SONIC JAM: The Unsung Titan of the Sega Saturn | GEEK CRITIQUE

In 1993, Sega was on top of the gaming world. Just four years later, the company, and its Saturn console, were in dire straits, struggling in a distant third place behind the powerhouse Nintendo 64 and the upstart Sony PlayStation. And yet Sonic the Hedgehog, the very series that had propelled Sega to such unbelievable heights just a generation before, was nowhere to be found. This is the story of the only Sonic game the team that bore his name would ever make for Sega's 32-bit console, and much like the Saturn itself, it's been uncelebrated and under-appreciated ever since.
Same as my OG Sonic series, pretty much every remix I used here came from NicoCW/Dr. Reverbnik:
/ nicocw
/ @drreverbnik
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[@MerelyAFan]

In a lot of ways, especially in a period that was rife with such a bitter division between SoA and SoJ, Jam is an oddly affectionate tribute to the two biggest worlds of Sonic. It offered an inviting welcome to otherwise uncertain Eastern gamers to a franchise that likely seemed so American to them, while giving Western fans a glimpse of a different yet intriguing version of the Blue Blur. 1998 to 2008 would prove to be a tumultuous time for the fandom, especially with the fallout of Sega deciding with the Japanese canon/take on Sonic would now be the universal one. But much like Sonic World provides a glimpse of a 3D game that might have been, Jam as a whole is a window into a shared Sonic experience that could have followed in the decade after; where the very multiverse of what Sonic had already become was something to be celebrated rather than avoided.

[@wingbeltcreations5455]

I would like to complement you on a very well written comment, and you absolutely make a good point about the East. I feel as a Westerner, I've focused so much on how different Japan's Sonic is compared to the Western one, but never considered what they thought of the Western version. Really makes you appreciate Generation's Classic design taking small elements from the American design and meshing them with the main aspects of the Eastern design.

[@inendlesspain4724]

At least they did incorporate some elements of the western canon, like the name Robotnik, and I think Sonic's love for chili dogs.

[@jak3w]

My man sounds like the gaming historian

[@CornishCreamtea07]

Sonic was made solely for the American market, not for the Japanese market where they tried other games and not for the European or Latin American market where SEGA was already popular. So it makes sense it would struggle to find popularity over there.

[@lpfan4491]

@@CornishCreamtea07 It's still unreal when the franchise was almost always better over there than here. And in the case of the games, really always.

[@Cybershell13]

Great video. As a SEGA kid I deeply cherished my copy of Sonic Jam. Getting to see those Japanese commercials, the little gameplay additions like spindash in 1 and the alternate modes, and just getting to control a 3D Sonic in a time where that was a still a novelty. It may just have been a game compilation but it's brimming with soul.

[@snooze-malone]

Sup cyber, we love to see you

[@EU_Cafe]

Still waiting on that Sonic Jam Bonus video

[@Robert-tl2vg]

@@snooze-malone sorry? Is this your KZbin video?

[@snooze-malone]

@@Robert-tl2vg ...huh? Clearly not. What are you on about.

[@analog_ape]

He's alive!

[@MrGojira95]

What I would give for a Sonic game in the style of “Sonic World”.

[@masterfarr8265]

Sonic Adventure

[@mattjindrak]

What would you give?

[@sadham2668]

Sonic robo blast 2?

[@retrohill5848]

@@masterfarr8265 Sonic Adventure is it's own style

[@tjz3158]

So you basically want an open world Sonic game

[@Brione30]

“Hey all, Josh here! DAMMIT! I critiqued Sonic Jam! It’s a pretty rare game, but I don’t want to be known as The Guy Who Critiqued Sonic Jam when I’m dead.”

[@KittyKatty999]

Ah, yes. A true man of culture. :3

[@carlosemilio5180]

Scosh

[@BareBandSubscription]

That joke is just Scott’s way of showing off his copy of Sonic Jam without seeming too cringe.

[@garvensman]

Sonic World may have been a full year after Mario 64, but the 64 was far more powerful than Saturn. The fact that it looks comparable to Mario 64 at all is a miracle.

[@israelrice]

Imagine what could’ve been with Sonic Team working on N64 hardware at the time…

[@garvensman]

@@israelrice Right? They could have made something really great. Sonic World was a baby step, it could have been awesome seeing bigger worlds with similar missions

[@ultrascarlet5275]

​@@israelrice Too bad SEGA was incredibly stupid and said no to the hardware that eventually became the N64...

[@costumeninja1914]

@@ultrascarlet5275I like the Saturn hardware better . It’s powerful in its own right

[@TheDr502]

Huh, was the N64 more powerful than the Saturn? Sure, Banjo Kazooie looked great for its time, but the Saturn seemed to do a better job with textures than the N64 did. I remember Virtua Fighter 2 looking more detailed than something like Star Fox 64, despite VF2 being released a good 3 years earlier.

[@flameguy21]

Me: "Man, why play the Saturn version when it's available on a billion other systems?" TCG: "It has difficulty options." Me: "I'm sold."

[@papersonic9941]

I'm fairly certai Rom-Hackers have put the difficulty options on the Genesis Roms. At least I know Sonic 3 Complete had them.

[@flameguy21]

@@papersonic9941 oh I'm almost positive it exists, but I didn't know about them to begin with until now

[@CoralCopperHead]

"Yeah, we labelled them 'original, normal, and easy' but in reality they're just 'normal, easy remix, and extra platforms.'" "Get the fuck *_out_* of me."

[@ToonReel001]

Shame there's no hard mode though.

[@gustavorodriguez5643]

IMO, Sonic Jam is a collection that has aged like the finest of wines. It not only recreates the main Genesis games perfectly, but also has A TON of meaningful extra content about Sonic's history to that point. Heck. Sonic Jam outclasses a lot of current gen collections like Super Mario 3D All Stars. I'd love to see Jam getting a re-release sometime soon.

[@PiyuEris]

I'd love Sega to give Jam the Night's treatment. Original mode and widescreen mode.

[@MungkaeX]

“Sonic 3’s Elephantine design.” Few sentences make me smile in the way that one does.

[@AmuroRae]

There's an absolute abundance of positive things I could say about this, and all your videos... but I just wanted to say, every time I get to the end of one of your Geek Critiques, I'm just left with the sheer sense of reverence that you have for video games as a whole. It's infectious and genuinely wonderful.

[@GameApologist]

This video was AMAZING. Ive only ever really focused on World as a kid, so it was really cool getting all the detail about the difficulty modes. This game deserved a deep analysis and i can think of no one better to do it. Bravo, Josh!!!

