Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)

[VideoGameCritic]

I'm finally getting around to re-reviewing this controversial oldie.
The controls could be better in this one - too much momentum.

Would this have fared better if it were not a Sonic game?
After all, it had a lot to live up to.

[darkrage61]

Not to mention it was a last minute replacement for the cancelled Sonic X-Treme, I enjoyed this game as a kid despite it's new gameplay style.

[Rev1]

I am up on the fence on this one. I think it can be enjoyable for bursts but it doesn't have the nostalgia or gameplay to make me love the game. I would almost always go back to the other Sonic games over this, or something else entirely, rather then play through the game. Even when I do, I get bored quick and switch on a different console.

[darkrage61]

I have some nostalgia for it as I remember getting it back when it was a new release, at the time the idea of a Sonic game being in 3-D was exciting to me, and I found myself returning to the game quite a bit, though it's been ages since I last played it. 

[Captain_Crunch1]

Graphically, I'm really impressed with this one. It's one of the best looking Genesis games. Unfortunately, the gameplay is so-so. Not the speed we except of a Sonic game. If it were not Sonic, it would have been the same game, so I don't think it would have been better...

[Rev1]

[QUOTE=Captain_Crunch]Graphically, I'm really impressed with this one. It's one of the best looking Genesis games. Unfortunately, the gameplay is so-so. Not the speed we except of a Sonic game. If it were not Sonic, it would have been the same game, so I don't think it would have been better...[/QUOTE]

I think if it would have been a completely different set of characters with no Sonic attached to it, it would probably be considered a hidden gem on the console. I think a lot more people would simply give the game a chance if this would have happened...

[TheLastNightmare1]

Trying to nail the rapid fire diagonals in a boss fight with a d-pad is too much like trying to nail the stupidly hard overdrive moves in Fatal Fury. Sure, the hardcore can pull it off without a second's thought, but to the rest of us, it's borderline unplayable.

Add in analog controllers, and it's revealed as a hidden gem. The exploration is rewarding, and for an older game, it's cool to have a chance to save others instead of just seeking mindless revenge. But the honeymoon doesn't last, and it all becomes too familiar. You do the same thing over and over in large stages that all look alike, and it starts to feel more like a cheap Android release than a full featured sequel for Sega's top franchise.

[Captain_Crunch1]

[QUOTE=Rev][QUOTE=Captain_Crunch]I think if it would have been a completely different set of characters with no Sonic attached to it, it would probably be considered a hidden gem on the console. [/QUOTE]

I doubt it would have been a hidden gem - the game would have been noticed for its awesome graphics & style... and remembered for its shallow gameplay... 

[chrisbid1]

old isometric games almost always looked better than they played. 

[Rev1]

[QUOTE=Captain_Crunch]
I doubt it would have been a hidden gem - the game would have been noticed for its awesome graphics & style... and remembered for its shallow gameplay... [/QUOTE]

yeah, but I think it is possible. The game is mostly trashed by Sonic fans since it was nothing like the other games. That is the first thing anyone notices about the game. Then you have the janky controls and slow pace which really turn people off. Still, if it was some other character that was made up solely for this game I could see more people considering it a halfway decent game but because it is Sonic, it's a tough pill to swallow. I'm not saying I'm right, but I do think it is an interesting thought.