***====SONIC & KNUCKLES====***
FAQ
VERSION 2
This guide was written by Cyber Predator, who resides at
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You'll note that as playing Knuckles, the name next to his lives reads as KTE;
literally, Knuckles the Echidna. That's the same abbreviation I'll be using
during this FAQ.
====CONTENTS====
INTRODUCTION
Version Information
Author's Note
The Super Sonic Story So Far....
THE MOVES
Sonic Spin Attack
Super Spin Attack
Spin Dash
Shields Flash
Flame
Electric
Water
Knuckles Spin Attack
Super Spin Attack
Spin Dash
Gliding
Wall Climb
Shields
THE ZONES
Mushroom Hill
Flying Battery
Sandopolis
Lava Reef
Hidden Palace Sonic's Game
KTE's Game
Sky Sanctuary Sonic's Game
KTE's Game
Death Egg
Doomsday
Special Stages
Items
Bonus Rounds
Cheats
LOCK-ON TECHNOLOGY
Why the cartridge looks funny
KTE in Sonic 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Cheats
Who (and WHAT) is Knuckles?
====INTRODUCTION====
***VERSION INFORMATION***
VERSION 1 - 0207 GMT, 17-Oct-1999
Contains the customary Author's Note and Credits, along with the usual taglines
and the game's story. Includes a list of moves for both characters and the
effects of the different shields is also included, the hidden things in the
zones and guides to the bosses, with different guides written where major
differences in the levels exist, and a list of cheats. An explination of the
effects of the Lock-On technology is also included, along with a guide to
Knuckles's game in Sonic 3. Cheats for the revamped Sonic games are also
included.
VERSION 2 - 2154 GMT, 29-Feb-2000
Made the copyright info more in-depth.
***AUTHOR'S NOTE***
The Sonic Series may well be a simple platformer where you run around and jump,
but if there's one thing that can't be denies is that they're a beauty to play.
But there is no guide for this game posted to GameFAQs, and there's plenty of
requests for a FAQ on the game coming through. Well, after consultation to my
aging games magazines, here's your FAQ, world!
***THE SUPER SONIC STORY SO FAR....***
When Ivo Robotnik first tried to take over South Island and transform its
inhabitants into robot slaves, Sonic the Hedgehog covered half his homeland in
order to find and defeat him. Robotnik himself escaped, and soon returned with
a plan to build and use the orbiting Death Egg to take over the entire planet
Mobius. Sonic and his two-tailed foxy friend Miles 'Tails' Prower persued
Robotnik to the ends of the planet and even into orbit in an effort to defeat
him.
As the Death Egg crashed onto the planet Sonic and Tails found themselves on a
long-lost Floating Island, but Robotnik managed to repair his Death Egg and it
became active again. Now he is begining to enslave the animals of the Floating
Island as well, and through deception has gained the allegience of Knuckles the
Echidna, the only living decendant of a lost civilisation which existed to
protect the omnipotent Master Emerald. In a race against time, Sonic and Tails
must convince Knuckles of the truth and stop Robotnik from gaining the Master
Emerald and infinite Death Egg fuel.
====THE MOVES====
***SONIC***
Sonic is the main part of the game, and can travel a lot faster than Knuckles.
He can also take full advantage of the shields' powers and fights through more
levels of the game.
SPIN ATTACK
While moving, press Down to curl Sonic into a ball. He can now damage enemies
at any angle.
SUPER SPIN ATTACK
Press any of the fire buttons to jump while performing the Spin Attack. You can
damage enemies from all sides.
SPIN DASH
Hold Down and tap any of the fire buttons to rev into a Spin Dash; while
revving, enemies that touch you will be damaged. Release Down to fire into a
fast Spin Attack.
SHIELDS
There are three powered-up shields in the game. If Sonic wears one, projectile
attacks thrown by enemies will reflect away and he will gain limited
invincibility. Powered-up shields also prevent Sonic from losing Rings if he
gets hit, but only protect against a single attack.
