Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Part 1: Angel Island Zone (Sonic & Tails)

This is both somewhat repetitive and overkill for me to do, but I'm making of playthrough of Sonic 3 by itself & without the support of its other half: Sonic & Knuckles.
Consider this a bit of a filler playthrough, as I've already made 3 major playthroughs of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, as well as Sonic 2 & Sonic 1 before it and Sonic CD after it.
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Sonic & Knuckles is the dominant half of the combined Sonic 3 & Knuckles. When both halves are split apart, Sonic 3 ends up coming out with more differences in its content.
Some of the things that Sonic 3 has that Sonic 3 & Knuckles lacks is different music: Knuckles' theme, the Act 1 boss theme, the Invincibility/Super Sonic theme, the 1-UP theme, and the title screen theme are all effected by this.
They're all different from Sonic & Knuckles' versions, and when playing Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the S&K versions are used while the S3 versions are removed.
However, Sonic & Knuckles gave Sonic 3 better support in the Data Select screen. On its own, Sonic 3 data only saves the character(s) you're using, how many Chaos Emeralds you have, and which zone you're currently in.
No lives nor continues are saved in Sonic 3. The data boxes are also smaller, and there are only 6 of them instead of S3&K's 8. Finally, Knuckles isn't playable except in Competition Mode, where he doesn't have the gliding & climbing abilities that he can use when you play as him in Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
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The game itself may have some tweaked physics here and there, and different placements for objects, enemies and obstacles. Some are more obvious than others, and I'm tempted to cover some of them in a video that compares Sonic 3 to Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
- One tweaked physic is such that was also used in Sonic 2: If you hit an item TV from below, it will pop up and plummet to the ground. In Sonic 3 & Knuckles, it just breaks open as usual even if you hit the bottom of it. Because of this, it's notably easier to break any of these boxes open in Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic & Knuckles by itself than it is in Sonic 3 by itself, as in reality, S&K and S3&K lets you break these boxes open from any angle, while Sonic 3 makes you only fall right on them.
- The music doesn't fade away right when Sonic does his victory pose at the end of an Act, which was the case in Sonic 1 & 2. There's also no music at all after he finishes posing in each zone's Act 2.
- The Gumball Machine is the only Bonus Stage in this game. You must have 50+ rings to access it. I can already tell that it's the least favorite of the 3. Getting Rings here isn't easy, and their bubbles only give 10 each at that. It is good if you're looking for shields, though, but the annoying thing here is that every time you enter this Bonus Stage with a shield, it disappears when it starts! Sonic 3 & Knuckles lets you keep it at all times.
In a way, just call Sonic & Knuckles a patch to Sonic 3 that changes these things. Something that is also kept in the combined Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
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Of course, above everything else, this game really is only half of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, as you only get to play through the first 6 zones of that game. The remaining 6-8 zones are reserved for the standalone Sonic & Knuckles. When combined, there's a grand total of 14 different zones. It's more than what Sonic 2 had, excluding its scrapped zones.
Sonic 3 on its own is actually a bit shorter than Sonic 1!
Sonic 1: 6 Zones X 3 Acts Each + Final Zone = 19 Different Levels
Sonic 3: 6 Zones X 2 Acts Each = 12 Different Levels
It's probably made up for by having each Sonic 3 level be greater and larger in depth, ESPECIALLY in Marble Garden & Carnival Night. Regardless, it's mainly due to this smaller number of stages of the reason why some fans don't like Sonic 3 compared to Sonic 2.
THANKFULLY, that got fixed a few months later after Sonic 3 first came out.
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In this video, getting through Angel Island is pretty straightforward, though I used different routes from the ones in my Sonic & Tails playthrough of Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
Watch that version and take a gander at everything similar and different I do between them. Everything else I would say about this video, especially Angel Island itself & the game's story, you can see below.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles Version:
• Sonic 3 & Knuckles Par...

[@redgaming2156]

Angel island was lovely until a fire robot set it on fire

[@ugp0978]

BenTLA you can say that again

[@ActivistVictor]

So you’re saying everything changed when the fire nation... er um robot, attacked?

[@jvnotfound5358]

@@ActivistVictor xD

[@dauntaviosgreenhouse6390]

That's why I like the Act 1 music of Angel Island

[@Ediellee1]

And then hyper realistic sonic appeared

[@GrAPeBombZ]

Ill never forget how blown away and amazed i was by this game as a kid. The best sonic game hands down imo

[@spiralcreation9697]

Sonic and Knuckles

[@D00DM00D]

Sonic Unleashed

[@roem3lloonthecontroller327]

💿 CD

[@GrAPeBombZ]

@@roem3lloonthecontroller327 ehhh CD is great, I don't think it can touch 3 though

[@xxbellaaaxxlowkey4850]

Sonic cd has got to be the best one.

