Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Beta - Concept Art

Long before the release of Sonic 2, there were several faked-up screenshots found in magazines. These screenshots were a sort of 'concept art', showing what the game might eventually look like. The screenshots were made by artists, not game designers, so they looked a bit strange. To wit; Sonic was usually off-centre and the item placement was a bit dodgy.

This is Green/Emerald Hill Zone. As you see, Sonic is off-centre and the rings are arranged in an unusual arc, instead of a straight line like you'd expect.

Left: concept art, Right: Sonic 2 Beta ROM

In another 'concept art' screenshot, Sonic is seen here with two Dinosaur (triceratops) enemies. There is a part of Hidden Palace Zone in the Sonic 2 Beta ROM which looks quite similar to the level in this screenshot. However, the passageway that leads off to the right in this picture isn't there in the Beta. The background is also different.

Desert Zone didn't make it into the final version of the game. Quicksand would have played a part in this level, with Sonic having to keep moving to avoid sinking. You can see the head of a Gator enemy on the right. The picture on the right is smaller, but has slightly more accurate colours.

Related Pages:
Prototype Enemies
Scrapped and Renamed Levels