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Sonic the Hedgehog 3

From Sonic Retro

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
ROM size: 2 Megabytes
Genre: 2D Platform, Racing
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sega Mega Drive
JP
27 May 1994 ¥5,800 G-5531
Sega Mega Drive
US
2 February 1994 $54.99 1079
Sega Mega Drive
EU
24 February 1994  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
AU (Plat)
?  ? FSON07SMC
Sega Mega Drive
AS
?  ? 1079
Sega Mega Drive
BR
1994  ? 046190
Sega Mega Drive
KR
?  ? GM93050JG
Wii Virtual Console
JP
21 August 2007 600 pts ?
Wii Virtual Console
EU
7 September 2007 800 pts ?
Wii Virtual Console
US
10 September 2007 800 pts ?

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ3) is the third game in the classic series released on the Sega Mega Drive and the second in the "Death Egg Saga" that started in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, continues in Sonic & Knuckles, and ends at Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Introducing Knuckles the Echidna and further expanding the world of Sonic the Hedgehog, the game (when connected to its direct sequel through the use of "Lock-On Technology") is considered to be one of the best in the entire franchise, and has become the standard that every two-dimensional Sonic title has been compared to.

The game was also met with a huge publicity campaign, connected to the date it was released in the United States. February 2nd, traditionally known as Groundhog Day, was renamed "Hedgehog Day" by Sega. In the U.K., Sega of Europe approached the pop group Right Said Fred to create a song suitable for radio play, which resulted in the Sonic-inspired single "Wonderman".

Story

File:Sonic3 jp manual 04 05.gif
The story to Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

At the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog had defeated Dr. Eggman's latest scheme, putting a stop to his Death Egg and collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds. As Sonic and Miles "Tails" Prower flew off in the Tornado, they paid little attention to the broken space station plummeting towards Earth. Breaking into the atmosphere once more, Dr. Eggman could not control the direction of the falling sphere, each cloud passing over the machine being guided by fate and nothing more. As fate can be a strange mistress, it just so happened that in the pathway of the rapidly descending fortress was an island that was thought to only exist in legend. Hiding in the atmosphere under the shadow of clouds lay Angel Island, a floating island that moved across the oceans but never touching them. Perhaps the island would have stayed out of the eyesight of the doctor if not for this one moment, when the Death Egg collied into the surface of the island, shaking it to its very core. For the first time in eons, the island began falling as well, pushed by the force of Eggman's creation. Colliding into the ocean, a massive tidal wave erupted on all sides. Though many were to notice the towering waves from miles away, none knew of the island that now sat idle in the ocean, untouched by the disaster except for the once-proud invention silently waiting to rise up once more...

A few days after this event, the young fox "Tails" was busy finishing up an invention of his own, the Jewel Radar. Fine tuning it, the machine came to life, immediately picking up the signal of chaos energy located somewhere beyond the shore. Thinking that it may have something to do with the strange tidal wave only days before, "Tails" flew out the door, heading towards the beach where he knew Sonic the Hedgehog was.

Sonic, who had been taking a much-deserved nap, awoke the exact same moment "Tails" hopped out the door. Looking about at the beach, the blue hedgehog spotted a strange ring washed up on shore. Running over to it, Sonic picked up the ring, noticing the characters of an ancient language carved onto its surface. Immediately, Sonic was reminded of a legend that he had heard long ago, about an ancient civilization that lived upon an island. Creating a society of peace and harmony, the people who lived within attributed their great prosperity to the "Stone of Power," a sacred gem whose energy guided them. One day, as these stories often go, a sect of wise men decided that they wanted to take the power of the stone for their own selfish gain, and tried to seize the energy. Unable to control it, their foolishness caused the great civilization to disappear in the blink of an eye, their way of life being forgotten. In its wake, the gods took the land, rebuilt it, and sent it, along with the "Stone of Power" into the sky...

Sonic and "Tails" upon the Tornado.

Although he knew not of the legend's basis in fact, Sonic decided right then and there that he would set off on yet another adventure, he and "Tails" preparing the Tornado once more.

