Wood Zone

Wood Zone as seen in the Sonic 2 Simon Wai Prototype.

Wood Zone is a wood-themed level created by Brenda Ross that can still be found in the Sonic 2 (Simon Wai prototype). It hosts flora and fauna in its backdrop, and an elaborate maze of trees in the foreground. It was never finished, in the Simon Wai prototype the first act ends rather quickly and Act 2 is simply an empty level slot with a palette.

The level seems to have been worked on after the dumped beta, because new background scrolling data was found in revision 00 of the game. Through hacking, Wood Zone can be accessed in Zone slot 02 of the final Sonic 2. Unlike Hidden Palace Zone, pretty much nothing is left of Wood Zone. The pallete and music file information remain. The music used is from Metropolis Zone.

Wood Zone was subject to much speculation for many years. It became a fan favorite, perhaps as well known as the Hidden Palace Zone, and has been featured in several hacks. Two notable hacks, Sonic 2 Delta and Sonic 2 Long Version, each contain fan created versions of what their creators thought the Zone might have looked had it been completed.