It's one of the retro games I revisit the most frequently. I love this game especially when combined with Sonic and Knuckles. This is just the most polished Sonic has ever been. It's all the little refinements that add up. Everything that this game does is it improvement over Sonic 1 and 2. The seamless act transitions and the way the music is remixed for Act 2. The level design that rewards both exploration and speed - any complaint you may have had about the pacing of the earlier games has been addressed here. The ability to save progress combined with lots of hidden Giant Rings making it so much easier to actually collect all the Chaos Emeralds as part of a normal playthrough. The bonus stages actually being fun and not a chore. The fact that the playstyles of the characters let you pick the difficulty of the game. I also love the subtleties and depth of gameplay - for example, the ways you can use the insta-shield. It is so satisfying to use against bosses, and so impressive when you get the timing down right to avoid getting hit with your invincibility frame. This is hands-down my favorite of the Sonic soundtracks as well. Although Sonic 1 and 2 are absolutely great, this one had masterful use of the FM synth of the Genesis. There's a good CZcams video called "Which Sonic Game is the Best? - RTTTA" and as a joke he was putting Sonic 3's music up against Donkey Kong Country and although that's kind of silly to do, I get the point, the music just rocks and has so much energy.
Just think of how scare flying is in practically any game. SONIC 3 gave us that experience and still made Sonic feel like the appealing character. Game is 4ever Epic
Michael Jackson being uncredited due to the molestation allegations is just one possible reason for him not being credited. SLX neglected to mention the other possible reason, which was Michael was not satisfied with the quality of the Genesis' sound capability and left the project. I thought SLX would have known that or would have at least mentioned that as being a possible reason.
I didn't mention it because I could find no credible source for it. I also think that had MJ really been dissatisfied with it from an artistic standpoint, all his work would have been stricken.
@@SegaLordX You can make the same argument about the molestation alegations. Also it seemed that Michael was more dissatisfied from a technological standpoint than an artistic one.
@@SegaLordX I agree, it is an absolute fact that molestation allegations were made but you could have made mention of the other possible reason being Micheal's disastisfaction and clarified that it was rumor and let your viewers judge for themselves.
Have been a fan of your videos for a while. Your skills as a critic are most evident in this video. There's a lot of retro gaming content in YT, but not a lot of quality criticism. This was the only Sonic we didn't have growing up. I wonder if this was supposed to be released during holiday season 1993 rather than Groundhog Day 1994; it meant we got Sonic Spinball for Xmas that year. The criticism about Sonic 3 and S&K being split are easy and obvious to make, but damn Sega wasn't afraid to take chances by being different in doing experimental things like this. Their presence in the hardware business is sorely missed.
I am always scratching my head when Sega Lord X posts another incredible video, and I see someone has given it a thumbs down. I just want to cradle them in my arms and ask, "who hurt you..."
I never understood why people criticize Sonic 3 it is such a great game I can play it till this day and enjoy it and be impressed with the graphics and game play
Due to the transitional period sega was going to with soa vs soj, 32x vs sega Saturn and 1st wave of the 32-bit. Including snes stepping their game up with donkey Kong country and others released in 94/95. The 32x really overshadowed and stunted the sonic 3 and knuckles sucess.
This game always has a special place in my heart. I won a Virtual Reality competition and I bought Sonic 3 and a pair of rock port boots with my winnings :p
Oh man. I got Sonic 3 at launch - and I never knew the battery backup was non-volatile! That explains why my saves from the time I was a kid are still present 27 years later! Makes me like this game even more - especially since the same saves work for S3&K. For what it’s worth - Hydrocity and Marble Garden are some of my favorite Sonic levels of all time. And honestly, the Sonic 3 music is much more memorable to be than Sonic 2. I spent a lot of time doing both but staring at the moving backgrounds in Ice Cap zone, that was truly mind blowing back then. Of course, this isn’t complete without mentioning Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Still my favorite Sonic game overall.
Ya know what's funny? Despite the fact that I grew up in the Gamecube and 360 era's my entry into Sonic wasn't the Adventure games, the Advance series, or Unleashed. It was Sonic 3's digital re-release on the Xbox 360 that made me a big fan of the series. I love Sonic 3 and actually got excited when I learned Sonic & Knuckles was coming to the Xbox 360 as well. Glad it's finally getting the port love that Sonic's 1, 2, and CD got.
I got Sonic and Knuckles first. Then worked a Summer job for 1 day to buy Sonic 3. I only worked the 1 day because I got grounded for taking a bus to the beach and spent a couple days there without coming home. So during my time being grounded, I played Sonic 3 and Knuckles, and in the time I pretty much mastered it. Getting every emerald, both Chaos and Super, for every playable character. Each character had at least 50 plus lives, except for Sonic, he had at least 99. And that's all without cheat codes. Because I was grounded, I just played day and night for 2 weeks. The 3D special stages became really easy and honestly really helped hone my reflexes. Now that I'm 39, I play that game, and the reflexes aren't what they used to be, but I still hold it down. Both games will always have a special place in my heart. Mainly because itll always remind me of the best Summer I ever had. After I was done being grounded, I got to spend the rest of that summer down the beach. From sun up to sun down. Then, spend all night gaming. Almost zero adult supervision (The Aunt I was staying with worked at night) so me and my cousins had the time of our lives.
