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{{ArticleNote
 
{{ArticleNote
| text='''Welcome! If you came here expecting The Sonic 2 Beta Page, we regret to inform you that due to a combination of security holes and really the site hasn't been maintained for <u>years</u>, we've pulled the plug on the old standalone site.''' The content was already being taken from here, '''the Sonic Retro wiki''', so those who are looking for the old content can still find it below. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but don't fret: the legacy has been living on here and will continue to do so for years to come. Trust us. We do our best, and many great things have happened as a result. - ''The SOnic Retro Staff''
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| text='''Welcome! If you came here expecting The Sonic 2 Beta Page, we regret to inform you that due to a combination of security holes and really the site hasn't been maintained for <u>years</u>, we've pulled the plug on the old standalone site.''' The content was already being taken from here, '''the Sonic Retro wiki''', so those who are looking for the old content can still find it below. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but don't fret: the legacy has been living on here and will continue to do so for years to come. Trust us. We do our best, and many great things have happened as a result. We'll be there for the next Hidden Palace! - ''The Sonic Retro Staff''
 
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|textcolor=#fff
 
|textcolor=#fff
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|width=75%
 
}}
 
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[[Image: S2beta_logo.png| center]]
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[[Image: S2beta_logo.png|center]]
  
<br />
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==Introduction==
{{block|Introduction}}
 
 
Welcome to '''''The Sonic 2 Beta Wiki'''''. This project is the updatable version of [[The Sonic 2 Beta Page]], the site dedicated to the archival and research of prototype versions of [[SEGA]]'s video game ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' made for the [[Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]]. Much like a movie, a video game undergoes heavy "editing" before shipping, and significant amount of data is stripped due to time or space constraints. In the case of Sonic 2, several zones were completely cut from the final version. For years, questions have been asked regarding the staggering discrepancies between Sonic 2 and old magazine preview screenshots. Gamers could only dream of being able to play the lost levels first-hand ― until the binary image of Sonic 2 Beta surfaced on the Internet in late 1998...
 
Welcome to '''''The Sonic 2 Beta Wiki'''''. This project is the updatable version of [[The Sonic 2 Beta Page]], the site dedicated to the archival and research of prototype versions of [[SEGA]]'s video game ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' made for the [[Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]]. Much like a movie, a video game undergoes heavy "editing" before shipping, and significant amount of data is stripped due to time or space constraints. In the case of Sonic 2, several zones were completely cut from the final version. For years, questions have been asked regarding the staggering discrepancies between Sonic 2 and old magazine preview screenshots. Gamers could only dream of being able to play the lost levels first-hand ― until the binary image of Sonic 2 Beta surfaced on the Internet in late 1998...
 
{{Box-footer|[[S2Beta:Origin|more about how the prototypes reached the public ]]}}
 
{{Box-footer|[[S2Beta:Origin|more about how the prototypes reached the public ]]}}
 
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<div class="large-8 columns">
<div style="float: left; width: 71%;">
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==== What is Sonic 2 Beta? ====
==== <div style="color: white;">What is Sonic 2 Beta?</div> ====
 
 
:Sonic 2 Beta is an unfinished, prototype version of Sonic 2. Sega sent these out to magazine companies for preview before the final version was out.
 
:Sonic 2 Beta is an unfinished, prototype version of Sonic 2. Sega sent these out to magazine companies for preview before the final version was out.
  
==== <div style="color: white;">What's the big deal about an unfinished prototype version?</div> ====
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==== What's the big deal about an unfinished prototype version? ====
 
:Some "lost" levels can be found in the beta version. Lost levels are zones that were originally planned to be included in the final release of Sonic 2, but were missing in the final version. The lost levels include a [[Dust Hill Zone|desert level]], [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Wood|Wood Zone]], [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Hidden Palace Zone]] and [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Genocide City|Genocide City Zone]]. Some existing zones have special features that are not available in the final version, such as the wooden balls in [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Oil Ocean|Oil Ocean Zone]].
 
:Some "lost" levels can be found in the beta version. Lost levels are zones that were originally planned to be included in the final release of Sonic 2, but were missing in the final version. The lost levels include a [[Dust Hill Zone|desert level]], [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Wood|Wood Zone]], [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Hidden Palace Zone]] and [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Genocide City|Genocide City Zone]]. Some existing zones have special features that are not available in the final version, such as the wooden balls in [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Oil Ocean|Oil Ocean Zone]].
  
