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Difference between revisions of "Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Development"

From Sonic Retro

(→‎Scrap Brain Zone)
(re-worded bits)
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<gallery widths="148px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="148px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
Image:S1concept-Loops.jpg|Loop art in a level not used in final.
 
Image:S1concept-Loops.jpg|Loop art in a level not used in final.
−
Image:S1concept-MarbleZone.jpg|Loop art again in a mountainous level.
+
Image:S1concept-MarbleZone.jpg|A prototype Marble Zone?
−
Image:S1concept-TubeArt.jpg|Marble Zone.
+
Image:S1concept-TubeArt.jpg|Possibly a scientist's lab stage, and rotating fireballs in a mountainous level.
 
Image:S1concept-WaterArt.jpg|Water art in another mountainous level.
 
Image:S1concept-WaterArt.jpg|Water art in another mountainous level.
 
Image:S1concept-Needlemouse.jpg|Sonic art, the text translates to "Mr. Hedgehog".
 
Image:S1concept-Needlemouse.jpg|Sonic art, the text translates to "Mr. Hedgehog".
−
Image:S1concept-HEDGEHOG.jpg|More Sonic art.
+
Image:S1concept-HEDGEHOG.jpg|More Sonic art, this time in colour.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
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<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
Image:S1TitleBlack.png|Titlescreen with a black background similar to the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)|8-bit game]].
 
Image:S1TitleBlack.png|Titlescreen with a black background similar to the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)|8-bit game]].
−
Image:S1Title2.jpg|Near final Title screen but with "Press Start Button" text on-screen.
+
Image:S1Title2.jpg|A near final title screen with "Press Start Button" text on-screen.
−
Image:S1SpecialStage.png|Different layout in special stage.
+
Image:S1SpecialStage.png|A special stage level with a layout not seen in the final game.
−
Image:S1SpecialStage2.JPG|Different layout.
+
Image:S1SpecialStage2.JPG|More of the different layout.
−
Image:S1SpecialStage3.JPG|Different layout.
+
Image:S1SpecialStage3.JPG|...and again...
−
File:S1SpecialStage4.png|Different layout.
+
File:S1SpecialStage4.png|...and again...
−
File:S1SpecialStage5.png|Different layout.
+
File:S1SpecialStage5.png|...and again.
−
Image:S1Debug.jpg|Different debug mode. This can be enabled by using the [[Game Genie]] code 2E6T-BCS6.
+
Image:S1Debug.jpg|Very strange shots of what appears to be a different debug mode. This can be enabled by using the [[Game Genie]] code 2E6T-BCS6.
−
Image:S1StageSelect.jpg|Final zone not listed and X's are listed after some levels in this level select. Press Start text is visible.
+
Image:S1StageSelect.jpg|An earlier level select. Final zone is not listed and Xs are listed after some levels. The "Press Start Button" text is visible once again.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Green Hill Zone===
 
===Green Hill Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:GHZ-PinkFlowers.jpg|HUD says RING and the flowers are purple.
+
Image:GHZ-DarkBG.jpg|Early Green Hill Zone screenshots appear to show a city in the background. Trees and a brown rock (which is purple in the final game) can be seen in the foreground.  
−
Image:GHZ-DarkBG.jpg|A city can be seen in the background. Trees and a brown rock can be seen in the foreground. The rocks are bluish purple in the final game. Probably a mockup image.
+
Image:GHZ-WelcomeSign.png|A Welcome Sign with Kanji underneath it. Again the city is visible. These two screenshots are probably mockup images.
−
Image:GHZ-WelcomeSign.png|A Welcome Sign with Kanji underneath it. A city can be seen in the background.
+
Image:GHZ-PinkFlowers.jpg|The Heads-Up-Display says "RING" instead of "RINGS" and the flowers are purple instead of green (in the final game, the flowers are also purple in the cutscene after Final zone). These two features are common among most of these Green Hill Zone prototype screenshots.
−
Image:GHZ-Ball4.jpg|Apparently this rolling ball needs a push start.
+
Image:GHZ-Ball.jpg|A rolling ball. This can still be found in debug mode but is not placeable. The sprite was used for the level's boss instead.
−
Image:GHZ-Ball.jpg|A rolling ball. This can still be found in debug mode but is not placeable. The sprite was still used for the levels boss.
+
Image:GHZ-Ball4.jpg|Apparently this rolling ball needed a push start.
 
