Behind the Screens Being the cornerstone in the Sonic phenomenon, it's logical to assume there was quite a bit going on behind the silicon. And there was...things took an interesting switch from the usual order when Sonic the Hedgehog was released in the Unites States before Japan, where it was developed. Only minor tweaking of object-placement within levels was done in the extra month pending the Japanese release, contrary to wild rumors about additional lines of parallax scrolling and an entire new Zone (on a flying battleship). Here's some screenshots of developmental versions of the game: Right: Behold the Green Hill Zone, not quite as we know it today. I'm not sure whether that's a night sky, or if it appears darker than it's meant to be due to a poor scan. Whatever the case, there were at no point in the Zone any blue mountains in the background like that... Below: A typical shot of the Marble Zone, right? Look again. Where did those weird UFO's in the sky come from? And did that Yadrin roll in from Spring Yard or what? Above: It looks like the Spring Yard Zone. But the text reads "Sparkling Zone". Oh, of course! Maybe the "Sparkling Zone" was the original name for the Spring Yard Zone. No wonder that Yadrin got confused and rolled into the Marble Zone by mistake. Left: Hey...that looks like the Metallic Madness Zone, but it's called the "Clock Work Zone"...without the "W". Actually, it's none of the above. Believe it or not, we would eventually come to know that as the Scrap Brain Zone. Truth is stranger than fiction indeed...

Green Hill Zone: Checkered hillsides, odd native totem poles, and geometric palmtrees color this tropical island paradise. Sparkling waterfalls flow off the distant cliffs, filling the crystal bays.	Marble Zone: Flowing magma beneath the ground creates an eerie landscape of shifting islands beneath cloudy skies. Ruins from an ancient time crumble in the flow, opening passageways to a vast underground palace.
Spring Yard Zone: Bumpers and lights float mysteriously in the air around this odd city. Nestled in a secluded mountain range, the city lies quietly under an eternally violet sky.	Labyrinth Zone: The underwater ruins of an ancient civilization create an intricate maze of passageways and traps. Colorful crystals hang onto the cavern walls, which are defined with ancient carvings.
Star Light Zone: Streetlights line the path through the stars on this highway in the sky. The sparkling city below shines like a diamond in the night.	Scrap Brain Zone: Factory waste pollutes the gray sky in this cold city of metal. Razor saws and electric conductors are among the many traps scattered around this steel labyrinth.
Final Zone: The showdown with Dr. Robotnik takes place in this metallic arena...	Special Stage: A rotating world of colorful bumpers surround the mysterious Chaos Emeralds.

-- MIDI Collection -- Green Hill Zone -- Koryan Marble Zone -- Jeff Read Spring Yard Zone -- John Weeks Labyrinth Zone -- Jordan Savik Star Light Zone -- Riwo Scrap Brain Zone -- Jeff Read Final Zone -- Jarel Jones Robotnik's Theme -- John Weeks Special Stage -- Jarel Jones Ending Theme -- Jarel Jones

-- Related Media -- · Original US Cover · US "Sega Classic" Cover · Japanese Cover · European Cover · "Dreams Come True" tour image · Original model Sonic · Japanese manual cover · Japanese story (Part 1) · Japanese story (Part 2)

Level-Select: At the title screen, press: Up, Down, Left, Right. You should hear a Ring chime if you've done it correctly. Now hold down A and press START. Slow & Frame Skip: At the title screen, press: C, C, Up, Down, Left, Right. You should hear a Ring chime if you've done it correctly. Now press START. Pause the game, and press A to reset the system, B for slow-motion, and C for frame-by-frame movement. Construction Mode: At the title screen, press: Up, C, Down, C, Left, C, Right. You should hear a Ring chime if you've done it correctly. Reset the system. Input the level-select code. Hold down A and choose your Zone. Continue to hold A until Sonic appears on-screen. The following buttons have the indicated effects: A = Changes highlighted item. B = Toggles between items and Sonic. C = Places highlighted item. Pause and press A to reset. Pause and hold B for slow-motion. Pause and hold C for single-pixel movement.

Screenshots thanks to Jonathan "WB" Gray. Genesis version shown. Developmental screenshots thanks to Michael "G. Silver" Stearns and Megacosm. US box cover taken from Sega Online, Japanese box cover taken from Sega Entertainment Universe, and European box cover thanks to Michael "G. Silver" Stearns. Information compiled and arranged by Jared "Green Gibbon!" Matte.