Time Travel Story

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis).

Let me talk about "Sonic 2" a little bit. I have found this question on the web... "Why there were many unused levels in Sonic 2??" I'd like to answer the question.

Sonic 2 was planned as a Time Travel Story

Map Concept Art#

This is an unused map idea sketch for Sonic 2. I intended to use it for a level select screen, but I couldn't.

It's like Mario 3

— Hirokazu Yasuhara - Digital Dragons

Sonic 2 was to feature a map that would function as a level select screen similar to Super Mario Bros. 3, and showcase the game's story. Taking place on Sonic 1's South Island, it would change as the player chased after Eggman through various time periods.

「ソニック2」の開発初期にはタイムトラベル要素の検討もされていた

安原くんの当初のイメージで、今回は別の島でタイムトラベル要素を入れて島のマップが変わっていくというアイデアが出ました。 それを元にワールドマップを作って時間によって変化するステージなどのイメージボードを作成していきます。

"Early in the development of Sonic 2, time travel elements were considered.

Based on Yasuhara-kun's initial image, this time he came up with the idea of ​​adding a time travel element to a different island and changing the map of the island. Based on that, we will create a world map and create image boards with stages that change over time."

Now#

The first time period for the game. After completing five levels, Eggman would escape into the past using a time machine discovered within Metropolis.

Image	Text
	Now Green Hill Zone Ocean Wind Zone Woods Zone Sand Shower Zone Metropolis Zone (Warp Point)

Notes

• Since the game was to take place on South Island instead of West Side Island, Emerald Hill was originally designed as a reprise of Green Hill.
• An early name for Wood (Woods) is shown.

Eggman escaped by time machine

— Hirokazu Yasuhara - Digital Dragons

• The pyramid-like structure was an early design for Metropolis that housed the time machine, labeled as "Warp Point" on the map.

Ancient Time#

After following Eggman through the time machine, Sonic finds himself in the past.

Image	Text
	Ancient Time (Warp Point) Tropical Plant Zone Hill Top Zone Blue Lake Zone Rock World Zone (Olympus)

Notes

• Oddly enough, all of the "Ancient Time" levels have duplicate entries on later maps. A possible explanation is that these levels had split acts, with act 1 played on this map and act 2 played on the the later maps. The documents from later in development would remove these duplicate entries.
• Early names for Tropical Sun (Tropical Plant) and Blue Ocean (Blue Lake) are shown.

Sonic travels back to ancient time by activating Hidden Shrine

— Hirokazu Yasuhara

• An early concept for what would become Hidden Palace is seen, under the name Olympus. In his Digital Dragons presentation, Hirokazu Yasuhara referred to Olympus as "a shrine" and later shared that Sonic would travel back in time by activating "Hidden Shrine" on the "Now 2" map.
• Olympus is circled similar to "Warp Point", suggesting it wasn't a playable level at this point. This matches the 1st timeline document from later in development, which also does not list Olympus as a playable level.

Now 2#

South Island has fallen into ruin, thanks to Eggman's actions in the past.

Image	Text
	Now 2 Rock World Zone Oil Ocean Zone Dust Hill Zone

Notes

• Dust Hill is seen here, with its placement suggesting that it was meant to be an alternate version of Green Hill similar to Hill Top, rather than the cut desert level.

Ancient Time 2#

And some big tsunami is coming and everything is gone

— Hirokazu Yasuhara - Digital Dragons

In his Digital Dragons presentation, Hirokazu Yasuhara revealed that South Island would be struck by a natural disaster; a large tsunami that would change the "Ancient Time" map from the first visit to the one shown here.

Image	Text
	Tropical Summer Zone Hill Top Zone Blue Lake Zone

Notes

• Another early name for Tropical Sun (Tropical Summer) is shown.
• Blue Ocean continues to use its early (Blue Lake) name.

Future#

The last battle in space

— Hirokazu Yasuhara - Digital Dragons

Image	Text
	Casino Night Zone Chemical Plant Zone Genocide City Zone Genocide City 2 Zone
	Genocide City 3

Notes

• Genocide City is split into three parts, with each one representing a Death Egg. After the first two Death Eggs are destroyed, the map is seen covered in flames.

In his Digital Dragons presentation, one of Hirokazu Yasuhara slides showed off an uncensored version of the map. A clean version without text was also revealed by Judy Totoya in his Beep21 article.

