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Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island

From Sonic Retro

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    NTSC-U
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    NTSC-J
  • Windows PC
    EU/AU
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    US
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Sonic3DBlast MD title.png
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Sonic3D Saturn JP TitleScreen.png
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Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island
Sonic3D Win icon.png
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, Windows PC, Virtual Console, Steam, RealOne Arcade
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Sega Saturn
Sega
Sega Mega Drive
Ballistic (US Re-Release)
Windows PC
Sega PC
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Mega Drive
Majesco Sales (US Re-Release)
Windows PC
Wizard Soft (KR)
Windows PC
Worldwise Enterprise (TW)
Sound driver:
Sega Mega Drive
Sound Driver for Sonic Series[1],
Sega Saturn
Windows PC
SCSP/CD-DA (24 tracks)
Peripherals supported:
Sega Saturn
3D Control Pad
Genre: Action[2][3]
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sega Mega Drive
US
1996-11-08[4] $59.99[5] 1844
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Majesco)
199x $? 1844
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
US
(sc)
199x $sub ?
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1996-11-14[7] €? MK-1844-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Mega Drive
PT
1996  ? MDJSE0380
Sega Mega Drive
BR
1996-12 R$? 048300
Tectoy: Todas as Idades
Sega Mega Drive
AU
1996 $? FSON30SMC
OFLC: G
Sega Mega Drive
KR
199x ₩? GM96001JG
Sega Mega Drive
AS
199x  ? MK-1844-40
Sega Mega Drive
GR
199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
ZA
199x  ? ?


Sega Saturn
JP
1999-10-14[3] ¥3,800 GS-9143
Sega Rating: All Ages
Sega Saturn
US
1996-11-20[8] $? 81062
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Saturn
EU
1997-02-14[9] €? MK81062-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
UK
1997-02-14[9] £44.99[10][11] MK81062-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
DE
1997-02-14[9] DM ? MK81062-50
USK: 6
Sega Saturn
AU
199x $? FSON19SSC
OFLC: General (G)
Sega Saturn
PT
199x  ? STJSE0503
Sega Saturn
BR
199x R$? 193376
Tectoy: Todas as Idades


Windows PC
US
1997-09-09[12] $? 85064
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Windows PC
US
(Expert Software)
1999 $? T-6822-01
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Windows PC
US
(Jack in the Box)
2000 $? ?
ESRB: Everyone
Windows PC
EU
1997-09-30 €? MK-85064
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Windows PC
DE
1997-09-30 DM ? MK-85064
USK: 0
Windows PC
UK
(Xplosiv)
1998 £? EI-1304
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Windows PC
UK
(Xplosiv XP)
1998 £? XP-1304
3553765
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Windows PC
FR
(Xplosiv)
199x  ? EI-1529
SELL: Tous Publics
Windows PC
FR
(Xplosiv XP)
199x  ? XP-1304
SELL: Tous Publics
Windows PC
DE
(Xplosiv)
200x  ? ?
USK: 0
Windows PC
DE
(Green Pepper)
200x 6.99[13] ?
USK: 6
Windows PC
NL
(Xplosiv)
199x  ? ?
PEGI: 3+
Windows PC
ES
199x  ? ?
aDeSe: Todos los Publicos
Windows PC
ES
(Xplosiv)
199x  ? ?
aDeSe: Todos los Publicos
Windows PC
IT
199x  ? ?
Windows PC
PT
(Top Games)
199x  ? ?
Windows PC
BX
(Sega Classics)
200x  ? ?
PEGI: 3+
Windows PC
AU
(Valusoft)
2005 $? THQ70487
OFLC: G
Windows PC
AU
(Five Star Games)
2015-07-09[14] $9.95[14] FSG-SEGA-PC099-AU
OFLC: General (G)
Windows PC
NZ
2005  ? ?
Windows PC
IN
(e-value)
200x ₹? ?
Windows PC
SG
200x  ? ?
PEGI: 3+
Windows PC
SG
(Replaygem)
200x  ? ?
Windows PC
HU
(EVM)
200x  ? ?
Windows PC
HU
(Ecobit)
200x  ? ?
PEGI: 3+
Windows PC
IL
199x  ? ?
Windows PC
BR
199x R$? ?
Windows PC
KR
199x ₩? ?
Windows PC
TW
199x NT$? ?
Windows PC
TH
xxxx ฿? ?
Windows PC
ZA
xxxx  ? ?


