Sonic & Knuckles

Sonic & Knuckles
Developer(s)	Sonic Team Sega Technical Institute
Publisher(s)	Sega
Designer(s)	Takashi Thomas Yuda (character design), Hirokazu Yasuhara (lead designer), Yuji Naka (programming)
Composer(s)	Howard Drossin
Engine	Sonic 3 Engine
Platform(s)	Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega PC, Saturn, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Virtual Console, Xbox 360
Release date(s)	Mega Drive/Genesis JP October 18, 1994 NA October 17, 1994 EU October 19, 1994 AUS November 1994 Xbox Live Arcade NA September 9, 2009 Virtual Console JP October 27, 2009 NA February 15, 2010 PAL February 12, 2010
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	VRC: GA ESRB: E ELSPA: 3+
Media/distribution	16-megabit cartridge, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, BD-ROM, DLC.

Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed in the United States at Sega Technical Institute by members of Sonic Team, and was published by Sega worldwide on October 18, 1994.

As well as working as a standalone game, through a system dubbed "lock-on technology," Sonic & Knuckles acts as an expansion pack to both Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, with which it was developed in tandem.^[1]

Sonic & Knuckles has been released on various Sonic and Sega themed compilations over the years, and digitally for the Wii's Virtual Console, and Xbox Live Arcade,^[2] with the latter version receiving updates such as HD support, online leaderboards and network play.^[3]

Story

Sonic the Hedgehog's side of the story picks up immediately after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Dr. Robotnik's orbital weapon, the Death Egg, which was damaged by Sonic, crash lands back on Floating Island, landing in a volcanic crater. Meanwhile, Sonic continues to track down Robotnik as he travels through each zone looking for the Chaos Emeralds, once again coming into conflict with Knuckles the Echidna, who believes he is trying to steal them. However, Robotnik reveals his true intentions and steals the Master Emerald, the secret to the island's levitation powers, causing the island to fall into the ocean. Realizing he has been tricked, Knuckles assists Sonic in chasing after Robotnik as he once again launches his Death Egg into space. Robotnik uses the power of the Master Emerald to power up a giant Egg-Robo, but Sonic manages to use the power of the Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Sonic in order to stop Robotnik, destroy the Death Egg and return the Master Emerald to its rightful place.

In Knuckles' side of the story set after that, his peaceful life is disrupted when a surviving Egg Robo attacks him, taking Robotnik's place as the main antagonist. As Knuckles chases after the Egg Robo, it is soon destroyed by Mecha Sonic,( An upgraded version of metal sonic) who uses the power of the Master Emerald to give him more power. However, Knuckles manages to destroy him and once again returns the Master Emerald to the Floating Island.

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Following on from the same gameplay as Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the game allows players to play as either Sonic the Hedgehog or Knuckles the Echidna. However, unlike the previous game, players are unable to save their game or play as Miles "Tails" Prower, unless they use the lock-on technology as described below.

Gameplay is slightly different between playing as the two characters. Sonic is able to run faster and jump higher than Knuckles, and can also utilise the special abilities of elemental shields. Meanwhile, Knuckles has the ability to glide through the air, climb up walls, and break through barriers that Sonic is unable to, allowing him to access new areas, though his levels have a higher level of difficulty, with more challenging layouts and advanced boss tactics.

Two new types of Bonus Stage are available, which can be accessed by hitting checkpoints with 20 or more rings and jumping through the stars. The first is akin to Sonic 2's Casino Night Zone, in which players can earn rings in slot machines until they land on a Goal block. The second type sees the player travelling upwards through the use of magnetic orbs and flippers, collecting rings and bonus items such as shields, whilst avoiding a slowly rising forcefield that will return them to the normal stage. Like the previous game, players can enter giant rings in order to access the Special Stage, in which players must eliminate blue spheres on a course to earn Chaos Emeralds. Collecting all the Chaos Emeralds allows the player to transform into Super Sonic or Super Knuckles after collecting 50 rings.

Lock-on technology

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 locked-on to Sonic & Knuckles cartridge.

Sonic & Knuckles utilizes "lock-on technology" that lets the cartridge plus the Mega Drive/Genesis access data from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 so that elements of both Sonic & Knuckles and the locked-on game are combined. To play these combined games, the hatch on top of the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can be flipped open and the second game placed inside.

This feature is also included in Sonic Mega Collection as well as the Xbox Live Arcade and Virtual Console versions of the game if Sonic & Knuckles and another one of the necessary games are purchased on the same account.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

By locking on the game with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the levels of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles can be played continuously as one game. The lock-on technology was actually a way of making up for the fact that the developers could not meet the deadline for Sonic 3. Originally, Sonic 3 was to be released with Knuckles as a playable character, and with all the Sonic & Knuckles levels playable. Time constraints forced them to split the project in two, releasing Sonic 3 with the completed levels and continuing work on the uncompleted ones, plus adding the Super Emeralds, and the lock-on feature. Sonic 2 had once run into similar problems, resulting in the original Hidden Palace and several other levels being removed.^[4]

Players are able to play all the available levels as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles or Sonic & Tails, with the save feature restored. Exclusive to this lock-on version are the Super Emeralds, which can be earned by accessing Special Stages in the Sonic & Knuckles levels after collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds. When all Super Emeralds have been collected, Sonic, Knuckles and Tails can transform into Hyper Sonic, Hyper Knuckles and Super Tails respectively, each with unique abilities.

Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2

This allows Knuckles to be played as a character in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, allowing players to use his unique abilities to reach otherwise unaccessible areas, although his shorter jump height makes some sections more difficult. In this version, players are unable to access the options or VS. modes of the original Sonic 2.

Blue Sphere

"Blue Sphere" redirects here. For the video game in Star Ocean series, see Star Ocean: Blue Sphere.

If any Mega Drive/Genesis game besides Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 is placed into the Sonic & Knuckles lock-on cartridge, the game will display a screen with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Robotnik stating "No Way" repeatedly. However, by pressing the A, B and C buttons together, players can access a randomly generated Blue Sphere stage, based on the Special Stages of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Although only one stage can be accessed via each game, if the player uses Sonic the Hedgehog or Sonic Compilation, players can access all the available levels by inputting a twelve digit code. The full version can also be played individually in Sonic Mega Collection, and can be played on Virtual Console if both Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 1 have been purchased. Reports state that developers were unable to allow full lock-on compatibility with the first Sonic game due to incompatible color pallettes.

Release and reception

Prior to the release of Sonic & Knuckles in North America, Blockbuster Video and MTV co-sponsored a tournament contest where kids were allowed to play a pre-release of the game, leading to a final tournament held at Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California. A special on the game showing the tournament final, "MTV's Rock the Rock Warning", was aired shortly before the game's release.^{[citation needed]}

The game was well received upon release, with reviewers praising its presentation and gameplay.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ GameSpy: Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!
2. ^ Sonic & Knuckles out on XBLA on September 9th!
3. ^ "SEGA Vintage Collection 2 to be Made Available This Summer!". Sega. 2009-05-11. http://www.sega.com/news/?n=3220. Retrieved 2009-05-14. 
4. ^ GameSpy: Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!

External links

• Sonic & Knuckles at Giant Bomb
• Sonic & Knuckles at MobyGames
• Sonic & Knuckles at the Internet Movie Database