Image:GHZ-Ball2.jpg|The ball again. [[Sonic the Hedgehog: A New Superstar (Game Players Encyclopedia, 1991)|A magazine]] says the ball moves when pushed but can also kill the player.
 
Image:GHZ-Ball2.jpg|The ball again. [[Sonic the Hedgehog: A New Superstar (Game Players Encyclopedia, 1991)|A magazine]] says the ball moves when pushed but can also kill the player.
 
Image:GHZ-Ball3.JPG|The ball again, but this time it is in the air.
 
Image:GHZ-Ball3.JPG|The ball again, but this time it is in the air.
−
Image:GHZ-JumpPunch.jpg|Sonic punching the air. An early end level celebration.
+
Image:GHZ-JumpPunch.jpg|Sonic punching the air after completing the act as an early end level celebration. The sprites, though unused in the final game, still exist within the ROM.
−
Image:GHZ-Monitor.jpg|Monitor is not here in final.
+
Image:GHZ-Monitor.jpg|This sheild monitor is not here in final.
−
Image:GHZ-loop.jpg|Debug statistics are on bottom of screen. Loops in not in this location in final.
+
Image:GHZ-loop.jpg|Debug values in the bottom-right of the screen. Loops in not in this location in final.
−
Image:GHZ-Debug.jpg|Debug statistics are on bottom of screen.
+
Image:GHZ-Debug.jpg|More of the old debug mode.
−
Image:GHZ-Hurted.jpg|Sonic gets knocked back more than in final.
+
Image:GHZ-Hurted.jpg|After being hit, Sonic gets knocked back more than in final.
 
File:GHZ loop.png|Sonic on a loop.
 
File:GHZ loop.png|Sonic on a loop.
 
Image:GHZ-map.JPG|A prototype map, a rolling ball can be seen.
 
Image:GHZ-map.JPG|A prototype map, a rolling ball can be seen.
 
File:GHZ map.png|Another prototype map.
 
File:GHZ map.png|Another prototype map.
−
File:GHZ map2.png|Another prototype map with a rolling ball visible.
+
File:GHZ map2.png|Another prototype map with a rolling ball visible. They are almost identical to the final game.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Marble Zone===
 
===Marble Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:MZ-Lava.jpg|Area where green smashers come down. Mashers and fire from torch are missing.
+
Image:MZ-Tiles.jpg|Strange level graphics and falling tiles which can be balanced on. This is most likely another mock-up.
−
Image:MZ-UFO.jpg|These badniks aren't in this level normally, but can be placed with debug. The UFOs in the sky also don't appear in the final version.
+
Image:MZ-UFO2.png|One of the main features of the prototype Marble Zone was the existance of rotating UFOs in the background. All traces of these graphics are removed in the final game (though a single frame appeared in the [[Game Secrets:Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile|mobile phone port of Sonic 1]]).
 +
 
 +
Image:MZ-UFO.jpg|These [[Yadrin]] badniks don't appear in this level normally, but can be placed via the debug mode.
 
Image:MZ-UFOx.png|Same pic but in higher quality.
 
Image:MZ-UFOx.png|Same pic but in higher quality.
−
Image:MZ-UFODebug.jpg|These UFOs were seen in a short clip on Wayne's world during a promotion for Noahs Arcade. They were also found hidden in the [[Game Secrets:Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile|Sonic 1 Mobile game]].
+
Image:MZ-UFODebug.jpg|The UFOs were seen rotating in a short clip on Wayne's world during a promotion for Noahs Arcade. Also the lava in the bottom right is similar to that of the mock-up screenshot earlier.
−
Image:MZ-UFO2.png|UFOs again.
 
 
Image:MZ-UFO4.JPG|More UFOs.
 
