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Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) (prototype)/Comparisons

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Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) (prototype).

General comparisons

SegaLogo MD JP 1990.png
Prototype
S1MD sega screen.png
Final game

The protoype uses the generic Sega logo screen commonly used for most other Mega Drive games, with no Sega jingle present.

Sonic1Proto MD Title.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Comparison SonicTeam.png
Final game

The "SONIC TEAM PRESENTS" screen is not present yet. The game goes straight to the title screen from the Sega logo.

Sonic1Proto MD Title.png
Prototype
Sonic1 title.png
Final game

The "PRESS START BUTTON" prompt is enabled by default in this prototype. It would be disabled in the final due to an oversight with the "SONIC TEAM PRESENTS" screen. There is also no ™ symbol regardless of the console's region.

Sonic1Proto MD LevelSelect.png
Prototype
Sonic1 level select.png
Final game (REV00)

The level select displays the early names for each of the Zones, with "X"s next to all of Star Light Zone's Acts and Clock Work Zone Act 3 - the latter cannot be selected, but all of Star Light's Acts are still playable. Final Zone is also missing.

Sonic1Proto MD Sound92.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Sound92.png
Final game (REV00)

Attempting to play sound 92 crashes the prototype. In the final, this ID is used for the air countdown music.

Sonic1Proto MD GHZ Act1TitleCard.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Comparison GHZ Act1TitleCard.png
Final game

Title cards have a period present after the word "ACT".

Sonic1Proto MD GHZ DemoDeath.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD GHZ DemoDeath.png
Final game

Rolling demos appear to be using older recordings from an earlier build, as Sonic dies almost immediately from enemies. The Special Stage demo also plays inbetween every Zone rather than being at the end of the demo order.

Gameplay comparisons

Sonic1Proto MD Comparison JumpHeight.gif
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Comparison JumpHeight.gif
Final game

Sonic's jump height is lower. On flat ground, the apex of his jump is 6 pixels lower than in the final.

Sonic1Proto MD Comparison SlowedByObjects.gif
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Comparison SlowedByObjects.gif
Final game

Walking/jumping onto objects such as platforms and bridges causes Sonic to lose some of his speed.

Sonic 1 MD Proto 50 Rings Extra Life.png
Prototype
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Final game

Extra lives are awarded at 50 and 100 Rings, rather than 100 and 200 Rings in the final. These bonuses can be awarded again by collecting another 50 & 100 Rings after losing them.

Sonic1Proto MD ComboBonus.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD ComboBonus.png
Final game

There is no combo bonus for destroying multiple Badniks in a row yet.

Sonic1Proto MD InvincibilitySpikes.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD InvincibilitySpikes.png
Final game

Invincibility cannot protect Sonic from spikes.

Sonic1Proto MD Lampposts.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Lampposts.png
Final game

There are no lampposts in the game, so whenever Sonic dies, the player always restarts from the beginning of the Act.

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Prototype
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Final game

The vertical camera is extremely buggy. In most cases, the camera is too slow to track Sonic when he falls or travels vertically at fast speeds, such as the ramp at the start of Sparkling Zone Act 1.

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Prototype
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Final game

If Sonic falls down a pit, he wraps around to the top of the map, even in levels which normally don't utilise vertical wrapping.

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Prototype
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Final game

In levels with lethal pits, the pit oddity described above will cause Sonic to die if he goes past the top level boundary (since Sonic wraps to the bottom of the level, the game thinks he's fallen into a pit).

Sonic1Proto MD GoalBonusPoints.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD GoalBonusPoints.png
Final game

There are no hidden bonus points at the end of an Act. The Giant Ring doesn't appear either, regardless of how many Rings the player has.

Sonic1Proto MD GHZ Act1ScoreCard.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD Comparison GHZ Act1ScoreCard.png
Final game

Sonic does not automatically run to the right when finishing an Act. Instead, the player can run around during the score tally. Jumping makes Sonic punch the air in celebration.

Sonic1Proto MD TimeOver.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD TimeOver.png
Final game

There is no Time Over. When the timer reaches 9:59, it resets back to 9:00.

Sonic1Proto MD ZoneTransition.png
Prototype
Sonic1 MD ZoneTransition REV00.png
Final game (REV00)

When transitioning between two Zones, the game starts decompressing the next Zone's art during the fade-out rather than after the fade-out.

Graphical comparisons

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Prototype
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Final game

As seen in several prerelease screenshots, the Ring counter in the HUD displays as "RING", with the number positioned slightly to the left. Additionally, the HUD doesn't flash red when Sonic has no Rings or time is nearly up.

Audio comparisons

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) (prototype)/Comparisons/Audio

Level comparisons

References


Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) (prototype), prototype version of Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)
Sonic1Proto MD Title.png

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Part of Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) development