Dust Hill Zone

Dust Hill Zone is the name given to Mystic Cave Zone in Sonic 2 Beta. The only references ever made to Dust Hill Zone could be found in the dumped prototype ROM and some magazines, as seen below.

Rumor mill

The "general view" of the words Dust Hill could describe a desert area hot and sandy, or cold and snowy. Hot and sandy would apply to the desert concept arts as seen above.

It's often thought to be the unreleased desert level that can be seen in some early concept art. This is because of the rumors some unknown Sonic fan started spreading in the late 90s. Although Brenda Ross has never used the name "Dust Hill" for her desert, she does think the name was intended for this desert level both stated in the first interview conducted by Deviance and the second interview conducted by Wetflame.

It is not fact that the title "Dust Hill" would not have gone to the desert level before the known prototype because of the following... There is no photographic evidence (film, official video game pictures from playable versions or otherwise) to show that Mystic Cave's prototype name was Dust Hill Zone before the known beta as of yet. The only photographic evidence with captions of the name "Dust Hill Zone" belonging to "Mystic Cave Zone" comes after the known prototype, which does not state it being used before the prototype. If we rely on the 2004 interview, she "thinks" Dust Hill was the name of the zone.

There is no end to either act. You keep going in circles.