[@ceej7264]

Knuckles knocking the "Super" out of Sonic while in his base form and proceeding to "Deebo" all of his chaos emeralds immediately after then chuckling right before taking off is one of the most gangster things I've seen in a 2d 16bit video game even till this day...lol

[@princenoah21]

0:42 "How dare you try to infiltrate my home, in hope you may steal my precious jewels. The Chaos Emeralds belong to me, you shall perish if you break my rules. I'll take these gems of yours, see how you like it yourself! Now leave this island you spiky little fiend, if you know what's good for your health!" "....give those back." "Nooooo!"

[@quality9299]

lol sonic paradox

[@princenoah21]

@@quality9299 Eeeeeeeyep. :)

[@shadowthehedgehog3113]

"Do I look like I need your power?"

[@constantinelheman]

Modern games is technically superior, but there is something about 90s era games that is charming. Maybe because back then video games still feels like a game and not virtual reality.

[@brandoncazares8452]

One of the best sonic video games for the genesis in my opinion

[@shadowthehedgehog3113]

"Do I look like I need your power?"

[@Brainulator9]

-Do you like Sonic 3's themes better or Sonic & Knuckles's? -Did you know that you can jump right as the gumball bonus stage starts?

[@iveoninkling1413]

yes

[@iveoninkling1413]

but I like sonic 3's

[@thetruej7872]

Brainulator9 I love Sonic 3 theme song better than Sonic & Knuckles

[@chilliorganism]

Yes for both

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

@@thetruej7872 i just the opposite

[@lewismpandm7486]

finally a walkthrough without the words and knuckles on the tittle screen

[@OniLordMiki]

Lewis mp and m why do you want to watch half of a game?

[@acceleratedbyrd8550]

@@OniLordMiki maybe they want to see the differences between sonic 3 and sonic 3 and Knuckles?

[@foubrat777]

Exactly how a play-through should be. Excellent. Thank you. :-)

[@steved8193]

Note at 6:32 it plays the Act 2 music despite you still being in Act 1.

[@BlindLibrary]

See my comment above. Oh, famous music glitch; Take a trip to HydroCity Act 1, more importantly to the mini-boss. Stay underwater till you hear the Drowning theme queue up. Jump. Michael Jackson's mini-boss gets replaced with the S&K Mini-Boss music proper.

[@ASOtheprO]

It’s because after the robot set angel island on fire the program loaded act 2, so when you exit a special stage it considers the fiery landscape to be act 2 instead of act 1. They corrected this in sonic and knuckles

[@shadow_ruisu]

They indeed did, but it still plays the act 2 music if you exit the special stage in Angel Island act 1. This is due to the act 1 music being hard coded into the star post checkpoint, but not the special stage ring

[@supercoolbuddiesclub2408]

the art direction is outrageous on this one

[@redstrawberry667]

Great playthrough! It feels natural and was good to the nostalgia.

[@femiafolabi7178]

I can't believe Knuckles stole the Chaos Emeralds from Sonic and Tails!

[@markheying2830]

Most of the time, whenever it comes to the Special Stages I would usually try to look for some Square Formations among the Blue Spheres and only get the Blue Spheres on the edges just to get the Rings.

[@chilliorganism]

Same, I still do that

[@DatShepTho]

4:10 "There goes Hawaii, there there goes Hawaii, oh there goes Hawaii, the island is gone, it's gone, the whole island's gone!"

[@lourdesperez4976]

The burning parts of Angel Island is Like from the Level Hide and Seek From Sonic.EXE

[@cakeycakerson]

After angel island got set on fire *it came back in sonic mania normal* but when it was on fire here it kinda looks like the hide and seek zone from sonic.exe really

[@omegaflowey9932]

Maybe, hide and seek and. Angel island are the same level

[@aaamogusthespiderever2566]

Sonic mania had a scrapped angel island zone where the forest was on fire

[@south_island_hero]

Imagine having South Island as the first level for Sonic 1 Edit: What a coincidence, forgot about my name

[@adilhossain8198]

0:00 Intro 0:27 Act 1 1:02 Special Stage 1 2:38 Act 1 Pt2 3:18 Gumball Machine 1 3:44 Act 1 Pt3 4:04 Fire Breath Pt1 4:15 Act 1 Pt4 4:36 Special Stage 2 6:32 Act 1 Pt5 7:20 Fire Breath Pt2 7:52 Act 2 Pt1 8:02 Special Stage 3 9:46 Act 2 Pt2 11:45 Special Stage 4 13:37 Act 2 Pt3 14:50 Egg Scorcher 3

[@Ryan000gamerq]

very nostalgic

[@mjwatts1983]

0:42 Sonic… Meet Knuckles!

[@charliejeffery4525]

Act two: first stage music of ultimate flash sonic!

[@DarkTophatiusSkeletius]

sonic cries when he got injured at 0:41 AH!

[@BabySword]

At 6:35 there’s a weird glitch we’re the angel island zone act 2 music play instead of the act 1 music

[@ugp0978]

0:40 is this knuckle’s theme or one of them? I’ve tried searching it up but haven’t found this version yet.

