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Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Development

From Sonic Retro

Revision as of 14:02, 19 November 2008 by Blanche Hodapp (talk | contribs) (Rejected Characters)

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 the character design was dropped and Sonic took on his final form, a hedgehog. Below are several other scrapped character designs.


Dr. Badvibes

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 chararacters 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/whatever the girls name is now..with a guy named Jamie... usually producers of games have only to fill in the blanks..it doesn't always matter how the blanks get filled in.

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 created and was included in Sonic Gems Collection photo gallery. The idea of Sonic having a human love interest was eventually realized in the 2006 game.

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.

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

Green Hill Zone

Marble Zone

Spring Yard Zone

Labyrinth Zone

Star Light Zone

Scrap Brain Zone

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