A few "what the hell do I do here" moments--usually the fault of being stuck somewhere where the only way out is a mechanic you haven't been taught but are expected to figure out on your own--and the removal of Ice Cap Zone's iconic soundtrack are the only things I can even imagine complaining about here. On the other hand, the Origins release of Sonic 3 & Knuckles fixes the glaring lives problem of the Genesis Sonic games on top of rebuilding the game engine to allow for proper widescreen gameplay. This all but eliminates any of the quibbles I had with platforming in classic Sonic. The balance in this release is tipped well in favor of fun over frustration.

While it's hard not to compare the shiny new Origins versions of these games with the near-flawless Sonic Mania, the coherent narrative and flow between levels help to make up the difference. A greater serving of personality is a fine tradeoff for Mania's meticulous polish. With the improvements Sonic Origins adds, it makes Sonic 3 & Knuckles a serious contender for the best Sonic game.

The blue spheres mini game is my fatal weakness. I must have found a couple dozen rings in my playthrough, but only ever got three Chaos Emeralds.