[@rockman2905]

YO IT'S NIEK

[@nictendo463]

I’m glad to see some low-poly Sonic appreciation

[@megamillion5852]

Years later, The Fighters and R models still don't get enough honest to goodness love. There's something about low poly Sonic characters that reflects the soul of the series in a particular way I've never felt has been captured again.

[@Pyrobaconstudios]

For real, there's just something about them that makes it such a charming aesthetic

[@RawrX32009]

​@@megamillion5852You forgot the Sonic Jam/3d Blast model :

[@Mario583a]

Project Nights consumers always asked `Who is Sonic?` never `How is Sonic?` ~ Sonic Team.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

The Gallery theme hits me in the feels.

[@GeekCritique]

Saaaaame.

[@yabbadabbindude]

That Sonic world concept is great, I wish we'd have gotten a whole game in that style

[@MistareFusion]

A new TGC is always worth the wait! Through your eyes I can almost imagine a parallel world where I was a diehard Sega/Sonic kid instead of Nintendo/Mario. And I love it!

[@leonardoalvarenga7572]

Love your content, Mistare.

[@Metalwario64]

I am forever thankful that I had both a SNES and Genesis as a kid. Hell, we even had both the PSX and N64, then got a discounted Dreamcast when that was on its way out, so I had quite a diverse gaming experience growing up.

[@toluwanimipopoola8398]

Oh look, It’s MistareFusion of Dragon Ball Dissection Fame! I love your DBD videos and your Donkey Kong Country Retrospectives are really fascinating. DBD really changed my view on the series as whole. Thank you and I can’t wait for you finally end the manga.

[@Jrloveish]

Yoooooooooooo, when one favorite KZbin has a favorite that’s also another of my favorites!!!!!

[@segaunited3855]

We're Writing a Manifesto that will CHANGE people's Perception about SEGA. Get Ready.

[@metalefactor1735]

Adding on to what Mega Collection and the like meant to "The Next Generation," something I've only recently realized is that between Mega Collection, Gems, and the Adventure ports, kids growing up with a Gamecube had access to pretty much the entirety of Sonic's history up to and through that point(except for some oddballs like Chaotix and SegaSonic). Sure, they weren't exactly the definitive versions of... any of these games, really(except MAYBE SA2 if you love the multiplayer as much as I do), but that didn't stop me(and I can only assume countless others) from becoming a massive Sonic nerd who was just as scared of drowning in Chemical Plant as he was of doing the same in Aquatic Mine, equally intimidated by Mecha Sonic going super and Metal Sonic transforming into Metal Overlord, and equally baffled by the Carnival Night Barrel and Big the Cat's fishing controls. I may have still ended up being a Sonic fan without these, but possibly nowhere near as big of one. Even beyond Sonic I think that says a lot about the importance of game preservation and keeping older titles accessible. I still remember being really surprised as I learned about the Classic/Modern divide in the fandom when I first started using the internet(around the time of Sonic 4's announcement, so pretty much when it peaked), especially since certain classic fans seem to have the idea that a lot of younger fans don't even know the older games exist, which always felt silly to read as someone who grew up with SADX, who is also someone who has actually played Tails Sky Patrol...on the same disc! It kinda pains me to see a good amount of people from my own generation do the same, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little guilty of it myself deep down(I just can't be bothered to publicly rant about it online). As for Jam, I actually remember being pretty underwhelmed when I found out it was "just" a compilation because that same "History of Sonic" video made me think I was missing out on an entire 3D Sonic game. Since then I've just written it off as an older compilation with less games than the one I had, and a neat little novelty mode. This video's definitely helped me see it in a better light, especially the Easy and Normal modes as I never considered the fact it was still the original Sonic Team that made them. Great Video, and sorry if this comment got a little too long, this stuff has been on my mind for a while now and it seemed relevant.

[@WaterKirby1994]

I thought the Classic Adventure divide was insane back in 2010 as well for the same reasons you did as I had the GameCube experience with Sonic. Of course there actually is a huge divide between 2000s & 2010s for Sonic with the characterization being drastically different in the 2010s, Just Sonic Mentality randomly became a thing that started plaguing the main series with the arrival of 3D Boost. Even a lot of the older games are inaccessible to newer fans these days. These days everyone gets access to Sonic 1, Sonic 2, & Sonic CD with 3K being much harder to access. The kids these days aren't getting the Gamegear Games, 3D Blast, Spinball, The GBA Games, Heroes, Shadow, the DS Games, 06, the Riders Games, or even the Rivals Games or Unleashed as they haven't been rereleased in such a long time. Game Preservation is important although none of the 4kids Era games have ever been ported & The Sonic Advance Trilogy was only rereleased on 3DS Eshop in Japan. I have waited 15 years for Knuckles Chaotix & SegaSonic to get rereleased in some format although that never happened.

[@Poxysocks]

“HONEY WAKE UP, A NEW GEEK CRITIQUE VIDEO TO ENDLESSLY REWATCH JUST DROPPED”

[@jennifersenda616]

Fun fact, the sonic world part of son jam is actually a prototype of sonic adventure, because sonic adventure was originally a going to be released on the southern as a part of the sonic project, but was moved it to the Dreamcast wants to developers, saw the hardware potential, but they didn’t wanna let their work go away, so they just used their earliest prototype in sonic jam, and polished it up a bit and people playing because on the gym didn’t know it, but if they were still going to release sonic adventure in the dream cast it would’ve been two years away

[@TadIGuess]

I never knew much about Sonic Jam, so this was really fascinating. Makes me wish I had a Saturn as a kid, I would've loved this.

[@Reoko77]

26:18 Wow. That's actually pretty profound. Reminds me of the sonic CD quote too. Sega always had something nintendo didn't and that was personality. Back in the 90's, Sega looked to be at the top of their game. Going up against nintendo, creating arcades, events, they looked to not have a care in the world. But in all honesty, it wasn't that great for them behind closed doors. It was actually pretty fuckin bad. Bleeding money on add ons just to complete with growing hardware, the arcade business going put of style, the bitter rivalry between SoA and SoJ, the paycuts, staff departs and downgrades, awful management decisions, constant game cancelations and sooooooo much more and it continued untill the failure of the dreamcast where it peaked so bad, the company almost closed down. A game called Segagaga was pretty much their way of letting everyone know how bad it really was and thought it was pretty much one of their last games on the dreamcast. Shit, the director went to an opening for segagaga to sign autographs for the game and almost NO ONE SHOWED UP. It was heartbreaking and demoralizing. And yet, through it all, they kept going. They kept trying. They had their backs against the wall for a decade and was still smiling through it. Even after the 90's, sonic 06 development, the shit show that is the sonic fan base, the still questionable management decisions and quality control, those guys STILL got personality. They still got the heart to reach out to their fan base and show love. And as a die hard nintendo fan, I'll be the first to admit nintendo STILL can't beat Sega in that charm. I may not be the biggest Sega or sonic fan but I will ALWAYS have a love and respect for them for always showing heart, even in their worst positions. That company's history in and of itself is a love letter to the fans that even through the worst times, always keep moving. Always keep smiling till the very end. That quote and even sonic himself are the very embodiment to that belief they all share.

