Unreleased Music

Much like game development, the creation of music goes through a gradual process that involves a lot of changes, replacements, and cuts. However, unlike piece of data, an unfinished recording or half-written song is capable of being enjoyed (unlike incomplete code, which is just unusable).

The following are the songs whose incomplete forms have, through some way or another, leaked onto the internet.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Special Stage

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/13 - Special Stage (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Simon Wai prototype) the special stage music is slightly different.

Boss Battle

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/15 - Dr Robotnik.mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the music used for boss battles (or, to be more accurate, the one boss battle) is much slower and more menacing.

Final Boss

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/14 - Final Boss (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the final boss music is slightly different.

Results Screen

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/20 - Results Screen (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the results screen is slightly different.

End of Act

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/23 - End of Act (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the end of act screen music is slightly different.

Super Sonic

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/21 - Super Sonic (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the Super Sonic music is slightly different.

Continue

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/25 - Continue (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the continue music is slightly different.

Continue Awarded

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/27 - Get Continue (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the music played when earning a continue is slightly different.

Chaos Emerald

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/26 - Get Chaos Emerald (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the Chaos Emerald music is slightly different.

Green Hill Zone (2player)

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/19 - Green Hill Zone (2-Player) (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the music is slightly different.

Casino Night Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/09 - Casino Night Zone.mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype the music in Casino Night is played much slower.

Hidden Palace Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 OSV/07 - Unused Tune (Sound Test Track 10).mp3|download</mp3>
Music was actually written for the scrapped Hidden Palace Zone, which does not appear in the Wai beta (and, of course, Hidden Palace is inaccessible by normal means in the final). However, the tune is still linked to as Track 10 in the sound test. Due to the inaccessibility of the song by normal means, this qualifies as an unreleased song.

Oil Ocean Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/17 - Oil Ocean Zone (Alternate) (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Simon Wai prototype), the music used for Oil Ocean is actually what would later become the music for the two-player Casino Night Zone (not unlike Hidden Palace in the beta used the two-player Mystic Cave Zone music). However, this version is slightly slower.

Sky Chase Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/16 - Sky Chase Zone (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the music is slightly different.

Wing Fortress Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/18 - Wing Fortress Zone (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
In the Simon Wai prototype, the music is slightly different.

Death Egg Zone

<mp3>http://music.sonicretro.org/Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta OSV/12 - Death Egg Zone (Unused).mp3|download</mp3>
The version present in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Simon Wai prototype) is (intentionally or not) played at a much faster speed than the version in the final.

Sonic CD

Opening Theme

The earliest circulating version of the game, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (prototype 510), features a completely different opening theme than any other version. The tune is neither Sonic - You Can Do Anything nor Sonic Boom, and is entirely instrumental. Incidentally, the tune would be re-used in the fan-led Sonic Megamix project over a dozen years later.

Speed Shoes

Despite the apparent lack of Sonic - You Can Do Anything at this stage of development, the Speed Shoes music was still based around the chorus of the song: however, this version is totally different, sounding much more tinny and featuring a notable amount of sampled vocalizations (not unlike the Launch Base Zone music).

Sonic 3

Ending Medley

Present in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3C (prototype 0517) is a piece of music (ultimately scrapped) based around the Sonic & Knuckles ending medley, featuring several songs from Sonic 3 (which was, of course, locked onto the game).

Sonic & Knuckles

Title

Sonic & Knuckles Prototype 0525's title screen, even though it's using the Sonic 3 title screen, plays a slightly different version of the Sonic & Knuckles title screen music. The difference can be heard a few seconds before the song ends.

Game Complete

In the Sonic & Knuckles Prototype 0525, the song which plays upon completion of the game plays differently.

Sonic Spinball

Theme Music

The Sonic Spinball (16-bit prototype) and some early USA prereleases featured theme music based on the title music from Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic The Hedgehog 2. However, due to royalty issues (the music was not owned by Sega), these were changed.

All Emeralds Collected

The music played when all the Emeralds in the level have been collected is different in the early versions of Sonic Spinball.

Game Over

The Game Over theme was based on the game over theme from Sonic the Hedgehog in the Sonic Spinball prototype and the first release of the game.

Sonic 3D Blast

Unidentified Parade Tune

Some early protos of Sonic 3D Blast had an unused tune. Sonic 3D (beta 825) features an update to this track with an added instrument around 10 seconds into the song.

Unidentified "Special Stage" Tune

Some early protos of Sonic 3D Blast had an unused tune.

Sonic Adventure

Open Your Heart (Jun Senoue Demo)

This very early version of Open Your Heart was found on SEGA's website. It seems to be a rough draft of the song, featuring only the first two verses and choruses. The vocals, instead of being delivered by usual vocalist Johnny Gioeli, are instead performed by guitarist and composer Jun Senoue. This would mean the recording pre-dates Gioeli's presence in the band, being the oldest recording of Crush 40 (or, as they would first be named, "Sons Of Angels") that exists.

