Sonic 3 & Knuckles: Battle Race

Sonic 3 & Knuckles: Battle Race is a fan-made ROM hack based on Sonic 3 & Knuckles for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. The project was created by ColinC10 and was designed primarily as a competitive two-player racing game instead of a traditional Sonic adventure.

Rather than completing a story campaign, you race against another player to reach the end of each stage first.

🏁 Race Instead of Explore

The main focus of Battle Race is competition.

Both players begin a stage at the same time and race toward the goal while using their knowledge of the level layout to gain an advantage.

Victory depends on:

• Maintaining speed
• Choosing efficient routes
• Recovering quickly from mistakes
• Reaching the finish before your opponent

🎮 Built Around Two-Player Competition

Unlike the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Battle Race was designed specifically for head-to-head play.

The hack includes:

• Split-screen multiplayer races
• Stages designed for competitive play
• A scoring system based on race results
• Character selection for multiplayer matches

Its primary goal is to create balanced races instead of cooperative gameplay.

⚡ Familiar Sonic Mechanics

Battle Race keeps the movement system from Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

You still use classic abilities such as:

• Running
• Jumping
• Spin Dash
• Ring collection
• Platforming

Winning depends on mastering these mechanics while keeping your momentum through each course.

🗺️ Stages Designed for Racing

The hack includes courses created specifically for competitive matches.

Many stages feature:

• Multiple routes
• Speed-based shortcuts
• Hazards that slow progress
• Opportunities to overtake your opponent

Learning the layout of each course becomes an important part of improving your race times.

⭐ What Makes Battle Race Different?

Many Sonic ROM hacks focus on new stories or single-player campaigns.

Battle Race takes a different direction by concentrating almost entirely on multiplayer competition.

🎮 EmulatorJS Controls

Player 1

• Arrow Keys – Move
• Z – Jump
• X – Spin Dash / Action
• Enter – Start

Player 2 (if supported by your emulator)

• Secondary controls depend on your EmulatorJS input configuration.

Mobile Controls

• Virtual D-Pad – Movement
• On-screen action buttons – Jump and Spin Dash
• Start button – Pause/Menu

Controls may vary depending on your EmulatorJS configuration.

💡 Tips

• Stay in motion whenever possible to maintain your lead.
• Learn alternate routes that can shorten your race time.
• Recover quickly after taking damage to avoid falling behind.
• Practice difficult sections until you can clear them consistently.
• Watch your opponent's route choices to discover faster paths.