Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is well known for its cut content, and while snippets of this have been teased over the years, The Video Game History Foundation has now presented what might be the most comprehensive deep dive into Sonic 2's lost stages (thanks, Time Extension).
According to the video, three designers had contributed content that ultimately wouldn't make it into the Genesis / Mega Drive sequel, including Brenda Cook (formerly Ross), Craig Stitt, and Tom Payne. The reasoning behind the levels getting the chop is that Sonic 2 was originally meant to be far more ambitious than the final product, roping in time travel mechanics that would eventually be seen in Sonic CD.
Stages such as Cyber City Zone, Winter Zone, Wood Zone, and Sand Shower Zone (also known as the Desert Zone) sadly never made the cut. Still, thanks to the efforts of the Video Game History Foundation, gameplay footage and assets from these stages have now been preserved thanks to vital contributions from Cook and Payne.
Documentation from the Cyber City Zone and footage from a VHS portfolio containing Cook's Winter, Desert, and Woods stages are now fully viewable. The team even went so far as to partially reconstruct the Cyber City Zone to give a glimpse into how this might have looked to players.
It's a fascinating look at what could have been, but thankfully, Sonic 2 still turned out to be a banger, right?