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A former Sega Technical Institute developer has shared a litany of screenshots, source code, and design documents for various undeveloped and cancelled Sega Mega Drive titles, including an unreleased game starring Sonic the Hedgehog's best buddy, Tails.
In a feature published by gaming curiosity blog The Hidden Palace, former Sega of America employee Ken Rose shared his stories of working within the studio's STI team during the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive's 1990s heyday. Following the interview, Rose then generously shared a selection of floppy discs from his own personal collection, offering a look at several in-development titles that never made it out of the Redwood City offices.
Among the treasure trove of titles that did not come to pass is a playable build of Jester, a high-profile platformer that was being touted as a flagship release for the system in 1994. In Jester, players control a malleable clay figure through a hazardous environment, using his squishy nature to overcome traps and obstacles.
Despite a lot of work being poured into development, the game was shelved when lead programmer and STI founder Mark Cerny departed Sega - with only a thin playable build and some corporate Christmas card concepts serving as evidence that the clay dude ever existed.
Also featured in Rose's collection is a build of Segapede, a Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off that would see players take control of one of Dr. Robotnik's mechanical hybrids. Later renamed Astropede, the project would hit the cutting room floor following Rose's departure from STI, though the developer notes that he is extremely proud of Segapede's concepts and the work crafted to that point.
For most readers, the most interesting piece in Rose's collection would be the small remnants of Treasure Tails, an isometric puzzle-adventure starring Sonic's faithful companion Miles "Tails" Prower. Asked by Sega to essentially fast-develop a Sonic spin-off for the 1993 Christmas market, Rose and the STI team began in earnest to give Tails their very own game. The project was ultimately cancelled once it was ascertained that production would simply take too long, and Rose's team transitioned to Sonic Spinball.
Only this comically simplistic video remains of the project (WARNING: FLASHING IMAGES)
The collection of discs Rose has shared with The Hidden Palace contains design docs, screenshots, and in some cases, source code for the abandoned games. This marvellous donation not only gives fans a look into some of the Sega Mega Drive titles that never were, but also opens the door to the homebrew community, who will, in all likelihood, take it upon themselves to make some of these projects a reality.
Props to The Hidden Palace and Ken Rose for their effort in bringing these pieces of history back to the drawing board. Be sure to check out The Hidden Palace's own feature for more fascinating tidbits about these and other projects, as well as the lifestyle of working within Sega during its golden axe age.