[@MakoTako12654]

As Sonic said once "That's way past cool!" (Cannot really remember lol). I think that quote both applies to the Sonic franchise, fanbase and the guys there at SEGA.

[@BareBandSubscription]

Did Nintendo not have personality? I thought their personality was “better games than Sega and more of them”.

[@radioactivechimp]

I'm so glad to see another episode of Geek Critique! Worth the wait!

[@Mumu2k3]

Only true OGs remember this video was titled "The Sega Saturn's Unsung Titan"

[@GeekCritique]

True OGs remember when my videos didn't even *have* titles, and the thumbnails were just a picture of the title screen with "THE GEEK CRITIQUE" at the top.

[@Mumu2k3]

@@GeekCritique huh neat

[@hammerkirby5243]

I was one of those kids of the 2010's who grew up with the classic collection! I just bought a copy this year to look back on it and MAN it lags hard. After years of playing the Genesis,m2 and Christian Whitehead versions it's weird going back. Even as a kid I wish it had Sonic CD, Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Spinball and 3d Blast. Awesome video! Keep up the good work!

[@DarkBowser64]

I hear Classic Collection plays better on a DSi or later since it takes advantage of the stronger CPU. But it's still a really nice little pack of Sonic fun, I think. Everything and anything can in some way be formative for someone and we have to give everything at least that much respect.

[@hammerkirby5243]

@@DarkBowser64 I played it both on my DS Lite and 3ds and yea 3ds is definitely better. Still could be better tho haha

[@four-en-tee]

@@DarkBowser64 That game also has save states, which was really nice for me since it helps lower the difficulty somewhat.

[@eyedragongaming6371]

It was planned to have those games but they were scrapped

[@AshVsEvilFred]

@@four-en-tee thats gotta make the special stages no sweat

[@Sparkys_World-0]

Some crucial context: it’s important to note that when you say SEGA struggled to find success in Japan, you really mean to say it struggled building an audience AT HOME. Sega absolutely ran Japanese arcades since the mid-80s, while Nintendo claimed the console market. This is crucial, as the Japanese arcade scene was (and still is) much stronger in Japan than in the west; the arcade was the quintessential place to play in Japan. By marketing the Saturn almost entirely around bringing the arcade home somewhat faithfully, they convinced many of those arcadegoers to pick one up. Obviously this didn’t fly in the US, where SEGA had a hell of a lot more competition in the arcades and most players were becoming more invested in single-player home experiences than faithful arcade conversions. Sonic’s lack of an arcade presence definitely contributed to Japan’s general apathy towards him by the mid-to-late 90s.

[@TheIrishNational]

@@secoTheSonicFan I don’t think Japanese gamers hate Sonic, it’s kind of like how a lot of American gamers don’t like Fire Emblem, but not because they hate it, but because it doesn’t suit their western taste

[@sb6482]

Even the japanese know that arcade games are good for 10 minutes at home. They purchased playstation in the bucketloads

[@PhantomOfficial07]

But Sonic did have an Arcade game! SegaSonic the Hedgehog was a game kinda like 3D Blast but it's get from point A to point B instead of collecting Flickies. It was Japan only but we're talking about Japanese arcades so that doesn't really matter

[@OfficialKeithInTexas]

This is facts for days with videos like this.

[@Thatdankkoala]

I always found Japanese arcade interesting because those arcade games are like actual games. Which definitely sounds weird but most arcades in America just boil down to gambling for kids

[@justflavio]

I recently played through the classic games using the advice you gave in your video about how to enjoy classic sonic. I think I can consider myself a fan of them now. But man, those easy modes would have been a godsend for a first play through.

[@waffloesh7862]

Never thought I’d tear up listening to someone talk about a niche Sonic collection I’ve never played on a Console I’ve never owned 😭 It’s fascinating feeling nostalgic for an era of Sonic I’ve never known… More than anything I really love your content for its ability to make me feel like I’m living through an era of gaming waaay before my time, your content continues to impress me (and many others I’m sure) more than a channel about a 20 year old cartoon hedgehog should have any right to, haha!

[@mrbanks456]

Make that 30 year old hedgehog.

[@smashmaster521]

@@mrbanks456 God, we're old.

[@firedrake110]

@@smashmaster521 so very, very old

[@NickNoobles]

I thought i was the only one who teared up at the end ;_;

[@smashmaster521]

I appreciate the inclusion of the Sonic Mega Collection portion of this video. Next to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle and Sonic Advance, Sonic Mega Collection was part of my introduction to Sonic, specifically being how I was able to experience the Genesis Sonic games (although Sonic 3 was the only one I could actually beat due to the save feature) even if they were mere emulations compared to Sonic Jam, so it will always have a special place in my heart.

[@wingbeltcreations5455]

You used Ristar music in the intro! That just makes me so happy, especially with the edit and announcement of Genesis for Switch! Okay, I had watched a full long play of Sonic world, mainly because I love the low-poly look, and it was the game to really get me into 3D modeling. I know I'm not very good, but man, this game really got me thinking about it. I did know about a lot of the smaller improvements to the games and a lot of the extras, although not all of them, especially a lot of the movies.

[@GeekCritique]

That's one of my favorite "level complete" sequences in gaming history. :D

[@wingbeltcreations5455]

@@GeekCritique Same! I bought the PS3 Genesis Collection, and really fell in love with Sonic 3, Ristar, Phantasy Star, and even kinda got to see Comix Zone in action! Your channel has made me a new Sega and Metroid fan, so I have you to thank for that.

[@Selxis]

Sonic Origins did indeed not manage to outshine Sonic Jam.

[@xx_thedevilsden_xx]

used to watch your videos a lot in middle school, around when the hype train for smash 4 was rolling. i'm in college now and i still love seeing a new upload from you, it doesnt even really matter if i know anything about the game you're discussing because the sound of your voice and sense of humor feel like comfort food. i know thats an odd aspect of your content to enjoy but idk lol. just appreciate u always pumping out great stuff i guess

[@reidwithoutacause]

Exact same story for me.

[@realINTERNETFRIEND]

Your comments on the versatility of Sonic being in-built into his design is something I've never considered. Very interesting take and made this a good view as much as all the Sonic Jam info I never had any idea about. This is what video game reviews, a bloated KZbin genre for years now, should be doing. Thanks for making it worthwhile!

