- Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0408)/Comparisons.
Flying Battery Zone is already in place as the eighth Zone in the game, as the decision to move its position had already been made when Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was split into two games. So, as with other Sonic & Knuckles Zones, there are a good number of differences.
Act 1
Just like in Sonic 3, the echo track of Act 1's music will go off-sync after looping, and will slowly drag more and more behind the lead melody as it continues to play.
This room before the first set of spinning flamethrowers is pretty empty. Later prototypes and the final added a little bit more danger with a couple of Blasters and some monkey bars.
This corridor has the speed launcher in a different position and is missing a set of landmines. The landmines also make the same sound as an exploding Badnik in this prototype, while the launcher doesn't make any sounds.
The spring that launches the player through the halfpipe here is hidden within the ceiling. It was later pushed out of the ceiling a bit to make it more obvious to the player that it's there.
An extra life monitor was added here later on.
All of the Giant Rings in this zone are missing for some reason. This is the first occurence of a missing Giant Ring, found at coordinates 1D4005C0.
The rings that would be here on the way out from the above Giant Ring are also missing.
This set of spikes that would lead to the second Giant Ring of the Act is completely immovable in this prototype.
The second Giant Ring that is missing, normally found at coordinates 24BF07C0. The rings on the way out are also missing.
The Lightning Shield monitor hidden in this corridor is missing.
These rings in the sky above the parachuting bombs aren't there in this prototype. Just like the landmines, the bombs make Badnik-popping noises when they explode.
Instead of monkey bars, this set of electromagnets near the end of the Act has a third spiked platform. The electromagnets don't make any sounds, either.
When the electromagnets switch off, this extra spiked platform sinks into a bed of spikes. It was probably for the better that they removed this.
Gapsule's position is about 16 pixels to the left in comparison to later prototypes and the final. Its coordinates are the same as they were in the remnants of Flying Battery in Sonic 3. Its palette is also slightly different.
The signpost overlaps Gapsule's remains in this prototype.
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Act 2
A Technosqueek is missing here.
This Super Ring monitor was changed to a Lightning Shield later in development.
This downward elevator shaft doesn't have spikes lining the walls in this prototype. They were added in later to prevent the player from slipping past.
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This hallway that follows the elevator above is empty. It would be decorated with rings, a Technosqueek and a Star Post later on.
Meanwhile, in the alternate path from the second elevator, this platform ride goes down a much narrower shaft.
Should the player ride the right side of the platform, they will clip through the floor, allowing the player to perform a zip. Consequentially, the shaft is wider.
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This room is missing a revolving flamethrower and rings, and a block with a yellow spring is present instead of a flip spring. Due to there not being a flip spring, an autospin flag is present in the tube leading up.
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The inverted halfpipe in this room is wider, and there are no objects here. In later prototypes and the final, more dangers and a door were added to the corridor, and some monitors were added to the right.
Strangely, this particular elevator ride that follows the above area does not have a crush object placed at the top, meaning the player will clip through the ceiling and zip through the walls. All other elevator rides can crush the player.
The swinging black orb that would carry the player as they run is absent. In fact...
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All of them are missing, even the rings that are placed around them and the Technosqueeks that crawl along the walls are missing.
This room lacks rings and a Blaster compared to the final.
Rings and a revolving flamethrower would be added here later.
More Blasters will be added here later.
This set of double doors found in one of the higher routes does not open completely. Should the player take this route, they will get stuck here.
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This corridor is empty in this prototype, and the swinging black orb is missing here, too.
In one of the lower routes, a Star Post is missing.
The Lightning Shield monitor is missing from this spot. When the button here is stepped on...
...A door blocking the elevator opens up, which would be taken out in later builds. On top of that, there is no way for Sonic to get up here on his own, so to compensate the button was changed to make additional platforms appear to help him reach this spot. A bunch of rings were also added here.
The Giant Rings in Act 2 are also missing. This one is located at 18400740.
Rings, a Technosqueek and a Star Post would be added here later.
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This large room also had extra spiked blocks that would sink into beds of spikes once the electromagnets turned off, along with extra rings in place of monkey bars.
This room once had a bit of a puzzle to it. To open the door blocking the way, the player needs to press the button next to the flamethrower. Pressing the button next to the door makes a platform appear for the player to climb back up. This was simplified later in development so the player only needs to press the button next to the door. A Technosqueek was also thrown in for good measure.
This corridor has no Star Post or spiked blocks, and the electromagnets are non-functioning. As if that wasn't enough, there is an erroneous chunk placement in the background at this point. Not only was this corrected later on, the background was also shifted down a bit.
This upward elevator is also missing its spikes on the walls.
The fourth and final case of a missing Giant Ring at coordinates 25C00740, just before encountering Barrier Eggman.
Additionally, the Barrier Eggman fight is missing most of its sound effects.
The rising floor sequence that comes after Barrier Eggman has some object differences, too. This pair of Super Ring monitors was replaced with a red spring later in development. Additionally, there are no rumbling sounds during the sequence.
All the rings in this part of the sequence are missing, along with the spring. It's still possible to get up without the spring.
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Along with missing spikes, rings and a Super Ring monitor, the end of this corridor is a bit more indoors.
After defeating the Hang Mobile, the Eggmobile stops exploding when Eggman begins to retreat. In the final, the Eggmobile continues to explode.
The player's character does not automatically roll when he busts down the door during the transition to Sandopolis Zone. They appear to be rolling in the Sandopolis intro, though.
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References
