Wondering

segarox

Has any one ever wondered this... I heard Sonic and Knuckles being reffered to as a direct sequel to Sonic 3 but if you had both games and locked them together to get the complete Sonic 3, then wouldn't calling Sonic and Knuckles a direct sequel to Sonic 3 be a contradictory statement to make?

And did Sonic 3D actually start out life as a 32X project, because I think it may have.

o1s1n

As retrogamer said over here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055104207&page=9

It was meant to be the one game originally but the project ended up being split in two.

I always considered it more of an add on rather than a sequel.

Sonic 3d is just Sonic - Flickies island. The Sonic which was first billed for the 32x was Sonic X-treme. (Originally called Sonic 32x) Development was then moved to the Saturn...and then never saw the light of day at all

segarox

Thanks for that, that was just playing on my mind. I thought it was a physical example of an oxymoron.

CiDeRmAn

Yup. Sonic and Knuckles is a companion piece to Sonic 3, and allowed the player to try existing levels as Knuckles, accessing previously hidden parts and also allowed players to play whole new levels too, I think!
Also it corrected the addition of the save system in Sonic3 that allowed folk to complete that game with too much ease, please correct me if I am wrong.
There was a follow up then wasn't there on the 32X featuring whole new characters called Knuckles Chaotix, a not often seen title and one I am seeking myself at this time for the old gaming hoard of mine!

Another game, never released, was Sonic Crackers, available via the internet and playable on most Megadrive/Genesis emulators, has gameplay elements of Sonic Crackers, like the characters connected by rings.

Retr0gamer

Sonic and Knuckles wasn't a companion piece, it was a whole new game. It's an even bigger game than Sonic 3. When you linked the two cartridges together you got a game that combined the two halfs. Sonic 3 was split in half durin development in sonic 3 and S&K. There's loads of evidence that Sonic 3 was originally supposed to be a full Sonic 3 and S&K experience. In Sonic 3 the knuckles routes in the levels are all present just inaccessible, the level select contains the names of some Sonic and Knuckles levels and if you try to drown on the boss in the water level in Sonic 3 and then jump out the Sonic and Knuckles boss music can be heard.

Sonic and Knuckles also didn't fix the save system. S&K didn't have any save system but when linked with Sonic 3 you could save your game. All the save data is on the Sonic 3 cartridge indicating that Sega intended the lock on cartridge.

Also Knuckles Chaotix on the 32X is an abomination. Avoid it. I wouldn't call it a sequel either.

segarox

CiDeRmAn wrote:

There was a follow up then wasn't there on the 32X featuring whole new characters called Knuckles Chaotix, a not often seen title and one I am seeking myself at this time for the old gaming hoard of mine!

No, Knuckles Chaotix was a spin-off not a sequel, and if you want it search ebay and be prepared to pay at least €100 because that's what I did or you can seek it out on the internet and play it on an emulator.
Don't mind Retr0gamer CiDeRmAn, Knuckles Chaotix is a good enough game.

o1s1n

segarox wrote:

No, Knuckles Chaotix was a spin-off not a sequel, and if you want it search ebay and be prepared to pay at least €100 because that's what I did or you can seek it out on the internet and play it on an emulator.
Don't mind Retr0gamer CiDeRmAn, Knuckles Chaotix is a good enough game.

You paid €100 for Knuckles Chaotix?!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. I usually see it go on ebay for between 30 and 40 sterling. And that's for a decent boxed copy.

The whole premise of the game sucks. Someone obviously had a light bulb moment with Sonic Crackers and thought it would be a great idea to build a game around it. It was a stupid gimmick. One which detracted from what could have been a good title as felt like you were playing a standard Sonic game with a lead weight tethered to your leg. Not fun in the slightest. I really don't know how it got passed the play test.

CiDeRmAn

I stand corrected on the save issue, but I still see it as a companion piece rather than a true sequel.
Love Sonic3 though, may fave of the series, Sonic Cd was a previous fave but its far too big!

segarox

Sonic CD is the best ever Sonic game, there should have been a sequel! Sonic games have become absolute tosh when Sega dropped out of the console business except for Sonic Advance 1 as that game had gotten back to good old classic Sonic gameplay that I loved and still do.

I'm glad that I have a Sega Mega 32X CD Drive!

Retr0gamer

I must be the only person who though Sonic CD was pure rubbish.

o1s1n

I've never played Sonic CD.

The year I wanted a Mega CD for Christmas was the year I found out Santa didn't exist.

Damn cheap parents!

CiDeRmAn

Its a bit like Sonic 1 but with really big confusing levels, the time travel thing is nice but for me it took Sonic 3 to really show what the series was made of.
The MegaCD didn't really rock anyones world, aside from a precious few titles, like, emm, wait now, I'll think of one, nope, nothing springing to mind!

segarox

CiDeRmAn wrote:

The MegaCD didn't really rock anyones world

Maybe so but I'd take the MegaCD versions of Ecco 1 & 2, Mickey Mania, Pitfall and Earthworm Jim over the cartridge originals anyday. In that I must ask has anyone here got a Mega Drive with a Mega CD and/or a 32X?

Retr0gamer

segarox wrote:

Maybe so but I'd take the MegaCD versions of Ecco 1 & 2, Mickey Mania, Pitfall and Earthworm Jim over the cartridge originals anyday.

Come on you can do better than those games. How about Snatcher, Lunar 1 and 2, Keio Flying Squadron, Robo Aleste, the racing section in Batman, those Core Design games, the only arcade perfect Final Fight at the time among other. It wasn't a total loss, almost.

The levels in Sonic CD were massive and the time travelling added replayability but the levels had no character and were samey and dull. Give me Sonic2 anyday over it.

segarox

Retr0gamer wrote:

How about Snatcher, Lunar 1 and 2, Keio Flying Squadron, Robo Aleste, the racing section in Batman, those Core Design games, the only arcade perfect Final Fight

Yeah, sorry forgot about them. Some of those games you mentioned I've never had the pleasure, still checking out eBay for them but I've played Snatcher and Final Fight CD in fact I own them. I sometimes wonder why there wasn't a Shinobi CD or Streets of Rage CD.

segarox

CiDeRmAn wrote:

Its a bit like Sonic 1

Funny you should mention that as I had read on a fansite that Sonic CD was originally meant to released before Sonic 2 but it wasn't due to schedules or something and that's why the sprites are very Sonic 1... but however, I could be wrong.