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Differences between versions

Fade-In

-The Saturn version of Sonic R handles the game's signature fade-in differently. If the game is undergoing slowdown the fade-in will disappear, shortening the draw distance, in an attempt to keep the frame rate up. Polygons that are transparent do not have lighting applied.

-On the software rendered PC version, fade-in is fixed and can be changed in the options menu or in-game with the F1 and F2 keys. On the hardware rendered PC version, fade-in is displayed differently, calculated per pixel instead of per polygon. Also on the hardware rendered version, the lowest flat floor fades-in with the polygons.

-The Gems version has no fade-in.

Track Lighting

-The Saturn and software rendered PC versions use addition to calculate lighting. This allows for much more dramatic lighting and changing to color of a texture. (Blue light on red shows blue.)The hardware rendered PC version and Gems version uses multiplication for calculating lighting. (Blue light on red shows black.) Since the game's lighting was designed for additive lighting, the track appears subdued on the hardware rendered and Gems versions.

-In the Saturn version, the Radiant Emerald track is transparent and has a transparent overlay to simulate multi-texturing. The fade-in found throughout the game is disabled, so the end of the track pops into view.

-In the PC and Gems versions, fade-in works normally, but the track is no longer transparent and there is no overlay. Instead, the coloring of the track pulsates with bright colors.

-On the hardware rendered PC version and Gems versions, the track is dark and unlit in places, but coloring does change.

Backgrounds and Textures

-The Saturn version has a smaller background (mostly made from a tilemap) and is mirrored four times to wrap the screen (causing suns/moons to appear twice).

-The PC and Gems versions use a 1664*128 bitmap for the entire background.

-The water for the Saturn version appears different, with light shading on the wave reflection of the background (a palette effect) and a faintly visible water surface.

-The software rendered PC version has ripples done that same way as the Saturn version, but is missing the visible water surface and wave shading. The Gems Collection version animates water in a similar way.

-The hardware rendered PC version is missing the features that the software version misses, as well as the background reflecting by a slightly darkened, wobbling texture.

- The Saturn version uses 4-bit textures whereas the PC and Gems versions have 24-bit textures. Despite some tweaks, texture resolution is roughly the same. Some polygon models have changed, too. The changes on Knuckles are particularly noticeable between the Saturn and PC/Gems versions. Also, the software rendered PC version is the only version with texture alpha blending. (Per texel transparency, all other versions only do per polygon transparency.)

Other Differences

-In some places collision detection has changed. For example, in the PC/Gems version, you can stand on the ropes in Reactive Factory; in the Saturn version you cannot.

-The Saturn version's controls were unresponsive at times, (but using a 3D Analog Pad slightly fixes this).

-In the Saturn version, there is a slight delay between when a button is pushed and when a character responds.

-The PC/Gems version has time records for each character, mode, and track combination, and the Saturns' has records for each track, mode, and combination.

-The Saturn and Gems versions have ambient sound effects for torches, waterfalls, and seasides; the Gems version has volume issues (too loud) and is missing some of the sounds that the Saturn version has.

-Credits are different in the Saturn version in that there are no 3D characters.

-The balloons in the balloon mode are blue in the Saturn version, while other versions have randomly colored balloons.

-Items have different probabilities of being received in the Saturn version; shields and speed shoes are far more common for racers in top positions.

-In the PC and Gems versions, races occur in random weather conditions, either normal, rainy, or snowy, unless the default settings are altered.

-The Saturn version supports two players in split screen, while other versions support four players.

-In the Saturn version, the instrumental tunes are longer, they're mysteriously truncated in the PC version.