The Making of Sonic 3 & Knuckles

In this chapter of the making of series we look back at the long and eventful development history of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles.
In this video we discuss the:
-Art direction, graphic tools and tricks
-All the management challenges
-The split up
-Lock on technology
-and Michael Jackson's involvement
///Support the channel:
All your views, likes comments and shares are really appreciated! My making of videos are part of bigger project. I set up a patreon for those who would like to financially support it:
/ strafefox
///Music used in this video:
For the complete track-list skip to the end of the video
"Wow" Samples from Norman Cook - "Skip To My Loops!"
Sources are listed at the end the video.
Special thanks to Andy Wolan and the SSRG for their research on the Lock-on technology.
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The Making of Sonic The Hedgehog : Inspirations
• The Making of Sonic Th...
The Making of Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• The Making of Sonic th...

[@luxiaaQ]

The fact that this is free to watch is honestly outstanding.

[@SwagGamer9750]

Agreed.

[@DoctorPhileasFragg]

@@AidGum Well then it's amazing that this kind of content is available on youtube. Read between the lines.

[@junglefett]

@Andrés Eduardo Clavasquin Regalado Just get an adblock, dude.

[@junglefett]

@Andrés Eduardo Clavasquin Regalado I'm pretty sure you can get an adblock for android browsers, just not the KZbin app

[@minovexx]

Yes

[@kingdavewoody]

I'm actually glad that they released it as 2 games. At the time I didn't know that my sonic 3 game was unfinished. My friend had sonic and knuckles and we didn't know about sonic 3 & knuckles. Anyway out of curiosity we plugged my sonic 3 cartridge to his and we were SO SHOCKED... after that we'd go to each others houses to play our shared game. Good times

[@blacksunshine7485]

You should really try the Sonic 3 Complete rom. The complete Sonic 3 and knuckles game in one rom with the options to play as intended with the levels in original order, music etc. Really is one of the best rom hacks/fan edits ever

[@blacksunshine7485]

@Frosty The Cooler Not heard of it. I'll check it out 👍

[@Mr1o1X]

@Frosty GD okay I'll go try to get it

[@Mr1o1X]

@Frosty GD oh nvm guess I'll stick to sonic 3 complete

[@Mr1o1X]

@Frosty GD me too

[@LoneStoneMaalik]

“Sonic Mania Day” They knew that this game was coming even back then.

[@mooganify]

It’s probably where they got the idea from

[@japhreal]

Little did they knew 26 years later they’ll get that game

[@DarDarBinks1986]

Sonic Mania proved to be Sonic 3 & Knuckles' absolute equal. It took what made the classic Genesis/Sega CD games great and improved on it all. More colors, more frames of animation, rehashes of old elements, Sega knocked it out of the park.

[@dianaloayzat4975]

@@japhreal you mean 25, since sonic mania came out in 2017.

[@bruhluigi4436]

Doesn't help the Sonic 3 beta has the drop dash

[@gothicspoon]

"too ambitious" seems to be the best way to describe Sega. All memes aside, they really were always into pushing boundaries and innovating.

[@polkadi]

The Dreamcast was one of the most innovative consoles of it's time, mainly hampered by the release of the long-awaited Playstation 2. Almost everything the Dreamcast did is now considered the norm. I mean, online play on consoles? Internet capabilities? Computing power of a PC? And then there's the amazing exclusive titles. SEGA really wanted to push the boundaries. Check out their arcade achievements, as their innovations there makes SEGA the top provider in arcade cabinets to this day.

[@reloadpsi]

I've always felt this way too. They kept wanting to do things for which the tech just wasn't quite there. It's what brought them down :( Lock-on was a purely genius idea though and I'll be forever salty about the fact it wasn't used more by even Sega, much less by other devs. Banjo-Tooie should've used something like it for the Stop 'n' Swop feature!

