10 Video Game Mysteries That BAFFLED Gamers For Years
4. Was Michael Jackson Involved? - Sonic The Hedgehog 3
The original Sonic the Hedgehog singlehandedly defined the Mega Drive and became an icon almost overnight. When Sonic the Hedgehog 2 became a smash success, it was obvious the blue speedster was becoming a gaming juggernaut.
Just when it seemed like the hype peaked, Sega announced Michael Jackson was composing tracks for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
But after its release, there were conflicting reports whether the King of Pop was involved in the threequel. Some sources claim Jackson was unhappy how his music sounded on Sega's hardware and so, had it removed. Other reports stated Sega removed the songs to distance themselves from the rising controversy surrounding Jackson's personal life.
Although both parties said Jackson's music doesn't feature in Sonic 3, several melodies sound very reminiscent of the legendary singer's work, especially Ice Cap Zone and Launch Base Zone.
Speculation wasn't cleared until 2005 when STI director, Roger Hector, validated Jackson's music was used in the project. (This explains why the music for the aforementioned levels was replaced in re-releases, since licensing and copyright were too costly.)
This is frustrating since it was only confirmed Michael Jackson's music was in Sonic the Hedgehog 3... immediately after the game wasn't allowed to use it anymore.