Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)/Development

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has gone through several changes over its development process. There are several rejected ideas, levels, and other things that were left on the cutting room floor. The following details several of these things.

Prototype Versions

Several prototypes have been found over the years. The first prototype discovered, the Simon Wai prototype, found by Simon Wai, is famous for its deleted levels. This particular prototype was stolen during a toy show in New York in 1992 according to Yuji Naka. It was recently stated in an interview with Yuji Naka that this beta was from a demonstration cartridge that was stolen at a toy show in New York in 1992.[1]

Another much earlier beta was found by drx and looks similar to the one featured on the TV show Nick Arcade. This was followed later by drx's discovery and release of five more betas, named Beta 4, Beta 5, Beta 6, Beta 7, and Beta 8. These seem to be very similar to the final version.

Time Travel

The concept of Time Travel in Sonic 2 was referred to in early concept art, as well as several gaming magazines including a August 1992 EGM article. Only past and present timezones are referred to in the concept art, so it may not have had as many alternate time zones as Sonic the Hedgehog CD. It isn't known at what point the time travel concept was dropped, but the 1992 EGM article refers to the game as being 40% complete whilst mentioning time travel being associated with the game. The concept art refers to the scrapped level Rock Zone as being the past version of the scrapped Desert Zone.

Allusions to Time Travel in the Simon Wai prototype
Although time travel is not present whatsoever in the final game there are possible leftovers in the Simon Wai prototype that indicate it was present in the game at one point.

• Aquatic Ruin Zone's name is listed as Neo Green Hill Zone, possibly indicating it as a future version of Emerald Hill Zone (which was listed as Green Hill in this prototype).
• Some prototype zones share soundtracks, Wood Zone shares the same music as Metropolis Zone and Genocide City Zone shares music with Chemical Plant Zone.
• The level design for Wood Zone and Metropolis Zone are similar.
• An unused futuristic looking Star post can be found using debug.

Deleted Levels

Hidden Palace Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was originally envisioned to have many more levels than those included in the final version. Three levels, Wood Zone, Hidden Palace Zone, and Genocide City Zone, were found in the the "Simon Wai prototype" in unfinished form. There was also a desert themed level which had a single mockup image printed in several gaming magazines but was dropped very early in the games development. Lastly, two other levels, Winter level and Rock Zone, were also dropped early in development and the only references to their existence come from concept art and interviews by Sonic Team staff members. More info on these Zones can be found in their respective articles.

Concept Art

The following is concept art for the game which doesn't fit in any of the preceding sections. The Tails concept art was found in the Sonic 1 segment of a "History of Sonic" documentary. It is possible that the image was used in the wrong segment as directly preceding this image is someone flipping through a art book and one page clearly displays a logo for Sonic 2.

Levels

• Metropolis concept.jpg

  Metropolis Zone.

• S2concept-1.gif

  Near a large ramp.

• S2concept-2.gif

  Familiar area from Chemical Plant Zone.

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  Sky Chase Zone and possibly Hill Top Zone.

• S1concept-SCENE.jpg

  A scene which seems to feature Tails.

Enemies

• Sket ball.png

  Bouncing ball, sprites can actually be found in a proto in Oil Ocean Zone.

• Sket banper.png

  Bumper badnik which sends player flying in opposite direction.

• Sket fishfrog.png

  Fish and frog badniks. Frog jumps twice and jumps higher on 3rd jump. Fish is in the final game.

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  Bubblers mother and Bubbler. Bubbler would explode when near player and is dropped by Bubblers mother. Sprites have been found in a prototype.

• Sket bee.png

  Bee which is similar to Buzzer but it's attack would destroy bridges. Sprites for a burning log were found in a prototype.

• Sket snail.png

  Snail which stick to the wall then rolls after player when near.

Early Game Design

These scans come from various magazines. Many things found in these images can be found in the multiple Sonic 2 prototypes that have been discovered. For in depth comparisons of which prototypes contain what is seen in the scans see Magazine Preview Scans.

Various

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  Title screen found in manual.

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  Same Title screen in color.

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  Different level select screen.

Emerald Hill Zone

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  Mockup with Sonic off-center. Note the Green Hill Zone clouds in the background.

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  Better quality version of the mockup, albeit with the top and bottom missing.

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  Tails lives counter says Sonic.

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  Tails lives counter says Sonic still.

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  Eggman flying straight down.

• Mag compare25a.gif

  Score counter in 2p mode.

Aquatic Ruin Zone

• ARZ ramp.gif

  Sonic's prototype walking animation.

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  Walking animation again.

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  Title card is messed up, also reads "Neo Green Hill Zone".

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  Log floating on water.

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  Sonic's corner animation.

Casino Night Zone

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  Empty speed tube. The smoke means this is from later than the Simon Wai prototype.

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  Pink pallette which is more finished that Simon Wais prototype.

Hill Top Zone

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  Green balls on see-saws.

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Mystic Cave Zone

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  Level referred to as Dust Hill Zone.

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Oil Ocean Zone

• OOZ sun.gif

  Different sun which can be found in prototype.

• OOZ walk.png

  Proto walking animation and switch that causes a ridable ball to appear.

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  A ridable ball. These are accessable using debug in final.

Metropolis Zone

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Hidden Palace Zone

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  Mockup screenshot of Hidden Palace Zone. Sonic is off center and there is a strange background.

• HPZ diffBG.gif

  Different scan.

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  Bat Badnik.

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  Dino Badnik.

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  Shield glows through tube.

• Mag compare7a.gif

  Green object above lives icon.

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  Similar to final.

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  Glowing bridge again.

Wood Zone

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  Sonic laying down.

Dust Hill Zone

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  Mockup of Dust Hill Zone.