[@khoichau8316]

The console wars really prevented gamers everywhere from realizing what a huge debt their owe to SEGA for always pushing boundaries

[@mecha2001]

some may be too young to understand, but when the PS2 dropped, DVD players were still expensive and having a next-gen console with DVD player capability out of the box was a huge deal. that coupled with the infighting between Sega Japan and Sega USA over direction, the marketing blunders of Sega CD/32X/Saturn, and the Saturn's overall high price/limited game library were what doomed the poor Dreamcast. it was like crying wolf too many times. ironically it was Nintendo's own incompetence that led to Sony gaining a hold in the market to begin with. it would still be Nintendo vs. Sega today and not Sony (enabled by Nintendo) vs. Microsoft (Sega's spiritual successor) vs. the distant 3rd Nintendo. I lived the 16-bit war, no other generation of gaming even remotely compares. as a former Nintendo kid, I have vast amounts of respect for Sega and the memories of all those Genesis Sonic games.

[@AB-ub9nd]

@@polkadi when I saw sonic adventure in 1998 I was blown away. I mean Mario64 had come out just two years earlier and say what you will about gameplay but sonic adventure blew anything on the 64 out of the water.

[@memaimu]

Damn, no introduction or nothin'. Just gets straight to the point.

[@videochanneld841]

But I like when videos when they spent the first minute saying please go ahead and hit the like button and subscribe!

[@nthgth]

@@videochanneld841 haha, said no one ever. As a side note, I like how the initial comment was "one month ago," but the comment on that was "4 weeks ago." They must have a pretty precise system at work here.

[@TheDeathOfLucifer]

I remember when we were dating and I miss that

[@TedThomasTT]

youtube doesn't deserve videos with this level of quality. amazing work.

[@gamingnubs7628]

@ironmike southern how about you be quiet

[@reubenc3830]

@Holden The Gamer what about explaining what you wrote? They got wrong facts?

[@reubenc3830]

@Holden The Gamer 🙄

[@awesomeguy9223]

@Spamton Neo well, 692 likes now

[@reallivebluescat]

I think it is exactly what i deserves

[@jayjayjaythebrand]

Thank you so much for no stupid jokes or high pitched voices and screaming everyone else is doing. Easy to listen too, informative, straight to the point, and amazing production quality. Subbed bro

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Ditto. That's why I am subscribed to Gaming Historian and The Geek Critique. I'm getting sick of the angry nerd schtick.

[@lukethedrifter3363]

@@ricardocantoral7672 ...me too. The angry nerd shtick is getting old.

[@RunElevate]

@Craig Adams if it was "Easy to listen,too" it would make sense

[@MeatEatingVegan777]

Yup, it's nice when you watch a video made by someone who isn't trying too hard to be funny and add unnecessary jokes.

[@ivofernandes88]

Amen, enjoyed all bits of the video!

[@emilyapricot1313]

Like Sonic 3 itself, this channel has outstanding quality and is criminally under appreciated.

[@theharvardyard2356]

The 3D renders you create for these videos are always so beautiful. The amount of talent and work that goes into these videos is unreal.

[@BeeSquared]

I feel like I just watched a History Channel special on Sonic The Hedgehog, and I absolutely loved it. Dude, you've completely nailed everything here. I don't even wanna know how many hours you dropped into this project, but it was well worth it. You've created something really special here. Fantastic work!

[@BDSFormula1]

HE FORGOT THE CRESCENT WAS FOR NIKE. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

[@Zx30]

Man, Sonic 3 and Knuckles blew my mind when I was a kid. The level design, the characters, the secrets, the bonus stages, the bosses, and more! Then suddenly I could connect Sonic 2 to that and play Sonic 2 all over again with Knuckles?! It was a dream. Thanks for the amazing video! Keep up the great work!

[@alsween218]

The "Sonic Era" was a BIG part of my childhood. Hell, even all the way up to my mid 20s. You've made a very informative, insightful, and incredibly entertaining piece that encapsulated all the "feels." Thanks for the trip to the Nostalgia Nook through Memory Lane✌😏

[@wmvnotmp4]

These are probably the only videos that actually had info that I didn't know before. Great series with a clear passion put in 👌👌

[@XadaTen]

Yeah, I was a bit surprised on some parts, considering that I have read quite a lot of material on Sonic's history. So this video was really refreshing

[@Liam3072]

Same here, KZbin has been bugging me for the last few days to watch it, and I was like "I'm not gonna learn anything new and probably spot some mistakes". Turn out I was wrong and YT was right to to suggest it. It was super informative and incredibly well produced. Feels like a professional documentary and I learned a few things.

[@bluethumbbuttoneek9465]

So you know everything huh? ,mighty high horse to say that.

[@xXBlueSheepXx]

Why are small niche KZbin channels always the greatest?

