S&K successfully follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, and it gives players a great adventure to blast throug
Coincidentally, similar to Sonic 3, a 3D rendering appears right from the start. The player is able to choose between two characters, Sonic the Hedgehog and his enemy-to-ally, Knuckles the Echidna. Upon selecting Sonic, the gameplay is generally the same between Sonic 3 and this game, most likely due to the fact of the small time frame between the two. However, Knuckles adds a brand new element to the series (and a necessary gameplay element at the least). Knuckles can attach to walls and climb them, he possesses the ability to glide, and, as a result of his strength, he can charge through barriers effortlessly. As a result, he is much slower than Sonic is. Indeed, this style of gaming enforces a much-needed addition to the series.
Besides the two unique options between Sonic’s speed and Knuckles’ various attributes, the difficulty is enhanced depending upon which character you choose. Sonic launches a quest chasing Dr. Robotnik after his Death Egg crashes from the sky, and during the experience, players will notice that the “bosses” that Sonic confronts are much easier to destroy compared to Knuckles’ bosses. Knuckles sets out on a mission to deploy vengeance upon Egg Robo, and most of the bosses that he faces involve that enemy.
Coming to technical terms, S&K displays a huge color palette, and the game’s zones have excellent variety in matters of location and distribution. Similarly, S&K’s audio is superb, direct in comparison to Sonic 3. The checkpoint bonus games are great fun, and very addictive, and along with the Special Stages, both of them add their share of extra replayability. And speaking of replay value, unlike Sonic 3, a save feature is absent, which considerably harms its replayability. However, Chaos Emerald gathering and the two playable character options rescue this absence.
Within my Sonic 3 review it was stated that the full potential of the two games reach their climax when they are assembled into one (Sonic 3 & Knuckles). So, if you decide to purchase both games (or if you own Sonic Mega Collection or Sonic Mega Collection Plus) make no hesitation to bring these two together.
The conclusion is that Sonic & Knuckles successfully follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, and that any player will discover a great adventure to blast through, whether you choose to be as our spiky blue friend or his friendly rival. All in all, Sonic & Knuckles finishes the 16-bit prosperity with a bang.