Sonic Colors (Wii)

Sonic Colors
Also known as: Sonic Colours (EU/AU) Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: Sega Platform: Wii Released in JP: November 18, 2010 Released in US: November 16, 2010 Released in EU: November 12, 2010 Released in AU: November 11, 2010 This game has unused animations. This game has unused areas. This game has unused enemies. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused models. This game has unused music. This game has unused sounds. This game has regional differences.

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of May 20, 2014) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

Sonic Colors is a game where Eggman has another go at the whole "chaining up planets" thing, this time to run an interstellar amusement park. It's up to Sonic and Tails to free the planets and their inhabitants, the power-granting Wisps (and probably ruin some vacation bookings by proxy).

In contrast to the series' poorly received 2000s entries, Colors continues the direction established by Sonic Unleashed (albeit without the Werehog levels), featuring a small cast, a lighthearted atmosphere, and a greater focus on platforming and 2D sections. This led to the game initially being highly praised as a streamlined Unleashed and a return to form for the franchise. In recent years, Colors has become divisive for its approach to level design and style of writing, both of which would get amplified by later 2010s installments.

This game would also receive a Nintendo DS tie-in and a 2021 remaster.

To do: Check files related to the Wisps, they seem to have early names for each of them. (Phantoms?) In "actstgmission.lua" each world seems to use a placeholder name. Ultimate has leftover code revealing early stage names, which wouldn't be worth noting here if it wasn't for the fact that two of them (Welcome Resort and Exotic Aquarium) appear on a decoration and in the PA announcements, respectively. Make note of this in some way. Some of the unused content in Ultimate may also be present in the Wii version. Implement the unused objects found by DeaThProj on Twitter [1]

Sub-Pages

Resources

Unused Audio Cut tracks and voice clips.

Unused Objects Objects from Sonic Unleashed and more.

Unused Animations Now you're in quickstep mode.

Unused Graphics E3 and unseen menus

Early Levels

actstgmission.lua

This file contains developer notes to identify each level layout.

Tropical Resort

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	旧ＡＣＴ１の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 1
ACT02	旧ＡＣＴ１の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 1
ACT03	旧ＡＣＴ２	Old ACT2
ACT04	ジュゲム	Lakitu
ACT05	レーザー＋マト	Lasers + Targets
ACT06	回転足場＋スパイク	Rotating Platforms + Spikes

Sweet Mountain

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	旧ＡＣＴ１の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 1
ACT02	旧ＡＣＴ１の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 1
ACT03	旧ＡＣＴ２の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 2
ACT04	ファイアバー	Fire Bars
ACT05	旧ＡＣＴ２の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 2
ACT06	再生ブロック	Reforming Blocks

Starlight Carnival

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	ＡＣＴ１	Act 1
ACT02	パズル＋爆弾ブロック	Puzzle + Bomb Blocks
ACT03	移動３連バネ	Moving Triple Springs
ACT04	プラズマ砲台	Plasma Turrets
ACT05	旧ＡＣＴ２	Old Act 2
ACT06	アストロノーツ＋マト＋ファイアバー	Astronauts + Targets + Fire Bars

Planet Wisp

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	旧ＡＣＴ１の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 1
ACT02	足場＋ジュゲム	Platforms + Lakitu
ACT03	チェイサー	Chaser
ACT04	旧ＡＣＴ１の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 1
ACT05	再生ブロック	Reforming Blocks
ACT06	旧ＡＣＴ２	Old Act 2

Aquarium Park

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	旧ＡＣＴ１の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 1
ACT02	回転足場	Rotating Platforms
ACT03	スクリュー	Propeller
ACT04	旧ＡＣＴ１の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 1
ACT05	移動３連バネ	Moving Triple Springs
ACT06	旧ＡＣＴ２	Old Act 2

Asteroid Coaster

Act	Identifier	Translation
ACT01	旧ＡＣＴ１の前半部分	First Half of Old Act 1
ACT02	旧ＡＣＴ１の後半部分	Second Half of Old Act 1
ACT03	回転足場＋重力反転	Rotating Platforms + Gravity Inversion
ACT04	土星サーキット＋ロデオ	Saturn Circuit + Rodeo
ACT05	ファイアバー	Fire Bars
ACT06	旧ＡＣＴ２	Old Act 2