FLASH SHIELD: If Sonic isn't wearing a powered-up shield, press one of the fire
buttons while jumping for a split-second of invincibility.
FIRE SHIELD: The Fire Shield makes Sonic immune to all fire and lava danger.
Press a fire button while jumping and Sonic will be propelled foward in a
Fireball Spin Dash. Don't jump into the water or the flames will be doused.
ELECTRIC SHIELD: Sonic is immune to all electrical attacks and nearby Rings will
be pulled towards him. Press a fire button in mid-air for a second jump, and to
unleash four electrical sparks which are deadly to nearby foes. If you go into
water, this shield will be lost.
WATER SHIELD: Allows Sonic to survive for endless periods underwater. If you
press a fire button in mid-air, Sonic will slam into the ground and bounce up.
You can repeat this attack as many times as you like. The Water Shield is the
only shield which can be sustained underwater.
***KNUCKLES***
Knuckles goes through fewer levels than Sonic, and some of them are easier than
in Sonic's game. If Knuckles comes to some rocks which can be destroyed, he
will destroy them simply by walking up to them thanks to the sharp claws
protruding from his knuckles.
SPIN ATTACK
Knuckles's ground assault is the same as Sonic's.
SUPER SPIN ATTACK
Basically the same as Sonic's, only Knuckles doesn't jump as high. This is a
way of preventing him from reaching areas where a Sonic-exclusive cinematic
sequence occurs.
SPIN DASH
Exactly the same move as Sonic's, with the same controller commands.
GLIDING
Press a fire button while jumping and Knuckles will start to glide. This allows
him to cover long distances, but he cannot travel up and he will slowly sink to
the ground. Knuckles can turn left and right while he glides, and can take out
enemies directly in front of him. Press a fire button again to drop from the
sky.
If you Glide into a wall, Knuckles will perform the wall climb. If you fly into
an enemy you will take it out without dropping, but if you fly into a stronger
enemy such as a Boss you will cause the Boss damage but will drop to the ground.
WALL CLIMB
Glide into a wall, or jump and press a fire button again when next to a wall.
Knuckles's claws will dig into the wall and you can press Up or Down to climb.
Press the fire button again to jump off the wall; you can Glide or Climb during
this jump.
SHIELDS
If Knuckles has a shield on, it will prevent him from losing Rings or a life
when he's next hit by an attack. All shields will cause smaller projectile
weapons from robots to reflect away, and Knuckles retains his Glide and Wall
Climb moves while wearing one. However, Knuckles cannot use the attacks Sonic
can use with a shield on.
FLAME SHIELD: Provides immunity to fire attacks and lava, but will be lost when
going into water.
ELECTRIC SHIELD: Enables invincibility to electrical attacks and allows distant
rings to be drawn towards Knuckles. It's useless underwater.
WATER SHIELD: The only shield which can be maintained in water and allows
Knuckles to have an endless supply of oxygen.
====THE ZONES====
***MUSHROOM HILL***
Overall it's best to be wearing a Flame Shield in this Zone, in preparation for
the end-level baddies. If you get caught in a vine use a Spin Dash to get
enough momentum to break the hold. Attack dragonfly-like robots in the head
otherwise you'll take damage. Use mushrooms as springs.
ACT 1
At the begining you'll come to a falling orange mushroom platform. Climb up and
you'll come to a Super Ring and Invincibility monitor.
At about the middle of the level you'll come to an orange mushroom you grab and
use to float down a shaft. Use it as a hand hold to reach the far wall, where a
hidden passage contains a 1-Up.
Halfway through the Act is a double loop-the-loop. Use it to gain momentum for
the trapese at the bottom to hoist yourself to a high ledge with a hidden Giant
Ring.
One point in the level has a boxed-in dead end with a lever-operated elevator
and a yellow horizontal spring. Use the elevator to reach the top area of the
wall, which is actually a hidden passage leading to a Giant Ring.
To defeat the tree-chopping robot, jump and hit him in between each log chop.
If you have a Fire Shield, simply attack him from below and his attacks won't
even come close.