Wii Virtual Console
JP
2007-10-16[15] 600[16]pts ?
CERO: A
Wii Virtual Console
US
2007-11-19[17] 800[17]pts ?
ESRB: Everyone
Wii Virtual Console
EU
2007-11-02[18][19] 800[18]pts ?
PEGI: 3+
Wii Virtual Console
AU
2007-11 800[20]pts ?
OFLC: General (G)


RealOne Arcade
US
2003-06-12[21] $? ?
Steam
JP
2010-06-02 ¥498[22] 34278
Steam
EU
2010-06-01[23] €4.49[22] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam
UK
2010-06-01[23] £3.99[22] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam
US
2010-06-01[23] $4.99[22] 34278
ESRB: Everyone
Steam
AU
2010-06-01[23] $6.99[22] 34278
OFLC: General (G)
Steam Linux
EU
2019-02-01[24] €4.49[25] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
UK
2019-02-01[24] £3.99[25] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
US
2019-02-01[24] $4.99[25] 34278
ESRB: Everyone
Steam Linux
AU
2019-02-01[24] $5.99[25] 34278
OFLC: General (G)
Steam OS X
EU
2019-02-01[24] €4.49[25] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
UK
2019-02-01[24] £3.99[25] 34278
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
US
2019-02-01[24] $4.99[25] 34278
ESRB: Everyone
Steam OS X
AU
2019-02-01[24] $5.99[25] 34278
OFLC: General (G)

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (Japanese: ソニック 3 (すりー)D (でぃー) フリッキーアイランド), also known as Sonic 3D Blast (ソニック3Dブラスト)[26] in North America, is both the final Sonic the Hedgehog title released for the Sega Mega Drive and the first on the Sega Saturn. Played on an isometric field, the mechanics of the game echo the previous core installments of the series, though the perspective and alternative objectives make it a unique experience in the Sonic catalog. While conceived and assisted by Sonic Team, the majority of development was done by UK-based game studio Traveller's Tales, who would go on to collaborate once more on the franchise with Sonic R.

The game would not be released in Japan until the end of the Saturn's life cycle, being the last first party title for the system, released on the same day as Sonic Adventure International. The Mega Drive version of the game would remain unseen in the land of the rising sun until its inclusion in the compilation title Sonic Mega Collection.

Story

Somewhere in the great oceans of the planet lies a mysterious atoll known only as Flicky Island. The home of the Flicky Bird race, the innocuous winged beings are surrounded by rumor and legend, with whispers that they have some connection to the Chaos Emeralds. It is these rumors that pique the interest of the nefarious Dr. Eggman, evil genius and arch enemy of a certain blue hedgehog. Reeling from his previous failures at obtaining the gems, the doctor decides to find the island, set up shop and try to discover what lies hidden within.

During routine surveillance, Eggman spies a giant golden ring hovering over the landscape, where suddenly a flock of Flickies emerge from seemingly nowhere, perching on a nearby tree. After a moment, the entire lot fly back the way they came, through the center of the Dimensional Ring and vanishing once again. Realizing what he just saw, Eggman can barely contain himself. "So they live in another dimension, do they? Ha! I've discovered the secret of the Flickies!"

Without hesitation, Dr. Eggman puts yet another plan into motion. Capturing the Flickies and placing them into robots, he hopes to harness their power and finally claim the Chaos Emeralds for himself. Unbeknownst to the mad doctor, Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends decide to visit Flicky Island at the same time. Entering the fringes of the Green Grove, Sonic looks for his feathered friends but instead finds a familiar sight: mechanical creatures roaming the countryside.

With a single spin attack, our hero pops open the first Badnik, and sees a Flicky fly out. It doesn't take long for Sonic to guess that Eggman must be behind this. It's now up to Sonic to rescue the trapped Flickies, transport them safely back to their home dimension, and gather the Chaos Emeralds before Eggman can get his hands on them first.

"Time to go, Sonic!"

Gameplay

The mysterious Flicky Island.

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island is at its core a spiritual sequel to the 1984 Sega arcade title Flicky. Just like the Flicky/Chirp relationship, Sonic's main objective is to find all the Flickies in a designated area and bring them to the goal. Only then can the player continue on to either the next portion of the level or the next Act. As opposed to the traditional two-dimensional game play of the classic Sonic titles, the playing field is presented in an isometric, 45-degree angle, similar to the visual style of the Game Gear title Sonic Labyrinth. Even though everything is still sprite-based, the camera gives the allusion that Sonic is in a 3D world, able to see everything around him instead of just left and right.