Uncensored Version	Clean Concept Art

Timeline Documents#

Besides the initial map images drawn by Hirokazu Yasuhara, two documents from later in development showcase changes made to the level order, level names, and story before the map was scrapped altogether. The level order on these closely matches the internal order seen in the Simon Wai prototype.

1st Timeline Document

タイムトラベルによってステージが変わっていく様子がわかります。※クリックすると拡大して見ることができます

"You can see how the stage changes due to time travel"

— Judy Totoya (Yasushi Yamaguchi) - Beep21

In his Digital Dragons presentation, Hirokazu Yasuhara showed off this document with rough English translations. In the slide, he referred to the past maps as both "medieval time" and "ancient time", leading to some confusion in Sonic communities. Both translations refer to the past maps.

2nd Timeline Document

「ソニック2」の最初の頃に考えられていたタイムトラベル要素のメモ書き。※クリックすると拡大して見ることができます

"A memo about the time travel element that was being considered at the beginning of Sonic 2."

— Judy Totoya (Yasushi Yamaguchi) - Beep21

Due to the chaotic nature of this document, it can be very difficult to follow. Unlike the previous document and map concept art, zones are not listed by name, only the amount of zones per map.

Image

Rough Translation

1. The present | 5 Zones 2. The past | 1 Zone 3. See the Death Egg 4. Return 5. Ruined island | The Death Egg is here 6. The warp passage is destroyed | Eggman escapes somewhere 7. 3 Zones | Warp discovery | ⬛ Hidden Palace 8. Go to the past 9. Volcano eruption 10. 2 Zones | Blue | Highland 11. Lava blocks the path 12. Return 13. The future | Large city | 3 Zones 14. The Death Egg escapes once again. Warp from the Hidden Palace | Zero gravity zone (space) 15. The Death Egg is here 16. Hidden 17. Falls down, gets buried 18. Use the gate to return things to how they were, the end.

The Present#

The story here remains the same as the concept art. After completing five levels, Eggman escapes into the past using a time machine.

1st Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	現在 グリーン オーシャン ウッド サンド メトロポリス EGGMANにげる	The Present Green [Hill] Ocean [Wind] Wood Sand [Shower] Metropolis Eggman escapes

Notes

• Each "X" on the map represents the location of a level. The black square represents the "Warp Point".

Changes

• The Death Egg has been removed from the map. This was likely to prevent a plot hole in the story, since the Death Egg's construction in the past created the ruined South Island.
• Woods has been renamed to Wood.

2nd Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	現在 5 Zone	The Present 5 Zone[s]

The Past#

As in the concept art, Sonic finds himself in the past after following Eggman through the time machine. The construction of the Death Egg is later revealed and Sonic uses the "Warp Point" in Metropolis to return to the present.

1st Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	過去 トロピカルサン ブルー オーシャン ヒルトップ	The Past Tropical Sun Blue Ocean Hill Top

Notes

• This map was completely overhauled and appears to have been based off of the tsunami struck "Ancient Time 2" concept art.

Changes

• Tropical Plant and Blue Lake have been renamed to Tropical Sun and Blue Ocean, respectively.
• Blue Ocean is now located in the center of the map, where Olympus/Hidden Palace used to be. It has also swapped places with Hill Top in the level order.
• Rock World has been removed from the "Past" map, instead only appearing on the "Present 2" map. Despite this, an "X" for Rock World (left of the Death Egg) still appears on the "Past" map, suggesting there was uncertainty on which map to keep the level on.

2nd Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	過去 1 Zone - 帰る	The Past 1 Zone The Death Egg appears Return

Changes

• The first visit to the past has been cut down to a single level, Tropical Sun.

The Present 2#

With its construction in the past, the now completed Death Egg appears in the present, leaving South Island in ruin. The time machine is then destroyed as Eggman escapes in the Death Egg through time, leaving Sonic stranded in the ruined present. Sonic then enters Hidden Palace and discovers a second "Warp Point", activating it in order to travel back in time.

1st Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	現在2 ロック オイル ダスト デスエッグ EGGMANにげる 地震	Present 2 Rock [World] Oil [Ocean] Dust [Hill] Death Egg Eggman escapes Earthquake

Notes

• The "Warp Point" located in Metropolis is marked with an "X" over its square, marking its destruction.
• Eggman's escape after the first "Warp Point" is destroyed and subsequent time travel seems to imply that it was integrated into the Death Egg in some way, giving the Death Egg itself the ability to time travel.

