SinceSonic the Hedgehog 3’s initial release in 1994, the third entry in the long-running franchise has been lauded by both fans and critics. The thirdSonic the Hedgehogwas the first game in the series tointroduce the fan-favorite Knucklesas well as introducing Tails' ability to hover by using his tails as a rotor. The game recently saw its first re-release in over 10 years withSonic Origins.Now,Soniccreator Yuji Naka has apparently confirmed decades-old rumors about the game’s soundtrack.
For years, fans have speculated about the involvement of iconic pop star Michael Jackson’s involvement withSonic the Hedgehog3’s soundtrack. Sega and Jackson’s staff have gone back-and-forth on the singer’s involvement withSonic 3throughout the years. Jackson’s staff has asserted that he was indeed involved with composing and recording music for the game while Sega executives have denied any official contract or agreement with Jackson. Now, a recent tweet from Yuji Naka may have revealed Jackson was indeed involved withSonic the Hedgehog 3.
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Following the release ofSonic Origins, many fans quickly noticed thatSonic the Hedgehog 3’s version in the compilationuses different music than the original game. Yuji Naka expressed his own disappointment with the changed music suggesting that “Sega Official uses Michael Jackson’s music.” Naka served as producer for bothSonic the Hedgehog 3and its companion title,Sonic & Knuckles, with this tweet casually confirming Jackson’s involvement withSonic 3.
Many fans have speculated that the peculiar change inSonic the Hedgehog 3’s soundtrack in the recent compilation may be a result of licensing issues with Jackson’s estate. While Sega itself have not officially confirmed Jackson’s involvement, the thirdSonicgame has notably seen alimited number of re-releases. Before the release ofSonic Origins,Sonic the Hedgehog 3had not seen a new version sinceSonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collectionin 2009, notably released just months before Jackson’s death.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s first official re-release in several years comes as theSonicfranchise is preparing for its next main-series entry.Sonic Frontiersis set to make major changes to the franchise’s classic formula, introducingan “open zone” stylewith more non-linear gameplay. The franchise has also seen success outside video games in recent years with the twoSonic the Hedgehogmovies seeing box office success for the blue blur. With Sega looking towards the future withSonic,Sonic Originsserves as a tribute to the franchise’s storied history.
Sonic Originsis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
