Sonic Generations (demo)

Sonic Generations (demo)
Prerelease of: Sonic Generations
System: Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network
Source: Digital Download

The Sonic Generations Demo is a playable version of Sonic Generations released to gold members on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network users on the 23rd June 2011, twenty years after the release of the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Silver Xbox Live members were given the game a week later on the 30th.

Overview

The demo acts as a one-level trial version of the game, in which the player can control "Classic Sonic" through the first Act of Green Hill. It only remained active for twenty days, however it was found that adjusting the system clock could extend the play time indefinitely on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Due to Xbox Live setting the system clock automatically when online, to play the demo on the 360 past the date the player had to disconnect from Xbox Live. The build was said to be older than the version shown at E3 2011 (dating to May 2011) and was listed internally as "Demo #1", suggesting further demos were on their way.

Questions were raised about the game's 650MB+ file size, despite only claiming to contain one level. Hacking of both the PSN and XBLA versions has shown that in fact the demo contained masses of unused assets, including a supposedly fully playable Act of Green Hill featuring Modern Sonic, which would be later on used in the second demo. It also unveiled clues for the rest of the game, which at the time had not been officially announced by Sega.

Most importantly, the demo confirmed the level list (including Casino Night as downloadable content), bosses, in-game items, Badniks, missions, cameos, Super Sonic and the existence of a Sega Mega Drive emulator, which would later be used for emulating the original Sonic the Hedgehog in the final game.

Hidden content

Main article: Sonic Generations (demo)/Hidden content

References

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
	2006  Sonic the Hedgehog     2008  Sonic Unleashed     2009  Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection     2010  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed      Prototypes  Sonic Generations (Demo 1/2)

2006  Sonic the Hedgehog     2008  Sonic Unleashed     2009  Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection     2010  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | Sonic Free Riders     2011  Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed      Demos  Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 Xbox Live demo) | Sonic Generations (Demo 1/2)  Prototypes  Sonic Unleashed prereleases | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (prototype; 2009-12-01)