[center]General Best Ending Notes[/center]
- This guide has an in-depth guide for the current 100% route which includes a map of each area and hub, the general route to take, and the reasoning behind each route decision.
- To unlock Knuckles, Amy, and Cream, you have to beat Act 3 of Sunset Hill, Toy Kingdom, and Cyber Track (respectively) with Sonic as the lead character.
- After you get your 10th chao, the special key is unlocked. Every stage has two sets of special key locations (note the plural), and the game chooses one randomly upon entering the stage. The route is designed to be as consistent as possible without revisiting stages (i.e. be able to get the special key regardless of which set is chosen), but there are exceptions, and those will be pointed out.
- All hub maps taken from http://www.sonicgalaxy.net/maps-gba-sa-3/
- All individual act maps taken from thesoniccenter
Map Legend: -Red path = route to follow -Non-Yellow Circles = chao -Yellow circles = potential key locations after the last chao
[center]Route 99[/center]
Start the game with T+S.
Hub Part 1
Following this route, grab the pulley, tag to the chao, then fall and tag to act 3.
In Act 3, both possible key locations are on your path after the last chao, noted as yellow circles.
Act 3
Hub Part 2
Coming out of Act 3, follow this route to go through Act 2, 1, and the special spring.
Act 2
Act 1
Special Stage
Hub Part 3
Coming out of the special stage, tag in the air to the right, then hold left so you ascend past the act 2 ring and a few ledges.
Boss
[center]Sunset Hill[/center]
Reset upon seeing the "Sunset Hill" header and switch to S+T
Hub Part 1
Follow the hub path, clearing Act 1, getting the hub chao, then clearing Act 3.
Act 1
Act 3
Hub Part 2
After clearing Act 3, reset after the whiteout (the game saves unlocking Knuckles). Switch to K+T and follow the path here to Act 2 and the special spring.
Act 2
The blue route denotes the path that's guaranteed to get a special key regardless of location (noted by yellow circles). If you want to save ~6-7 seconds and make a 50% gamble, follow the purple path near the end instead.
Hub Part 3
After getting the emerald, follow the path here to the boss.
Boss