This will mostly be a review of the Sonic World portion of Sonic Jam, if it was a review for the compilation part I'd just give it a 10/10.

But yeah, Sonic World.

When you compare it visually and controls wise to a lot of n64 era platformers, it's aged pretty amazingly! The aesthetic style of it fits right in with current day "PSX" style games.

The pixels are wonderfully chunky and everything is bright and beautiful, I genuinely adore how the game looks!

I also really enjoy how Sonic controls in it. While he doesn't feel as fast in the adventure games, he still feels plenty fast enough and super responsive.

His moveset is extremely simple but it works for what it is, it makes me wish we could finally see the Sonic Adventure Saturn prototype one day, I'd love a sonic game with these physics and style one day!


The biggest issue with it by far is length, you can finish all the missions and see all gallery content within 1 hour, it's a really short experience and I wish there was more! But still, I'm very happy I gave it a playthrough!

As a concept, making a 3D world to roam around in as the pretense for why there are roms to play is probably better than the modern setup of "here's a big menu," but in the era of cheat code magazines and labyrinthine easter eggs, it was more of a tutorial for how to let a kid kill magic for themselves. The afternoon a friend and I spent trying to convince each other that no, there was definitely some kind of secret entrance to the rest of the 3D game that they clearly made was perhaps one of the more pure delusions I've ever been under.

Growing up, I only felt regret for not having a Sega Saturn whenever I'd sit up contemplating Sonic World. You know, as most 10-year-olds do. It was talked about in magazines, shown off in blurry pictures that were no substitute for the real deal... Sonic the Hedgehog was in 3D, but all I could do was replay the same three games over and over again on my Genesis.

Hey, you know what I would've done had I actually owned Sonic Jam in 1997? Play those same three games over and over again, only this time with worse sound quality!

Sonic Jam may not have been the first compilation of Sonic games to hit the market, but it was the first to come packed with extra content and features, owed in part to the power of the Compact Disc and the additional storage capacity it provides. Scans of character art, soundtracks, advertisements and other assorted promotional animations are all present and have been reproduced over the years in subsequent collections, but there was a distinct novelty to this sort of thing in the mid-90s, especially for American kids who probably hadn't seen the Man of the Year short, or even the Sonic CD intro with Toot Toot Sonic Warrior. Personally, I prefer Toot Toot over Sonic Boom, and if you have a problem with that, meet by the monkey bars after class.

Connecting all these galleries together is the aforementioned Sonic World, a small zone stylized after Green Hill which can be explored freely, and which even allows the player to take on small missions to really stretch the value out. The true Open Zone™ experience. You know Sonic Team was using this as a test bed for Sonic Adventure, cause the camera is bad and jumping don't feel no good, but placing myself into that child-like state of mind and evaluating it for what it was rather than what it is... Pretty good! Sonic's model is excellent, the world itself is charming, and I think it's an great way to get at Sonic Jam's side content and make the experience of doing so more engaging than simply tabbing through menus.

When not pouring over the sacred tomes (Japanese Sonic 1 commercials), you can actually play a damn Sonic game. Each of the mainline Genesis titles are here and accessible from the start, with Sonic & Knuckles allowing the same lock-on content as the real cart. These are true ports, but unfortunately they're also not the best versions even by 90s standards. Sonic the Hedgehog is fine for the most part, but Sonic the Hedgehog 2's performance is abysmal across the board. Granted, I am playing on a reproduction disc and it's possible something is just up with how it was written, but comparing Sonic 2 on Jam versus a cart is like comparing apples to oranges. The original had its problems, but this port is almost unplayable. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles perform fine but have sound issues that really take me out of the game, notably the ring collection chime and Badnik/monitor pop effects sounding way off. Why do the balloons in Carnival Night sound like the Egg-O-Matic explosions? What happened here? Given the overall level of quality, it's hard not to look at Sonic Jam and think, "Well at least I have a backup in case something happens to the dozens of other copies of these games I own."