ACT 2
At the lowest part of the level, after spinning down two bars, you'll come to a
wall on the left with a horizontal yellow sping. Jump above the spring for a
Giant Ring.
There's one lever-operated elevator with a chook-like robot on the right; below
is a horizontal yellow spring rocketing you up to the chook's platform. Behind
the chook is a Giant Ring.
When you reach the satellite transmitter, use a Spin Attack or Spin Dash to
reveal Robotnik. You must now attack him on the run while avoiding the spiked
barriers. If you have the Flame Shield you can blindly attack whenever he's in
range, but if not you'll have to be wary of the flame jets.
***FLYING BATTERY***
The Fire Shield is the best one to use here. When you come to flame-throwing
pillars, stand on them and wait to spring into the air.
You'll find many Prison Eggs in this zone, like the ones you get after defeating
Robotnik at the end of each zone. Most contain Rings or captive animals, but
others contain enemies.
When you reach the exterior of the ship, go to the far right where the para-
bombs are. Wait on the absolute far right for the bombs to blow a hole in the
ship.
Eventually you'll come to the point where you grab the propellers. Climb up and
to the right for a Super Ring and a 1-Up. To escape this area, jump down and to
the right and you'll come to a small object which launches you foward if you
step on it with a seemingly solid wall on the left. Head left through the
wall....not so solid, is it?
The Act 1 boss is a robot disguised as a Prison Egg. Stand on the release
button on his head until his eyes flash, at which point you should get off him.
He'll bring his spiked ball down on himself, which is the only way to damage
him. Once it's safe, get back on his head and repeat the tactic.
When you first encounter Robotnik at the end of Act 2, just keep avoiding the
laser beam until its control computer overheats. Now persue Robotnik along the
moving platforms until you're outside the flying fortress. Now all you have to
for part two of Robotnik's attack is to peg him when he rises above the ground.
If you have the Flame Shield, bounce off the very top of his head rather than
the side for multiple hits.
***SANDOPOLIS***
ACT 1
This act opens by falling into the sand from the collapsing Winged Fortress jump
up to escape and continue foward. Now keep climbing up and to the right and
through the metal dors for a 1-Up.
You can climb certain sand waterfalls by jumping rapidly. It leads to easier
routes and hidden power-ups.
The scorpion-like robots are tricky; when the tail wavers, jump up and onto him.
By the time you get there, the dangerous sting will be far away.
Observe the background carefully; if you're high in the level and you come to a
large area of quicksand, sink into it and you'll come to hidden power-ups.
When you reach the large empty space at the end of the act, a step-pyramid will
slowly rise from the ground. The entrance to this pyramid opens to reveal a
large creature of stone; lure him to the far left of the battle area and to the
quicksand. Sucker him to the edge, then use a Super Spin Attack to knock him in
and clear the level.
ACT 2
This act takes place inside the pyramid, where four ghosts follow you around if
it's completely dark. Use a Super Spin Attack to make a ghost vanish for a
time, but they will reappear. Grab the hand-holds that seemingly lead nowhere
to turn on the lights and make the (dangerous) ghosts vanish, but as they lights
dim they will reappear and attack again once it's completely dark.
The black metal objects you can push are actually switches. Push them to open
necessary passages, but you must move fast before the switch slides back to its
original position and closes the passage with it.
Objects hanging from the roof are actually plugs which release sand. The sand
will soon pile up allowing you to reach higher passages, but you must move fast
before you get crushed in the moving sands.
Robotnik attacks using a large statue. When the arm extends foward, jump onto
it to reach the head. Robotnik will appear for a few seconds, at which point
you need to hit him as many times as you can. Repeat the process from the top
to defeat him, but beware of beam attacks.
***LAVA REEF***
Use the Flame Shield throughout this zone so you can walk on the lava, and
prevent most attacks from harming you. If you get caught in the gas some robots
release, Spin Dash to remove the cloud before it drains all your Rings.
ACT 1
As Knuckles, from the begining proceed to the second falling spike platform.
Use the Wall Climb and Glide to reach a 1-Up.
