Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

Sonic Unleashed
Also known as: Sonic World Adventure (JP), Sonic Unleashed: La Malédiction du Hérisson (FR) Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: Sega Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Released in JP: February 19, 2009 (PS3, 360) Released in US: November 20, 2008 (360), December 12, 2008 (PS3) Released in EU: November 28, 2008 (360), December 19, 2008 (PS3) Released in AU: November 28, 2008 (360), December 16, 2008 (PS3) This game has unused animations. This game has unused areas. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused objects. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused items. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article This game has a notes page

To do: This game's filesystem is compressed with XCompression (Xbox 360) or SEGS (PlayStation 3) - to anyone interested in digging further, use the Sonic Unleashed Mod Toolbox Other version differences; the PlayStation 3 version apparently uses higher quality assets, and there are object layout differences between the two. The Japanese PS3 version allegedly shipped with the DLC on the disc; verify this. The Japanese Xbox 360 version is also dated a month after the North American/European version, so check that too for any potential differences.

Sonic Unleashed is the first 3D installment in the "boost" gameplay sub-series of Sonic titles. While it received mixed to negative reviews at the time of its release (to the point of being delisted from digital storefronts), it has since seen acclaim for being a return to form for the series after the infamous Sonic 2006, with many fans clamoring for a modern day rerelease.

In recent years, the game has become more accessible via backwards-compatibility on newer consoles.

Sub-Pages

Prototype Info

Prerelease Info

Notes

Resources

Unused Assets E3 Leftovers and completely unused assets.

Unused Areas and Layouts Sections of the stages which were abandoned by changes in the level design.

Unused Animations Unused animations which still remains in the game files.

Unused Objects Info on unused objects and their behavior.

Unused Missions Take a bobsled ride, then report back to Marketa.

Unused Audio Sonic 2006 leftovers, unused dialogs, etc.

Unused Text Go nuts, man! Time to combo those combos!

Gameplay

Unused Ring Counter

ui_gate.yncp contains an unused ring counter which would probably show the max amount of rings on a stage. Interestingly enough, a similar thing was present back in Sonic Adventure 2

• 

  ui_gate.yncp with "info_3" enabled

Unused Trial Types

The game has 2 unused trials for Sonic and 3 trials for the Werehog. You can activate them if you get 100% Save-Data through the debug tools. Almost every trial is playable and can be finished, Except: Apotos and Eggmanland, Apotos's Score Trial just won't load, and the Eggmanland have just a placeholder trials. For example Eggmanland "Battle Trial" required to defeat 1 enemy and complete the stage, which is obviously just a placeholder.

Hedgehog "Score Trial"	Werehog "Ring Trial"

Hedgehog "Trial list"	Werehog "Score Trial" loading"

Unused Items

Collectibles

Icon	Name
	Black Medicine
	Brown Medicine
	Green Medicine
	Creamy Milk
	Fresh Eggs
	Bracelet
	Vintage Jerky
	Zonshen Medicine
	Miracle Cure
	Brand-New Recipe
	Sailor's Bag
	CD
	Cassette Tape
	Cassette Tape
	Source Of Energy
	Apotos Flower
	Carpet by Labib
	Barrel
	Beloved Book
	Sacred Plant
	White Bouquet
	Gift
	Gift
	Gift
	Ursule's Sled
	Gregorios's Specs
	Banana Peel
	Burlap Sack
	Chili Peppers
	Yasmine's Plate
	Precious Shell
	Tools of Augury

Other

Icon	Name	Description
	Computer	A state-of-the-art PC with a hundred megableets of RAM!

Debugging Features

The debugging features in the game are not accessed by any normal means, to find them and have them function requires files in the game being unpacked and being edited. Most of these are accessed from some of the #XX.ar.xx files that correspond to a file that is a stage, preference or character.

To do: There are a lot more of these features lying around the files of the game, they need to be found and documented. I will have a few up soon...

Collision Render

In any of the scenes in the game that also have a #XX.ar.xx file name structure, there may be a file found inside called Stage.stg.xml, this file has an option where you can have the collision rendered in the map. The option for this is the string: <IsCollisionRender>false</IsCollisionRender>. Changing it to true will enable the feature.

As an example the archive Town_Mykonos.ar.00 is the scene for the Town Apotos. This archive has a linked file called #Town_Mykonos which contains a Stage.stg.xml file.

• 

  Collision Render

As of enabling it, the game will use a texture and have it be shown on the collision in the map, this would have been used to check in-game for any problems with the collision.

If you have epilepsy, it is not recommended that you use this as the textures do flash when moving around or rotating the camera.

Miscellaneous

Region Names

The file names for many of the game's regions differ from the names used in the game itself - some of them are actually named after real-world locations;

Early Boss Names

Version Differences

Regional Differences

International	Japan

In Japan, the game is titled Sonic World Adventure. This was actually the working title of the game for all regions (back when it was developed as the third Adventure game) before the decision was made to rename it for international markets due to the stark change in gameplay. The different logo also necessitated a change in effects; the international versions have a strike flash every few seconds, while the Japanese version has a glowing effect for the cracked planet (and the logo as a whole having a subtle flashing animation).

Platform Differences

• The frame rate is capped to 30 FPS on the Xbox 360, while the PlayStation 3 version runs uncapped, with certain instances of it hitting 60 FPS. Regardless, both versions struggle to maintain a consistent framerate in the same areas. However, the PS3 version is able to maintain a high framerate for the Tornado Defense levels and some areas of the daytime stages, particularly the Holoska stages. Playing the Xbox 360 version on an Xbox Series X/S allows it to run with an uncapped framerate that can consistently stay at 60 FPS.
• Lighting in the Xbox 360 version is slightly more washed out; this is due to it having different gamma settings compared to the PlayStation 3 version, likely to compensate for the Xbox 360 having a darker video output.
• The animation for changing time is different; the Xbox 360 version features an animation of Sonic transforming into (or reverting from) the Werehog, whereas the PlayStation 3 version instead just shows the Sun/Moon medal spinning in the center of the screen.
• Some special effects, such as the dust produced by Sonic when he runs, are more prominent on PlayStation 3.

Revisional Differences

On March 12, 2009, an update was released that added support for the Chun-nan Adventure Pack DLC. The update also revised some patterns that appear in Holoska. The original texture used a depiction of a Hindu swastika, while the update replaced it with a new texture. This was likely done to prevent the game from potentially getting re-rated or banned. Ironically, internet users discovered the symbol on the German Sega website.