i'm generally not someone to go out of my way to play remasters or fan-adjusted versions of older games. most of the time, i'm more interested in getting as authentic an experience as i can out of these titles - to assess the work as its own standalone piece with the historical context behind it, splinters and all. that said, sonic 3 a.i.r. is a rare exception. for a game i have this much history with, being that i grew up with sonic 3 & knuckles, i'm happy to say that not only did this remaster completely make me understand WHY this is the best sonic game (even surpassing my beloved sonic 2 and the fantastic modern revival, sonic mania) but after revisiting this version for the FOURTH time this year and 100% completing it, achievements and all... this is my favorite 2d platformer of all time, now. one of my favorite games, period.
EVERYTHING about sonic 3 a.i.r. screams 'definitive'. the amount of customization options available to the player here, from level layouts to movesets, from item arsenals to soundtrack swaps, is on the cusp of fucking absurd. and as someone who yearns for the days of game-changing unlockables and cleverly tucked away easter eggs, sonic 3 a.i.r. had me covered in spades. the new mania-esque animations and updated 3d renders keep 3 a.i.r. feeling fresh and relevant while maintaining complete faithfulness to the original. the soundtrack remaster sounds crisp, full and lively - being a musician myself, i found the mixes here to be stellar and truly accurate to the intent of that near-perfect original score. time attack fans - i myself slowly find myself becoming one thanks to this game - are even eating good here, with a really intuitive and well designed mode to help you optimize time between runs. hell, i'm not even an achievement hunter but i sought out 100% completion with these fan-added trophies for the FUN of it. that's the sign that i've really, truly enjoyed your game.
there are still some fundamental issues that may boil up from the original sonic 3 here - i still think sandopolis and marble garden are a little patchy in comparison to the perfect streak of levels the rest of the game offers, but what's here is so good, and the feeling of just... experiencing a masterpiece fully realized to an ultimate apex of potential, that those qualms are frankly negligible. much as mario 64 remains my all-time platforming king, the 2d throne finally belongs to the blue blur. believe the hype - this one is the real deal, and a.i.r. has set that firmly in stone.
also - this got to be my 10 year old brother's first sonic game. he demanded i play sonic and he be tails. god damn it was so sweet. :)
EVERYTHING about sonic 3 a.i.r. screams 'definitive'. the amount of customization options available to the player here, from level layouts to movesets, from item arsenals to soundtrack swaps, is on the cusp of fucking absurd. and as someone who yearns for the days of game-changing unlockables and cleverly tucked away easter eggs, sonic 3 a.i.r. had me covered in spades. the new mania-esque animations and updated 3d renders keep 3 a.i.r. feeling fresh and relevant while maintaining complete faithfulness to the original. the soundtrack remaster sounds crisp, full and lively - being a musician myself, i found the mixes here to be stellar and truly accurate to the intent of that near-perfect original score. time attack fans - i myself slowly find myself becoming one thanks to this game - are even eating good here, with a really intuitive and well designed mode to help you optimize time between runs. hell, i'm not even an achievement hunter but i sought out 100% completion with these fan-added trophies for the FUN of it. that's the sign that i've really, truly enjoyed your game.
there are still some fundamental issues that may boil up from the original sonic 3 here - i still think sandopolis and marble garden are a little patchy in comparison to the perfect streak of levels the rest of the game offers, but what's here is so good, and the feeling of just... experiencing a masterpiece fully realized to an ultimate apex of potential, that those qualms are frankly negligible. much as mario 64 remains my all-time platforming king, the 2d throne finally belongs to the blue blur. believe the hype - this one is the real deal, and a.i.r. has set that firmly in stone.
also - this got to be my 10 year old brother's first sonic game. he demanded i play sonic and he be tails. god damn it was so sweet. :)