Was HPZ separated into many parts? Let's check.

Sonic 3 - Icecap zone

The bridges

This one is Hidden Palace Zone, Sonic 2

This one is Icecap zone, sonic 3 or sonic 3 and Knuckles

This one is Icecap zone, Sonic 3 or Sonic 3 and Knuckles, also

Then you have the similarities in walls.


Here is Sonic 2, another Hidden Palace Zone Pic.

Here is a similar one from the Icecap zone—it even has a semi-similar backround!


Lava reef zone does indeed differ in texture and color and background
However, I do think Sega was trying to recreate their original effect.

I won't be happy leaving the proof there, look and see if you notice something in these.


I also have new facts.

Hidden Palace Zone in Sonic and Knuckles is not that much, however, hidden palace zone has many graphics that appear in Icecap zone and are NOT in Lava reef zone.
The green things sonic could walk up in Sonic 2 were replaced in Act 2 by blue metal things. The rock background remained for the Icecap, Lava Reef zone.
As for the music, Stealth is probably right. Hidden Palace Zone probably had no music. If you get over 100 rings in the beta version for that board, it goes to Death Egg Zone. However, if you get Invincibility while you get 100 rings, when the invincibility wears off, the music does go back to its original format.

I also have another theory about death egg zone. I believe it was once Sky Chase Zone as act one and Wing Fortress zone and Death Egg zone as act two. Those two boards were in planning because the music is in the game. The split between Wing Fortress zone and Death Egg zone is very close to a board split in Sonic three. Maybe originally Sonic was supposed to jump off the spaceship onto the platform at the start of the board and the music changed when he got into space. Another reason I believe this is because there are three robotniks in the last board of Sonic 3 (Without Knuckles) And two of them you must travel to. That could be the same with this. And also, if you recall in the first act there were no robotniks in Sonic two. Sky Chase has no robotniks either. That is why I think it could have been act one. The reason it could have been separated is because it would be quite hard on time, with 10 minutes being your limit. I also believe that Genocide City zone was changed into Launch Base Zone. Picture this:
A city falling apart and many things going wrong for robotnik. At the end of Launch Base, the Base kind of falls apart and many things crash as well as robotnik suffering a major defeat (Three of his weapons).

I've noticed yet another thing. If you look closely at the hpz picture from EGM, you will notice a ceiling on the top right corner so that place must not be the location thought it was, plus an open path. The two pictures are Sega's pictures of what probably will be in the game. That is why I think this version might ultimately be an alpha. The Gamma version featured in another theory can easily be a beta…that would be a time to fix title screens and Tail's animation as well as somewhat determine which boards were to go in the game. The Casino Night Zone background looks a bit less corrupted too.

I'm going to release my proof on Sonic two beta being real and not a hoax on the update to this theory.

If you were going to revise Hidden Palace Zone, here's a tip. The emulator and/or the ROM itself scatters where you are and where you should be. Look closely with debug, you'll notice paths continue and are constant.