Unbeknown to the pair, the legend that Sonic recalled was that of Angel Island, upon where the Death Egg had crashed. Only moments before the impact, the lone guardian of the island, Knuckles the Echidna, was going about his duties, protecting the island and making sure that the Chaos Emerald alters scatterd about were safe and secure. Though he was friends with many of the various animals that lived upon the island, he was the last of his kind, and knew of his sacred duty. At this particular moment, Knuckles looked over one of the alters, making sure that the emerald was in place and that nothing wrong had befallen them. Suddenly, the emerald began behaving in a way Knuckles had never seen, the gem glowing and vibrating wildly. Knuckles stood wide-eyed, unsure of what was going on. Before he could make his next move, a bright flash filled the room, a sound piercing through Knuckles' ears as he felt as though he were floating in midair.

The next thing Knuckles knew, he was sprawled out at the entrance to the alter, having been knocked out by whatever had happened. Regaining consciousness, Knuckles' first thought was of the Chaos Emerald inside, running back to the alter. Looking about at the half-broken area, Knuckles could not find a single trace of the emerald, with not a clue as to where it could have gone. Emerging out of the alter in a daze, Knuckles was unsure of his next course of action, glancing out at the horizon. It was then that he saw it, a strange, almost egg-shaped object embedded into his island. Snapping back to reality, Knuckles wondered if this object was the same as in a legend he knew of, the egg of the dragon...

Over the next few days, Knuckles explored the rest of the island assessing any damage as he went to the other six Chaos Emerald alters, finding each in the same state as the first. Refusing to give up, Knuckles continued to investigate, knowing that the answer to what had just happened must be on the island. It was during this process that he came across a strange, egg-shaped man wandering about the island. Confronting him, the man merely smiled, and calmly explained that he was a scientist who had come across the island to study the strange egg that had appeared. Making sure to fully trick the guardian, Eggman continued, telling the Echidna that he also knew of the emeralds that were on the island, and that a blue hedgehog by the name of Sonic was the one looking for them. Shocked, Knuckles ran off, the mad genius smiling at his own skillful lie.

A destined meeting.

As if on cue, the Tornado, flown by "Tails" with Sonic standing atop it, appeared on the horizon. Sonic, noticing the island neither of them had seen before, couldn't help but be overcome by the urge to show off, having brought with him the seven Chaos Emeralds he had gathered on West Side Island. Transforming into Super Sonic, Sonic ran across the remainder of the ocean between the plane and the island, darting about the shoreline. Caught off guard, a lone knuckled fist swung at Sonic, knocking him off balance, the Chaos Emeralds falling about him. Turning back into his true blue self, Sonic spotted who the fist was connected to, a red Echidna who could only laugh at Sonic's misfortune. Grabbing the emeralds, Knuckles ran off into the jungle beyond. Not knowing what he had gotten himself into, but more than expecting Eggman to be behind it, Sonic and "Tails" ran off to follow the tricked guardian. Knowing Sonic to be on the island, Eggman laughed to himself, setting up the same tricks as before, creating yet another mechanical army to once again seek out the Chaos Emeralds in the hopes of using them to relaunch the Death Egg and finally succeed in his quest for world domination.

"The stage is set once again. From here, Sonic the Hedgehog begins his new adventure."

Game Mechanics

Gameplay

Sonic in the second Zone of the game, Hydrocity Zone.

Just as in the previous games in the classic series, the object of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is to get from the beginning to the end of a given level under the span of ten minutes, all the while navigating various traps, pitfalls, and avoiding enemies. Once again, the classic elements that make up a Sonic level are present: the loop-de-loops you run through with enough speed, springs to help you get up to higher places, rings lined up to protect you from damage, and spikes poised to make you scatter those rings you've collected. Though only six "Zones" long with two "Acts" per Zone, each Act is once again bigger than its predecessor, full of multiple routes and hidden areas just waiting to be explored.

Sonic's speed proves to once again be one of your greatest assets in the sprawling platformer, allowing Sonic to build up momentum to pass even the steepest of slopes. For the uninitiated, the spin dash from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 makes its reappearance, allowing Sonic to build up speed from a stationary point before blasting off against the terrain or a string of enemies in his wake. Another classic move that returns is the spin attack, the jump that makes Sonic curl into a ball and face off against whatever badnik may be in his way from any angle, as long as spikes or dangerous projectiles don't get in the hedgehog's way. A new move to Sonic 3 is an addition to the traditional spin attack. After having Sonic jump in the air, if a player presses the jump button once more, a shield will surround Sonic briefly, extending his attack radius and protecting him from enemies in that second. Called the "W Spin Attack," the move proves extremely useful in tight situations, especially when various uni-related badniks start eying up Sonic. Sonic can also use his spin attack on the ground if the player presses down on the control pad while Sonic is running, though the W Spin Attack is only achievable in the air.