Each Zone in the game, with the exception of Final Fight, is split up into three Acts. The first two Acts, with the exception of Panic Puppet Zone, present Sonic with the same objective: to collect the Flickies so Sonic can reach the end of the level. Broken up into either two or three sections per Act, Sonic rushes about encountering Eggman's many Badniks. Destroying them is the only way Sonic can rescue the Flickies from being a living battery. Just freeing them isn't enough, the player having to touch the Flicky to make it follow Sonic's every move. No matter where in the game, there are always five Flickies that need to be brought to the Dimension Ring. They can be deposited one at a time, all at once, or any degree in the middle, but only sending five back to their home dimension at once will insure the maximum amount of points available.

There are four different Flickies that populate the game, each with their own travel behavior once free. The most common and familiar of the group is the Blue Flicky, who make a conscious effort to find Sonic. If they cannot find him, they fly around in a tight circle, making them easy to locate. The second type is the Pink Flicky, which acts largely like blue ones, but fly around in bigger circles if unable to find Sonic. In the Mega Drive's Volcano Valley Zone, the pink Flickies appear bright orange, presumably due to color 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. Rounding out the bunch are Green Flickies. Perhaps the most frustrating, they wander randomly with no interest in finding Sonic, even sometimes appearing to try and avoid him.

The four Flickies in flight.

Once a Flicky has made contact and follows Sonic, the player must still be aware of their surroundings. If Sonic takes damage while not wearing a Shield, all the Flickies that are currently connected to him will disperse, a mad grab for Rings made even crazier while trying to protect the endangered fowl. Even if Sonic doesn't take damage, stray projectiles and other hazards can separate hedgehog from bird, and if one isn't paying attention, it's possible to reach the end of a level, deposit the Flickies one has, and realize that the fifth has gone missing. Once Sonic jumps at the Ring, swings through and all five birds are safe and sound, the Ring disappears, allowing the player to either continue on in the game if a trap door lights up or a gate opens in front of the Ring, or to finish the Act if there is an "X" on the ground.

Due to the isometric nature of the game, Sonic controls slightly different than he normally does. While Left and Right on the D-Pad still move Sonic in those directions, pressing Up and Down will move Sonic across the board just the same. The diagonal inputs on the Mega Drive controller finally come in handy, giving Sonic precise movement across each stage. By default, the A and C buttons once again allow Sonic to jump into the air, curling into a ball and performing a Spin Attack that can destroy enemies, as long as Sonic doesn't land on spikes. Because Sonic can no longer crouch, the B button has instead become the de-facto method of having Sonic perform his other signature move, the Spin Dash. Standing still, holding the button down will rev up Sonic, allowing him to burst ahead in any direction, even able to destroy certain barricades. If Sonic is already in motion when B is pressed, he will curl into a ball and roll forward until his momentum is spent.

Flickies are not the only object collectible within the game. Making its grand return are Rings, a staple of the entire series. Having at least one on you will protect Sonic from damage, though if Sonic is attacked again while his Ring count is zero and the brief window of invincibility wears off, he will forfeit a life. Collecting one hundred Rings will reward the player with an extra life. New to the game are Sonic Medals, which are also hidden throughout each Zone. Many times placed above springs that can only be reached if the player has a certain amount of Flickies, collecting ten of these spinning Sonic heads will reward the player with a continue.

Sonic the Hedgehog in action.

Item boxes also appear through the game, containing familiar power-ups to assist Sonic in his journey. Speed Shoes and Invincibility are sprinkled about, allowing Sonic to gain an extra burst of speed or protect him from enemies and hazards, respectively. 1-Up boxes grant the player with their namesake, while the original Shield from Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 returns, protecting Sonic and the Flickies from a hit that would otherwise cause Sonic to lose his rings and the birds that follow. The "Flame Barrier" shield from Sonic 3 also makes a comeback, appearing in levels that have a fire hazard. Brand new to the game is the Gold Shield, which gives Sonic the new ability called the "Sonic Blast Attack." A primitive version of the Homing Attack that would become a staple of the 3D games, pressing the jump button twice allows Sonic to home in on a nearby enemy, popping it open without fear. Along with springs, spikes, and bumpers, the checkered landscapes of Flickies' Island fit in with the aesthetics of Sonic's world, even if the controls are vastly different.

