As a longtime Sonic fan, I was thrilled to get my hands on the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 4K Steelbook. The movie itself is a fantastic addition to the franchise, with heart, great characters, and darker storytelling that really dives into themes of grief and love.

The action scenes are top-notch, and the animation is a huge step up from the previous films. Shadow's character is handled particularly well, even if there are some differences from the games. The parallels between Sonic and Shadow throughout the film are brilliant.

Now, let's talk about the steelbook itself. While the movie is a 10/10 for me, the steelbook design leaves a bit to be desired. It feels lazy—reusing a render from the first movie instead of creating something fresh for Sonic 3. The Amazon exclusive version at least uses a render of Shadow from this film, which makes it a better choice for fans.

Another gripe? The trend of releasing multiple steelbook covers to incentivize double-dipping is getting old. Why not just have one cover with both Sonic and Shadow prominently featured? A design inspired by Sonic Adventure 2 or even the Tokyo fight scene would’ve been amazing.

Despite these flaws, if you’re a Sonic fan, this steelbook is still worth picking up—especially if you can snag the Shadow version. Just be prepared for some missed opportunities in the packaging department.