Sonic 3 was an awesome game from my childhood! The music and gameplay was an amazing experience! I loved seeing the graphics on each stage too! Awesome video SLX!
I really enjoyed the Sonic games on the Genesis. I was a SNES fan and Mario World was a whole different experience, that I absolutely loved, but the sonic series was so good. My cousin had a genesis and I played the hell out of it. Sooooooo much fun.
Both great series of games. I had a Genesis when the SNES was new, and I really enjoyed getting to play Mario World at friends houses. It was great in different ways, but it also made me appreciate the Sonic games more as well.
I love Sonic 3 and Knuckles. It is imo the best Sonic game. I didn’t even know about Sonic and Knuckles when I got Sonic 3 for my 9th birthday. I was 3 going on 4 when Sonic 3 came out and 4 when Sonic and Knuckles came out. It wasn’t until 2002 or 2003 when I got Sonic and Knuckles and finally experienced the entire game. I have very fond memories of playing this game and I remembered when I first beat the game. I think it does everything better than Sonic 2, including the music. Awesome review as always!
I still remember the McDonald's Happy Meal toys that came out for "Sonic The Hedgehog 3", and the only one that I didn't like was the Dr. Robotnik toy due to it being the crappy American version of the character that we got stuck with for all the Sonic merchandise that was released during in the 1990s, especially since he barely looked like his counterpart from the video games. XP
Growing up I had sonic 2 and my cousin had sonic 3! Seeing all the upgrades in sonic 3 I was amazed I loved sonic 1 and 2 but sonic 3 was a joy to play as well! I had so many fond memories of this game! I liked the Michael Jackson styled tunes as he was such an amazing musician! The game play was great too the fact that tails can lift sonic was a great add on! Awesome review SLX! Great insight here!
Michael Jackson’s crediting for Sonic 3’s music wasn’t dropped due to the molestation charges, it was done before that because allegedly Michael wasn’t satisfied with what the Genesis sound chip could do in the context of what they were planning for Sonic 3. Granted, the allegations probably cemented Sega being quiet on the issue, but they were not the reason Jackson wasn’t credited.
I have always thought of this game as a hidden gem or the Lost Levels of Sonic’s franchise. I actually got a copy of Sonic & Knuckles by accident in a used bargain bin. I thought it was useless without locking onto 3, and I couldn’t afford 3 at the time, so it went unused for months. One day I turned it in just to see what would happen, and it was like a whole game ! It didn’t feel complete; more like a selection of prototype levels, which I played tirelessly. In modern times, I have a hard time finding re releases of this one, and when I do, it still feels like a hidden gem or Sonic’s Lost Levels. These days, I play on iPhone, where we have Sonic 1, 2, CD, and 4 with this one noticeably missing.
Sonic 3 w/Sonic & Knuckles is probably my favorite. Sonic 2 is amazing but the save feature from Sonic 3 put it over the top for me. I played Sonic 3 from its original release but didn't know that it was incomplete, I just thought that at the time that Sonic & Knuckles was just basically an addon...which in a way it was, but didn't know that it was actually the rest of the game
This was actually the first game i bought brand new with my 11 year old money, back then it was 14.96 plus tax i remember in walmart, i loved it, beautiful memories
I'm 35 years old with 3 kids. My eldest son plays all the sonic games I played at his age and loves the sonic movie. There something cool about watching your kids play the same games you did at that age and enjoy them.
You're raising those kids well!
@@tcaudiobooks737 thank you!
One of my parenting highlights too.
What’s your fav Sonic game and what’s his?
@@genericsavings mine will always be 2 because for my birthday my parents bought the sega genesis sonic 2 bundle. My son Likes 2, (because of tails) 3 (because of knuckles), and adventures for dreamcast and mania
One of the all time best soundtracks in video game history.
This game gives me a nostalgia that is different from a just a great game nostalgia. Sonic 3 feels like the end of an era for not only the quality of the Sonic series but really as Sega in regards to being relevant in pop culture. Soon both Sega and Sonic would have a rough couple years ahead.
IceCap Zone is great the rest of the tracks are forgettable.
I honestly think Sonic 1's soundtrack destroys it. 2 is better as well. 3's soundtrack always struck me as just forgettable grooves lacking any strong melodies. Everyone's different, right? 👍🏻
@@eskanda3434 dude, you’re trippin’.
Hydrocity, Flying Battery, the final boss theme.
Some second act progressions were gnarly.
A lot of the 2 player tracks are bangers. Endless Mine influenced a lot of the later Sonic releases.
I definitely feel like the 16-bit era was the best Sega ever really gave us when they were in their absolute prime and hitting on all cylinders.
It was all downhill from there for pretty much them as a company and Sonic to be honest. Neither Saturn (obviously) nor the incredible but not long for this world Dreamcast were a match for the Genesis / Mega drive.
It just was never the same after the 16-bit days.
