Episode 542: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Pt. 2
Added 2023-06-19 11:23:05 +0000 UTCStuart: I like Sonic 3 & Knuckles. I’m sure this is clear to you if your ears have experienced the first senses-shattering episode of this not-so-mini-series, in which myself (Stuart Gipp), Seumidh MacDonald (ShayMay), and Dave Bulmer (Dave Bulmer) talk and talk and bloody talk about this outstanding Mega Drive classic. Here, we move on from Hydrocity (pronounced Hydro City, do not start with me) to Marble Garden; perhaps the low point of the Sonic 3 portion of the game? You’ll have to listen to find out.
Clearly, this isn’t going to be a short series, but I do hope you’ll think the insight, the discussion makes it worthwhile. Sonic 3 & Knuckles is a big deal to us and I want you, the listener, to understand the depth of the thing and just what makes it so gosh darn special to so many people. It’s my full intention to give the same treatment to other games in this often-spectacular series, though nothing is going to experience quite as much analysis as the beloved S3K. By all means sound off in the comments if you have any thoughts; it’s a conversation, you see.
Art by Salem Sloane, edits by Greg Leahy.
- 09:58 - Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn): Rusty Ruins Zone, Act 1
- 18:38 - Marble Garden Zone, Act 1
- 26:51 - Marble Garden Zone, Act 2
- 32:57 - Carnival Night Zone, Act 1
- 41:08 - Carnival Night Zone, Act 1 (Prototype ver.)
- 52:04 - Sonic Frontiers: Theme of Starfall Islands
- 1:05:22 - Act 1 Boss
- 1:16:03 - Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit: Nack the Weasel/Fang the Sniper (Boss) | Ice Cap Zone Act 1
- 1:24:27 - Ice Cap Zone, Act 1 (Prototype ver.)
- 1:34:40 - Ice Cap Zone, Act 2
- 1:45:50 - Freedom Planet: Battle Glacier 1
- Closing - Bonus Stage: Slot Machine
Comments
GIVE IT UP FOR THE BOYS
Ben Mitchell
2023-06-26 03:01:54 +0000 UTCMore thoughts after having actually listened to the episode: looks like the upcoming Origins update will make some of your complaints obsolete as the acceleration and ledge physics all look to be much more in line with the original game. Music's still a bit naff, still not from the 11 1993 prototype (go figure), but it's good. Also the Marble Garden 2 early encounters with Robotnik it is recommended to hit him, as he otherwise spends a lot of time on screen blocking your path. Those two times are the only cases where that speeds anything up to do since the rest are tied to more specific cutscenes and transitions or (Launch Base 1) have him in the middle of fleeing anyway. I think it's a testament to just how much fuckin *content* there is in this game that you didn't even mention that even before Robotnik in MGZ2 completely tears down the stage and you take to the skies with Tails, a minute or so before this you encounter him and his digging causes the level to start collapsing in on itself, and you have to keep pace with the floor rising up. It's not terribly stressful or deadly (well, as Sonic or Tails) but it's still a fun little cinematic and tense segment that I think helps both distinguish the second act from the first and set up the conclusion of the zone.
Aaron
2023-06-23 03:41:59 +0000 UTC