Image:MZ-UFO4.JPG|More UFOs.
−
Image:MZ-UFO3.jpg|UFO appears red for some reason.
+
Image:MZ-UFO3.jpg|UFOs appear red in this screen for some reason.
−
File:MZ ufo again.png|Purple UFO again.
+
File:MZ ufo again.png|More UFOs and Yadrin badnik.
−
Image:MZ-Tiles.jpg|Strange level graphics and falling tiles which can be balanced on.
+
Image:MZ-Lava.jpg|The green pillars haven't been installed yet. In the background there is usually a torch with fire, however the fire is missing here. Prototype lava is also present.
−
Image:MZ-Spikes.jpg|Sideway spikes. These can be placed with debug also.
+
Image:MZ-Spikes.jpg|These sideway spikes were removed from the final game and replaced with moving blocks. The code and graphics for them still exist within the ROM. Again, there is no flame in the background.
 
Image:MZ-NewRoom.jpg|This room isn't in the final version.
 
Image:MZ-NewRoom.jpg|This room isn't in the final version.
−
Image:MZ-Mashers.jpg|Torch flame is missing.
+
Image:MZ-Mashers.jpg|Though the pillars have arrived this time, the torch flame is still missing.
−
File:MZ Map.png|A small map with lots of UFO's present.
+
File:MZ Map.png|A small prototype map with lots of UFOs present.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Spring Yard Zone===
 
===Spring Yard Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling.png|Level is called Sparkling Zone and has a different background. The sign behind the counter says good luck.
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling.png|Spring Yard was called Sparkling Zone in the prototype and had a different background. The sign behind the HUD says "good luck".
−
Image:SYZ-Fall.jpg|Unkown area. A sparkle can be seen over the "good luck sign" indicating the sparkles moved around and weren't stars.
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling6.jpg|Same again. The sign on the right says "GOGO".
 +
Image:SYZ-Sparkling9.JPG|At one point there was a giant set of rotating spikes in this area, most likely removed due to the difficulty of avoiding them.
 +
Image:SYZ-Sparkling2a.jpg|Sparkles are present. You can see the buildings are merely made up of colourful horizontal lines.
 +
Image:SYZ-Sparkling7.jpg|Sparkles are present. There appears to be a "Good Bye" sign too.
 +
Image:SYZ-Sparkling2.png|Sparkles are present.
 
Image:SYZ-Sparkling8.JPG|Strange sign with Kanji written on it.
 
Image:SYZ-Sparkling8.JPG|Strange sign with Kanji written on it.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling9a.JPG|Good Luck.
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling9a.JPG|A "Good Luck" sign.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling2a.jpg|Sparkles present.
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling3.jpg|More of the background. Perhaps Sonic Team thought the level deserved more of a background than lines and stars.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling2.png|Sparkles present.
+
Image:SYZ-Fall.jpg|An unkown area, though judging from the time counter, it might be near the start of Act 2 or 3. A sparkle can be seen over the "good luck sign" indicating the sparkles moved around and weren't part of the background.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling3.jpg|Sparkles present.
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling4.jpg|All sorts of objects here. A [[Moto Bug]] that never leaves Green Hill Zone in the final game, and a purple [[Roller]] is present.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling4.jpg|All sorts of objects here. A [[Moto Bug]] that never leaves Green Hill Zone in the final game, and a purple [[Roller]].
+
Image:SYZ-Sparkling5.jpg|Sparkles are present.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling5.jpg|Sparkles present.
+
File:SYZ A.png|A heavily edited screenshot but the strange signs are still present.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling6.jpg|Sparkles present.
+
File:SYZ B.png|Some odd ring placement.
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling7.jpg|Sparkles present.
 
−
Image:SYZ-Sparkling9.JPG|At one point there was a giant set of rotating spikes in this area.
 
−
File:SYZ A.png|Strange Signs present.
 
−
File:SYZ B.png|Odd Ring placement.
 
 
File:SYZ C.png|Another pic.
 
File:SYZ C.png|Another pic.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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===Labyrinth Zone===
 
===Labyrinth Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:LZ-BlackBG.png|Completely black background and a crystal on roof.
+
Image:LZ-BlackBG.png|Labyrinth Zone once had a completely black background and was littered with different, smaller crystals.
 
Image:LZ-BlueBG.jpg|This may be the underwater version of the black background. Sonic's palette is the same as above water.
 
