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Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)/Hidden content

From Sonic Retro

Revision as of 22:16, 11 April 2010 by BrianXP123 (talk | contribs) (Unused Monitors)

Unused Artwork

Special Stage Art

Note:All of these items can be seen in-game by using the debug mode to fall outside the playing area of the special stage. It's easier to see them if you advance frame by frame by pausing and pressing C.

Artwork Name Description
Sprite03.png "Zone" Icons Found in the object list for the special stages, and its graphics found in the ROM, these unused special stage icons have no known use. They're labeled for Zones 1-6, implying that they may have warped you to another Zone from within the special stage as a sort of shortcut. They're solid, like the normal blocks.
Sprite01.gif 1-up Icon Extra life icon for the special stages. It's listed in the manual for the game, but it never actually appears in any of the special stages. It is, however, fully functional, and you can place it in any special stage, provided you know how to edit them. It will disappear like a ring when it is touched.
Sprite02.gif "W" Icon Strange icon with the letter W on it. Use is unknown, and has no function when placed in-game. This block is solid as well.

Unused Monitors

Artwork Name Description
Tv eggman.png Robotnik monitor Does nothing. Is likely intended to hurt the player, as it does in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)'s 2-player mode.
Tv goggles.png Goggles monitor The goggles, they do nothing! Most likely went with the unused Goggle graphics found in the ROM. Probably used to breath underwater without dying.
File:Statictv.png Static monitor Does nothing. Found in various areas of Scrap Brain Zone in areas where the player can not normally access (such as inside walls, although it is possible to break one of them by "digging" into the wall in a jump and popping it, the image of the monitor being a portion of the "zappers").
Tv super.png "S" monitor Does nothing. This monitor also appears in a Sonic CD prototype, where it grants the player extra speed and invincibility at the same time. That is likely the effect meant here as a Computer & Video Games issue alludes to a power-up which grants extra speed and invincibility. The S monitors were likely functional at that point.

Unused Sonic Sprites

Artwork Description
Standair.png This sprite shows Sonic standing while gasping for air. This was presumably used in Labyrinth Zone.
Needair.gif This animation shows Sonic holding his breath while running. It is speculated that this was used during the countdown to signify no air is left for Sonic.
Slide.gif This unused sliding sprite is similar to the one used in Sonic CD's Wacky Workbench Zone.
S1-floating.gif Though this floating sprite is used in Sonic 2, it is not used in Sonic 1 except
Sonic Retro
during a split second
on the "Continue" screen. Note the lack of a stripe on his shoes.
Victorypose.png As seen in a couple of prototype screenshots in magazines, Sonic appears to be striking a victory pose after passing the sign post.
Spin.png These Spin Dash-esque sprites were found in the final ROM, but their use is unknown. Some theories are that they were used for a move similar to the Spin Dash or that they are animations for some sort of warp movement, perhaps through winding tunnels. It's also possible that a teleporter like the one found in the 8-bit version of Scrap Brain Zone would have played the animation.
Falling or shrinking.png This set of sprites showing Sonic falling or shrinking are not used in the game and their intended use is unknown, although it could have been used for the death animation, to simulate falling. It's also possible it could have been used for a speed tunnel which would first extends into the background.

Zone-Specific Art

Artwork Zone Description
Wreck.gif Green Hill Zone The checkered ball seen on the Green Hill Zone Boss appears to have been originally used in Green Hill Zone, as magazine pictures have shown Sonic riding down hills on it.
File:Totem.png Green Hill Zone The two faces pictured here are not in their original palette, but these appear to be an earlier version of the faces on the totem poles of Green Hill Zone.
File:Missingghztiles1.gif Green Hill Zone These unused tiles were found in Green Hill Zone's tileset, and appear similar to the areas used in the underground areas of Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)'s GHZ. These may have also been used for a cut underground area.
Sidespike.png Marble Zone These spikes are horizontal, rather than the vertical spikes used in the final Marble Zone. They are also slightly thinner. They are fully working by placing them, though.
Letsgo.png Spring Yard Zone This unused graphic can be found in the tileset for Spring Yard Zone. It is unused in the final game, and can be found in several prototype screenshots shown in magazine previews.
Burrobot1.png Labyrinth Zone & Scrap Brain Zone This is a horizontal sprite of the Burrobot.
Light.gif Light2.gif Star Light Zone These lights were found in Star Light Zone's data but not used.
Machine2.gif Machinparts.png Star Light Zone The three machines shown were found in Star Light Zone's dataset, but not used in the final game. They appear to have been background objects rather than obstacles.
Robotniklegs1.png Final Zone The left image shows the back of Robotniks legs which can't be seen normally. The right image is what is normally seen.
RSBUD.PNG Ending Bumper that appears to be a rosebud with an incorrect palette. The ending level shares its debug item list with the Special Stage, so the bumper is usable in both.

