Sonic Unleashed (Wii)

This version of Sonic Unleashed is vastly different from its higher-end counterpart. While the story, gameplay concept, and level locations are the same, its level design, progression, and control schemes are totally distinct.

This version would be developed and released simultaneously with its PlayStation 2 counterpart. Although it is the same game as it is on PS2, there are some differences: the Wii version has higher-quality graphics, sound, and widescreen support, but (unsurprisingly for a Wii game) takes steps back in its controls, with character handling and combat being simplified to allow for motion controls.

To do: Many tutorials/missions feature strange stuff out of bounds that hint at earlier layouts. The stage files indicate that there was supposed to be a second daytime act for each continent. Most continents have missions taking place on what would've been Act 2, with only Cool Edge and Eggmanland missing them. Area A of the Dark Gaia boss also appears to be an earlier version of Area D (running section 3). The Werehog acts appear to have been designed as massive individual stages that were split into smaller levels to save memory. Document this. There is a folder called load_debug, which contains debug models and dipswitches for debugging features. When it becomes possible to edit/recompile ONE archives, document them.

Unused Graphics

Trial and TGS Version Leftovers

These graphics can be found in one_wii/title in the directories labeled TGS, and exist in both Japanese and English.

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  TGS_tryal_logo.gvr

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  TGS_tryal_logo.gvr

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  TGS_main_txt.gvr

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  ui_so_mf_txt02.gvr

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  ui_menu_ev00.gvr

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  ui_menu_ev01.gvr

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  ui_menu_so00.gvr

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  ui_menu_so01.gvr

TGS Menu

Unused Options

The one option which is not avalible in the final build, it's the Vibration Settings

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  ui_option_txt0101_eng.gvr

Unused Sun and Moon Medals

These are unused Sun and Moon Medal graphics which are earlier versions of the medals seen in the final game. These textures can becan be found in the one_wii/work directory in the KeyMain.onz file.

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  ui_mf_04.gvr

Early Rank HUD

Early HUD file, found in Cockpit archives, feature a scrapped medal system for ranking at the end of the Day Sonic stages. The final version of the game uses S, A, B letters instead.

Early	Final

Empire City Trees

To do: Replace these with proper rips.

For some obscure reason, present within the texture archive for Dark Gaia's running sections are some tree textures with the "nyc" prefix. This indicates that Empire City (which internally is called NYCity in the HD version) was intended to appear in the Wii/PS2 release, whereas the final skips over it and Mazuri, however the internal stage structure has no discrepancies in numbering.

Unused Objects

1-up Item Box

In Apotos' 2nd nighttime tutorial, an unused 1-up item box is loaded outside of the mission barriers, where a regular secret item box normally exists. The graphic is taken from the 2006 version of Sonic the Hedgehog on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 instead of a triangular shaped item box with an image of Sonic's head used in the final game.

Its presence in a level hints that the game used to feature a more traditional lives system (in the final game, a maximum of 14 extra lives are permanently obtained only in Gaia Temples, and are automatically replenished after completing a stage). However, collecting it no longer has any effect.

Internal Level Structure

The game is infamous for having considerably more Werehog stages than Sonic stages, however the game files reveal that this wasn't always the case. Every single daytime stage has two acts internally, with Rooftop Run and Dragon Road even having three acts, however the second and third acts are always reserved for extra missions, which load certain areas needed. Additionally, each Werehog stage is a single act for that location, just different areas. This implies that at some point, each location would've been given two Sonic acts and one Werehog act, before they were split up. While there are second acts for all Werehog stages, they are completely blank except for a flat collision planes.

The Werehog acts appear to have been split apart early on, as Windmill Isle and Rooftop Run have little evidence left of being a single long stage, although later stages (especially towards endgame) are much more obviously split apart, often having the geometry of the next area visible from the end of the stage. None of them have triggers to load the next area, however. The Sonic acts, on the other hand, were likely split apart due to time constraints, as some of the later stages use similar flat collision templates.

• Rooftop Run 3 was meant to be longer with Areas B and C having their collision data properly labeled, but are flat templates.
• Cool Edge 2 was meant to be a duplicate of Act 1, but with the lower paths removed.
• Dragon Road 3 lacks anything other than textures, which are similar to Act 1's, but appear to be incomplete as they lack proper transparency.
• Jungle Joyride 2 skips over Area C entirely, however the path data suggests it was to be a short 2D section. The wall collision for the end of Area B extends much higher than the geometry, and the roof is not solid.
• Eggmanland 2 is entirely blank other than the basic flat collision plane.

Unused Text

To do: There's a lot more debug text leftover in the game, document it all.

Present at 66A0D8 in the main executable is some debug text, including the internal names used for the stages (mostly based on real life locations):

CGameSetting::CNutsMission
MYKONOS
TUNDRA
EU
CHINA
PETRA
BEACH
EGGMANLAND

References