<s>
known	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
Japan	O
as	O
is	O
a	O
1996	O
platform	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
series	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
embarks	O
on	O
a	O
journey	O
to	O
save	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
,	O
birds	O
enslaved	O
by	O
Doctor	O
Robotnik	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
must	O
guide	O
Sonic	B-Application
through	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
themed	O
levels	O
to	O
collect	O
Flickies	B-Application
and	O
defeat	O
Robotnik	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
it	O
retains	O
game	O
mechanics	O
from	O
prior	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
is	O
differentiated	O
by	O
its	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
,	O
with	O
pre-rendered	O
3D	O
models	O
converted	O
into	O
sprites	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
concept	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
originated	O
during	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
of	O
the	O
programming	O
was	O
outsourced	O
to	O
the	O
British	O
studio	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
staff	O
was	O
preoccupied	O
with	O
Nights	B-Application
into	I-Application
Dreams	I-Application
(	O
1996	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
lasted	O
eight	O
months	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
team	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
Donkey	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
Country	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
Labyrinth	I-Application
(	O
1995	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
alongside	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
game	O
Sonic	B-Application
X-treme	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
X-treme	O
was	O
canceled	O
,	O
Sega	O
commissioned	O
a	O
port	O
of	O
3D	O
Blast	O
featuring	O
improved	O
graphics	O
for	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
versions	O
were	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
in	O
November	O
1996	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
Windows	B-Application
port	O
released	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
the	O
final	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
been	O
re-released	O
through	O
Sonic	B-Application
compilations	O
and	O
digital	O
distribution	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Criticism	O
was	O
directed	O
at	O
its	O
isometric	B-Application
gameplay	O
,	O
controls	O
,	O
and	O
pace	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
visuals	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
were	O
praised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
is	O
a	O
platform	O
game	O
presented	O
from	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
control	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
whose	O
goal	O
is	O
to	O
save	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
,	O
collect	O
the	O
seven	O
Chaos	O
Emeralds	O
,	O
and	O
defeat	O
Doctor	O
Robotnik	O
and	O
his	O
robot	O
army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
retains	O
most	O
of	O
his	O
abilities	O
from	O
prior	O
games	O
:	O
he	O
can	O
jump	O
and	O
spin	O
in	O
mid-air	O
to	O
defeat	O
robots	O
or	O
hop	O
on	O
platforms	O
,	O
perform	O
a	O
spin-dash	O
on	O
the	O
ground	O
to	O
gain	O
speed	O
,	O
and	O
collects	O
rings	O
as	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
health	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
can	O
also	O
collect	O
power-ups	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
elemental	O
shields	O
,	O
speed	O
shoes	O
,	O
or	O
invincibility	O
,	O
by	O
breaking	O
television	O
monitors	O
containing	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Every	O
zone	O
has	O
three	O
acts	O
:	O
two	O
standard	O
levels	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
collect	O
Flickies	B-Application
by	O
defeating	O
robots	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
proceed	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
boss	O
fight	O
against	O
Robotnik	O
,	O
without	O
any	O
Flicky-collecting	O
involved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
normal	O
levels	O
,	O
once	O
the	O
player	O
collects	O
all	O
five	O
Flickies	B-Application
from	O
each	O
section	O
of	O
an	O
act	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
is	O
either	O
further	O
advanced	O
into	O
the	O
act	O
or	O
taken	O
to	O
the	O
next	O
act	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
the	O
following	O
Flickies	B-Application
are	O
hit	O
by	O
an	O
obstacle	O
or	O
enemy	O
,	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
and	O
the	O
rings	O
Sonic	B-Application
collected	O
will	O
scatter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
individual	O
Flicky	B-Application
's	O
color	O
determines	O
its	O
behavior	O
:	O
blue	O
,	O
pink	O
and	O
orange	O
Flickies	B-Application
make	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