Game Land

Act	Identifier	Translation	Level Origin
１－１	ＭＤ１	Mega Drive 1	Green Hill Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
１－２	リゾート面ＡＣＴ１後半	Resort Level Act 1 Second Half	Tropical Resort Act 2 (Old Act 1) (Sonic Colors)
１－３	ＭＤ４アレンジ	Mega Drive 4 Arrangement	Labyrinth Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
２－１	ＭＤ２	Mega Drive 2	Marble Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
２－２	リゾート面ＡＣＴ２	Resort Level Act 2	Tropical Resort Act 3 (Old Act 2) (Sonic Colors)
２－３	水族館面ＡＣＴ２	Aquarium Level Act 2	Aquarium Park Act 6 (Old Act 2) (Sonic Colors)
３－１	ＳＷＡ・アフリカ	Sonic World Adventure: Africa	Savannah Citadel (Day) Act 1 (Sonic Unleashed)
３－２	ＭＤ６：スクラップブレイン	Mega Drive 6: Scrap Brain	Scrap Brain Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
３－３	プロトタイプ	Prototype	Unknown
４－１	ＭＤ３：スプリングヤード	Mega Drive 3: Spring Yard	Spring Yard Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
４－２	ＳＷＡ・ＮＹチェイサー	Sonic World Adventure: New York Chasers	Skyscraper Scamper (Day) Act 1 (Sonic Unleashed)
４－３	ウィスプ面ＡＣＴ２前半アレンジ２	Wisp Level Act 2 First Half: Arrangement 2	Planet Wisp Act 6 (Old Act 2) (Sonic Colors)
５－１	ＭＤ４：ラビリンス	Mega Drive 4: Labyrinth	Labyrinth Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
５－２	リゾート面ＡＣＴ１前半	Resort Level Act 1 First Half	Tropical Resort Act 1 (Sonic Colors)
５－３	ウィスプ面ＡＣＴ２前半アレンジ	Wisp Level Act 2 First Half Arrangement	Planet Wisp Act 6 (Old Act 2) (Sonic Colors)
６－１	ＳＷＡ・ＮＹサイドビュー	Sonic World Adventure: New York Side View	Skyscraper Scamper (Day) Act 1 (Sonic Unleashed)
６－２	ＭＤII９：スカイチェイス	Mega Drive II 9: Sky Chase	Sky Chase Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)
６－３	ＭＤII９：スカイチェイス改造	Mega Drive II 9: Sky Chase Edit	Sky Chase Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)
７－１	ＭＤ５：スターライト	Mega Drive 5: Star Light	Star Light Zone Act 1 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
７－２	ウィスプ面ＡＣＴ２前半	Wisp Level Act 2 First Half	Planet Wisp Act 6 (Old Act 2) (Sonic Colors)
７－３	お菓子面ＡＣＴ１前半	Snack Level Act 1 First Half	Sweet Mountain Act 1 (Sonic Colors)

This reveals that almost all of Game Land's Acts are based on levels from Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Unleashed, and the main game. The only Act whose source is unknown is 3-3; the basis is listed as "Prototype".

Thanks to Windii for translation help.

Internal Level Structure

The previous file reveals that Sonic Colors was originally going to follow the same level structure as previous Sonic games like Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Sonic Advance 2, and Sonic Unleashed: two main Acts followed by a boss. The other Acts would have been optional side-missions, which explains why they all reuse level geometry from other levels. In most cases, the two main Acts were split into separate Acts. The original act format was, as follows:

• Tropical Resort Act 1 was split into Acts 1 and 2, while Act 2 became Act 3.
• Sweet Mountain Act 1 was split into Acts 1 and 2. Act 2 was split into Acts 3 and 5.
• Planet Wisp Act 1 was split into Acts 1 and 4, while Act 2 became Act 6.
• Aquarium Park Act 1 was split into Acts 1 and 4, while Act 2 became Act 6.
• Asteroid Coaster Act 1 was split into Acts 1 and 2, while Act 2 became Act 6.

