This is pretty much what I'd like to see. A remaster/remake of Sonic 3 with Mania's 32-bit visuals and a brand a new soundtrack. Perhaps include playable Amy (which I'd imagine would prove popular as she's not playable in Mania) and cut-content from the original game.
I think, legally, they can release the game in its "original" format. Meaning the ROM. That's why we only see emulation. Something legally behind the scenes happened after S3K collection that has halted them from doing anything else it seems. I assume that Mania got away with certain pieces due to the levels they chose having music chosen from the pool (like the blue spheres music) opposed to MJ's music he created.
That might be a point against doing a remastered version with a new soundtrack, but what about its exclusion from the various retro collections? Take the Genesis collection that just came out, for example. No S3 or S&K, even though S3K is included in the Steam version. The Genesis Flashback console has S&K on it but no 3. If the current theory is that Sega can re-release an emulated version, that still doesn't quite hold up.
Go ahead and re-release the original S3K or remake/port it all you want, but it's safe to say Sonic 3 Complete is not only the purest improved version of the game, but the most convenient to play with its mere 3.75 mb size along with the cross-platform availability of emulating it. Oh and it's free (ad-free as well). The only thing it lacks is 16:9 resolution, but that's really a present-day preference considering our current tech/entertainment standards. Whatever Taxman had in store for a S3 port probably would have lacked countless design oversights (i.e. level-specific title card symbols, Death Egg crashing cutscene to name a few) addressed in the hack for the sake of purity, but then again the ports of 1 & 2 are far more polished over their original counterparts. And don't get me started about all of the hack's customization options in the main menu which probably wouldn't have even been considered as part of a re-release. And why would I want to download free, ad-filled, 57+ and 64+ mb versions of Sonic 1 and 2 on my phone when the roms, whether original or hacks, are 0.5 and 1 mb? Where is the logic behind that? I fully support the cause and the achievement of what's been done by Taxman, but in hindsight I find his ports completely impractical for people like us who are used to playing these games in all variations as we do with emulation being a major component. Besides bugfixes, extras and 16:9 aspect ratio, what is so game-changing to the overall experience of replaying these games? I think the ports are better suited for the clueless masses who don't know or understand anything about emulation and that's fine. That's just how I see it though. I'm perfectly content with Sonic 3 not being re-released as I've already been spoiled senseless by Tiddles' hack, which I've beaten a dead horse in mentioning it across these forums for years.
Don't forget the current Sonic 3 AIR project. Its essentially Sonic 3K on Steam translated to the taxman remakes
Because at the end of the day, what Sega releases will (almost) always be more important than the community projects. That goes for the "clueless" masses, the reviewers, and even the fans. That's the blunt truth of the whole matter. Case in point--take off the 20/20 vision glasses, and go look back at when the TaxStealth Sonic 1/2/CD remakes and remasters were released. If you wanted a new Genesis Sonic project from Sega in any capacity, Sonic 4 (and to a lesser extent, Generations) was all we had. And if you weren't happy with it? "They gave you exactly what you wanted, a new classic Sonic game, and you're still whining? This is the best they can do, so stop complaining and be grateful for a change!" Or "We cannot achieve this because we don't have the budget, we're also making this game to appeal to new fans, so go play this game instead for your classic fix!" If you wanted a enhanced re-release of the original game from Sega that added new features or improvements, as opposed to more vanilla emulation/ports, this was their last attempt (barring the possible exception of the M2 Sega Classics re-releases): At that point, if you're not happy with either of the above and you know your feedback isn't being taken seriously, then the only option you have is to vote with your wallet. But that has it's own risks--are the managers going to interpret a game widely rejected in sales as "I guess we made some mistakes with this entry, let's try it again and do it better next time" or "I guess the audience don't like this type of game/series anymore"? And if you tried to point to fan projects as better examples of what could be done with classic Sonic on both fronts, good luck being taken seriously by those outside your inner circle. They aren't "real games" (or in regards to ROM hacks such as Sonic 3 Complete, even actual games), so why even take them into consideration? And why take anything that's made by the fans seriously at all? "The fans are absolutely terrible, they're super hard to please, they don't know what they're talking about." The Sonic 1/2/CD remakes and remasters were essentially a big rebuke to the above narratives. Supporting them was a legitimate way to vouch for more projects in those vein and give the developers more clout for future projects--whether that be more remakes/remasters or whether that be actual new games, the latter of which was what eventually happened with Mania. (Also please note that when the S1/2/CD remakes/remasters were initially released, they were paid games with no ads. They hadn't been castrated into the Sega Forever rubbish that have since replaced the original versions.)
