Spoiler Level Select Code (From title screen) Switch - B + Y + PLUS PlayStation - X + SQUARE + OPTIONS Xbox One (presumably; I can't confirm yet) - A + X + START http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hxmuHlOwG0 Interestingly this skips the save select entirely. I don't see any way to use this alongside unlockable moves because the menu to enable them is bypassed.
Absolutely amazing. Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I think you've been dethroned. Minor bugs: Spoiler Knuckles animation in the opening jumps a couple pixels for one frame. Metallic Madness caused Sonic jump sound to change to the ring sound. Closing and reopening fixed it. That's for Switch version, if it matters. Beat as Sonic alone, all Emeralds. Taking a break before trying as Knuckles.
How do you guys get the emeralds so quickly ? I only got 3 with Sonic and 4 with Knuckles. Is there a giant ring accessible quickly in a level, like in Angel Island/Mushroom Hill (S3K) ?
There's a giant ring about a minute into Green Hill Act 1 that I've been using on my completed save to collect the remaining emeralds. After you use it, exit out, reload the save, rinse, repeat.
It's not quite that quick, but I found 2 in Studiopolis Act 1 (as Sonic, not sure if that matters yet). It took several hours, because they're hard. If only you had slightly better traction...
I got all of my emeralds by PGZ with Sonic, FBZ on my Knuckles run and Studiopolis with Tails all on their first runs, with Knuckles and Tails piggybacking after what I knew was there with Sonic. I just have a nose for giant rings, I always specifically hunt for them.
Ok I've done a full playthrough with Sonic & Tails with all Emeralds and I have to say: This is a fucking beautiful game on all levels. The revisited zones feel fresh enough that they might as well be all-new ones. I really can't find any fault with the game at all and I think it's shot straight to the top spot on my headlist of favourite Sonic games. Only took 23 bloody years!
Stick to the regular Act 1 & Act 2 route, it's incredibly hard to miss it. Infact, 9 times out of 10 you'll run into it anyway.
A few thoughts so far... The Master Emerald is where it's supposed to be, as seen in Knuckles' Lava Reef boss, so WHY IS THE FLOATING ISLAND NOT FLOATING, WHAT THE FUCK. The last two special stages are much too easy, especially in comparison to the fifth. On my third run through the game, I had all the emeralds by the end of the fourth zone. They quickly stop being as fun if there's no challenge. The missing zone transitions and confusingly anticlimactic plot are really glaring issues for a successor to S3&K. Knuckles has a transition from Lava Reef to Metallic Madness, but Sonic/Tails don't? This is really bugging me. Hydrocity 2 is easily the most disappointing level, it's way too similar to the original. Did the devs run out of time designing it? If Titanic Monarch is on Little Planet, why doesn't it have an alliterative name? On the level select screen, why does Egg Reverie use the Sonic 2 Death Egg icon? They're completely different. I've also stumbled across a lot of minor bugs and glitches. Really hoping there's a patch coming super soon. I've had lots of positive thoughts too. Lava Reef 2 and Stardust Speedway 1 are genius. Press Garden is breathtaking. Most importantly, though... Only four new zones? Every old zone re-uses significant parts of the original layout? Bleh. I fail to see how apprehension was "ironic".
While the old zones are handled quite well, I would have preferred at least a fifth new zone over EIGHT old ones, or even if they had used levels from more obscure titles to throw people off course. Hell, this could have been the ideal opportunity to make some fully realised versions of some Knuckles Chaotix levels with more gimmicks and better layouts.
Pretty sure you missed the point of his post. He wasn't trying to indicate that the game was chock full of new levels, more so saying that the ratio is irrelevant since all of the levels are being treated as if they were new anyway. Don't tell me you're gonna let a title card and some decor dictate what's "new" enough or not?
So uh. Yeah I got nothing to contribute apart from holy shit. So many points I thought I'd seen everything, only for another amazing reference to fuck me up big time. Had one soft-lock during the regular final boss, (dodging the hands isn't the best idea apparently...) but luckily the Restart option put me just before the boss fight again! Still, does the strange stage order make sense at any point? Not every transition is explained in a cutscene, and even then some wouldn't make sense considering classic sonic geography! These are literally the only nitpicks in an 11/10 game holy fuck, light me a cigar, I'm going in for round 2!
This is what I've been trying to articulate a lot. The level design in this game is so VASTLY improved over the original stages whether it be in small or large ways, and it REALLY makes for an incredibly well-rounded game. I didn't feel like I was playing the same old zones, and I was constantly happy with the whole thing. This is the only Classic style Sonic game that has an entire roster of levels where I don't want to skip even one of them. It's so amazing, I'm probably going to do a legitimate standalone video on the genius of this game's level design.
Alright, with my current route, I can have all the emeralds by Studiopolis act 1 assuming I don't fail a special stage. 1 in GHZ1, 2 in GHZ2, 1 in CPZ1, 1 in CPZ2, and 3 in SPZ1. I know of 3 in act 2 as a backup. Good stuff.
Well that was amazing. Haven't beaten it with Chaos Emeralds yet - those special stages are hard (but fun)! I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Whitehead & Co. for putting together such a fantastic piece of artwork. I also want to say thank you to Sega for giving these guys a chance. Rooting for a Mania "2" in the not so distant future (hopefully?) Also something I noticed: does it seem like Press Garden was two different level concepts fused into one? Act 1 is all about the printing press gimmick and act 2 is a wintry serene garden. I feel like they could have easily gotten two acts out of each concept and made two original zones instead of one. Nevertheless, an amazing zone. I want more!!!
FINALLY beat the Flying Battery Act 2 boss. It's great when you finally get how to beat something. :D Also .. Doesn't the Press Garden Act 2 Boss remind anyone of a Mega Man boss fight? It's really cool!