Starlight Carnival and Terminal Velocity did not see any Acts split, though the former's Act 2 became Act 5. It's unclear why these changes were made, though it is presumed they were done to pad out the game's length.

Note that the DS version of Sonic Colors is structured almost identically to this; every area has 2 acts, a boss, and 3 side missions.

To do: Add images showing the splits.

The splits seem to have been made fairly late in development, as the geometry for what would have remained of the levels (excluding objects and enemies) is still present and can be accessed through glitches or hacking. With the exception of Tropical Resort Act 1, they're all fairly easy to spot in-game:

• What became Tropical Resort Act 2 exists behind the ending room of Act 1, but it can't be glimpsed in-game without glitches due to the wall obscuring it. This makes it the only split that can't be seen via normal means. The wall texture behind the Wisp Prison depicts a door; it's possible that the player would have run through the door to access the part that was split.
• Sweet Mountain Act 1 ends directly where what became Act 2 begins. The beginning of Act 2 can easily be seen in Act 1.
• Likewise, Sweet Mountain Act 3 ends directly where what became Act 5 begins, and the beginning of Act 5 is clearly visible in Act 3.
• The beginning of what became Planet Wisp Act 4 can be spotted in the background of Act 1's final 2D section, though it's not clear how the two sections would have been connected originally.
• Aquarium Park Act 1 ends right before what became Act 4 begins. At the start of Act 4, the player can backtrack into Act 1's final 2D section, with a different object layout, to find a shortcut.
• What became Asteroid Coaster Act 2 is visible at the end of Act 1; it's likely that the player would have used homing-attackable asteroids to continue to it. It's actually possible to reach it with a well-timed jump and boost, although you won't get far due to the lack of objects.

(Source: SKmaric)

Unused Sonic Simulator Levels

To do: Get videos of these up. These screenshots are from the US version of the game, are they any different in other releases?

There is data for six unused Sonic Simulator levels, in varying degrees of completeness. actstgmission.lua reveals that these levels were all based on stages in the main game.

• stgA20, themed for area 4, is probably the most complete of the group, with only one small camera bug remaining. This stage uses the Spike Wisp inside a large maze-like structure. This stage is based on Sweet Mountain Act 5 (the second half of the old Act 2).
• stgC20, themed for area 2, seems more like a rough draft, having obvious misalignments and lacking smooth camera triggers. This stage provides the Drill Wisp to speed through some dirt. This stage is based on Sweet Mountain Act 1.
• stgC30, themed for area 2, is an easier stage, with one small Spike Wisp climbing section. This stage is based on Sweet Mountain Act 3 (the first half of the old Act 2).
• stgE10, themed for area 4, contains a rail section, Rocket Wisp sections, and a quick step section. This stage is based on Planet Wisp Act 1.
• stgF10, themed for area 6, starts with a bare quick step road, then transitions to a water area. The largest water zone contains a bug that doesn't allow the player to use the Drill Wisp. This stage is based on Aquarium Park Act 1.
• stgF20, themed for area 6, is probably the largest of the group, but improper camera triggering in water makes it nearly impossible to complete. The final section features a Big Chaser sequence. This stage is based on Aquarium Park Act 4 (the second half of the old Act 1).

• 

  stgA20

• 

  stgC20

• 

  stgC30

• 

  stgE10

• 

  stgF10

• 

  stgF20 camera bug

• 

  stgF20 chase

Cutscene leftovers

Level Entries

In actstgmisson.lua there are unused entries referencing cutscenes

   -- ev(イベント専用ステージ)
   {
	  missions = {

		 -- ev110,130,410,450（リゾート面Act2ゴール周辺）
		 {
			name		= "stg010",
			data		= "stg010",
			player_pos	= { 16850.0, -1931.77, -9420.0 },
			player_dir	= 90.0,
		 },

		 -- ev140,170（リゾート面Act1後半建物エリア周辺）
		 {
			name		= "stg011",
			data		= "stg010",
			player_pos	= { -2300.0, -259.25, 0.0 },
			player_dir	= 90.0,
		 },

		 -- ev310（ウィスプ面Act2ゴールエリア周辺）
		 {
			name		= "stg041",
			data		= "stg041",
			player_pos	= { -1100.0, 3500.0, -10400.0 },
			player_dir	= 180.0,
		 },

	  },
   },

}

Leftover Cutscene Room

• 

  stg490_02

• 

  stg490_MotTrachead_02

• 

  stg490_04

An early version of the room created to render the cutscene before the Planet Wisp boss still remains on the disc, in the stg490 directory. It uses the filename stg490_02 and references textures that weren't put on the disc (listed below). The textures have the letter code "evn" (likely for "event") and were used to texture the generator platform and the tractor beam chain.