[@themadpro]

Small and niche? 46K is pretty big

[@aarongreenfield9038]

Because it hasn't become commercialized, and click baity yet, and actually have quality Content, and not feel like they don't have to put in effort anymore, because they have gotten too big to care!

[@BadComoc]

Big numbers leads to less effort.

[@willmistretta]

Just try being a daily uploader with quality like this or getting heavily recommended without being a daily uploader. They're both about equally impossible.

[@BadComoc]

Obviously. You're point being?

[@TheButterscotchNinja]

I clicked on this video expecting a compilation of wiki information and facts compiled into a long video I could watch passively while I worked, what I got was an incredibly in-depth compilation of old information and detailed breakdowns of the crew and what they each brought to the project along with a pretty extensive and detailed summary of the entire game's development above and beyond what I expected. To top that off with incredibly high production values and a script that never dragged on too long in one direction is absolutely masterful and shows a clear attention to detail and your craft that most other gaming related channels don't have. Suffice to say, you distracted me from my work for a little over 20 minutes, and I can't wait to see what you put out next.

[@strafefox]

Awesome to hear! Thanks so much! But sorry for being a distraction ;)

[@oldfan4049]

@@strafefox 21:40 - ...emm...why is there Thunder Force IV cartridge (leftmost one)? Was it a random decision or...? BTW, I'm a huge fan of both those games (if counting Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles as one).^^

[@strafefox]

@@oldfan4049 I've added the Thunderforce IV cartridge to show that the lock-on works with (almost) every game.

[@oldfan4049]

@@strafefox oh,ok. BTW, do you planing to do the videos about some shmup? Thunder Force series (parts 3 to 6) or Gradius series would be perfect for this^^

[@strafefox]

@@oldfan4049 ThunderForce IV is definitely a title I want to cover more on my channel. Gradius is cool too btw!

[@shadowhound0]

Agreed with everyone in the comments saying how professional this is. I can't even imagine how much time that went into recreating the Sonic levels in 3D for the transitions, not to mention just about all of the effects and high quality archive footage. So glad I found this channel!

[@SWAENC]

Sega was doing Expansion/DLC before it was a thing!

[@Xegethra]

Sort of yeah. Well, in the console world maybe.

[@imamakeit5163]

Alot of things companies do today sega done first like online gaming wireless controllers and some others.

[@inendlesspain4724]

And that "expansion" was literally half a full game! Alright, but seriously, it's ironic that Sega did this because they couldn't complete the full game in time, while a lot of modern companies deliberately chop off parts of a full game and sell them separately as "new" content.

[@islandboy9381]

_''However, since this would be the final Sonic game on the Mega Drive, nobody on the team wanted to end it with a partially completed game. That’s when we came up with the idea of using a lock-on system. Well, the plan came about more out of self-indulgence than anything. At first, we were more focused on our own strong desires to make a satisfactory game than selling it or anything like that.''_ - Yuji Naka, Mega Drive Shock interview 1995 Based on this interview, it can be said that this technically wasn't Expansion/DLC but more so Sonic Team at the time being passionate about making a comprehensive, quality Sonic game for the Mega Drive and splitting that game to solve the problem of harsh deadlines (ironic now considering Sonic Team STILL suffers from harsh deadlines for the 3D games). That's quite different from the modern use of DLC/expansions that add to a complete game. Sega was still one of the first implementing DLC though, with the Dreamcast; a console which was quite ahead of its time.

[@TheFox517]

@@inendlesspain4724 Yeah. Just look at EA. I'm just getting pissed off every time I think about them because they keep milking the series I grew up with while actively making it worse. I'm talking about The Sims, aka the king of DLC. I guess it was understanble with the first game because they were just adding new features, but now it's just madness. Releasing DLC for DLC and making it so expensive is even above greed. They're literally chopping the game into tiny pieces. It may sound crazy, but I wouldn't be suprised if they found out a way to implement lootboxes into this series.

[@gamenextnusic7173]

I thought that all these background videos were all made by SEGA, but no, you've spent countless hours making this video just for us, the Sonic fans. Dude, you're awesome, a great future awaits you. Liked & suscribed, you deserve way more subs, and way more acknowledgement, seriously, I can't express how lucky I feel when finding a channel like yours, it's just... truly awesome!

