Actions

Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0408)/Comparisons/Mushroom Hill Zone

From Sonic Retro

Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0408)/Comparisons.
Sonicretro-round.svg This article needs cleanup.

This article needs to be edited to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
After the article has been cleaned up, you may remove this message. See How to Edit a Page for help.

Mushroom Hill Zone is quite a standout among Sonic & Knuckles zones in that the overall level layout has a lot of differences compared to later prototypes and the final.

Act 1

S3C0408 mhz act1start.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion Act1Start.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

At the beginning of Act 1, Sonic and Tails fall from high up in the sky instead of flying in.

S3C0408 mhz diffpath1.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3C0408 mhz diffpath2.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

On the other hand, Knuckles gets dumped in a completely different part of the zone than he does in the final. His starting point here is (0x0440, 0x033C), while in S3&K final it's (0x0080, 0x096D)—a point which doesn't even exist in 0408's version of the zone.

If Knuckles climbs the wall on the left, he will find a Fire Shield. When he makes his way to the right, he will find himself at one of the higher routes of the act due to his much higher starting position.

S3C0408 mhz act1 giantring.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion GiantRing.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The first Giant Ring is not a Super Giant Ring. Entering it will attempt to send the player to the Hidden Palace emerald chamber with Death Egg Act 2 music playing, then immediately load a Special Stage.

Knuckles, on the other hand, does not encounter any Giant Rings at his starting point.

S3C0408 mhz act1difflayout1.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3C0408 mhz act1difflayout2.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The section of the zone that follows the first Giant Ring is noticeably different.

S3C0408 mhz ringpattern.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion GiantRing2.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

In lieu of a giant ring, there is a diamond pattern of regular rings here instead. (Act 1; screen coordinates 25D1:068C)

S3C0408 mhz warpring.png
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

However, there is a giant ring seemingly randomly placed elsewhere in the level.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The spring you must hit to get to the ledge to use the pulley machine isn't very reactive.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

There is no sound effect on the Pulley machine.

S3C0408 mhz knuxgrab.png
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

Knuckles can grab a lot more than he should be able to. It is possible to grab the other side as well, but he will be obscured by it.

S3C0408 mhz noaxe.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion Axe.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

Touching Hey Ho's axe will hurt you in this prototype, but not in the final. It also doesn't make any sound effects when chopping.

Map

100%
Sonic 3C 0408
100%
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final


Act 2

S3C0408 mhz blueswitch.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion RedSwitch.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

Knuckles' switch at the beginning of Act 2 is blue, not red. When Knuckles pulls the lever, it does not move down with his hand and doesn't make a sound effect.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The switch does not appear at all in Knuckles' game.

S3C0408 mhz noinvmonitor.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion InvMonitor.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

There should be an Invincibility monitor here. Also, the layout is slightly different.

S3C0408 mhz stuckmons1.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion GiantRing4.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

This Giant Ring is missing. Instead, there is...a pair of monitors stuck in the ceiling? Knocking them down reveals...

S3C0408 mhz stuckmons2.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion GiantRing4.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

...a little Russian Roulette action? The layout in this area is different, too. Both MHZ1 and MHZ2 received a lot of changes before the final, it seems.

S3C0408 mhz ringsproto.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3C0408 mhz ringsfin.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The ring placement in this descent is different.

S3C0408 mhz wallproto.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3C0408 mhz wallfinal.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

In the final, these breakable walls were shifted to the left. Interestingly, Knuckles cannot break them while gliding, but they break when he lands.

After that segment, the level layout is different.

S3C0408 mhz monswitch.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion Shield.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

In this prototype, there is a Water Shield monitor at this location. In the final, it's a Lightning Shield monitor.

S3C0408 mhz nogiantring.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion GiantRing3.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

There's no entry to the giant ring here.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

There is a lack of weighted mushroom devices - but there is one on the bottom of the level, not right after the change.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

There is no gust of air that raises Sonic during the mushroom flight, instead, there seems to be a similar air to Sky Sanctuary Zone that mucks up Sonic.

Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3C 0408
Notavailable.svg
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

After the palette change, the level layout is different again.

S3C0408 mhz bosshit.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion BossStart.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

When Dr. Eggman is embedded in the ground transmitting his satellite signal, he's closer to the ledge in 0408 whereas he's farther back in the final, and doesn't make any sound effects. You can jump over the satellite dish and repeatedly hit the backside of the boss vehicle. This continues until you hit the satellite dish. This difference would persist in later Sonic 3C and Sonic & Knuckles prototypes as far as the 0606 prototype.

He stays in place a lot longer after he comes out of the ground. As for the boss itself, it always takes 7 hits to destroy, regardless of how many times you hit it before the autoscrolling sequence. Once you're in the battle, when you hit him, you'll fly back much farther than the final.

S3C0408 mhz nobossexplo.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion BossExplodes.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

Defeating Eggman doesn't cause his ship to explode until he hits the tree at the end of the level. The spikeballs also disappear and do not burn.

S3C0408 mhz bluesmoke.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion Capsule.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

When busting open the capsule at the end of Act 2, blue smoke comes out instead of grey. (Oddly-colored smoke seems to be plaguing these protos.)

S3C0408 mhz act2end.png
Sonic 3C 0408
S3&K MHZ 3C0408Comparsion Act2End.png
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final

The MHZ->FBZ cutscene has missing sound effects with the Flying Battery. When Sonic is about to board the ship, Tails continues to run and kills himself in the pit rather than stopping and taking flight.

Map

100%
Sonic 3C 0408
100%
Sonic 3 & Knuckles final


References


Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0408), prototype version of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic3 title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Maps | Hidden content

Part of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 development