Act 3 is the final confrontation with Dr. Robotnik. This Act is unique as it's a direct boss fight with no preceding level. You'll start directly in the boss arena. Make sure you have as many lives and rings as possible before entering this zone.
Boss: Dr. Robotnik's Final Machine. Robotnik will be in a large, stationary machine that shoots fireballs and has a crushing claw. The arena has several platforms that move up and down. To hit Robotnik, you need to jump and hit the cockpit of his machine when it's vulnerable. He will cycle through several attacks:
- Fireball Attack: He'll shoot a stream of fireballs across the screen. Find a safe spot between them or jump over them.
- Crushing Claw: A large claw will descend from the top, trying to crush Sonic. Move quickly to avoid it.
- Electric Floor: The floor will become electrified, forcing Sonic onto the moving platforms.
After each attack, there will be a brief window where Robotnik's cockpit is exposed. Jump onto a moving platform to gain height and hit him. He requires eight hits to defeat. After taking damage, his attack patterns will become faster and more aggressive. Stay calm, observe his patterns, and time your hits carefully. Once defeated, he'll flee, and you can free the animals and watch the ending sequence. Congratulations, you've saved South Island!