[@groove179]

knuckles

[@DeadBread124]

knuckles theme sonic 3 exclusive, the other one plays in sonic & knuckles or the combined game Sonic 3 & Knuckles

[@aerynandaisya3271]

0:40

[@ThiagoJohUnreal]

Melhor trilha sonora de todos os Sonic s !!!!

[@gocpng4699]

Fun Bonus Stage

[@cmorestunna]

4:14 I think Sonic The Hedgehog 3 predicted the FNAF 6 ending

[@TJWhitey38]

Reasonable difficulty until you get Super and Hyper emeralds

[@chilliorganism]

Then you break the game.

[@roniquedupree4292]

I hope you get 7 emeralds

[@jonathanhunter7281]

0:30 "Simba"

[@anglerclampertheanglerfish3118]

Why do I hear Act 2 music in act 1

[@BCGaming-ou4yu]

Ikr? I think a glitch

[@BlindLibrary]

Coding oversight, I think.

[@johnlomuscio4521]

You think going Sonic 2's special stages are a little too easy? Well going to the special stages in Sonic 3 are even easier

[@mjb12ification]

Ring briefly had disappeared 4:26

[@duochartstudios]

One thing That's makes me want to do it 10000 times Breaking rocks in Angel island I don't know why XD

[@OrionBarkerVr]

14:28 soinc.exe in a nutshell

[@anncarmelilovendino6559]

But The Fire Scared Me

[@heywhateverperson]

why does hurting the fire breath that attacks you mid way through act 1 damage all the other fire breaths in the background

[@SonicPlayer2004]

4:08 There goes hawaii

[@anncarmelilovendino6559]

It Looks Like Emrald Hill Zone Cause It Had Grass Flowers

[@OrionBarkerVr]

sometimes when im playing a stage some times i would be like "alright imma head out" and then murder myself

[@OrionBarkerVr]

also i would be playing soinc maina plus

[@dauntaviosgreenhouse6390]

I have a question. How is the game so clear on yours, but on mine its Blurry?!

[@bl2528]

Angel Island = Maui 2023 😕

[@R.M.CProductions]

How did sonic ride onto angel Island if its in the sky?

[@R.M.CProductions]

@@Carls493 how tf is it floating on the sea? Its clearly in the water despite 5he fact its supposed to be floating

[@opalheyward2346]

What happened to the mid-boss theme?

[@MDFAPS]

Do I Look Like I Need Ur Power?

[@realslimsh8y]

Vietnam flashbacks

[@jesussaves2934]

7:12 Is there a way through the big rocks?

[@GenocideShell]

Omg in sonic 3 standalone (probably with debug) in sonic 3 and knuckles just select knuckles and you can go through the rocks

[@jesussaves2934]

@@GenocideShell ill try it. I just have sonic 3 without knuckles i believe. I have almost all sega games ever made on an SD card.

[@thecrownedninja3121]

use the fire shield power up

[@betinhocastro5304]

I'm a noob nothing but a noob in this special stage

[@femiafolabi7178]

Every time I touch the red sphere I am done for!!

[@of_quincy9774]

Why does it say angel island zone if all the other zones take place on it.

[@siriusxakanscaleguy7147]

Because

[@mechanwhal6590]

Were those other fire robots in the background always there?

[@mechanwhal6590]

@@Carls493 The explanation you have provided is logical, I just didn’t remember seeing them before.

[@lreed2888]

@@mechanwhal6590 what did the other person say 🤔 because they deleted the reply so what did they say?

[@mechanwhal6590]

@@lreed2888 I don’t honestly remember.

[@mderooij7851]

1st Special Stage Is Easiest.

[@rodolfoneris6611]

no garcello music

[@brandoncazares8452]

What's the red guys name that thinks sonic and tails are the enemies

[@rdococ]

The red one's Knuckles.

[@rebelfleettrooper9881]

Knuckles The Echidna. That is because Eggman tricked him into stopping Sonic, becuase when sonic gathered the Emeralds, they thought he (Sonic) was going to take over the world and destroy Angel Island, in which he was not going to do that. It even happened again in later games like Sonic Adventure and I think Advance 1 and 2, no? I think this scenario also happened in Sonic X. Then again, Knuckles is gullible as all hell. Knuckles: Shut up! Then again, this game is Knux's first debut. So expect something like this to happen.

[@brandoncazares8452]

Eggman tricked knuckles so knuckles is a bad guy

[@mulldrifter6040]

11:05

[@cum1647]

7:17 how have u done that boost mid air

[@trey2568]

Press a in the air with fire sheld

[@mercygamboa4319]

HELL SONIC!

[@rainycc1]

How to spindash? What are the controls. I just got the game

[@maricelandreaperezguzman3530]

Perdón puse un dislike sin querer, no fue intención mía. 😰😓

[@dantheman4927]

Knuckles sonic hepsi çaldı

[@Bob_is_a_axolotl]

school nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo polos

[@mak0893]

So this is basically a demo and Sega saying hey you cheap fan. Buy our other game if you want the full experience

[@fernandofantasy]

Was very annoyng the mega drive sounds

[@siriusxakanscaleguy7147]

No