==== <div style="color: white;">Why were some levels canned?</div> ====
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====Why were some levels canned? ====
 
:Although there's a general "consensus" that time seemed to be the largest limiting factor into why levels were canned, the precise reasons behind many of the levels are still unknown, and are therefore open questions in the Sonic Retro community for further refinement.
 
:Although there's a general "consensus" that time seemed to be the largest limiting factor into why levels were canned, the precise reasons behind many of the levels are still unknown, and are therefore open questions in the Sonic Retro community for further refinement.
  
 
:However, as alluded to earlier, general factors exist which prevented many of the levels from being playable. Time, although one of them, was not necessarily the only reason. Technical limitations at the time and even company politics could have played a large role in the cancellation of many levels. Regardless, detailed explanations for cancellations aren't known.
 
:However, as alluded to earlier, general factors exist which prevented many of the levels from being playable. Time, although one of them, was not necessarily the only reason. Technical limitations at the time and even company politics could have played a large role in the cancellation of many levels. Regardless, detailed explanations for cancellations aren't known.
{{Box-footer|[[S2Beta:Broken/FAQ|See the complete FAQ]]}}
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[[S2Beta:Broken/FAQ|See the complete FAQ]]
  
<div style="float: right; width: 28%;">
 
  
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<div class="large-4 columns toc">
 
The following are all downloads of the various beta versions of the games presented in chronological order with the dates of discovery:
 
The following are all downloads of the various beta versions of the games presented in chronological order with the dates of discovery:
 
:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Simon Wai Prototype) -!-.zip|Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Simon Wai Prototype}} (December 1998)
 
:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Simon Wai Prototype) -!-.zip|Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Simon Wai Prototype}} (December 1998)
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:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Beta 7 - Sep 24, 1992, 09.26) (hidden-palace.org).zip|Beta 7}} (February 2008)
 
:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Beta 7 - Sep 24, 1992, 09.26) (hidden-palace.org).zip|Beta 7}} (February 2008)
 
:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Beta 8 - Sep 24, 1992, 19.27) (hidden-palace.org).zip|Beta 8}} (February 2008)
 
:{{file|Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Beta 8 - Sep 24, 1992, 19.27) (hidden-palace.org).zip|Beta 8}} (February 2008)
{{Box-footer|[[ S2Beta:Downloads|Screenshots and download information]]}}
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{{Box-footer|[[ S2Beta:Downloads|Screenshots and download information]]}}</div>
</div>
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<div style="clear:both"></div>
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<div class="large-12 columns'>
  
{{block|Respective Prototype Levels}}
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==Respective Prototype Levels==
<div style="text-align: left; padding-left: 20px; padding-top: 20px;">
 
 
'''Nick Arcade Prototype:''' [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Emerald Hill|Starlight]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Green Hill|Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Chemical Plant|Marble]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Spring Yard]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Labyrinth|Labyrinth]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hill Top|Scrap Brain]]
 
'''Nick Arcade Prototype:''' [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Emerald Hill|Starlight]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Green Hill|Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Chemical Plant|Marble]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Spring Yard]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Labyrinth|Labyrinth]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hill Top|Scrap Brain]]
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
'''Simon Wai Prototype:''' [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Neo Green Hill|Neo Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Chemical Plant|Chemical Plant]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hill Top|Hill Top]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Emerald Hill|Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Wood|Wood]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Metropolis|Metropolis]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Hidden Palace]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Oil Ocean|Oil Ocean]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Dust Hill|Dust Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Casino Night|Casino Night]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Genocide City|Genocide City]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Death Egg|Death Egg]]
 
'''Simon Wai Prototype:''' [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Neo Green Hill|Neo Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Chemical Plant|Chemical Plant]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hill Top|Hill Top]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Emerald Hill|Green Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Wood|Wood]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Metropolis|Metropolis]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Hidden Palace|Hidden Palace]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Oil Ocean|Oil Ocean]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Dust Hill|Dust Hill]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Casino Night|Casino Night]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Genocide City|Genocide City]] | [[S2Beta:Prototype Zones/Death Egg|Death Egg]]
</div>
 
{{Box-footer|}}
 
  
{{block|Media and Research}}
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<div style="text-align: center; padding-left: 20px; padding-top: 20px;">
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===Media and Research===
 