@@genericsavings Flying Battery wasn't in the original Sonic 3, only in Sonic and Knuckles.
Back in the day i loved the OST so much i recorded the music in tape directly off the tv. Still like it a lot. The music from Sonic & Knuckles is a great complement to it!
I did that too. Man, those were different times.
So glad that Sonic 3 wasn't mindlessly sacrificed on the altar of "let's make it 3d, because change".
Truth
Sonic Team actually originally wanted it to be 3D to an extent. They wanted to use the SVP chip that was eventually used in the Mega Drive port of Virtua Racing. The only reason this didn't come to fruition was because the chip wasn't ready in time when they began development on Sonic 3.
No, they did that for Sonic 3D Flicky's Island.
Well...they actually did that, but were clever enough to spare all this "let's make it 3D, because change" here and made a separate project to a game of its own for these changes. It is called Sonic 3D Blast. A good game, but quite inferior to Sonic 3 IMO.
They flirted with it a bit on Sonic CD too
Dude... I just had a nostalgia mindsplosion at the sight of those McDonalds Sonic toys, I remember having every single one of them... Wow... That feeling was strong. lol
According to Yuji Naka the McDonalds promotion was the first reason they decided to split Sonic 3 in 2 besides cartridge memory limitations
I love getting ptsd flashbacks like those
Same! I had them all but Tails. I could never track him down. Man those were the days!
@Craig Adams When ever that happens it feels so weird. It's like it still exists beside us in parallel.
Same! It was like, “holy shit that’s so foreign but sooo familiar!” 😂🤣😂
God damn what a great game. My absolute favorite Sonic game, and being able to add Knuckles is just the icing on the cake. Fantastic music, beautiful sprite work, and some of the most impressive technological feats the Genesis ever output. So good.
Sonic 3 A.I.R is my absolute favorite, you can do really fun achievements to unlock Knuckles and Tails
I don't agree. While I still love it, I love Sonic 2 a lot more. Didn't like where they had taken the character sprites, with almost that pre-rendered look that was all the rage back then. The stages also looked more gritty, with more muted colors and shading. I liked the simpler, brighter colors of Sonic 2 more. The music is great from a technical standpoint and Ice Cap 2 (Hard Times) is some of the best in the series. However, the rest of the tunes are kind of meh to me. Sonic 2 was uniformly excellent in that area. Once again, it was less technically impressive, but with better, more memorable melodies for each stage. The same story with the bonus stage... very technically impressive and fast, but rather bland and not making much sense with what you're supposed to do.
@@Prizrak-hv6qk In Sonic 3 A.I.R, there's an option to make the background look more smooth and realistic. It's the complete version of the original one by the way, the original one wasn't finished. The zone music is much smoother too, it sounds better
I'm glad we didn't get Sonic 3D Blast as the official third Sonic game. It isn't a terrible game, but Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) just seems like a much more fitting end to the Genesis Sonic trilogy.
The lock-on technology with Sonic & Knuckles was so revolutionary for its time. Playing through Sonic 3 & Knuckles complete is still one of my favorite Sonic games. Ever since Sonic & Knuckles was released, I don't think I could ever go back to playing just Sonic 3 alone.
Here's to hoping the Sonic Mania team is planning an all-new Sonic sequel (Mania or otherwise) in the upcoming years!
yeah I love S3 & K, but if I have to chose 1 to play forever until I die it will be Sonic 2.
One of the best soundtracks in the entire series. I still have the “Flying Battery” theme as part of one of my playlists.
And death egg zone
Hydrocity act 2
and ice cap
One of the best games and soundtracks of all time.
Had so much fond memories playing this as a kid. I remember being stuck in a certain section in the Carnival Zone with the moving platform. Literally took me years to finally figure out how to get pass it haha.
Hahaha yeah man I had the same problem you did. I'm sure many a gamer struggled with that portion of Carnival Night back in the pre-internet era.
I gotta tell ya....I was so happy once I was finally able to figure out what to do and advance to the Ice Cap Zone. What a feeling!
It always cracks me up how many people say this got them stuck. I was 7 or 8 and didn't have that issue. It's just funny because the Genesis controller basically only uses one button and the d-pad for this game....it couldn't possibly have less input options
Me too🤣🤣🤣🤣
I still remember being blown away when I discovered that Tails could swim in Sonic 3! To date, he's the only character in the classic Genesis games that could do that!
I remember renting this from a place called Microplay for a week in like 8th grade. On the very last day right before school, I finished it and ran to the bus already at the bus stop before school. Best Sonic on Genesis.
Are you from Ontario, Canada? We had Microplay here too. I bought like half my NES collection as a kid from their used game section.
Microplay was legit the best store on the planet. It was the toys r us of video games but even better since you could buy CHEAPER used games for all console generations! It was a special occasion for me back in the day to go there and buy a used a game. Before the days of the internet you had to go to stores to see what existed and Microplay even let you try the game before you buy it!
I remember playing Sega at my best friends house early in the morning across the street from my house. Our Bus Stop was at the end of our driveways and I remember watching the bus go by. Because we were playing Mortal Kombat at 7 am. Skipping school in the 5th grade
@@BB-te8tc Toronto.
