'Atomic Sonic' - removed from Sonic 3?!

TheLazenby · Dec 6, 2008

Here's something that I *NEVER* saw mentioned on a Sonic site.

Back when Sonic 3 was first released, McDonald's had Happy Meal bags related to the game. (Which means that they most likely had matching toys as well.) But one thing stuck out about the bag that I still remember to this day.

They had a little box where you could write down the highest scores you got as various versions of Sonic. The versions listed were... get this...
* Sonic
* Super Sonic
* Hyper Sonic
* Atomic

Hyper Sonic is weird enough, since he's only accessible in Sonic 3 and Knuckles; but ATOMIC? Who the hell was Atomic?! What, was there supposed to be *21* emeralds at some point?!

I know that this story lacks visual proof (because I saw that bag almost 15 years ago), but that is still engrained in my mind's eye. I am 100% certain that the bag mentioned Hyper Sonic and Atomic, because I was frustrated once I actually got the game over how I couldn't figure out how to play as them.

Sik · Dec 6, 2008

Sounds like somebody at McDonalds seriously screwed it up. I thought that the marker in the title screen of Sonic 3 changed to "2P" when selecting Competition, and got surprised when the ROM I had in the computer didn't do that. But I was sure it existed because otherwise I wouldn't have checked for it in the first place at all.

And it turned out to be a bug in a pirate version...
And yes, that dump is straight from my cartridge =P

Sui Eel · Dec 6, 2008

This?

Of course, it could have just been a mistake made by the American marketing.

But I don't ever recall seeing this "Atomic Sonic"
I just can't get myself to eat fast food, so I never go to McDonald's.

Pelord · Dec 6, 2008

The only thing I specifically remember about those Sonic 3 Happy Meal bags were the ones that mentioned Flying Battery Zone. I don't remember anything else unusual from them.

ICEknight · Dec 6, 2008

Are you sure even about the Hyper Sonic thing? That sounds very, very strange.

TheLazenby · Dec 6, 2008

Yes, I am sure. (And no, I'd never seen that hack before you mentioned it.)

While I didn't notice the mention of Flying Battery Zone, I am certain that they did mention "Hyper Sonic" and "Atomic". If I recall correctly, the 'scores' box was in the lower portion of one of the side panels. (And yes, it did just say "Atomic", not "Atomic Sonic.")

I mean, if they printed it a little too prematurely and accidentally stuck in some beta stuff (though that still doesn't explain Atomic), it wouldn't surprise me; I have an EGM from the time Sonic 2 was released, and their list of levels still includes Hidden Palace Zone. Sonic has a speech bubble next to him saying that he couldn't talk about it yet, because it was hidden; but 'maybe' the secret to getting there would be in the 'next isue' (sic!). Oh, and the article also refers to Aquatic Ruin as Neo Green Hill; I'm thinking it might've called Mystic Cave Dust Hill as well. I'll dig that out of the basement and scan it, if anyone's interested.

Sik · Dec 6, 2008

Reminds me of the advertisement I scanned and is up in SoST, Sonic 2 was already released (this was in April 1993) but the advertisement was showing the prototype title screen. Whoops.

Oerg866 · Dec 6, 2008

Same mistake as in the manual, also has a proto title screen (from Beta 4)

ninjajuice66 · Jan 8, 2009

I wouldn't think too much of it. It is just a Happy Meal bag. Probably a miscommunication with marketing.

Rolken · Jan 8, 2009

Given that the Super/Hyper Sonic of Doomsday had entirely different mechanics than "normal" Super/Hyper Sonic, maybe they had given him a different name at some point in development? Complete conjecture, but seems more plausible than another set of emeralds.

jawn.sith · Jan 16, 2009

Atomic sonic

how would that even work haha

"He can fucking explode! That's how powerful he is!"

no, but in all likelihood McDonald's must have messed up. I mean, you think it would be mentioned in the game's history some where on the web.

DDRKhat · Jan 16, 2009

jawn.sith said:

"He can fucking explode! That's how powerful he is!"
Click to expand...

Win.

Malgra · Jan 16, 2009

From the Sonic 1 MD manual:

Spin through space, loop 'til you're dizzy, save the animals and become the super hero. Be Sonic! Be atomic!
Click to expand...

Probably much ado about nothing, but there's always that chance that "atomic Sonic" stemmed from this? Imo though, it was a mistake on McDonalds' behalf.

Meat Miracle · Jan 16, 2009

'Atomic Sonic' - removed from Sonic 3?!

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