find	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
while	O
green	O
and	O
red	O
Flickies	B-Application
wander	O
off	O
at	O
random	O
;	O
the	O
latter	O
even	O
jumping	O
about	O
,	O
making	O
them	O
harder	O
to	O
recollect	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
starts	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
four	O
lives	O
;	O
if	O
he	O
is	O
hit	O
with	O
no	O
Flickies	B-Application
or	O
rings	O
in	O
his	O
possession	O
,	O
he	O
will	O
lose	O
a	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Losing	O
all	O
lives	O
results	O
in	O
a	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lives	O
can	O
be	O
replenished	O
by	O
collecting	O
a	O
1-up	O
,	O
and	O
continues	O
are	O
obtained	O
by	O
collecting	O
ten	O
Sonic-shaped	O
medals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
includes	O
"	O
special	O
stages	O
"	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
collects	O
Chaos	O
Emeralds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
access	O
these	O
stages	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
find	O
one	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
friends	O
(	O
either	O
Tails	O
or	O
Knuckles	O
the	O
Echidna	O
)	O
hidden	O
within	O
a	O
level	O
,	O
and	O
stand	O
next	O
to	O
them	O
with	O
at	O
least	O
50	O
rings	O
collected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
special	O
stages	O
,	O
the	O
camera	O
shifts	O
to	O
behind	O
Sonic	B-Application
as	O
he	O
runs	O
down	O
a	O
preset	O
path	O
and	O
must	O
collect	O
rings	O
while	O
avoiding	O
obstacles	O
that	O
,	O
when	O
run	O
into	O
,	O
make	O
him	O
lose	O
rings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Doctor	O
Robotnik	O
discovers	O
mysterious	O
birds	O
called	O
Flickies	B-Application
that	O
live	O
on	O
an	O
island	O
in	O
an	O
alternate	O
dimension	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
arrives	O
at	O
the	O
island	O
only	O
to	O
discover	O
the	O
presence	O
of	O
Robotnik	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
is	O
tasked	O
with	O
saving	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
and	O
defeating	O
his	O
nemesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
travels	O
through	O
the	O
island	O
,	O
saving	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
and	O
clashing	O
with	O
Robotnik	O
in	O
his	O
various	O
machines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
collects	O
all	O
the	O
Chaos	O
Emeralds	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
proceeds	O
into	O
a	O
black	O
void	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
engages	O
in	O
a	O
final	O
battle	O
with	O
Robotnik	O
,	O
who	O
pilots	O
a	O
large	O
robot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
manages	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
robot	O
's	O
weapons	O
and	O
defeats	O
Robotnik	O
,	O
freeing	O
the	O
Flickies	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
the	O
final	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
game	O
produced	O
for	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Device
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
was	O
developed	O
as	O
a	O
swan	O
song	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
basic	O
concept	O
was	O
conceived	O
by	O
members	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
during	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
programming	O
was	O
done	O
by	O
the	O
British	O
studio	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
because	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
was	O
developing	O
Nights	B-Application
into	I-Application
Dreams	I-Application
(	O
1996	O
)	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
founder	O
Jon	O
Burton	O
,	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
had	O
just	O
finished	O
developing	O
a	O
Toy	B-Application
Story	I-Application
game	O
and	O
wanted	O
to	O
start	O
developing	O
games	O
for	O
32-bit	O
systems	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
,	O
impressed	O
with	O
their	O
work	O
on	O
Toy	B-Application
Story	I-Application
and	O
Mickey	B-Application
Mania	I-Application
,	O
approached	O
them	O
with	O
3D	O
Blast	O
;	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
was	O
extremely	O
popular	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
concept	O
"	O
got	O
their	O
attention	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
retrospect	O
,	O
Burton	O
stated	O
that	O
he	O
believed	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
commissioned	O
because	O
Sonic	B-Application
X-treme	I-Application
,	O
in	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
was	O
struggling	O
,	O
and	O
Sega	O
wanted	O
to	O
bring	O
Sonic	B-Application
into	O
the	O
3D	B-Application
era	I-Application
of	I-Application
gaming	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
originally	O
titled	O
Sonic	B-Application
Spindrift	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Burton	O
,	O
who	O
served	O
as	O
lead	O
programmer	O
,	O
implemented	O
an	O
exception	B-General_Concept
