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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Nick Arcade prototype)/Technical information

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Art

Uncompressed art locations

Nemesis Compressed art locations

Offset Description
$9DF8E Shield
$9E114 Invincibility stars
$A0960 SEGA logo
$A1520 Title Screen graphics
$A2E82 Sonic & Tails at the Title Screen
$A39C6 GHZ bit of flower (S1)
$A3A10 GHZ & MZ platform with chain (S1)
$A3B2A EHZ Log bridge
$A3C16 Unused 16x16 block (S1)
$A3C5E GHZ rolling ball (S1)
$A3DFC GHZ rolling log with spikes (S1)
$A4010 GHZ unused spikes around the rolling log (S1)
$A413C GHZ rock (S1)
$A426A GHZ breakable wall (S1)
$A4308 Some GHZ wall (S1)
$A4368 Unknown fire
$A44A0 Unused, possible burning log
$A45AE Waterfall
$A46B4 Unused HTZ fireballs
$A4802 GHZ Log bridge (S1)
$A48DA HTZ crossing platform
$A4BCE HTZ automatic door
$A4C46 HTZ seesaw with green ball
$A4DDE HPZ bridge
$A4F56 HPZ waterfalls
$A52B8 HPZ big emerald
$A552A HPZ ledge artwork
$A55EA HPZ glowing orb
$A5826 Some platform
$A59C0 Unknown unused dust
$A5AE0 CPZ floating platform
$A5C2E Water surface
$A5D9E Button
$A5E76 Vertical spring
$A5F92 Horizontal spring
$A605C Diagonal springs
$A6230 Score/Rings/Time HUD
$A6338 Lives HUD
$A644E Rings
$A6542 Monitors
$A696C Vertical spikes
$A69BC Gathered points
$A6A96 Prototype checkpoint
$A6B3C Prototype end of level sign
$A6F8A Crocodile
$A732C EHZ Buzz Bomber
$A7512 HPZ Bat
$A7868 OOZ Octopus
$A7B88 Triceratops
$A7F84 HPZ Dinobot
$A835A Unused sideways piranha
$A8852 OOZ Prototype seahorses
$A8CA0 Unused rolling ball
$A8F36 Unused Mother Bubbler
$A9162 Unused Bubbler
$A9384 EHZ Snail
$A9580 Prototype Crawler
$A9902 EHZ Piranha
$A9B0E Boss ship
$AA24A CPZ Prototype boss
$AA7A8 Big explosion
$AAE30 Robotnik's ship boost
$AAEAE Puff of smoke
$AAF94 EHZ Boss
$AB780 EHZ Boss helicopter blades
$AB874 SBZ Ball Hog (S1)
$ABC34 Crabmeat
$AC122 GHZ Buzz Bomber (S1)
$AC4C8 Possible unknown explosion from the ground
$AC6B0 LZ Burrobot (S1)
$ACD9A GHZ Piranha (S1)
$AD002 LZ Jaws (S1)
$AD28C SYZ Roller (S1)
$AD7B0 GHZ Motobug (S1)
$ADA3A GHZ Newtron (S1)
$AE058 SYZ Snail (S1)
$AE440 MZ Bat (S1)
$AE73C Splats (S1)
$AE984 SLZ Bomb (S1)
$AEC1C LZ Orbinaut (S1)
$AEDFA MZ Catakiller (S1)
$AEF88 Title card (S1)
$AF596 Explosions
$AFBFC GAME OVER, TIME OVER
$AFD8E Vertical spring
$AFE90 Sideways spring
$AFF6C Big ring flash
$B00E0 End of level hidden bonuses (S1)
$B03E2 Sonic at Continue screen + Continue star (S1)
$B0692 CONTINUE + Minisonic (S1)
$B08CC Bunny
$B0A24 Chicken
$B0B80 Penguin
$B0CFC Seal
$B0E18 Pig
$B0F4E Flicky
$B1088 Squirrel
$B2184 EHZ graphics
$B5784 HTZ graphics
$B6BAA HTZ placeholders for animated tiles
$C0492 HPZ graphics
$C31A0 HPZ glowing orbs
$CC8F4 CPZ graphics
$CFDC0 Unknown
$D8C34 GHZ graphics (S1)
$DC1F0 GHZ graphics (S1)
$E0B62 Ending scene additional graphics (S1)
$E0DEA Credits font (S1)
$E13E8 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ending text (S1)