Sonic Adventure 2

Live & Learn (Instrumental Demo)

Leaked on the internet, this early demo of Live & Learn is a mostly-complete instrumental of the finished song. The lead vocals are entirely gone, replaced with a synth lead (which plays a totally different melody than would appear in the final song, suggesting that the song had not been finalized yet). The guitar solo was also not yet present, and the drums are mixed differently (with the kick drum mixed much higher, almost like the version that would later appear on True Blue; additionally, a four-beat count-in is present during the intro that was edited out in the final).

E3 Theme

The teaser trailer shown at E3 (which featured only Sonic, Knuckles, and Eggman referred to by name and Shadow only appearing near the end featured an electronic tune not featured anywhere in the game.

Escape From The City (Instrumental)

The trial version of Sonic Adventure 2 distributed to stores (featuring only City Escape) had a different version of Escape From The City: because of either the need to raise suspense or the song not being done yet, the lead vocals on the song are removed and replaced with another guitar lead.

Sonic Advance 2

Leaf Forest Beta

During the Sonic Advance 2 preview in Sonic Mega Collection a beta version of the Leaf Forest music plays. The music is slower paced.

Sonic Heroes

Theme Song (Demo)

Leaked onto the internet, this is an extremely rough attempt at what would become the game's theme song. This take covers only the first verse and chorus: however, none of the lyrics are written at all with the exception of the title ("Sonic Heroes"). As a result, the majority of the song is Johnny Gioeli screaming random gibberish. In the 10.8 prototype it is missing the bridge vocals.

What I'm Made Of (Demo)

Also leaked onto the internet, this is a rough draft of what would become the closing theme. It fairs slightly better than Sonic Heroes, featuring the introduction, an attempt at the chorus (which is only the first half of the chorus repeated twice), and ending.

Follow Me

In the 10.8 prototype there is no vocals and has different drums.

Sea Gate/Seaside Area

In the 10.8 prototype the song is missing the main melody synth. The Xbox E3 Prototype uses an earlier version of Seaside Area's track.

Ocean Palace

Even though unacessible in the Xbox E3 Prototype, the stage uses a slightly different version of Sea Gate's music.

Grand Metropolis/City Area

The song In the 10.8 prototype is entirely differnet. A WIP track of the final version composed entirely with synth.

Battle 3

In the 10.8 prototype the music seems to be missing an instrument. Something seems missing, anyway.

Ocean Palace

In the 10.8 prototype the music has different percussion, and possibly the bass is louder.

Casino Park

The song in the 10.8 prototype is entirely different. The same as the OST.

Hang Castle 1

In the 10.8 prototype it has different instrumentation and more reverb.

Hang Castle 2

Missing instrument in the 10.8 prototype . Guitar is missing from the middle of the song, listen to Part C to hear the difference.

Final Fortress

In the 10.8 prototype it's missing an instrument. Guitar that plays the main melody is missing. Also hasdifferent percussion and is missing the main melody synth.

Two-Player Grand Metropolis

In the 10.8 prototype there is different note progression in the intro, different instrumentation.

Miniboss

In the 10.8 prototype it is entirely different (It's Sonic vs Shadow from SA2). "Shut Up Faker!" track from Sonic Adventure 2 is used instead. In the final, this is entirely brand new.

System Menu

In the 10.8 prototype it's missing one instrument, and the whole bridge (the chorus loops over and over).

Sonic Rush

Title Screen

An unused title screen theme.

Leaf Storm Beta

In the E3 beta, an extended version of "Enemy or Friend?" (or "Blaze Appear" as it is known in the in-game sound test) plays in Leaf Storm. In this particular case, it is this version that is more "complete" than what appears in the final game or the OST (both of which only feature the first 10 seconds of this theme).

End of Act

An unused act clear theme.

Boss

An unused boss theme. It incorporates some of the music from Leaf Storm Beta.

Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)

His World (Instrumental)

On the game disc is an unused music file called "main_theme.xma". When opened, it appears to be a totally alternate instrumental version of His World. This is not simply an instrumental of the normal version. There is also another version which was played at E3.

Dreams Of An Absolution (Instrumental)

Another file on the game disc is " silver_theme.xma", which is an instrumental version of Silver's Dreams Of An Absolution. The lead vocals are replaced with a simple synth lead.

Worthy of note: a file called "shadow_theme.xma" appears and is also unused, but it is just the original Magna-Fi version of All Hail Shadow (as opposed to the Crush 40 remake used in the game).

Kingdom Valley 1 and 2

Two songs of three heard when the Sonic The Hedgehog 2006 site first launched. These were early versions of "Kingdom Valley ~The Water" and a complete arrangement of the level's three other songs, "~The Wind~", "~The Castle~", and "~Lakeside~." The songs used slightly different instruments from their final counterparts or sounded like they were in a slightly lower octave. The song may be found in a severely lower and slower form, but this was due to the media player the site used being lagged by poor site design. These tracks were called "Kingdom Valley 2" and "Kingdom Valley 1" respectively.

Crisis City

Similar to the last two tracks, it was also initially on the Sonic The Hedgehog 2006 website and sounds lower than the final version and is missing a few violins in places. This is also the full mix of the track, as opposed to being broken up to suit the different sections of the level in the game. Crisis City ~Tornado~ is not a part of this "medley", showing it's separate from the original track. It was listed as "Crisis City".