Customer Reviews

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a lot of memories of Sonic The Hedgehog 3. I got it when it first came out, and I still play it a lot. Like the previous two Sonic The Hedgehog games for the Genesis, it's a 2D side scroller and your objective is to collect rings, get all the chaos emeralds, and defeat Dr. Robotnik. There are more fun levels in this one than there is in any of the other Sonic The Hedgehog games. There's a fire level, an ice one, a carnival level, and many more. It also has a better challenge and better graphics than Sonic The Hedgehog 1 or 2. The music and sounds are perfect for the game, and the control is also top notch. The bonus levels are different in this one, and better. In one, you have to keep going side to side in a bubble gum machine to try and get one-ups, rings, fire, etc., and in the chaos emerald bonus levels, you have to go around a planet-like place to get all the blue bubbles. There are also powerups that Sonic and Tails can use, such as fire, a bubble, and electricity.

If you like great 2D side scrolling action/adventure games, or if you like the other Sonic The Hedgehog games for the Sega Genesis, I recommend getting Sonic The Hedgehog 3. For the Genesis and for the 16-bit genre of video games, it's a classic.

I am a huge fan Sega Genesis, I have been since i was only kid, and the Sonic games have always been my favorite games. Sonic 3 is the best of all of them and includes new characters, attacks, items, and fetures not in the previous two games. The best feture of Sonis 3 is the ability to save games to be played later. In the game itself there are better levels, better enemies, and harder bosses. To help Sonic, there are new sheilds that can block him from certain enemies or even block him from fire and help him breath under water. In this game Dr. Robotnik has help from Knuckles, the brainwashed guardian of the Caos Emeralds. Knuckles pops up from time to time to set treps for Sonic, but in the end he really is a good guy. Tails now has the ability to fly and even swim in water, which is more than a big help alot of the time. The last thing I really like about Sonic 3 is, it can be combined with Sonic & Knuckles to make on big game and even play as Knuckles. All and all it is the best Sonic game ever and must for in Sega Genesis/Sonic fan.

Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles were originally going to be released as one game, but it ended up being cut into two games. Sonic 3, when compared to Sonic 1 and 2, is a MAJOR step. With more options for verses mode and saving ability, Sonic 3 introduced a lot more options for Sonic gaming fun.

The game also introduces the character Knuckles the Echidna, whom of which is the guardian of Angel Island, where Dr. Robotnik (Eggman) lands after his defeat from Sonic 2. Dr. Robotnik manages to convince Knuckles that Sonic and Tails are the ones who want to cause trouble, so Knuckles often gets in the way and makes things difficult for Sonic and Tails during the entire game. In verses mode, you can play as Knuckles as well as Sonic or Tails.

In the usual game, you can play as Sonic and Tails, Sonic alone, or Tails alone. One thing I really like about Sonic 3 as opposed to Sonic 2 is that Tails can fly, which often gives him a great advantage over playing Sonic. When you do 2 player with Sonic and Tails, Tails can often fly Sonic to high places, but it's not a long time before Tails gets tired.

Levels: The levels are big and often challenging, usually taking a long time to complete. However, one of the reasons why Sonic 3 is flawed in my opinion is that there are very few levels (6, including the final boss which is not a separate level from the last), which is a small number compared to it's predecessors (Sonic 1 had 6 levels not including the final zone, but keep in mind that the levels in Sonic 1 have 3 zones, not just two; Sonic 2 had 11 levels).
Grade: 7.5/10
Best level: Ice Cap Zone (Level 5)

Graphics: Beautiful and clear, MUCH improved over Sonic 2.
Grade: 10/10

Bonus/Emerald Rounds: The idea of a bonus round is introduced with Sonic 2. With the new bonus round (the gumball round) you have a chance to get more rings/lives/shields. It's often a quick escape from a potentially bad situation. The emerald rounds are also new; basically consisting of Sonic or Tails having to gather up blue spheres and not touch the red spheres in order to get the emeralds. I find that those emerald rounds are generally easier than the ones in Sonic 1 or 2, which I am not a big fan of at all.
Grade: 10/10

Characters: Sonic and Tails, Sonic, and Tails. Knuckles as well in the verses mode. Not too bad a line-up, I believe.
Grade: 9.5/10

