McFerran welcomed the graphical improvements of the Saturn version, and "GameSpot"'s Jeff Gerstmann appreciated this version's superior handling of certain animations. "Entertainment Weekly", however, noted the game's unusually similar presentation on two platforms with differing expectations, claiming that "while "3D Blast" is super by 16-bit standards, it falls flat on Sega Saturn, where 32-bit games with far more sophisticated 3-D graphics and gameplay are the norm." Smith and Hsu of "Electronic Gaming Monthly" agreed that the Saturn version is overly similar to the Genesis version, though Hsu added, "that's a compliment to the Genesis, not a rip on the Saturn". Hsu and Boyer both also said that the game's controls are considerably improved with the Saturn's analog controller, though Sushi-X found it of little help. The staff of "GameSpot" saw the PC version as similar to the others, but pointed out some slowdown effects while the camera scrolled, attributing these to its wide colour palette.