Sonic Jam is a video game compilation developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn and was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game to feature full 3D gameplay. It was released in Japan in June 1997, and in North America and Europe two months later. It contains the four main Sonic the Hedgehog games released on the Sega Genesis: Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), and Sonic & Knuckles (1994). It also features a 3D environment, "Sonic World", which doubles as an interactive museum of Sonic the Hedgehog content.
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Finished Sonic World. This is a showcase for what Sonic Adventure could have been on the SEGA Saturn. This is proof that the Nights engine was truly capable of doing beautiful 3D environments with little performance issues. This is a proof of concept that could have been dismissed, but kept as a bonus for Sonic fans wanting a full 3D adventure. This is Sonic Team bringing new SEGA fans into the series with 4 classic games. This is...Sonic Jam!
my brother got the japan version and i ran around the overworld for a bit and its sweet. the emulation for the games is also great. its a nice little sonic time capsule that i encourage everyone to experience
Sonic World is a pretty cool feature, I don't know why Sonic CD wasn't included however.
I was born in a house of Sega, but there was never a jam in the kitchen.
You think it insane that we wouldn't own this for our Saturn, but with an American release date in mid-1997 I was probably too busy playing Twisted Metal 2 to even notice one of my ten childhood heroes finally make their much anticipated trip into the third dimension as an extra in a compilation that my dad probably wasn't paying any mind to due to owning all of the games already. Alas, I was temporarily distracted from drawing hedgehogs, and instead was sketching terrible looking pickup trucks with flamethrowers attached to them. The house of Sega was slowly getting encroached on by the house of PlayStation, a scenario that no doubt wasn't unique to myself. Don't worry Sonic, I still loved you.
Having a 3D controller on hand after playing NiGHTS last year came in clutch once again for trying out the well-known stepping stone for what would later be Sonic Adventure. It's a fantastic pad that doesn't get enough love I feel, as it's essentially a Dreamcast controller but with a better stick, respectable shoulder buttons, a six-button layout, and overall much better feel of holding. Sega was just as good as Nintendo was at making controllers, but for some reason they really cheaped out for the Dreamcast. Must've been the VMU slot holding back everything else...a worthwhile sacrifice, if only I could get the Saturn 3D pad with a VMU now. A potentially perfect controller?! Oh....oh my yes...
Browsing the gallery is a weird feeling, you recall pictures easily because you've seen them in other compilations before. Other compilations that came out after this one, for me both Mega Collection and Gems Collection. Unfortunate that the Archie comic covers aren't here, but they would've been only about five years deep into the run at this point. Included was also a history timeline of sorts, where you get to spot mentions of MTV, Cherry Coke, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. It makes you remember just how popular Sonic truly was and still is. Regrettably, this compilation was released only a year before Pokemon would land on the shorelines and storm every school imaginable. It was quite a weird thought to have after seeing the line "Sonic is the first AND ONLY video game character to be in the Macy's Parade", knowing that Pikachu was that close to launching his campaign to take Sonic's throne. You didn't stand a chance, I'm so sorry my friend.
Back in 97 most people probably gazed at Sonic Jam on shelves, and contemplated buying it to have every main Sonic Genesis/MD title on one disc (The power of CD-ROM villainous scheming hands). Yet, today like many of these old compilations I enjoy owning them for their own bonus content, much like the PS1 Namco Museums or the Capcom Classics Collection that has the special version of Quiz and Dragons that uses Capcom trivia. It's kinda similar to owning TV shows on DVD I guess, where you keep them for the commentary and whatnot. Do I own Sonic Jam? Naw, to this day there still ain't no jam in my kitchen. The American Saturn library is too impenetrable I'm afraid. I would've loved to grow up with this, I'd be moving around with Sonic in that tiny little 3D Green Hill for ages, listening to all the music in one place and watching all the Japanese commercials that I couldn't understand. Would be utter bliss for childish me, but who am I kidding? It was bliss regardless. It feels crusty and smelly as shit that a Sonic compilation is being sold at 100 bucks for just the disc, but I suppose that shows just how fast the Saturn came and went for us. An existence that we took too lightly....shame on all of y'all. accidentally drops link to list of PS1 games I own
I will say though? Interesting renditions of the Sonic games in here. They actually aren't emulated, they're completely rebuilt for this. You get a spin dash in Sonic 1, normal/easy modes that change up the games, and time attack. With this comes a price it seems though, as when I played Sonic 2 I beared witness to the blast processing taking a vacation as noticeable slowdown plagued Sonic and Tails' run of Emerald Hill. In addition, all of the sounds in Sonic 3 seemed to either be slightly different or had been sanded down so sensitive ears wouldn't be disturbed. I'm sorry, I can take slowdown, but that? That right there is blasphemy in the house of Sega. We are all about the roughness, and we are all about the tumble. Without the rough, there is no tumble. I shan't be staying for my Sonic 3 playthrough probably, but I respect all the additions which keeps it as at least a curiosity among us Sonic OC creators. Still love Sonic World though....it was the entire reason I booted it up after all...