Hidden in each Act are Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna, standing about in idle animations. In their NPC role in this game, they are not easily discovered. Sometimes in a secret room, sometimes just off to the side in an uncertain path, they replace the Giant Ring as the entrance to the Special Stage. After collecting 50 Rings and making contact, Sonic is instantly transported to the Chaos Emerald-collecting round. Echoing the goal of the Special Stage from Sonic 2, the player must collect the designated amount of rings in order to continue on. The Mega Drive and Saturn versions differ greatly, the former being an extremely simplified course of Sonic running on a metallic grate suspended over the background. The Saturn version, taking advantage of the hardware, is a fully-realized 3D obstacle course, visually similar to the Sonic 2 stages but amped up considerably.

Eggman once again taunting the player.

Each Act, starting with Green Grove and continuing through Volcano Valley, has one "Tails" and one "Knuckles" hidden. In the Mega Drive version, if the player finds both they can collect two Chaos Emeralds per Act. In the Saturn and PC versions, however, if they have already collected the Emerald in that particular Act, the player will run through the same Special Stage and collect a 1-Up instead of another gem. In all versions of the game, the player can still go to Special Stages after having collected all seven Emeralds, the reward for both being extra lives.

Though collecting all the Chaos Emeralds does not grant the player Super Sonic, they are needed to get the good ending of the game. Having all seven will transport Sonic to The Final Fight, featuring the final confrontation between Sonic and Eggman in this installment of his never-ending adventures.

Scoring

Flicky Chains

  • First Flicky: 100
  • Second Flicky: 200
  • Third Flicky: 400
  • Fourth Flicky: 800
  • Fifth Flicky: 1600

(A chain refers to the amount of Flickies deposited to a dimensional ring at once)

Enemies

Flicky Pod: 100 points each

Dr. Eggman Boss

  • Standard: 1000
  • Panic Puppet Zone: 2000
  • Final Fight: 3000

End level time bonus

  • 0:59 or less: 10,000
  • 1:00 to 1:59: 5000
  • 2:00 to 2:59: 2500
  • 3:00 to 3:59: 1200
  • 4:00 to 4:59: 600
  • 5:00 to 5:59: 300
  • 6:00 to 6:59: 100
  • 7:00 or more: 0

Special Stage

  • Rings: 100
  • Chaos Emerald: 10,000

Others

  • Tails Bonus: 100 points per ring deposited to character
  • Knuckles Bonus: 100 points per ring deposited to character
  • End Level Ring Bonus: 100 points per ring held
  • End Level Flicky Bonus: 5000 points per section with all five Flickies rescued at once

Music and sound

Utilizing the Mega Drive's sound chip, a group of four musicians including Tatsuyuki Maeda and Jun Senoue put together the music for Flickies' Island. Taking a cue from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, each Zone's Act has a remix based around a shared theme. A handful of familiar tunes also reappear from Sonic & Knuckles, such as the Act Clear and 1-Up jingles.

For the 32-bit version, the synthesized tracks were replaced by RedBook audio composed by Richard Jacques, meaning the game's music could be played on any standard CD player, minus the first track which contains only data. The Saturn's ending credits theme, "You're My Hero," is the first audio theme for the Sonic series since Sonic CD. Taking advantage of the media, the song was composed by Richard Jacques with Debbie Morris providing vocals.

Sound test

Mega Drive Version

The sound test in Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island.
  • 01: Green Grove Zone Act 1
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 02: Green Grove Zone Act 2
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 03: Rusty Ruin Zone Act 1
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 04: Rusty Ruin Zone Act 2
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 05: Volcano Valley Zone Act 2
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 06: Volcano Valley Zone Act 1
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 07: Spring Stadium Zone Act 1
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 08: Spring Stadium Zone Act 2
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 09: Diamond Dust Zone Act 1
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 0A: Diamond Dust Zone Act 2
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 0B: Gene Gadget Zone Act 1
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 0C: Gene Gadget Zone Act 2
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 0D: Panic Puppet Zone Act 2
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 0E: The Final Fight
    Song by M.Sets, Arrange by M.Sets
  • 0F: Ending
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by M.Sets
  • 10: Special Stage
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 11: Intro/Panic Puppet Zone Act 1
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 12: Boss 2
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by M.Sets
  • 13: Boss 1
    Song by T.Maeda, Arrange by T.Maeda
  • 14: Opening
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 15: Staff Roll
    Song by S.Okamoto, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 16: Game Over
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 17: Continue
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 18: Act Clear
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 19: 1-Up
    Song by H.Drossin, Arrange by M.Sets
  • 1A: Chaos Emerald
    Song by Y.Makino, Arrange by Y.Makino
  • 1B: Invincibility
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  • 1C: Menu
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  •  ??: Unused Song 1 (Bonus Stage)
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by J.Seno
  •  ??: Unused Song 2 (Boss Theme)
    Song by J.Seno, Arrange by M.Sets

While the composers and arrangers aren't listed normally, the information was discovered by Sonic Retro member ICEknight within the ROM. Additionally, while the final two songs are in the game's code along with the credits, they are not accessible through the sound test. Unused Song 2 was eventually repurposed as the boss theme for Sonic 4.