[@right_hand_power7960]

Definitely not to take away from either Nintendo, or Sega, that versatility is exactly what makes Super Mario Bros., and Sonic The Hedgehog characters that have lasted for 4 decades (Mario started in Donkey Kong, 1981), and 3 decades (Sonic, 1991). Mario, and Luigi's big thing is jumping. Sonics thing is moving like a fast pinball. The beauty of the simplicity of both franchises is that simplicity makes the versatility. Characters from both franchises can be put in other games (meaning, different game genres), and still remain faithful to original design by nature of the simplicity bringing the versatility. For examples: Mario still jumps on enemies in RPG games, and Sonic has literally become a pinball, and it works, because he already moves like one.

[@gamma_dc8289]

Mega collection was the reason I got into a sonic as a kid, im so glad it exists

[@sethiest]

For me Sonic Jam was amazing. It wasn't just a compilation, it was a treasure trove of lore and history.

[@lepidotos]

Alright, here's a real comment. I love how in your videos you include callbacks to years old videos you made, it's like Metroid-style fanservice or something. I played Mega Collection first, due to my older brother owning it, and I don't regret it, but I think I'll end up playing Jam to play those updated difficulty modes. Sonic World was what got me into Sonic fangames. I wanted to see if anyone made a PC remake, and while I never found one, I found a fangame of the same name that I still consider one of the better 3D Sonics I've played. I'm still looking, but now that I know I want to do programming as a hobby, I might consider making a SW remake myself, as faithfully as possible, and on appropriate hardware -- I have a Pentium II machine *and* a Power Macintosh just raring to go. If I do, I don't want it to just remain as a time capsule, I would love if it became the basis for a 3D Sonic fangame, hopefully with _much_ better music. World's music is... honestly pretty grating, and it was grating as the menu music to Classic Collection as well. I don't have a way to play Prime 1 right now, and my copy of DKC is nowhere to be seen in a self storage somewhere deep in the bowels of California, so it could be a good way to spend my time. I didn't think I'd get as much of an emotional response to this video as I usually do just due to the subject matter, but it really did get me at moments, so keep up the good work!

[@GeekCritique]

Hey, thanks, I always wonder if people will catch that stuff. And given the fact that I was diving all the way back to 90s Sonic, it seemed appropriate to call back to my 2014 videos. It's kind of hard to believe it's been that long! A Sonic engine built on Jam's foundation sounds awesome to me. :) Thanks for the comment, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@lepidotos]

@@GeekCritique Yeah, it really has. I certainly pick up on the old references, if just because I rewatch old TGC episodes regularly. I'm sure that there are still plenty of people watching from back in the old days, given just how consistent your style has been, and for them it's always a nice thing to show appreciation for sticking around so long. And hey, Kalin showed up in the Echoes video. And I have to say, it never really occurred to me how old NiGHTS is. If asked, I'd have said I thought it was from 2000, but I guess that goes to show how good Sonic Team was.

[@stonk_man]

"Hey y'all, Scott here, and DA##IT, I own Sonic Jam, it's a pretty rare game, but I don't want to be known as guy who owned Sonic Jam when I'm dead."

[@the757general2]

It's sad that Sonic Jam ended up being a better compilation than Origins. Sega has really lost their way.

[@Leonard_Wolf_2056]

And fans somehow still ate it up. Wait wtf.

[@kingofthegundam7974]

It's your passion and heart that makes anyone tune into your videos, no matter the subject. Because of you that I played the Metroid games when I would have never considered it before! Keep doing the great work.

[@RikDraws]

I still remember playing Jam when it came out, it was wild being able to see the stuff they packed in. The animations, music and previously unseen (to us in the west) stuff was a treat. Felt like a glimpse into another world. It really was exciting seeing all that new stuff, wondering what could be coming next and then the Dreamcast came out. Hoo boy. SA1's intro alone was mindblowing but I'll always have a special place in my heart for Sonic World, I spent countless hours tooling about that little 3D hub just to spend more time in it, pouring over the manuals and extras. I live in eternal hope that we'll get another compilation with as much love, care and attention to detail as Jam. It instantly cemented itself as one of my favourite entries in the franchise and still holds up today, provided you don't mind hooking up a Saturn every now and then! (Especially festive during the annual Christmas NiGHTS sessions!) Also thanks not only for picking a piece of mine for a video, but for putting me in the Jam vid! It's one of my favourites of the franchise so it's extra special to get a shoutout in this episode in particular! Wild to get spotlit on the channel at all, big fan! Love the positive vibe and dare I say...spin you put on the vids. ...I'll see myself out.

[@tatertot64]

Having binged your backlog a few days ago, this came at a great time. Can't wait for the Sonic Dread video!

[@MonsterDawg79]

Man, seeing anyone talk about Jam at all just gets me right in the nostalgia. I still have my original copy after 25 years!

[@DiGiValentine]

Bravo! This was a brilliant video on one of the most underrated Sonic titles in the series. Even though it was a compilation it gave us so much more than a standard bundle of games. Sonic Team really wanted to celebrate the character and they pushed the boat out for Sonic Jam. I didn't have the internet in 1997 so all the content featured in the Sonic World section absolutely blew my mind because i was seeing it all for the very first time. I watched that OVA trailer so much i had "on a Sunday, riding my bike" as an ear worm for months. Great video, man. Perfectly documented and presented. 👍

[@jesonic2000]

Man, I was not expecting to get this sentimental over a sonic video. You just earned yourself a new subscriber and I'm buying a saturn with sonic jam!

[@Turbotef]

When I picked up Sonic Jam from Wally World late one night 24 years ago, it represented something much more than just a collection of games I had already played 100+ hours of and a cool 3D gimmick stage, it represented hope as a Sega/Sonic/Saturn at a dark time. I would finally get a PSX that same year along with an N64 and 1998-1999 with those was a helluva memorable experience!

[@RaidenTheWild]

I'm glad you included a section for Sonic Mega Collection. That was the one I grew up with, and it really cemented my love of the franchise way back when. Heck, it and all the other retro compilations are the reason I grew to appreciate the full scope of a medium's history, including games, TV, music, movies, and more. It was such a treat getting to see how much a franchise had evolved over more than a decade via one tiny disc, and I used to pour over the extras a lot like how you did with Sonic Jam. It's probably the reason I still get excited whenever I unlock artwork in a game nowadays. I feel like I get to experience another side of the game I never would've known about otherwise. I never got to play Sonic Jam myself, but I was always very curious about it. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us!

