I really hope that most of you didn't like Sonic 3's 2 player VS levels because they were too short. Myself love the themes of the levels, and I love even more the fact that they horizontally and sometimes vertically wrap to make it more like a GP track. I love Grand Prix racing, and by wrapping levels like that, you could think of the level as being circular, and that the camera would stand still while rotating around its axis. But, like Azure Lake, it is so short you can almost see the beginning before the end, and that's not good enough! I voted Sonic 3. Love the wrapping concept for Grand Prix. Love the level design! For me when it comes to level design, Endless Mine is my second favorite level after Lava Reef. And Chrome Gadget could have had a huge potential if it had been a full sized level.
Ya pretty much. I like the idea of Sonic 2's 2P since they're actual levels, I don't care much for repeating the same segment 5 times over. Now if these little levels were expanded into real, unique levels, that'd be a different story, since they all have some pretty cool looking environments (Except Sandopolis is better then Desert Palace graphically IMO, same with Carnival Night in comparison to the Balloon level).
That's exactly why I didn't like them. They were short and with a linear path. The replayability of the mode sunk like a rock as every playthrough eventually ended up the same. Sonic 2's multiplayer at the very least had the full level for the players to burn through and all its paths. Add the random monitors and the scoring system to the mix and you would end up with a decent competitive game that can be replayed with different results each time. 2's multiplayer stomps the shit out of 3's due to it being a decently designed competitive game and not some technical bullshit or "what could be".
I prefer S3' 2P Mode, not just because the Zones were pretty much awesome (Graphical and Musically speaking), but because I spent SO much time trying to get better and better times with friends, trying to shave off a millisecond of a run. Also, it was like an expansion to S3 before K to us, I mean, you could play as freaking Knuckles, plus the Theme of each Zone was somewhat inspired by both 3 and K Zones, so it was like a preview of the next part of the game while we waited to get the game. Plus the Fault countdown thing was hilarious when playing with friends and intentionally "Faulting" the start just to mess with them and piss them off :P Of course, S2 2P was fun and all, but it was pretty much the same SP experience to me, and I was looking to expand it. To me, S3 was way better than S2 in general, not just 2P, but as a whole experience (Oh the irony, because S3 wasn't a full game at all :P). I was more bugfixed, each level had a few "landmarks" that you could use to explain people the level layout or just to differentiate them, and had sub-boss battles that keeps the puzzle-thinking fresh through the game. Plus, on-topic: A full featured 2P Mode.
My vote will have to go with Sonic 3's 2p mode. I got a kick out of the items that could be dropped on the track to mess up your opponent. It was a good test of your reflexes (unless you were watching their screen) partly due to the small stage size and the "sped up" physics you were already dealing with. I also like that it kept a record of your times so you could show off to your friends later on. I think we spent just as much time at home trying to beat each others times on our own copies as we did racing each other. Good times.
As mentioned both had heavy pros and cons. Sonic 2's vs mode was an impressive extra, and let's face it, Sonic levels are made for racing through. It's just a shame they couldn't add more than three levels (plus special stage) into the mix (though technical problems did seem to be part of the reason, eg. water imcompatability with split screen). Heck even adding it to the Knuckles variant for an extra character would have been a nice diversity (has that been made for any project yet?). As noted previously it was also a reward for people who had already played through the game and learned the levels inside out. Sonic 3's Competition Mode seems more like a little mini game for when you're bored of the 1 player mode. The specially made levels are nice but very limited and as neat a touch it was to play as Knuckles for the first time, he had no unique abiltities (though granted giving him and Tails all the powers might have made Sonic the dud). It was also annoying how it didn't get any upgrade from S+K lock on, a few more stages may have made it last a little longer. Hard to choose, but I think I'll ultimately go for Sonic 2. I like when they give extra replay value to the main game and another purpose to play the levels (eg. time trial, versus race) sorta like a prize for those who master them normally. It also has sentimental value to me since it was my first ever experience to Sonic gameplay (me and my brother got the game together so played 2 player mode instantly).
I'll give Sonic 3's 2P zones points for novelty, good music, and some good zone ideas. I'd also take some away for, well, good zone ideas. It just makes me want to see Azure Lake and Chrome Gadget in full screen glory, damn it. It also didn't hold up well gameplay wise, when compared to the main game, and the zones were far too short and far too easy. Sure, I still have a blast with S3's 2P, but when it comes down to it, I much prefer Sonic 2's. It's traditional, classic, and, apparently, for a while I was the only one here playing them enough to notice Robotnik Monitors. Neener. =P Still a blast playing Sonic 2 with my older sister, though.
