Takes you back in time to Sonic's golden age.
There are a few new items and power-ups in this game. There's the bubble shield, which lets you breathe underwater (Sonic can bounce around with it); the electric shield, which magnetically draws rings to you (Sonic can get a shock-boost in the air from it); and the fire shield, which protects you from flames (Sonic can turn into a fireball and dart through the air with this shield). The shield powers don't really give Sonic an edge over Tails' abilities though. Tails' flight is only temporary, but it's still a lot of fun and you'll probably find that you prefer using Tails over Sonic. Another neat thing you can do when you have both characters is have Tails take flight and carry Sonic around. Last but not least, Tails can do one more thing that Sonic can't do: he can swim. Once again, the ability is limited, but it gives him a huge advantage over Sonic. This game was the first introduction of Knuckles. You can also hook this game up to your Sonic & Knuckles cartridge and add Knuckles to the fun. Many will argue that it's easier to play as Knuckles than as Sonic or Tails. Knuckles possesses the ability to glide through the air, cling onto and climb up walls, and ram through walls that Sonic and Tails have to spindash through. All Knuckles has to do is just use his fists, and wall down.
The levels in this game are amazing. Each level has its own unique environment with its own cast of enemies. As you breeze through the colorful environments, it will make you wanna play the game again and again.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is an instant classic. By taking advantage of the unique abilities of Sonic, Tails, and even Knuckles, you'll find yourself playing this game for hours. If you are a true Sonic fan, you will absolutely love this game. It doesn't matter which version you play, each has the same lasting appeal.