[@The_AGL_Group]

I've been looking forward to this video since our discussion on Twitter over Jam and Mega Collection. It's great to have the history and full context behind such an enigmatic release in the franchise's timeline in a single video and really go into detail for what made it so special. Even today, as someone who was born parallel to the Dreamcast, there's nothing like powering on the old CRT, slipping the disc in the Saturn, grabbing my wireless controller (seriously, who would think that new officially-licensed Saturn controllers would be a thing in 2021?), and just enjoying the core Classic series in one place with so many options depending on how I'm feeling that day. As someone with an eye towards retro collecting and got into importing games thanks to the Saturn, it's kind of amazing that a package that oozes SegaSonic got a pretty much unaltered western release. Whether that was more due to a desire to share a look into what Sonic was in Japan or simply a budgetary decision to not overhaul the content to keep up appearances, the complete package of Jam is a time capsule with such a unique identity that it easily earns its spot in Sonic reverence. ~ Alia of AGL

[@allthelonely4287]

I realized something while watching this. The Retro Engine remakes of these games could’ve included the different difficulty options introduced in Sonic Jam. Now that I realized that, I’m disappointed that they aren’t.

[@MatthewSmart]

What I really like about your Sonic videos is that your perspective comes from someone who's been a loyalist since the beginning while still understanding the other side. Like many 2000's kids, my introduction to Sonic was through the GameCube, so I had no frame of reference to what Sonic was "supposed" to be. I didn't even know Sega made consoles back in the day. I just thought they were the Sonic and Super Monkey Ball team. I did play Sonic 1 & 2 back in the day through the Wii, summer school programs, and even hair salons, but my nostalgic roots lied in Sonic Adventure 2 and Heroes, and I simply didn't bother with most of the games that came afterwards for the longest time. My point is that as the generations move forward, opinions and views of Sonic, and practically all franchises in general are usually tied to what kids grew up on. For example, I watched my older brother play Nuts & Bolts all the time having no knowledge that other Banjo-Kazooie games existed back then. So can I really be mad about it? On the flipside, as someone who loved the classic Mario Party games, everything that ND Cube made from 9 onwards made me feel like a part of my childhood was gone, and why it feels so relieving that Superstars is a thing. Perhaps this is why that phase where all the big KZbinrs would crap on Sonic Adventure 2 left and right kind of stung since as you said in your video on that game, criticism surrounding it has existed for a long time, and my generation was too young and naïve to notice. This is why your comparison between Sonic Jam and Sonic Mega Collection struck a cord. Sure, Mega Collection may not look as impressive as Jam was, but anybody who was introduced to Sonic at that point obviously didn't care about that. It was still Sonic at the end of the day and still a quality product regardless. Just like how someone who may have started playing Super Monkey Ball through Banana Blitz HD for example may not have been so against it. No matter what franchise we love, our perspective of what it was when we first got into it versus where it's at now will always have a factor in our view of it, whether we like to admit it or not.

[@JaceAVinson]

Jam just has one flaw that Origins fixed. It has Sonic CD.

[@PluckyInc]

Ooof, with the reception to Origins, as well as Stealth speaking out, you might want to rebrand the video to something else...maybe something along the lines of SONIC JAM: The Better Origins.

[@Roboat06]

I've been a Sonic fan for five years now; I first became invested in the series sometime around May or June of 2016, right before Mania was announced. And yet, despite that, I already feel like I'm part of that old stock of the fanbase. Prior to the time I became a fan, I didn't even know a game called Sonic 3 existed; I just thought there was only 1 and 2. I was nine, going on ten then, and now I'm fifteen, and a lot has certainly changed in five years, mostly for the better in the case of Sonic.

[@WaterKirby1994]

Sorry the Sonic Series has been in poor condition for most of the time you have been alive. Have you checked out the Adventure Era for Sonic yet? Both Adventure Games, The GBA Games, & Sonic Heroes that was when I got into the series almost 20 years ago. There were a lot of good Sonic Games accessible in the 2000s. Have you played the Classic games like Triple Trouble yet?

[@Roboat06]

@@WaterKirby1994 Yeah, I've played the Adventure games and a lot of the classics.

[@AnthonyVCL]

The mad lad seriously rebranded the video

[@danielmartin2116]

I remember Classic Collection for the DS. It was my first time experiencing the Genesis games and while I struggled at first, I loved these games enough to eventually beat them all. Also, wasn't this the only way to play Sonic 3&Knuckles on handhelds? That's an extra win in my book

[@radiokunio3738]

Same, Classic collection made me love classic, and Rush made me love morden, going back to play Adventure 1 is honestly like a capstone between the two Eras, it's has classic stages like ice cap, and music from 3d blast, yet still feels distinct from classic sonic.

[@spiritof58]

I recently got a Polymega and Sonic Jam has been my 4 year old daughter's intro to gaming with a controller. Playing the classic sonic games on easy mode has been a perfect introduction for her as she gets used to video game movement I take for granted like making Sonic move in mid air after she's pressed jump. Seeing her excitement at collecting her first ring all by herself in Green Hill Zone was also genuinely wonderful.

[@Gloompod]

As a kid who grew up with the DS collection, I'm hella nostalgic to the Jam World theme purely because that was the menu theme of the game lol

[@sb6196]

Same here it's unfortunate I lost that game.

[@luckizlucky8124]

This was the first game I ever played. This introduced me to videogames and why I love them so much. This took me back to my origins. Keep Critiquin'.

[@caseycu]

looking at the large levels in Nights and Burning Rangers, I'm absolutely certain that full 3D levels could have been made for a 3D Sonic game. It's a bit ridiculous to claim the Saturn just wasn't up for it.

[@dracopliskin]

amazing video. you captured my feelings about sonic jam so well. my experience of mega collection was exactly as you had outlined, i was a 2000s kid who knew nothing about the genesis and that was my introduction. though i didn’t get to experience sonic’s glory days of the 90s, the accessibility of 2010s internet and my memories of mega collection lead me down a path that turned me into one of these diehard “segasonic” fans. somehow, despite its obsolescence, when i had first discovered sonic jam i was still as captivated as people like you that got to experience it as a brand new product. my family had a sega saturn (not sure why that over anything else) and i just remember absolutely pining over jam, wishing i had a copy but it was just too expensive for me at the time. eventually that saturn was damaged and thrown away, but i revisited my days of sega obsession this past summer and realized my feelings never faded, they just hid away for a while. i ended up buying a new saturn along with, finally, a copy of jam. i felt all of these strangely melancholy feelings about jam and about sonic’s previous legacy that i wished i could have put into some tangible form, but i think this video finally did it for me. thank you so much

[@dracopliskin]

it’s beyond words how important this video is to me, just knowing other people had the same experience and feelings that i did

[@Prinsdam]

You're a real one. Sonic Jam was an embarrassment of riches, definitely the best Christmas gift I ever got. Funny to think that it's still perhaps the only Sonic product to even acknowledge the existence of Knuckles Chaotix, I remember staring at those three screenshots in the museum for a straight hour wondering what the hell it was and why it wasn't included. Everything from the Japanese movie clips with no context to the cheat codes I couldn't have known about on the Genesis- to call yourself a Sonic fan in the 90s and then be confronted with this entire inaccessible universe of the franchise was overwhelming.

