Sonic 3 and Knuckles/Tails
From SDA Knowledge Base
This game has a run page on SDA!Contents
- 1 Current Fastest Time
- 2 Preliminary Notes
- 3 Angel Island 1
- 4 Angel Island 2
- 5 Hydrocity 1
- 6 Hydrocity 2
- 7 Marble Garden 1
- 8 Marble Garden 2
- 9 Carnival Night 1
- 10 Carnival Night 2
- 11 Ice Cap
- 12 Launch Base 1
- 13 Launch Base 2
- 14 Mushroom Hill 1
- 15 Mushroom Hill 2
- 16 Flying Battery 1
- 17 Flying Battery 2
- 18 Sandopolis 1
- 19 Sandopolis 2
- 20 Lava Reef 1
- 21 Lava Reef 2
- 22 Hidden Palace
- 23 Sky Sanctuary
- 24 Death Egg 1
- 25 Death Egg 2
Current Fastest Time
Preliminary Notes
Tails's flight ability is heavily influenced by physics. It takes on the physics you currently have while entering flight, and also affects physics in its own way. Many sections require precise timing of flight. This is really hard to explain and is something best understood by developing a feel for it. For more specific game engine details, refer to Sonic the Hedgehog game mechanics and glitches.
Unless otherwise stated, you should start each stage with a 6 tap spindash.
Angel Island 1
Start by taking the top route and rolling into the speed shoes on the left (with near perfect, TAS-like execution, the bottom route is fastest at the start). Do a 3-tap spin dash to the right, bump the ceiling with flight, and make sure not to fly afterwards. Jump upon collecting the 2nd ring and after bumping the ceiling, time your flight so you maintain speed but don't miss the ledge. There are two options for this next part:
- Slow down and jump to the left of the fire shield in such a way that you don't bounce downward and can clear the zip line with a flight.
- Hit the underside of the fire shield and time a flight so you go straight under the zip line (slightly faster, but requires more precision).
If you use the 1st method you want to clear or land on the rock. If you don't have enough speed, you'll have to time a single flight just before approaching the rock. With the 2nd method, you always have to time a flight just before the crumbling platform, then a low jump over the rock. Jump again at the 1st or 2nd ring and bump your head to clear the yellow spring. When going through the loops in Angel Island, never follow a loop jump with a roll, because the unique angle AI loops have will actually slow you down. Loop jump and maintain your run. After the starpost, there are two methods for clearing the gap and 4 yellow springs:
- Jump from the slanted ground at the 1st-2nd rings and fly so that you land on the rock up ahead.
- Jump at the very edge and bump the ceiling (slightly faster, but risky; only works if you have a really fast spin dash and jump almost as late as possible).
After landing on the crumbling platform, wait until you clear the small gap between it and the stable ground. Jump from the ground and bump the ceiling to keep your speed, then roll to hit the Catakiller, Jr (you'll get hit if you don't have enough speed). Piano all 3 buttons when landing on the rock to increase the chances of jumping from it.
Time to aim for: 0:47
Acceptable time: 048
Angel Island 2
Use a 3-tap spin dash to enter the tube. When exiting the tube, jump as soon as you touch the 2nd crumbling platform. The start positions for the swinging ropes in Angel Island are based on the power on timer (as soon as you turn your console on). After flying up to the top route you will see one behind you, use it as a reference to know where the 2nd one will be (they are synced). After your spin dash you want to avoid grabbing the 2nd rope, so you may have to jump over it. The 3rd rope is not necessarily synced with the other two, so after hitting the Bloominator make sure you roll upon landing so as to slightly reduce your hit box size.
After the last starpost, stand right next to the breakable wall and do a 1-tap spin dash. Inputs in the tube are not recognized, and the tube can actually do a few different things based on your speed upon entering (faster spin dashes increase the chances of getting bad tube luck) and subpixels. You can either go very fast unhindered, get slowed down, or even get sent in reverse. If you go very fast, simply hold right when exiting. If you're slowed down, land on the ground and spin dash, then continue to hold right without jumping so that you maintain a high run speed after Robotnik appears.
Boss: Keep running until you hit the right side of the screen, then do a quick 1-tap spin dash to the left. Wait a slight moment and jump, you'll bounce repeatedly for a very easy quick kill. Depending on your timing, you might bounce too low and get hit by a fireball on the left. To always avoid this, make sure you are in-between the two guns around the 4th bounce, then move back to the left.