There's a hidden springboard to the right of a large lava area; use it to go up
and to the left for a 1-Up. Only Sonic can reach it, though.
After Sonic successfully out-runs the the spiked ball that breaks free, go left
for a 1-Up.
The attack pattern of the Boss sees two round balls on the end of tentacles
release energy beams. Next a hand comes up and tries to crush you. Attack the
balls to stop their attack and concentrate on the hand. When you see the hand
lock on target, get out of the way and attack it when it comes down.
ACT 2
There are spinning horizontal pillars with spikes a horizontal bars during this
Act. Grab the bars (actually ladders) to move up and continue during the act.
After you pass the second set of spinning spillars, jump onto one of the
platforms. Now, while holding left, jump up and away to a hidden room with
plenty of power-ups. From the same location, jump to the far right for a Giant
Ring.
As Knuckles, when you reach the moving spikes platforms that look like buckets,
go to the left for a Giant Ring.
Knuckles soon comes to moving spiked platforms with two Robotnik monitors, but
he can't reach the platforms to proceed. Instead, burst through the wall to the
right of the Robotnik monitors, just under the set of spikes.
Knuckles doesn't fight Robotnik at the end of Act 2, but Sonic does. When you
see the Death Egg above, jump from collapsing platform to collapsing platforms
while avoiding the missiles. You can see the heads-up display where the
missiles lock on, and it's a good idea to have the Fire Shield to avoid taking
damage to the lava. Note that as you proceed, if you fall off the screen it's
instant death. When you finally meet Robotnik at the lava lake, he'll be in a
secure capsule you can't damage. Jump from platform to platform as Robotnik
launches mines; the mines will hit Robotnik and eventually knock him out.
Remember that the platforms will suffer the same fate unless you jump to the
next one as it appears. Periodically, Robotnik will change sides of the screen.
***HIDDEN PALACE***
SONIC'S GAME
Basically, let the springs propel you through the level while you grab Rings.
When you reach Knuckles, simply attack his head whenever he's not performing an
attack. If you attack him from below when Knuckles Glides, Knuckles will repeat
the attack and become easy pickings.
You'll now come to the Emerald Shrine as Robotnik steals the Master Emerald; you
can do nothing save attack Robotnik's Egg-O-Matic (which is invincible) and
watch the cinema.
KNUCKLES'S GAME
Knuckles only needs to jump onto the teleporter platform to reach the Sky
Sanctuary.
***SKY SANCTUARY***
SONIC'S GAME
Knuckles will accompany you during the start of the act, but will be too
exhausted from his injuries to continue. All you need to do is race accross the
collapsing gantries and get your jumps right during your climb up. The only
robots here are easy pickings....until you reach Mecha Sonic in Robotnik's Egg-
O-Matic. Mecha Sonic uses the same stunts as Robotnik used in previous Sonic
games; first he uses Robotnik's attack from the Green Hill Zone in Sonic 1, then
the Metropolis Zone attack from Sonic 2. If you don't know these tactics,
here's a recap.
When Mecha Sonic uses the pendulum, jump over it and onto one of the two
platforms to reach the Egg-O-Matic. From here, keep attacking him until the
pendulum swings back, at which point you scramble to the opposite platform and
repeat the attack.
When Mecha Sonic makes his second appearence, avoid the Egg-O-Matic as its
satellites will cause you damage. Mecha Sonic will herd you into one corner of
the screen, so jump over him and he'll herd you again. Jump over him again and
retreat to the corner of the screen as the satellites are unleashed; follow the
satellites back in attack attack the Egg-O-Matic from below. One of the
satellites will be released and will form a decoy Mecha Sonic; touch the decoy
to make it vanish and Mecha Sonic will repeat the attack from the top. Repeat
this until all the satellites are gone, as there are less you can just attack
the Egg-O-Matic without waiting until the satellites expand. When all the
satellites are gone, Mecha Sonic will go to the far side of the screen and use a
laser beam; just attack him from below and he wont' even come close.