Saturn Version

  • 01: Title
  • 02: Boss
  • 03: Green Grove Zone Act 1
  • 04: Green Grove Zone Act 2
  • 05: Rusty Ruins Zone Act 1
  • 06: Rusty Ruins Zone Act 2
  • 07: Spring Stadium Zone Act 1
  • 08: Spring Stadium Zone Act 2
  • 09: Volcano Vally Zone Act 1
  • 10: Volcano Vally Zone Act 2
  • 11: Diamond Dust Zone Act 1
  • 12: Diamond Dust Zone Act 2
  • 13: Gene Gadget Zone Act 1
  • 14: Gene Gadget Zone Act 2
  • 15: Panic Puppet Zone Act 1
  • 16: Panic Puppet Zone Act 2
  • 17: Special Stage
  • 18: The Final Fight
  • 19: Speed Up
  • 20: Invincibility
  • 21: Act Clear
  • 22: Continue
  • 23: You're My Hero
  • 24: You're My Hero
  • 25: You're My Hero
  • 26: You're My Hero

While "You're My Hero" appears four times in the sound test, the song is only represented once in the RedBook audio.

Some versions of Sonic 3D for Saturn (in particular the Japanese release) have two copies of Panic Puppet Zone Act 2. The Act 1 music is a copy of Act 2.

History

Release

Sales data

Number of copies sold Platform Reference
700,000+ Sega Mega Drive Sega-16 Interview with Mike Wallis (2007-06-19)

Legacy

Screenshot of the SEGA Saturn Special Stage.

The Mega Drive version of Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island was originally conceived as the swan song for Sonic on the system. However, in the wake of Sonic X-treme's delay and subsequent cancellation, a Saturn version of the title was hastily commissioned to be ready in time for the holiday season. Completed in only seven weeks, the core gameplay and level layouts remained the same. The biggest differences were instead visual, the game taking advantage of the 2D powerhouse the Saturn was. Redrawn graphics with increased detail and color were complemented with flourishes of new animation in the scenery. Weather effects were also implemented, such as fog and rain in Rusty Ruins. Replacing the bare-bones Special Stage of the original was a brand new, fully three-dimensional half-pipe reminiscent of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, designed and programmed by Sonic Team. Rounding off the upgraded port was a brand new soundtrack by Richard Jacques, along with slick FMVs, a new menu, a map of Flickies' Island appearing during Zone transitions, and a pause screen showing elements missing from the in-game HUB.

The original PC version of the game was a scaled down port of the Saturn entry, removing any fog effects from levels and replacing the Special Stage once more with a toned-down recreation of the half-pipe. However, this was the only version to contain a save game feature.

Between regions, the original Mega Drive ROM used is exactly the same. The title differs depending on the console's region code. If PAL hardware is detected, the title Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island is used. Otherwise, the title is Sonic 3D Blast. The Japanese Sega Saturn version, on the other hand, officially uses the European title. The PC version, if minimized or windowed, uses the combined name Sonic 3D Blast: Flickies' Island, though the proper region name will still appear in the title screen.

All subsequent rereleases of the game have been the original Mega Drive version, including the downloadable edition through the PC service Steam.

Adaptations

Sonic the Comic issue #104.

Just like the many titles that came before, Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island received graphic adaptations in the pages of Archie Comics and Fleetway. Being the first timely adaptation of the source material, Sonic Blast tells the story of Dr. Robotnik stumbling across FLiCKiE Island, immediately robotocizing the birds and going after the Chaos Emeralds. With the Knothole Freedom Fighters intercepting the signal explaining his plan, Sonic, "Tails" and Rotor Walrus head to the island. Figuring out sea water will transform the birds back into docile creatures, Sonic and Eggman confront in the FLiCKiE Zone, visually similar to Rusty Ruin but Robotnik fighting in the machine used during Final Fight. In his defeat, Robotnik tries once more for a mad grab at the Chaos Emerald, but loses it anyway, becoming stranded on the island.

