Sonic Robo Blast 2

This page details development materials of Sonic Robo Blast 2.

This page sucks. If you could make it suck less, that would be awesome.

To do: Document Devpacks 1 and 2. How do we even best document the "SRB2_3d" maps from THZ2 onwards? The only versions that play at least somewhat like intended are lost media. Lots of stuff from 2.2's development should be put here. Document the unused 2.2 ERZ3 boss that was released as a mod. Add the indev versions of 2.2's source code on GitHub/GitLab.

Scrapped Zone Transition Cutscenes#

SRB2 was originally planned to have animated cutscenes between zones. These were produced by in Audodesk Animator Studio '95 by SSNTails.

Unfinished Doomship to Egg Rock Transition Cutscene#

In the files of SRB2XmasCD, there are remnants of an unfinished Doomship to Egg Rock transition cutscene.

Original Storyboards#

A concept version of the opening sketched by SSNTails.

Early Title Screen Concepts#

Early sketches for the title screen drawn by SSNTails. The most similar to the final is the sketch labelled "Proclaiming", with slight differences to the version that was finished, digitized and used for the title screen of Demo 1 all the way up until version 2.1.25. The sketch labelled "Sonic 1" was used for the title screen of the SRB2 Halloween Demo.

Pre-Halloween Sprites#

To do: Add Knuckles' sprites.

Old player sprites dated July 1999 (As seen in these screenshots).

Wood Zone#

Download Sonic Robo Blast 2 Wood Zone Map File: Sonic_Robo_Blast_2_Wood_Zone.zip (0.18 MB) (info)

One of the first known maps made for the game.

Devpacks 1 & 2#

These packs are dated from 1998 to 2003, containing characters, prototype maps and many unused or concept maps.

1998-1999 Development Maps#

Download Sonic Robo Blast 2 1998-1999 Development Maps File: Sonic_Robo_Blast_2_1998-2001_Development_Maps.zip (1.05 MB) (info)

This is a .zip archive containing all of the levels created for the game back in 1998, aside from the levels already released by the time of Demo 2 (GFZ 1-3 and THZ1). Demo 2 is recommended to play these levels, however several prototypes have been released over the years that include these maps, such as the March 2000 prototype. The archive was given to the winners of a contest in 2001.

Most of these levels are very different from their modern day counterparts, being more Doom-like in their design, as they were built at a time before many code changes had been made.

Techno Hill Zone#

Techno Hill Act 2's Soundtrack:

Techno Hill Zone Act 2 is completely different from its Demo 4-era development versions, being more maze-like, nearly completely mono-textured, and difficult to navigate cleanly.

Act 3 is also completely different to every subsequent version, taking place outside in an arena similar to Greenflower Zone Act 3's boss arena instead of on a train. This would remain unchanged until it was entirely redone for the Final Demo series of releases.

Deep Sea Zone#

To do: Redo the Deep Sea Zone screenshots once the Early 2000 build comes out, more accurate textures were found there.

Deep Sea Zone consists of an underwater temple surrounded by flooded caves.

Deep Sea Zone Act 1's Soundtrack:

Act 1's opening area was reused for the start of Deep Sea Zone Act 2 in Version 2.0, being one of the few pieces of level design to persist into the current version.

Act 1 takes place mostly in flooded cave sections-- not much on which to comment here.

Deep Sea Zone Act 2's Soundtrack:

Act 2 takes place inside a dilapidated and water-damaged temple with a lot of routes and a big death pit. The amount of water is decreased compared to Act 1.

The Act 3 boss arena is a large room inside the temple with a circular hole in the center from which Eggman is meant to emerge.

Mine Maze Zone#

To do: Add screenshots of Mine Maze Acts 1, 2 and 3.

Mine Maze Zone is the first of the two zones that would end up completely scrapped, with the team deciding to combine Mine Maze and Rocky Mountain to form Arid Canyon for the 2.0 release.

Act 1 is just a bunch of boxed hallways with Doom-style crushers meant to resemble a collapsing mine. Act 1's most known feature is a big circular section with lava in the center.

Act 2 is more of the same; this time it has fully sector-modelled minecart rails on the ground and the level ends in a big ravine.

Act 3 boss arena takes place in an arena nearly identical to Greenflower Zone's boss arena, with light-orange rock textures being intended to hurt the player upon contact.

Rocky Mountain Zone#

To do: Add screenshots of Rocky Mountain Acts 1, 2 and 3.

