I didn't personally have the chance to play this game for a long long time, but man was i missing out. Sonic 3 is essentially what works about Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 jumbled together in a near perfect package of fun and speedy gameplay that games after could only dream of capturing. Levels are more packed with paths and secrets, just ripe for replaying. the soundtrack perfectly encapsulates each respective stage. The controls are as tight as ever and gameplay feels more refined thanks to the addition of elemental shields and the instashield. It truly is a perfect end to this respective trilogy of Sonic.

This game takes a lot of what I and many others dislike about the one before it, and completely overhauls it, as any good sequel should. Sonic 2 is a fast paced, charming, and lovable game that uses speed to its advantage as often as it can. With beautiful, memorable, and most importantly fun levels to traverse with a fantastic soundtrack to back it, this game isn't perfect, but set a great standard for what these kinds of games should be.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a humble start to a beloved icon. It starts off incredibly strong with Green Hill but very quickly loses itself in tedious platforming and frusterating level design making you wonder where the speed the character is known for really comes into play. With a lot of iconic and amazing songs to back such lackluster levels and a forgettable final boss, Sonic 1 remains the weakest of its trilogy.