Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Complete (Hack)

[RageBurner]

An incredible hack that properly integrates Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles into one game as well as offering a wealth of bugfixes and customization options. It is flat out superior to the vanilla S3+K experience in every conceivable way.


Author(s): Tiddles (and many others, check source).
Type: Improvement
Version: 130810
Date: 10th of August, 2013
Status: Complete
Source: https://www.s3complete.org/

Features:

Too many to list! check here.

RB's Notes: If you would like more control over your experience, head to the customizer and change the available options to your liking. Keep in mind that a lot of options can be changed within the game already, save for graphical replacements.

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Download from Repo​

• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Complete (Hack)
• -

 

[SoulEdge]

Great times with this hack rom, i played a lot on my modded 3ds <3

 

[Ikagura]

Personally I'm no fan of the drop dash (long story, very odd for a Sonic fan)...

I'd be curious to understand the story but I think that the DD works better if the game is made with it in mind. Even playing Sonic 1 with a spin dash can "break" the game because the level design was never made with it in mind.

On the other hand I'm surprised that the instant spin-dash (the one you get in Sonic Generations as Classic Sonic when pressing X) wasn't added as an option for subsequent 2D/2.5D Classic Sonic games (Forces with Classic, Mania and Superstars) because stopping then pressing down takes several seconds whereas a dedicated spin-dash button could make the gameplay flow much smoother.

However, as someone who knew the hacker who worked on this hack back in the day "Tiddles" and even helped in testing a few times, I believe the reason why there is no dropdash is because the last update (as far as I'm aware) was prior to Sonic Mania (2017), I know it was after Sonic 1&2 remastered (2013) because they added a few options from those games, mainly the Tails assist system which this version of Sonic 3 gives you multiple options including imo the better Tails assist option based on the Marble Garden boss controls, I imagine had Tiddles worked on this further he probably would have implemented the dropdash as an option, he is that talented.

Tails assist is tricky yet great to do in solo. It even breaks the game when couples with Hyper Sonic (Orkal's videos were great).

 

[Juiceala]

Wasn't it Brad Buxer?

Either way I don't mind the & Knuckles music replacements either.


That could be an option but I think the ROM is already almost full.

Personally I'm no fan of the drop dash (long story, very odd for a Sonic fan)... However, as someone who knew the hacker who worked on this hack back in the day "Tiddles" and even helped in testing a few times, I believe the reason why there is no dropdash is because the last update (as far as I'm aware) was prior to Sonic Mania (2017), I know it was after Sonic 1&2 remastered (2013) because they added a few options from those games, mainly the Tails assist system which this version of Sonic 3 gives you multiple options including imo the better Tails assist option based on the Marble Garden boss controls, I imagine had Tiddles worked on this further he probably would have implemented the dropdash as an option, he is that talented.

 

[Ikagura]

Honestly the best way to experience vanilla 3 in it's full Michael Jackson ost glory.

Wasn't it Brad Buxer?

Either way I don't mind the & Knuckles music replacements either.

If only it had the drop dash!

That could be an option but I think the ROM is already almost full.

 

[Nelson2001 Nelson2001]

If only it had the drop dash!

It would be nice if the community could restore that gameplay mechanic like in the Prototype.

 

[shoyo2k]

If only it had the drop dash!

 

[Juiceala]

Honestly the best way to experience vanilla 3 in it's full Michael Jackson ost glory.

Facts!

 

[Michael Frank]

Honestly the best way to experience vanilla 3 in it's full Michael Jackson ost glory.

 

[RageBurner]

The version on the Repo is prebuilt with the default settings and should be sufficient for most use-cases. The customizer serves a purpose only if you want something esoteric like having S1 or S2 sprites and monitors in the game.

 

[EcchiL0verMan]

One of my favorite romhacks, honestly! I know it's basically "Sonic 3 & Knuckles with extra polish and options", but Sonic 3 & Knuckles is already so good that adding extra options on top of it makes me happy, y'know? And I know we have Angel Island Revisited nowadays, but Sonic 3 Complete is just as good in my honest opinion.