Image:LZ-BlueBG.jpg|This may be the underwater version of the black background. Sonic's palette is the same as above water.
−
Image:LZ-NewBG.png|Rock background. There is no water on the slide.
+
Image:LZ-NewBG3.jpg|The intro to act 1, sporting a later "rocky" background. There is no water to be seen and the cystals are different. The may have been altered to make the level more interesting.
−
Image:LZ-NewBG2.jpg|Rock background. This should be a underwater area with a ball and chain swinging.
+
Image:LZ-NewBG.png|There is no water on the slide, which is unusual.
−
Image:LZ-NewBG3.jpg|Rock background. No water on bottom, crystal behind sonic, 2 ceiling crystals should be 1 large one.
+
Image:LZ-NewBG2.jpg|More of the rocky background. In the final game this area has water and a spike on a chain, but it's largely empty here.
−
Image:LZ-NewBG4.jpg|Rock background. The ceiling crystals should not be there.
+
 
−
File:LZ NewBG 5.png|Rock background.
+
Image:LZ-NewBG4.jpg|Even more of the rock background. The ceiling crystals were removed in the final game.
 +
File:LZ NewBG 5.png|Yet more of this rock background.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Star Light Zone===
 
===Star Light Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:SLZ-pic.JPG|Different layout.
+
Image:SLZ-Pic2.jpg|Star Light Act 1 has 3 rings missing from the start of the level.
−
Image:SLZ-Pic2.jpg|3 rings missing.
+
Image:SLZ-pic.JPG|This layout is different to the final game.
−
Image:SLZ-Pic3.png|Top springs are missing in final.
+
 
−
File:SLZ Pic 4.png|Debug active.
+
Image:SLZ-Pic3.png|The top row of springs here are missing in final.
−
File:SLZ Pic 6.png|
+
File:SLZ Pic 4.png|Debug mode appears to be active.
−
File:SLZ Pic 7.png|Small map.
+
File:SLZ Pic 6.png|All is fairly normal here, appart from the "RING" in the HUD.
 +
File:SLZ Pic 7.png|A small map, showing one of the loops.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Scrap Brain Zone===
 
===Scrap Brain Zone===
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
 
<gallery widths="140px" heights="140px" perrow="4">
−
Image:ClockOrkTitle.jpg|Level is called Clockwork Zone, but missing the W. The background is also different.
+
Image:ClockOrkTitle.jpg|At an earlier stage of development, Scrap Brain was called Clockwork Zone. But, due to the lack of "W" character in the font used, it is called "Clock ork Zone" instead.  
−
Image:SBZ-Pic1.png|The belts have a steep incline.
+
Image:SBZ-Pic5.jpg|At this stage in development the level appears to be very short and unfinished. There are no rings, the background is identical to the foreground, and there are many similar screenshots of scrapped areas.
−
Image:SBZ-Pic2.jpg|Zig-zag tunnel.
+
Image:SBZ-Pic3.jpg|...such as this. This area isn't in the final game and may just be here for demonstration purposes. In the top right you can see...
−
Image:SBZ-Pic3.jpg|This room isn't in the game.
+
Image:SBZ-Pic1.png|...diagonal conveyor belts. Though horizontal ones made it to the final game, the diagonal ones didn't, nor did they appear in any later games.
−
Image:SBZ-Pic4.gif|Different layout.
+
File:SBZPic7.png|Diagonal belts again. The closest to these in the final game are conveyors with spinning platforms.
−
Image:SBZ-Pic5.jpg|Different layout.
+
Image:SBZ-Pic4.gif|More of the different layout. The background blends in with the foreground here, so it's fairly obvious as to why it must have been changed.
−
Image:SBZ-Pic6.JPG|Different layout. Probably used debug to get in a speed tunnel.0
+
Image:SBZ-Pic2.jpg|A zig-zag tunnel with debug mode enabled. This may have been replaced in the final game with those tube sections with horizontal crushers.
−
File:SBZPic7.png|Vertical Conveyor Belt.
+
Image:SBZ-Pic6.JPG|Different layout again. Sonic emerges from a speed tunnel.
−
File:SBZ Pic 8.png|
+
File:SBZ Pic 8.png|2 minutes and 6 seconds down the line and Sonic has yet to recieve any points or rings. The level must have clearly been very empty. Also the background does not appear to be scrolling that much (if at all).
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  

Revision as of 08:06, 5 August 2009

Sonic the Hedgehog has gone through several changes over its development process. There are several rejected ideas, levels, and other things that were left on the cutting room floor. The following details several of these things.

