Had a random thought that I thought I might share here, but ever since we found that the Special Stage theme (Blue Spheres) wasn't originally unique to Sonic 3, first appearing in SegaSonic Bros as the Level 40-49 theme (which this game also includes a song that later appeared in Chou Kyuukai Miracle Nine), and later showing up in a J. League Pro Striker prototype as seen here in this Sega Shinsaku video, it always implied an existance of some internal song library at SEGA, potentially being where the Special Stage theme originates from; which if so, I would honestly not be surprised if all of the music in SegaSonic Bros is from this internal library. I actually theorise that the music from Sonic Eraser is also from said library given the relatively similar instrumentation from Masaru Setsumaru shared between that and SegaSonic Bros, but onto the point: That being said, there is one other song in Sonic 3 I've been theorising that potentially could originate from said library should it exist, and that's the File Select theme. It undeniably matches the latin vibes of either Yoshiaki Kashima and Masaru Setsumaru (in my mind, matching with the latter, as it's compositionally so similar to Setsumaru's writing style based on his works on Sonic Jam, and OLIO3), in fact, Setsumaru confirmed that he programmed the File Select theme in 2011, so potentially it could be one working with the other. With that being mentioned; this song does supposedly use the same older UVB in the prototype which a fair few instruments that were prior used for Special Stage theme are stored in; which if what I say is the case, perhaps it was polished up in a much more intensive way than the Special Stage theme was (which that itself had modulation added, this song could have received a programming overhaul, with the underlying composer being one of the two I've mentioned). Something had to have been done to it, as it's a slightly well known fact that the song is broken in the final game (a patch was incorrectly swapped out here with one that seems to sound like an electric guitar, this is correct in the prototype). Edit: removed speculation here about who programmed the File Select theme, because it's confirmed to have been done by Setsumaru back in 2011.
Apologies for the double post, but to add something extra without screwing up my last post; Setsumaru was asked on Twitter in 2024 about the File Select theme, which he responded saying he maybe didn't port it, so that one is potentially up in the air(?) (Credits to DMP for the above screenshot) If I had to guess from here, based on what I said prior and what I can gather from what we all know, I believe File Select might have been originally composed by Setsumaru and later imported and programmed by Nagao, given that it uses the Sonic 3 UVB, is a hallmark of Nagao's music, as opposed to the custom FM voices Setsumaru often uses, that might be a right guess?
So I don’t have Origins. I’m not opposed to getting it. Rebuying the Genesis games are just not high on my priority list. Anyway I know people prefer the MJ tracks. Me too but I do like Prototype Carnival Night Act 2 and Prototype Launch Base Act 1. I’ve seen some say the music replacements are a complete deal breaker but that’s ridiculous imo. The games are the same. A few music changes is not going to keep me from playing them even if I thought the music was just ok. Not sure if this has ever been suggested but I’ve been thinking in the case of Carnival Night why doesn’t Sega just make new music? It’s based on Entry of the Gladiators (I just Googled it, haha, never knew the name) It’s used in a lot of things. I’m guessing it’s public domain. Just make their own 16 bit remix of Entry of the Gladiators. I think that’d be a great alternative that would still be in line with 90s version. Using the prototypes fits the origins theme but they could have made it a bonus track you can swap.
Tbf it's not that they just used the prototype tracks, it's that they just used them as they were from whatever archive they were pulled out of, incomplete and broken. I've heard "completed" fan mixes of the tracks that sound pretty good so it's disappointing that they were just used as found in Origins.
If I were to speculate, and I might be wrong, but I'm guessing that despite claiming those seemingly very early prototype non-MJ tracks were supposedly new Jun Senoue remixes, Sega and/or Sonic Team wouldn't actually want to change the tracks of the Mega Drive entries to something that wasn't some form of legacy music like those divisive tracks were. Add to the music, sure, like with the new Super theme in S3&K that felt missing or such. But remember they did veto Egg Gauntlet Zone in the Sonic 2 remaster because it changed the location, colours and graphic style of the bosses and still make you use cheats for toggles like Elemental Shields in S1/S2. If that authenticity is yet another one of those strict mandates for the Sonic brand, would that allow even just trying to "finish" the non-MJ music they had, or does that technically no longer make it the authentic original legacy music in their eyes? Again, I may be wrong on this assumption, maybe in something I'm not accounting for, like that they did let the new S3&K Super theme be a thing (as well as whatever happened to Colours Ultimate's music and having to swap out Right There, Ride On in SXSG), but it's just a theory I've had in my noggin when it came to this discussion.