The extras man, the extras. It's all about the extras.
Now....where is the Backloggd page for the Sonic Screensaver?! GIMME WHAT I WANT!
You think it insane that we wouldn't own this for our Saturn, but with an American release date in mid-1997 I was probably too busy playing Twisted Metal 2 to even notice one of my ten childhood heroes finally make their much anticipated trip into the third dimension as an extra in a compilation that my dad probably wasn't paying any mind to due to owning all of the games already. Alas, I was temporarily distracted from drawing hedgehogs, and instead was sketching terrible looking pickup trucks with flamethrowers attached to them. The house of Sega was slowly getting encroached on by the house of PlayStation, a scenario that no doubt wasn't unique to myself. Don't worry Sonic, I still loved you.
Having a 3D controller on hand after playing NiGHTS last year came in clutch once again for trying out the well-known stepping stone for what would later be Sonic Adventure. It's a fantastic pad that doesn't get enough love I feel, as it's essentially a Dreamcast controller but with a better stick, respectable shoulder buttons, a six-button layout, and overall much better feel of holding. Sega was just as good as Nintendo was at making controllers, but for some reason they really cheaped out for the Dreamcast. Must've been the VMU slot holding back everything else...a worthwhile sacrifice, if only I could get the Saturn 3D pad with a VMU now. A potentially perfect controller?! Oh....oh my yes...
Browsing the gallery is a weird feeling, you recall pictures easily because you've seen them in other compilations before. Other compilations that came out after this one, for me both Mega Collection and Gems Collection. Unfortunate that the Archie comic covers aren't here, but they would've been only about five years deep into the run at this point. Included was also a history timeline of sorts, where you get to spot mentions of MTV, Cherry Coke, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. It makes you remember just how popular Sonic truly was and still is. Regrettably, this compilation was released only a year before Pokemon would land on the shorelines and storm every school imaginable. It was quite a weird thought to have after seeing the line "Sonic is the first AND ONLY video game character to be in the Macy's Parade", knowing that Pikachu was that close to launching his campaign to take Sonic's throne. You didn't stand a chance, I'm so sorry my friend.
Back in 97 most people probably gazed at Sonic Jam on shelves, and contemplated buying it to have every main Sonic Genesis/MD title on one disc (The power of CD-ROM villainous scheming hands). Yet, today like many of these old compilations I enjoy owning them for their own bonus content, much like the PS1 Namco Museums or the Capcom Classics Collection that has the special version of Quiz and Dragons that uses Capcom trivia. It's kinda similar to owning TV shows on DVD I guess, where you keep them for the commentary and whatnot. Do I own Sonic Jam? Naw, to this day there still ain't no jam in my kitchen. The American Saturn library is too impenetrable I'm afraid. I would've loved to grow up with this, I'd be moving around with Sonic in that tiny little 3D Green Hill for ages, listening to all the music in one place and watching all the Japanese commercials that I couldn't understand. Would be utter bliss for childish me, but who am I kidding? It was bliss regardless. It feels crusty and smelly as shit that a Sonic compilation is being sold at 100 bucks for just the disc, but I suppose that shows just how fast the Saturn came and went for us. An existence that we took too lightly....shame on all of y'all. accidentally drops link to list of PS1 games I own
I will say though? Interesting renditions of the Sonic games in here. They actually aren't emulated, they're completely rebuilt for this. You get a spin dash in Sonic 1, normal/easy modes that change up the games, and time attack. With this comes a price it seems though, as when I played Sonic 2 I beared witness to the blast processing taking a vacation as noticeable slowdown plagued Sonic and Tails' run of Emerald Hill. In addition, all of the sounds in Sonic 3 seemed to either be slightly different or had been sanded down so sensitive ears wouldn't be disturbed. I'm sorry, I can take slowdown, but that? That right there is blasphemy in the house of Sega. We are all about the roughness, and we are all about the tumble. Without the rough, there is no tumble. I shan't be staying for my Sonic 3 playthrough probably, but I respect all the additions which keeps it as at least a curiosity among us Sonic OC creators. Still love Sonic World though....it was the entire reason I booted it up after all...