Kosinski Compressed art locations

Palette editing

These are the ROM offsets of the palettes:

Offset Description
$245A SEGA Foreground
$25A2 SEGA Background
$2622 Title Screen
$26A2 Level Select
$2722 Sonic and Tails
$2742 Green Hill Zone
$27A2 Hidden Palace Zone Underwater
$2822 Chemical Plant Zone
$2840 ???
$2882 Emerald Hill Zone
$28E2 Hidden Palace Zone
$2942 Hill Top Zone
$29A2 (Sonic again?) (Maybe the special stage Sonic)
$2A22 Labyrinth Zone
$2A82 Scrap Brain Zone Act 3
$2B02 Labyrinth Zone Sonic Underwater
$2B22 Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 Sonic Underwater
$2B42 Special Stage Title Card (S1)
$2BC2 Continue - Sonic (S1)
$2BE2 Continue (S1)
$2C02 Sonic - Ending (S1)

Pattern load requests

PLRs are what load all the peices of art into the VRAM that are not in the main level load block. Here's a breakdown of the pattern load cue's in the S2 Alpha ROM:

00 1C09C Standard block 1 (checkpoint/HUD/life counter/ring/gathered points) (4)
01 1C0BC Standard block 2 (Monitor/Shield/Invincibility stars) (2)
02 1C0D0 Unknown (explosion) (0)
03 1C0D8 Game/time over (game/time over text) (0)
04 1C0E0 GHZ (GHZ patterns/GHZ Piranha/Vertical spikes/Vertical spring/Horrizontal spring/EHZ Log bridge/GHZ swinging platform/Motobug/GHZ Rock) (8)
05 1C118 GHZ (GHZ Piranha) (0)
06 1C120 LZ (CPZ DUPLICATE) (2)
07 1C134 LZ (CPZ DUPLICATE) (3)
08 1C120 CPZ (CPZ graphics/Unknown/floating platform) (2)
09 1C134 CPZ (Vertical spikes/Diagonal springs/Vertical spring/Horizontal spring) (3)
0A 1C14E EHZ (EHZ graphics/Fireball/Waterfall/GHZ bridge/HTZ seesaw/Vertical spikes/Diagonal springs/Vertical spring/Horizontal spring) (8)
0B 1C186 EHZ (Shield/Gathered points/Buzz Bomber/EHZ Snail/EHZ Piranha) (4)
0C 1C1A6 HPZ (HPZ graphics/HPZ bridge/waterfall/platform/pulsing ball/HPZ stuff/master emerald/Water surface) (7)
0D 1C1D8 HPZ (HPZ Dinobot/HPZ Bat/Crocodile/Buzz Bomber/HPZ Bat/Triceratops/Dinobot/Sideways piranha (1)[7]
0E 1C20A HTZ (EHZ graphics/HTZ graphics/HTZ placeholders for animated tiles/Fire/Fireballs/HTZ automatic door/GHZ Log bridge/HTZ seesaw/Vertical spikes/Diagonal springs/Vertical spring/Horizontal spring) (9)
0F 1C254 HTZ (HTZ lift/Buzz Bomber/EHZ Snail/EHZ Piranha) (0) [4]
10 1C26E ??? (Title card (S1)/) (0)
11 1C276 Boss (Boss ship/EHZ Boss/EHZ Boss helicopter blades/Boss ship/CPZ Prototype boss/Robotnik's ship boost/Puff of smoke/EHZ Boss/EHZ Boss helicopter blades) (2)[8]
12 1C2AE End of level (Signpost/End of level hidden bonuses (S1)/Big ring flash) (2)
13 1C2C2 ??? (INVALID) (10)
14 1C2C2 ??? (INVALID) (10)
15 1C2C4 GHZ Animals (Bunny/Flicky) (1)
16 1C2D2 LZ Animals (Penguin/Seal) (1)
17 1C2E0 CPZ Animals (Squirrel/Seal) (1)
18 1C2EE EHZ Animals (Pig/Flicky) (1)
19 1C2FC HPZ Animals (Pig/Chicken) (1)
1A 1C30A HTZ Animals (Bunny/Chicken) (1)
1B 1C318 ??? (INVALID) (NA)
1C 1C31A ??? (INVALID) (NA)
1D 1C31C ??? (INVALID) (NA)
1E 1C31E ??? (INVALID) (NA)
1F 1C320 ??? (INVALID) (NA)

Object editing

Object pointers

The object pointers are located at $CB7E. Objects in this list are loaded by referencing their ID (starting from 01). Mainly used by level object layout and debug object lists. Each ID uses 4 bytes, which are 32-bit absolute pointers to the start of programming (ASM code) of a certain object.