The versions of prototype tracks found in both Sonic 3 Complete and Sonic 3 AIR all sound kinda rad and make those in Origins sound weak and somehow 'muddy' by comparison. I wouldn't be naive enough to say "durr they should've used those versions" because, as I've alluded to before, there may be some legal complications in using work not specifically made under contract between the creators and SEGA themselves (no actual idea, not a lawyer etc) but it most definitely shows that those pieces of music (a) can sound better, and (b) when they do they actually fit really well with the rest of the music. SEGA, being lazy though? Not unheard of.
I agree they kinda sound muffled in Origins. Well from the videos I’ve seen. I’ve heard the Prototype music in others and they sound clearer. Ya it might not fit the legacy theme to introduce a new piece of music that’s why I said they could offer a new remix as a bonus you can swap. Superstars is an entire game set before SA. Creating a new alternate track for any of the Genesis games shouldn’t be seen as “historically out of place”.
I think they just recorded the S3&K music directly off of a certain Genesis model, including an incorrect Vanilla S3 track for Flying Battery, w/ S3&K not having a soundtrack release like S1/S2 did because reasons and not rerecording it either like the previous remasters did. That's perhaps a little bit of a disingenuous comparison between a new classic era project and something that there's precedent for Sega wanting to keep authentic, at least in very particular areas. And IDK, that toggle idea could also be too weird for them for all we know. Like, maybe they mandate having certain elements be one thing for the whole experience, like no separate S3/S&K or Anniversary/Classic Mode distinctions (I'd also wager Stealth/HC pitched an option to play Flying Battery in S3's half as shown in their original mobile pitch but Sega/ST said no, maybe the blown off door at the end now rotating was meant to transition into the dropped board in Ice Cap). Or maybe they'd think that would suggest the "definitive article" actual S3&K proto music they made back in the day wasn't good enough (which it arguably wasn't, but to them it's still the "actual" music they'd usually see no reason to replace). Or maybe even just referencing public domain Entry of the Gladiator would skirt too close to acknowledging the MJ stuff for their legal liking, why risk it?
1. SEGA / WAVE MASTER do own several versions of the Sonic 3 soundtrack on their archives, including re-recordings as heard on Sonic Generations. The recordings on Sonic Origins are new ones done specifically for the game. It's not unheard of to do new recordings for a new project. 2. SEGA is not going to ask their music producers to write new content for a low budget remaster.
They technically got Senoue to make a brand new Super theme (unless that's also a historical Sonic 4 track we don't know about...), but yeah, why spend even more money for music you've literally already got pre-existing alternatives for and were actually authentic to the original game as well?
About the year of recording. "Hard Times" was recorded in 1983. And, for some reason, Brad Buxer revisited the song 10 years later, while making music for Sonic The Hedgehog 3. When I was saying that "Hard Times" is the earliest known Sonic-related track, I was talking about video games only. You see, early Sonic composers Masato Nakamura and Brad Buxer recorded music which later would be used in the games. And it happened in the 1980s, before Sonic's first appearance. Both musicians had nothing to do with video games back then. So my guess is that while they were figuring out how to make video game music, they decided to take then-unreleased songs and see if they could fit in certain places in Sonic 2 & 3 respectively. And each tune fits like a glove. The ending cutscene in Sonic 2 is synchronized to the music, and Ice Cap theme in Sonic 3 has that "winter / icy" vibe. It's an achievement for both "Hard Times" (1983) and "Sweet" (1988), considering the fact that they were originally recorded for completely different projects. Thanks to Masato Nakamura and Brad Buxer for the soundtracks. I hope that Buxer and his team's music will be released. It would be great to hear the original versions of Competition Menu, Knuckles Theme, Act 1 Boss music, Carnival Night, Ice Cap, Launch Base, Staff Roll... and many other tracks which didn't appear in Sonic 3. I also wonder if the song that Michael Jackson had worked on (according to Buxer) is the same one that Naoto Ohshima mentioned in an interview? We know by now that, even though it was Michael who had originally expressed interest in composing music for Sonic 3, it eventually became Brad's project. So, after compiling some interviews related to Sonic 3, I also made a video about Brad. There is some footage from 1980s and 1990s which I collected over the years. I don't have lots of clips related to Brad, so the rest of the video is "icy" stuff which I photographed and filmed in 2010s. It reminds me of the background of Ice Cap, Act 2. Fervor Records even used it on the cover of "Hard Times" (single).