When you face off Mecha Sonic without the Egg-O-Matic, only attack his face or
stomach as his spines will cause you damage. When Mecha Sonic curls into a
ball, jump over him or duck and wait for him to reach the other side. If Mecha
Sonic has his back turned when he comes out of a ball, it means he'll dash at
you with his back facing you. Jump over him and you can hit him while he
attacks.
KNUCKLES'S GAME
This is the final level you can play as Knuckles.
A very funny piece of cinema leads Knuckles into the final round of Mecha Sonic.
Following this battle, Mecha Sonic recovers and must defeat him as Golden Mecha
Sonic. Defeating GMS involves hanging around the Master Emerald until GMS's
power falters; it'll either be a temporary falter where GMS dips, or permanent
in which case he'll fall to the ground and dash to the Master Emerald. Keep
attacking GMS until he starts absorbing the Master Emerald's power, when you'll
sustain damage if you touch him. Repeat the attack from the top.
***DEATH EGG***
Only Sonic can access the Death Egg Zone. Use the Electric Shield here for
immunity to most attacks, and especially the electric floors in Act 2.
ACT 1
There's a hidden room with an Electric Shield that's pretty easy to find here.
After getting the shield you can drop into a hidden room for plenty of Rings.
You'll come to a point in the Act where a group of six Rings aren't far from a
right wall. Walk through the wall for your choice of Shields.
To escape the zero-gravity chambers, hit the centre device until all the yellow
lights turn red.
I like to consider the boss of this zone the Death Egg's power core. Beware the
surrounding orbs as you hit the eyeball; one of the orbs will detonate and
shower spikes. When all the orbs are gone, jump onto one of the platforms
orbiting the eyeball and at your convenience hit the eyeball. Now wait on the
platform and you won't be harmed as the eyeball goes into a drunken rage.
Repeat the attack until the power core is destroyed.
ACT 2
You go through most of this Act upside-down, and it can be difficult getting
used to fighting from the roof. Make sure you have the Electric Shield as often
as possible to avoid taking damage on the electric floors.
When you reach Robotnik at the end, you won't be able to to attack his ship
directly. Wait until it releases the little robots, then enter the upside-down
chamber. If your timing is right, the smaller robots will hit the floating
ship. Repeat the process until the machine goes down.
You must now battle Robotnik inside his Mecha Robotnik suit. Lure the fingers
close together and when they rise, get between them. Charge up a Spin Dash and
when the fingers come down you'll be rebounding off them and causing untold
damage. Repeat the tactic until the fingers are gone and the Death Egg begins
to collapse.
Now Robotnik persues you from behind. When he fires the flame, jump over it and
attack the machine's nose. The Master Emerald will now be revealed, so run in
and hit it repeatedly. Listen for the whining sound, though, to know when the
laser is about to fire. Just jump over the blast and repeat the attack from the
top.
Finally, Robotnik escapes his suit and escapes with the Master Emerald aboard
the Egg-O-Matic. While avoiding the debris, run after him and keep attacking
him to get back the Master Emerald.
***DOOMSDAY***
This is a hidden Zone that only Sonic plays through, and only with all of the
Emeralds; Sonic will automatically morph into his Super version and fly after
Robotnik. You must keep grabbing Rings to stay alive, as if your Ring count
runs out the morph will end and you'll fall to certain doom. Avoid the
asteroids and missiles so you don't slow down. Keep hitting Robotnik's head to
destroy him; you must first destroy the booster rockets, then the Mecha-Robotnik
to recover the Master Emerald.
***SPECIAL STAGES***
In order to recover the Chaos Emeralds, you must look for Giant Rings that
transport you to Special Stages. When you grab all of the Blue Spheres, you'll
earn a Chaos Emerald. If you touch a Red Sphere, you'll be transported back to
the main game with nothing. As you collect Blue Spheres, they become Red ones.
If you come to a block of Blue Spheres, encircle them with Red Spheres to
convert both Red and Blue Spheres into Rings. Collect 50 Rings to earn a
continue, collect all the Rings in a stage for a massive bonus.