[@supersysscvi]

Back when I was a 4 year old kid, my dad got a Sega Saturn off the back of someone's truck. We had a NES, but as a kid? Mario Bros. 1 & 3 were HARD, and I could never beat those. But I would play Sonic Jam for 6 hours just cruising through Sonic 3 & Knuckles. I still think that division, and having both bargain-bin terrors (read: Mystaria/Blazing Heroes) alongside 3D Blast and Jam? Formed what kind of games and game design I would focus on for the rest of my life. Good video. I'm glad you made it.

[@leaongat7549]

This seems way better than sonic origins

[@stradify1]

Damn, this game seems awesome. I just played through Origins and I want to experience Sonic 3 with the original music, so I'm gonna order this ASAP. Playing "spot the difference" with the alternate difficulty modes seems like a lot of fun, too

[@TheGamingSiri]

The fact that the normal and easy level design varients from Jam haven't been ported to the retro engine is criminal; hopefully, origins can go the extra mile in that department, too, but I'm not holding my breath.

[@mememaixiv3955]

Sonic's unlockable appearance in Christmas NiGHTS was amazing too :)

[@pinkheartgamers5007]

While I was introduced to Sonic Mega Collection and prefer it to the less accessible Sonic Jam, for me Sonic Jam is very much a wonderful piece of sonic history that honestly reflects and cherishes the franchise right before altering itself for the dream age. I would still give Sonic Jam much recommendation for gamers today through emulation to capture that unique time for the series

[@VexAcer]

Yeah I was one of those kids of the 2000's that grew up with Mega Collection Plus on the PS2 in my childhood. It was my first exposure to Sonic in general actually. A lot of people usually see these rereleases as just nostalgic cashgrabs, but the truth is they're a big entry point of a lot of younger people. There's some kids whos first time being exposed to the classic games or Sonic in general just like I was long ago, is going to be Sonic Origins and that's just pretty cool to me.

[@Antibeck]

Anyone else just binge TGC's content on a regular basis? I love this in depth review style. I love the fact that each and every minute detail is criticized. Most of all I love EACH and EVERY one of these videos about my favorite gaming franchises. Thanks TGC. I hope that the channel becomes large enough to support your material needs, and so you can make more videos of me to enjoy! ;)

[@dynostretch9215]

Oof, what a nostalgia trip. My dad talked me into getting a Sega Saturn rather than a N64, purely because it had a wider and cheaper game library at the time. While most of the games I got weren't amazing, there was still some good ones, NiGHTS in particular. Sonic Jam,was my first real step into Sonic's franchise, and I absolutely loved it.

[@PickleKing2007]

Is this a Scott the woz reference

[@toluwanimipopoola8398]

Absolutely Stellar. You have put into words I wanted to say for the longest time. Sonic Jam is in my opinion, The BEST Sonic Compilation Ever made and the OG Genius Visionaries were the ones responsible for this Beauty of a Project. I love how Sonic Jam, Saturn 3D Blast coming to Japan, and Sonic R were all this ONE huge project to relaunch the series in the Japan and get more Sonic Titles on the SEGA Saturn: This initiative being known as Project Sonic (1997). In fact, there are many possible reasons why Sonic was never that popular in the East. 1. The Mega Drive was in 3rd Place and not all that successful in Japan compared to the PC Engine and the Super Famicom. That was kinda of the reason why SOJ were so quick to move on from the Mega Drive than SOA were. 2. Sonic was mostly created to capture the American Audience more than the Japanese Audience (Even tho Japanese People have a fascination to English and American Culture) 3. Sonic was really marketed well in Japan, so it makes so much sense that he was unrecognizable when NiGHTS into Dreams was released. Japanese Kids when booting up NiGHTS into Dreams probably saw the “Sonic Team” logo and we’re like “What does “Sonic” mean in Sonic Team?” “Who’s Sonic?” “What’s that Blue Character on that logo?” Imagine the Culture Shock when you realize that Sonic was even popular in the country of the people that created him. That was the impetus to create the Project Sonic Initiative of 1997. Now Josh, I RESPECTFULLY Disagree with the notion that Sonic doesn’t have one true vision on the character, world, gameplay, tone and story. That’s inconsistency and it BREEDS division and nonstop confusion. Sonic’s Biggest Problem that has plagued him his ENTIRE EXISTENCE is that he’s passed down to ANYONE and EVERYONE with different visions/interpretations/ideas on the franchise, which create fans for each sub-sections of the series. Dragon Ball and Mario NEVER suffer from this inconsistency and confusion because Dragon Ball Fans KNOW what makes Dragon Ball Dragon Ball. Mario Fans KNOW what makes Mario Mario. Can you say the same for Sonic Fans who genuinely think Boost is Sonic the Hedgehog when it doesn’t adhere the original vision of the Series that made it the most successful. We have fans who don’t know what the tone of the Series should be, what the gameplay should be, how the characters should be written, what the world is like, etc. because there are TOO many splinters that deviate from the Original Intentions. I’m not saying that Sonic should have different visions, but relegate that to SPIN OFFs like Mario does, don’t shove all that Division in the Mainline/Canon Stuff. Anyway, Sonic Jam celebrates all of the accomplishments Sonic Team had in the past, reintroduces the series to Japanese Fans who need to be caught up on what they missed out, Ports the games that the OG SONIC TEAM themselves made into loving made and well done ports of the Mega Drive Trilogy (I hate that they couldn’t get CD or Chaotix on Jam), introduces obscure media to American Fans who were cheated out this because of SOA’s marketing strategies, lets us know interesting information about these characters (Even the Strategy Guide that came with this game goes even harder on the development of the games, characters, and world from 1991-1997), and the Sonic World is just a little crump of the level of competency that the OG Sonic Team had with the SEGA Saturn. Sonic Jam’s Sonic World was just a little sneak peek at what was to come with Sonic Adventure. Sonic Jam was Sonic Team’s way of saying “Thank you for joining the ride and don’t worry, we’ll be back for more, and most importantly, SONIC will be back for more!” and they’re way of saying “Hello New Viewers, this is what Sonic the Hedgehog was and what we have in store is why Sonic the Hedgehog will be.” The Beautiful Artstyle done by Yuji Uekawa is PEAK Classic Sonic Artstyle. It treats the Airbrushed Art of the Mega Drive games with sheer reverence but it decides to make the posing way more dynamic and fluid. It’s PERFECT. What can I say? I love Sonic Jam. Thanks for the Awesome Look on Sonic Jam.