That said, there is at least one unique feature that I think makes playing them worthwhile: easy mode. I first found out about this while watching DocFuture's LP of Sonic 1's easy mode years ago, and you know... it is a relaxing way to play Sonic. Don't need to worry about collecting all the Chaos Emeralds, or fighting bosses, or drowning. Just sit down with a stiff drink and take a leisurely jog through South Island. It's nice. Sadly, those rat fucks at Sega decided not to put Sonic 2: Special Edition on the disc, and I do have to deduct any points earned by easy mode purely for the absence of Failure Cresh. Sonic Team underdelivers yet again!

There was a time and a place for Sonic Jam, and it was 1997 on the Sega Saturn. And hey, that's fine. I'm not saying this doesn't have any value or isn't worth exploring today, but if you just want to play the classic Genesis Sonic games... boy, you've got options and this should not be one of them.

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!

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.

Sonic Jam is a great compilation of the mainline Classic Sonic games... well, ok, they didn't put Sonic CD on here, but the games that are on here are solid enough.

These were actually ported to the Saturn, instead of just being emulated, and the porting process is pretty impressive. It's not exactly 1:1, as there are some sound effects that sound a bit different, and after a while, the music will fade out and replay again, but besides that, the Mega Drive games play and sound as they should.

But in addition to that, there's also the Sonic World segment, a place where you can around as Sonic in a 3D environment, and do some missions, and also look up a bunch of concept art, videos, commercials, and just generally appreciate the history of Sonic the Hedgehog from his inception all to way to 1997. It doesn't seem like many years, but when take the spin-offs into account, you realize just how much stuff Sonic had at that time, and he only grew more and more since.

This game is just an overall nice package, not only being a great collection of games in its own right, but the bonus content it offers is the cherry on top!

Sonic Jam is a compilation of the following Sonic games

Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
It also features it’s own 3D Sonic level which houses all the bonus material: soundtracks, galleries, some videos and more. There are also some challenges within this level to complete. The movement is quite fluid, although the camera is pretty bad. If the Saturn had been more successful, I wonder if this would have been the basis for a full Sonic game on the system.

The versions of the original games are also modified (with the originals still available). These make changes to the layout to make the game easier, such as stopping some annoying falls, although the implementation is a bit sloppy. One clear example is the moving platforms just after the invincibility in Green Hill Zone act 2.

They’ve added additional platforms underneath the moving platforms, but it’s really obvious from the graphics that they weren’t originally there. It does add some nice stuff, like better scrolling clouds and better water effects. There’s also an “easy” moves which adds more platforms, removes obstacles and even completely skips some levels.

This isn't the most optimal way to play the Classic games, but they're still really good ports.
The main thing that makes this collection worth checking out is the vast array of extras, like the fully 3D Sonic World hub, the art gallery, and the theater full of old Japanese Sonic commercials and animations. If I was a kid in the 90s playing this, I can imagine this would've been really cool insight into how Sonic was being marketed and portrayed across the pond in his home country.
The stuff I think is the coolest in here is:
- The Sonic CD cutscenes animated by Studio Junio. This was the first time that people were able to watch the actual animation cels for the Sonic CD cutscenes before they were digitized and touched up for the CD version. The PC port had them too, but Jam is the first time you can watch them in a full resolution rather than cramped into a small border.
- The Sonic Drift commercial. More spectacular animation on display here, but it's a hybrid of early primitive CG animation for the cars and environment and 2D animation for all the characters. It's not as jarring as it sounds, and it blends together really nicely.
- The Sonic Spinball ad. PINBARU GAME! AMERICAN FUNKY ACTION!!!!! SONIC SPINBAW!!!
- The Sonic CD ad. Seeing Sonic and Metal Sonic square up in 3D looks so cool. Something about late 90s/early 2000s CG animation still blows me away for some reason.
- Man of the Year. This is one of my favorite pieces of Sonic animation ever, animated by TMS. It's so bouncy and fluid and full of personality. They're the same animation studio responsible for my favorite episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, and the talent of the animators from back in the day shines through in this short as well.
- There's also a really neat section called "History of Sonic" that goes year by year to archive stuff about game releases and important events related to Sonic, many of which I learned about for the first time while playing Sonic Jam.

All this awesome stuff might've ended up as lost media if not for Jam archiving everything. It's technically outclassed by collections like Mega Collection Plus and Gems Collection, and you can find all the coolest stuff in Jam uploaded on YouTube now, but running around Sonic World for yourself and taking your time to look at everything is a whole different feeling.