Rocky Mountain is the second of the two zones that would go completely scrapped. As the name implies, it takes place on the lofty peaks of a mountain full of plant life and the ever unpopular death pits!

Acts 1 and 2 are visually identical, obviously with different layouts. For the sake of brevity, Act 1 has "easier" platforming, and Act 2 has more "difficult" platforming.

Act 3 is a hole with some sectors with its floor raised and some rings on the corners.

Also according to a video on SSNTails' YouTube channel, he did special texturework that served to guide the player on where exactly to go.

Red Volcano Zone#

To do: Add screenshots of 1998 RVZ and a GIF of Act 2's changing brightness.

Red Volcano Zone is the level that was changed the least comparing to its first appearance on Final Demo. This version of Red Volcano is the only one to feature all three acts, as even today it lacks both a second and third act.

Act 1 here, despite being nearly identical to the layout featured in the Final Demo series, is a lot smaller and more narrow in its design.

Act 2 starts on the outside on the volcano. The level is very unfinished, being comprised entirely of platforms sitting in lava whilst the brightness changes rapidly, warranting an Epilepsy warning!!

Act 3 boss arena takes place yet again inside of the volcano with red and orange textures and and non-functional lava.

Dark City Zone#

To do: Add screenshots of Dark City

Dark City Zone is a zone mainly based on the 1996 Sonic OVA. Although its never been released even in current versions of the game, this level is still a planned addition to the campaign in the near future.

Act 1 takes place in.... a dark city...... Yeah, it's pretty self explanatory-- you have to explore inside the buildings on the level, which contain lava and crushers.

Act 2 takes place (apparently) inside the city's sewer system. There you can find the Techno Hill's purple slime as a main feature. There's also a wall texture that immediately crashes the game upon being loaded visually.

Act 3's boss arena is a room with two raised floors in the center. Strangely, it does not feature any of Dark City's textures, utilizing Techno Hill's instead.

Doomship Zone (Grand Eggship Zone)#

To do: Add screenshots of Doomship Zone

Doomship Zone (Later renamed "Grand Eggship Zone" due its initials being shared with Deep Sea Zone) is a level that transpires on an aerial ship, presumably on its way to Egg Rock Zone. This zone is the most incomplete of the 1998 levels, having a super incomplete Act 1 and lacking an Act 2 entirely. (Effectively beginning the trend of the disappearing Act 2s.....) Although not being on the official game, this zone is actually planned to appear on future SRB2 updates.

Act 1 is incomplete, having only one room with a bunch of enemies and two square sectors.

Act 2 does not exist.

Act 3 boss arena is a room with a death pit and four platforms to stand on.

Robotnikrock Zone (Eggrock Zone)#

Robotnikrock Zone, (Later renamed to "Egg Rock Zone"), like Doomship, is incomplete, also lacking Acts 2 and 3.

The Act takes place inside of Eggman's base on the Black Asteroid, it is chock-full of crushers and windows that the camera can get hung up on.

Unused Old Super Sonic Sprites#

Although these were quickly replaced, nearly a full set was created during the game's development.

Deep Sea Demo Era Concept#

Download Sonic Robo Blast 2 Deep Sea Demo Concept File: Sonic_Robo_Blast_2_Deep_Sea_Demo_Concept.zip (0.21 kb) (info)

During the development of the different demos, a concept map of Deep Sea Zone was created that would later have its level design reused for an area of Castle Eggman Zone.

Dark City 2.0 Era#

Download Sonic Robo Blast 2 Dark City Zone 2.0 Beta File: SRB2_DarkCityZone2008.zip (0.54 kb) (info)

A later version of Dark City zone created for 2.0 with designs similar to a destroyed city.
This cannot be completed normally with Sonic and contains many untextured objects and various Greenflower Zone assets.

Egg Rock Zone Act 1 2.0 Betas#

To do: Documents the most notable differences between each WAD.

Download Sonic Robo Blast 2 Egg Rock Act 1 Betas File: Sonic_Robo_Blast_2_Egg_Rock_Act1_Betas.zip (2.69 mb) (info)

SSNTails uploaded some Egg Rock Act 1 betas from 2.0. These contain slight differences with the final version except the ERZ-recolored-b5.wad which is the version shown in the 2.0 Beta Trailer from 2008.

erz1r#

ERZ1-recolored#

erz1-recolored-b5#

erz1_b3#

ERZ1-recolored-b1#

erz1_final_final#

Unused Ringslinger Animation#

An unfinished animation of Sonic launching something that would presumably be used for the Ringslinger.