Sonic the Comic adapted the game in issues #104 through #106, tying heavily into the ongoing narrative of the strip. In the wake of Dr. Robotnik being usurped as supreme ruler of Mobius, life seems to go back to normal for the Emerald Hill folk, much to the chagrin of the adventure-seeking Sonic. His boredom is disrupted when "Tails" tells Sonic of a Flicky bird that suddenly appeared, who seems in distress. Travelling to Flicky Island, the pair discover the new hiding spot of Dr. Robotnik, planning to use the Flickies to power a new breed of Badniks and reclaim the planet as his own. Before things can escalate, a member of the Drakon Empire appears, asking who activated the Dimensional Ring. Taking Robotnik, Sonic and Tails are left to wonder what this means for the future of Mobius.

In 2022 the IDW Publishing one-shot Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails' 30th Anniversary Special was published, featuring a story that serves as a spiritual sequel to this game and Tails' Skypatrol, where Witchcart and her minions had taken over Flicky Island and captured Sonic, thus Tails must defeat them again with the help of the Flickies.

Re-releases

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island/Production credits

Manuals

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island/Manuals

Promotional material

Artwork

Wallpaper

Physical scans

Mega Drive version




Sega Mega Drive
91 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 1 review
Publication Score Source
GamesMaster (UK) 91 №49, p45
Mega Drive, US
Sonic3D MD US Cover Back.jpgNospine.pngSonic 3D MD US Cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Majesco Sales)
Sonic3D MD US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngS3d-box-us.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
S3d-md-eu-box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, FR (Blister pack)
S3D MD FR blister front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, PT
Sonic3D MD PT cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, GR (Zegetron)
Sonic 3D MD GR Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU
S3D MD AU cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D MD AU Cart Top.jpeg
Sonic 3D MD AU Cart Back.jpegSonic 3D MD AU Cart Front.jpeg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR
S3d md br cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR
Sonic3D MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AS
S3D MD AS cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, ZA

Saturn version




Sega Saturn
76 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 1 review
Publication Score Source
GamesMaster (UK) 76 №54, p38/39
Saturn, JP
S3d sat jp back cover.jpgS3dss-box-jap.jpg
Cover
Saturn, US
Sonic 3D Blast us back.jpgS3dss-box-us.jpg
Cover
Saturn, EU
S3dss-box-eu.jpg
Cover
Saturn, EU (Plastic Shell Alt)
S3dss-box-eu-alt.jpg
Cover
Saturn, AU
Sonic3D Sat AU box.jpg
Cover
Saturn, AU (Plastic Shell Alt)
Sonic3D Sat AU alt box.jpg
Cover
Saturn, PT
Sonic 3D Sat PT Box Back.jpgSonic 3D Sat PT Box Spine.jpgSonic 3D Sat PT Box Front.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D Sat PT Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, PT (Plastic Shell Alt)
Sonic 3D Sat PT Box Front alt.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D Sat PT Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, GR (Zegetron)

Saturn, BR
Sonic3D Saturn BR Box Back.jpgSonic3D Saturn BR Box Front.jpg
Cover
Saturn, EU (Promo)
Sonic3D Saturn EU PROMO Box Front.jpg
Cover

PC version

Segaretro-round.svg Reception »
PC, US
S3d pc us cover.jpg
Cover
S3d pc us disc.jpg
Disc
S3d pc us spinecard SegaPC.jpgSonic3D PC US Box Front JewelCase.jpg
Jewel Case
PC, US (Expert Software)
Sonic3D PC US Box Front Expert.jpg
Cover
PC, US (Jack in the Box)
Sonic3D PC US Box Front JitB.jpg
Cover
PC, EU
Sonic3D PC EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSonic3D PC EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
S3d-flicky-pc-eu.jpg
Disc
S3dpc-eu-box-rear.jpgS3dpc-box-eu.jpg
Jewel Case
PC, UK (Xplosiv; EI-1304)
Sonic3D PC UK Box Xplosiv.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, UK (Xplosiv; EI-1304; alt)
Sonic 3D eu box xplosiv.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, UK (Xplosiv; EI-1304; alt + Sheep)
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv with Sheep.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, UK (Xplosiv; EI-1304; alt 2)
Sonic3D PC UK Box Xplosiv Alt2.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, UK (Xplosiv; XP-1304)
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv alt EU.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv alt EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, FR (Xplosiv)
S3D PC FR xp cover.jpg
Cover
PC, FR (Xplosiv; XP-1304)
S3D PC FR xp alt cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv alt EU disc.jpg
Disc
PC, DE (Hammer Preis)

