Sonic 3: 3 Open Source Clones Compared
Sonic 3 A.I.R. is a fan-made remaster built on a custom engine, targeting modern platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and web via Emscripten) with a remastered soundtrack, and requires the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles assets to run. The Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles Disassembly takes a different approach: it can build byte-perfect copies of the original ROM, verified against the originals with included scripts, and ships project files for the SonLVL and SonED2 level editors, making it oriented toward ROM hacking and modding rather than direct play. The Disassembly also only targets the original Genesis platform, while A.I.R. runs on far more modern platforms.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX, Android, iOS, Web
- Play in browser
- YesPlay in Browser
- Mobile
- Android, iOS
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 2d ago
- Stars
- 634
- Contributors
- 20
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesThis is a fan-made remaster that requires the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles game assets.
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Genesis
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 23d ago
- Stars
- 258
- Contributors
- 34
- License
- —
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires original Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles ROM files to build.
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Not tracked
- Last updated
- Not tracked
- Stars
- Not tracked
- Contributors
- Not tracked
- License
- Not tracked
- Engine
- Not tracked
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
| Title | Sonic 3 A.I.R. | Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles Disassembly | skcollectioncport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, OSX, Android, iOS, Web | Genesis | Windows |
| Play in browser | YesPlay in Browser | No | No |
| Mobile | Android, iOS | No | No |
| Project health | |||
| Development status | Active | Active | Not tracked |
| Last updated | 2d ago | 23d ago | Not tracked |
| Stars | 634 | 258 | Not tracked |
| Contributors | 20 | 34 | Not tracked |
| License | GPL-3.0 | — | Not tracked |
| Engine | SDL2 | — | Not tracked |
| Compatibility | |||
| Requires original assets | YesThis is a fan-made remaster that requires the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles game assets. | YesRequires original Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles ROM files to build. | — |
| Preview | |
Frequently asked questions
Are the Sonic 3 clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these Sonic 3 clones use?
Sonic 3 A.I.R. (GPL-3.0).
Do I need to own the original Sonic 3 to play these clones?
Sonic 3 A.I.R. and Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles Disassembly require original game assets to play.
Can I play any of these Sonic 3 clones directly in a browser?
Yes — Sonic 3 A.I.R. has a browser-playable build linked in the comparison table above, no install required.
Which Sonic 3 clone is the most actively maintained?
Sonic 3 A.I.R. and Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles Disassembly are currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to Sonic 3.