Development Process

Development for Sonic the Hedgehog began in April 1990, after Sega ordered its AM-8 team to develop a game featuring a mascot for the company. After choosing a hedgehog as the main character, the 5-person group changed its name to Sonic Team and started working on Sonic the Hedgehog. The main minds behind the game were character designer Naoto Ohshima, game programmer Yuji Naka and designer Hirokazu Yasuhara.[1] According to a 1991 issue of Computer & Video Games, US Gold bought the rights to create computer ports, meaning that Spectrum, C64, Amstrad, ST, and Amiga could have all received a port. No port was ever released, although media for the Amiga port has been found. US Gold did work on another Sonic game for the Master System which was ultimately cancelled, called Sonic's Edusoft.

Rejected Characters

Sonic1-rabbit.png

Interestingly, one of the first designs of Sonic that was selected for use was that of a rabbit which could pick up objects with his ears and throw them at enemies. It was used in early versions of the game but as the game got faster and the item throwing gameplay was removed the character design was dropped and Sonic took on his final form, a hedgehog. Below are several other scrapped character designs.

  • S1concept-WARRIOR.jpg

    Warrior Design with two outfits.

  • S1concept-CLOWNNWOLFBOY.jpg

    Clown and Warrior wearing head of a animal.

  • S1concept-Human.jpg

    Human character with Bart Simpson like hair.

  • S1concept-MRHEDGEHOG.jpg

    A hedgehog with more human-like features.

  • S1concept-WINDUPROBOTROOK.jpg

    Robot character and two other characters.

  • S1concept-eggman.jpg

    Man with strange outfit. Definitely a prototype version of Robotnik. He was considered for the hero position according to this EGM article.

  • S1concept-WEIRDCREATURE.jpg

    Possibly a porcupine?

  • S1concept-Chick.jpg

    Chicken with an attitude.

  • Wolf wearing an American flag t-shirt.

  • Bulldog character.

Dr. Robotnik Naming Game

There were many names for Dr. Robotnik that were suggested. An early name for Robotnik was Dr. Badvibes as discovered by hxc in a short interview with a game tester for Sonic the Hedgehog named Dean Sitton. You can find the discussion thread on Sonic Retro forums
Sonic Retro
here.
“ The game Sonic game in in an early state (just a few levels and some of the characters appeared as garbage chars that flickered. The producer of the US version would be in Japan and call in for updates. Like how many rings for a free man...how many rings for a continue etc.. I got to play the game for a week or so and I submitted a document that showed the characters in the game that I could see and a few names for each of them. Dr. Badvibes and many other names were not chosen.

I named Ivo Robotnik, Ballhog, and 3-4 more from that game. I helped to flesh out the fiction for Greenhill and Sally/Sandy/Amy? whatever the girls name is now... with a guy named Jamie Wojik... usually producers of games have only to fill in the blanks..it doesn't always matter how the blanks get filled in.

„

In January 2009, Dean Sitton joined the forums and was asked a variety of questions by the members. When he was asked if the Eggman name had to be changed due to legal reasons, Sitton replies with this:

“ as far as the change, its as if someone held up an object and said "what do you call this"? ... meaning I didnt create the object... I just named it. I found the list someone else asked about - other names that I suggested that were rejected. other robotnik names were, doctor X, Doctor Gloom, Dr. What. „

In a later post, Dean also revealed a few other names, Mister Badwrench, Mr. Bad Year and Fatty Lobotnik.

Madonna

This magazine clip describes a blonde female character, whom was supposed Sonic's girlfriend, named Madonna. She was scrapped before development of the game even started. However, concept art of her was included in the Sonic Gems Collection photo gallery. The idea of Sonic having a human love interest was eventually realized in the 2006 game when he interacts with Princess Elise. Although, with the time travel being used near the end of the game to reset most of the events of the game Sonic technically didn't meet her.

  • Sonic and Madonna.

  • Sonic, Madonna, Robotnik, and a strange set of enemies. The city in the background is probably the same as seen in early Green Hill Zone images.

  • Still more Madonna artwork. The right image shows hearts above her head as she is thinking of Sonic.