And about that, I want to see that now :V
"Naruto Uzumaki 3 & Sasuke Uchiha" :V

Naruto's super form would be his Nine-Tailed Fox form

 

[JoystickV2]

One of my favorite romhacks, honestly! I know it's basically "Sonic 3 & Knuckles with extra polish and options", but Sonic 3 & Knuckles is already so good that adding extra options on top of it makes me happy, y'know? And I know we have Angel Island Revisited nowadays, but Sonic 3 Complete is just as good in my honest opinion.

off-topic but i always wondered why no one has came up with a Sonic rom hack that replaces Sonic with Naruto (and it's characters from that series)?

And about that, I want to see that now :V
"Naruto Uzumaki 3 & Sasuke Uchiha" :V

 

[Juiceala]

I recommend everyone to use this customizable link instead of the one in the Repo as it has several customizable options to your liking instead of the prebuilt version.

Post automatically merged: Aug 15, 2025

I've only played the vanilla game, so I'm curious to see if this hack is any better than it.

This hack has always been my definitive way to play this (until Sonic 3 AIR cane out) still it is imo the best way to experience the game on an emulator, it fixes so much and adds so many features, combines everything from every re-release until Origins.

Also it has imo the best controls for assist Tails, far better than the slop we got from Christian Whitehead.

 

[EcchiL0verMan]

off-topic but i always wondered why no one has came up with a Sonic rom hack that replaces Sonic with Naruto (and it's characters from that series)?

they both run fast and love to crack jokes and taunt at their enemies

 

[Zenith498]

Is it superior to S3&K A.I.R or any improvement mods it has?

Sonic 3 AIR is a spiritual successor to this hack, the major difference is that AIR is more like a native PC Port with widescreen support and the like while S3 Complete can be played on original hardware. S3 Complete has a ton of customisation options(a lot of which missing in AIR), custom level icons, an unique transition to the 2nd half(which Sega themselves borrowed for Sonic Origins), completed versions of the prototype tracks, option to use the original level order, sprite fixes and so much more. Its a meaty hack all things considered and before AIR existed was the best way to play Sonic 3.

 

[Ikagura]

I've only played the vanilla game, so I'm curious to see if this hack is any better than it.

Oh yes it is, turning a great game into something beyond.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles imconplete without Drop-dash

Eh, it still plays well. It's not like Sonic 1 without the spin-dash.


On the other hand the insta-shield is often forgotten to his base controls...

 

[Scotty Scotty]

I've only played the vanilla game, so I'm curious to see if this hack is any better than it.

 

[Nelson2001 Nelson2001]

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles imconplete without Drop-dash

And what is the Drop-Dash? is some mechanic from the Original Game (Sonic 3 & Knuckles but Prototype Version) although in the later games of the saga you could do that mechanic like Sonic Mania (2017) and Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 and keep in mind that this Sonic 3 & Knuckles Romhack came out in 2013 and there was no possibility of making the Drop-Dash although in the SK3 prototype it was but in the final version of the game it was no longer possible.

 

[Waifu4Life]

Is it superior to S3&K A.I.R or any improvement mods it has?

It's more for people who want to play on OG hardware with a ROMcart or via FPGA.

 

[Darkbluesex25]

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles imconplete without Drop-dash

 

[Ikagura]

Huh? really? I thought it looked for a specific hash, not the filename.

Or so I was being told.

But I didn't try that.

It's the "Sonic_Knuckles_wSonic3.bin" file, correct?

 

[RageBurner]

You can still technically rename the rom so you could "fool" AIR into thinking you actually own the Steam version but since the Steam page no longer exists then I'd say that Complete is a good compromise.

Huh? really? I thought it looked for a specific hash, not the filename.

 

[Ikagura]

Is it superior to S3&K A.I.R or any improvement mods it has?

Since Angel Island Revisited is an entirely separate computer program it no longer has the limitations of the Genesis hardware but I think that it's more convenient for handheld emulators or if you cannot run AIR on mobile.

Also I kinda like having the choice.

A.I.R is a sort of successor to it, but since it requires a highly specific ROM, I feel Complete is sufficiently good and much easier to source.

You can still technically rename the rom so you could "fool" AIR into thinking you actually own the Steam version but since the Steam page no longer exists then I'd say that Complete is a good compromise.

 

[RageBurner]

A.I.R is a sort of successor to it, but since it requires a highly specific ROM, I feel Complete is sufficiently good and much easier to source.

 

[Pilk Addict]

Is it superior to S3&K A.I.R or any improvement mods it has?