Sonic 3D Blast
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| Sonic 3D | |
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| Developer(s) | Traveller's Tales |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Release date(s) | 1996 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: K-A (Kids to Adults) OFLC: G (General) PEGI: 3+ |
| Platform(s) | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, PC |
| Media | 32 Mbit cartridge, CD-ROM (1) |
| Input | Control pad, joystick, keyboard |
- This article is about the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis/Sega Saturn/PC game. For the similarly titled Game Gear game, see Sonic Blast.
Sonic 3D Blast: Flickies' Island (originally titled Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island in Europe, the UK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and retitled Sonic 3D Blast in North America) is an isometric platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was developed in the UK by Traveller's Tales, rather than Sonic Team or STI, and published by Sega. Flickies' Island was originally released in Europe for the Sega Mega Drive in November 1996 and released in North America later that month, under the new name "Sonic 3D Blast".
Archie Comics published a comic adaptation of the game for a 48-page special, published in January 1997. A loose adaptation of the game also appeared in issues #104-106 of Sonic the Comic.
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[edit] Release
In addition to the original Mega Drive version, Sonic 3D was also ported to the Sega Saturn in North America to make up for the cancellation of Sonic X-treme, which was intended to be Saturn's killer game for the 1996 holiday season; the game was ported in seven weeks. FMVs, higher quality graphics (including a true 3D special stage, considered by many fans to be the best special stage in the series) and an entirely new, Red Book audio soundtrack composed by Richard Jacques (who later produced the Sonic R soundtrack). A European release followed in February, 1997.
In September, 1997 the Saturn version of the game was ported to PC in North America, with the videos and soundtrack intact, as well as the notable addition of a save game system, but lacking some of the Saturn's effects (such as the fog in Rusty Ruins) and with a less impressive special stage that mixed the 2D sprites from the Mega Drive version with the basic gameplay of the Saturn version. The PC port came to Europe on September 25, 1997. The Saturn version was eventually released in Japan on October 14, 1999, the same date as Sonic Adventure International.
Only one version of the Mega Drive game was released, with the title differing depending on whether it is played on a PAL or NTSC console. In PAL regions the title is Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, and in NTSC regions the title is Sonic 3D Blast. This caused a problem, however, when the Mega Drive version was re-released in the Sonic Mega Collection. Due to the aforementioned feature, the game is titled Sonic 3D Blast when played on a PAL 60 or NTSC-J system.
The original title was used for the Japanese Saturn version, and although the PC version's title differed between regions its executable was titled "Sonic 3D Blast: Flickies' Island", a combination of both names. It should be noted though, that the combined name is rarely used, with fans usually favouring one name over the other.
In October 2006, a 95 percent complete prototype was acquired and dumped for Internet distribution.
[edit] Story
Dr. Robotnik discovers that some strange birds, called Flickies, live on an island in an alternate dimension. He learns that they can travel anywhere using large rings, so he turns them all into robots to help him search for the Chaos Emeralds. One day, Sonic visits Flickies' Island and sees what Robotnik has done to them. Naturally, he decides to free the Flickies and stop Robotnik from finding the Emeralds.
[edit] Music and audio
Several music tracks from the Mega Drive version were later reused in Sonic Adventure. This is not a coincidence, as Jun Senoue worked on the music for both games. Richard Jacques scored the Saturn/PC versions. Many of the themes used in the Mega Drive version come from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. The game over music was also used in Sonic Pocket Adventure. Furthermore, hidden in the cartridge data (not accessible from the sound test screen) is the music track from Sonic 3's gumball bonus stage, which was also composed by Jun Senoue. Since the Saturn and PC versions of the game use Red Book audio, their soundtracks can be played using a CD Player.
[edit] Gameplay
The game is played from an isometric viewpoint in a de facto 2D environment and uses pre-rendered 3D sprites. Sonic must collect Flickies and bring them to a warp ring in order to advance in a zone. Each zone consists of two regular acts and one boss act. There are 10 or 15 Flickies in each zone's regular acts, barring Panic Puppet's, while in each zone's third act the player faces Dr. Robotnik in one of his many machines.
The Chaos Emeralds seen in the Mega Drive version are cube-shaped, instead of the usual diamond design. Strangely, in Sonic Rush there is a set of jewels called the Sol Emeralds, which are also cube shaped.
[edit] Flicky Types
The Flickies Sonic rescues in each level come in four different colours. Each colour has its own personality.
- Blue Flickies make a conscious effort to find Sonic. If they cannot find him, they fly around in a tight circle, making them easy to locate.
- Pink Flickies act largely like blue ones, but fly around in bigger circles if unable to find Sonic. In the Volcano Valley Zone in the Mega Drive version, the pink Flickies are replaced with bright orange, flaming Flickies, presumably due to colour palette limitations.
- Red Flickies constantly move between two close points, not making any effort to find Sonic. Their movement range is small, but they jump very high and can thus be hard to catch.
- Green Flickies wander randomly with no interest in finding Sonic.
[edit] Zones
[edit] Green Grove Zone
A basic first level of a Sonic game, with no tricky traps. Grass, trees, mountains, the usual. There are mines that explode if the player moves too close.
Robotnik throws a spike ball around and only lowers to pick it up.
[edit] Rusty Ruin Zone
An ancient city that had risen from the ocean. There are spikes swinging on chains and flamethrowers in the walls.
Robotnik controls a statue which has a cannon on its belly and can be hit by climbing up on the hands.
[edit] Spring Stadium Zone
There are many bumpers in this level. Spikes pop out of the ground in some parts, but there are balloons that can be used to bounce over them.
Robotnik can be defeated by running from him until it comes down and starts thumping it's spiky arms on the ground, then attacking it.
[edit] Diamond Dust Zone
An icy level with steep hills and slippery patches of ice. If the player is frozen, they can press the jump button to break the ice. There are also holes in the ground used to warp between areas and icicles that are destroyed by spinning into them.
Robotnik tries to freeze the player and attacks with exploding snowmen.
[edit] Volcano Valley Zone
A difficult volcano level. There are special shields that protect against lava and fiery traps, but there are spikes scattered everywhere. Sometimes pipes are hidden under breakable rocks, leading you to a life or a shield. There is also a new type of Flicky that appears only in this level.
Robotnik is part of a big 'boiler' and shoots out fire that chases the player. It can be defeated by climbing on a pipe and hitting its head, while avoiding the steam that's shooting out.
[edit] Gene Gadget Zone
Pipes and fans are the main way to travel here. Electric floors zap the player when they are stepped on. The second act has a difficult part that takes place on a steep slope.
Robotnik fights over a conveyer belt with spikes placed in certain spots.
[edit] Panic Puppet Zone
The Flickies here are not placed in robots, but small containers. The zone's only robots are spider-like, with cannons on all four sides. Act 2 doesn't have any Flickies. The player just has to reach the goal, which is a pipe that is, oddly enough, inside a giant replica of Robotnik's nose. In addition the spider robots, Act 2 contains small helicopter drones that move erratically.
Robotnik attacks you with a trio of robotic "puppets" (hence the Zone's name) that use a variety of attacks.
[edit] The Final Fight
(Only available after collecting all of the Chaos Emeralds) With only a limited amount of rings, the player must fight five different parts of Eggman's doomsday weapon, twice each. However, they each use attacks that the player has already encountered, making the fight simpler.
