Review of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 for XBLA by Protomario
16In single player mode, the player can choose to play solo, as either Sonic or Tails, or as a team, controlling Sonic, with the AI controlling Tails, which is the default configuration. Another player may take control of Tails at any time by using a controller plugged into port 2. The object of the game is to progress through the levels. In order to completely finish the game, seven Chaos Emeralds must also be collected from the special stages.
Sonic and Tails in the second zone, Hydrocity.
The gameplay builds on the formula laid down in Sonic 2. Sonic and Tails are now equipped with special moves that are activated by pressing the jump button a second time while in mid air. Tails will fly if he's out of water, or swim if he's in water, both for a limited amount of time. In a team game, a second player can use Tails to "airlift" Sonic for a short amount of time. Both characters can gain one of three elemental shields (fire, lightning, and water) which protects against damage from that element, with Sonic gaining an additional attack from each one. If Sonic has no shield equipped, he can generate an 'insta-shield', giving him a split second burst of protection from projectiles and increasing Sonic's attack radius.
Sonic 3 included more scope than any other game in the series to date: the play fields were three times larger than previous games, with multiple paths for different characters, more environmental elements with which to interact, faster maximum speeds, more end-of-level bosses, and more setpieces, all without any of the framerate issues that plagued certain parts of Sonic 2.
The game introduced many staples to the series, such as an increasingly story-driven game, multiple shield types, several musical indents and themes used in most subsequent games, and introduced Jun Senoue to the series, who would later become sound director of the 3D Sonic games, lending them their signature rock-inspired soundtracks.
Each stage connects to the next, via continuation, backdrop elements or a cut scene to convey spatial relation between the levels. The game conveys a sense of existing in an interconnected geographical location, as opposed to separate, disconnected zones. With these transitions between the levels, the game developer expanded the idea initiated in the final levels of the original title and its sequel. A similar concept was used in NES game Little Samson.
As in previous Sonic games, star posts are scattered throughout each level to act as restart points. If Sonic has collected at least 50 rings when touching a star post, a bright halo of stars will float above it, which Sonic can then jump through to access a bonus stage based on a gumball machine, where rings, 1-Ups, and shields can be won.
A diagram of how rings are generated by walking the perimeter of a group of blue spheres.
Most acts contain multiple large golden rings hidden throughout the stage, which act as special stage entrances.