Sonic Origins, on the whole, is looking like a lovely collection of the mainline, side-scrolling Sonic games. However, one point of worry for fans of Sonic 3 & Knuckles in particular concerns its music. It's all but confirmed that Michael Jackson and his collaborators contributed to the game's soundtrack back in the 90s, and those particular songs have become a licensing nightmare for SEGA ever since. What does this mean for Sonic Origins? Finally, we have an answer.
Speaking during the latest official Sonic livestream (above, around the 10 minute mark), social media manager Katie Chrzanowski confirms that certain tracks from the Mega Drive version of Sonic 3&K won't be included in Origins. However, "Jun Senoue has been working really hard to adapt the original music that was composed in 1993 for Sonic Origins," she says, adding that the composer is using the Genesis sound chip and his own audio tapes to make these tracks "as faithful to the originals as possible".
Now, this is a little vague, but Stealth — one of the key staffers on Sonic Mania, and who had a hand in making Origins — has clarified the situation:
So, for the affected stages of Sonic 3, Jun Senoue has taken the prototype tracks from 1993, reproduced them, and polished them up, replacing a handful of songs from the original game as we know it. This will probably be disappointing news for those with nostalgia for levels like Ice Cap Zone, Carnival Night Zone, and others, but at least this solution makes it so the game can be included in Origins.
Hopefully these replacement tracks will get the job done — we'll find out when the collection arrives on 23rd June.
[source youtube.com, via twitter.com, twitter.com]
Comments 19
Eh I'll just listen to the songs on YouTube while I'm playing those zones then
Another one that if not pointed out specifically, and highlighted by media and content creators, then most gamers would probably never know. Blissful ignorance.
If you are partial to those tracks, you can always emulate (providing you have the rights to the ROM that is, i.e. the original cart). Maybe the new tracks will make the game seem fresh anyway?
To be honest I don't really care if a song or two changes I just want to play the games in my ps4. I hope they do a good work in how the games actually play.
I think it's really cool that they're adapting prototype music for the collection.
I had no idea the MJ tracks had licencing issues.
The scope of this, if I remember correctly, is: Carnival Night Zone, Ice Cap Zone, Launch Base Zone, the Sonic 3 credits music (might not be relevant if we can't play Sonic 3 without Lock On S+K). To be honest if Jun Senoue is on the case I won't miss these tracks terribly, he has been a stalwart of Sonic soundtracks since S3+K anyway so it's in good hands.
@Blofse that, or if you can find a copy of Sonic Jam on the Saturn. Doesn't go for stupid prices afaik, but you have to be one of the lucky few who still own a working Saturn.
No issue here. Music rights are a nightmare to navigate sometimes so I won't hold it against them. Who knows maybe the new songs will be better anyway.
These things happen, I'm willing to accept OutRun gets rereleased without the Testarossa a-like car sprite, just glad they can keep the game for sale (though I have the Japanese Saturn version for that 'true' arcade look). I have Sonic Jam and the Mega Collection, if I need Sonic 3 with the original tunes.
I wonder if they will use the unused track 10 from Sonic 2 somewhere, which we all thought at the time was the Hidden palace tune. I would have preferred if that track was used for Hidden Palace in the mobile version, rather than the two player Mystic Cave music.
So my take on this is that the songs that will be put in place are the prototype songs which actually fit really well.
Looking forward to it and playing it cant wait to be 8 years old again for Sonic 1
Totally fine with this — I've always got the original cart (and access to youtube ) - I also found it a shame that Dreams Come True didn't return for the third game; their work in the first two games was sublime.
The difference in response between these comments and Nintendo Life’s is astronomical🤣 Loving the positivity over here, friends! I think some disappointment is fair but this does seem like a relatively minor issue in the grand scheme of things.
Aside from Hard Times Ice Cap being iconic, I can live without the MJ tracks. Honestly the Act 2 variants of those songs are my least favourite in the game, very phoned in and effectively Act 1 but with less instrumentation.
@RogerRoger The prevailing assuming is after Michael passed, the Jackson estate took over and they've been more strict with licensing. Sonic 3 re-releases ended for a decade not long after his death.
@Ristar24 the unused track was meant for a cutscene. It's too slow paced as level music compared to the others to be honest.
@shadow2k Also the Sonic 3 versions of the miniboss and Knuckles themes, but like the credits music they probably would have been absent anyway.
@Orpheus79V Yeah, I know, it's not fast paced and they say was for a cutscene, but listening to that tune in the sound test back in 92' and knowing it was not present in the game when I completed it. Then being aware of this lost 'Hidden Palace' level that may or may not exist (pre internet speculation), and having that unused music track... I always think of that music as the 'Hidden Palace' music, even if it was never intended to be. Its dreamy, atmospheric sound, probably contributed to the mystery!
Ugh.. this is a major disappointment.
Maybe the fan community will patch in the actual tracks in the PC release.
To be honest this adds extra interest for me, just to see how the levels play with the alternate music. I won't miss the old songs, partly because they are etched into my brain forever
ice cap zone best zone and it was because of the music
I never played the original versions so no big loss for me.
Lots of people being understand here, but i could not disagree more as a long time fan.
I seriously doubt that the new tracks can live up to the originals.
I don't understand why it's so difficult to license the music or heck release it as dlc.
This seriously puts this collection in doubt for me. It won't be S3&K without the soundtrack, and last i heard the PC version tracks were horrible. This is not good.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...