Online, various scrapped levels from Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s previously cut stages have surfaced, shedding light on the abundance of content that often doesn’t make it into the final version of games. In 1992, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 experienced this phenomenon, and the discoveries were made possible by The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF). VGHF revealed it on X and was enthusiastic to share it with everyone.

Two ‘lost stages’ from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 have been partially shared online by @GameHistoryOrg.https://t.co/nQpWtnzzzs pic.twitter.com/TFJt8kXFie

— VGC (@VGC_News) December 13, 2023

By meticulously scanning documents and unearthing a VHS cassette brimming with vintage footage, the VGHF delved into the depths of the 1992 Mega Drive game Sonic The Hedgehog 2, unveiling forgotten stages. Notably, the Cyber City Zone, previously identified as Genocide City Zone, takes center stage in this rediscovery. 

The VGHF’s thorough investigation involved the careful examination of design documents sourced from the collection of Sonic 2 artist Tom Payne, encompassing sprite art and color palette information. Through this detailed exploration, the first of these stages has been partially reconstructed, breathing new life into the game’s history.

The development team at VGHF utilized the map designed by Hirokazu Yasuhara, the game designer of Sonic 2, along with his individually crafted stage pieces, to meticulously construct the level structure, resembling a forgotten puzzle. The VGHF was successful in partially reconstructing the Cyber City Zone by skillfully integrating Yasuhara’s map with the information derived from the documents. This effort offered valuable insight into how the completed stage might have appeared.

The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) recently revealed an unseen stage that was designed by artist Brenda Cook for a game. During previous interviews, she mentioned that she had worked on three zones for the game, but they were eventually removed.

 These zones included a tree-based stage named Wood Zone, a desert stage called Sand Shower Zone, and a winter stage. While Wood Zone and Sand Shower Zone had been previously seen in early screenshots and leaked prototype builds of the game, the winter stage had not been seen until now.