PC, DE (Xplosiv)
S3D PC DE xp cover.jpg
Cover
PC, DE (Xplosiv; alt)
S3D PC DE xp alt cover.jpg
Cover
PC, DE (Xplosiv; alt 2)
Sonic3D PC DE Box Xplosiv.jpg
Cover
PC, DE (Green Pepper)
Sonic3D PC DE Box GreenPepper.jpg
Cover
PC, ES
S3D PC ES cover.jpg
Cover
PC, ES (Xplosiv)
Sonic3D PC ES Box Xplosiv.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC Xplosiv ES disc.jpg
Disc
PC, IT (Grandi Giochi per PC)
Sonic3D PC IT Box GGpPC.jpg
Cover
PC, PT (Top Games)
Sonic 3D PC PT Box TopGames.jpg
Cover
PC, NL (Xplosiv)
S3D PC NL xp cover.jpg
Cover
PC, BX (Sega Classics)
Sonic3D PC BX Box Classics.jpg
Cover
PC, AU (Valusoft)
Sonic3D PC AU Box Valusoft.jpg
Cover
Sonic 3D PC AU Disc.jpg
Disc
PC, AU (Five Star Games)
S3D PC AU fsg cover.jpg
Cover
S3D PC AU fsg disc.png
Disc
PC, HU (EVM)
S3D PC HU evm cover.jpg
Cover
PC, HU (Ecobit)
Sonic3D PC HU ecobit cover.jpg
Cover
PC, BR

Sonic3D PC BR Disc.png
Disc
Sonic3D PC BR Spinecard.jpgSonic3D PC BR Box Front JewelCase.jpg
Jewel Case
PC, IN (e-value)
Sonic3D PC IN Box EValue.jpg
Cover
PC, IL
Sonic3D PC IL Box.jpgSonic3D PC IL Box Back.jpg
Cover
PC, IL (Xplosiv)
Sonic3D PC IL Box Xplosiv.jpg
Cover
PC, IL (Xplosiv; Arcadia)
Sonic3D PC IL Box Arcadia.jpg
Cover
PC, SG (New Era)
Sonic3D PC Box Ntertainment.jpg
Cover
PC, SG (Replaygem)
S3D PC SG rg cover.jpg
Cover
PC, KR

PC, TW

PC (Game Zone), Ex-YU
Sonic3D PC Gamezone box back.jpgSonic3D PC Gamezone box front.jpg
Cover
Sonic3D PC Gamezone disc.jpg
Disc
PC (Play 12/2005), PL

PC, TH

PC, ZA
Sonic3D PC ZA Box SegaSeries.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island/Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 44a2ca44
MD5 50acbea2461d179b2bf11460a1cc6409
SHA-1 89957568386a5023d198ac2251ded9dfb2ab65e7
4MB 1996-09-11 Cartridge
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 93b75e99
MD5 8cb84ea6f747357ee5384f7bb59566bc
SHA-1 5343001b4608e2eef02e11d4ca2d36df0a34b8a0
2MB 1996-07-03 CD-R disc "73" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 d64e7675
MD5 eb8d295605fa8647047cba2907b8b90c
SHA-1 65ceb54f904cbc55c61547705455d1ef9832fee6
4MB 1996-08-14 CD-R disc "814" Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 d20f385b
MD5 f4c6a1ea43fd700b93e514e86742621f
SHA-1 3b77d50db02235ce095bd8b30b680700be5deb3e
4MB 1996-08-19 EPROM cartridge "819" with header watermark Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 2c43f43a
MD5 7a676b50e4e5f89ba51e08bb3c678abc
SHA-1 334ed5ca3e1aea2d9714bfd4c9a5697ae6a862d9
4MB 1996-08-19 CD-R disc "819" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 465bcfbd
MD5 d04a109e1cb0be8a7268e8f20c1f95b3
SHA-1 228ee9a01afc7d6a65c64fb0b0ba66f5a1d72718
4MB 1996-08-25 CD-R disc "825" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 57640422
MD5 8bb7afc833254fc5a1c23b8f40e97e09
SHA-1 44fa57e640380a46580f75f1a1460d3f6ecc12b8
4MB 1996-08-30 CD-R disc "830" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 5933e453
MD5 41ab84e532725d9753af5ea03447f851
SHA-1 1ec28a2495ca70c897dd2b513db7e8fdcc30d7f6
4MB 1996-08-31 CD-R disc "831" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 2f2a4271
MD5 ceb2ce0267a8803c55e3bceaa2312d9c
SHA-1 d8aea4a5b3b593985e66ed37104f4f536f0d291b
4MB 1996-09-04 CD-R disc "94" Page
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 b4d22be5
MD5 ab59c89bcaa1cea73a6dfbc544952839
SHA-1 1558d65e65d1badb69041ac849fd53077f7379d9
4MB 1996-09 Cartridge Pirate
Sega Saturn
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
659,477,280 1996-11-08 CD-ROM (US) 81062 V1.000
Sega Saturn
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
660,982,560 1997-01-06 CD-ROM (EU) MK81062-50 V1.000
Sega Saturn
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
667,076,592 1999-09-09 CD-ROM (JP) GS-9143 V1.004
Sega Saturn
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1996-10-08 CD-R Tech demo Page

