[Trunks]

Found this at DigiEx, and gonna blatantly Copy/Paste from there.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (WiiWare JP prototype)


Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (WiiWare JP prototype) is an early version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 which was released on the Japanese version of the WiiWare service, accidentally on the release date. It contains many differences from the final game and includes different level designs and music changes. It shares a strong resemblence to the PartnerNet build, which in turn, also resembles the iOS version, although it is a much later build. It was built on February 9th, 2010.

General Differences

* No way to progress to the next act without using the Level Select screen.
* Level select screen uses pictures of levels instead of a landscape.
* Levels use the loading screen briefly, instead of animating the title card screen.
* Several other graphical effects are missing. Sonic's "wheel-of-feet" animation only appears when Sonic is at top speed, and Sonic lacks his glossier shading from the final build. No motion blur effects are present in this build.
* The cutscene that transitions Mad Gear Zone to E.G.G. Station Zone is absent.
* There are some level layout differences.




Music Differences

* Casino Street 2 has a completely different song. It also lacks a speed shoes remix.
* Since there was no World Map mode at the time, the level select used the menu music.
* There was no transition between Mad Gear and E.G.G. Station, so this song is absent
* Super Sonic uses the invincible BGM as he hadn't had his own theme yet.
* Lost Labyrinth Act 2 lacks a speed shoes remix as there are no speed shoes in the level.
* Unlike the PartnerNet build, this version has the drowning music.
* There is no sound effect played when locking onto a homing attack target.




Level Differences

Splash Hill Zone

* The sunflowers in the background aren't fully animated; they are usually standing still. They also spin differently compared to the final build.

Casino Street Zone

* Act 2 contained the 100,000 Point Challenge, a short score attack level in a pinball-style area. Removed in the console version.
* Act 2 had a different music track which was appropriate for the score attack level. Replaced in the console version.

Lost Labyrinth Zone

* Act 2 contained the controversial Mine Cart level where Sonic remained in the cart throughout the level, which controlled poorly. It is controlled using the Wiimote's tilt function. The Mine Cart section is reduced greatly and plays automatically in the console version.
* The moving wall in Act 3 was much faster and harder to complete the area compared to the final version.

Mad Gear Zone

* The sirens in Act 3 do not play at all.

Special Stage

* Unlike the final build, the Special Stage is played by tilting the Wiimote.

Pretty sure the folks here wouldn't particularly condone pirating the game, so no direct links, but I will direct you to the thread this info comes from.

http://digiex.net/downloads/download-cente...e-download.html

Haven't messed with it myself yet, but sure is interestng. Wonder what the differences between this and the PartnerNet leak have.

[Andlabs]

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (WiiWare JP prototype) way late =P

I haven't messed with this myself (and I wouldn't try lest I wish to become Dolphin's bitch again but I'm sure people with a lot of free time on their hands would... hell, would The Cutting Room Floor be interested in anything hidden in there, since that doesn't seem to be discussed on the wiki...?

This post has been edited by Andlabs: 07 February 2011 - 01:25 AM

[Polygon Jim]

Old, been posted about already in the Sonic 4 thread, and as far as I'm aware there isn't a single change between this and the PartnerNet build because that was meant to be the final version.

This post has been edited by Polygon Jim: 07 February 2011 - 01:28 AM

[Afti]

Well, that's a shame.

Still! Should be interesting to go through the proto, and I actually own a Wii.

[Skyler]

Old news. Where have you been, man? :P

But while we have this topic, where in the SD card do I put the .wad?

This post has been edited by Moonshadow Caz: 07 February 2011 - 01:38 AM

[Trunks]

Bah, sorry guys, haven't been around in the last few months.

To install it, you've gotta get a program like WAD Manager, put it in the WADS folder on your SD Card, and install it accordingly. Pretty easy to do, and it shouldn't overwrite your current copy of Sonic 4, but I could be and often am wrong.

[Polygon Jim]

Bah, sorry guys, haven't been around in the last few months.

To install it, you've gotta get a program like WAD Manager, put it in the WADS folder on your SD Card, and install it accordingly. Pretty easy to do, and it shouldn't overwrite your current copy of Sonic 4, but I could be and often am wrong.

It will only overwrite it if you have the normal Japanese one already installed. If you're using the US or PAL one it will just install alongside it. Also if you unpack the save file you can overwrite it with the US save file so you don't have to force yourself to play the whole thing just to get to the changed parts.

To use your normal savegame just use this program.
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Savegame_Manager


Copy both your Final, and Prototype save file using the program, then copy the files from the final games savegame folder into the betas folder and copy the savegame back from your SD card back to the Wii using the program again.

[ICEknight]

...So it's not a prototype, but rather the final Japanese version (just like the Japanese version of Sonic 1 is different in that it has the new background effects and such).

It's nice being able to document the few changes that were made between this build (February 2010) and the final overseas version (October 11), although in those 8 months they could have developed another whole engine for Sonic 4 from scratch, without all the flaws they already knew about.


Also, seeing how one of the "improvements" they took their time to make was adding that constant BEEP noise through every level when locking onto objects, makes me lose the little faith I already had for episode 2.

[Afti]

This isn't the final Japanese version; it is, if I understand correctly, a version Sega uploaded accidentally due to being idiots.

So. as hilarious as Sonic 4 final's physics are- these are funnier. Seriously. Release the D-Pad while moving at roughly the speed of light and you still come to a dead stop.

[ICEknight]

Oh, so there is a different Japanese version uploaded now? My bad.

[gold lightning]

This isn't the final Japanese version; it is, if I understand correctly, a version Sega uploaded accidentally due to being idiots.

I thought it was an error by Nintendo. It is their service so wouldn't they responsible for things like this?

[Polygon Jim]

Oh, so there is a different Japanese version uploaded now? My bad.

Pretty much this is what happened. The PartnerNet version was meant to be the final version, so Sega had already gotten it ready to release the game in that state on all consoles. Sega then delayed the game once everyone complained but Nintendo accidentally put the old version up for sale on the shop channel instead of the newer version from the delay.

[GeneHF]

Yep, it was one hell of a "hand-face interface" moment for all the parties involved since it proved what everyone knew since Sega backpedaled and delayed the game from the PartnerNet backlash.

Not like this is a bad thing. We at least secured another prototype thanks to that, even if it's a prototype no one wants.

[Deef]

Things like this, and all the spelling/grammar errors in that story intro on the Sonic 4 website... make the company look second-rate, as if it's a bunch of people trying to hold it together behind the scenes while presenting a bit of a false front to the public.

[Skyler]

Started playing it last night. This game fucking sucks. How was this considered a release candidate?!