Yellow Spheres are springs which bounce you accross for a distance equal to five
spheres. White spheres with red stars are Bumpers; hit them and you'll walk
backwards, but press Up on the Control Pad to move in the right direction again.
Once you have all of the Chaos Emeralds, your character can become a Super
version of themselves; collect 50 rings or more, then press a fire button while
jumping. Sonic turns gold while Knuckles flashes white, the two gaining a
permanent speed-up and invincibility, and in Sonic's case greater jumping
ability. As Super Sonic/KTE, your Ring counter becomes a timer; grab rings to
keep the timer going because once it goes, so does your character's increased
abilities.
COOL TIP: with all Chaos Emeralds, all Giant Rings are now worth 50 rings.
***ITEMS***
Power-ups for this game are enclosed within monitors looking suspicously like
the Apple Classic. The picture on the monitor determines what it yields:
RED SHOE: Move at double your usual speed for a limited amount of time.
BLACK WITH STARS: Cannot be harmed by attack for a limited amount of time, but
don't stay underwater for too long, fall too far or get crushed. If you touch
an enemy, it'll sustain damage.
RING: Gain ten rings immediately.
SONIC/KNUCKLES: Extra life.
FIRE: Flame Shield.
LIGHTNING: Electric Shield.
WATER DROPLET: Water Shield.
ROBOTNIK: It's not a power-up, it's more like a power-down. Has the same effect
as touching an enemy; you'll lose either your shield, all your rings or a life.
***BONUS ROUNDS***
If you have 50 Rings when you touch a Starpost, a circle of stars will appear
and you will enter a Bonus Round. Here you can gain all sorts of goodies,
including Shields and continues.
The Slot Machine bonus is a hybrid of the Special Stages in Sonic 1 and the
Casino Night Zone in Sonic 2. Jump into the glass below the three panels and to
spin the panels, and you'll get a number of Rings depending on your result.
Only chance determines what you'll win, but here's how the winnings are
determined:
READING RINGS
1 Bar 2
2 Bars 4
3 Bars 8
3 Tails 20
3 Knuckles 25
3 Sonics 30
3 Jackpots 100
3 Robotniks -100
The second type of Bonus Round involves you grabbing energy spheres and using
pinball flippers in an effort to climb up for more rings. If you reach the top
you'll exit, but if you fall too low you'll get caught in an energy barrier and
exit with nothing.
Throughout this stage are many Rings but also various gumballs. Grab the
gumballs for power-ups; here's a list of them all.
PATTERN PRIZE
1-Up Extra life
Black Bounce off these
Blue B Water Shield
Clear Nothing
Red B Flame Shield
Ring 10 Rings
Yellow B Electric Shield
====CHEATS====
***EXTRA GOODIES***
When the End-of-Act signpost falls down, keep jumping at it to stop it reaching
the ground and earn 100 extra points. Since the timer is off, repeat this
process for as long as your patience holds out to earn more points and thus
lives and continues.
***LEVEL SELECT***
Play as Sonic and enter the Mushroom Hill Zone. Proceed to the first lever-
operated elevator (where you hold Down to get leverage and release it to move
up). Grab the elevator and press Left Left Left Right Right Right Up Up Up. A
chime sounds if successful and you must pause and press A to reset. At the
Title Screen, press A+Start for the Level Select menu.
====LOCK-ON TECHNOLOGY====
***WHY THE CARTRIDGE LOOKS FUNNY***
OK, so you've just bought the latest in the Sonic series, and based on the
reviews and screen-shots it looks pretty cool. Hang on....how come the box
looks funny? Don't worry, there can't be anything that much wrong with....Hey,
what's wrong with the cartridge?! It looks as though you could put another
cartridge through the top!
Sonic & Knuckles plays fine all on its lonesome, but if you plug a Sonic 2 or
Sonic 3 cart into the top of the S&K cart you'll be able to put a brand new spin
on either of these adventures. If you plug any other cart into S&K, you'll get
the team screaming NO WAY! in your face, indicating the cart has been rejected.