Though Sonic is once again the main star of the game, Miles "Tails" Prower, the constant companion of Sonic 2, makes his return appearance. If the player chooses to have "Tails" follow Sonic around, the use of the second control pad will once again allow the two-tailed fox to be a separately controllable character. However, while in the previous game "Tails" controlled exactly like Sonic, in Sonic 3 the ability to make "Tails" fly on his own has been programmed in. By simply pressing jump twice on the control pad, "Tails" will be able to fly for a short period of time, the ability giving him access to routes and platforms that Sonic can not normally get to. As the camera for the game is always focused on Sonic, "Tails" also has the ability in this co-op "1.5 player" mode to carry Sonic up to these heights. Because the flight is not indefinite, "Tails" will eventually tire with or without carrying Sonic, causing him to fall back to Earth. The ability to fly is fully maintained in a "Tails"-only playthrough of the game.

One of the many sub-bosses in the game.

The item boxes of Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 also reappear, sometimes placed in plain sight and other times being hidden or just out of reach. Though the speed shoes, invincibility, ten-ring box, and 1-up boxes return, a collection of new items join the repertoire of Sonic powerups. Replacing the classic shield, a series of three new shields are found in the game, each with their own special abilities. The "Aqua Barrier" proves most useful in underwater levels, allowing Sonic to stay under the surface for as long as possible without needing to seek out an air bubble to breathe. As it is a shield, pressing jump twice while Sonic is inside will not cause the W spin attack to initiate. Instead, a psudo-double jump will happen, the shield bouncing and allowing Sonic to reach heights his normal jump can not. The second of these new shields is the "Flame Barrier," which protect Sonic from flame-based attacks without having to forfeit the protection. In addition, pressing jump twice will cause Sonic to burst forward in a flame-based attack. The third, the "Thunder Barrier," not only protects Sonic from electrical attacks, but will also attract any nearby rings. Pressing jump twice will also give Sonic a proper double-jump. Unfortunately, both this and the "Flame Barrier" will immediately disappear if Sonic falls into a body of water. While all three shields will protect Sonic from most projectiles, they will still be removed by a single hit from an oncoming badnik. There is also a final item box marked with the face of Dr. Eggman, which will cause the same effect as if Sonic were hit by an enemy. Though uncommon, they can creep up when you least expect it.

The point markers of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 return, which not only save your spot in the level if you lose a life, but also bring back with it the familiar circle of stars if you pass it with fifty rings. However, instead of being transported to a Special Stage if you jump in the stars, you are transported to a Bonus Stage. Styled after a gumball machine, Sonic is bounced around, flipping the crank at the top to let out a "gumball" that contains within it one of the various power-ups that are also found inside item boxes.

Sonic and "Tails" working together against Dr. Eggman.

Instead, the Chaos Emeralds and the Special Stages are accessed through the re-introduction of the Giant Ring. However, instead of needing fifty rings at the end of an Act as done in the first Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog CD, the rings are found hidden within the levels themselves, oftentimes in corners and secret rooms that the player must hunt around for. When one of these illustrious rings are found, Sonic and/or "Tails" are warped to a miniature world in psudo-3D. The object in these courses is to collect all of the blue spheres while avoiding the red ones, collecting them all resulting in the reward of a Chaos Emerald. If all seven are collected, not only is the "good ending" revealed, but Sonic gains the ability to once again transform into Super Sonic, the super-fast, invulnerable version of classic Sonic. If fifty rings are in tow, the player must press the jump button twice to activate this form, though Sonic is still susceptible to drowning, being crushed, and falling down the occasional bottomless pit. It should be noted that, even if Sonic has all seven emeralds and fifty rings, Sonic can not transform if he is wearing a shield, though shields can be used once Super Sonic is activated, allowing such abilities as attracting rings and breathing underwater becoming available to the super form of Sonic.

Also important is that, unlike the first two numbered games, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has the ability to save one's progress in the game. Given six unique slots (along with a no-save option) you can save your game as either Sonic, "Tails," or the pair. Saving only by Zone and not by Act, the save file also keeps track of the number of Chaos Emeralds you have. When clearing a file, the option to go back and start at any given level is unlocked, and since it keeps track of the number of emeralds you have, you can go back to a previous level and a Giant Ring location you know of and collect the seven emeralds after the fact. The save itself uses an FRAM chip (similar to an SRAM chip but not needing an internal battery to save).