Music: I don't really like the music in Sonic 3. Most of it I believe lacks the catchiness of the music from Sonic 2 or Sonic and Knuckles. I believe that Hydrocity Zone and the Ice Cap Zone themes have their charms, but nothing really stands out as being all that good. Thankfully, the music was improved a LOT in Sonic and Knuckles. However, an interesting thing that is new with Sonic 3 is that the themes for the different levels change slightly for the different zones of the level; for instance, the theme for Hydrocity Act 1 is SLIGHTLY different then the theme for Hydrocity Act 2. Often, you have to really listen to the themes to hear the differences, but they are there. This trend adheres to Sonic and Knuckles as well.
Grade: 7/10

Bosses: I find the bosses for Sonic 3 to be extremely difficult at times. They are much more difficult than the bosses in Sonic 2, which can often be beaten in a matter of seconds. The bosses in Sonic 3 take a lot of patience. Even some of the bosses in Sonic and Knuckles I find are often easier than the ones in Sonic 3. Sometimes, the bosses can be so difficult it can take a matter of rings (and even lives) to beat them. However, the final boss I find is actually a little easier than expected. Also, for the first time in Genesis gaming, you are able to have rings to defeat the final boss.
Grade: 9.5/10

Basically, for Sonic 3, the thing that was improved the most over Sonic 2 was special features (and graphics). Not only did they add a verses round, but they added more options such as time track (try to beat your best time w/ separate characters!). Also, the saving mode allows you to save where you left off from, and also saves all your lives and continues. Once you've completed the game, you can go back and play any level you wish on your saved game. You may delete any saved game that you want at any time, and you can even play no save! Tails can fly, which is an awesome feature. And, another added bonus is the addition of shields to the game. In Sonic 2, the only shield that existed was the protection shield, good for one hit so Sonic could be spared his rings (or a life). However, with Sonic 3, three new shields replace the old protection shield. The flame shield protects Sonic from any flame or fire-induced harm (even lava!), the water shield protects Sonic from drowning, and is VERY useful in Hydrocity (and other levels, since Sonic 3 has a LOT of water), and the lightning shield, which protects Sonic from a lot of electric hazards and also attracts rings by magnet. Sonic can do specialized moves with the shields, but even when lacking a shield, Sonic can do an insta-shield, which is useful when a hazard is near. Tails can also use the shields, but he cannot do specialized moves with them.

Overall, Sonic 3 is a great game, but does lack in some departments. If you want a more intense gaming experience, buy Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles together and play Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Sonic 3 and Knuckles is quite possibly the best Sonic game ever, and eliminates all the flaws of Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles.

The only time I have ever played NES or SNES,was when I was at a friends house. And I was playing Mario games. So how do I know about STH 3? Sonic Mega Collection and Computer. This is my most favourite Sonic game and it still is is. You can play as Sonic and Tails (I wound not reccomend),Sonic (definate no no) or Tails (definate yes yes) This game is flooded with action and the graphics are great. My favourite thing about this game is that the backround is sooooooooo cool. I'd reccomend it

but 1st in the ranking! I love this game! I play it all the time!

Anyway, about the game...I like the storyline a lot, but it's still very similar to the previous games. Get the Chaos Emeralds, stop Robotnik from wreaking havoc on the world. This game has very detailed backgrounds and challenging bosses, unique music and 3 new shields, and much, much more!

Another thing I like is that even though it's on the 16-bit Sega Genesis, it still has that 3D look to it that is pretty darn cool! Plus my favorite character debuts in it: Knuckles the Echidna. He's so cool! If you ever get Sonic and Knuckles, put them together and something even cooler will happen! (especially if you beat the game of Sonic 3 with the Sonic and Knuckles cartrige!)

My recommendation: buy this game! You won't regret it!

~Amy Rose~

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 can basically be summed up in one word: gorgeous. That's right, StH3 is easily one of the best looking games the Genesis has to offer. The graphics in this game are about twice as sharp as the ones in StH2, and the back and foregrounds are about 2-3 times as detailed.

Gameplay-wise, it is about the same as the earlier two in the series. While that's not exactly a bad thing, StH3 could've had more extras that would've blown the others out of the water. While the gameplay is essencially the same, the level design is where all the extra work has gone. The levels are unbelievably long, with the later levels averaging 6-7 minutes to complete. But that's not a bad thing, because the stages are very fun, very challenging (especially the Marble Gardens, for some reason), and will have you craving for more at the end.