Sonic 3 and Knuckles is one of my favorites , I am so glad its finally getting an HD rerelease.
Wait, WHAT? This is the first time I'm hearing about this.
@@kingboobs20 yup, the Sonic Origins collection has Sonic 1, 2 , 3, CD and Knuckles in wide screen
@@JoeyJ0J0 Oh that's awesome. It's about time all those games are featured in one compilation.
Hopefully Sonic 3 & Knuckles will be available as one game, it's so dumb when other compilations don't have that option.
@@JoeyJ0J0 It must include Master System Sonics too
That's cool, I've got All the Sonics up tu S&K and a model 1 Genesis, but it would be cool to see an HD rerelease anyways. The games hold up pretty well, but this would greatly expand the potential playerbase.
Really gotta disagree with you on the music. Hydrocity 2 is very elite. Every track is very distinct. I think it's on par with s2.
Hydrocity is so amazing. I don't know how many covers for it I've found on CZcams. Sonic Mania did it so much justice. It's gotta be my favorite Sonic track after Green Hill (the nostalgia with that one is at a different level for me)
@@ricardomauricioaraya7625 yueah Hydrocity is legendary. Both versions are great, too.
@@SeveredLegs yeah, it's so cool how every zone has a different music, even if it's slightly different
I think Sonic 1 and 2's music is a bit stronger melodically but Sonic 3 is all about those beats which is what really makes it stand out, it takes the fullest advantage of the YM2612 chip's bass and percussion sounds.
And remixing the music for the second act was a brilliant idea and it's something almost every Sonic game has done since.
Hydrocity 2 is definitely the one 👊
Hydrocity and Ice Cap zones' soundtracks are forever engraved in my brain, and they have some great remixes out there too.
The lack of enemies never bothered me. In fact I really like the way it is, so running isn't interrupted as often. Bosses could be more epic probably.
I think Sonic 3 is much earlier than the first 2 games but Sonic 3 is still my favourite in the series and the first game in the series I completed by myself without cheating.
I remember when this originally released in the UK for the first week or 2 you could only get the game in a Megadrive console bundle. However it was my birthday that month (February) so my dad had to contact a friend who owned a rental shop to get me a sly copy out of a bundle set for £60... God bless you dad 😊
Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles are both 9 out of 10 games as stand alones. As a complete package it is legitimate 10/10 caliber game.
11/10
@@manuelink64 Yea it's the perfect platformer in my eyes.
Sonic 3 A.I.R is 69/10
Having watched videos related to Jackson's involvement I can say confidently his team contributed some of the music for the final product. Ice Cap zone in particular is a dead giveaway to a song Brad Buxer (who is credited and worked with Jackson) had personal involvement on
Yeah, Ice Cap Zone's music was inspired by the song hard Times by The Jetzons...which Brad Buxer was a member of.
Glad his name was never officially attached. Guy had bells that would go off when anyone came down the hall when he was in bed with boys. Just bc they didn't convict in one case doesn't mean he didn't do it
Also, buxers work was only on 3 or 4 songs. Not the entire soundtrack
@@narcopsy You remember those bells too? "Dingle dingle hide your dangle" he used to say..
@@narcopsy He didn’t do it. There is ample evidence to suggest that his accusers lied. I honestly wish people like yourself would learn to do simple research.
Those accusations were levied against him because 1. He outsold every major music act in the industry as a solo artist and that put a target on his back and 2. He bought the Beatles catalogue and became a major player on the business side of the music industry. He was a victim of dirty music industry politics as a result.
my #1 favorite sega game of all time. this is the video i've been waiting for. the most underrated mainline sonic game. it has michael jackson on the soundtrack for christs sake. it doesn't get any better than this.
When you play Sonic 3 A.I.R, you'll notice a difference in how better the Zone music sounds
@@Alpha125 i never played Sonic 3 AIR. whats the difference?
@@thebotfather9508 The zones are remastered and sound much more smoother. There's a lot more to it, even fun achievements to unlock Knuckles and Tails, different moves Sonic can make, and even Debug mode. There's more to it, that's not all
@@Alpha125 i meant whats different about the soundtrack? did they change the music?
@@thebotfather9508 No, it sounds more smoother, and there's an option to make it sound like the original version if you want. There are lots of options if you want to change stuff
The Sonic 3&K OST is miles beyond and more iconic than S2 or S1 OST's.
Not from a mainstream standpoint. Far more people are nostalgic for Sonic 1 and 2's OST's as they sold far better and continue to be on every collection Sega puts out.
All the soundtracks are great and I would probably agree S3&K's is my favorite as well.
@@supersexysega I'd even add that s3&k's songs sound complex and layered which make it harder to hum. But yeah, all these Costs are fantastic
@@supersexysega Its kind of not surprising Sonic 1 and 2 related content are more well known, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles have been in copyright hell for the past 10 years thanks to MJ's involvement in the music, and Sega has had no ability to re-release the games until only very recently. Kind of hard for S3&K's music to be popular if access to buy the games have been out of the public's hands for so long.