Press Start Button

PressStart.png

Many early previews of Sonic the Hedgehog showed Press Start Button text on the Title screen. In the final version it does not show up due to a in-game bug, but the graphics were found inside the ROM. It is also possible to get them to display in the japanese version, it appears after accessing the secret credits screen via cheat code (in emulators the region of the emulator must be set to Japan). An easier way to get it to appear is to enter the Game Genie code AB3A-DADV. You can also fix this bug in a disassembly, using this guide.

Splats the Bunny

Splats.png
Splats is a prototype badnik from Sonic the Hedgehog which was cut from the final game. Despite not appearing in the game, the badnik appeared in a set of promotional trading cards for the game, was shown on the box of a series of Japanese Sonic figures, and was featured in the UK Sonic the Comic. When Nemesis Format was finally cracked in 2002, the sprites were discovered in Sonic 1.

Some controversy has broken out over the true coloring of Splats—though the sprites to the left have Sonic's palette applied to them and the trading card scan appears to have a bluish tint, the quality and validity of the card has been called into question. Other theories to his coloring include purple (for Spring Yard Zone's palette) and green (for Star Light Zone's second palette line.)

Goggles

Goggles.png

The graphics were found hidden in the ROM. While the actual purpose of the goggles is unknown, it is speculated that they were meant to give Sonic the ability to breathe underwater.

Each frame of the graphic fits together with one of Sonic's poses. For example:

Sonicgoggles Run.gif

Unused Eggman Graphics

Altending.PNG

These graphics were found buried in the ROM. Their purpose is unknown, but it is speculated that they may be part of an "alternate ending sequence" in which Eggman explodes in the background while Sonic runs across the ending level in victory.

Unused Warping Effect

Warping.png

Thought to be the original method of accessing the special stage, this warp effect activates when Sonic touches the area in which the object is placed. Sonic disappears as he runs into it, and a warping noise plays. Sonic then reappears a few seconds later, likely as a method of testing the object.

Labyrinth Zone Act 4

S1UnusedLabyrinth.png

When using the level/act select PAR code FFFE10:???? and selecting the third act of Scrap Brain Zone by changing the question marks to 0502 you are actually taken to Final Zone. To actually reach the Scrap Brain 3 used in the game you have to select the fourth act of Labyrinth Zone by changing the question marks to 0103. This means technically Scrap Brain Act 3 is another level of Labyrinth Zone.

True Level Order

The level order that is used during gameplay is actually quite different from the intended order according to the level slots. The level select in early revisions also arranges the levels in the intended order. Alternately, a simple level select Pro Action Replay code (FFFE10:??00) can be used to verify this:

Level Name Arrangement
Green Hill Zone Green Hill Zone (00)
Marble Zone Labyrinth Zone (01)
Spring Yard Zone Marble Zone (02)
Labyrinth Zone Star Light Zone (03)
Star Light Zone Spring Yard Zone (04)
Scrap Brain Zone Scrap Brain Zone (05)
Final Zone Final Zone (05)

Level slot 06 leads to the level used in the ending cutscene.

Commentary found in the Sonic Jam strategy guide also confirms that the Labyrinth Zone was originally intended to be the second zone but moved due to the difficulty of the level.

Hidden Japanese Credits

SonicTeamCredits.PNG

On the "Sonic Team Presents" screen are Japanese Credits, though they are hidden because of the palette. With a palette editor they can be shown.
The Credits translated:

Position Person
Program Naka Yuuji
Plan Yasuhara Hirokazu
Design Ooshima Naoto
Ishiwatari (Jina)
Kataoka Rieko
Sound Produce Nakamura Masato
Sound Program Kubota Hiroshi
Makino Yukifumi


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