Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Saturn)

Sonic 3D Blast
Also known as: Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (EU/JP) Developers: Traveller's Tales, Sonic Team Publishers: Sega (US/EU/AU/JP), Tec Toy (BR) Platform: Sega Saturn Released in JP: October 14, 1999 Released in US: November 20, 1996 Released in EU: February 13, 1997 Released in AU: 1997 Released in BR: December 17, 1996 This game has unused code. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused graphics. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article

The Saturn port of Sonic 3D Blast features improved graphics, an all-new soundtrack, and fully-3D Special Stages reminiscent of the ones from Sonic 2. Unfortunately, it only really came about by Sega's request in the wake of the development failure that was Sonic X-treme.

For whatever reason, this version wasn't released in Japan until 1999, on the same day that Sonic Adventure International was released in Japan.

Sub-Pages

Prototype Info

Prerelease Info

Unused Graphics

All of the following can also be found in the Windows version.

Final Fight

This image depicts the final boss and its level possibly used as part of an 'explosion' sequence after defeating it, much like its 16-bit counterpart. The boss also seems to be equipped with weapons from its third and fifth phases.

(Source: Sonic Retro)

Tails & Knuckles

These may have been intended as loading screens before the Special Stage. As the Special Stages require little loading time, they go unused.

(Source: Sonic Retro)

Island Map

This image is similar to the map displayed before each level, but without an image of Sonic's head showing the location of the current level and a dotted line showing the path taken to get there.

Tally Background

A white background, similar to the background in the act clear screen.

Final Fight Text

Text that would appear when entering Final Fight, as is the case for the other zones. In-game, Final Fight simply fades in after clearing Panic Puppet Act 3.

Start Button

An early texture for the menu's start button. This is a leftover from the Tech Demo prototype.

Scroll

An image of a scroll similar to the one found in Green Grove's pause screen.

Debug Features

Level Select

At the title screen, press Down (×3), then the button in the table below corresponding to the desired level. A ring sound will play to confirm correct entry. This feature is only present in the Japanese version.

Level	Button
Rusty Ruin Zone	A
Spring Stadium Zone	B
Diamond Dust Zone	C
Volcano Valley Zone	X
Gene Gadget Zone	Y
Panic Puppet Zone	Z

Special Stage Debug Camera

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

An unused camera mode can be activated by setting 0x060d0074 to 0xc. When active, hold Z to move the camera with the D-pad. Hold Z and press A or C to zoom in and out.

Development Text

Build Dates

Present in IP.BIN. The below is for the US version.

SEGA SEGA SATURN SEGA ENTERPRISES MK-81062  V1.000 1996 11 08 CD-1/1  U JAE Sonic 3D Blast

Leftover Data

To do: There might be something more, though the file is 450kb.

Duck.BIN has fragments of prototype code, likely related to the Cinepak player (Duck.BIN controls the FMVs).

SEGA Ver1.31 95/06/20SATURN(S) sample Nao V0.00q      Kas V0.00c

SEGA ver1.29 95/03/13SATURN(S) sample Nao V0.00i      Kas V0.00b

Regional Differences

Title Screen

US	Europe	Japan

Aside from the name change and copyright years, the American title screen seems to be incomplete given its dinky text, and the fact that the pink Flicky's belly is the same color as its feathers.

The Japanese logo and background are placed higher up, and changes the "PRESS START" text to "PRESS START BUTTON".

This name change is curious, in that the original Genesis game plays as Sonic 3D Blast on Japanese hardware (as well as Japanese re-releases like the Wii Virtual Console).

Panic Puppet Zone Music

For whatever reason, the Act 1 theme of Panic Puppet Zone is just a duplicate of Act 2's theme in the Japanese version.

Special Stages

Special Stages run faster in the European version compared to other releases, even with its lower refresh rate.