I have a love-hate relationship with Sonic 3. Big Arm was such a huge struggle for me. With how short it seemed at the time, I was genuinely upset after the "final" boss slog. Then S&K released, with the combined game becoming my favorite 2D Sonic.
Such an amazing experience playing sonic 3 and knuckles together. Nothing on snes holds a candle to this unique experience
❗'Super Mario World'.
Just saying...
@@leighdappa good game!
@@Nobunaga1983 Yes, much better than S3&K.
@@leighdappa Nope
@@andrecastro1980 Yep!
I've been waiting for this. My all time favorite with the S&K add-on. The new features, shields, amazing music and levels, and the save feature blew my mind.
I have all of the sonic games and I gotta say, I prefer numbers 1 and 2. But 3 is fun too though. Great video, as always, Segalordx!
Sonic 3 A.I.R is way better than 1 and 2. Even the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles
@@Alpha125 I wouldnt say one is better than the other. They were all awesome for their time as a series.
I don't like Sonic 1 & 2 much nowadays. The former falls apart after Green Hill Zone and lacks the convenient spin dash, and the latter is shockingly buggy and trial & error heavy for something that takes multiple hours for a newcomer, has to be beaten in one sitting, and with limited resources. For such massively successful games, they sure feel lacking in critical areas that the likes of Mario, Mega Man, and Castlevania nailed before or just around their release.
Definitely a classic to always replay.
Sonic 3 has the best soundtrack of the series hands down.
Sonic 3 ans Sonic & Knuckles are the best games on the franchise, I've got great memories playing them on my Genesis. Thank you for reviewing this old games that brings us so much memories.
44 here and still love reminiscing of those days. I absolutely loved the Sonic 3 music. I remember rigging up our old console record player stereo with RCA cables and a 3.5mm jack adapter to connect to the headphone jack on the Gen1 just to listen to the music in stereo and it sounded even better! It's so hard to find a functional Genesis that's complete without a hefty price tag nowadays. Still have 17 of the games from back then in a tote.
Love this game, I remember finally getting all 7 emeralds to become golden Sonic!
@Craig Adams But he WAS golden as well as Super
Super
Yellow
My Brother and I grew up in the golden age of SEGA and even at the "TAILS" end loved this....
Honestly, I am more of a Sonic & Knuckles guy myself. I like the levels & music far better in that one. Of course having both games locked on is even better still, with the hidden final Doomsday Zone being an amazing & fitting end to the original 2D era of Sonic :) Sonic Mania was the first thing to do it right ever since then, almost 30 years later.
Although I had a Genesis growing up, Sonic 1 was the only game I owned for a long time. I remember renting Sonic 3 and working really hard to beat the other players' times in the time attack mode. Great memories with a great game. Possibly the best soundtrack in the entire Sonic franchise.
S3&K is among the greatest 2D platformer games ever made in my opinion
I can agree with that. I think the only 2D platformers I prefer would be the SNES trio of Donkey Kong Country games.
I used to play Sonic 3 on Sega Genesis all the time! I could never get passed the carnival zone I think due to the amount of lives that I was left with.
I really love the bonus ring music.
I like how he showed off the multiplayer... " You don't have friends like me" Awww... LOL
The crazy thing, as a kid I never even realised the importance of the instashield. I don’t even know if I knew about it.
Great review and I totally agree about the music, but you fogot to mention two of the main inovations of the gameplay: the Tails ability to swim and carry Sonic during flight
To me, Sonic 3 + Knuckles is the absolute crowning jewel of the Sega Genesis. It had the best graphics, the best music, the best gameplay, it was cinematic, it had unbelievable pacing, it just did it all, something the Sonic Franchise would never do again until Mania, but Mania was kinda just a rehash of the best parts of Sonic 3 anyway.
WHAT! I been on a Sonic 3 binge just these last few days and ofcourse along with Sonic & Knuckles it's my all time favorite so this came at the PERFECT time!
14:55 - Hearing an American say ‘Fiver’ in that context is surprising to me. It’s common to hear that or ‘Tenner’ in the UK (definitely England) when referring to £5 or £10, hadn’t realised it’s used across the pond too!
To each his own, but I prefer environmental challenges to defeating enemies.
Then Sonic is definitely the series for you.
@@SegaLordX 😅
@@spartanxdarth201 kung fu master
Most platformers are environmental challenges tho...
The subtle storytelling, especially when combined with Sonic & Knuckles, always impressed me. The games really should be viewed as one whole. I would also say Hydrocity and Icecap Zone's music can stand with any of the tunes from the first 2 games.
I still play my original Sega Genesis and Sonic games I did as a small kid in the 90s. The Genesis is my favorite system. Sonic 3 was amazing and still is today!
The Sonic and Knuckles cart was the most awesome thing I had ever seen when that came out, added a new character to the already pretty much flawless Sonic 3. Sega nailed it with these. Sorry, a little random but if you know you know.
I would love for you to review Sonic Mania. Its been out for a little over 4 years now and im shocked you never reviewed it. It's truly an amazing game.
I did review it. It was on the old channel before I started this one.
