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Development:Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)

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This page details development materials of Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis).

Sonic 3D Demo Takes #1

On October 2, 2017, Jon Burton revealed that he had found a cassette tape that was given to him by Sega in 1996. It was labeled "Sonic 3D Demo Takes #1", and was recorded on an AXIA J'z2 Type II High Position tape. On the tape was ten early demo versions of Sonic 3D Blast tracks (six on Side A, four on Side B), all composed and recorded by Jun Senoue on synthesizers in May 1996 before being converted to play on the Genesis. The tracks were likely done on a KORG TR-RACK (or one of its successors), and the percussion was done separately on a Roland Sound Canvas SC-55. Following some back-and-forth with Sega, Burton began uploading the tracks between October 15, 2019 and February 12, 2020. While there were three other composers for the game (Tatsuyuki Maeda, Masaru Setsumaru, and Seiroh Okamoto), it is not known if they have any tapes in their possession.

Note that these tracks were composed and recorded in the key of C Major. There's also a fair amount of tape hiss, wow, and flutter on the cassette.

(Source: GameHut)

Side A

Title Track Description
1. Opening (short ver.)
A short version of the opening theme, used for the title sequence. The Genesis version is in the key of A♭ Major.
2. Opening (long ver.)
A long version of the opening theme, which didn't make the cut. While a longer version of Opening shows up in the final game's ending, it sounds completely different.
3. Power up
The invincibility theme. The Genesis version is in the key of A Major.
4. Green valley zone act.1
Green Grove Zone Act 1 theme. On the sleeve inside of the cassette casing, this track is labeled "Green Alley Zone Act 1". It's possible the track was supposed to be titled "Green Valley Zone Act 1" and that there was a misspelling, though in any case it was eventually decided to title each Zone with an alliteration (much like in Sonic CD).

An unfixable stutter is on the original tape, which occurs at the 2:05 mark. The Genesis version is in the same key as this.

This track was remixed as "The Air ...for Windy Valley" in Sonic Adventure.

5. Casino night zone act.1
Spring Stadium Zone Act 1 theme. On the sleeve inside of the cassette casing, this track is labeled "Casino Night Zone Act 1". It's possible there was supposed to be a casino level with a track similar to Casino Night from Sonic 2. The Genesis version is in the same key as this.

Though not entirely the same thing, this track bears some resemblance to "Azure Blue World ...for Emerald Coast" in Sonic Adventure.

6. Boss (minor key)
The boss theme presumably for Zones 1, 3, and 5, or perhaps a mini-boss one, similar to Sonic 3. On the sleeve inside of the cassette casing, this track is subtitled "Minor Key". Despite being converted to the appropriate format in the prototype builds, a completely different boss theme was composed and used for the final game instead. The Genesis version is in the same key as this.

This track would be later remixed as the boss theme for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, 14 years later.

Side B

Title Track Description
7. Boss (major Key)
The first track on Side B. It is the boss theme presumably for Zones 2, 4, and 6, or perhaps a mini-boss one similar to Sonic 3.

On the sleeve inside of the cassette casing, this track is subtitled "Major Key". While this is the same as the previous track, the intro is different.

8. Special stage
Originally to be used in a Special Stage that never made it into the game, it was used in the final as the story introduction and Panic Puppet Zone Act 1. It would also be reused as "Twinkle Cart... for Twinkle Park" in Sonic Adventure almost verbatim.
9. Bonus stage (Miles)
The Bonus Stage theme, originally intended for only Tails, but used for both him and Knuckles in the final.

The Genesis version is in the key of B Major, and is considerably faster than the mix used here.

10. Bonus stage (Knuckles)
Knuckles' Bonus Stage theme, cut from the final game due to lack of space.

Of note is that this track would be used as "Pleasure Castle... for Twinkle Park" in Sonic Adventure, now in the key of E Major.