SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 & KNUCKLES
MEGA DRIVE, 1994
Another game, another new character – and this time it’s a foe in the form of Knuckles, a hot-tempered echidna. Beyond that, Sega Technical Institute’s game plays it relatively safe, although bosses now appear at the end of all stages. The inclusion of a save game feature was criticised for making the game too easy, especially given its relatively short length, but it’s another high-quality platform game.
Released just eight months after Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles sees the two titular rivals joining forces, as Knuckles realises that Robotnik is a tad evil and joins the playable cast. The game’s cartridge includes another cartridge slot, allowing players to plug other games into the top. Plugging in Sonic 2 makes Knuckles available in the older game, but connecting to Sonic 3 is the far more enticing prospect as Sonic & Knuckles is essentially the second part of that game. Combined, they become one large adventure that stands as the best 2D outing for Sega’s mascot.