Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
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Estimated FPS across quality settings and resolutions
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles FPS by GPU
Estimated framerates for 14 reference GPUs · pick a resolution and quality
Full benchmark grid · 14 GPUs × 4 qualities × 3 resolutions
1080p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 869 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 916 fps | 745 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 999 fps | 807 fps | 656 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 982 fps | 785 fps | 638 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 927 fps | 742 fps | 603 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 999 fps | 845 fps | 676 fps | 550 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 955 fps | 764 fps | 611 fps | 496 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 818 fps | 655 fps | 524 fps | 425 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 593 fps | 475 fps | 380 fps | 308 fps |
1440p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 931 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 878 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 824 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 802 fps | 651 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 859 fps | 687 fps | 558 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 946 fps | 757 fps | 605 fps | 492 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 920 fps | 736 fps | 589 fps | 479 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 869 fps | 695 fps | 556 fps | 452 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 793 fps | 634 fps | 507 fps | 412 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 716 fps | 573 fps | 458 fps | 372 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 614 fps | 491 fps | 393 fps | 319 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 445 fps | 356 fps | 285 fps | 231 fps |
4K performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 916 fps | 733 fps | 596 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 851 fps | 681 fps | 553 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 955 fps | 764 fps | 611 fps | 496 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 900 fps | 720 fps | 576 fps | 468 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 845 fps | 676 fps | 541 fps | 440 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 668 fps | 535 fps | 428 fps | 347 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 573 fps | 458 fps | 367 fps | 298 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 505 fps | 404 fps | 323 fps | 262 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 491 fps | 393 fps | 314 fps | 255 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 464 fps | 371 fps | 297 fps | 241 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 423 fps | 338 fps | 271 fps | 220 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 382 fps | 305 fps | 244 fps | 199 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 327 fps | 262 fps | 209 fps | 170 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 237 fps | 190 fps | 152 fps | 123 fps |
Where to buy
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
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About
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, released in 1994, is a beloved platform video game that combines the adventures of Sonic and Knuckles through unique lock-on technology. This title features an expansive set of Zones with vibrant graphics and gameplay mechanics that build on its predecessors. Notable for its engaging level design and iconic characters, Sonic 3 & Knuckles delivers a nostalgic experience for fans of the franchise.
In terms of PC performance, Sonic 3 & Knuckles is quite accessible, requiring minimal hardware to achieve smooth FPS benchmarks. To run the game well, an entry-level GPU with a minimum score of around 500 is sufficient, alongside at least 2 GB of RAM. Players can expect straightforward performance with low graphics settings, making the game a perfect fit for those using older or budget-friendly systems.
Should you play Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles? With a solid rating of 89/100, this game stands out for both retro enthusiasts and new players alike. Its engaging platforming and charming aesthetics make it a must-try for anyone looking to enjoy a classic gaming experience.
Performance profile
Released in October 1994, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles predates modern GPU acceleration as we know it today. It runs effortlessly on virtually any current hardware, including integrated graphics and entry-level laptops — framerate is limited by the engine, not the GPU.
Extremely light — Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles runs at 60 FPS 1080p on any integrated GPU (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Graphics) or a decade-old discrete card like the GTX 1050. A current-gen RTX 4060 pushes 4K Ultra without effort.
Storyline
At the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the evil Dr. Robotnik had his Death Egg downed from orbit by the heroes, Sonic the Hedgehog and his companion Miles "Tails" Prower. Having not been completely destroyed after all, the Death Egg has crash-landed on the Floating Island, taking it to the ocean below. This island has special properties - not least of which being its eponymous power of magical suspension. When Dr. Robotnik detects the presence of a massive Chaos Emerald within the island's depths, he decides to once again seek out the Chaos Emeralds so that his fallen Death Egg can regain orbit in space. Turning his crushing defeat into a sleek advantage yet again, he kidnaps Animals to convert into Badniks and created a new line of weapons. Meanwhile, Knuckles is taking his usual walk along the Emerald altar to check if the Emeralds are alright, suddenly a huge earthquake came out of nowhere, Knuckles saw the Emeralds reverberating in mid-air, stunned, he was suddenly threw into the air before blacking out. When he woke up, the Chaos Emeralds were gone, but Knuckles also saw a huge egg in the distance, surprised, he then recalled a legend of an ancient dragon sent to destroy the world in the end times, thinking this mysterious egg to be the dragon he set out, and... A giant egg-shaped figure appeared out of nowhere, calling himself "Dr. Eggman", he explained to Knuckles he had come here to study this giant egg, and that an evil hedgehog named Sonic was trying to not only interfere with his research, but steal the Chaos Emeralds as well. Knuckles, duped by the doctor, ran off to find this miscreant. Eggman smiled at himself, pleased at his ability to lie. Immediately after the event of Sonic 3 where Dr. Robotnik's orbital weapon, the Death Egg, is damaged in a battle with Sonic and crash-lands back onto Angel Island. Sonic travels through each zone looking to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds to defeat Robotnik, and once again comes into conflict with Knuckles, who believes Sonic is trying to steal the Emeralds for himself. In Hidden Palace Zone, Sonic fights and defeats Knuckles. The two hear a disturbance outside of the chamber, and go out to find Dr. Robotnik stealing the Master Emerald, the secret to the island's levitation powers. Knuckles attempts to attack Robotnik, but is electrically shocked in the process, and is trapped with Sonic in an underground passage. Knuckles, realizing Sonic is on his side, shows him a portal that leads them to Sky Sanctuary, where the Death Egg is relaunching. Sonic proceeds to infiltrate the Death Egg, and defeats Robotnik as Super Sonic. Knuckles' story, which takes place after the events of Sonic's campaign, begins in Mushroom Hill,[b] where he is relaxing with his animal friends but is interrupted by a bomb dropped by EggRobo. This prompts Knuckles to chase after him, leading him through more difficult versions of most of the same zones Sonic went through. The chase ends at the damaged remains of Sky Sanctuary, where a robot called Mecha Sonic attacks Knuckles but accidentally destroys EggRobo instead. After a short fight, Mecha Sonic uses the power of the Master Emerald to achieve a Super form similar to Sonic's. Knuckles manages to defeat Super Mecha Sonic, who explodes. Sonic flies in piloting the biplane Tornado and Knuckles hitches a ride to return the Master Emerald to Angel Island. If all the Chaos Emeralds are collected, Angel Island rises upwards, into the sky. However, if the player has not collected all the Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles cannot redeem the Master Emerald, and Angel Island plummets into the ocean.