Sonic 3D Blast: Any fans?

I have owned it on almost every console (Gen, PC and Saturn). I think each version is good in its own way. However, I used to despise this game, and get pretty pissed at the awkward feel before I began 'pwning' it (though I admit it does still nip me in the bud sometimes). I actually like isometric games, so it kind of grew on me, and it's definately not as bad as some say. I also recently won the japanese Saturn version on eBay and will give you my 2 cents on it when it arrives, as I hear it has some slight changes/improvements over the US version like shorter load times.

I like Sonic 3D. But the Saturn music is very overrated. Play the music to the MD version of "Diamond Dust Act 2" and tell me it's not 100000% better to the tosh version on the Saturn/PC release...

As for the game itself; it's OK. As a Sonic game, I can understand the hate; but on it's own, it's fun, if a little boring.

Saturn version could have used save features but other than that, it was an OK game. I do have the Japanese version, don't recall many differences with the NA version.

It's good for eye candy at least on the Genesis but it's a very very boring game.

I like the game a lot, and Saturn version has cool special stages

Sonic 3D by itself is a pretty good game. The isometric view can make the gameplay a bit confusing at times, but it's nothing too bad. The game is by all means well playable. In terms of graphics and technology, the game is a real powerhouse, one of the most impressive Mega Drive games out there, even.

But the main problem with Sonic 3D, if you ask me, is that it's called "Sonic". People associated the Sonic brand with fast and precise gameplay, and Sonic 3D just wasn't that. If Traveller's Tales had used the same game engine for an original IP, I think the game would've been much more universally praised and loved.

The only truly bad thing I can say about the game is that the control system is far too sloppy, coming from a franchise renowned for its tight, speedy 'feel'. If the game had the homing-system as offered by the golden shield power-up by default (as thankfully happened in Sonic Adventure and onwards), I think a lot of the game's issues would be solved.

It's also got that rendered-plastic, mid-90s CGI look; I can understand how people could be turned off the game just by the cover art. Ugh.

Things I Like:

• The Saturn version of the game is beautiful; I love the fog effect in Rusty Ruin!
• Both the cartridge and disc versions have fantastic soundtracks; I love the Twinkle Park and Windy Valley themes from the former (:p), and the Gene Gadget, Rusty Ruin and ending theme from the latter. Not a fan of the orchestral Volcano Valley themes, to be honest, but eh.

[edit] looking back, it's also one of the few Sonic games that I haven't played through to get the good ending. Better fix that; onto the pile it goes!...

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Originally Posted by Devil N

Sonic 3D by itself is a pretty good game. The isometric view can make the gameplay a bit confusing at times, but it's nothing too bad. The game is by all means well playable. In terms of graphics and technology, the game is a real powerhouse, one of the most impressive Mega Drive games out there, even.

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Too bad it came in 1996... a year or 2 earlier and it might have made a bigger impact against the SNES's market. (especially as direct graphical competition to the DKC games -Super Mario RPG is in that line too and even ismetric like 3D blast)

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But the main problem with Sonic 3D, if you ask me, is that it's called "Sonic". People associated the Sonic brand with fast and precise gameplay, and Sonic 3D just wasn't that. If Traveller's Tales had used the same game engine for an original IP, I think the game would've been much more universally praised and loved.

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Yes, but it also may have been more forgettable and less popular/common in general. The Sonic name sold and regardless of complaints, it may not have sold as well otherwise. (unless Sega had backed up the marketing of such a new series)

I definitely like the game in its own right and I don't have any problem with it being sonic themed.
However, if they'd really wanted an advanced CGI based 2D game with a Sonic theme, it might have been better for the mass market to make it a full "2.5D" sidescroller like DKC, Toy Story, Yoshi's Story, Sonic Blast, etc. (albeit you could argue the same for producing a Sonic game on the Saturn -ie a polygonal and/or prerendered "2.5D" sidescrolling game rather than pushing for a full 3D platformer -some even argue full styilized 2D, but "2.5D" seemed to be much more accepted on the mass market at the time)

After just purchasing Sonic Adventure for XBLA, after reading 1-UPs torrid review, I stumbled upon this thread.

I liked Sonic 3D Blast somewhat, I played the Saturn game first. I was very disappointed that there was no sensation of speed anywhere in the game. As an isometric 3D game though, it is decent.

The boss fights turned me off more than anything else, except for the music. I agree that the Genesis version's tunes are better than the Saturn game's. Did anybody else notice that Sonic Adventure's first level shares the same tune as the Genesis game, not the Saturn game?

I would have preferred an adapted port of the trackball run Sonic Arcade game to Sonic 3D Blast, but at the time I didn't mind playing through what we got.

I don't mind Sonic 3D Blast, it's a pretty decent game. I especially like the Saturn version for the music (Richard Jacques is a great composer, he should do more stuff!) and the 3D Bonus stages.

BUT IT NEEDS A SAVE FEATURE. The game is too repetitive, and after Rusty Ruin Zone, I simply don't want to play anymore. If it had a save feature, It'd be a MUCH better game.



Love this song.

I own this on the Genesis and the Saturn. I've played through the Saturn port. This is actually a terrific looking 2D game. And the music is awesome, not as good as Sonic CD, but up there.

