Post by madhair60 on May 1, 2011 20:26:18 GMT
I've been playing Sonic 3 and Knuckles again on Steam, probably for like the thirtieth time, and it's really quite astonishing just how good it is. There are so many fantastic little touches that I'm still only just noticing, little graphical details that make the zones that much more convincing. Treating Sonic 3 and Knuckles as one game (which it is, arguably), it is obvious to me that it beats Sonic 2 into a cocked hat. Yet, I see a goodly number of folks both online and off who will champion that first sequel over S3K, an opinion I have never understood. Sonic 2's not bad, but it's hardly Sonic 3 and Knuckles, is it? Yeah, 2 was made before 3K, obviously, but that shouldn't matter. Nostalgia aside, what reason is there to play 2 over 3K?
The music, perhaps? I'd say that overall, Sonic 2 may have a more consistently memorable soundtrack. You're humming the Chemical Plant zone music right now, reading this. Mystic Cave, Metropolis. All excellent. But 3K isn't too shabby on the music. While each zone obviously has a different theme song, each act features a different arrangement of said tune, and some of them are tremendous. My stand-outs are Hydrocity 2, Ice Cap 1, Lava Reef 1 and Sky Sanctuary, but they're all good. Except Marble Garden. I'm not too keen on that zone in general.
Graphically I don't think it's unreasonable to compare the two games, despite their difference in age. The Mega Drive/Genesis Sonic games are graphically pretty much perfect to me. They don't look dated in the slightest, as far as I'm concerned - the pixel work is so clean and hefty, for want of a better word. The colour use is superb, everything is so crisp and believable. They look wonderful, much better than most other platformers of that era have held up. It's tough to put a finger on exactly why.
Obviously, Sonic 2 looks great in general, but there's a particularly impressive component that I didn't really notice until relatively recently - the backgrounds. They look incredible, in places, particularly Chemical Plant, which is the graphical showcase for the game. Sonic's thrown around so fast the screen can barely keep up, and the hardware doesn't seem to even break a sweat. Rocketing over pipes filled with glittering blue liquid (another little touch I only picked up on earlier this year), with that rocking music pumping away, is pure Sonic adrenaline.
Sonic 3 and Knuckles, on the other hand, is on another level. There are so many absurdly impressive graphical additions that it's easier to list what doesn't work, and that's what hits me - there's simply nothing wrong with the graphics. Nothing that makes me sit up and go "Hmm" like Sonic 2's Hill Top Zone recolour job. Every stage in S3K is different, sometimes multiple times in the same act. Think of the firebombing of Angel Island completely changing the tone of the level. The sumptuous, diverse experience that is the Lava Reef zone. The hyperkinetic light show of Carnival Night. The sheer atmosphere of Sandopolis act 2. The changing seasons in Mushroom Hill. I could go on, and on, and on. Every single individual act has at least one graphical touch worthy of praise. Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the best looking game ever made, and thanks to its timeless 2D art, it always will be.
Cosmetics would mean nothing if they weren't affixed to a damn good game, so let's take a look at how the titles in question play. You've obviously noticed that I prefer 3K, so I'll just use this opportunity to list (in forum friendly bullet-point form) why I feel Sonic 2 is its inferior.
- Sonic 2's opening zone is an inauspicious retread of Green Hill. It's not a bad level, per se, it just hasn't the scope of exploration that Sonic 3K's opening zone has, nor of Sonic 1's. I find in the Emerald Hill zone, both acts are completely interchangeable; a criticism that can be accurately levelled at almost every one of Sonic 2's multi-act zones. I say "almost", as the aforementioned Chemical Plant (by far the standout level) has two levels distinct enough to be memorable. The first act introduces the elements and clearly ups the ante of the previous zone, establishing a sense of adrenaline, of a sequel that aims to supercede its predecessor. Unfortunately the rest of the game really doesn't live up to this, but I digress. Chemical Plant act 2 is distinctly more dangerous, with the poisonous Mega Mack an ever-present threat, a more complex, maze-like layout (Emerald Hill is basically a straightforward left to right, a limitation even Green Hill avoided), and one of my favourite moments of tension in Sonic games - the insidiously long shaft with the shifting staircases, and a sea of Mega Mack quickly rising. The sweaty palms this induces have lead me to lose many a life. I've just realised that this is supposed to be a list of easily digested bullet-points, but this one alone is 228 words. Arse.
- Chemical Plant is the gaming equivalent of premature ejaculation, and exhibits Sonic 2 blowing its load two levels in, failing to recover the excitement in time for the (admittedly lovely) end credits. The following Aquatic Ruin zone, while aesthetically gorgeous, is a huge drop-off in gameplay quality. There are no new ideas on display whatsoever, the only fresh addition to the Sonic template being the wasp-like enemies, who have no interesting quirks whatsoever. It's just so by-the-numbers.
- Casino Night cannot be ignored. A casino-based level is not just desired in a new Sonic game but expected, now, and the originator still engages with its game of chance. It's fairly empty to play, though, with its one enemy type (that you'll barely run into anyway). And, to be fair, it's just an expansion of Sonic 1's (superior) Spring Yard zone.
- The Metropolis zone isn't just below average, it's plain bad. The worst design of the Mega Drive games, and three painful acts of it. Awful enemy placement, boring and slow gimmicks, unfair traps. It's a loathesome chore, a horrible experience, and one of the main reasons I rarely play far into Sonic 2.
- The special stages in Sonic 2 are completely unenjoyable when played as both Sonic and Tails (unless you have a second player helping out). Basically, if you want to 100% the game, you have to play as Sonic alone. Why even have the options?
