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Sonic 3D: Flickies' IslandFrom Sonic Retro
Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (ソニック３Ｄ フリッキーアイランド), known as "Sonic 3D Blast" in the US, was released on the Sega Genesis and Saturn in 1996, and also released later on the PC. In the opinions of many, this was a fairly mediocre Sonic game, due to the sluggish gameplay and rather boring aspects that haunt the stages of the game. The music in the Genesis version, however, is widely considered to be some of the greatest in the series, and has spawned numerous remixes across the web. Co-composer Jun Senoue was later brought back to do the music for Sonic Adventure, often using arrangements of Sonic 3D's music. It was the third to last first-party Saturn game released in Japan, where it was a Saturn exclusive until the release of Sonic Mega Collection which finally brought the Mega Drive version to Japan. A player for the introductory video of the Genesis version was developed by sasuke.
StoryFollowing many previous attempts of taking West Side Island and the Floating Island, Robotnik finds out of another dimension inhabited by Flickies. The flickies travel between dimensions using large gold rings. Robotnik knows that he can use the flickies to do his bidding, and use the Dimension gates to get the Chaos Emeralds he has been hunting for so long. One day, Sonic visits the Island, only to find that Robotnik has turned his friend's into Badniks! It's up to him to free and save his friends! Gameplay The gameplay is vastly different from it's other Genesis counterparts. Gameplay takes place at an isometric perspective, with Sonic having to find the 5 flickies in each section of the Zone's acts. Once found, he has to take them all to the goal ring to transport them back to their own dimension. Once all 5 are transported, the gate opens and Sonic can go to the next area. He must do this numerous times until the warp ring becomes a teleporter instead, warping Sonic to the next act. The player must also collect the 7 Chaos Emeralds in the special stages by meeting Tails and Knuckles in the stages. This is the only way to access the last stage, Final Fight and see the good ending. Otherwise, the game ends in Panic Puppet Zone's Act 3, and a "Try Again" screen, quite similar to the one in the original Sonic 1, is shown.
Flicky TypesThe Flickies Sonic rescues in each level come in four different colors. Each color has its own path of travel.
Versions and Release HistoryThe game was released in Europe for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in November 1996. The Sega Genesis version was released in North America later that month. The game was released on the Sega Saturn in North America in the very same month to make up for the cancellation of Sonic X-treme; the game was ported less than two months with FMVs, highly spruced up graphics and special effects, such as fog. It also included an all new 3D special stage, which is considered by many fans to be the best special stage in the series, and an entirely new, Red Book audio soundtrack, including the ending song You're My Hero. It was then released in Europe for the Saturn in February 1997. The game was eventually released for the Saturn in Japan on October 14, 1999, the same day as Sonic Adventure International. PC's eventually got a port of the Saturn version in North America in September 1997, with the videos and soundtrack intact, as well as the notable addition of a save feature, but lacking some of the Saturn's effects (like the fog in Rusty Ruins) and a less graphically complicated special stage, using sprites from the Genesis version but with the basic concept of the Saturn version. The PC version came to Europe on September 25, 1997. It was re-released with Sonic R in the Twin Pack: Sonic 3D Blast & Sonic R bundle in 2002. The Mega Drive/Genesis ROM used on both sides of the pond is exactly the same. The title differs depending on which country the game is in. In North America, the title is Sonic 3D Blast. In Europe, the title is Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island. There never was a Japanese release of the Mega Drive/Genesis version, but if the game is played in a Japanese console, it displays the North American title. The Japanese Sega Saturn version, on the other hand, officially uses the European title. The PC version, if minimized (for instance, if a user Alt+Tabs), uses a combination of both names, though the combined name is rarely used, with people generally favoring one region's name over the other. Archie Comic AdaptionPublished in January 1997. Dr. Robotnik roboticizes the Flickies, and instead of helping him track the Chaos Emeralds, they prevent Sonic, Tails & Rotor from heading to the Flickies' Island until they were returned to normal with salt water. Manuals
Also Released On
Production CreditsCreditsProgram Design and Implementation: Jon Burton (Travellers Tales) Travellers TalesProgram Design and Implementation: Jon Burton SegaGame Concept Design (SOJ): Kats Sato, Takao Miyoshi, Kenichi Ono, Takashi Iizuka Special Stage DevelopmentGame Designers (SOJ): Takashi Iizuka, Daisuke Mori Movie DevelopmentMovie Creation (SOJ): Norihiro Nishiyama Technical SupportAdditional Programming (SOE): Ed Hollingshead, Thomas Szirtes Music Tracklist for Genesis/Mega Drive
01 Green Grove Zone Act 1: Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno ResourcesOriginal Sound Version RecordingsSee Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island OSV (Genesis) or Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island OST (Windows/Saturn) for a download page. Physical ScansMega Drive
Saturn
PC
Artwork
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