: Unused text for "Hyper" and sprites for Super Emeralds indicate that Hyper Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles transformations were at one point considered, possibly tied to collecting emeralds in bonus stages. Cut Gameplay & Zones Unused Bosses :
During the development of , several early story drafts and pieces of unused content were conceptualized but eventually cut or modified for the final release. Early Story & Concepts
: An early draft suggested a different start for Dr. Eggman. Instead of his active pursuit of the Phantom Ruby, he would have begun the game depressed in his bedroom until the Hard Boiled Heavies went rogue, angering him enough to return to villainy. sonic-mania-game
: Tails originally had a unique intro for Chemical Plant Zone where he would dry his fur after being hit by a chemical drop.
: Players can still access a hidden Level Select and Debug Mode by using specific button combinations on the title screen or within the "No Save" menu. : Unused text for "Hyper" and sprites for
: Internally, the Lava Reef Zone boss area is referred to as "Act 3," and a corresponding title card sprite exists, suggesting some zones were originally planned to have more than two acts. Unused Objects :
: A scrapped boss for Studiopolis Zone that used a rock-paper-scissors mechanic. Eggman
: The game files contain sprite sets from mobile ports of Sonic 1 , 2 , and a failed Sonic 3 port, which were used as testing tools during development.