Oh, I definitely agree with this. Those covers looked rather tacky. I've always wondered why they didn't use the same model from the prerendered sprites and in-game art for the US S3D box art. Very nice, I think that sounds better than the track they went with. How long until someone makes an SMPS version and inserts it into the game?
I thought the model they used for the 3D Blast Saturn version looked alright, although now comparing the two boxarts I'm wondering if the Saturn version is the same as the Genesis one but altered to make him look less dead inside.
Hah! I literally hopped in to talk about the 'dead eye Sonic'. Just whipped this up in a few second. Didn't realise Schoolhouse might have actually been the same kinda model! Yeah, Saturn 3D Blast's US and JP covers are both good IMO for different reasons. The other two... yeah. nah. The EU cover is less of a crime since it's a bit more stylized, but no sir I don't like it. EDIT: Okay, one more
In the description Jon wrote the impetus for doing these was the recent and current fire outbreaks in his area. I think so much more than this is at risk that he hasn't properly preserved such as design docs and source codes. Though he's undoubtedly bound by legal red tape.
Don't forget the Japanese Saturn version of Sonic 3D came out in October 1999 - plenty of time to realise the others weren't good. Looking at it closely, I'm not actually sure how much of the US art is pre-rendered 3D - it looks almost as if the spikes were put on afterwards.
It was approximately May 2018 when Jon Burton said he'd contacted SEGA to see if he could get their permission to release these demos. SEGA sure took their time, but I'm glad he got permission. Hope many more are coming!
The EU cover is the only one that emphasizes what the game is. It's Sonic - but this time he's three dimensional (sort of). Off-model spines aside, I'm most puzzled by Sonic's pupils floating on top of the whites of his eyes - casting shadows, even.
I have been waiting for this music since I heard it in Adventure. So, anyone else feel the same way as I do, about Jun Senoue composing all the great tracks for Sonic 3, and then just reusing the rejects for Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Adventure, and Sonic 4? My theory so far, Sega Sound Team was in the middle of arranging MJ's demo tapes into Sonic 3. News came in that MJ was about to get caught for his "love" for children, and composers were hired to fill in the music that were "too MJ". Now the fantactic part about Jun Senoue is that he is credited to arrange his music into the YM2612, SN76496, DAC (compared to just being a midi composer like Howard Drossin!). The credits is in the ascii text in the Sonic 3D Blast final ROM. Now, remember how Balloon Park in Sonic 3 sounds like it was composed by Jun Senoue, but he never confirmed it? No matter how much you listen to it, it is just Jun all over the place (evenhow the SN76496 plays). I still believe to this day that he only arranged the music for that one into the chips, so someone else being the composer (upcoming documentary "Never Leaving Balloon Park" where it is confirmed what Sonic did to Tails)
Completely off topic, but geez. Jon Burton goes absolutely overdrive on the Clickbait thumbnails and 'Epic' words. I know it gets the clicks but damn, I thought he'd be above all that kinda thing. The work he's done speaks for itself! Definitely agree. The fact that Balloon Park was rearranged in Sonic Generations gives credit to it being one of his as well.
I love the stuff they did for Sonic 3D's Japanese release. Like yeah, it's not a great game or anything, but it does feel like they tried to make it seem a bit more legitimate by bringing it in line with Adventure stylistically.
I'll always hold that the Saturn soundtrack is superior, though I don't think that's a very popular opinion.
Saturn music is boss. Mega Drive music is garbage. I reckon it's just the instruments that they use for the Mega Drive soundtrack that makes me dislike it so much. Windy Valley part 3, along with the Twinkle Park karting and castle sections sounds great in SA1. There Mega Drive (/demo) equivalents sound really bad though. I wonder if Senoue has used some of his older demos in other games? This unused track eventually became Pleasure Castle, and another unused track that actually did make it into S3D ended up being the (awful) S4E1 boss theme. He and Iizuka are the amongst the only few people to have been with the series for so long.
Green Alley Zone, the in-development name for Green Grove Zone. One more development trivia added to the records.
"Green alley". "Windy Valley". Hmm. ... Perhaps it's simply a coincidence, but still, it makes me wonder.
It looks like there's already a Discogs entry for the Demo Tape. Hopefully the rest of the music gets revealed as well. Looks like there were plans for a Casino Night Zone: https://www.discogs.com/Jun-Senoue-Sonic-3D-Demo-Takes-1/release/10957146
Interesting. I wonder if it's still Spring Stadium, or maybe it was an early Casinopolis? I can see that music kinda fitting 3D Blast.
