Sonic 3D in 2D is a fangame that reimagines Sonic3D Blast plot and levels with style and structure closer to the games that preceeded it. Explore Flicky Island in a 2D side scrolling platformer that takes elements from the other Mega Drive/Genesis games to re-forge an adventure anew. Fight new and challenging bosses, save Flicky Island and stop Robotnik's final plan to harness the Flicky's power for himself.
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Played the game as Knuckles this time around in a VC with my bf and it still sucked ass but I'm willing to raise it by a single half-star because they're the most adorable MF alive
This review contains spoilers
[finished with 3 of the 7 emeralds collected, planning on going back for them at a later date]
This is a fangame I've been keeping an eye on for a while; it reimagines the less-than-beloved isometric platformer from 1996, turning it into a more traditional 2D affair. And how well did it turn out? For the most part, quite decently!
For starters, the presentation's pretty solid! Due to the isometric perspective of the original 3D Blast, you never got to see much in the way of backgrounds or environmental details, which isn't the case here! A lot of the zones are totally reimagined in terms of their locations and appearance, whilst still being recognizable. My personal favourites of these are probably Spring Stadium taking place outside (and having a gorgeous sunset in Act 1), and Panic Puppet still being under construction (although it is unfortunately lacking the titular Eggman puppet in Act 2). There's also some neat details added to fit this in as a transition game inbetween 3&K and Adventure, like Eggman having a unique design combining his classic and modern looks, and Sonic having green eyes on the title screen.
Before I get into the level design, I'd also love to give massive props to the bosses in particular. All the ones from 3D Blast are reimagined in a 2D space and work quite well, but since the structure's more like 3&K, that means each Act 1 also has a miniboss to contend with, which end up being some real deep-cut references. These include the Mecha Sonic from S2 8-Bit, an original Eggrobo and E-Series fusion called E99, MY BOY METAL KNUCKLES, all five Sonic robots appearing in Gene Gadget (including the unnamed bot from SA1) and more! Their actual fights could be a bit better (you really need to have some quick reaction times to efficiently deal with these guys), but learning their patterns and getting through was still fun!
Now we get onto the level design, which I'm not quite as crazy about. For the most part it's pretty good, capturing the style of speed and platforming S3&K pioneered, with a couple of environmental puzzles thrown in. These usually serve as cute little references to sections from the original 3D Blast, like the balloon climb in Spring Stadium 1, the three platforms with a spring in Rusty Ruin 2, and even a 2D recreation of the exploratory bit in Gene Gadget 2! My main problem with the levels is that they can occasionally feel a bit cheap, launching you into things or not giving you enough of a heads up that something's coming. A fair few of these can be avoided if you roll frequently (which I usually do), but they're worth mentioning if that kind of trial-and-error design for Sonic isn't your thing.
But overall, I thought Sonic 3D in 2D was a neat little fangame! It's certainly a bit rough in places and doesn't always nail exactly what it sets out to do, but I'd say that's to be expected with fangames. Still, if you want another 2D Sonic to play through and you don't mind some roughness, I'd say it's worth a try!
This is a fangame I've been keeping an eye on for a while; it reimagines the less-than-beloved isometric platformer from 1996, turning it into a more traditional 2D affair. And how well did it turn out? For the most part, quite decently!
For starters, the presentation's pretty solid! Due to the isometric perspective of the original 3D Blast, you never got to see much in the way of backgrounds or environmental details, which isn't the case here! A lot of the zones are totally reimagined in terms of their locations and appearance, whilst still being recognizable. My personal favourites of these are probably Spring Stadium taking place outside (and having a gorgeous sunset in Act 1), and Panic Puppet still being under construction (although it is unfortunately lacking the titular Eggman puppet in Act 2). There's also some neat details added to fit this in as a transition game inbetween 3&K and Adventure, like Eggman having a unique design combining his classic and modern looks, and Sonic having green eyes on the title screen.