The extras man, the extras. It's all about the extras.
Now....where is the Backloggd page for the Sonic Screensaver?! GIMME WHAT I WANT!
This is a truly outstanding collection. I mean come on, it contains the complete trilogy rebuilt from the ground up with new game modes, the possibility of using any lock-on combination, extra features like original art, movies AND on top of everything a 3D hubworld that allows you to control Sonic in 3D for the first time. Oh boy, they don't do it like this anymore.
Yup I gone done it and finally got my arse to play the OG Sonic Trilogy and yup I am somewhat mixed. Sonic 1 aged like doodoo. Sonic 2 is a game to learn from. and Sonic 3&K is a long ass game with levels you either love or despise. Regardless, it is absolutely my favorite of the three and something I wouldn't mind replaying sometime this year.
It was an interesting experience to play the games close enough to original hardware without a Genesis. And especially with no widescreen involved as prior to this, I had only ever played the games by their remastered ports that update and make the game have more image.
And honestly if you ever wanted to play the games close enough without a Genesis I recommend it. And if not, it's still great too with alot of the DVD quality Special Features it boosts. Being one of the first really modern collections to have such material. You get the American and Japanese manuals for the games, The Sonic CD cutscenes before being touched apon for the Sega CD (do look into it, it's interesting), Commericals from Japan for Sonic Games plus the OVA, the ability to listen to the respective games' soundtracks, and a entire History to Sonic up til 1997. Which that part reminds me of when Nintendo did the same for Kirby in that Wii Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection, except this was done in 1997. In a time before rereleases 24/7 nontheless.
And all of this, in Sonic Jam's own Sonic World. A interactive 3D hub where all of these Special Features are located. A very interesting way of going about it rather than just having it be by navigating a menu. Sadly, the Mission List thing is pretty dang short once you master the world, but you still stick around for those Special Features.
In my opinion, without a doubt a must burn/emulate it for the Saturn. Because if you go trying to buy a legit copy, you'd realize, "if I paid double, could have purchased Panzer Dragoon Saga instead."
It's a good time all around.
It was an interesting experience to play the games close enough to original hardware without a Genesis. And especially with no widescreen involved as prior to this, I had only ever played the games by their remastered ports that update and make the game have more image.
And honestly if you ever wanted to play the games close enough without a Genesis I recommend it. And if not, it's still great too with alot of the DVD quality Special Features it boosts. Being one of the first really modern collections to have such material. You get the American and Japanese manuals for the games, The Sonic CD cutscenes before being touched apon for the Sega CD (do look into it, it's interesting), Commericals from Japan for Sonic Games plus the OVA, the ability to listen to the respective games' soundtracks, and a entire History to Sonic up til 1997. Which that part reminds me of when Nintendo did the same for Kirby in that Wii Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection, except this was done in 1997. In a time before rereleases 24/7 nontheless.
And all of this, in Sonic Jam's own Sonic World. A interactive 3D hub where all of these Special Features are located. A very interesting way of going about it rather than just having it be by navigating a menu. Sadly, the Mission List thing is pretty dang short once you master the world, but you still stick around for those Special Features.
In my opinion, without a doubt a must burn/emulate it for the Saturn. Because if you go trying to buy a legit copy, you'd realize, "if I paid double, could have purchased Panzer Dragoon Saga instead."
It's a good time all around.