HINT: Plug an incompatible cart into S&K and press A+B+C; you'll warp to a brand
new Special Stage! Not only does this give you a break from the rest of the
game, you can also use it to practise maneuvering through the Special Stages to
help win the Emeralds.
***KTE IN SONIC 2***
With the Sonic 2 cart plugged in, you'll play through Sonic 2's levels playing
as Knuckles, able to use all of his moves to reach new hidden areas. The only
other major difference in the game is that when you pass a Starpost your score,
time AND number of rings is recorded, so when you die you don't restart
unprotected!
KTE IN SONIC 2 CHEATS
LEVEL SELECT: At the Title Screen press Up Up Up Down Down Down Left Right Left
Right, and chime indicating success. Until you next turn the machine off, you
simply need to press A+Start at the Title Screen.
IDENTITY SWAP: Enter the Level Select's sound test menu and play tracks 01, 09,
09, 04, 01, 00, 01, 08 (the date the game was made, 18-Oct-1994). Select any
level and press A+Start.
NIGHT-TIME MISSIONS: Enter the options menu and play the Level Select tunes as
normal. Now press C+Start.
***SONIC 3 & KNUCKLES***
When you have Sonic 3 locked into Sonic & Knuckles, the two games are melded
into one. When you first start the game you'll come to the Saved Games screen;
all your Sonic 3 saved games will be carried through, you don't have to save
your game if you like, and there are more save slots! Scroll to the far right
and select Robotnik icon to delete any unwanted data.
When you select your desired slot press Up and Down to choose between Sonic and
Tails together, Sonic or Tails alone, or Knuckles alone. With your character/s
selected press Start and you'll start the saga from the begining of Sonic 3.
When you clear the Launch Base Zone, you'll get a new cinematic sequence leading
into the S&K levels.
The slots will save your score and number of lives and continues at each game.
When you complete the game, select the saved file and press Up and Down for a
Level Select.
Sonic's game is standard, whether or not Tails accompanies him, only the S&K
version of Knuckles's theme is played instead of the Sonic 3 version. If Tails
goes alone he will go through Sonic's levels; he retains his flight and swimming
abilities and if accompanying Sonic, the CPU's control of him will be overruled
by using Controller 2. Tails can hoist Sonic as usual, and can damage enemies
by flying up to them from below.
Knuckles goes through altered versions of the Sonic 3 levels and cinematic
sequences, but his version of S&K remains unchanged.
Throughout the Sonic 3 levels, you can still enter the hidden Giant Rings to
enter the Special Stages and recover the Chaos Emeralds, and once you have all
of them Sonic or Knuckles can become their Super versions. Once you enter a
Giant Ring on the S&K levels, however, you will warp to the Emerald Shrine at
the Hidden Palace Zone. Here you will lose all of your Chaos Emeralds (and
hence the ability to become Super Sonic/Knuckles) but for every Emerald you lose
you can go through the S&K Special Zones to obtain the Super Emeralds. Once you
have the Super Emeralds you can become Hyper Sonic/Knuckles or Super Tails.
Hyper Sonic/Knuckles is basically the same as the Super version, only he can
breathe underwater. Super Tails has the abilities of Hyper Sonic/Knuckles but
also has a group of golden birds circling him, who seek out enemies and damage
them from a distance.
If you don't have all of the Chaos Emeralds when you warp to the Emerald Shrine,
you will have to collect them all before you can play for the Super Emeralds.
If you are warping to the Emerald Shrine or an S&K Special Zone, the Giant Rings
will flash pretty colours.
If you have 50 Rings when you pass a Starpost, a circle of stars leading to a
bonus round appears. You will enter one of three Bonus Rounds; either an S&K
Bonus Round or the Sonic 3 Bonus Round. In the Sonic 3 Bonus Round, bounce up
to the crank on the gumball machine for a power-up gumball to appear. Use the
yellow bumpers at the side of the shaft or the springboards at the bottom to
reach it, but your stepping stone will vanish after you use it. Grab green REP
gumballs to make the springboards reappear, and use the black bumper gumballs to
reach the crank as well. As the yellow side bumpers vanish, the gumball machine
will fall down the shaft gradually.