[@strafefox]

Really cool to hear! Thanks so much :)

[@andknuckles101]

Yeah. It's really interesting!

[@thehumbleone1983]

Yeah I agree with you VG Music

[@spinningtowinning2104]

This is some of the best editing I've ever seen

[@pleasebenice3520]

Why does this have the strong vibe of a VHS video a teacher would put on for a classroom? That’s not a complaint, I honestly love it, very informative and well-done. Thank you for making this!!

[@asilva4956]

This is TV quality, really.

[@VonSeux]

all his videos are to die for!

[@iamironman320]

If How it's Made had a half hour long special on the history of Sonic 3, even it wouldn't be this good.

[@Kanbei11]

Not really, this is better than TV

[@AltimaNEO]

Man, growing up as a teen in the 90s really let me appreciate how awesome Sega and Nintendo were during their golden age. Their rivalry really brought it the best in them. It's just not the same between Sony and Microsoft. And Nintendo just doesn't try like they used to.

[@SlashCrash_Studios]

So true

[@asomeprod6163]

Well the sWIItch is starting to gain more traction, so maybe Nintendo still has a chance of rising up.

[@duffman18]

You obviously haven't played breath of the wild or mario odyssey if you think Nintendo "aren't trying". They're arguably both the best games of their franchises. And the Wii U was an amazing console with amazing games, just nobody bought the thing. And the 3DS is the best handheld console ever.

[@islandboy9381]

Nintendo was kind of dull during the Wii U era, but now they're putting it their all into the Switch.

[@TheFox517]

You don't even need to grow up with those games to see how good they were. You just need to get exposed to them at some point. Something was lost during the trasition to the modern are, but I don't know what it is.

[@TailsSpain]

This is probably the best documentary about Sonic 3 that I ve ever seen since 1994

[@sonicrunn3r895]

“Takashi IIzuka was responsible for the airship bombardment and opening cutscene” Oh, that makes sense.

[@FlintandStone1]

Maybe he's the person who suggested adding the automated hands to Hydrocity?

[@lauson1ex]

This channel is criminally underrated. The production value and quality in your videos is unparalleled. Amazing research work that keeps speculation to a minimum. You guys create excellent content and deserve a lot more recognition. This video was entertaining from beginning to end. During the Michael Jackson segment, I was thinking to myself: "I wish they'd talk about Michael's involvement in Space Channel 5". Right after it was mentioned. Loved it! Keep up the excellent work!

[@strafefox]

Awesome to hear! :)

[@TheGeckoNinja]

yeah seriously, his visual effects are amazing!

[@Bitplex]

Came here to more or less say this! Incredible work as always - bitplex

[@ADCFproductions]

That's true. Meanwhile crappy channels have millions of subs :C

[@SharedACc-wb4bi]

Why is sonic not popular in japan?

[@DrunkASMR]

Sonic 3 is by far one of my favourite game ever, enjoyed this video.

[@guitarspud1723]

True dat

[@sphynx49]

Same I LOVE SONIC 3

[@Ecotic]

Well, that was some... unexpectedly, astonishingly superb quality work.

[@Yuzoboy]

This is an excellent video on Sonic 3 & Knuckles and surprised I have only just come across it! A very well constructed section on the Michael Jackson section too :)

[@dykodesigns]

Exellent video! This is TV documentary quality stuff.

[@IkesDaddelbox]

The 3D elements blew my mind as a kid. Even my friends who already switched to the next generation were impressed (the 16 bit era ended when I got my Mega Drive for my 8th birthday, and It was all I had until my early 20s). It was the closest thing to a 2D platformer on the Playstation. It also blows my mind that I've been basically listening to a 16bit rendition of an unreleased song my entire life. Apparently Buxer really wanted the world to listen to Hard Times in some form. Fantastic video! I can only agree with everyone else. The amount of effort that went into presentation and research is astonishing.

[@Haloforus]

For fun, I've often tried making my own top 10 favorite games list for myself. I've never been able to finish any of these lists, but they all share a single thing in common, and that is this game here taking number one. I adore this game, I make sure to play through it at least once a year, in fact I make sure to play it every single Christmas, it's like a tradition. The memories I have being young and loving every second of Sonic 3&K, playing it with my brother every once in a while, loving the music, enjoying the great level design, the multiple characters that all feel different yet retaining the familiar feel of momentum... This is my favorite game ever made, to this day I still enjoy very single visit I make to Angel Island and I salute SEGA and the developers for putting together such a masterpiece that I quite literally will continue to enjoy for the rest of my life. Thank you for the extremely informative video on the making of this classic gem, you did it absolute justice.