Before I get into the level design, I'd also love to give massive props to the bosses in particular. All the ones from 3D Blast are reimagined in a 2D space and work quite well, but since the structure's more like 3&K, that means each Act 1 also has a miniboss to contend with, which end up being some real deep-cut references. These include the Mecha Sonic from S2 8-Bit, an original Eggrobo and E-Series fusion called E99, MY BOY METAL KNUCKLES, all five Sonic robots appearing in Gene Gadget (including the unnamed bot from SA1) and more! Their actual fights could be a bit better (you really need to have some quick reaction times to efficiently deal with these guys), but learning their patterns and getting through was still fun!
Now we get onto the level design, which I'm not quite as crazy about. For the most part it's pretty good, capturing the style of speed and platforming S3&K pioneered, with a couple of environmental puzzles thrown in. These usually serve as cute little references to sections from the original 3D Blast, like the balloon climb in Spring Stadium 1, the three platforms with a spring in Rusty Ruin 2, and even a 2D recreation of the exploratory bit in Gene Gadget 2! My main problem with the levels is that they can occasionally feel a bit cheap, launching you into things or not giving you enough of a heads up that something's coming. A fair few of these can be avoided if you roll frequently (which I usually do), but they're worth mentioning if that kind of trial-and-error design for Sonic isn't your thing.
But overall, I thought Sonic 3D in 2D was a neat little fangame! It's certainly a bit rough in places and doesn't always nail exactly what it sets out to do, but I'd say that's to be expected with fangames. Still, if you want another 2D Sonic to play through and you don't mind some roughness, I'd say it's worth a try!
I have massive respect for any fan project, especially completed ones, and this game is no exception. It's even the type of fan-game I'm most drawn towards, so I can't put into words how enthusiastic I was to play this, especially with that insane character roster.
Then, I got a taste of the level design, and started questioning how much longer I can last in this world.
Then, I got a taste of the level design, and started questioning how much longer I can last in this world.
Yeah no I'm sticking to the 3D version.
3D in 2D is so weird in that it has an amazing concept, and yet it excecutes it so, SO poorly. The graphics are perfectly fine, the score is a banger (because it's all from other games), but my main issue is the level design. It feels like something out of Sonic 4 most of the time, and can either be confusing or just plain not fun. It has it's moments, and the game controls pretty well overall which helps, but it's still generally annoying. The worst aspects are by far the bosses and special stages. You can barely see what's ahead of you in the latter, and the former just feel unfair most of the time. The final boss specially is absolutely terrible, but like, overall it's perfectly fine. It's a decent 2D Sonic game with some shit parts inbetween, but nothing unplayable.
3D in 2D is so weird in that it has an amazing concept, and yet it excecutes it so, SO poorly. The graphics are perfectly fine, the score is a banger (because it's all from other games), but my main issue is the level design. It feels like something out of Sonic 4 most of the time, and can either be confusing or just plain not fun. It has it's moments, and the game controls pretty well overall which helps, but it's still generally annoying. The worst aspects are by far the bosses and special stages. You can barely see what's ahead of you in the latter, and the former just feel unfair most of the time. The final boss specially is absolutely terrible, but like, overall it's perfectly fine. It's a decent 2D Sonic game with some shit parts inbetween, but nothing unplayable.
probably better than sonic 3d but idk haven't played it
The game itself was good. The platforming part was really great. All the areas were transferred from 3D to 2D. It's great... Now let's talk about the negative points. Unfortunately, there are some, and my main complaint is about the special stages... I'm sorry, but they are bad. I never liked the special stages in Sonic 2, but here.... The controls are somehow even worse. Objects such as rings and bombs appear too soon, with no time to react to their appearance. In fact, the original Sonic 2 special stages had some specific rules for the appearance of rings. For example, when the tube spins, the rings and bombs appear only on the side visible to the player and not on the side where nothing is visible.
Now, I am not saying that the game is bad because of this. No, of course not. But I will say that these special stages really ruin the experience for some players who hate tube special stages. And yes, even Saturn Sonic 3D Blast had these stages, BUT they were easier because they were in 3D and gave time to react, and again followed the rules in placing rings and bombs along the way.
Now, I am not saying that the game is bad because of this. No, of course not. But I will say that these special stages really ruin the experience for some players who hate tube special stages. And yes, even Saturn Sonic 3D Blast had these stages, BUT they were easier because they were in 3D and gave time to react, and again followed the rules in placing rings and bombs along the way.