Sonic 3 Prototype (4/8/94 build) - Slot Machine Bonus

This is a prototype for a version of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 which would've had Sonic & Knuckles all in one game. Obviously by the date, this was being made after S3 was released, but before S&K.

There are mostly cosmetic changes, but otherwise it seems the same (from what I've seen), except for this bonus stage.

Some obvious observations include:

- No moving background, it's all static
- Instead of a bunch of bumpers all around the corners, instead there's a bunch of platforms and a reverse switch at each corner.
- There's no Goal area, it was likely added later because otherwise you could (theoretically) last in there for several minutes.

There are several other prototypes, including a later build of this "Sonic 3C" concept, and other non-Sonic games. You can get them at http://www.hidden-palace.org/ (It's a torrent file, don't ask me how to use it). If you're also feeling real generous, feel free to give the guy who found these prototypes, drx, a charitable donation to help the costs and to get possible future prototypes.

More videos from other games will be forthcoming over the next few days.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• video
• game
• sonic
• the
• hedgehog
• knuckles
• prototype
• drx
• slot
• machine
• bonus
• stage
• sonic3c
• 0408

[ScrewAttackEurope]

Are you sure it was for an all in one game and not like a hidden bonus for Sonic 3 and KnuckleS?

The two were supposed to be one game originally anyway, but had to split them as a 64bit cart was too expensive back then. So it seems odd that they'd release an all in one just a few months later.

[TonicBH]

According to what drx found, there are three prototypes given each with the naming of "Sonic 3A", "3B" and "3C". 3A is Sonic 3. 3B is Sonic & Knuckles.

I believe 3C was a last attempt to combine the two together into a larger cartridge instead of separating the two.

[TheFranklinrobert]

@ScrewAttackEurope they werent split for expense costs, they were split down because the game wasnt ready for the release date, so they took the part that was ready and pushed that out to meet their yearly releases

[neonsinify]

Sonic 3 was origanally sonic 3 and knuckles together, but because of 'Time issues' they invented the lock on cadtidge later on.

[lilmattere]

@XKaiminalX maybe they thought itt was getting old and they wanted to cchange it?

[Haruchan2010]

....now THAT is weird; to think this made its official debut in Sonic & Knuckles.

[Sega8891]

Yeah this prototype and the others were from a Sonic 3 Limited Edition they were planning to release. They were going to release Sonic 3 the way it was meant to be for a limited time. But, it was ultimately cancelled.

[XKaiminalX]

If this was made after Sonic 3's release, then how comes Sonics spin (Jump) Sprite looks like his Sonic 1 and 2 Spin (Jump) sprite?

[manuelschi]

that sees hard to get in

[MilesDude32]

I like this version the best. Like you said though, you'd probably be in there for quite a while had they not changed it. :(

[ScrewAttackEurope]

So you think they were thinking of having it as a special edition for when S&K was released or bundle it with a console?

I've always read that it was always Naka's intention to release the game as onw whole unit AS Sonic 3, but couldn't because of time restraint and memory size.

[dmizzle79]

At least this one is better than the 517 Proto.