[@carlcarlington7317]

Knowing how big nights into dreams was in Japan just makes it even more confusing that they only tried to bring the franchise back once. A franchise that honestly could’ve been to sonic what the legend of Zelda franchise was to Mario. Nights just as such a cool setting and addicting gameplay and I really want to see a modern nights game done right

[@troykv96]

You know, when Sonic Origins was initially announced, and didn't know what it could be exactly, considering the super vague, but also kind of exciting way the announced the changes; but thanks to your video, thanks to Sonic Jam, now I have an actual possibility in my mind about what it could be, and well, while it could or not be my thing, I really like the idea that it can do more than just adding Save States.

[@TMJ83]

I’ll play sonic 2 competition mode with you

[@NightOoooowl]

(WARNING: LONG WALL OF TEXT) This was really interesting! I was a bit confused when you first announced the episode, as I knew nothing about Sonic Jam other than it being a compilation of the Genesis Sonic games, so I wasn't sure what would be there to say when you've already talked about all of the games within it, but hearing about just how much stuff they packed into the collection was really cool! Hearing about all the ways they changed up the gameplay and technicals of the original was particularly interesting; you can tell there was a lot of thought put into optimizing the games and really trying to make the best editions of them, which is something I really wished you saw more in game compilations. Most of the time, if a new feature is introduced into a port of a game, it doesn't amount to much more than hallow fanservice that might make a few people perk up, but it tends to be very much extraneous to the actual quality. This seems like kind of the opposite; to a lot of people, all of the small game design changes made in Jam probably seem boring and so tiny as to not matter (and I can understand if you do think that, to be clear), but when you're really into analyzing all of the little mechanics of how these games work and what makes them so fun, or even what could have made them better, hearing about all the little tweaks and additions they made to the formula of the classics really is fascinating, and it really makes these sound like the definitive versions of the games! The fact that they never did the easy mode again honestly just baffles me; with how steep the skill curve is on the Genesis trilogy, a more forgiving version of the experience that didn't sacrifice the feel of the gameplay and the satisfaction you get from it would've honestly been a godsend to their reputation. And as someone who gets stuck on the purple Kool-Aid section of Chemical Plant every single time, no matter the game it's in, putting a spring there to let you just jump out of the thing entirely sounds like a godsend. Also, does anyone know about how they handled the technicals of the ports to the Sega Genesis Mini (emulation vs. direct port, how much the code was changed, etc.)? Because that was how I played Sonic 1 & 2, and I don't remember any slowdown at all. On a side note, this was the first I had heard about the differences in emulation versus actually copying the code onto a new system, and that was incredibly interesting as well! It's kind of cool to see you getting more and more into the technical aspects of games as you talk about them! Sonic World also seems really cool; I kind of agree with you about it having this weird kind of "sad" atmosphere to it, like it's this bittersweet look into what could have been for a mainline Sonic game on the Saturn, and it gives this weird feeling like the developers were aware that this was the closest they'd get to anything like that, and that even with the best they could possibly do, they could never really save the Saturn, so they were spending their last breath on reminiscing about where the series had been up to this point, thinking back on it's glory days and every little thing it had accomplished, in every medium. ....Aaaaand I just read way too far into a 3D hub world into a Sonic game. Granted, what I said very obviously isn't how things ACTUALLY went down, as like you said, the Saturn was thriving in Japan (this was the first I had heard of that too; that was really interesting!), but still, it's hard not to get this... weird, nostalgic melancholy from Sonic World. (eVeRY cOPy oF sONiC jAm iS PeRSonALiZeD) I could probably say a bit more, but this is probably big enough of a wall of text already. The video was great, though, and I highly enjoyed it! Keep up the good work, Geek Critique!

[@RetroJordan91]

This video was such a great watch.. it’s only making me want the upcoming Sonic Origins collection even more. Thank you for the history lesson and review! As you stated, Origins certainly has the potential to surpass Sonic Jam as the definitive 2D Sonic collection and I really hope it does. The Retro Engine remakes are the definitive ways to play the games nowadays and 3&K deserves that treatment as well. It would be the smartest decision to bring those versions together in one compilation. We will just have to wait and see what SEGA does, but I will say this: I will be fairly disappointed if Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley do not appear in the credits for Origins.

[@futuregohan4837]

Imagine If Origins Somehow Threw In Sonic Jam As An Nod To It That'd Be An Great Tribute

[@apollyon6855]

this is what sonic origins should have been or at least should have lent all the good things about this compilation game

[@SaddieMoon]

Sonic in the West is an alternate universe from Sonic in Japan

[@efrains2538]

Word. Too bad sonic wasn't that big in the East.

[@vegetafan9922]

@@efrains2538 Frontiers is trying to change that.

[@efrains2538]

@@vegetafan9922 　that brings me hope. My only concern is that if Sonic Team of Japan finds success within the new formula they'll turn sonic into an anime do-gooder. Bringing weaboos into the fanbase is the worst case scenario for me, a fan of sonic's game design fundementals, imagine all of the power scaling and theories videos regarding the lore.

[@ghhn4505]

I'm happy you included the bit about Sonic Mega Collection. I'm an early 2000s kid, so Mega Collection (plus an emulator on my mom's crappy old laptop) is what helped introduce me to, and get so invested in the classic games, and the series as a whole. I still have my copy, and my copy has a lot of treasured memories for me.

[@DontFightDucks]

Fantastic video! The final quarter of it was making me a little teary eyed. Also, the Moogle Cavern joke punched me right in the Internet Nostalgia.

[@mr.pendleton7121]

I heard that the Man of The Year short was animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, a Japanese studio that did animation for shows like Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs as well as producing animes like Lupin The Third. It’s not even the first time they did animation for Sonic. They animated some episodes of Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog and would later work on Sonic X

[@cellperfecto421]

As someone who grew outside the '90s and after the Sonic phenomenon, Sonic Mega Collection blew me away when I was a kid. I loved when Sonic 3&Knuckles got unlocked and I was like "Wait a minute. These two games can be combined?" I had no idea what the Game Gear was and all these weird games that I've never seen before. Hell, I didn't even knew that Sonic had comics! No matter the platform, rediscovering Sonic is always a magical experience.

[@thatsvenne9641]

I now own Sonic Jam on the Saturn. Thought I had to revisit this video for this occasion.

