Sonic & Knuckles - too unfair

[Sarah Jane Smith]

The only part of Sonic 3&K that I found cheap were Knuckles' paths in his story, and those rising/lowering conveyor belts in Death Egg. The difficulty is actually very well-balanced.

Edited December 18, 2012 by chilly cosmictruffle

[-Mark-]

I never had too much trouble with Sonic & Knuckles, even as a kid.

 

I must confess though that I don't think I've ever beaten the boss to Death Egg Act 1 without Super Sonic (or if I have, I don't remember it). Seeing as I've pretty much always had all the emeralds by that point, I've always been able to 'resort' to him. Not so much so that I don't think I could beat it as regular Sonic (although admittedly having always used Super Sonic I might be a bit stumped  ).

 

Of course, as someone who grew up with the game, it's difficult for me (or anyone else who also grew up with it) to judge fairly; it seems easier to us because we played it to death as kids and know the game inside out.

[TheOcelot]

The stages in S&K have lots of gimmicks and so can be challenging occasionally, but you have more than enough at your disposal to sail through Lava Reef and Mushroom Hill without losing rings even once. Tails can fly and Knuckles can glide. Use there special abilities to navigate safely through the level. Use the elemental shields. If you have the fire shield, then Lava Reef is a complete walk in the park. Sonic of course can use the elemental shields (double jump) abilities to help him get through the levels more easily.

 

As for Mushroom Hill, what is difficult about that level? It's so open, it's the easiest level in S&K (not counting Hidden Palace).

Edited December 18, 2012 by Silent Nightwing

[Yoko/葉子]

Well.... if it helps, the ghosts scared me in Sandopolis 2 when I was younger and my first time beating it was on a PC back in 2000.

[Naysu]

to everyone saying sonic advance 3 is hard? play as tails or cream or Knuckles, you can fly swim glide and climb your way through everything easy.

on S&K i found it a bit hard, harder than any of the advance games ill admit.

[Amomynous]

I don't recall it being unfair, it's just the endgame level, it's just hard.

 

Alderny just happens to have more blonde hedgehogs that usual, they aren't a different species.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Mysterics

[JD!]

I've completed Sonic and The Secret Rings 100%, which is the hardest (and most infuriating, time-consuming) thing I ever had to do........ 

 

Mate, you completed Secret Rings. You have my respect. I couldn't even get through the tutorials before I wanted to throw the controller through the window. I looooooaaaath motion control.

[Amomynous]

Oh, you said you were playing the DS version, it's possible the port isn't quite up-to-scratch.

I remember playing Sonic 3 on Mega collection or Gems collection or something similar, then playing the original on emulator, it became clear the port wasn't anywhere near as good as the original.

(this is partly why I wonder Sega don't just sell emulation software and ROMs/images for their old games, instead of 'collections')

Edited December 18, 2012 by Mysterics

[MamboCat]

I remember having a few problems, sure. I got stuck on Flying Battery Zone where you have to wait for the missiles to blow a hole in the floor (I had no idea what the hell I was doing) and on Sandopolis Zone with the rising sand (used to make me really anxious, that bit! ). Some of the bosses are pretty tough, but if you have the right type of shield and keep it, bosses like Lava Reef 2 can be a walk in the park.

 

Death Egg and Doomsday are really difficult as well, but after a few play-throughs I find it pretty straightforward. Sure, I lose lives (but I can get up to 99 as well! : but the old Sonic games really are ones that I can just pick up and play. So, I would say it's challenging to a new player but certainly not unfair.

[PerfectChaos]

Looks like you haven't played Sonic 2... (Lava Reef is awesome btw)

[K.T.E.]

I could play Sonic & Knuckles backwards, blindfolded. I know it like the back of my hand (which is sad, because the back of my hand is mysterious and confusing.)

 

I'm afraid I don't sympathize with you. Except Sandopolis always did screw me over...

[SilJeff]

I found this one easy. In fact, Lava Reef was actually one of my two favorite zones in S3&K (the other being Hydrocity). The key is to keep your Flame Shield.

 

The only unfair part of the classics to me was Death Egg "zone" in Sonic 2. Two bosses (the second being hard to beat even with rings when I'm in debug mode) with ZERO rings.

 

 

as for you thinking this game is unfair, I disagree. I think Sonic Unleashed is the unfair sonic game out of the bunch...

Edited December 18, 2012 by Mr.Snarf

[SilentDoom]

Sonic and Knuckles isn't unfair, it just has zones which are boring, drawn out and tedious such as Sandopolis and Lava Reef.  Honestly, I'd say Sonic 2 is more "unfair" than Sonic 3 or Sonic and Knuckles.  As much as I love Sonic 2, it has a lot of shit (the enemy placement in a couple of levels and how they went about doing special stages being the main two examples I can think of off the top of my head).  A game being challenging doesn't dictate to it being unfair.  Heck a game could be fairly easy yet unfair if it's filled with bullshit design decisions.

[JD!]

I remember having a lot of trouble with the big robot of Robotnik's that would try to crush you with its fingers and then would blast that huge beam at you. I think that was Sonic 3 though. I'm not that familure with Sonic 3 and S&K as I didn't have my own copy until fairly recently. I bloody love the game though, especially when the two are linked.

[Covskin]

I remember having a lot of trouble with the big robot of Robotnik's that would try to crush you with its fingers and then would blast that huge beam at you. I think that was Sonic 3 though.

Nope, that's Death Egg Act 2 in Sonic & Knuckles. That laser aspect is rock hard.

 

To be fair, there are some parts of S&K that are extremely difficult, but I wouldn't say unfair. As many have said, it is the second half of a game - it needs to be tough. The Lava Reef boss, without a fire shield, gave me endless amounts of trouble as a kid (was never great at jumping from platform to platform at the top of the lava fall either). Never had much trouble with Mushroom Hill or Flying Battery though.

 

 

 

Also, slight diversion, but I'd love to know how everyone tries to fight Sonic 2's endboss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-Tb4a99zs. Does everyone just go gung-ho at it? I only struggle with it if I'm playing as Knuckles.

[iDEATH]

I don't remember it being too hard really.

 

That said, I can't actually remember how it ends now I think about it.......maybe I never actually finished it.....

 

 

EDIT: Nevermind.....thought Doomsday zone was the end of sonic 3

Edited December 19, 2012 by Jake Bird

[JD!]

Nope, that's Death Egg Act 2 in Sonic & Knuckles. That laser aspect is rock hard.

 

Also, slight diversion, but I'd love to know how everyone tries to fight Sonic 2's endboss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-Tb4a99zs. Does everyone just go gung-ho at it? I only struggle with it if I'm playing as Knuckles.

 

Thanks for clearing that info on that boss up. As I said, I'm not that familiar with the games ATM. And to answer your other question I've always used the technique in that video. As another aside, I REALLY enjoyed the re-imagining of that boss fight in Sonic 4, one of the best parts of the game IMO.

[Remynaka]

 None of the old sonic games are unfair, if you're good with your hands the games aren't even hard. The biggest mistake anyone can make is going to fast not paying attention. Seriously They are all pretty easy. 

[Chariot]

I can relate because when I first played Sonic and Knuckles I couldn't get past Flying Battery Zone with Sonic, and couldn't get past Mushroom Hill Zone act 1 boss with Knuckles. You really do have to memorize what's going to happen and pop up in the classics, plus the fact that you start of with a small number of lives doesn't really help newcomers either.

[BlondeHedgehog]

 None of the old sonic games are unfair, if you're good with your hands the games aren't even hard. 

 

I bet you think you're great with your hands, don't you?