While not as memorable as the earlier versions, StH3 is a great sequel to the Sonic series, and is an excellent way to round-out your Genesis library. But be prepared, this game is tough. But, even with the harder difficulty, this is still a great game. Get it. You wont regret it.

If you have this and Sonic and Knuckles, lock them on and you'll have a great game! Hyper Sonic, Super Emerald, Super Tails, Hyper Knuckles and much more!!!

Ratings:

Graphics: A-
Sound: B+
Controls: B
Gameplay: A+
Overall: A+

Note that this is for Sonic 3 locked on with Sonic and Knuckles.

Sonic 3 is, in my eyes, the ultimate 2D Sonic experience. It has a great soundtrack (I even have the background music on my iPod, that's how much I love it), great enemies, and colorful worlds. Again, the soundtrack is excellent, from the aquatic jazz of HydroCity to someone shouting "go go go!" at you in the Launch Base to the peaceful wintery music of IceCap. The final boss music is the best, it starts out sounding menacing and doomsdayish, then speeds up, then has a very positive "you can do it!" sounding finish. There are also different types of shields, the best one being the lightning shield, which makes collecting rings much easier.
There are only 2 negatives to this game: it's a bit too easy and short, and it has a ridiculous number of underwater areas. EVERY single level except Marble Garden has an underwater area, and even that level has slime pits you can sink into. I mean, come on, who ever heard of an underwater carnival? Fortunately, both of these problems can be solved by locking the game on to Sonic & Knuckles, which is essentially the 2nd half of the game. S&K has no underwater areas and is a bit more challenging. If you buy S3, I recommend buying S&K and locking the two on in order to enjoy the TRUE Sonic 3 experience.

I've played alot of video games, and Sonic The Hedgehog 3 stands without a doubt as the greatest of them all. It represents not only the pinnacle of the series, but the pinnacle of 2D gaming in general.

The improvements and upgrades are truly what catapaulted this game into the same league as Mario and Zelda. The new graphics are without a doubt the best the Genesis has ever seen, removing the fuzz of previous entries, and giving Sonic & friends a sleek metallic shine. The new level designs are spot on. Sonic 2 had 10 levels, but each act could be completed in about 1:30 (if that). Sonic 3 reduces the number of levels, and turns the remaining ones into 5 and 6-minute long epics that give you an immense feeling of accomplishment when you manage to clear them. The new Special Stages are stellar, each in their own unique way, specifically the sphere-collecting Chaos Emerald levels that will ASSURE your reflexes (and potty-mouth) a good workout. The new elemental shields give the game a somewhat RPG-like depth. Lastly, the ability to summon Tails to help get you out of a tight spot is one of the best uses of multiplayer ever, coming in VERY handy on some of the game's harder moments.

At the core of all these upgrades is the classic, light-speed gameplay that Sonic has always been about: Jumping & dashing into enemies, running as fast as you can through tons of strange, interesting obstacles to face excellent boss fights, collecting Chaos Emeralds, and morphing into Super Sonic to kick enemy ass.

The almost-as-good Sonic & Knuckles would continue to elaborate on Sonic's gameplay, but this still where Sega achieved absolute perfection. Negative things about the game...hahaha. What negative things? It's perfect in everyway.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3(1994). The third official Sonic game on the Genesis.

February 2, 1994. "Hedgehog Day", as Sega so bluntly stated in the commercials promoting the next sequel of the series. Even Alex Trebeck used this bit of trivial information on an episode of Jeopardy once. Whatever all this means, the Sonic series had reached an all-time high with the major success of its classic sequel. If the first game introduced us to the next mascot in gaming, then Sonic 2 was the game that cemented Sega's reputation as a true 16-bit giant in the early 90s. Those were such great times, living in an age with two great systems, the Genesis and the SNES, which spawned so many 2D classics that are still enjoyed... err anyways, enough reminiscing. After the 2D zenith of Sonic 2, Sega promised fans that they would follow-up with what was to be the BIGGEST AND BEST Sonic game of the series. In the two year gap between official sequels, the Sega CD did churn out the much overlooked Sonic CD, a game which I hold in high regard, yet it unfortunately became forgotten once a Genesis sequel would emerge. The hype was as high as ever, and things were looking extremely promising for this massive sequel...