Sound Test Band

The Sonic Band sans Sonic breakdancing

The game was originally intended to feature a sound test menu, with animated graphics based around Sonic break-dancing to the music of a "Sonic Band" consisting of Sharps Chicken (guitar), Max Monkey, (guitar), Mach Rabbit (drums), and Vector the Crocodile (keyboard/synth).[2] Vector was later re-designed and re-used for the games Knuckles' Chaotix and Sonic Heroes. The development schedule meant that the feature had to be scrapped, and Yuji Naka decided to replace the test with the "SEGA!" chant used in TV advertisements, which took up 1/8 of the 4-megabit cartridge. A text-only sound test option remained in the final game's level select cheat menu.

Other Concept Art

The following is concept art for the game which doesn't fit in any of the preceding sections.

  • Loop art in a level not used in final.

  • A prototype Marble Zone?

  • Possibly a scientist's lab stage, and rotating fireballs in a mountainous level.

  • Water art in another mountainous level.

  • Sonic art, the text translates to "Mr. Hedgehog".

  • S1concept-HEDGEHOG.jpg

    More Sonic art, this time in colour.

Early Videos

European Mega Drive Commercial

noframe

A European Mega Drive commercial which can be found on Sega.16.com shows a wrecking ball for the Green Hill Zone boss that has a sparkle which circles around it. Footage from this add is recycled into the add below.

Translation of commercial

“ Mega Drive by Sega.

Infernal Machine.
Stereo sound.
Incredible colors!
16-bit micro-processor.
Mega Drive by Sega.
Now also with two controllers and 4 spectacular games, including Sonic!
Sega, it's stronger than you.
Mega Drive, the 16-bit console with most worldwide sales.

„


French Sonic Commercial

noframe

This French commercial has a few interesting bits about it. The spring in Marble Zone seems to be extra long and when bumped into the two blocks behind it dissapear. The red wrecking ball on the Green Hill Zone boss is shown again.

Translation of commercial

“ Well... are you angry?

It's me, master Sega. So you're choosing Sonic. Let's go.
Humbabbabbaba humbabababa.
Arrrrrrrhhh.
Boing.
And you're gonna laugh, because you're not even at the half of the game.

„

Early Game Design

Various

  • Titlescreen with a black background similar to the 8-bit game.

  • A near final title screen with "Press Start Button" text on-screen.

  • A special stage level with a layout not seen in the final game.

  • More of the different layout.

  • S1SpecialStage3.JPG

    ...and again...

  • ...and again...

  • ...and again.

  • S1Debug.jpg

    Very strange shots of what appears to be a different debug mode. This can be enabled by using the Game Genie code 2E6T-BCS6.

  • An earlier level select. Final zone is not listed and Xs are listed after some levels. The "Press Start Button" text is visible once again.

Green Hill Zone

  • Early Green Hill Zone screenshots appear to show a city in the background. Trees and a brown rock (which is purple in the final game) can be seen in the foreground.

  • A Welcome Sign with Kanji underneath it. Again the city is visible. These two screenshots are probably mockup images.

  • The Heads-Up-Display says "RING" instead of "RINGS" and the flowers are purple instead of green (in the final game, the flowers are also purple in the cutscene after Final zone). These two features are common among most of these Green Hill Zone prototype screenshots.

  • A rolling ball. This can still be found in debug mode but is not placeable. The sprite was used for the level's boss instead.

  • Apparently this rolling ball needed a push start.

  • The ball again. A magazine says the ball moves when pushed but can also kill the player.

  • The ball again, but this time it is in the air.

  • Sonic punching the air after completing the act as an early end level celebration. The sprites, though unused in the final game, still exist within the ROM.

  • This sheild monitor is not here in final.

  • Debug values in the bottom-right of the screen. Loops in not in this location in final.

  • More of the old debug mode.

  • After being hit, Sonic gets knocked back more than in final.

  • GHZ loop.png

    Sonic on a loop.

  • A prototype map, a rolling ball can be seen.

  • Another prototype map.

  • Another prototype map with a rolling ball visible. They are almost identical to the final game.

Marble Zone

  • Strange level graphics and falling tiles which can be balanced on. This is most likely another mock-up.

