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The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Prototype is a prototype build of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 for the Sega Mega Drive. The EPROMs it was contained on claim it to be dated November 3, 1993, though its header suggests it might have been built in October 1993. This build of the game reflects a time during development when the developers were beginning to split the game into two. As such, some of the content in this prototype would be eventually cut from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but would resurface in Sonic & Knuckles. Programming for objects, stages, and more that would be completely removed from the released Sonic 3 ROM are still present in this build.
Two major differences of this prototype are that Sonic and Tails still use their sprites from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and a number of songs are early compositions that would later be repurposed for Sonic & Knuckles Collection. All six Zones that would be in the final Sonic 3 are playable with numerous differences and bugs, with two zones later repurposed for Sonic & Knuckles also present in unfinished forms.