Chronology of Sonic 3K

[Sable]

So, most of us know that in Sonic 3K, you can play as both Sonic and Knuckles (duh) so the logical assumption is that their stories occur at the same time. In fact, the manual even states this. However, there's many things ingame that seem to prove otherwise and I'd like to have your opinion on them.

Notice how, in his respective story, Knuckles interacts with Sonic in literally none of his stages? Yet in Sonic's story, right off my hand, I can think of twelve times they interact.

In Angel Island Zone Act 1, Knuckles knocks Sonic out of Super Form and snatches his Chaos Emeralds.
In Angel Island Zone Act 2, Knuckles jumps on a switch to destroy the ground under Sonic and send him to Hydrocity Zone.
In Hydrocity Zone Act 2, Knuckles hits a button behind a wall to destroy the platform Sonic is on, sending him through the waterways to Dr. Eggman / Robotnik.
In Carnival Night Zone Act 2, Knuckles is seen twice; once, turning off the electricity, and again, turning on a electric... tube... thing (?) to pull Sonic up to the boss arena.
In Launch Base Zone Act 1, Knuckles throws a bomb and destroys one of the buildings to impede Sonic's progress.
In Launch Base Zone Act 2, Knuckles confronts Sonic after he gets into Dr. Eggman / Robotnik's mech, before being knocked off by the force of the liftoff behind him.
In Mushroom Hill Zone Act 1, Knuckles blocks off access to the Super Ring. It's debatable whether this could be considered an interaction, though, and it's also worth noting that it actually happens in his story too.
In Mushroom Hill Zone Act 2, Knuckles presses a lever to send Sonic up to the high ground of the area.
Lava Reef Zone Act 2 features Knuckles tossing a boulder down at Sonic to knock him into the boss area.
Hidden Palace Zone features the entire fight against Knuckles and the cutscene afterwards.
Sky Sanctuary Zone (A) has Knuckles pressing a switch to extend a bridge for Sonic.

None of these happen in Knuckles' story. At all.

Also, in Knuckles' Sandopolis, the ghosts are already out when you arrive in Act 2; yet, as Sonic, you end up releasing them from a capsule.

In Knuckles' Lava Reef, the Death Egg is actually gone from the background, perhaps to reflect that it's already been destroyed by Sonic.

Finally, and most importantly, the Master Emerald is in a completely different place in Knuckles' story, Sky Sanctuary rather than Hidden Palace.

It's also worth noting that in Sonic's good (not best) ending, Egg-robo can be seen activating.

All of this together suggests Knuckles' story occurs long after Sonic's.

[Lamby]

The most widely accepted theory is that Knuckles' arc takes place after Sonic's, and you'll be happy to know that you are definitely not alone in thinking they aren't parallel. I've always sort of taken this article as a convincing argument:

http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_3_%26_ ... nd_endings which you have essentially covered most, if not all of.

[Crash32]

Nice topic, very thorough.

[Rukov]

I wonder why they decided to set Knuckles' story after Sonic's rather than having the stories interconnect like they did in the Adventure games and 06.

[Nano]

I always assumed it was a "What if" kind of thing where it was like "What if Knuckles were to take on Eggman and not Sonic"

So that way they technically take place at the same time, just not in the same universe I guess.

[Jeffery Mewtamer]

^Except Eggman makes no appearances in Knuckles's story(having been replaced by Eggrobo).

[Ivogoji]

Knuckles story must be in the same continuity as Sonic's.

Otherwise there is a rogue Mecha Sonic and EggRobo running around on Angel Island.

How the chronology of Knuckles' game relates to Sonic's has been pretty well understood for a long time though.