Recommended Team: Knuckles (Leader) & Tails (Partner)
Ocean Base Act 3 combines the challenges of both above-water and underwater sections with more intricate level design. Knuckles' gliding and climbing abilities are useful for navigating the above-water structures and finding shortcuts. Tails' flight provides excellent support for underwater sections, allowing for faster movement and easier access to air. This act features many vertical shafts and large open areas, both above and below the surface.
You'll encounter sections with laser grids that activate and deactivate; time your movements to pass through them safely. Knuckles can climb walls to bypass some of these. Underwater, there are often rotating platforms and crushing mechanisms; use Tails' flight to navigate these hazards. A hidden Special Spring can be found by using Knuckles' glide to reach a distant platform after a series of springs, often above a large water body. The act concludes with a series of fast-paced sections, alternating between water and land, leading to the goal ring. Be prepared to switch strategies quickly.