ID Offset Description Intended place/Owner/Source
$01 $F9FC Sonic Any zone
$02 $10C40 Tails Any zone
$03 $13E2C Collision switcher Any zone
$04 $154D4 Water surface Water zones
$05 $11D7E Tails' tails Tails only
$06 $14970 Spiral path EHZ
$07 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$08 $12558 Water splash Sonic
$09 $1A3B8 Sonic Special Stage
$0A $11E64 Underwater bubbles Water zones
$0B $141B4 Unused alternating platform CPZ
$0C $142DC Unused strange platform ???
$0D $EF9C End of level signpost Any zone
$0E $B378 Sonic & Tails Title screen
$0F $B3FE ??? Title screen?
$10 $1AA5A ??? ???
$11 $7BA0 Block bridge GHZ, HPZ, EHZ
$12 $143DC Emerald block HPZ
$13 $14458 Waterfall HPZ
$14 $14CA0 Seesaw HTZ
$15 $8204 Swinging platform GHZ
$16 $15104 Diagonally moving platform HTZ
$17 $866C Rotating spike on wooden bridge GHZ
$18 $880C Generic natural platform GHZ, EHZ, HTZ
$19 $152B8 Metal platform CPZ
$1A $8C44 Collapsing platform GHZ, HPZ
$1B $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$1C $93A4 Bridge support/Moving platform support GHZ, EHZ, HTZ
$1D $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$1E $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$1F $A0D0 Crabmeat (badnik) GHZ
$20 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$21 $1B028 HUD Any zone
$22 $A408 Buzz Bomber (badnik) GHZ
$23 $A55E Buzz Bomber's projectile Buzz Bomber
$24 $9808 Unknown explosion ???
$25 $A7E4 Ring Debug
$26 $AE58 Monitor Any zone
$27 $987C Dust explosion Any zone
$28 $9AA8 Animal plus points from badnik explosion Any zone
$29 $9FA0 Points Any zone
$2A $94EC One way barrier SBZ
$2B $B718 Chopper (badnik) GHZ
$2C $B7DE Jaws (badnik) LZ
$2D $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$2E $B03A Monitor contents Monitor
$2F $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$30 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$31 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$32 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$33 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$34 $B8C8 Title card Title card
$35 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$36 $C664 Spikes Any zone
$37 $A91E Ring spray Any zone
$38 $123BA Blue shield Any zone
$39 $BA84 Game Over/Time Over Any zone
$3A $BB46 End of level result screen Any zone
$3B $C848 Purple rock GHZ
$3C $C8C4 Breakable wall GHZ
$3D $18CFC Robotnik Any zone
$3E $194E4 Egg prison Any zone
$3F $9914 Fire explosion Any zone
$40 $F248 Motobug (badnik) GHZ
$41 $E1C8 Spring Any zone
$42 $EBB8 Newtron (badnik) GHZ
$43 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$44 $EEB4 Wall barrier GHZ
$45 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$46 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$47 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$48 $190E6 Big ball GHZ boss
$49 $15690 Waterfall EHZ
$4A $16AA0 Octus (badnik) HPZ
$4B $16794 Buzzer (badnik) EHZ (HPZ, HTZ)
$4C $16D50 Batbot (badnik) HPZ
$4D $1587C Tricerabot (badnik) HPZ
$4E $171D8 Crocobot (badnik) HPZ
$4F $15DA4 Dinobot (badnik) HPZ
$50 $15F08 "Strange" Aquis (badnik) HPZ
$51 $16524 Aquis (badnik) HPZ
$52 $15B4C Piranha (badnik) HPZ
$53 $174D0 Masher (badnik) EHZ
$54 $175D0 Snailbot (badnik) EHZ (HTZ)
$55 $181CC ??? ???
$56 $18456 Unknown double explosion ???
$57 $17884 ??? ???
$58 $17AEE ??? ???
$59 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5A $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5B $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5C $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5D $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5E $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$5F $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$60 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$61 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$62 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$63 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$64 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$65 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$66 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$67 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$68 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$69 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6A $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6B $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6C $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6D $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6E $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$6F $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$70 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$71 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$72 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$73 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$74 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$75 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$76 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$77 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$78 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$79 $134C8 Lamppost Any zone
$7A $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$7B $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$7C $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$7D $13770 Hidden bonus Any zone
$7E $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$7F $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$80 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$81 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$82 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$83 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$84 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$85 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$86 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$87 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$88 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$89 $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$8A $185E0 Sonic Team Presents/Credits Title screen/Ending sequence
$8B $CDAE Null object Anywhere
$8C $CDAE Null object Anywhere