[@renziye]

came back to watching this again after the prototype got released in public

[@InNominePraxis]

I almost never write youtube comments, this is one solely to give a small contribute to the youtube algorithm.

[@Antonio_Ortiz]

Dude, you have no idea how much seeing those old Sonic marketing materials (like the McDonald's commercial and the magazine ads) brings joy to my heart: I remember seeing all of that as a kid and being so hyped for Sonic 3 to come out. So many memories, so many feels. And you even give time stamps for the music credits. Strafefox, you are a good man.

[@YankeGinobreaker6]

If I’m being honest I’d pay to watch these videos, 4 years later and the quality is still better than most KZbinrs these days

[@dsuki4416]

I come on to this video, thinking its just like those "brief history" videos, then I go in the comments and all I see are compliments. NOT ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT. I watch the video and now I see what they are talking about. How do you do this? The visuals are outstanding. It's amazing how much effort put into this. The hours put into this video is extraordinary! Instantly subscribed.

[@stuckin2003]

Stunning. Incredible content, lots of information I didn't actually know before, and I'm a huge Sonic nerd. The presentation and graphic design of the video is off the charts! So professional with many fantastic touches and callbacks to the Sonic's early 90s era. Thank you!

[@Nicknir]

I love this channel. You put so much effort to bring us a great content. thank you!

[@asriel8691]

ó o cara ai

[@k_kubes]

ó o cara ai

[@blackphoenix77]

I was blown away when I found out that Michael Jackson and his music team did some of the music for Sonic 3: shame that they couldn't score the entire thing. By the way, Sonic 3 hasn't been on any recent game collections because that same music team is in a lawsuit with Sega over royalty payments for the music they made for the game.

[@kilmone]

Damn, you hit me right in the feels with this video. It even sparked some positivity towards the upcoming Sonic movie!

[@atom_zero5413]

This is the first time in years that i actually learn something new about Sonic 3/3K. Great research, great editing, great writing. I would give my left ball for YOU to make one on Sonic Adventure.

[@Mazgid]

Its makes me feel proud for calling myself a Sonic fan

[@SolarChip]

And then they had to go and release that movie poster.

[@Adventureruler]

xD

[@ratfarmer1]

Beautiful video, Sonic 3 & Knuckles is one of my favorite games of all time. Your editing skills are incredible

[@bartdude82]

It's very rare that youtube videos like this capture my full attention. But I was glued to the screen from start to finish. Very well made presentation.

[@orlanzo2621]

As someone who absolutely loves S3&K (it's one of my favorite games of all time) and grew up obsessed with it, this was amazing man. I always love getting the behind the scenes info on games i love. Excellent work on this!

[@ProTayToeGamer]

Even tho I've heard all this info and "obscure" facts before the editing and aesthetic of this channel makes it feel brand new!

[@julian2996]

The quality of your videos is amazing. I cannot believe you have less than 100k subscribers! I've been sharing your videos religiously and just started supporting you on Patreon. Keep up the good work; I'm sure you'll get very far, your content certainly deserves it.

[@strafefox]

Thanks so much for your support! Really awesome! :)

[@TheDeathOfLucifer]

I miss when we dated

[@flufflepuffle6229]

I cannot lie, not only is your video full of interesting and awesome graphics, but your narration and storytelling ability are fantastic as well. Great job, and keep up the good work! I hope your channel can get some more attention in the future.

[@Massflavour]

This is professional production quality and research. Well done.

[@perputuousdreamer]

Outstanding! I dread to think how many hours you poured into researching and creating this masterpiece. You've answered so many questions and more I'd never thought of in this video, I honestly feel you've managed to bring a conclusion to the entire sonic story. The level of detail you've managed to cover is astounding. I hope your channel becomes something of epic proportions. You deserve it. Thank You

[@Zeropointill]

Yeah this was crazy finding out all these neat details about pretty much every game i've ever had on genesis. Michael Jackson helped write some music for sonic 3, and it got cut out because of rumors of him diddling kids. I wonder what the original tracks sound like.