Competition Mode

The race results screen.

A two-player "versus" mode is once again found in a Sonic title, albeit in a far different format than in the previous game. While Sonic the Hedgehog 2 used three existing Zones and made them work in a split-screen setting, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has five new Zones created specifically for the Competition Mode. Because of this, the stretched-out effect found in Sonic 2 is gone, the sprites for Sonic and company also completely redrawn for the two-player mode.

Three options are available immediately upon entering the Competition choice on the title screen: "Grand Prix," "Match Race," and "Time Attack." The first of these modes is a straight run through of the five multiplayer levels available, done in alphabetical order. The second, "Match Race," brings up another selection screen where the players can choose any of the five in any order they want, being able to play the same Zone over and over if they so choose. The third is similar to the second with the exception that it is a single player mode, intended more for practice or just playing about when a second player isn't available, the fastest times being saved on the internal memory.

Regardless of which mode you choose, the same three playable characters are available - Sonic, "Tails," and Knuckles. There is not much difference between the three, all able to use the spin attack and the spin dash. "Tails" is the only one with an added ability, that of flight. Because of this, all three characters are on nearly equal footing when it comes to the competition. The levels themselves are set up far differently than those in the regular game, the two-player mode being a race between whoever is selected. Each level begins at a start pole, with a countdown signaling the round. If one of the players passes the starting line before the countdown begins, the message "FAULT" appears on screen, the pair restarting in their initial places. Once the word "GO" appears, the race begins, Sonic, "Tails" or Knuckles running through the miniature Zone. Much smaller than the single Acts in the standard mode of play, the small courses loop on the x-axis, resembling a racing game in function. The race does not officially end until one of the players completes five laps successfully, the first to do so winning the round. In the "Grand Prix" option, the person who wins the most out of the five is the overall winner, while in "Match Race" the number of races that are competed in are solely up to the players.

Sonic and Knuckles racing in Endless Mine.

While spikes and the occasional switch (to block the other player briefly from the main course) are part of the landscape, other such staples as rings and badniks are not present. Instead, before the races begin, the option is available to either turn on or off power-ups in the game. The items are not found in the traditional item boxes but are instead found floating in a circle somewhere in each Zone. It is only at this point that a ring can be obtained or a generic enemy can impede your process. There are also a variety of other power-ups found here that are not available in the rest of the game, such as making a spring appear, placing a banana to make your opponent unexpectedly slide, and slow-down shoes that will prevent you from reaching your top speeds. The speed shoes from the standard game are also available.

The possibility of losing a life is still intact in this mode, though an infinite number of lives are present for each player. If the unthinkable happens, the character will restart at the end of his last lap, the timer still going as if nothing had happened. Also of note is that if, during the race, a player is overtaken by the desire to run backwards through the level, the number of laps completed will start to decrease with each pass of the starting line.

Scoring

The following is an explanation on how the scoring process works in the game:

Hitting bumpers: 10 points for each of the first ten hits on any given bumper; after that no more points can be gained from that bumper

Hitting enemies: (a chain refers to all enemies destroyed until the next time Sonic lands on some form of ground or jumps)

  • First enemy in a chain = 100
  • Second enemy in a chain = 200
  • Third enemy in a chain = 500
  • Fourth through 15th enemies in a chain = 1,000 each
  • 16th and all subsequent enemies in a chain = 10,000 each

Destroying a Dr. Eggman boss robot or mini-boss: 1,000 points

Ring bonus at end of level: 100 points for each ring held

Signpost: At the end of each Act 1, a signpost falls from the air; jump at it before it hits the ground to keep it in the air and score 100 points. You can get as many 100-point bonuses as you're able to keep the sign in the air for. If the signpost lands on a predefined spot it will spawn an item box. Each level has a different arrangement and different selections of power-ups available.