• evn_o_tb1_bcs01 - evn_o_tb1_bcs07
• evn_o_tb1_black
• evn_o_tb1_parts01 - evn_o_tb1_parts03
• evn_o_tb1_stairs
• evn_p_tb1_ant

Some meshes have their normals swapped. The generator is unfinished because the skull pattern is not modeled as is in the final and the top is not slanted at the front. Additionally, a copy of part of Tropical Resort's boss ring (of which the Planet Wisp boss is a copy) exists in the same folder, with the name stg490_04.

Unused Models

Rotatatron and Refreshinator Missiles

Rotatatron (the Tropical Resort boss) and his upgrade Refreshinator (the Planet Wisp boss) both have an unused missile attack. Both bosses have a unique missile model loaded with them, which each have their own unique textures. Unlike most models in the game, these textures have the shadows baked into the texture. Both bosses have an animation of moving the cylinders on their back, referred to as shot_loop which would have been used to launch the missiles. (Ever wonder what those tube things were for? Now you know.) Refreshinator never uses this animation, but Rotatatron uses it when launching the glowing pink ninja stars from his face.

• 

  Refreshinator's shoot_loop animation

• 

  Rotatatron's shoot_loop animation

• 

  Rotatatron's Missile

• 

  Refreshinator's Missile

• 

  Size comparison

• 

  Missile Texture

• 

  Yes, it is a recolor.

• 

  The specular maps used are identical, too.

Motobug Cannon

Inside the common Motobug enemy model is a pair of tube-shaped weapons that match up with the top-most spots on the body. Each tube has a glowing spot on the front and a square hole on the back. They are rigged to bones called PartsL and PartsR, aligned in such a way that the cylinders can easily move out from the position of the spot. Each one also has a bone named WeaponSpot aligned with the glowing spot on each cylinder. The larger Motobug enemy has the same bones but does not have the hidden weapons. None of the model's animations use any of the weapons' bones.

This feature appears in the game's concept art, which depicts a spherical object of some kind being ejected from the hole on the back of the tube. Since the holes face backward, it is likely that Motobugs would use these weapons while driving ahead of Sonic.

Internal Project Name

The game's internal project name is Sonic2010, according to paths in the executable, source paths in Sonic Lost World (which was built on the Colors codebase), and the development leftovers in Sonic Colors: Ultimate.

Oddities

Filename Extension

Many, MANY models and textures have _SD at the end of their filenames. This could be a leftover from the canceled Wii port of Sonic Generations, as that game uses _HD at the end of the filenames. That'd also explain the number of shared Badniks and the unused animations from Unleashed.

"Wisp Use" Sound

The sound when using Wisps is actually two separate clips that play together. This might indicate that they were planned to alternate when they were played. Subsequent games use a combined sound clip.

Actual Audio	In-game and later games

Terminal Velocity Texture Design

At some point, this texture was changed. However, they forgot to swap out the modified specular map for it. As a result, lighting effects on this texture will look odd. None of the other textures resemble this modified design.

elv_o_ty1_mecha01	elv_o_ty1_mecha01_spc

Regional Differences

To do: The SEGA logo color difference should probably be documented.

The game is known as Sonic Colours for the European release (also used in Australia in this case), as the word "color" is spelt with a "u" in those regions. Canada also uses the "u" spelling, but as per usual, it shares a version with the United States, so that isn't reflected here. There is an ESRB notice above the copyright notice ("©SEGA") in the North American version.

Japanese	USA	European

Same applies to the "Project Sonic Colors/ Colours" logo.

USA	European