Just a few days ago, it was reported that the prototype for the original Sonic The Hedgehog was discovered by the video game preservation group, Hidden Palace. The live-stream which followed later that evening showcased the gameplay of the Sonic The Hedgehog prototype to hundreds of eager fans.
The timing of such a discovery couldn't be more ideal for gaming historians and inquisitive gamers alike. Just a few months ago, Nintendo fans had their own early Christmas of sorts. When news of a widespread leak revealing early prototypes of Mario and Pokemon games first surfaced, the floodgates were open. The mere thought of seeing an early build of a game near and dear to gamer's hearts was the perfect way to close out the year for many.
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Many concepts featured in the prototype were unique to this build alone. Some of the examples include graphical and sound effects emulating a waterfall as Sonic runs through one during Green Hill Zone. The names Spring Yard Zone and Scrap Brain Zone are changed to Sparkling Zone and Clock Work Zone (stylized as "Clock Ork Zone") respectively with aesthetic differences from the prototype to the retail level as well. For example, many UFOs suddenly appear in the beginning Marble Hill Zone while Starlight Zone's lower level features more urban decay and rundown buildings. There's a lot to take in and fans who missed out on the live stream can check out the past broadcast in its entirety.
Hours after the live stream concluded Hidden Palace posted a statement explaining the origins of how an integral piece of gaming history was discovered. When the Sonic 3 prototype was discovered, it sent ripples throughout the gaming industry. The development of Sonic 3 was tumultuous and its process was kept under lock-and-key. Fans began to ask and wonder what other potential Sonic related prototypes and betas exist that were never discovered before.
Unfortunately, there really hasn't been many. In the statement, Hidden Palace states the numerous prototypes they had found since the website's inception in 2005. Many Sonic 2 prototypes, Crash Bandicoot betas, Spyro tech demos, and the big fish Sonic 3 in 2019. Still, despite all of their efforts for the past fifteen years, a Sonic 1 prototype was elusive to find. Hidden Palace prided themselves on being the ones who would "find what [we've] been searching for rather than wait for opportunities to come to [us]," so it seemed like finding Sonic 1 was a lost cause. It wasn't until the one who owned a legitimate Sonic 1 prototype, Buckaroo, dumped the game and shared it with Hidden Palace to show off on New Year's Eve. For fans of Sonic, this served as the best way to kick off Sonic the Hedgehog's 30th anniversary in 2021.
Source: Hidden Palace