@@SegaLordX link to the review?
Sonic 1, 2 and 3 were gems. I played so much of those games they became my "homework break" games. I was already in college but they were so inspiring and entertaining. You picked another rich topic with plenty of memories attached. I would love it if you did a review of Segas Spider-Man Genesis game. Great job SLX!!
S3’s soundtrack is a little better than 2’s in my opinion.
It is, especially in Sonic 3 A.I.R, it sounds better than in the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles
That damn red bouncing barrel in Carnival Night Zone. Spent HOURS trying to jump to lower it.
You are so right about the length. I still remember going to my friends for his bday in the 90s and we were stunned when it ended after an hour and a half. If only it released the way it should have.
Sadly back then we weren't the only ones annoyed that the game felt way too short and incomplete then.
Hydrocity, Icecap, and Launch Base are some of my favorite soundtracks of all Sonicdom. If you count S&K, Flying Battery and Lava Reef are also banging. Just slightly edges out Sonic 2 IMO
It's way better than Sonic 2, my personal favorite one is Marble Garden Zone Act 2
Sonic 3’s soundtrack more than just edges out Sonic 2 ir completely blows it out of the water with my personal favourites beings “Hydro City act 1 and 2” “Marble Garden act 2” Carnival Night Zone act 1 and 2” Ice Cap Zone act 1” “Launch base zone act 1” “Flying Battery act 2” “Sand Polis Zone act 1” Lava Reef Zone” and “Death Egg Zone act 1”.
So was I the only one bamboozled by “the barrel?” Still a great game
No, you're not. I rented it a few times and never managed to pass that damn barrel, because it's the only one that works that way. Many years later I read on the internet how to solve that and finished game on the emulator.
@@solidsnake3828 I found out while playing, that pressing up and down on the D-pad helps while jumping...
I owned the Sonic 3 And Knuckles combined game, and it was my favorite Sonic experience. The graphics were the best, the soundtrack was killer, Knuckles was an awesome antagonist, and depending on how many Chaos emeralds you collected, you could even play bonus levels for Super Emeralds to get a hyper version of Sonic with your progress carrying over from both versions. It seriously to this day is my favorite Sonic title.
If i remember correctly, the not as much enemies in stages was a delibirate design choice of devs, since dr eggman crashlanded on the island, and had not that much time to make an army before sonic and tails arrived.
Jackson : from what I gathered Producer Bill Bottrel composed Sonic 3's music. Bill Bottrell made one tremendous job in Jackson's Dangerous album with glass smashing all over the place and trumpets fading. Sega had grown very fond of New Jack Swing since Streets of Rage. Michael Jackson didn't compose the music. You have to remember HOW Michael Jackson worked. He would beatbox and hum a tune in a tape recorder, as you'd do under the shower, and leave the rest to actual people who knew arrangements, such as Quincey Jones. This basic method made his pop music easy to listen and appeal to a very large audience. But he also relied on knowledgeable songwriters such as Rod Temperton, Steve Porcaro from Toto, Van Halen and obviously Slash from Guns'N Roses. Once these great writers faded off the picture, Jackson's music took a dive. He went from king of pop to tramp of R'N'B. Sonic 3's was not composed by Michael Jackson because he was not capable of it and this mere fact made the whole copyright excuse all the more irrelevant as I and all Sega fans are very grateful for this near perfect conclusion to the classic Sonic Trilogy. This game used a lot of time and money but it has everything we could wish for.
I agree that the soundtrack on Sonic 2 is a tad more memorable but the tracks of Ice Cap Zone are absolute masterpieces.
Sonic 3 is a great game. Sonic 3 with Sonic & Knuckles is one of the greatest games. That deal Sega made with McDonald's prevented Sonic 3 from being one of the greatest games of all time. They had to have something out by February 1994. It would have been nice to see the game released in its entirety on one cart. However, the lock-on technology with Sonic & Knuckles was pretty awesome at the time.
Fun fact: the only appearance of super tails is in this game(s), if you combine both sonic 3 and sonic & knuckles and gather all chaos emeralds in both of them!
I remember there was a Sega Genesis display at my Sears that let you select between multiple different games in the cabinet and Sonic 3 was playable in it in advance of its release. I couldn't believe it. I played the CRAP out of it, selfishly making my mother sit in the car in the parking lot... I had just never been so addicted to gaming as I was then.
My dad was a manager at Sears at the time, and I recall going up there in Feburary '94 and seeing Sonic 3 for the first time. It took me a minute to realize it was a new game and not Sonic 2 lol
Back when Sears had the Funtronics Department. Those were the days
I was just thinking about sonic 3 the other day 😁
It happened to me before, you feel so in shock when you were just thinking about something and it happens around the world
Oh my goodness, I remember the massive amounts of hype for this! Me and my brother had the happy meal toys, ran to the living room every time we heard the commercials playing and once the game arrived, played the holy hell out of it!
Ice Cap zone 2 is by far one of the best sonic themes ever
I could listen to Ice-Cap on loop for hours, one of the best MD tunes ever created!
