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Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)

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Title Screen

Sonic 3D Blast

Also known as: Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (EU)
Developers: Traveller's Tales, Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Platform: Genesis
Released in JP: December 19, 2002 (Sonic Mega Collection)
Released in US: November 7, 1996
Released in EU: November 14, 1996


AreasIcon.png This game has unused areas.
CopyrightIcon.png This game has hidden developer credits.
MusicIcon.png This game has unused music.
DebugIcon.png This game has debugging material.
LevelSelectIcon.png This game has a hidden level select.


DevelopmentIcon.png This game has a development article
ProtoIcon.png This game has a prototype article
PrereleaseIcon.png This game has a prerelease article
BugsIcon.png This game has a bugs page

Sonic 3D Blast is Sonic, but in isometric 3-D! Analog control not included.

Released as a stopgap during a rather tumultuous time in Sega's history, 3D Blast is a combination of the Sonic formula and Flicky's gameplay. The game would later be ported to the Saturn and Microsoft Windows, where it originally received mixed reviews due to the two game concepts clashing with each other.

In December 2017, Jon Burton (the game's lead programmer) created a "Director's Cut" patch to improve on many of the flaws present in 3D Blast, leading to a critical re-evaluation of the game.

Hmmm...
To do:
Document unused leftover sound effects from previous Sonic games.

Sub-Pages

Read about development information and materials for this game.
Development Info
Read about prototype versions of this game that have been released or dumped.
Prototype Info
Read about prerelease information and/or media for this game.
Prerelease Info
Read about notable bugs and errors in this game.
Bugs

Level Select

As the wavy text indicates, a veritable rollercoaster of mediocrity.

Press B, A, Right, A, C, Up, Down, A (BARACUDA, seemingly a misspelling of "barracuda") at the title screen. You'll hear a twinkly sound and be taken to the main menu. Set your desired options, choose "START", and you'll be presented with the Level Select.

(This is probably much better for the long-term health of your console and cart than the next method.)

Cleverly-Disguised Crash Handler

"Smash TV" also hides the fact you just broke the game.

A somewhat unique exception handler where, unlike (for example) the Sonic 1 crash-and-print-text-on-the-screen, the game congratulates you and loads up the Level Select. Obviously, this method of crashing is much more appealing to the player than a complete lockup, and may have prevented a number of angry tech support calls. This was done to pass quality assurance from Sega and to prevent the game from printing an exception handler, as any exceptions the game threw up would simply redirect the player to this screen.

There are numerous methods for activating this screen: loading a bad savestate from an emulator, using a bad Game Genie or Pro Action Replay code, pulling the cart out and putting it back in, having dirty contacts on the cart/console, hitting an obscure program bug, etc.

Jon Burton, the game's lead programmer (who has made a number of videos detailing 3D Blast and other Traveller's Tales games), has a video that explains in more detail why the Level Select is used as a crash handler.

(Source: GameHut)

Unused Music

While only partially unused, the invincibility theme only plays for about 18 seconds in-game, but there's a bit more to it that can only be heard in the Sound Test. This can also be heard if the player pauses at the same frame the music begins.

The Gumball Machine Bonus Stage track from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It is not possible to play in-game, as it is not referenced by the sound driver. Located at $CAE1C.

Unused Areas

Hmmm...
To do:
IN A.D. 2021 WAR WAS BEGINNING. The technology is now there, there needs to be map rips of the 3D Blast maps with the unused areas highlighted instead of the in-game screenshots.

Green Grove Zone Act 1

Sonic3DUnusedarea Green Grove 1.png Sonic3DUnusedarea2 Green Grove 1.png

After passing the first loop of Act 1, there is a large empty area blocked off by a wall. In the E3 prototype, this area is properly accessible; apparently, only the collision was removed. Lower down, there is another area that does not appear in the E3 prototype.

Diamond Dust Zone Act 2

Sonic3DUnusedarea Diamond Dust Zone Act 2.png

An alternate route exists blocked off towards the beginning of the Act, just after the first spring.

Spring Stadium Zone Act 2

Sonic3DUnusedarea Spring Stadium Zone Act 2.png

There's a blank collision area set at a very low level near the coiled tube.

Sound Driver Credit

Present at 0xD2E82.

Sound Driver for Sonic Series
Coded by Y.Kashima & M.Sets.
Sun Sep  1 1996 17:02