I'm trying to do this correctly, and it just doesn't work...

Unlimited lives:
Locate the barrels in the Toxic Caves stage. Jump in a barrel and move toward the wall opposite the emerald. Jump out of the barrel and intentionally lose a life while returning to that barrel. Sonic will seem to die twice before re-appearing at the start of the level. The phrase "Launching Extra Ball" will appear allowing unlimited lives to be accumulated.

I'll try to explain what I'm doing. In the very beginning I drain the ooze out of the emerald chamber, and then I shoot up one of the tunnels. In that next area I purposely fall past the flippers into the barrel, move away from the middle emerald, jump out of the barrel and die.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, or if there's other barrels that I should be using. Any help would be appreciated...thanks.

I am having exactly the same issue. It doesn't seem clear what to do exactly. How am i supposed to lose a life while "returning to the barrel"???

I never could get p;ast the second stage of this game as a kid i really wanna win it.