Sonic 2's for sure. Had WAY more fun playing it as a kid. I'd always hoped SEGA would extend more in this style, or at the very least, see a competition hack of another Sonic game.
Well they sorta did, SA2, Heroes and the Advance series all have a similar vs mode, along with the majority of their respective levels playable. Otherwise I think the nearest alternative are some S2Betas which you can play all the levels in split screen (albeit in rather buggy form).
Sonic 2. Shit was manic. Teleportation monitors, switches, obstacles, multiple paths. Compare that to Sonic 3's twenty second stages that can only be played the same way every time. Not to mention that they're lap-based. In all reality those stages are so tiny that they barely pass as an excuse for a Sonic level, whereas the three competition zones in Sonic 2 include both their acts in their entirety (minus bosses) and a round of good old fashioned competitive "Rings and Diamonds Land" action too.
Sonic 3's multiplayer was much more simplistic and honestly, just generally kind of pointless. Most of the gimmicks they used for it were lifeless and boring and the layouts themselves were pretty shit too. Also, I would have rather seen actual stages made out of the two player mode being made... The coolest thing about them is the music, and you don't really get much opportunity to enjoy those songs since you basically never play 2 player mode unless you like being bored off your ass.
I think Sonic 3's competition mode works as something of a bunch of mini games, the problem is minigames usually work better when there is a lot of them for longevity. As said I really think it should have been expanded in some way through Sonic and Knuckles, a couple of extra levels or modes or something.
in hushed tones It's not really that good, is it? To be fair, not that I've ever played either multiplayer mode properly, but I think Sonic 2’s would probably win. ‘At least it's good at something!’ EHZ and its music will always induce a gigantic nostalgia trip, but the rest doesn't really appeal to me any more. It's a shame that the stuff that was scrapped looks better than much of what did make it in, but maybe that's just the greener-grass effect in action.
Sonic 2, for all the reasons that everyone else has said. Though I am probably biased; I never had Sonic 3 as a kid, though I had played it at friends' houses, my parents wouldn't buy it for me no matter how much I begged. I have many very fond memories of playing Sonic 2 2P mode, usually making my sister cry because I always beat her, but very few memories of playing the S3 2P mode - and the ones I do have of S3 2P is mostly 8 year old me throwing a strop that it wasn't like Sonic 2. I'd love to be able to play more classic Sonic zones in S2 style 2P mode, including zones from Sonic 1, 3&K, as Sonic, Tails or Knuckles, but like everyone else said, technical issues are preventing it in some instances I guess, that and the level length in S3&K (the amount of times I've died in Sonic 3 1P mode because the time ran out!) I can imagine zones like Carnival Night, Marble Garden and Sandopolis becoming epic missions. Incidentally, did anyone else ever get that music glitch in S2's 2P mode on the Emerald Hill zone, where the music speeds up to a ridiculous degree? It happened when someone had gotten the speed-up item, but the music sped up much faster than it was supposed to, and didn't slow down after the speed shoes wore off. It only happened once that I can remember when I was a kid (and was all kinds of hilarious!), but it happened again recently when playing a ROM. I've searched for it on youtube and haven't found anything, I am wondering how common that glitch is and if it has happened to anyone else? (Although, we also got other glitches when playing that particular ROM, so we think it might have been a badly dumped ROM. However the music glitch has happened when playing the actual Sonic2 cart.)
Sonic 2 hands down has the best multiplayer when compared to Sonic 3. Now don't get me wrong I liked Competition Mode but it felt more like a mini game of sorts rather then an actual competition. I liked the little zones and all but unless the levels had the same depth as the Sonic 2 VS. levels it would have been a lot better. The whole lap thing could work in a multiplayer level but they were WAY too short. I did like the speed down power up, that would have been great in Sonic 2's vs mode! Sonic 2 had a great multiplayer mode, you could play some of the levels from the actual main game AND you had the Special Stages too! I always thought the Special Stages in VS mode were a great highlight. It makes you wonder if a 2P Blue Sphere mode could have been done in Sonic 3. and like what Torpedoes said it would be nice to see what Sonic 3 levels would be like in an S2 vs mode but most of the levels would be a pain to put in such a mode.
I love sonic 2's multiplayer, it's much more then just who can finish first and I LOVE IT for that reason alone. Sonic 3's stuff was ok but it's obviously there so they don't have to say that they removed multiplayer from the series.
