dynamiteReady wrote:

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Thanks to save states and a pretty good memory for secret areas, I'm able to turn into Super Sonic by level 3-2. Aboslutely loving it.

Man... Still prefer the timeless austerity of the first game's art (sound and graphic synergy), but accept that S&K is a good game...

I didn't get my Megadrive until a few weeks after Sonic 2sday.  By that time, although I'd marvelled at the original many times round a mate's house (and it came free with my 2nd hand machine), I'd convinced myself that the MS version was better, so that's always remained a favourite.  S&K was a great excuse not to remain disappointed with Sonic 3, which I thought was a bit of a let-down as a standalone game.  Six levels, although good fun, with two stages each was a bit cheeky compared to Sonic 2 (or even the first game, which had three stages to most levels). 

Davy - iirc the ports in the PAL Sonic Jam were still 17.5% slower than intended.  I'd have to dig out back issues of the official Saturn mag to confirm, as a Google search yields conflicting reports.  I must say this didn't bother me at the time, as I'd never played the games at their original speed, but in hindsight it's a shame.  At least Sega pulled their finger out in style when they launched the DC.

Disappointing final boss of Sonic 3 defeated, I've just landed in Mushroom Hill Zone at the start of S&K. 

Icecap Zone still gets two thumbs up.

It's interesting to see what you think of it then, because although I was staunchly in the Sega camp as a kid, it's quite obvious to me now that the Mario games were superior. Donkey Kong Country is probably a closer match in terms of quality, but even then, unless you're familiar with the less precise Sonic controls and idiosyncrasies of the design, it's likely the more straightforward DKC would have more appeal. Hmm, I'm rambling a bit.

Basically, I wonder how much I'd like Sonic if I approached it today with fresh eyes and untinted specs.

davyK wrote:

I now quite enjoy the Marble Zone in the first game as it is reminiscent of Mario fortress levels in many ways.

 
Interesting thought that...

davyK wrote:

...I do prefer the stripped down purity of the first game...

Still one of the most stylish games ever made...

Just compared Sonic 1 PAL on a MD at 60Hz vs PAL Sonic 1 on Sonic Jam....the MD game feels faster but I think the Sonic Jam version is faster than the MD original at 50Hz.

Without a side by side comparison I can't say by how much - the 60Hz game also gives a bigger picture which will feel faster too..but i think overall Sonic Jam PAL hasn't been fully speed optimised which is a shame as most main 1st party titles got speed optimised on Saturn. Might be worth picking up the JPN version for my white Saturn as it will probably be pretty cheap - I've done that for the other main titles like Sega Rally, VF2 etc.

Back with Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic 3 - got to Eggman on Hydrocity Zone - think that's world 2? Had hit him quite a few times and it was getting annoying before losing my last life,,,,

what's the difference between Sonic 3 & Knuckles and just Sonic 3?

They were both originally just Sonic 3 but got lengthy enough to become two games.

Sonic 3 continues directly into Sonic and Knuckles if you have one plugged into 'tother. 
Doing so enables the use of Sonic 3's save system for the entirety, allows you to play through Sonic 3 as Knuckles too. The Sonic 3 Knuckles campaign is different to Sonic's with slightly different level design, unlike when you plug Sonic 2 in and receive the same levels to be played as knuckles.

There are also 2 sets of emeralds to collect, one for each game. Getting all 14 (iirc) emeralds and finishing both games will unlock the Mecha Sonic boss fight.

Liveinadive wrote:

I think you will have to repeat the S&K final boss to face off against Mecha Sonic. On Mega Drive anyway. No idea about Sonic Jam or other versions.

I just Googled this, and I think I managed to miss this as a kid.  Not quite sure how, but it doesn't ring any bells. 

I always thought this was the last level:

Even so, I don't remember it.  Maybe I never finished it as Knuckles.  I wish I'd played as the echidna this week now.

Would love to join you guys with these again but Sandopolis Zone Act 2 pisses me off more than words can express.

We are making it confusing by being confused to be fair.

Just play through and enjoy it, then if you want to you can go back for the emeralds and the extra boss and if you really enjoy it you can play through again as another character for a tweaked experience. It is quite advanced for it's age and has a fuck ton of content for the MD.

Timeouts are optional in Sonic Jam.

Completed this on Tuesday, with all super emeralds. Great fun, this has been one of my favourite weeks/fortnights so far. I never owned S&K as a teenager but borrowed it/rented it from Ritz a few times. Not much of a game on it's own really, in hindsight, moreso than Sonic 3 perhaps, but 'the original vision' of both games as a whole is certainly superb.

Icecap Zone, Flying Battery Zone, Sky Sanctuary Zone - the themes for each would be well up there in a Sonic music greatest hits.

Sonic 3: 86%
Sonic & Knuckles: 82%
Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic 3: 93%

Just finished Marble Garden Zone.

Bloody long levels, easy to get lost I thought.

Great boss though, it's an air battle with Tales holding you whilst Robotnik flys in and out of the screen using sprite scaling ala Bowser at the end of Mario World. Very impressive graphically I thought, this and Castlevania Bloodlines really show off what the MD was capable of imo.

davyK wrote:

Picked up Sonic Mega Collection today for Gamecube - plays at 60Hz so that's an improvement - however I think I have to finish some games before being able to play the lock on modes....

Nice package though - has the Sonic themed Puyo Puyo game and a few others in addition to Sonic1,2,3 & Knuckles.

Get Gems collection to. It has Sonic CD plus tons of 8Bit Sonic goodness

I wonder how many times I would have sat through that Wonderman video for the snippets of Sonic 3 footage if I'd had it on VHS before the game launched.  Probably dozens. 

I was thinking about it today, and I reckon Sonic 3 was the most I've ever looked forward to a game - I certainly bought a record number of mags in one month to read about it (all of them).  A fuller list of the games I've gone a bit mad for leading up to their release: Sonic The Hedgehog (MS), SFII: Special Championship Edition, Sonic 3, Landstalker, Virtua Fighter II, Dark Savior, Zelda OOT, Shenmue, Ecco DC, Halo 3 and Trials Evolution.