There are other reasons I dislike Sonic 2, but I don't want to be too negative - it's not a great game in my eyes, but it's got a lot to appreciate. Sonic 3 and Knuckles outclasses it in every way, though. So, what I guess I'm asking is...
TL;DR: Why do you think Sonic 2 is better than Sonic 3 and Knuckles?
The music, perhaps? I'd say that overall, Sonic 2 may have a more consistently memorable soundtrack. You're humming the Chemical Plant zone music right now, reading this. Mystic Cave, Metropolis. All excellent. But 3K isn't too shabby on the music. While each zone obviously has a different theme song, each act features a different arrangement of said tune, and some of them are tremendous. My stand-outs are Hydrocity 2, Ice Cap 1, Lava Reef 1 and Sky Sanctuary, but they're all good. Except Marble Garden. I'm not too keen on that zone in general.
Graphically I don't think it's unreasonable to compare the two games, despite their difference in age. The Mega Drive/Genesis Sonic games are graphically pretty much perfect to me. They don't look dated in the slightest, as far as I'm concerned - the pixel work is so clean and hefty, for want of a better word. The colour use is superb, everything is so crisp and believable. They look wonderful, much better than most other platformers of that era have held up. It's tough to put a finger on exactly why.
Obviously, Sonic 2 looks great in general, but there's a particularly impressive component that I didn't really notice until relatively recently - the backgrounds. They look incredible, in places, particularly Chemical Plant, which is the graphical showcase for the game. Sonic's thrown around so fast the screen can barely keep up, and the hardware doesn't seem to even break a sweat. Rocketing over pipes filled with glittering blue liquid (another little touch I only picked up on earlier this year), with that rocking music pumping away, is pure Sonic adrenaline.
Sonic 3 and Knuckles, on the other hand, is on another level. There are so many absurdly impressive graphical additions that it's easier to list what doesn't work, and that's what hits me - there's simply nothing wrong with the graphics. Nothing that makes me sit up and go "Hmm" like Sonic 2's Hill Top Zone recolour job. Every stage in S3K is different, sometimes multiple times in the same act. Think of the firebombing of Angel Island completely changing the tone of the level. The sumptuous, diverse experience that is the Lava Reef zone. The hyperkinetic light show of Carnival Night. The sheer atmosphere of Sandopolis act 2. The changing seasons in Mushroom Hill. I could go on, and on, and on. Every single individual act has at least one graphical touch worthy of praise. Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the best looking game ever made, and thanks to its timeless 2D art, it always will be.
Cosmetics would mean nothing if they weren't affixed to a damn good game, so let's take a look at how the titles in question play. You've obviously noticed that I prefer 3K, so I'll just use this opportunity to list (in forum friendly bullet-point form) why I feel Sonic 2 is its inferior.
- Sonic 2's opening zone is an inauspicious retread of Green Hill. It's not a bad level, per se, it just hasn't the scope of exploration that Sonic 3K's opening zone has, nor of Sonic 1's. I find in the Emerald Hill zone, both acts are completely interchangeable; a criticism that can be accurately levelled at almost every one of Sonic 2's multi-act zones. I say "almost", as the aforementioned Chemical Plant (by far the standout level) has two levels distinct enough to be memorable. The first act introduces the elements and clearly ups the ante of the previous zone, establishing a sense of adrenaline, of a sequel that aims to supercede its predecessor. Unfortunately the rest of the game really doesn't live up to this, but I digress. Chemical Plant act 2 is distinctly more dangerous, with the poisonous Mega Mack an ever-present threat, a more complex, maze-like layout (Emerald Hill is basically a straightforward left to right, a limitation even Green Hill avoided), and one of my favourite moments of tension in Sonic games - the insidiously long shaft with the shifting staircases, and a sea of Mega Mack quickly rising. The sweaty palms this induces have lead me to lose many a life. I've just realised that this is supposed to be a list of easily digested bullet-points, but this one alone is 228 words. Arse.
- Chemical Plant is the gaming equivalent of premature ejaculation, and exhibits Sonic 2 blowing its load two levels in, failing to recover the excitement in time for the (admittedly lovely) end credits. The following Aquatic Ruin zone, while aesthetically gorgeous, is a huge drop-off in gameplay quality. There are no new ideas on display whatsoever, the only fresh addition to the Sonic template being the wasp-like enemies, who have no interesting quirks whatsoever. It's just so by-the-numbers.
- Casino Night cannot be ignored. A casino-based level is not just desired in a new Sonic game but expected, now, and the originator still engages with its game of chance. It's fairly empty to play, though, with its one enemy type (that you'll barely run into anyway). And, to be fair, it's just an expansion of Sonic 1's (superior) Spring Yard zone.
- The Metropolis zone isn't just below average, it's plain bad. The worst design of the Mega Drive games, and three painful acts of it. Awful enemy placement, boring and slow gimmicks, unfair traps. It's a loathesome chore, a horrible experience, and one of the main reasons I rarely play far into Sonic 2.
- The special stages in Sonic 2 are completely unenjoyable when played as both Sonic and Tails (unless you have a second player helping out). Basically, if you want to 100% the game, you have to play as Sonic alone. Why even have the options?
There are other reasons I dislike Sonic 2, but I don't want to be too negative - it's not a great game in my eyes, but it's got a lot to appreciate. Sonic 3 and Knuckles outclasses it in every way, though. So, what I guess I'm asking is...
TL;DR: Why do you think Sonic 2 is better than Sonic 3 and Knuckles?
