Introduction
One day, I came across a new Sonic 3 & Knuckles TAS by BenInSweden, Chrezm, eandis, & kaan55. Its main feature was that it corrupted the lock-on technology, thus separating the games, essentially turning it into a Sonic & Knuckles run. Since I usually get the good ending of Sonic games when I play them, and how I like Sonic & Knuckles standalone more, I decided to use inputs from the Sonic 3 & Knuckles TAS for a new 100% Sonic & Knuckles TAS as a concept of how a TAS that corrupts the lock-on technology would look like if it had gotten the good ending.
Movie objectives
- Primarily aims for RTA time
- Takes damage to save time
- Intentionally takes deaths to save time
- Uses X & Y Position glitches to save time
- Uses level geometry glitches to save time
Mushroom Hill Zone Act 1 - 0:42.45
This is done by me. Because MHZ1 has a different starting point within Sonic & Knuckles, I made my own writing while also taking inspiration from the Sonic 3 & Knuckles TAS. Most techniques can also be seen within other TASes.
Mushroom Hill Zone Act 2 - 1:17.09
This is done by me. To obtain the rest of the Chaos Emeralds, I didn't use any zips in MHZ2, and because there's no Hyper transformation or the new starting giant ring, I intentionally took damage near the wasp-like enemy to then bounce on the mushroom onto the spring, instead of taking damage before the cuckoo enemy guarding Chaos Emerald #6, and thus entering a giant ring that most 100% runs do not enter. Later on I've also changed the Special Stages and did slight routing changes such as beating the MHZ2 boss slightly earlier.
Flying Battery Zone Act 1 - 0:43.03
Uses a clipping strategy mostly seen in Knuckles runs to clip into the loop-de-loop, thus taking less time to zip and and then do a level wrap.
Flying Battery Zone Act 2 - 1:05.43
Uses a slope glitch to clip into the ramp, and does a classic-style zip to go towards the end of the level.
Sandopolis Zone Act 1 - 1:04.51
Uses a clip at the start to perform a level wrap. Because of different X & Y positions, this is different than the SOZ1 zip that Tails can do, a level wrap that most of you have probably heard of. Also delays the SOZ1 score bonus countdowns to change the Y position of platform seen at the start of SOZ2.
Sandopolis Zone Act 2 - 0:48.47
At 0:08, by using camera and level glitches, I was able to clip into a slide. Initially, I myself tried going up to a sand fall after the ghost capsule to then do some precise jumps using the Flame Shield to smoothly go up almost like jumping off of a slope, but despite it looking flashy and also kinda appealing to the eyes, it turned out to be slower. The loop-de-loop glitches seen throughout the level happen because the loop-de-loops are not solid when you initially exit out of them, but they become solid after passing certain X & Y positions.
Lava Reef Zone Act 1 - 0:47.43
A very simple stair clip, also seen within a similar format in LRZ2, is used to go to near the start of the level to then go down and activate some kind of cutscene to fully unlock all level boundaries. If the cutscene isn't activated, the edge of the level will be different, and no actual level wraps will be done. A new floor clip has also been used to to save 86 frames as no monitor has been used to clip under.
Lava Reef Zone Act 2 - 0:20.52
Waits around 6.125 seconds for the whole level to fully load properly. Also uses an optimized stair clip instead of stopping and using a spindash to save time.
Hidden Palace Zone - 0:26.40
The Y Position from which you use the teleporters affects the Y-Position you get teleported to.
Sky Sanctuary Zone - 0:52.17
Uses camera panning to avoid death planes, I also had to change the pausing patterns for the Sky Sanctuary Boss.
Death Egg Zone Act 1 - 0:58.42
Uses a wall clip to zip, then used camera panning to avoid getting crushed by spikes by deloading them as they're off camera. I then fought Redeye myself as trying to use the Insta-Shield resulted in Sonic transforming into Super Sonic. The first phase was easy as was all of the phases as I had a higher jump and invincibility, and then a frame-perfect jump is used to bounce on the Redeye.
Death Egg Zone Act 2 - 1:36.23
Uses a simple stair clip to do a level warp. Due to desyncs, I fought the Egg Ball myself, however it should have took around the same time to beat it regardless, despite no artistic choices being made. Six-frame spin dashes were used to then launch the trolley-like things towards the Egg Ball at the first frame they can be hit, and I didn't take any damage. I then use the Insta-Shield with a precise spindash to fight all six fingers at once. The last phase was also changed by me.
The Doomsday Zone - 1:34.01
I did this level myself. I didn't follow any routes seen in other TASes and made my own route, avoiding vertical movement. Within the final hit, as no more inputs can be provided to save time, no time was wasted by hitting the asteroids.
Special Stages
I did the Special Stages myself. Within the first 3000 frames, you can turn on yellow spheres, thus changing the direction of the jump. The jumps that yellow spheres give you don't change depending on what direction you hit them. You can also do the same thing with red spheres but I didn't turn on any red spheres in this run as no Sonic 3 Special Stages are present.
Potential Improvements
As Sonic 3 hasn't been locked on in this TAS, there's less RAM allocated. Because of this, in 0:18 in MHZ2, I wasn't able to do a slope jump to get jump to Special Stage 4, thus losing 3 seconds. And in 0:34, also in MHZ2, I wasn't able to use the Flame Shield boost on the mushroom next to the speed up monitor to go left, thus losing around 2-4 seconds.
In DDZ, I avoid getting hit from the yellow dots and especially the rockets. If intentionally taking damage could potentially result in saving time, then it can also be improved.