KTE'S SONIC 3 LEVELS
This is a full list of the alterations Knuckles faces during the Sonic 3 levels.
ANGEL ISLAND: At the end of Act 1 Knuckles can't jump high enough to reach the
Boss Arena. Go back down to the springboard used to fly up and burrow through
the rocks on the right to reach a new Boss Arena but the same boss. Act 2 is
completely different, but the end-level Boss hasn't changed.
HYDROCITY: Essentially the same, but use Knuckles' Wall Climb to avoid the
water. Towards the end of Act 2, Glide to avoid the spikes and catch plenty of
Rings. To jump high enough to defeat Robotnik at the end of the Zone, use the
water blasts from the bombs he drops to leap high in the air.
MARBLE GARDEN: Use the arrowed signposts to reach alternative routes, reaching
them using the Glide and Wall Climb. The Act 1 Boss is the same, but you need
to use the spiked pillar to jump high enough to reach the robot. Act 2's
earthquake sequence is more difficult than before; take advantage of a Speed
Shoe to the left of the sequence's begining and try not to get cocky when you
come to Spin Dash Switches or arrow-toting Eye Statues. Robotnik's final
appearence here sees him unleashing two barbed chains before following along the
second chain; attack him when he appears.
CARNIVAL NIGHT: Knuckles faces an entirely different Act 1 of the Carnival Night
Zone, though the boss hasn't changed. There is literally no boss during Act 2.
ICE CAP: Burrow through ice blocks or use the Wall Climb to reach new areas.
Later you'll come to an area filled with floating ice crystals; Glide to avoid
them and grab the Rings.
LAUNCH BASE: Use the Wall Climb to reach hidden areas and to find easier routes.
At the end of Act 1 you must face two machines instead of one. Act 2 is very
frustrating as you navigate a brand new (and seemingly impossible) underwater
stretch. When you reach a point where you must jump into a swirling elevator,
Knuckles can't jump high enough to reach; burrow through the right wall but your
lungs may not hold out. Knuckles only battles the last two Bosses, not the one
before you board Robotnik's Egg-O-Matic.
SONIC 3 & KNUCKLES CHEATS
All Sonic 3 codes are retained for Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but some new ones are
thrown in as well.
INSTANT HYPER SONIC/KNUCKLES AND SUPER TAILS: Enter the Level Select and
Identity Swap cheats and become a Monitor with an 'S' on it. You'll immediately
have 50 rings with which to summon the power of the Emeralds.
NIGHT-TIME MISSIONS: Enter the Sonic 3 level select, highlight the desired level
and select it with C+Start.
WHO (AND WHAT) IS KNUCKLES?
Though bright magenta in colour and with long hair, Knuckles is actually male
(check the pronouns in the Sonic 3 manual, mate). His species are the echidnas
(say Ee-kiD-Na), a group of spiny marsupials from Australia not dissimilar to an
English hedgehog. He is the only living decendant of a lost civilisation which
lived on the Floating Island and has so become Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds.
Knuckles' game sees a robot in Robotnik's image in place of Robotnik himself,
and ends with the final destruction of the Mecha Sonic, so is that reason enough
to believe that Knuckles's adventure takes place after Sonic has left Floating
Island?
====CREDITS AND TAGLINES====
SWATPro provided many of the listings of hidden items throughout the zones and
GameSages provided the cheat codes for both the standard game and the locked-on
versions of Sonic 2 and 3. KTE's Sonic 3 game was from experience, as were my
reccomendations with the moves for each character and the listings of Bonus
Rounds and Special Items. Also thanks to the readers of GameFAQs for pointing
out this game needed some kind of guide. The existence of South Island is from
Sonic 2 for the Master System.
{signed}
Cyber Predator
123-926
"Anyone who seeks fame need only become familiar with all that I have acheived."
- Claudius Galen
The Force will be with you, always
