Sonic X-treme concept art

Over the course of Sonic X-treme's development cycle, a slew of concept art and other various images were created as the team behind the game brainstormed how best to go about making Sonic's first game on the Sega Saturn. Some of these ideas never went beyond the drawing board, while others evolved into what made up the game until its cancellation.

General Concept Art

By Fei Cheng.
By Fei Cheng.
By Ofer Alon.
Environment Flowchart.gif
Animation test of a simplified title screen.

Storyboards

Storyboard for an animated version of the Sega Technical Institute logo.
The title card to an act of Red Sands Zone, "Giza Speedway.
The last panel of the previous storyboard in full color.
The first page of one possible opening sequence.
Page two.
Page three.
Page four.
Page five. Note the only known appearence, and design, of Professor Gazebo Boobowski.
Page six.
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An early animation attempt at an introductory FMV.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Though the only playable character once work got underway on the Sega Saturn, Sonic the Hedgehog was originally meant to be one of many characters available in Sonic X-treme. Chris Senn, the game's lead designer, wanted Sonic's playstyle to be similar to that eventually found in Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, but was convinced otherwise by lead programmer Ofer Alon. Opting to focus on one character instead, the others soon fell to the wayside, either being utilized in a story capacity or not at all.

Sonic santa.gif

Sonic wearing a strange Santa Claus hat, most likely related to the unfinished Christmas level.
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A test animation of Sonic running in an isometric, 3/4 view.

Miles "Tails" Prower

Originally slated to be a playable character in the game, Miles "Tails" Prower was supposed to have a gamestyle similar to what is found in most modern 3D games, and what Sonic the Hedgehog eventually had in the builds of Sonic X-treme the public was able to see, with the camera pointed behind the character.

Knuckles the Echidna

Also intended to be a playable character during initial brainstorming, Knuckles was meant to have his playstyle to have a top-down view, the player being able to see the maze around the character.

An animated gif of Knuckles' running in various positions.
A test animation of Knuckles playing from an overhead perspective.

Tiara Boobowski

Tiara Boobowski, commonly mistaken for a hedgehog but actually a Minx Kitten, was meant to be the new character introduced in Sonic X-treme. First conceived as a princess, she later become the daughter of a professor, but each time was meant to be a love interest for Sonic. Though she was eventually made a non-playable character, she was originally meant to be playable, controlling in a more traditional sideview platformer.

The initial Tiara sketch.
The base Tiara design.
stick pose concepts.
Sxc side.gif

Tiara's original playstyle, the classic sidescroller view.
The final design of Tiara, revealed to the world in black and white.

Other Characters

Chaz/Gabby

Included within the "PackageX" leak of 2009, a set of sprites for two characters, "Chaz" and "Gabby," were found within. Having never been mentioned before, it is unknown if these were meant to be enemies, new characters, or just test sprites to work things out before they had the final Sonic sprites.

Chazfront.gif

Chaz
Chazside.gif

Chaz
Chazback.gif

Chaz
Gabbyfront.gif

Gabby
Gabbyside.gif

Gabby
Gabbyback.gif

Gabby

Mips

Instead of the usual animal friends found within the Sonic games prior, trapped within the badnik enemies were meant to be beings called Mips. The name, derived from the technical term "Million Instructions Per Second," was thought up by Michael Kosaka, the lead game designer when the project was still known as Sonic Mars. Each level was meant to have their own unique Mips, but such progress was unfinished due to the cancellation of the game.

ChristmasMips.png

A collection of odd characters from the Christmas level, quite possibly meant to be its form of Mips.

Hirokazu Yasuhara Concept Art

Near the tail-end the development of Sonic X-treme on the Saturn, Sega of America called upon veteran Sonic game designer Hirokazu Yasuhara to lend his expertise in the ever-problematic X-treme development cycle. His concepts continued to be used during the "Project Condor" phase of the project, but sadly none was successful utilized in a complete game brought to retail.