Lol same, I even listen to Marble Garden Zone Act 2 remastered on loop, and it's my absolute favorite. You should listen to the Sonic 3 A.I.R version of it, it's way smoother than the original and hits deeper since it's remastered a bit
This is simply one of the best platformers ever made. It's one of the retro games I revisit the most frequently.
I love this game especially when combined with Sonic and Knuckles. This is just the most polished Sonic has ever been. It's all the little refinements that add up. Everything that this game does is it improvement over Sonic 1 and 2. The seamless act transitions and the way the music is remixed for Act 2. The level design that rewards both exploration and speed - any complaint you may have had about the pacing of the earlier games has been addressed here. The ability to save progress combined with lots of hidden Giant Rings making it so much easier to actually collect all the Chaos Emeralds as part of a normal playthrough. The bonus stages actually being fun and not a chore. The fact that the playstyles of the characters let you pick the difficulty of the game.
I also love the subtleties and depth of gameplay - for example, the ways you can use the insta-shield. It is so satisfying to use against bosses, and so impressive when you get the timing down right to avoid getting hit with your invincibility frame.
This is hands-down my favorite of the Sonic soundtracks as well. Although Sonic 1 and 2 are absolutely great, this one had masterful use of the FM synth of the Genesis. There's a good CZcams video called "Which Sonic Game is the Best? - RTTTA" and as a joke he was putting Sonic 3's music up against Donkey Kong Country and although that's kind of silly to do, I get the point, the music just rocks and has so much energy.
Dude - Ice Cap Zone’s music is easily among the best in the entire series.
I will never get tired of Sonic 3 or listening to reviews of it on youtube.
Just think of how scare flying is in practically any game.
SONIC 3 gave us that experience and still made Sonic feel like the appealing character. Game is 4ever Epic
Michael Jackson being uncredited due to the molestation allegations is just one possible reason for him not being credited. SLX neglected to mention the other possible reason, which was Michael was not satisfied with the quality of the Genesis' sound capability and left the project. I thought SLX would have known that or would have at least mentioned that as being a possible reason.
I didn't mention it because I could find no credible source for it. I also think that had MJ really been dissatisfied with it from an artistic standpoint, all his work would have been stricken.
@@SegaLordX You can make the same argument about the molestation alegations. Also it seemed that Michael was more dissatisfied from a technological standpoint than an artistic one.
@@incogcogni8108 It is absolute fact that the molestation allegations were made. I offered no opinion on whether they were true or not.
@@SegaLordX I agree, it is an absolute fact that molestation allegations were made but you could have made mention of the other possible reason being Micheal's disastisfaction and clarified that it was rumor and let your viewers judge for themselves.
Have been a fan of your videos for a while. Your skills as a critic are most evident in this video. There's a lot of retro gaming content in YT, but not a lot of quality criticism.
This was the only Sonic we didn't have growing up. I wonder if this was supposed to be released during holiday season 1993 rather than Groundhog Day 1994; it meant we got Sonic Spinball for Xmas that year.
The criticism about Sonic 3 and S&K being split are easy and obvious to make, but damn Sega wasn't afraid to take chances by being different in doing experimental things like this. Their presence in the hardware business is sorely missed.
I am always scratching my head when Sega Lord X posts another incredible video, and I see someone has given it a thumbs down. I just want to cradle them in my arms and ask, "who hurt you..."
To me, the Icecap Zone track is the coolest music to come out of the 16-bit era
I never understood why people criticize Sonic 3 it is such a great game I can play it till this day and enjoy it and be impressed with the graphics and game play
Due to the transitional period sega was going to with soa vs soj, 32x vs sega Saturn and 1st wave of the 32-bit. Including snes stepping their game up with donkey Kong country and others released in 94/95. The 32x really overshadowed and stunted the sonic 3 and knuckles sucess.
That carnival music is extra fire
This game always has a special place in my heart. I won a Virtual Reality competition and I bought Sonic 3 and a pair of rock port boots with my winnings :p
Oh man. I got Sonic 3 at launch - and I never knew the battery backup was non-volatile! That explains why my saves from the time I was a kid are still present 27 years later! Makes me like this game even more - especially since the same saves work for S3&K.
For what it’s worth - Hydrocity and Marble Garden are some of my favorite Sonic levels of all time. And honestly, the Sonic 3 music is much more memorable to be than Sonic 2.
I spent a lot of time doing both but staring at the moving backgrounds in Ice Cap zone, that was truly mind blowing back then.
Of course, this isn’t complete without mentioning Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Still my favorite Sonic game overall.
Ya know what's funny? Despite the fact that I grew up in the Gamecube and 360 era's my entry into Sonic wasn't the Adventure games, the Advance series, or Unleashed. It was Sonic 3's digital re-release on the Xbox 360 that made me a big fan of the series.
I love Sonic 3 and actually got excited when I learned Sonic & Knuckles was coming to the Xbox 360 as well. Glad it's finally getting the port love that Sonic's 1, 2, and CD got.
