Mufasa
18-02-2008, 04:12
Throughout gaming history, there have always been those curious... Curious about what might have been. Curious about what might be.
Through taking apart game dumps, finding unused elements in manuals and information/images from magazines, we can piece together ideas of what our favorite games may have turned out and perhaps even what is in store for the future.
Here are a few games and what others have discovered about them:
Sonic the Fighters:
Note that the audio is poor in the first video--you might want to mute it. The second video has no sound.
Sonic the Fighters ROM hack
Sonic the Fighters ROM hack
In Sonic the Fighters, through ROM hacking, we get to see some characters that were developed for the game but never enabled in the final release.
Rocket Metal (a.k.a. Mecha Sonic Model No.29)
Robotnik's Robot¹
Alternate Robotnik¹ (seems to be a bit smaller in some fights)
Robotnik in UFO¹
Honey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Vipers#Characters) - a yellow cat-like character with black hair, that never made it to the final version of the game. Little is known about Honey other than she is based on Candy from Fighting Vipers, which Sonic the Fighters was based upon.
Robotnik in a walking tank¹These characters share the name "Dr. Eggman"; thus, their names are unofficial.
Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit):
Being Sonic's first game, there are bound to have been many ideas that never made it to the final version--and I'm not just talking about concept artwork (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=768). ;)
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/890608705.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/810213612.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/195563377.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/305217363.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/742665145.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/822969544.gif - These sprites look to be as if they may have been for the Special Stage. Its possible that they were going to allow you to warp ahead in the game by finding special areas in the maze.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/725674816.gif - W? Perhaps these would warp you to its related spot in the Special Stage--making the special stage more of a puzzle. Considering how easy it was to fall into the goal blocks, I guess they figured the stage was hard enough already. :rolleyes:
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/126029738.gif - "1 Up: Touch this for an extra chance to complete the game". Well thats what the manual said. This "Secret Zone" (yes the manual calls the Special Stage the Secret Zone) block never appears in the normal game.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/266760130.gif - Spin dash? These very spin dash like sprites that were found in the Sonic 1 ROM hint that spin dash was intended to be in the game. Too bad. The game needs it and to date, we haven't gotten a proper Sonic 1 with spin dash (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=368). Yes I said a proper version. :P
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/435413424.jpg - Looks like a pre-release version of Marble Garden Zone made it into Wayne's World as I mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=9276#post9276). It seems like they had UFOs in the skies. Was Sonic going to have to fight off an alien menace?
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: This game has definitely had its fair share of information in regards to things that were in pre-release versions of the game from a variety of sources.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/987545021.gif - As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1573#post1573), Sega switched out the title screen even though they showed a different on in pre-release advertising material and even in the final manual.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/717610658.jpg - Sonic 2 also lost a desert level. This screenshot appeared in many magazines. When the Sonic beta was discovered, many people thought Dust Hill Zone was the name for this lost level. As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2730#post2730), this isn't the case. Also the placement of Sonic doesn't make sense from a game physics and motion perspective. Why? "He was just dropped in for placement for the marketing folks. It was totally random and has nothing to do with any real gameplay.". This still didn't stop people form having a little fun (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2715#post2715). XD
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/605141349.jpg - As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=3578#post3578), the US show "Nick Arcade" showed an early beta version of Sonic 2. This page (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/) compares the 3 known Sonic 2 ROM versions.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Sound Test 10
Sound Test 10 is actually in the final version of Sonic 2, but never used in the game. Most think that it belongs to the lost level "Hidden Palace".
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/522870243.jpg - Screen shots of Hidden Palace showed up in various magazines. The Simon Wai beta of Sonic 2 gives us a much better look (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/hidden_palace) at this level we never got.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/635944258.gif - We even have a little clue of Hidden Palace in Sonic 3. Sonic 3's level select uses Sonic 2 level icons. This Hidden Palace level icon is one of them.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/936311628.gif - Sonic 2 Beta has been a widely accepted official pre-release version of Sonic 2. As the level select indicates, the extra zones of Wood Zone, Hidden Palace Zone and Genocide City Zone are present as well as the original zone titles for Mystic Cave Zone (Dust Hill Zone), Emerald Hill Zone (Green Hill Zone) and Aquatic Ruin Zone (Neo Green Hill Zone).
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/863418098.jpg - In the Sonic Advance 2 Guide by Primagames, has a little section of "Fast Facts" on page 99. One of the things said "One of the Sonic titles was to have a boss that featured a hedgehog with a flaming skull, but Sega nixed it because 'you don't show Sonic's skeleton'." Perhaps this is in reference to the lost Genocide City Zone (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/genocide_city)?