[@perputuousdreamer]

I can help with your curiosities... Do a search for "A Brief History of Michael Jackson's Sonic the Hedgehog 3" I don't want to link on someone elses channel

[@gaminglime6902]

I just felt like I just watched an entire movie and now I'm left very satisfied and delighted. Thank you Strafefox!

[@mtubr]

Strafefox not disappointing again on the production of his videos. Small stuff made only for the sake of the videos (like the 3D text in 3D with Sonic texture) makes this video and his other videos looks so unique. His channel surely should deserve to be at least around 1Million subscribed. Hang on Strafefox, keep doing your hard work and PEOPLE please LIKE his videos so youtube algorythm advertise his videos more often... this guy deserves it!

[@LoFiLime]

My favorite game of all time getting the strafefox treatment was aaawesome!

[@BowserZeki]

Holy shit i'm very impressed how you visualized everything so well!

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

This is absolutely incredible. I love the 3D renders and 80’s style.

[@moonraven6145]

oh, that's why Sonic's 3 looked completely different to 1 and 2's, interesting video.

[@segajcharrua]

This one deserves to be watched at dinner time !!

[@strafefox]

Is it almost dinner time where you live? I am eating my dinner right now, made a nice Risotto with salmon :)

[@imamakeit5163]

@@strafefox You can save the sonic series with this video.

[@ubdrift5904]

Whats for DINNER

[@segajcharrua]

@@strafefox i am from Portugal so it was a couple hours away for dinner time =)

[@HyperAMR]

All of your content is absolutely incredible, the amount of work in all of your content is just perfect. The editing is just god level. I have never seen this type of hard work on a video my whole life. I really hope you get millions of subscribers you deserve it big time. Your channel is soo underrated. Keep up the amazing work. Do not give up!

[@ProgInternetExplorer]

this vid needs like 1m video its both objective and straightforward, gives deep details and holy crap the video making is sweet omg almost cried at the end no kappa

[@lef4843]

1m video?

[@RasenRendanX]

its 2020 Lockdown Covid year and i just found this channel via the Street fighter 2 making of. Now i just binged all 3 videos on the sonic games and i am blown away by how high quality these videos are. Incredible work.

[@WebstersYouTube]

You have no idea how happy I am to see you using the PAL boxart and cartridges :D Awesome video guys, you've knocked it out of the park yet again!

[@strafefox]

I'm a PAL guy :) and I really love the Sonic 1 and 3 PAL box art.

[@WebstersYouTube]

Hell yes! Seems we got the better deal in general for boxart. For example, I'd happily take our minimalistic plain white Final Fantasy cases over the render vomit US versions any day.

[@PigDan]

I love these documentaries on this channel. You are raising the standard for game documentaries. Amazing quality and info! So happy I found your channel! :)

[@strafefox]

Awesome to hear and thanks! :)

[@PigDan]

@@strafefox When would you release these on DVD/Blu-Ray? I would love to own these physically especially if they are extended or have extra content not on KZbin! Supporting you would also be great!

[@strafefox]

I'm already planning some stuff for the Blu Ray actually, for example I'm currently re-rendering my Sonic1 elements in 1080p and adding extra content. My goal is to document the 16bit era. The Sega branch is already taking shape now but I still want to have more content before I release the blu-ray.

[@lauson1ex]

@@strafefox Jesus, I would totally nab a copy without even thinking! That'd be the easiest purchase of my life.

[@PigDan]

@@strafefox Awesome! I will look forward to the release! The entire video was perfect but I do want to help you out by letting you know that there was a very, very minor typo in the first bit of credits text @ 23:25. (So you can fix this for final release!)

[@DanijelJames]

I completely forgot about so much in this game. Watching all the levels brings back nostalgia as a kid with my two brothers playing these games thinking it was the BEST game. And now that I fondly look back on those memories, the Sonic 3 & Knuckles was the single best Sonic franchise game that Segway brought out all those years ago. I’m now 38 at time of writing this, and I can honestly say this really hits home for me. Thank you so much for the work you’ve put into this. I’m going to go find a Sega MegaDrive and those two cartridges to relive the old days again. Thank you!

