Set a few months after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic is back in the Green Hill Zone completing his regular duty of freeing his fellow Mobians that are trapped inside Doctor Robotnik's Badniks. Elsewhere Robotnik is observing Sonic on a screen and remarks at how his latest invention is going to finally destroy his nemesis. Robotnik reveals his 'Engine of Destruction' a huge tank-like machine which is capable of polluting the planet's atmosphere for a thousand years. Running off of the power of Mobius' golden rings the machine proceeds to suck up all the rings within its surrounding area. Sonic hearing about Robotnik's machine, proceeds to head to the area where it is powering-up. Robotnik quickly targets Sonic, however his machine has not yet reached full-power so he dispatches