[[S2Beta:Music|Music]] | [[S2Beta:Concept Art Sketches|Concept Art Sketches]] | [[S2Beta:Magazine Preview Scans|Magazine Previews]] | [[S2Beta:Video Previews|Video Previews]] | [[S2Beta:Timeline|Timeline]] | [[S2Beta:Lost Sprites and Tiles|Lost Sprites and Tiles]] | [[S2Beta:Savestates|Savestates]] | [[S2Beta:False Alarms|False Alarms]] | [[S2Beta:Summary|Summary]] | [[S2Beta:Sonic 2 Algorithms & Specs Patents|Sonic 2 Algorithms & Specs Patents]]
 
[[S2Beta:Music|Music]] | [[S2Beta:Concept Art Sketches|Concept Art Sketches]] | [[S2Beta:Magazine Preview Scans|Magazine Previews]] | [[S2Beta:Video Previews|Video Previews]] | [[S2Beta:Timeline|Timeline]] | [[S2Beta:Lost Sprites and Tiles|Lost Sprites and Tiles]] | [[S2Beta:Savestates|Savestates]] | [[S2Beta:False Alarms|False Alarms]] | [[S2Beta:Summary|Summary]] | [[S2Beta:Sonic 2 Algorithms & Specs Patents|Sonic 2 Algorithms & Specs Patents]]
 
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</div>
{{Box-footer|}}
 
 
 
{{Box-footer|}}
 
  
 
[[Category:The Sonic 2 Beta Wiki| ]]
 
[[Category:The Sonic 2 Beta Wiki| ]]
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__NOTOC__

Revision as of 15:08, 17 August 2017

Welcome! If you came here expecting The Sonic 2 Beta Page, we regret to inform you that due to a combination of security holes and really the site hasn't been maintained for years, we've pulled the plug on the old standalone site. The content was already being taken from here, the Sonic Retro wiki, so those who are looking for the old content can still find it below. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but don't fret: the legacy has been living on here and will continue to do so for years to come. Trust us. We do our best, and many great things have happened as a result. We'll be there for the next Hidden Palace! - The Sonic Retro Staff


S2beta logo.png

Introduction

Welcome to The Sonic 2 Beta Wiki. This project is the updatable version of The Sonic 2 Beta Page, the site dedicated to the archival and research of prototype versions of SEGA's video game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 made for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. Much like a movie, a video game undergoes heavy "editing" before shipping, and significant amount of data is stripped due to time or space constraints. In the case of Sonic 2, several zones were completely cut from the final version. For years, questions have been asked regarding the staggering discrepancies between Sonic 2 and old magazine preview screenshots. Gamers could only dream of being able to play the lost levels first-hand ― until the binary image of Sonic 2 Beta surfaced on the Internet in late 1998...

</div>

What is Sonic 2 Beta?

Sonic 2 Beta is an unfinished, prototype version of Sonic 2. Sega sent these out to magazine companies for preview before the final version was out.

What's the big deal about an unfinished prototype version?

Some "lost" levels can be found in the beta version. Lost levels are zones that were originally planned to be included in the final release of Sonic 2, but were missing in the final version. The lost levels include a desert level, Wood Zone, Hidden Palace Zone and Genocide City Zone. Some existing zones have special features that are not available in the final version, such as the wooden balls in Oil Ocean Zone.

Why were some levels canned?

Although there's a general "consensus" that time seemed to be the largest limiting factor into why levels were canned, the precise reasons behind many of the levels are still unknown, and are therefore open questions in the Sonic Retro community for further refinement.
However, as alluded to earlier, general factors exist which prevented many of the levels from being playable. Time, although one of them, was not necessarily the only reason. Technical limitations at the time and even company politics could have played a large role in the cancellation of many levels. Regardless, detailed explanations for cancellations aren't known.

See the complete FAQ


The following are all downloads of the various beta versions of the games presented in chronological order with the dates of discovery:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Simon Wai Prototype (info) (625 kB) (December 1998)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 drx Prototype (info) (519 kB) (November 2006)
Beta 4 (info) (713 kB) (February 2008)
Beta 5 (info) (727 kB) (February 2008)
Beta 6-1 (info) (730 kB) (February 2008)
Beta 6-2 (info) (730 kB) (February 2008)
Beta 7 (info) (730 kB) (February 2008)
Beta 8 (info) (732 kB) (February 2008)