- Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0408)/Comparisons.
For a very small single-Act Zone, Hidden Palace Zone has many differences, some of which will persist through later prototypes.
NOTE: Debug mode must be enabled in order to access this Zone via the level select.
The first obvious difference here is that the title card reads "Sky Sanctuary Zone Act 1" instead of "Hidden Palace Zone". Sky Sanctuary music also plays.
All characters begin the Zone by simply standing in place. In the final, they walk in from the left.
If the player passes a certain X coordinate, the level boundaries are set in that they cannot go back the way they came. This X coordinate is 0500, the same X coordinate where parts of the foreground change colour from purple to lime green, and occurs after Sonic and Tails pass the first set of spikes.
Because of the aforementioned boundary lock, a spring has been added here. This was taken out later when the lock became unnecessary.
This monitor is a Fire Shield in this prototype. This would persist in the next few prototypes before being changed to a Super Ring.
In the secret stash, there is an "S" monitor where there would be a Power Sneakers monitor. As debug mode places Lightning Shields instead of "S" monitors in this build, this is the only "S" monitor in the game.
If the player goes right, they will find that there are three 1-Up monitors instead of a single 1-Up and two Super Rings.
The giant hole in the background isn't properly lined up with the teleporter.
The Knuckles fight plays the Sonic 3 mini-boss theme instead of Knuckles' theme in this prototype. Knuckles' is also able to hurt the player when they have invincibility and even when they are Super Sonic.
Beating Knuckles won't cancel Super forms. Additionally, the mini-boss music will keep on playing.
Before fighting Knuckles, if the player is to either enter a Bonus Stage or die after passing this Star Post, things get a little strange...
This area becomes purple instead of lime green. This is due to the palette change only occurring when the player passes X coordinate 0500 and not making any checks for if the player has restarted beyond that point.
There won't be any boundary locks either, allowing Sonic and Tails to backtrack to Knuckles' route in the Zone.
Even the Master Emerald's altar will become purple.
And speaking of the Master Emerald, the theft scene plays out differently from the final. Instead of shaking his fist and jumping up to the Master Emerald, Knuckles will just stand there and look up as Eggman takes the Master Emerald. He doesn't even attempt to hit Eggman and just grabs on to the emerald.
The controls are locked for the player when Eggman shocks Knuckles. In the final, the player is freely able to hit Eggman (not that it matters).
If the player uses debug mode here, the control lock will be removed, though they cannot hit Eggman and they can stand on top of the Master Emerald.
After regaining consciousness, Knuckles will charge through the breakable wall, rather than stopping in front of it and punching it.
When the player approaches the teleporter that leads to Sky Sanctuary Zone, there is no cutscene. The controls and camera won't lock, and Knuckles won't jump on the teleporter.
The player can stand on the teleporter to activate it anyway. If they have a Lightning Shield, they can jump on top of the pedestal, which will cause the game to transition to Sky Sanctuary.
Map
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| Sonic 3C 0408
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| Sonic 3 & Knuckles final
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References
