Console: Sega Saturn (JP)
Game: Sonic Jam
Genre: Platformer
(Sonic Team / Sega Enterprises, Ltd., 1997)
4 Sonic classics jam-packed into one amazing Sega Saturn CD! 💿🦔
Released in 1997 as part of Sega of Japan’s ‘Project Sonic’ campaign to boost awareness of Sonic in Japan, Sonic Jam includes the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Sonic & Knuckles.
While a CD containing these four classic platformers would be amazing in its own right, what makes Sonic Jam so unique is the addition of a lovingly-crafted 3D interactive museum entitled ‘Sonic World’, which is presented as an outdoor environment (with classic Green Hill Zone aesthetics) where Sonic can complete small challenge missions, find Easter Eggs like cheat-codes scattered around the stage, and also deep-dive some classic Sonic history.
Sonic World is also home to four virtual museum stops where our wonderfully charming Early-3D-Sonic can enter to peruse some classic Sonic history in the form of a Character House, Music Shop, Movie Theater, and Art Gallery.
All of the virtual museum stops offer plenty of fun material to enjoy, whether it be sketches in the Character House, full soundtracks for the four included games in the Music House, or fantastic images in the Art Gallery, there’s plenty of content for the most ardent of Hedgehog fans. Our personal favorite pit-stop in Sonic World would be the Movie Theater, where you can watch video intros to classics like Sonic CD, and also watch the TV commercials for the Sonic brand up to that point in time. It's a wonderful time-capsule to enjoy that hasn’t been recreated in the same way since, making Sonic Jam a truly wonderful compilation / love letter from the legendary Sonic Team to celebrate all things Sonic.
What’s your favorite game in Sonic Jam, and have you ever visited Sonic World?
*Bonus Stage: You can access 9 bonus / desktop images by inserting the Sonic Jam disc into your PC / Mac (images can be found in the 'Extra' folder).