firstly, I'd like to say sonic r is, to this day, one of my most favorite video games ever. it's probably one of the games I have the most time clocked in with. when I saw a sonic r prototype in the torrent released the other day, I nearly shat myself... finally I could get my hands on a sonic r beta of some sort. I went to the store yesterday to get some cd-rs just so I could play the prototype on my swap modded saturn. I found that there were discussion threads going on too, and I saw some of the stuff you guys found, I figured I'd restate what you guys found and what I've found (categorized for tidiness)...
main screens
- title screen is the ending screen from the final version/original concept box art.
- the title screen music starts in the middle of the song ("super sonic racing"), instead of from the beginning.
- completely different bare bones mode, character, and track selection screens.
- the only modes available are grand prix, 2p vs, and time attack -- which are missing the reverse and balloon options.
- the pause, game over, and replay screens are completely different.
characters
- all of the extra characters beyond dr. robotnik are missing.
- dr. robotnik is labeled as dr. eggman at the character selection screen -- this was before he was renamed in america to dr. eggman... in the final game he is dr. robotnik.
- amy cannot boost, just produce smoke and slow down.
- dr. robotnik cannot shoot enemy-seeking bombs.
- dr. robotnik has a propeller on the bottom of his ship thing... instead of a little engine.
- dr. robotnik has no hands or they're glitchy (example: during his victory "dance")
- the bottom of sonic's shoes are white instead of red... which I've discovered can give you a rough estimate of how old/new a beta of sonic r is in magazine scans, etc.
- the characters have different portraits when racing.
- characters seem to not jump as high... and furthermore, sonic's double jump is not nearly as high.
- characters can't run into each other during races
controls
- the controls seem to be a little bit more sensitive than in the final version.
- when using the shoulder buttons, not only does it move you left/right -- it accelerates you forward... the final version does not make you accelerate.
- if you hold the shoulder buttons before the race loads and begins, your character will move around strangely before the race starts (this is more than likely because of the acceleration)
tracks (overall)
- the regal ruin and radiant emerald tracks are completely missing.
- the track selection screen uses pre-rendered track graphics that were later used in the ending credits of the final game.
- the track selection screen also only calls the tracks: island, city, and factory... not resort island, radical city, and reactive factory.
- the track loading screen is a reflective disc (that reflects the main title screen graphic), not a reflective sonic head (that reflects the track graphics).
- many ring placements are misaligned or nowhere to be found that were in the final version.
- some sonic tokens are in the wrong places as well, and you're supposed to find 9 in this version -- not 5 (though I don't believe there are actually 9 anywhere).
- all of the emerald doors require many more rings than in the final version (80 for the most part).
- the emeralds are a different shape than those in the final version.
- all of the arrow post signs in all of the tracks are missing.
- there's no "ready, set, go"... only a countdown then "go".
- many objects cannot be jumped on top of like in the final game (example: propellers, bridge posts, etc.)
track: resort island
- this track is basically the exact same as its final version (cosmetically), besides missing arrow post signs, emerald door prices, etc.
track: radical city
- the race starts with all the racers grouped together strangely.
- the barricades that can be knocked away throughout the track are missing, one having a sonic token in its place.
- the water seen throughout the track is the color of the water in reactive factory, instead of its darker version in the final game.
- the slot machine towards the end of the level is missing its animated graphic -- and when you bounce on it, it does not make a sound.
track: reactive factory
- you start the race near the submarine with the dr. robotnik decal... but all the computer players are at the normal starting line far behind you.
- it is incomplete... many cosmetic differences -- and missing
its unique music.
- you can walk through places that should normally have barriers and get to earlier/later parts of the track.
- all the little "towers" around the track cannot be walked into (the towers with the sonic tokens, etc.), they instead have closed doors.
- the traffic cones throughout the track cannot be knocked around.
- towards the end of the track, where you pass the ring dispenser... the emerald door is not an emerald door, just another closed "tower".
- the speed booster right after the first emerald door and the curve is just a green arrow panel without the floating thing above it.
I might edit this post with more information. :ph34r:
edit #1: new comments for...
characters about jumping,
tracks (overall) about the different race start countdown, and
radical city and
reactive factory about starting points.
edit #2: new comment for
reactive factory about a missing booster and a new comment for
radical city about the slot machine sound.
edit #3: new comment about character's not being able to run into each other. another about dr. robotnik's hands. another about not being able to jump on certain objects. one about holding shoulder buttons before the race starts. lastly, one about the missing balloon/reverse modes.
This post has been edited by olaf: 27 February 2008 - 02:17 PM
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