  • One of the main features of the prototype Marble Zone was the existance of rotating UFOs in the background. All traces of these graphics are removed in the final game (though a single frame appeared in the mobile phone port of Sonic 1).

  • MZ-UFO.jpg

    These Yadrin badniks don't appear in this level normally, but can be placed via the debug mode.

  • Same pic but in higher quality.

  • The UFOs were seen rotating in a short clip on Wayne's world during a promotion for Noahs Arcade. Also the lava in the bottom right is similar to that of the mock-up screenshot earlier.

  • More UFOs.

  • MZ-UFO3.jpg

    UFOs appear red in this screen for some reason.

  • More UFOs and Yadrin badnik.

  • The green pillars haven't been installed yet. In the background there is usually a torch with fire, however the fire is missing here. Prototype lava is also present.

  • These sideway spikes were removed from the final game and replaced with moving blocks. The code and graphics for them still exist within the ROM. Again, there is no flame in the background.

  • This room isn't in the final version.

  • Though the pillars have arrived this time, the torch flame is still missing.

  • A small prototype map with lots of UFOs present.

Spring Yard Zone

  • Spring Yard was called Sparkling Zone in the prototype and had a different background. The sign behind the HUD says "good luck".

  • Same again. The sign on the right says "GOGO".

  • At one point there was a giant set of rotating spikes in this area, most likely removed due to the difficulty of avoiding them.

  • Sparkles are present. You can see the buildings are merely made up of colourful horizontal lines.

  • Sparkles are present. There appears to be a "Good Bye" sign too.

  • SYZ-Sparkling2.png

    Sparkles are present.

  • Strange sign with Kanji written on it.

  • SYZ-Sparkling9a.JPG

    A "Good Luck" sign.

  • More of the background. Perhaps Sonic Team thought the level deserved more of a background than lines and stars.

  • An unkown area, though judging from the time counter, it might be near the start of Act 2 or 3. A sparkle can be seen over the "good luck sign" indicating the sparkles moved around and weren't part of the background.

  • All sorts of objects here. A Moto Bug that never leaves Green Hill Zone in the final game, and a purple Roller is present.

  • Sparkles are present.

  • A heavily edited screenshot but the strange signs are still present.

  • Some odd ring placement.

  • Another pic.

Labyrinth Zone

  • Labyrinth Zone once had a completely black background and was littered with different, smaller crystals.

  • This may be the underwater version of the black background. Sonic's palette is the same as above water.

  • The intro to act 1, sporting a later "rocky" background. There is no water to be seen and the cystals are different. The may have been altered to make the level more interesting.

  • There is no water on the slide, which is unusual.

  • More of the rocky background. In the final game this area has water and a spike on a chain, but it's largely empty here.

  • Even more of the rock background. The ceiling crystals were removed in the final game.

  • Yet more of this rock background.

Star Light Zone

  • Star Light Act 1 has 3 rings missing from the start of the level.

  • This layout is different to the final game.

  • The top row of springs here are missing in final.

  • Debug mode appears to be active.

  • All is fairly normal here, appart from the "RING" in the HUD.

  • A small map, showing one of the loops.

Scrap Brain Zone

  • At an earlier stage of development, Scrap Brain was called Clockwork Zone. But, due to the lack of "W" character in the font used, it is called "Clock ork Zone" instead.

  • At this stage in development the level appears to be very short and unfinished. There are no rings, the background is identical to the foreground, and there are many similar screenshots of scrapped areas.

  • ...such as this. This area isn't in the final game and may just be here for demonstration purposes. In the top right you can see...

  • ...diagonal conveyor belts. Though horizontal ones made it to the final game, the diagonal ones didn't, nor did they appear in any later games.

  • Diagonal belts again. The closest to these in the final game are conveyors with spinning platforms.

  • SBZ-Pic4.gif

    More of the different layout. The background blends in with the foreground here, so it's fairly obvious as to why it must have been changed.

  • A zig-zag tunnel with debug mode enabled. This may have been replaced in the final game with those tube sections with horizontal crushers.

  • Different layout again. Sonic emerges from a speed tunnel.

  • 2 minutes and 6 seconds down the line and Sonic has yet to recieve any points or rings. The level must have clearly been very empty. Also the background does not appear to be scrolling that much (if at all).

Template:Sonic1Levels

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