Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3[a] is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels while collecting rings and defeating enemies. They control Sonic and Tails, who attempt to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds to stop Doctor Robotnik from relaunching his space station, the Death Egg, after it crash-lands on a mysterious floating island. Sonic 3 introduces Knuckles the Echidna, the island guardian, who lays traps for Sonic and Tails.
This article is about the Genesis game. For the upcoming film, see Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Hirokazu Yasuhara
- Hisayoshi Yoshida
- Takashi Iizuka
- Yuji Naka
- Hiroshi Nikaidoh
- Masanobu Yamamoto
- Takashi Yuda
- Satoshi Yokokawa
- Bobby Brooks
- Darryl Ross
- Geoff Grace
- Doug Grigsby III
- Cirocco Jones
- Tokuhiko Uwabo
- Sachio Ogawa
- Yoshiaki Kashima
- Masaru Setsumaru
- Tatsuyuki Maeda
- Tomonori Sawada
- Masayuki Nagao
- Jun Senoue
Development began in January 1993 by Sega Technical Institute in California, shortly after the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It was initially developed as an isometric game similar to what would eventually become Sonic 3D Blast (1996), but became a conventional 2D platform game due to time constraints. Sonic 3 was developed simultaneously with Sonic & Knuckles; they were planned as a single game until time constraints and cartridge costs forced the developers to split it. The Sonic 3 cartridge can be attached to an adapter on the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge, creating a combined game, Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Michael Jackson composed portions of the soundtrack, but left the project and went uncredited; sources vary on how much of his work was retained, and many tracks were replaced in rereleases.
Sonic 3 was released in North America and Europe in February 1994, and in Japan in May. As with its predecessors, it was a critical and commercial success, with critics seeing it as an improvement over previous installments. Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles sold a combined four million copies worldwide, placing them among the bestselling Genesis games. They have been rereleased in various Sega and Sonic compilations.
Plot[edit]
After Sonic and Tails defeat Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Robotnik's space station, the Death Egg, crash-lands on the floating Angel Island. The impact from the Death Egg's crash causes the island to fall into the ocean. There, Robotnik meets Knuckles the Echidna, the last member of an ancient echidna civilization that once inhabited the island. Knuckles is the guardian of the Master Emerald, which grants the island its levitation power and has an equal power level of the 7 Chaos Emeralds.[17] Robotnik dupes Knuckles into believing Sonic is trying to steal the Master Emerald, and that the launch base is Sonic's base, turning the two against each other while he repairs the Death Egg.[18]
Sonic and Tails approach Angel Island in their biplane, the Tornado. Sonic uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Sonic, but Knuckles ambushes him and steals the emeralds.[17] Sonic and Tails travel the island hindered by Knuckles and Robotnik.[18] At the Launch Base, where the Death Egg is under repair, Sonic and Tails fight Knuckles, but the Death Egg relaunches. On a platform attached to the Death Egg, they defeat Robotnik, causing the Death Egg to crash-land on Angel Island again. The story resumes in Sonic & Knuckles.[18][19][20]
Legacy[edit]
Sonic 3 was the first appearance of Knuckles the Echidna, who featured prominently in later Sonic games. Sonic the Comic (UK) and the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog comic (US) published adaptations of the game.[107]
For Sonic's 20th anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations, a game that remade aspects of various past games from the franchise.[108] The Nintendo 3DS version features a remake of the final boss, "Big Arms", and re-arranged version of the "Game Over" theme.[109] The Angel Island and Hydrocity levels were also remixed in Sonic Mania (2017).