According to the mod's creator, the Infinite Rings mod works by editing the game's internal code to set the ring counter to a virtually unlimited value. This means that instead of depleting your ring count when you take damage or die, you'll retain your rings, and the game will simply... well, not care.
Drop the folder into your mods directory and enable it in the in-game "Mods" menu. Using the Built-In Physics Tweaks sonic 3 air mod infinite rings work
For players who struggle with the difficulty spikes in Sonic 3 (like the Barrel of Doom or the Doomsday Zone) or those with motor impairments: According to the mod's creator, the Infinite Rings
-- Register the hook RegisterScript(onUpdate) According to the mod's creator