Changes

• Olympus/Hidden Palace is now located left of the map's center.
• Death Egg has been added as a level. It is unknown if this was an act 1 for Neo Death Egg seen on the "Future" map or a separate level.

2nd Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	- - - - 3 Zone - Hidden Palace -	Ruined island The Death Egg is here The warp passage is destroyed Eggman escapes somewhere 3 Zone[s] Warp discovery Hidden Palace Go to the past

Changes

• Death Egg has been removed from the "Present 2" map, having been merged with Neo Death Egg on the "Future" map.
• Olympus has been renamed to Hidden Palace and is now listed as a level.

The Past 2#

Sonic returns to the past, but discovers that the Death Egg isn't here. Before he can leave, he ends up in the midst of a natural disaster as South Island's volcano erupts, blocking his path with lava. Taking a detour, Sonic would return to Hidden Palace and travel to the future.

1st Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	過去 ヒルトップ ブルー	The Past Hill Top Blue [Ocean]

Notes

• Hidden Palace is notably located underwater, left of Blue Ocean.

Changes

• Tropical Sun has been removed from the "Past 2" map, instead only appearing on the first "Past" map. Despite this, an "X" for Tropical Sun (right) still appears on the "Past 2" map, suggesting there was uncertainty on which map to keep the level on.

2nd Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	- 2 Zone ブルー ハイランド - 帰る	Volcano erupts 2 Zone[s] Blue [Ocean] Highland [Hill Top] Lava blocks the path Return

Changes

• South Island's natural disaster has been changed from a tsunami to a volcanic eruption.
• Blue Ocean and Hill Top swapped places, now matching their order from the first "Past" map prior to being removed.

An earlier version of this map is scribbled out on the document, lacking the volcano eruption.

Image	Text	Translation
	2 Zone -	2 Zone[s] The Death Egg disappears

The Future#

Eggman has completely transformed South Island with a total of three Death Eggs at his disposal. Sonic destroys two of the Death Eggs, but the mad doctor escapes one last time with the third Death Egg into the past. Sonic follows, using the "Warp Point" in Hidden Palace, and a final battle in space ensues. The battle ends with the Death Egg plummeting from space, landing onto its past counterpart and thus preventing its construction. Sonic then returns to a now restored South Island.

1st Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	未来 カジノ ケミカル ジェノサイド デスエッグネオ	The Future Casino [Night] Chemical [Plant] Genocide [City] Neo Death Egg
	過去	The Past
	元通り	As it was originally

Changes

• The third Death Egg, Genocide City 3, has been renamed to Neo Death Egg. It is unknown if this was an act 2 for the Death Egg seen on the "Present 2" map or a separate level.

2nd Timeline Document

Image	Text	Translation
	未来 - 3 Zone デスエッグまたもやにげる。 HIDDENPALACEからワープ -	The Future Large city 3 Zone[s] The Death Egg escapes again. Warp from Hidden Palace Zero gravity zone (space)
	- 火の山ZONE 宇宙DEATH EGG (む ハイランド ヒドゥン - -	The Death Egg is here Fire Mountain/Volcano Zone The Death Egg in space Highland [Hill Top] Hidden Falls down, gets buried Use the gate to return things to how they were, the end.

Notes

• There's a scribbled out section, where a scrapped zone translated as "Fire Mountain/Volcano" would be played in the past, right before the Death Egg. Interestingly, Hill Top is listed (as "highland"), implying a connection between this "Fire Mountain/Volcano" and itself. The idea for a zone before the Death Egg was possibly revisited with Neo Green Hill's inclusion later in development, as that name also implies a connection to Hill Top.

Changes

• The Death Egg was previously split into two entries on the 1st timeline document, Death Egg and Neo Death Egg. Both have been merged into one, dropping the "Neo" part of the name.

Simon Wai Leftovers#

The internal level order seen in the Simon Wai prototype closely matches the level order seen in the timeline documents. By combining the information on both timeline documents and comparing them to this internal order, we can see a few changes that suggest there were additional revisions to the time travel story during development before it was cut sometime between the Nick Arcade prototype and Simon Wai prototype.

The biggest change is the inclusion of Neo Green Hill, which replaced the scrapped volcano themed zone from the 2nd timeline document. Hidden Palace was moved from the ruined present back to the past (where it previously resided under the name Olympus in the map concept art) and Blue Ocean and Hill Top were moved back to under Tropical Sun, suggesting that the second visit to the past was cut at some point.