handler	I-General_Concept
where	O
,	O
should	O
an	O
error	O
occur	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
greet	O
the	O
player	O
with	O
a	O
secret	O
level	O
select	O
screen	O
instead	O
of	O
crashing	B-General_Concept
;	O
this	O
was	O
done	O
so	O
the	O
game	O
could	O
easily	O
pass	O
Sega	O
's	O
approval	O
process	O
for	O
publishing	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Burton	O
also	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
unique	O
full	B-Application
motion	I-Application
video	I-Application
intro	O
sequence	O
,	O
and	O
used	O
compression	O
methods	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
video	O
fit	O
in	O
the	O
4MB	O
cartridge	O
and	O
appear	O
higher	O
resolution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inspiration	O
for	O
the	O
isometric	B-Application
viewpoint	O
was	O
drawn	O
from	O
Sonic	B-Application
Labyrinth	I-Application
(	O
1995	O
)	O
and	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
RPG	I-Application
(	O
1996	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
item	O
collection	O
was	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
1984	O
Flicky	B-Application
game	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
graphics	O
were	O
inspired	O
by	O
Donkey	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
Country	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
provided	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
with	O
game	O
,	O
level	O
,	O
and	O
character	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
also	O
commissioned	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
in	O
case	O
Sonic	B-Application
X-treme	I-Application
was	O
canceled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
cancellation	O
did	O
indeed	O
occur	O
,	O
so	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
safely	O
released	O
in	O
time	O
for	O
Christmas	O
1996	O
in	O
its	O
stead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
in	O
seven	O
weeks	O
,	O
during	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
filled	O
in	O
for	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
special	O
stage	O
in	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
includes	O
polygonal	B-General_Concept
graphics	I-General_Concept
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
sprites	O
only	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
is	O
also	O
compatible	O
with	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
's	O
analog	B-Device
control	O
pad	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
attempted	O
to	O
rework	O
X-treme	O
into	O
bonus	O
stages	O
in	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
they	O
were	O
unable	O
to	O
properly	O
transfer	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
model	O
from	O
X-treme	O
into	O
3D	O
Blast	O
,	O
so	O
the	O
feature	O
was	O
scrapped	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
features	O
a	O
different	O
soundtrack	O
by	O
Richard	O
Jacques	O
and	O
features	O
a	O
vocal	O
ending	O
theme	O
titled	O
"	O
You	O
're	O
My	O
Hero	O
"	O
,	O
performed	O
by	O
Debbie	O
Morris	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
musical	O
styles	O
on	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
were	O
described	O
by	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
Magazine	O
as	O
both	O
traditional	O
Sonic	B-Application
music	O
and	O
"	O
hardcore	O
techno	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
in	O
November	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
launch	O
coincided	O
with	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
game	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
,	O
which	O
also	O
features	O
pre-rendered	O
3D	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
later	O
that	O
year	O
and	O
in	O
Europe	O
in	O
February	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
only	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
port	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
on	O
October	O
14	O
,	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
version	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
in	O
Europe	O
on	O
September	O
11	O
,	O
1997	O
,	O
and	O
worldwide	O
later	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
available	O
in	O
several	O
Sonic-themed	O
compilations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
include	O
Sonic	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
;	O
Sonic	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
Plus	I-Device
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Windows	B-Application
;	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
re-released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
in	O
2007	O
and	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reception	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
generally	O
positive	O
upon	O
its	O
original	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Dan	O
Jevons	O
of	O
Mean	O
Machines	O
Sega	O
was	O
initially	O