Sonic The Hedgehog 3:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/46224864.gif - This is the level select from the final version of Sonic 3. What's this? Flying Battery, Mushroom Valley and Sandopolis? Those aren't in Sonic 3. These were indeed one of the strongest clues that something was going on. How come we had 3 levels that made it this far but never got included in the game (if you select them in the level select, nothing happens)? This could very well be because the levels were pulled from Sonic 3 to give Sonic & Knuckles a jump start...?
Sonic the Hedgehog (next-gen):
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/845892118.jpg (http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/53620305.jpg) - A PC version of the game was advertised on the back of the manual for the French PC version of Sonic Riders. Supposedly Finnish game magazine Pelit even announced system specifications for the game (http://www.sonicstadium.org/sonicnews/262/).
Streets of Rage 2:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/773058152.jpg - Electronic Gaming Monthly previewed Streets of Rage 2. As you can tell, the level select had very different character artwork that is similar to the beta (http://soronline.classicgaming.gamespy.com/sor2_bk2beta.htm). For many, this was a first introduction to "Max" and "Sammy" (or should I say Skate for us US folks.... ;)).
Streets of Rage 3:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/458595932.jpg - A magazine preview in 1994 showed Blaze riding a motorcycle. This didn't make it to the final version, but could have marked a beginning of vehicle interactions for the Streets of Rage team. And don't be confused by the fan-made game "Streets of Rage Re-make (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100)". Part of their tribute to the series included putting in a motor cycle level. ;)
And there you have it. Quite a chunk of information gleaned from game dumps, manuals, magazines and even television. Feel free to contribute your own bits of information too. Just keep this in mind:
If its not based off of something official or from a credible publication, its just a rumor. Don't spread rumors! If you're going to mention something new, always bring some form of proof that could very plausibly be real--preferably verifiable by anyone. Otherwise you'll find yourself in trouble with the moderators (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=810).
Its fun to speculate what the clues really mean--if anything. Just keep it in good fun and don't let your imagination or ideas run wild.Enjoy! :gottogo:
Through taking apart game dumps, finding unused elements in manuals and information/images from magazines, we can piece together ideas of what our favorite games may have turned out and perhaps even what is in store for the future.
Here are a few games and what others have discovered about them:
Sonic the Fighters:
Note that the audio is poor in the first video--you might want to mute it. The second video has no sound.
Sonic the Fighters ROM hack
Sonic the Fighters ROM hack
In Sonic the Fighters, through ROM hacking, we get to see some characters that were developed for the game but never enabled in the final release.
Rocket Metal (a.k.a. Mecha Sonic Model No.29)
Robotnik's Robot¹
Alternate Robotnik¹ (seems to be a bit smaller in some fights)
Robotnik in UFO¹
Honey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Vipers#Characters) - a yellow cat-like character with black hair, that never made it to the final version of the game. Little is known about Honey other than she is based on Candy from Fighting Vipers, which Sonic the Fighters was based upon.
Robotnik in a walking tank¹These characters share the name "Dr. Eggman"; thus, their names are unofficial.
Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit):
Being Sonic's first game, there are bound to have been many ideas that never made it to the final version--and I'm not just talking about concept artwork (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=768). ;)
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/890608705.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/810213612.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/195563377.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/305217363.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/742665145.gifhttp://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/822969544.gif - These sprites look to be as if they may have been for the Special Stage. Its possible that they were going to allow you to warp ahead in the game by finding special areas in the maze.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/725674816.gif - W? Perhaps these would warp you to its related spot in the Special Stage--making the special stage more of a puzzle. Considering how easy it was to fall into the goal blocks, I guess they figured the stage was hard enough already. :rolleyes:
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/126029738.gif - "1 Up: Touch this for an extra chance to complete the game". Well thats what the manual said. This "Secret Zone" (yes the manual calls the Special Stage the Secret Zone) block never appears in the normal game.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/266760130.gif - Spin dash? These very spin dash like sprites that were found in the Sonic 1 ROM hint that spin dash was intended to be in the game. Too bad. The game needs it and to date, we haven't gotten a proper Sonic 1 with spin dash (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=368). Yes I said a proper version. :P
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/435413424.jpg - Looks like a pre-release version of Marble Garden Zone made it into Wayne's World as I mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=9276#post9276). It seems like they had UFOs in the skies. Was Sonic going to have to fight off an alien menace?