[@strafefox]

Awesome to hear and have fun with the Mega-Drive /Sonic 3 :)

[@ShadelifeFTW]

Awesome video man, thx for this info of my favourite game for all these years. I remember walking in the store as a kid and don’t understanding why Sonic & Knuckels was in the shelves all of a sudden. I had never heard of it before then.

[@MusicDecomposer]

Are there any high quality recordings of the Michael Jackson grunts used in this game’s music? If so, will they ever be released to the public as WAV files?

[@3dmarth]

Yes! The grunt/breathing sound from the Sonic 3 credits theme can be heard in Space Channel 5, specifically in the Space Michael mission theme. Note that MJ's vocals are missing from the OST CD, so you need to go with the original file ripped from the game: R42MUSIC_00025.adx Most of the other vocal sounds, like that high-pitched "hoooo!" from the mini-boss theme, are reportedly just stock recordings that have nothing to do with him... though their inclusion in the game was likely still a deliberate move. (Of course, there were other sounds taken from MJ's music, like the "Jam!" from Carnival Night, but I can't think of any that use his voice.)

[@IDHLEB]

AFAIK those aren't MJ grunts. They're from a sample library.

[@jibronyasein947]

@@3dmarth what about the GO! sound?

[@3dmarth]

@@jibronyasein947 You mean the one from Launch Base? That's just a generic sound from a sample pack, as far as I know. It (or something very similar) shows up in lots of other games, including some later Sonic titles. (Note: The breathing sound in the credits kind of resembles the "GO!" sound when it plays in-game, thanks to the Genesis hardware mangling it. Rip it directly from the ROM, however, and it's clearly the same sound from MJ's level in Space Channel 5.)

[@Rose-zo1oo]

@@3dmarth the go sound is from a song, i forgot the name, but it exists. The only channel i know has it is Alex Yard And Knuckles, on his vid of launch base

[@bgirlNOZOMI]

This was a very informative, very entertaining, well-researched video on my favorite game growing up. I especially liked all the behind-the-scenes footage and information on the game. Keep up the good work.

[@UltimaMan]

This was brilliant to watch and I will absolutely check out more of your videos. Just a couple of minor things. The extra emeralds are "Super Emeralds" not "Hyper Emeralds" and Hyper Sonic can also breathe underwater without the aid of a bubble shield. That aside, I can't believe I hadn't heard of you before today. Thanks for such amazing content!

[@strafefox]

Thanks! Yeah you're right they are called Super Emeralds, Hyper Sonic got me confused there for a moment :)

[@Tremadog102]

I didn't remember them marketing a "Sonic Mania" day. It's funny even that became a reference for the game's title. Thanks for the video, it a joy to watch.

[@matteosoncini9627]

Best 2D platform ever!!!

[@mherweg]

I just gotta say this video is exceptionally well done. There was a lot of info in here that I knew nothing about, and still other points that I've heard 3rd hand or rumors about but was never truly clear on the details. Great work, looking forward to checking out other videos! I especially loved the clarification on exactly what went on with the soundtrack. I've heard about the MJ connection for years, but this really clears things up.

[@villageronps5317]

Wow...just...wow. This video was amazing. The editing, the information, the presentation. How is this channel not more well-known? Seriously I learned a lot from this video. I really hope that more people find and appreciate these videos. Great job!

[@Diablokiller999]

Watching this the 5th or 6th time, this game is so amazing and this video makes it justice! It's brilliant to see how the people behind your childhood dreams worked to make your life a bit more wonderful...

[@strafefox]

Thanks! That's really cool to hear :)

[@samysnes]

I can't wait for some bigger youtuber to give you a shout-out. This channel deserves a lot more subs!

[@PiousMoltar]

Possibly my favourite game ever, I didn't expect there to be much in this video I hadn't heard before, but there was actually quite a lot. Brilliantly researched, written, narrated and edited video. Informative, interesting and entertaining. I've subbed :P

[@ricovelas]

Truly top notch work. I felt immersed watching this. As others have stated this was not the average youtuber reading from a wiki. Keep up the great work!

[@DoubleDog]

I've meant to say this for weeks, but thank you. Your videos are incredible and have served as a massive inspiration to me. Every time I want to feel more inspired, creative or simply need to feel more drive, I watch a video from this channel. I can't wait to see what you all cook up next!

[@drehkick32]

I have already Subscibed, liked and commented on this and his other videos. Why? Because I really believe this channel deserves to grow bigger. The research, care, love and production quality on his videos are great. Too many lazy Top 10 videos, let's plays etc. on youtube. This channel is a breeze of fresh air.

[@PlayboyLude44]

This brought back vivid memories of when Sonic Spinball released. I was about 7 in 1994, oh man and the happy meal toy... Right in the feels. Fantastic work, thank you so much!

[@krishnadoraisamy2042]

Also, the Amount of effort and hard work this guy puts in this channel is amazing. I could never do such a thing since I don’t have enough luxury. You do a lot of research and depth in each video. Your channel is definitely underrated and you deserve far more subs. Sonic is one of my first franchises I’ve ever played and I love Sonic himself, and am an old school fan. Keep up the great work!

[@krishnadoraisamy2042]

Thanks for pinning my comment. Can you make a video on Yoshi's Island please?

[@SerathDarklands]

This is a beautifully put together, excellently organized, brilliantly narrated mini-documentary. It's like something you'd find late night on one of the old-school tech channels that used to exist back in the late 90s on TV. Very well done, very informative. 10/10.

[@AJHillerich]

I'm so happy I subscribed to this channel

[@strafefox]

Great to hear! :)

[@ademolaadekiya5694]

Finally!! ive been waiting a long time for this. your videos are just so majestic. all this talent into one video? you sir are one underrated youtuber.

[@samuelbarrett1082]

One of my favorite game combos. They definitely turned a setback into one of the best features any video game had at the time. I remember renting games just to see what kind of level I'd get on knuckles. Has anyone tried to connect a sonic&knuckles cartridge to a sonic&knuckles cartridge? Hmm, I probably tried it back in the day but honestly don't remember the space time continuum ripping apart. Great video man. Definitely giving the Gaming Historian a run for his money.

[@olblueyes7670]

These types of videos are why I come to KZbin...very binge-watch worthy! Thanks for taking the time to make these available to us.

[@metaridleyakathecunninggod1006]

Wait...Michael Jackson was the first person who owned a Sega Saturn? Huh, neat.

[@sonicthehedgehog1345]

He was also a criminal

[@SonicPlayer2004]

A smooth one.

[@myutwo33]

Amazingly well researched!

[@amirgarcia547]

The editing in this video is so perfect and sublime that it almost makes me jealous tbh. And with Sonic Origins arriving and giving us a long-awaited fullscreen rerelease of Sonic 3&Knuckles, it’s the perfect opportunity to watch it!👌🏽

[@TQ255]

Thanks for putting the effort into making this video. Learned many new things as a long time sonic player.

[@retrodude1131]

My favourite 2D Platformer of all time. Watching this video just makes me want to start up my Mega Drive and play me some Sonic 3!

[@silentdebugger]

This is some of the best production value I've ever seen on KZbin. Props for what must have been weeks of hard work on this

[@11th_Endor]

I always knew that there was a lot of effort put in sonic 3, but there still a lot to the story that I never knew! I can also tell a lot of effort was put into the video, I also love the editing, great video.

[@wingspantt]

First, amazing video. Great detail, execution, etc. I learned so much. Second, wow. As an adult now I really appreciate S3&K more. It was already a great game but now I see it was also an unlikely perfect storm of marketing, design, and engineering.

[@apocaloso]

These videos are little jewels 💎 Great Job!

[@CapyTapy]

Didn't expected to find such well made video, good job!

[@SonnyFrisco]

Stoked I found this! One of the most visually pleasing and thorough videos I've ever seen. As someone who played this as a kid regularly, this had all of the content I was looking for, 100%.

[@azzamatic4190]

Thank you for bringing us this content. This looks like a lot of work to produce. Can't wait for any future instalments

[@Wykesidefruitmachine]

Strafefox vids definitely deserve the countdown hype!!!!

[@strafefox]

Ha :) Thanks so much!

[@Slayer3915]

I came here for the S3NK info, didn't know there'd be a much more complete history of the early series. That's pretty much anti-clickbait, isn't it? Thanks :3

[@arthurcarezzato5360]

Congrats for this Sonic series of videos! Such a wonderful work you've done! It makes me wanna replay all the games to feel their greatness!

[@IllBeDARNd]

This is phenomenally high-quality. Exceptionally impressed with the 3D models/ animations. 5stars, absolutely stellar.