I think the gameplay is a nice step up from Sonic 2, with the mid-air spin attack not seeming very useful at first, but it turns out to be pretty valuable at the right times. Plus, the way Sonic and everything looks conveys that classic attitude that's associated with the Genesis era a lot more. The elemental shields are pretty neat too, and Special Stages being implemented into the level design encourages exploration in a fun way.

I think that some of the levels are the only thing holding Sonic 3 back. They're pretty solid for the most part, with a handful of them seeming too long (Carnival Night Act 2 almost took me the entire 10-minute time limit). Plus, after the plethora of environments in the last, it's hard to not feel this has a little less. Sonic & Knuckles does help alleviate this though. Overall, this part of Sonic 3 is a good start.

It's an ambitious experience, but it feels like every encounter is pretty much the same, and when the game's as slow-paced as this, that tends to be a whole lot of nothing interesting for the most part. It does get fun when ghosts get involved, but from my experience, that doesn't happen quickly enough. Large levels like the school or prison can also feel unbearable too, even with multiple people. My low rating doesn't mean the game is poorly made; it's just not very exciting for me. That being said, I do respect how updates are still being pushed out, and I hope that it picks up soon.