[@retrospiel]

Japan: makes all the hardware, all the good games, makes all the Sonic games for MD, SMS, GG, SCD, 32X America: tries to make one Sonic game for Saturn, fails Sega Fans: Japan is to blame

[@maroon9273]

There were other genesis and some master system titles sega America should've ported while working on sonic extreme and Saturn sonic. Even release sonic cd, knuckles chaotix and segasonic arcade to the Saturn to hold the customer until a sonic game arrive to the system.

[@SrSander]

americans made sonic 2 and 3 & knuckles iirc

[@retrospiel]

@@SrSander Sonic Team is Japanese

[@BlabberizeYT]

I was screaming when you showed the carnival zone rotating cylinder blocker - I had no idea how to get past that as a kid! You nailed the whole feeling of sonic as a sega kid.

[@Pioxys]

"Sonic team cashed out their good will, in exchanged for freedom." If only Sega/Sonic Team had the courage/urge to do that again during these times.

[@lightninstriker10]

Hi, fan who got started on SA2B and the "Gamecube Era" of Sonic games here, and I'd like to offer my own viewpoint on Sonic Jam; It was a Legend, a mythical unicorn that any burgeoning Sonic fan interested in both the history and the future of the franchise was enthralled by, speaking as the very sort of person Sonic Mega Collection was made for, a Nintendo kid that didn't know a Game Gear from a Dreamcast, in the first era where practically every "old" Sonic game was at it's most accessible due to said compilation (and owning the PC Versions of Sonic CD and Sonic R due to discount Wal-Mart PC Bundles) the fact that there was this magical treasure trove of *more* backstage content than even the Mega Collection could provide, the first-ever real glimpse at 3D Sonic's potential, and so on, only available on a console that, even as a kid who started on the N64 and Playstation, seemed like a myth in and of itself (and I wouldn't actually see a SEGA Saturn in the flesh until 2014, mind) was nothing short of magical. I wanted Sonic Jam, I wanted to SEE Sonic Jam, I wanted to PLAY Sonic Jam. Of course, nowadays it's quaint what with the evolution of emulation and all that jazz, but in 2003? Oh, no way, we were still in the era of kids recognizing the brilliance of the past, but not being able to embrace it for ourselves, and even though it's the ghost game of my life, Jam is still that magical unicorn to me, that phantom Sonic game forever out of my reach, despite the fact that I've gotten to experience it since then.

[@Cool-fr8dv]

I got Sonic jam on my Saturn a few years ago and it’s really one hell of a collection and easily my favorite way of playing the older games. Cause it’s more convenient than cartridges, the selectable difficulties, time trial modes. It’s such a good collection honestly. So underrated

[@GamingintheAM0801]

I'm so glad you're giving this compilation the attention it deserves. Despite owning these four games on various other consoles, despite not actually owning a Saturn until 2012 or so, and despite having played Mega Collection AND Classic Collection before I had ever gotten my hands on Jam, this is still my favorite way to play these games.

[@trevinodude]

I never had the first Sonic Mega Collection version. My very first Sonic game was Sonic Mega Collection Plus, which did have a few cool extras like more Game Gear games than the original Mega Collection. I grew up in the PS2 era so Mega Collection Plus was what introduced me to the Sonic multiverse, and I remember loving every second of it. I remember the first time I ever watched the unfinished Heroes intro that came with the Plus version of Mega Collection and mumbling along with the unfinished version of the song. I remember picking up the comics and even learning what a Sega Genesis and Game Gear was due to MCP. It mind blowing. I never got to play Sonic Jam since was before my time, but I’ve always wondered what it was like to explore the Sonic World thing and how awesome it was to see the artwork whenever you want. Thanks for the cool video on this compilation, I think the difficulty selection idea is cool… even if I personally wouldn’t chose anything other than original since I’ve been playing Classic Sonic as is for most my life.

[@formerlycringe]

>will origins outshine jam no it won't the Sonic 3 beta music turned into mashed potatoes for some reason never thought i'd see a sonic game with bad, muffled music in my entire life

[@logic_mage]

So I've been putting off watching this one for a while because *I* was one of those 2000s kids you mentioned who grew up playing Mega Collection, and some of your previous touchings on that title comparing it unfavourably to Jam made me think this would just be a long-form dunk on it. Even though it's objectively inferior to Jam in a lot of ways I played it at a period in my life where I was young enough that I still regard it with a lot of reverence today. But I'm glad to say I learned a lot and I think I appreciate Jam a lot more for what it was. It's so insane to me that the generational divide between Sonic fans like you and myself can create a situation where we both appreciate the classic games on a similar nostalgic level but still feel separated by the *way* we experienced them. It just speaks to how many things this series has tried to be when the differing framework for the series' game collections of all things facilitates that. All the same, fantastic video!

[@ThatOldTV]

I didn't hear you mention this. The original Sonic the Hedgehog found on Sonic Jam is based on the Japanese release of the game. Why is this significant? The Japanese version was release a few months after the American version. Sonic Team continued polishing the game over those two months, adding more parallax scrolling to every stage and for the water level, they added line scroll function; giving the water a wave effect not seen in other versions.

[@ThelronFjord]

24:37 it's nice to see that both Knuckles and Yamcha shared the same weakness.

[@BrySkye]

That sound skipping problem just seems to be an potential issue with the NTSC versions of the game. It can still happen if you're running the game off an SD card via Satiator, taking dodgy disc drives out of the equation.

[@The_AGL_Group]

Rewatching this video and oh gosh I can't tell if that sorrowful look at the photo of Yuji Naka aged like milk or like wine... As you said in your Shadow the Hedgehog video, "Maybe someone should check on him!"

[@bigyoshi7134]

I'm so happy to see you back

[@jonnyblanka]

Loved this video up til the Sonic World portion.. man I really expected some praise but you through a curve ball at us 😆 Gonna have to respectfully disagree with you and say that the graphics in Sonic World truly were mind blowing at the time! Loved every second of it!

[@tandydoesstuff7534]

my grandfather LOVED to play sonic 2 (he even bought a genisis just to play it!) So i think if he saw sonic 2 on sonic Jam he would be so excited that he would probably teleport to the game (sadly he passed away)

[@Servbot42]

33:37 im really, really sorry with the undoubtedly disappointment you must have now. Comparing it to Sonic Jam and Mega collections now, origins is so bare bones, its as if nintendo themselves published it.

[@Skibster-w9l]

I actually liked this one, but they seriously should’ve let the game bake in the oven for a bit longer.

[@TheOnlyLunaKage]

As someone who was just replaying the old games on my modded genesis mini, you have sold me on this.

[@VOAN]

FUN FACT: The overworld theme in Sonic World on Sonic Jam was used for the first stage in Sonic Pocket Adventure for NeoGeo Pocket Color.