skeptical	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
3D	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
appearing	O
on	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
he	O
proclaimed	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
to	O
be	O
"	O
a	O
legitimate	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
smart	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
own	O
right	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
additionally	O
praised	O
the	O
music	O
,	O
controls	O
,	O
and	O
sense	O
of	O
inertia	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
movement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ed	O
Lomas	O
of	O
Computer	O
and	O
Video	O
Games	O
considered	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
to	O
be	O
"	O
the	O
first	O
essential	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
game	O
in	O
years	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
remarked	O
that	O
the	O
new	O
gameplay	O
style	O
would	O
appeal	O
to	O
all	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
those	O
who	O
"	O
could	O
n't	O
be	O
bothered	O
with	O
running	O
right	O
all	O
the	O
time	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Art	O
Angel	O
of	O
GamePro	O
considered	O
the	O
levels	O
cleverly	O
designed	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
initially	O
frustrated	O
by	O
the	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
steepened	O
the	O
learning	O
curve	O
for	O
the	O
controls	O
;	O
Dan	O
Hsu	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
experienced	O
a	O
similar	O
adjusting	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lomas	O
and	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
Crispin	O
Boyer	O
observed	O
a	O
lack	O
of	O
secret	O
locations	O
to	O
discover	O
in	O
relation	O
to	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
entries	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
former	O
felt	O
lowered	O
the	O
replay	O
value	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jevons	O
and	O
Swan	O
regarded	O
the	O
difficulty	O
as	O
somewhat	O
low	O
for	O
experienced	O
gamers	O
,	O
with	O
Art	O
Angel	O
likewise	O
finding	O
the	O
game	O
easy	O
to	O
beat	O
upon	O
mastering	O
the	O
controls	O
,	O
whereas	O
Lomas	O
deemed	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
harder	O
and	O
longer	O
than	O
most	O
other	O
Sonic	B-Application
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
named	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
Genesis	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
(	O
behind	O
Vectorman	B-Application
2	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reception	O
to	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
mixed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
Lee	O
Nutter	O
of	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
Magazine	O
compared	O
the	O
gameplay	O
unfavorably	O
to	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
,	O
he	O
found	O
it	O
had	O
a	O
great	O
deal	O
of	O
fun	O
to	O
offer	O
and	O
praised	O
it	O
as	O
being	O
more	O
challenging	O
than	O
any	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Entertainment	O
Weekly	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
noted	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
unusually	O
similar	O
presentation	O
on	O
two	O
platforms	O
with	O
differing	O
expectations	O
,	O
claiming	O
that	O
"	O
while	O
3D	O
Blast	O
is	O
super	O
by	O
16-bit	B-Device
standards	O
,	O
it	O
falls	O
flat	O
on	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
where	O
32-bit	O
games	O
with	O
far	O
more	O
sophisticated	O
3-D	O
graphics	O
and	O
gameplay	O
are	O
the	O
norm.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Smith	O
and	O
Hsu	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
agreed	O
that	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
is	O
overly	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
,	O
though	O
Hsu	O
added	O
,	O
"	O
that	O
's	O
a	O
compliment	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
not	O
a	O
rip	O
on	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hsu	O
and	O
Boyer	O
both	O
also	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
controls	O
are	O
considerably	O
improved	O
with	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
's	O
analog	B-Device
controller	O
,	O
though	O
Sushi-X	O
found	O
it	O
of	O
little	O
help	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
and	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
better-selling	O
games	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Wallis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
generally	O
disapproved	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blasts	I-Application
gameplay	O
style	O
,	O
some	O
finding	O
its	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
limiting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lucas	O
M	O
.	O
Thomas	O
of	O
IGN	O
lamented	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
sense	O
of	O
speed	O
and	O
intense	O
action	O
