Sonic 3D Blast (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Despite the name of the game, Sonic 3D Blast is not really a Sonic the Hedgehog game. Oh sure, it has the smartass hedgehog and his sidekicks in the game, but that doesn't make this the successor to Sonic 3 on the Sega Genesis. In truth Sonic 3D Blast is an atrocious faux-3D action game that was made only to sully the good name of Sonic the Hedgehog. It probably won't surprise you to learn that Sonic 3D Blast wasn't even developed by Sega, instead the game was farmed out to Traveller's Tale, the company best known for making those enjoyable Lego Star Wars games. Instead of being a fast-paced 2D action game, Sonic 3D Blast is a slow-paced action game that is shot from a slightly overhead perspective. In a lot of ways the game feels more like a puzzle game, only with more of an emphasis on running around and jumping. The camera perspective may set this game apart from other Sonic games, but it also takes a lot of the excitement out of the series. Sonic is so far away from the screen that you never really connect with the character and the biggest problem is that it just never feels like a Sonic game.
Does It Still Hold Up?
While the old school Sonic games tend to have this timeless feel to them (even if they are admittedly simplistic), Sonic 3D Blast just doesn't work on multiple levels. Even at the time of its release (1996) this game just felt old and unimportant. Worse yet, this exact game was ported to Sega's 32-bit Saturn, which was definitely not a good substitute for a real 3D Sonic game. I'm sure that there are some Sonic fans out there that may actually find something to like about this game, but you're the type of person that can't get enough 2D Sonic then you should probably steer clear of this title. In other words, no, this game does not hold up well.
Is It Worth The Money?
Why on Earth would Sega release this Sonic game instead of Sonic & Knucles, the pseudo-sequel/spin-off to Sonic 3? Sonic 3D Blast was the start of a whole line of really bad Sonic games. Unfortunately it's a line of bad Sonic games that still plagues us today, including (but not isolated to) the recent Xbox 360/PS3 Sonic the Hedgehog game. The good news is that Sonic 3D Blast is better than the recent next-gen Sonic games, but not by much. It's better you just let this Sonic title slip on by.
Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly Paradise (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
For years I have been trumpeting the brilliance of the TurboGrafx-16 game, Air Zonk. Whenever anybody asks me what the best shooter on the Turbo is I usually point them to this wacky character-driven action game. But even though I am one of the biggest proponents of Hudson's amazing shooter, this is the very first I'm hearing about this CD-based sequel. How is it possible that I'm the last to find out about Super Air Zonk? But instead of beating myself up over missing this sequel, I am actually happy that this is the first time I've had a chance to play it. Usually when I go to write one of these articles I have a good idea of what I'm getting myself into already. Heck, most of the titles uploaded to the Virtual Console are games I already own on at least one or two other consoles. It's rare that I have a chance to enjoy a brand new retro experience, so thank you Hudson for not doing anything to promote this game the first time around. Super Air Zonk is a lot like the original game, it's still a colorful action game full of silly characters and great power-ups. One thing that sets this game apart from the rest of the pack is the fact that there are different power-ups for each level. And not just that, but you can also interact with the environment to create little helper friends and other odd things. The game is still a 2D shooter, but there's enough originality in this game to give you more than enough reason to pay a little more for this phenomenal shooter.
Does It Still Hold Up?
For the most part 2D shooters have held up better than just about any other genre, the concept of dodging enemy attacks and blowing up space monsters is a timeless one. But while some old school shooters tend to look and feel the same, Super Air Zonk has its own sense of style. The power-ups are exciting and unique, the levels are brilliantly done, and you'll always want to see what happens next. What's more, the game has great music to boot. Super Air Zonk is the one shining entry in a week full of terrible retro games.
Is It Worth The Money?
Because this is a TurboDuo game, Super Air Zonk comes with a premium price. But don't let the $2 increase keep you from picking up this stunning game, because this is easily one of the best 2D shooters available on the Virtual Console. And trust me, that's really saying something, the Virtual Console has more than enough shooters to keep just about everybody happy for the next two decades. But Super Air Zonk is different, and that's why this should be at the top of your list.
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