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: This game has definitely had its fair share of information in regards to things that were in pre-release versions of the game from a variety of sources.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/987545021.gif - As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1573#post1573), Sega switched out the title screen even though they showed a different on in pre-release advertising material and even in the final manual.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/717610658.jpg - Sonic 2 also lost a desert level. This screenshot appeared in many magazines. When the Sonic beta was discovered, many people thought Dust Hill Zone was the name for this lost level. As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2730#post2730), this isn't the case. Also the placement of Sonic doesn't make sense from a game physics and motion perspective. Why? "He was just dropped in for placement for the marketing folks. It was totally random and has nothing to do with any real gameplay.". This still didn't stop people form having a little fun (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2715#post2715). XD
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/605141349.jpg - As mentioned earlier (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?p=3578#post3578), the US show "Nick Arcade" showed an early beta version of Sonic 2. This page (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/) compares the 3 known Sonic 2 ROM versions.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Sound Test 10
Sound Test 10 is actually in the final version of Sonic 2, but never used in the game. Most think that it belongs to the lost level "Hidden Palace".
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/522870243.jpg - Screen shots of Hidden Palace showed up in various magazines. The Simon Wai beta of Sonic 2 gives us a much better look (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/hidden_palace) at this level we never got.
http://www.radiosega.net/forum/../images/posts/635944258.gif - We even have a little clue of Hidden Palace in Sonic 3. Sonic 3's level select uses Sonic 2 level icons. This Hidden Palace level icon is one of them.
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/936311628.gif - Sonic 2 Beta has been a widely accepted official pre-release version of Sonic 2. As the level select indicates, the extra zones of Wood Zone, Hidden Palace Zone and Genocide City Zone are present as well as the original zone titles for Mystic Cave Zone (Dust Hill Zone), Emerald Hill Zone (Green Hill Zone) and Aquatic Ruin Zone (Neo Green Hill Zone).
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/863418098.jpg - In the Sonic Advance 2 Guide by Primagames, has a little section of "Fast Facts" on page 99. One of the things said "One of the Sonic titles was to have a boss that featured a hedgehog with a flaming skull, but Sega nixed it because 'you don't show Sonic's skeleton'." Perhaps this is in reference to the lost Genocide City Zone (http://www.s2beta.com/zones/genocide_city)?
Sonic The Hedgehog 3:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/46224864.gif - This is the level select from the final version of Sonic 3. What's this? Flying Battery, Mushroom Valley and Sandopolis? Those aren't in Sonic 3. These were indeed one of the strongest clues that something was going on. How come we had 3 levels that made it this far but never got included in the game (if you select them in the level select, nothing happens)? This could very well be because the levels were pulled from Sonic 3 to give Sonic & Knuckles a jump start...?
Sonic the Hedgehog (next-gen):
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/845892118.jpg (http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/53620305.jpg) - A PC version of the game was advertised on the back of the manual for the French PC version of Sonic Riders. Supposedly Finnish game magazine Pelit even announced system specifications for the game (http://www.sonicstadium.org/sonicnews/262/).
Streets of Rage 2:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/773058152.jpg - Electronic Gaming Monthly previewed Streets of Rage 2. As you can tell, the level select had very different character artwork that is similar to the beta (http://soronline.classicgaming.gamespy.com/sor2_bk2beta.htm). For many, this was a first introduction to "Max" and "Sammy" (or should I say Skate for us US folks.... ;)).
Streets of Rage 3:
http://www.radiosega.net/images/posts/458595932.jpg - A magazine preview in 1994 showed Blaze riding a motorcycle. This didn't make it to the final version, but could have marked a beginning of vehicle interactions for the Streets of Rage team. And don't be confused by the fan-made game "Streets of Rage Re-make (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100)". Part of their tribute to the series included putting in a motor cycle level. ;)
And there you have it. Quite a chunk of information gleaned from game dumps, manuals, magazines and even television. Feel free to contribute your own bits of information too. Just keep this in mind:
If its not based off of something official or from a credible publication, its just a rumor. Don't spread rumors! If you're going to mention something new, always bring some form of proof that could very plausibly be real--preferably verifiable by anyone. Otherwise you'll find yourself in trouble with the moderators (http://www.radiosega.net/forum/showthread.php?t=810).
Its fun to speculate what the clues really mean--if anything. Just keep it in good fun and don't let your imagination or ideas run wild.Enjoy! :gottogo: