SegaShiro: Pure SEGA HARDCORE! The Sega Saturn Archive / Sega Dreamcast / Sega Archive

Imagine yourself, a young child, a fan of Sonic but never quite got all of the Mega Drive releases of Sonic. After the sheer amount of entertainment you have derived from your console you decide that buying the next Sega console the ‘Sega Saturn’ would be a relatively intelligent idea. Alongside your amazing Sega Saturn you have a game entitled “Sonic Jam”.

From a previous visit at your friends house you have seen the astonishing 3 dimensional capabilities, and conclude that Sonic, being amazing would be included in a game being 3-D. You also conclude that it’s probably the Saturn game “Sonic Jam” that includes such a brilliant offer! You being young and only slightly adorable hype up the occasion to the extent that it is rather ridiculous.

You then turn the Sega Saturn on with the Sonic Jam disc inserted, you are ready for the time of your life!Yes it’s Sonic Jam, and it’s in my opinion one of the most fantastic game compilations created. The games included are all fantastic, the extras provide the fan service brilliantly the game is really one of those games if you have a Saturn you should have Sonic Jam! Although the game does not lack it’s flaws as it does have a few problems. To begin with the games included are Sonic,Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic and Knuckles (With lock on compatibility) and an additional 3-d world.

As stated before all these games are fantastic, and for it’s time this game was certainly a  great deal. Think of it this way you are getting 4 Megadrive games with an additional 3-d world, considering the Saturn was released near the end of the Mega Drive Era (When the games sold about full price) they are giving you a great bargain! As I keep stating all of these games included are good, although most of the flaws in the game occur in the 3-d world. I think most people know just HOW good the Sonic games for the MD are, if not they should definitely get this compilations and try these Gems out! However I am going to be describing the 3-d world in depth as for fans of Sonic for the MD this will be the only thing new to them in the compilation.

The 3-d world is essentially a demonstration of what Sonic would be in 3-d. It certainly feels like a demo as it is one small level in which you can do missions alongside going into little houses which contain Videos, Music and Images (Most of this content is actually very interesting and you have more than likely never seen it before). The missions included are for the most part rather pointless and dull, and serve absolutely no purpose unless you want to watch credits which most people find credits to be very boring and a waste of time.

These missions require you to complete simple tasks such as collect a certain amount of rings within a time limit, or touch tails (Yes it sounds rather wrong!) within a time limit. In reality these missions have one objective to collect things, they lack any kind of variety nor entertainment value. I can understand why they have been added because in theory they should be a blast to play-through, but when you notice the evident repetition you begin to lose any reason to care about the missions. In fact I found it much more to run around with no missions, just exploring the small land is fun while it lasts as sadly the land really is very small. And aside from interact with a few things there is nothing much else to do.

Another problem I found with the 3-d world is that the music was very horrid in comparison to just about any other track in the game. And sadly this tune plays the whole time you play the 3-d World. One thing that I did enjoy doing was admiring the fantastic graphics used, the 3-d world reeks brilliance graphically wise, the problem is that is just isn’t that fun and even when it is fun it will be in extremely short bursts.

Luckily enough the other games are fantastic, and even though Sonic 1 and 2 are relatively short, you can play them for infinite times and somehow it doesn’t manage to become boring. These games are the definitive Sonic games that even today stand the tests of time and will continue to do so for the rest of eternity. In short terms the retro Sonic games are just the sheer epitome of brilliant gaming, no questions asked. The only problem I had with these game is that I got the occasional slow down, and when that occurs it deteriorates the momentum built when running at extreme speeds with the famed hedgehog. There is an undeniable pleasure taken from going at extreme speed whether it be in a car or in a Computer game it’s a guilty pleasure that is simulated extremely well in Sonic. I have the uppermost respect for the developers as it is hard to develop a game that is this breathtaking especially with something as primitive (Yet so awesome) as a MD.

Yes, Sonic Jam is an essential purchase if you have a Saturn, it just has so much to do and see. The games included will be remembered in history for all the correct reasons and should not be missed by anyone. This game provides  some solid content that can last hours and hours and hours.