that	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
name	O
was	O
built	O
on	O
is	O
absent	O
here	O
,	O
replaced	O
by	O
,	O
essentially	O
,	O
a	O
looping	O
,	O
lazy	O
fetchquest	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Besides	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
goals	O
,	O
Shau	O
and	O
Thomas	O
criticized	O
the	O
controls	O
,	O
particularly	O
in	O
the	O
area	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
overly	O
slow-paced	O
movement	O
and	O
slippery	O
deceleration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thomas	O
did	O
admit	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
has	O
its	O
moments	O
"	O
of	O
quick-footed	O
vigor	O
,	O
but	O
characterized	O
these	O
as	O
few	O
and	O
far	O
between	O
,	O
and	O
Shau	O
summarized	O
that	O
,	O
while	O
not	O
unsalvageable	O
in	O
isolation	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
elements	O
violently	O
clashed	O
and	O
customers	O
would	O
be	O
"	O
spending	O
800	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
points	O
for	O
a	O
vat	O
of	O
oil	O
and	O
water	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
reflecting	O
on	O
its	O
complaints	O
years	O
earlier	O
upon	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
inclusion	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
Plus	I-Device
,	O
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
of	O
1UP.com	O
called	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
much	O
better	O
than	O
you	O
might	O
be	O
led	O
to	O
believe	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brett	O
Alan	O
Weiss	O
of	O
AllGame	O
voiced	O
a	O
similar	O
opinion	O
,	O
feeling	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
"	O
nice	O
departure	O
"	O
from	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
the	O
side-scrolling	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
McFerran	O
greatly	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
and	O
welcomed	O
the	O
graphical	O
improvements	O
of	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
:	O
"	O
the	O
CGI	O
visuals	O
are	O
stunning	O
considering	O
the	O
hardware	O
,	O
the	O
animation	O
is	O
excellent	O
and	O
the	O
level	O
design	O
is	O
colourful	O
and	O
varied	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
journalists	O
have	O
called	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
one	O
of	O
the	O
worst	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
USgamer	O
and	O
Complex	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
feel	O
like	O
a	O
true	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
exclaiming	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
offensive	O
"	O
to	O
call	O
it	O
3D	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
the	O
first	O
sign	O
that	O
Sonic	B-Application
in	O
3D	O
was	O
just	O
plain	O
not	O
going	O
to	O
work	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Archie	O
Comics	O
published	O
a	O
comic	O
book	O
adaptation	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
for	O
a	O
48-page	O
special	O
in	O
December	O
1996	O
,	O
written	O
by	O
Mike	O
Gallagher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
loose	O
adaptation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
appeared	O
in	O
issues	O
104	O
through	O
106	O
(	O
May	O
through	O
July	O
1997	O
)	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	O
Comic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Senoue	O
re-arranged	O
two	O
of	O
his	O
musical	O
pieces	O
from	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
Adventure	I-Application
(	O
1998	O
)	O
,	O
saying	O
he	O
wanted	O
the	O
Japanese	O
market	O
to	O
hear	O
them	O
as	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
was	O
not	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
used	O
an	O
cut	O
theme	O
as	O
the	O
boss	O
theme	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Episode	I-Application
I	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
,	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
collaborated	O
again	O
on	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
racing	O
game	O
Sonic	B-Application
R	I-Application
(	O
1997	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
earliest	O
games	O
;	O
the	O
studio	O
later	O
became	O
known	O
for	O
their	O
work	O
on	O
video	O
games	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Lego	B-Language
toy	O
line	O
,	O
through	O
which	O
it	O
would	O
revisit	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
2015	O
crossover	O
game	O
Lego	B-Application
Dimensions	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
Burton	O
released	O
an	O
unofficial	O
director	O
's	O
cut	O
patch	O
for	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
,	O
with	O
improved	O
controls	O
and	O
additions	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
level	O
editor	O
,	O
a	O
password	O
save	O
system	O
,	O
time	O
attack	O
challenges	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
transform	O
into	O
Super	O
Sonic	B-Application
.	O
</s>