However, in an effort to meet deadlines AND pack as much goodness into a Sonic game as possible, Sega was forced into dividing Sonic 3 in two separate parts: the game we all know today as Sonic 3, and also the rest of it packaged later on in the year into a special "lock on" cart known as Sonic & Knuckles. This aspect both pleased and angered some fans, though standing alone, Sonic 3 holds up extremely well. It has enough new features to keep the older fans happy, and anyone new to the series would find this game to be a great starting point. Besides, you can still play the "full Sonic 3" by popping this one on top of S&K, so it's not like this scheme is avoided. Just separated like puzzle pieces, that's all. Here's the scoop on Sonic 3:

PROS
-YOU CAN MAKE TAILS FLY NOW! This is something I'm sure many fans complained about with Sonic 2, so now as the second controllable character, you actually have something to do. Plus, you can swim and lift Sonic up to otherwise unreachable areas out of his grasp. Pretty cool.
-FANTASTIC GRAPHICAL UPGRADE. This means more scaling, more colors, and more fast paced action.
-HUGE LEVELS TO EXPLORE. While there aren't high quantities of levels in Sonic 3 alone, the quality of them is astounding. They are so BIG and expansive that you can easily get lost in some of them, though there is always some sort of path to keep you on track. Each level is roughly 2.5 times the size of any stage in Sonic 2.
-NICE VARIETY OF SHIELD POWERUPS. The standard blue shield was kinda getting boring, so Sega thought to vary it up with a bubble shield that lets you breathe underwater (and bounce!), a fire shield that does a scorch attack, and the electric shield which provides a double-jump in addition to attracting rings like a magnet. The "insta-shield" trick is also a noteworthy series staple.
-MORE GREAT MUSIC. Sonic 2 is still king here, with Sonic CD and 1 right behind it, but Sonic 3 offers a bunch of memorable music. I particularly loved the Hydrocity Act 2, Marble Garden Act 1, and the Ice Cap and Launch Base themes.
-And speaking of Ice Cap Zone, THIS IS THE BEST ZONE IN ANY SONIC GAME! Sega knew that all 3 of its previous games were missing an ice-themed stage, and what better way to introduce us than by having Sonic ride down a slope on a fast snowboard. Those were probably the greatest 20 seconds of any Sonic game.
-GREAT SPECIAL STAGES. Unlike the time-based ones of the 3 previous games, Sonic 3's SS's offer a simple giant pseudo-3D sphere grid in which you must collect all the blue spheres and avoid the red ones. While the other games' stages seemed like you needed luck to win, these ones are based more on skill, which is a major plus. Also, these stages are much more accessible now in the game.
-The BONUS STAGES offer a nice change from the seriousness of the SS's in that you don't have to win them, just collect powerups, etc.
-NOW YOU FIGHT A BOSS AT THE END OF EVERY STAGE. None are too difficult, but offer enough of a challenge to keep things interesting.
-Lastly, THE SAVE FEATURE IS NICE TO HAVE.

CONS
-VERY FEW ZONES. 6 to be exact. This is of course understandable given what I've explained above, but even if the stages are long, the game itself still feels brief.
-YOU CAN EASILY TELL THAT SONIC 3 WAS MEANT TO BE LARGER. If the stage select menu didn't give it away, then remember all those "unbreakable walls" that you see every so often? Well maybe if another character...
-2P MODE IS A SLIGHT DISAPPOINTMENT. Just run laps in very short zones. No playing through actual in-game levels or special stages like the ones in Sonic 2.
-Big stages mean that THE TIMER IS A REAL PAIN IN THE ARSE for explorers.
-Oh, and even though most of the music is great, the CARNIVAL NIGHT ZONE THEME DRIVES ME UP THE WALL. Trust me, it'll get very tedious after a few minutes.

By itself, Sonic 3 holds up to be a very solid entry, but because it is clearly "half" a game, I'll only give it 4.5 stars. Do yourself a favor and get both halves and play the Sonic 3 & Knuckles adventure. It doesn't matter if you link the two Genesis carts or get it through Sonic Mega Collection. Either way, it's the best way to experience it. GOTTA JUICE!