Dissasemblies

Hacking Guides

External links

References

  1. https://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_3D:_Flickies%27_Island/Hidden_content#Sound_driver_credits
  2. File:S3d sat jp back cover.jpg
  3. 3.0 3.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/segasaturn/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-03-30 22:53)
  4. http://www.bizlink.com:80/~future/release.html (Wayback Machine: 1996-10-30 08:30)
  5. Press release: 1996-11-12: Sonic the Hedgehog returns to Sega Genesis with the need for speed in "Sonic 3D Blast"
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MERwuwZK9YM (Ghostarchive)
  7. File:DailyMirror UK 1996-11-07 42.png
  8. http://sega-saturn.com/software.htm (Wayback Machine: 1996-12-15 06:01)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Press release: 1997-01-31: Sega brings Sonic to Saturn in latest stage of console combat
  10. [cvg, issue 184, page 78 cvg, issue 184, page 78]
  11. http://www.sega-europe.com/SATURNL.HTML (Wayback Machine: 1997-07-15 06:26)
  12. http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_09/16_sonicpc/index.html (Wayback Machine: 1998-12-03 15:51)
  13. File:Sonic3D PC DE Box GreenPepper.jpg
  14. 14.0 14.1 https://www.gamesmen.com.au/pc-sonic-3d-fsg/
  15. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/05.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-05 23:22)
  16. http://vc.sega.jp:80/vc_3dblast/ (Wayback Machine: 2007-10-14 01:08)
  17. 17.0 17.1 http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/YtjKgcTFe0Kb9dXI8CnoCJ1pXmSVNI9e (Wayback Machine: 2010-11-23 03:26)
  18. 18.0 18.1 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/megadrive/sonic_3d_blast (Wayback Machine: 2017-10-05 17:46)
  19. https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Sonic-3D-Flickies-Island-279063.html (archive.today)
  20. http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=41&prod_id=19769&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-04-03 02:29)
  21. http://games.real.com/allgames.php?mode=spnav (Wayback Machine: 2004-08-02 23:32)
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 http://steamdb.info/app/34278/ (Wayback Machine: 2013-05-22 20:31)
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 https://steamdb.info/app/34278/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-15 23:24)
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 https://steamdb.info/app/34278/history/?changeid=5755306
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 25.6 25.7 http://steamdb.info/app/34278/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-15 23:24)
  26. File:SonicMegaCollectionSaikyouKouryakuGuide Book JP.pdf, page 194


Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island
Sonic3D Saturn TitleScreen.png

Main page
Comparisons
Maps
Credits


Manuals
Promotional material
Magazine articles
Video coverage
Reception


Development
Hidden content
Bugs
Region coding
Technical information
Bootlegs

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Saturn
 1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     1997  Sonic Jam | Sonic R    
 Unreleased  Sonic X-treme | Sonic Saturn
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
 1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2024  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (promotional cartridge)    
filler
Windows PC
Retail
 1996  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Sonic the Hedgehog The Screen Saver | Sonic's Schoolhouse     1997  Sonic & Knuckles Collection | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     1998  Sonic R     2003  Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut     2004  Sonic Heroes     2006  Sonic Mega Collection Plus | Sonic Riders     2010  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic Generations     2013  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator    
 Unreleased  SonicPC
Wii Virtual Console
WiiWare
 2006  Sonic the Hedgehog | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine     2007  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2008  Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)     2009  Sonic Chaos | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I    
filler
Steam
 2010  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Spinball | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | Sonic Adventure | Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2     2013  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2015  Sonic Lost World     2017  Sonic Mania | Sonic Forces     2019  Team Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Origins | Sonic Frontiers     2023  Sonic Colours: Ultimate | The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Superstars     2024  Sonic X Shadow Generations    
Mac OS X

Mac App Store
Steam OS X
 2013  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2019  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Dream Team