- Back to: Chaotix (prototype 1227).
General comparisons
The Sega logo is the same as the 1207 prototype.
The intro is missing its own music track, Metal Sonic and the Needlenose Badniks. However, the rest of the sequence plays out like the final game, albeit without the "road".
When the main cast zoom into view, there is still no floor nor any copyright text. If the region of the console is set to NTSC-U, Espio is mentioned in the banner instead of Knuckles.
Main menu
Start a new game and you'll be presented with the "data load" screen. The Amazing Arena, Techno Tower and Marina Madness icons are ordered differently in the final game, and the green oval used in the background is slightly different.
Even on "NO SAVE" you'll be asked how you want to save.
By default, all three saves are marked as clear (or "Lv.AR" in this case) but doesn't record an overall time. Play any of these saves and the game will crash shortly after moving right in the World Entrance.
There is a mysterious third play style, though it doesn't seem to work. The final game only has two. The icon for Techno Tower is being drawn behind the Player Select text.
Time Attack leads to nowhere in this build. You select your character and partner, and are taken to a silent, white void to spin for all eternity. Press 
and you'll get the HOLD text above your partner.
"Options" takes you to the sound test. It has evolved a little since the 1207 prototype, with (simple) keyboard graphics, a custom font and a green volume indicators.
Hold 
when selecting "Options" to get to the color test. It's the same as the 1207 prototype.
Background aside, only a lighter shade of grey for the text separates the stage select from its final incarnation.
In the 1207 prototype, attempting to start a game with "**********" selected (as either the player or combi partner) causes the game to crash. The 1227 prototype behaves like the final game, with a mangled Knuckles sprite using Mighty's palette crashing the game when it hits the floor.
However, moving the characters away from the floor before the crash occurs reveals that in this build, ********** has a special move; the ability to fly. Press 
and hold 
and the character will float upwards, before tiring after a few seconds and slowly dropping back down. It's a mechanic one would usually associate with Tails, giving further evidence that this is his remains, though is in some ways more akin to the 8-bit Sonic titles than Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where you repeatedly tap the jump button to fly (Sonic 3 also requires Tails to jump from the floor first, which isn't required here).
Level comparisons
References
and you'll get the HOLD text above your partner.
when selecting "Options" to get to the color test. It's the same as the 1207 prototype.
and hold 
and the character will float upwards, before tiring after a few seconds and slowly dropping back down. It's a mechanic one would usually associate with Tails, giving further evidence that this is his remains, though is in some ways more akin to the 8-bit Sonic titles than Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where you repeatedly tap the jump button to fly (Sonic 3 also requires Tails to jump from the floor first, which isn't required here).