As mentioned above, this isn't a Sonic game. But if it wasn't a Sonic game, we wouldn't bother... It's a decent romp, and is particularly impressive on the Genesis, but it just ins't that fun. The boss battles are pretty good though.

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Originally Posted by Blades

How is that Sonic Adventure port? I'm debating purchasing it for PSN.

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Wasn't there a thread on the 360/PS3 port of SA already?

From what I've heard it runs smoothly and is basically identical to other versions of Sonic Adventure DX (in terms of graphics and content vs the DC original -albeit only the GC version supports the GBA tiny chao garden).
I've heard that it's buggier than the GC or even PC versions though, but there's positive comments about a solid framerate at least. (should be the same for the PC version if you have a decent PC -not tough given how old the game is, unless there's compatibility problems which I doubt given it was released with XP/2k compatibility in mind -so probably fine in vista/7)

The GC port had enhanced graphics and some bonus features not in the DC version, though there's other modifications (like trees removed from Angel Island) and there's a bit of frame stutter at some points compared to the DC game which is pretty solid. (I think the DC version made compromises to ensure a solid framerate even at the cost of some detail, but on the GC version, the stutter is minimal and totally acceptable IMO -it's worst in a couple Adventure Field areas so not as critical as if that had happened in-game)

I think both the PC and GC versions are fairly cheap, so those should be reasonable options for anyone with a (not ancient) PC or a GC or Wii.

With Sonic Adventure 2 it's just the DC and GC versions, and that GC port seems much more optimized. (higher detail and better looking than SA DX but still a solid framerate... though Rouge's jiggle physics got removed, save for the ears :p)

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Originally Posted by Baloo

I don't mind Sonic 3D Blast, it's a pretty decent game. I especially like the Saturn version for the music (Richard Jacques is a great composer, he should do more stuff!) and the 3D Bonus stages.

BUT IT NEEDS A SAVE FEATURE. The game is too repetitive, and after Rusty Ruin Zone, I simply don't want to play anymore. If it had a save feature, It'd be a MUCH better game.

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Love this song.

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Yeah, no save feature, but there's the level select cheat at least. (the BARRACUDA code iirc) At least in the cart game.
You'd think they'd have added a save feature to the PC/Saturn ports though.

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Originally Posted by kool kitty89

You'd think they'd have added a save feature to the PC/Saturn ports though.

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Kitty, my friend, I mentioned already that the PC version is the only version with a save feature. I own the Expert Software version, if that means anything, and it auto-saves each time to reach the next stage/act. It also saves your emeralds, and that is why I have been attempting to complete the game at this time on the PC version. When you log out and come back to the title screen, it offers a 'CONTINUE' option to pick up where you left off.

There's also an options menu that you can access by pressing M+ESC, which sets stuff like graphical details as well as letting you exit to windows, load a seperate save file, or restart the game.

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Originally Posted by kool kitty89

Yes, but it also may have been more forgettable and less popular/common in general. The Sonic name sold and regardless of complaints, it may not have sold as well otherwise. (unless Sega had backed up the marketing of such a new series)

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Sure, it's obvious why the game would be called "Sonic", it's bound to get lots of attention and sell truckloads. But that's not really the point.

Say that for instance, Rocket Knight Adventures would instead have been Sonic with a sword and a rocket pack. Same game, just a different title character. Would it have sold more copies? Most likely, yes. Would it have been as loved and looked back upon with nostalgia as RKA is right now? Probably not.

Sonic 3D Blast is pretty good. I didn't know what to expect when I played it on the Genesis a few years ago because of all the bad press the game gets, but I definitely liked it. It is slow paced, and the game badly needed a save system -- in 1996, not having it in a game like that is absolutely unacceptable (Bug! on the Saturn is even worse, that game is even longer and harder, is also slow paced, and also has no saving... quite good game, but stupidly annoying because of that one awful design flaw.). At least with the Genesis version it's easy to leave the system running for a few days until you beat it, I think that's what I did while playing through the game.

It's too bad the PC version doesn't work in Vista, at least on my machine; it'd be cool to play a version of the game with saving. I've played a bit of the PC version on my older machine, and it seems fun. Better graphics than on the Genesis, but identical gameplay, so both versions are good. I'm not sure if I want the Saturn version, maybe if I run across it for cheap... but yeah, I do like the game. It's fun, provides a challenge, and, in something important for an isometric game, isn't completely evil in level designs. No bottomless pits over hard, precise jumps here, thankfully... there are some tough jumping parts, but never over instant-death pits, probably because the designers knew how hard jumping like that is in an isometric game, and designed it well around that. It could easily have been a much more frustrating game. Instead it's fun, with good graphics, good music, and fun gameplay with plenty of puzzles and exploration. The Genesis version bonus stages are also great, they're really cool looking and pretty impressive for the system.

As for the slow pace, it works for the genre. I mean, you couldn't have an isometric game as fast as the sidescrollers, it just wouldn't work well... and it's a fun game, slower pace or no. It just needed saving so you could pick up at the last world you reached, it does get a little boring after a few levels and I wished I could spread it out a little more.