Game Development:Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island

From Sonic Retro

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island has gone through several changes over its development process. There are several rejected ideas, level designs, and other things that were left on the cutting room floor. The following details several of these things.

1 Development Process
2 Prototypes
3 Test Plan
4 Early Game Design

Development Process

In addition to the original Sega Genesis version, Sonic 3D was also developed for the Sega Saturn to make up for the cancellation of Sonic X-treme. The game was ported in seven weeks, during development of the Mega Drive version. A minigame called Sonic Pool was considered for inclusion in this version but was scrapped.

Prototypes

Many prototypes of Sonic 3D have been found over the years. The first to be found was this 2006 cartridge prototype. Then in 2008 drx released 7 more Mega Drive protos: beta 73, beta 814, beta 819, beta 825, beta 830, beta 831, and beta 94. The 825 beta is quite similar to the 2006 cartridge prototype. At this same time a Saturn tech demo was also found.

Test Plan

What seems to be a checklist used when testing Sonic 3D has been found. You can find images of it here.

Early Game Design

These scans come from various magazines. They display different aspects that were changed before the final game was compiled.

Mega Drive

The images in this section only apply to the Mega Drive version.

Various

E3 Demo title screen. This title screen is found on many of the protos.
Early Title Card Image which is similar to the Sonic & Knuckles title cards.

Green Grove Zone

Mockup. The badnik (which looks like Shellcracker) has a shadow but Sonic doesn't. Enemy shouldn't exist since all flickies are collected. It's also not possible to walk under a bridge.
No HUD and a Sonic has a circle shadow. He just lost all rings although there is no enemies. Also off center.
Same image but reversed.
Early icons on HUD.
Again.
Again.
And again.
3 flickies following Sonic but only 2 shown on HUD.
Bad HUD icons again.