Editing Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (section)

===Ports and rereleases===
''Sonic 3'' is included in the compilations ''[[Sonic Jam]]'' (1997) for the [[Sega Saturn]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/games/sonic-jam/saturn-1784|website=IGN|title=Sonic Jam – Saturn|access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Sonic & Knuckles Collection]]'' (1997) and ''[[Sonic & Garfield Pack]]'' (1999) for [[Windows]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic & Garfield Pack|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/sonic-and-garfield-pack/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=January 19, 2015}}</ref> ''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]'' (2002) for the [[GameCube]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/12/sonic-mega-collection|website=IGN|title=Sonic Mega Collection|last=Mirabella|first=Fran|date=November 2, 2002|access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' (2004) for the [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Windows,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/04/sonic-mega-collection-plus|website=IGN|title=Sonic Mega Collection Plus|last=Goldstein|first=Hilary|date=November 3, 2004|access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]'' (2009) for the [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/12/sonics-ultimate-genesis-collection-review|website=IGN|title=Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection|last=Miller|first=Greg|access-date=November 16, 2014|date=February 12, 2009}}</ref> and ''[[Sonic Classic Collection]]'' (2010) for the [[Nintendo DS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/03/06/sonic-classic-collection-review|title=Sonic Classic Collection Review|last=Harris|first=Craig|date=March 5, 2010|website=IGN|access-date=January 27, 2013}}</ref> The ''Sonic Jam'' version introduces "remix" options:<ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic Jam – Saturn overview|url=http://uk.ign.com/games/sonic-jam/saturn-1784|access-date=January 19, 2015|website=IGN}}</ref> "Normal" mode alters the layout of rings and hazards, and "Easy" mode removes certain acts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic Jam Review|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/sonic-jam|access-date=January 19, 2015|publisher=[[Game Revolution]]}}</ref>

''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' was released for the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] in September 2007<ref>{{cite web|title=Wii Virtual Console – Sonic 3 release|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/818/818948p1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913164338/http://wii.ign.com/articles/818/818948p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 13, 2007|access-date=January 22, 2015|website=IGN}}</ref> and [[Xbox Live Arcade]] on June 10, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=RubyEclipse|date=May 11, 2009|title=SEGA Announces 7 new titles for XBLA!|url=http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2009/05/11/sega-announces-7-new-titles-for-xbla/|access-date=May 30, 2009|publisher=Sega Blog|archive-date=May 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520184640/http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2009/05/11/sega-announces-7-new-titles-for-xbla/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Xbox version was developed by [[Backbone Entertainment]]<ref>{{cite web|author1=Sega|author1-link=Sega|author2=Backbone Entertainment|author2-link=Backbone Entertainment|date=June 10, 2009|title=Sonic The Hedgehog 3|url=http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Sonic-The-Hedgehog-3/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802584109a3#|access-date=22 March 2018|website=[[Xbox Marketplace]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref> and has enhanced graphics for [[High-definition television|high-definition]], online leaderboards, support for multiplayer via [[Split screen (computer graphics)|split screen]] and [[Xbox Live]], and a new [[Saved game|saving system]] that allows progress to be saved anywhere during play.<ref name="life" /> A PC version was released via [[Steam (service)|Steam]] in January 2011, as ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' but later delisted as well as the other classic titles when ''Sonic Origins'' released.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sonic 3 and Knuckles on Steam|url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/71162/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1|access-date=August 7, 2016|website=store.steampowered.com}}</ref>

''Sonic 3'' was not included in the [[Sega Genesis Mini]] (2019), a [[dedicated console]] containing 40 Genesis games. [[AtGames]], which was briefly involved with the console's development, said the exclusion was due to licensing problems with the soundtrack.<ref name="Poly: Mini">{{cite web |last1=Grant |first1=Christopher |title=Sega Genesis Mini (aka Mega Drive Mini) announced |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/4/13/17237000/sega-mega-drive-mini-classic-edition |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=April 20, 2019 |date=April 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Good |first1=Owen S. |title=Sega Genesis Mini releases in September with 40 games, including Sonic the Hedgehog (update) |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=2019-03-30 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/30/18288181/sega-genesis-mini-release-date-price-north-america-japan |access-date=2019-03-31 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2014, independent developers [[Christian Whitehead]] and [[Simon Thomley]] proposed a [[remaster]] of ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]], developed using Whitehead's [[Retro Engine]], to Sega, similar to their remasters of previous ''Sonic'' games. Despite fan enthusiasm, Sega did not develop the project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://toucharcade.com/2014/10/19/sonic-3-knuckles-ios-port/|title=Hey Sega! This 'Sonic 3 & Knuckles' iOS Port Needs to Happen|last=Nelson|first=Jared|date=October 19, 2014|website=[[TouchArcade]]|access-date=November 9, 2019}}</ref> Thomley speculated that this was due to legal problems regarding the music.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thomley |first1=Simon |title=Regarding Sonic 3 |url=https://hcstealth.tumblr.com/post/110586472232/regarding-sonic-3 |publisher=[[Tumblr]] |access-date=April 30, 2020 |date=February 9, 2015}}</ref>

In 2022, ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' was rereleased for the first time since 2011 as part of the compilation ''[[Sonic Origins]]''. The ''Origins'' version is a new remaster running on the [[Retro Engine]], developed by Simon Thomley of Headcannon, who previously worked on ''[[Sonic Mania]]'' and remastered versions of other Genesis ''Sonic'' games.<ref>{{cite tweet|last=Thomley|first=Simon|title=Though Sega is creating Sonic Origins internally, I'm grateful that they chose us to build the S3&K that they're integrating into the collection. We worked extremely hard in that time and are very proud of what were able to deliver to Sega. We hope you'll enjoy the final product!|date=April 20, 2022|user=HCStealth|number=1516778620466851843|accessdate=April 20, 2022}}</ref> ''Origins'' adds features including widescreen support and, in the expanded version, [[Amy Rose]] as a playable character.<ref name="Verge: Launch">{{cite web |last1=Parrish |first1=Ash |date=April 20, 2022 |title=Sonic Origins launches in June with remasters of four classic games |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/20/23033583/sonic-origins-sega-hedgehog-ps5-xbox |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422051050/https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/20/23033583/sonic-origins-sega-hedgehog-ps5-xbox |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=April 20, 2022 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shea |first=Brian |date=2023-03-23 |title=Sonic Origins Plus Adds Amy As Playable Character, Game Gear Games, And More This June |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/sonic-origins-plus-adds-amy-as-playable-character-game-gear-games-and-more-this-june |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323162108/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/sonic-origins-plus-adds-amy-as-playable-character-game-gear-games-and-more-this-june |archive-date=2023-03-23 |access-date=2023-07-09 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}}</ref> Since Sega was unable to use the original ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' soundtrack, Senoue produced rearrangements of the [[MIDI]] music featured in ''Sonic & Knuckles Collection'' using the original Genesis sound chip.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last1=Scullion |first1=Chris |title=Sonic 3 & Knuckles won't have its original soundtrack in Sonic Origins |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sonic-3-knuckles-wont-have-its-original-soundtrack-in-sonic-origins/ |website=[[Video Games Chronicle]] |access-date=June 9, 2022 |date=June 9, 2022}}</ref>