Unreferenced objects

The following objects can occupy a valid slot in order to work on their own instead of being summoned by their respective owners:

  1. Metal platform's collision mask: $152F0.
  2. Aquis' shot (inoffensive): $165AA.
  3. Buzzer's shot: $168A0.

The following objects are not summoned by any other object or event and can occupy a valid slot in order to work:

  1. Giant ring: $AA72.
  2. Flash from giant ring: $AB3C.

Sprite mappings

Dynamic PLCs

Text

Level select text

Level names use non-ASCII characters. See the table below:

00 = 0 01 = 1 02 = 2 03 = 3 04 = 4
05 = 5 06 = 6 07 = 7 08 = 8 09 = 9
0A = $ 0B = - 0C = = 0D = <- 0E = <-
0F = Y 10 = Z 11 = A 12 = B 13 = C
14 = D 15 = E 16 = F 17 = G 18 = H
19 = I 1A = J 1B = K 1C = L 1D = M
1E = N 1F = O 20 = P 21 = Q 22 = R
23 = S 24 = T 25 = U 26 = V 27 = W
28 = X FF = (space)

Miscellaneous

General navigation

Offset Description
$035A8 Level order information
$02502 Palette pointers
$035A8 Level select level order
$04620 Pointer to collision indexes
$0579A Level size array
$059C6 Rasterized layer Deformation offset index
$10AF8 Animation script (Sonic)
$1BFEC Main level load block
$1C05C Pattern load cues offset index
$1C09C Pattern load cues
$20000 Curve and resistance mapping (identical to S1)
$20100 Curve and resistance mapping
$20200 Collision Array (identical to S1)
$22200 Collision Array
$28218 Level layout offset index
$40000 Object layout offset index
$50000 Ring location offset index

Level slots

Level ID Level Name
00 GHZ
01 LZ (loads CPZ art)
02 CPZ (MZ Music)
03 EHZ (SLZ music)
04 HPZ (SYZ music)
05 HTZ (SBZ music)
06 Ending (GHZ art) (crashes)

Main level load block

This is located at $1BFEC, and uses the Sonic 1 format

Level ID Level Name 8x8 art 16x16 mappings 128x128 mappings Palette Song ID PLRs used
00 GHZ $D8C34 $D7E34 $DD850 $04 $81 $04, $05
01 LZ $CC8F4 $CB314 $CFE34 $05 $82 $06, $07
02 CPZ $CC8F4 $CB314 $CFE34 $06 $83 $08, $09
03 EHZ $B2184 $B11E4 $B6EB2 $07 $84 $0A, $0B
04 HPZ $C0492 $BEEB2 $C3314 $08 $85 $0C, $0D
05 HTZ $B2184 $B11E4 $B6EB2 $09 $86 $0E, $0F
06 Ending $D8C34 $D7E34 $DD850 $13 $86 None

Debug object lists

These lists are used to tell the game which objects can be placed through debug mode at each zone. They are handled by an offset index at $1BCEC.

List location Used by
$1BCFA GHZ
$1BD6C LZ
$1BD6C CPZ
$1BDEE EHZ
$1BF6A HPZ
$1BED0 HTZ
$1BF6A Ending

The first two bytes on the list indicate how many objects are there. Each object has 8 bytes: for simply changing which object should appear instead of another, edit bytes 1 & 5, which are object type (ID) and sub-type, respectively.

References


Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Nick Arcade prototype), prototype version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)
S2b title.png

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