I suspect this is close to the meat of it. Remember when Sega had to jettison the original Sonic theme from Spinball last minute? Nakamura and Yoshido et al? Buxer, like Dreams Come True, threw some copywrited songs he'd written (and released) into 3. MJ had a large role in some music in Carnival Night Zone and the ending theme is very obviously a riff on an MJ-written composition. Michael may have been there to license it all, but Buxer becomes more of a problem because of his tunes and who else had licensing rights. The royalties would be gnarly. It would be the DCT situation multiplied by international copyright entanglement.
This thread inspired me to write this, which is tangentially related: The uncertain future of Space Channel 5
Ooohhh very good point that game is even more tied to Michael Jackson than Sonic 3. That game probably has a very iffy future now.
Don't forget Sonic Pocket Adventure uses one of the contentious songs as well -- Knuckles' standard S3 theme. Which means any chance of SPA getting a rerelease is SOL. So take extra care of your Neo Geo Pocket Color. Eh, MIDI ain't so bad; it's reliant on instrument samples found within any given computer's internal library, which are usually not of the highest quality. And even then, I kinda like how the steel drums sound in MIDI more than in the MD version. Pity, however, S&KC isn't compatible with the Roland MT-32, but other alternatives are passable:
I don't like the Sonic & Knuckles Collection tracks at all, they're kind of dull and sound out of place. Maybe I'd come around to them with different instrumentation, but I'd rather have new compositions from Tee Lopes. If they were ever going to port it, it's such a small part of the game that I don't think many people would notice or care much if they replaced that one track with Knuckles' S&K theme. There's precedent for this kind of thing - didn't the JP Wii U version of Sonic Advance replace the Sonic 1 and 2 tracks?
What about the Genesis remix tracks of the S&KC from S3 Complete? //forums.sonicretro.org/public/style_emoticons/default/emot-ssh.gif
There are better musicians out there than Lopez, geez. Ones that don't turn every remix into a trumpet cover.
Eh, I'd actually take some of the PC Collection tracks over the original compositions. In terms of having actually distinct melodies across both acts, the original Carnival Night and Launch Base jarringly stick out as underdeveloped in comparison to the rest of the game's soundtrack. They're the only zones to have their Act 2 compositions largely being Act 1, but with a few instruments shuffled around. They're also (go figure) singled out the key examples of MJ's work on the soundtrack, due to their more disjointed melodies (i.e. their constant abrupt "breaks" in music) and less varied instrumentation. On both standpoints, I think the PC versions for Carnival Night and Launch Base fit the soundtrack better (although the PC Collection's General MIDI/FM synth soundfonts hold them back from properly fitting the mold of the game's music, certain fan remixes that re-compose the music with a proper Genesis soundfont fix that issue). *glances at Mania's Chemical Plant, Flying Battery, Oil Ocean, Metallic Madness Act 1* lol ok dude I mean, I welcome having other composes brought in (although I can't say I'm too big at Ohtani and especially Senoue's recent attempts at Genesis-styled music in Sonic 4 and Forces), but I'm sorry. Couldn't help but roll my eyes at that swipe.
I recommend trying the General MIDI set with a genuine Roland GS SC-88 synthesizer and not any of the Microsoft licenced crap. Things seem to line up better in terms of effects used, drumkits used, instrument volume and just how everything else was used. Falls apart on a Roland SC-55 and SC-88 Pro though. Can't find any Yamaha XG synthesizers from that era that works decently with this game (a bit of bummer for us XG fans). As for the FM MIDI set I recommend the old SoundBlaster 16 with genuine OPL3 chips. The Genesis / Mega Drive sound system is pretty much a lot better when it comes to this game but the General MIDI set paired with a Roland SC-88 is pretty decent. The PC versions of Carnival Night and Launch Base are strong. The PC versions of Icecap is pretty weak, sounding almost completely the same between acts, Genesis version has more variation.
PC Carnival Night - Trash PC Icecap - Good but not nearly as good as Genesis, wish it was closer to original in terms of pacing and feel PC Launch Base - Some of the best music in the series I was under the impression that we knew who made Icecap, and it wasn't MJ. I recall someone straight up being credited a few years ago...what happened with that? Carnival Night absolutely doesn't sound remotely MJish either (generic circus music). Launch Base zone can be remedied by removing the vocal samples and/or replacing them I'd think.... I was also under the impression that it's not that MJ made any of the tracks (Sega maintains he pulled out really early on IIRC), but the problem being that Sega has absolutely no idea who to pay royalties to. That said, S3&K IS sold on Steam...
ah, ty, holy shit 2013, I remember when that was "new" man, it's a shame we can't work out which bits are his and which are MJs Icecap really doesn't have the hallmarks of other tracks that got nuked...nor does Carnival Night Zone for that matter.
