Sonic & Knuckles

If you're still not convinced, go pound Bison into the dirt and leave us Sonic lovers alone. The little guy's captured our hearts, and this latest innovation in cart technology makes it even better, For hours of killer platform action/adventure, try Sonic and Knuckles,and Knuckles and Sonic 3, and Knuckles and Sonic 2, and, well, you get it - it just can't be beat.

In other words, Sonic and Knuckles isn't just the best Sonic ever, it's also breaking new ground in video gaming.

Aún con esta treta, SEGA nos ha brindado una gran aventura del erizo azul en todos los sentidos, técnicamente está muy logrado y argumentalmente también, además de poner en movimiento a una de las estrellas de la saga: Knuckles the Echidna.

I must admit that I was getting tired of seeing a new Sonic game every year. Even though S&K seems to be more of the same, it still is an exceptional game. The graphics and sounds are totally cool, as are the special effects. Knuckles is a great new character in the Sega world with cool abilities. What makes the game even cooler is the lock-on technology that let's you play the old Sonic games with Knuckles. Awesome!

This latest Sonic sequel has hidden levels up the wazoo. Not only can costar Knuckles (a kind of anteater) climb to places his hedgehog pal can't reach, but gamers can attach their old copies of Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 to the top of the cartridge and access levels in those games that didn't even exist before. It's a neat trick and one that saves Sonic & Knuckles from the sameness that's begun to afflict the series.

Isn't Sega cool? Not only do you get a completely new Sonic adventure, but additional levels and the option to play as Knuckles in Sonic 2 and 3...for a mere $59.99! This type of "backward compatibility" has been the norm in the computer game world for a while, hopefully it'll catch on with video games too! Imagine a backward compatible Phantasy Star cart or something!

Sonic 3 et Sonic & Knuckles sont tous deux excellents, mais c'est réunis qu'ils deviennent le Sonic ultime. Et si vous n'êtes pas fan de Sonic 3, si vous préférez Sonic 2, jouez-y avec Knuckles et redécouvrez ses niveaux sous un nouveau jour. Évidemment Sonic 2 n'a pas été conçu pour être traversé en planant, et le level design ne se prête pas franchement aux capacités de l'échidné rouge, mais c'est à essayer quand même. Et si vous n'aimez ni Sonic 3 ni Sonic 2 (et dans ce cas-là pardon mais vous avez des goûts douteux), mettez n'importe quel jeu MD et tentez de réussir le bonus stage qui sera généré. Un jeu = une bonus stage, et si ce jeu est Sonic 1, vous en aurez une flopée. Maintenant, si vous n'aimez rien de tout ça, c'est que vous n'aimez pas Sonic, et je me demande bien ce que vous faites là. Allez ouste, du balai !

The only disappointing aspect of Sonic & Knuckles is the fact that Knuckles --- last seen as a trouble making jerk in Sonic 3 --- has essentially become the star of the game. Playing as Sonic yields a longer adventure, but most players will be much more interested in the skills and variety of attack patterns of his former enemy. Fortunately, having such a wide variety of options makes Sonic & Knuckles a really tremendous value for your gaming dollar; now let's see what the little guy has to offer us in the 32-bit arena!

In the end, we remember the artist's achievements: its zones that vary in tempo and style; its lush, beautiful environments and visual effects; its challenging bosses, both large and small; and that magnificent sense of speed, speed, speed. Sonic 3 & Knuckles belongs on any short list of the greatest videogames.

Natürlich muss auch Sonic & Knuckles in die Spielesammlung. Vor allem, da man es mit den beiden Vorgängern verbinden kann und so die alten Spiele noch mal auf völlig neue Art erleben. Allein genommen aber ist Sonic & Knuckles gar nicht so toll. Die Serie stagnierte hier ziemlich und so gab es auch kaum Neuerungen.

Sonic and Knuckles is your typical Sonic game with the option to play as Knuckles, a red animal that can glide and climb walls. These abilities definitely add a new dimension to the game play, and it's pretty cool to be able to scale walls and fly around in Sonic 2 or 3 (Sonic 1 is not supported). Unfortunately, it appears that the Sonic programmers were running short on ideas. The levels here look a bit like outtakes from past Sonic games. The music is also uninspired. New elements like a wind-blowing chicken and "sticky" devices are irritating and just slow down the game. By itself, this game pales in comparison to past Sonic games, but the lock-on ability does breathe new life into Sonic 2 and 3.

Sonic & Knuckles proves there's still some life beating through the heart of our favorite hedgehog, and the enjoyable nature of this title, as well as the creative addition of the lock-on feature, makes it a fitting farewell on the Genesis.