It’s about time and congratulations on 100k
I got Sonic and Knuckles first. Then worked a Summer job for 1 day to buy Sonic 3. I only worked the 1 day because I got grounded for taking a bus to the beach and spent a couple days there without coming home. So during my time being grounded, I played Sonic 3 and Knuckles, and in the time I pretty much mastered it. Getting every emerald, both Chaos and Super, for every playable character. Each character had at least 50 plus lives, except for Sonic, he had at least 99. And that's all without cheat codes. Because I was grounded, I just played day and night for 2 weeks. The 3D special stages became really easy and honestly really helped hone my reflexes. Now that I'm 39, I play that game, and the reflexes aren't what they used to be, but I still hold it down. Both games will always have a special place in my heart. Mainly because itll always remind me of the best Summer I ever had. After I was done being grounded, I got to spend the rest of that summer down the beach. From sun up to sun down. Then, spend all night gaming. Almost zero adult supervision (The Aunt I was staying with worked at night) so me and my cousins had the time of our lives.
Sonic 3 was an awesome game from my childhood! The music and gameplay was an amazing experience! I loved seeing the graphics on each stage too! Awesome video SLX!
I really enjoyed the Sonic games on the Genesis. I was a SNES fan and Mario World was a whole different experience, that I absolutely loved, but the sonic series was so good. My cousin had a genesis and I played the hell out of it. Sooooooo much fun.
Both great series of games. I had a Genesis when the SNES was new, and I really enjoyed getting to play Mario World at friends houses. It was great in different ways, but it also made me appreciate the Sonic games more as well.
I love Sonic 3 and Knuckles. It is imo the best Sonic game. I didn’t even know about Sonic and Knuckles when I got Sonic 3 for my 9th birthday. I was 3 going on 4 when Sonic 3 came out and 4 when Sonic and Knuckles came out. It wasn’t until 2002 or 2003 when I got Sonic and Knuckles and finally experienced the entire game. I have very fond memories of playing this game and I remembered when I first beat the game. I think it does everything better than Sonic 2, including the music. Awesome review as always!
Excellent intro to one of my most beloved games of all time.
pure classic. i still run this every year or so. if slx hasnt he needs to run sonic mania, which feels 100% like the sonic 4 we deserved.
The music for Ice Cap Zone is fucking SIIIIICK!
I still remember the McDonald's Happy Meal toys that came out for "Sonic The Hedgehog 3", and the only one that I didn't like was the Dr. Robotnik toy due to it being the crappy American version of the character that we got stuck with for all the Sonic merchandise that was released during in the 1990s, especially since he barely looked like his counterpart from the video games. XP
Growing up I had sonic 2 and my cousin had sonic 3! Seeing all the upgrades in sonic 3 I was amazed I loved sonic 1 and 2 but sonic 3 was a joy to play as well! I had so many fond memories of this game! I liked the Michael Jackson styled tunes as he was such an amazing musician! The game play was great too the fact that tails can lift sonic was a great add on! Awesome review SLX! Great insight here!
Michael Jackson’s crediting for Sonic 3’s music wasn’t dropped due to the molestation charges, it was done before that because allegedly Michael wasn’t satisfied with what the Genesis sound chip could do in the context of what they were planning for Sonic 3. Granted, the allegations probably cemented Sega being quiet on the issue, but they were not the reason Jackson wasn’t credited.
Sonic 3+knuckles is my favorite genesis game
absolute classic nostalgic soundtrack, love your work
I have always thought of this game as a hidden gem or the Lost Levels of Sonic’s franchise. I actually got a copy of Sonic & Knuckles by accident in a used bargain bin. I thought it was useless without locking onto 3, and I couldn’t afford 3 at the time, so it went unused for months. One day I turned it in just to see what would happen, and it was like a whole game ! It didn’t feel complete; more like a selection of prototype levels, which I played tirelessly. In modern times, I have a hard time finding re releases of this one, and when I do, it still feels like a hidden gem or Sonic’s Lost Levels. These days, I play on iPhone, where we have Sonic 1, 2, CD, and 4 with this one noticeably missing.
Play all the sonic games when I was in high school and I love the fact that you could combine sonic three add sonic knuckles it makes an awesome game
some good warm memories playing this night's during summer school holiday in 94,awesome
That damn Super Sonic code was hard as hell to enter on this game! As soon as it says "Sega" you had to have lightning fast fingers lol
You are one of the hardest workers in the platform. Love your channel. Keep up the good work
Thank you.
Congrats on hitting 100,000 subs
You deserve it 👏🏿 😎
This brought back some memories, I remember having a blast with this game, I was so excited to play it.
Sonic 3 w/Sonic & Knuckles is probably my favorite. Sonic 2 is amazing but the save feature from Sonic 3 put it over the top for me. I played Sonic 3 from its original release but didn't know that it was incomplete, I just thought that at the time that Sonic & Knuckles was just basically an addon...which in a way it was, but didn't know that it was actually the rest of the game
Sonic 3 was an excellent release, but it would morph into the greatest entry in the ENTIRE series once "locked on" with Sonic & Knuckles.
This was actually the first game i bought brand new with my 11 year old money, back then it was 14.96 plus tax i remember in walmart, i loved it, beautiful memories