Time bonus at end of level:

  • Game clock reads 0:59 or less = 50,000
  • Game clock reads 1:00 to 1:29 = 10,000
  • Game clock reads 1:30 to 1:59 = 5,000
  • Game clock reads 2:00 to 2:29 = 4,000
  • Game clock reads 2:30 to 2:59 = 3,000
  • Game clock reads 3:00 to 3:29 = 1,000
  • Game clock reads 3:30 to 9:58 = 100
  • Game clock reads 9:59 exactly = 100,000

Special stage: 100 points for each ring held. If you collect all rings, you also get a 50,000-point Perfect Bonus (even if you don't get the Emerald).

Sound Test

The level select to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which contains the sound test.

Below is a listing of the songs available to played through the sound test within the game, accessible through the level select code. For the songs themselves, visit the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 OSV.

Production Credits

Executive Producer: Hayao Nakayama
Project Manager: Hisashi Suzuki, Shinobu Toyoda, Masaharu Yoshii
Producer: Yuji Naka
Director: Hirokazu Yasuhara
Lead Game Designer: Hirokazu Yasuhara
Senior Game Designers: Hisayoshi Yoshida, Takashi Iizuka
Lead Programmer: Yuji Naka
Senior Programmers: Hiroshi Nikaidoh, Masanobu Yamamoto
Character Designer: Takashi Thomas Yuda
CG Artist: Kunitake Aoki
Animator: Takashi Thomas Yuda
Enemy Artist: Satoshi Yokokawa
Scene Artists: Kunitake Aoki, Chie Yoshida, Tsuneko Aoki, Shigeru Okada, Takashi Thomas Yuda, Satoshi Yokokawa
Art Assistant: Osamu Ohashi
Music Composers: Brad Buxer, Bobby Brooks, Darryl Ross, Geoff Grace, Doug Grigsby III, Scirocco

SEGA Sound Team: Bo, Sachio Ogawa, Milpo, Masaru Setsumaru, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Tomonori Sawada, Masayuki Nagao, Jun Senoue
Sound Project Coordinator: Hisaki Nimiya
Marketing: Pamela Kelly
Executive Management: Shouichirou Irimajiri, Tom Kalinske
Executive Coordinator: Mamoru Shigeta, Tomio Takami, Diane A Fornasier, Roger Hector, Takaharu Utsunomiya
Sound Special Thanks: Mayumi Nina Sakazaki(Mrm), Cube Corp., Opus Corp., Masanori Nakayama (Studio Who), Howard Drossin
Special Thanks: Deborah McCracken, Emi Kawamura, Jina Ishiwatari
Presented by: Sega

Manuals

Miscellaneous

GoodGen Version Index

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (E) - European Sonic 3.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (J) [!] - Japanese Sonic 3.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (U) [!] - American Sonic 3.

Rereleases

Adaptations

To help advertise the numbered sequel both Archie Comics and Fleetway published adaptations to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, though both took very different approaches to the material. The U.S. Sonic the Hedgehog adapted the game in its 13th issue, introducing the character of Knuckles the Echidna, making him the guardian of the Floating Island and the single Chaos Emerald that kept it afloat. The U.K.-based Sonic the Comic covered its adaptation of the game in multiple issues, starting with the Sonic Summer Special 1994 and continuing into issue 33. The adaptation lasted multiple issues, culminating in issue 38.

Resources




Sega Mega Drive
92 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 10 reviews
Publication Score Source
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) 95
High Score (JP) 100
Mean Machines Sega (UK) 94 17
Sega Magazine (UK) 95 Feb. 1994
Sega Power (UK) 90 March 1994
Hyper (AU) 90 March 1994
Power Unlimited (NL) 93
Power Play (DE) 81
Game Players (US) 92
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) 90


ROM Modification

Hacking Guides

Image Galleries

Physical Scans

Later releases were packaged in a cardboard box.

Mega Drive, JP
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Cover
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Cart
Mega Drive, US
Sonic3 md us cover.jpg
Cover
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Cart
Mega Drive, US (Cardboard box Mega Hit Series)
Sonic3 md us megahit cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic3 md us megahit cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
S3-eu-box.jpg
Cover
S3-md-eu-cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU (Platinum Collection)
Sonic3 md au plat cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, BR
Sonic3 MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, Asia
Sonic3 md as cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic3 md as cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, KR
Sonic3-box-korea.jpg
Cover

Artwork

External Links

Template:Sonic3&KOmni

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
 1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island    
Wii Virtual Console
WiiWare
 2006  Sonic the Hedgehog | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine     2007  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2008  Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)     2009  Sonic Chaos | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I