- Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Mega-CD prototype; 1992-12-04).
General comparisons
The v0.02 prototype has a Sega screen, complete with the classic jingle. This was removed from the final, likely as the Mega-CD BIOS already does the work in this regard.
The title screen was overhauled for the final game. In the v0.02 prototype, "CD Sonic the Hedgehog" uses a 320x224 screen resolution (versus 256x224) and lacks the scaling cloud effects. The entire screen was redrawn for the final game - this one has less detail on Little Planet and the mountains, while a Sega logo and 1993 copyright (which can't be fully seen) is mounted below the logo. There is also no introductory animation, just a simple fade in.
In this prototype, the entirety of Sonic - You Can Do Anything plays on the title screen rather than a dedicated title screen theme. The game does not transition to the opening animation until the song has finished playing. Keiko Utoku, who provided the vocals for the song (and was at the time a member of the pop group Mi-Ke), is credited in the bottom-right corner. It is thought this might have been for press purposes, though the text could have been removed because a non-vocalised theme was used on the title screen in the final game).
Only "New Game" and "Time Attack" are available from the title screen, and are selected with 
and 
(as opposed the horizontal menu seen in the final).
The animated introduction has a different border, with the text "開発画面" (Kaihatsu Gamen, which literally translates to "development screen"). It also runs slower than the final game. So there another palette.
The Time Attack screen is a very early design compared to later prototypes and the final game, with extremely basic graphics. Only Palmtree Panic Zones 1 and 2 can be selected here, and the Round is referred to as "Salad Plain". The music that plays on this screen is the theme for Collision Chaos instead of the actual Time Attack music.
The scrapped R2 is also listed on this screen. All other known versions of the game skip from R1 (Palmtree Panic) directly to R3 (Collision Chaos).
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| 510 prototype-v0.70 prototype
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The level select screen is very barebones, listing only the first two Zones of Palmtree Panic and the time warp, opening animation and "Comin' Soon" screen. Its appearance is much like those seen in later prototypes.
Gameplay comparisons
When the timer reaches 9'59"99, it resets back to 9'00"00, essentially meaning there is no time limit. This is similar to the Nick Arcade and Simon Wai prototypes of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The Super Peel Out is very weak in this build. It takes a while to charge, and even then the amount of speed Sonic rockets off with is no stronger than his regular running speed. Additionally, he does not have sprites for running at extremely high speeds yet.
The "I'm outta here!" Easter egg in this build causes the camera to follow Sonic on his way down and die from a bottomless pit. Rather than end the game, Sonic instead loses a life and restarts the level.
You Say! A likely pun on Yuusei Sega World, signposts do not spin nor make a noise when Sonic passes past them, but the computer does force him to travel right. There is no score tally.
Time travel looks very different to the final game, featuring only cyan lines on a white background and smaller sparkles around Sonic.
Graphics comparisons
Sonic uses spring animations similar to the original Sonic the Hedgehog rather than the "spinning" ones seen in the final Sonic CD. They even corrected the missing white stripe from the original sprite.
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| v0.02 prototype
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| Final game
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The "I'm outta here" Easter egg uses completely different graphics.
Audio comparisons
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| v0.02 prototype
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| Final game
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The version of Sonic - You Can Do Anything that plays on the title screen appears to be the "Alternate Version" that ended up on a few albums such as Sonic Team "PowerPlay", meaning that it could possibly be an early version of the song. The primary difference is that Keiko Utoku's vocals were re-recorded for the final.
Palmtree Panic's Past theme is a CD audio track in this build, whereas it was converted to PCM audio in the final. The theme itself is also a different mix - it has an intro, has a few different instruments, and is slower in tempo.
The time travel sound is different, which is an ear-grating noise that would be used in the "510" and "v0.28A" prototypes before being changed twice over the game's development.
Level comparisons
References
and 
(as opposed the horizontal menu seen in the final).
