Prototypes of three Sonic the Hedgehog games were unveiled in a special holiday stream by The Hidden Palace, a video game preservation group, late Wednesday evening.
After last year’s highly successful Sonic Month festivities that showcased prototypes of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Chaos, Hidden Palace once again unveiled prototypes of Sonic Spinball, Sonic Adventure 2 and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine.
Sonic Adventure 2
The newly-uncovered prototype of Sonic Adventure 2, dated 7 May 2001, was a late review package that contained all the components from the final release, albeit with a number of differences.
• The missile part in Metal Harbor is more difficult in this prototype.
Hidden Palace
• There’s an additional pully added around the area you acquire the air necklace in Aquatic Mine.
• For the driving stages, the cars have collision that cause you to recoil away from them. In the final, the cars topple over when you hit them instead.
• An additional ring was added toward the end of Rogue’s driving stage to mark when the stage is supposed to end.
• Various hazards were added around the last key in Pyramid Cave, making this part very difficult. This was changed for the final, making it so you only have to dodge enemy projectiles.
• Final Rush has many different sound effects.
• Additional meteorites were added on the final Sonic/Shadow fight, making it more likely to run into them in the prototype. These were moved further away from the path for the final.
• Green Hill Zone lacks many sound effects. The animal collection sound effect is higher pitched.
Sonic Spinball
Meanwhile, the prototype of Sonic Spinball was dated 17 September 1993. It featured music from previous Sonic games, and it is the earliest known build where the player can finish the game.
This is the first time a prototype of Sonic Spinball has resurfaced in a complete form in almost 20 years, and so it was quite a surprise to finally find one again.
Hidden Palace
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine‘s prototype is not the earliest build known, but still gave some insight into what was changed before the game’s release.
• This prototype comes after the well known prototype scene release from PREMIERE.
Hidden Palace
• Credits for the original Puyo Puyo staff aren’t present in this build.
• The screen that appears when the cartridge is inserted into a Mega Drive in the wrong region isn’t present in the ROM.
The preservation group is expected to unveil a new prototype in a livestream this Thursday night.
