A prototype of the Japanese version has been available on most ROM sites since the dawn of time, I don't know who got this dumped. Anyway, the prototype is a very early version, with only one level playable. It also has no voices or sound effects, and only one piece of music is used during gameplay. This music isn't in the final game but was included on the soundtrack, under the name of "Walking Bottom".

Prototype
Final
The SEGA logo has a TM in the prototype, but not for the final version -at least in Japan. The American version does have the TM on it.


Prototype
Final
The prototype features a different font than what the final version had, so in-game text is different. The SEGA logo is also different.

The prototype's title screen features a similar logo to the final version, but there are still quite a few differences as some of the letters had their graphics changed (see below). The logo was also moved down a little for the final, and the TM was colored white.


Prototype
Final
The prototype doesn't have an introduction sequence yet. Instead, if you sit on the title screen for a few seconds, the screen will go to black and the words press start button will appear and flash on the screen for a few seconds. It'll then return to the title screen. For the final, an intro is present, along with a few game demos.


Prototype
Final
The prototype's main menu lacks the battling mode featured in the final version, which lets two players fight each other. The pointer arrow is also yellow rather than white.


Prototype
Final
The options menu in this prototype is nothing of the sort, instead, it lets you view animation frames for the four main characters and most of the enemies featured in it. It also lets you view some frames that aren't used in the prototype, such as electrocution sprites. It's also glitchy, for example, trying to view some of Jack's frames will display garbage sprites.

The final version has a proper options menu where things like difficulty can be set and music can be played.


Prototype
Final
The prototype's player select menu is quite different, featuring different fonts, different portraits and different sprites for the star ratings than what the final version has.


Prototype
Final
The 1P and 2P are above the character names in the prototype, they were moved to be on the portraits for the final version. "TECHNIC" became "TECHNIQUE".


Prototype
Final
The first level has numerous differences. The opening area has a lot of changes to the buildings in the background, some of the prototype buildings have garbage sprites on them, whilst others are completely different to the final version, such as the HEAVEN sign in the background.

Other minor differences include shading on the lamp posts, and the bushes in the bottom right corner also have different colors. The object near the door has a taller sprite in the prototype then it does in the final.


Prototype
Final
The background signs are also slightly lower in the final that they are in the prototype. A little further onto the level, there is a missing sign on a shop that says 1992 on it that was added for the final version. The pavement is also missing an object you can't interact with in the prototype, which is in front of the HEAVEN store. The building next to this one is also different.

I'll also mention now that the prototype is completely devoid of any objects like trash cans, these things were all added in for the final version.


Prototype
Final
The next building is also missing the 1992 sign in the prototype, and has different windows. The alleys are also missing some bricks in the prototype, that were added for the final version.


Prototype
Final
Moving downwards, there is a building in the prototype which has some graphical glitches, as part of it features green sprites in error. This was fixed for the final version.


Prototype
Final
Getting to the bottom, there is a pipe in the background that goes all the way to the floor in the prototype, this was changed so it goes into part of the wall in the final. The sign in the background reads "DUNK" in the prototype, it was changed to some lips for the final.


Prototype
Final
Moving on, the building in the background is missing a pipe on the left of it in the prototype, plus there is another missing pipe to the right. The posters are also colored orange, for the final, they were changed to white.

There are also some holes in the ground, but enemies don't pop out of them. It seems the developers had thought about them, but hadn't implemented them yet. For the final, these holes have manhole covers on them, and enemies will leap out, usually armed with pipes.


Prototype
Final
The next building is quite different in the prototype, as it features a door and a 1992 sign, along with one orange poster. The final changed the design of the entire building, making it larger and removing the door. The 1992 sign was removed and three posters were added. The second hole is present in both versions, but is found earlier in the prototype than it is in the final.


Prototype
Final
The buildings start to match up again, but the prototype features a poster which was removed from the final version.


Prototype
Final
However the buildings get very different near the end of the opening section. The prototype is shorter here, as it's missing the car in the background.


Prototype
Final
The bar building is different, as the prototype version features a door that was removed from the final version. It's also missing the light that was added for the final version.

Jack is the only enemy to use weapons in the prototype, as he can use knives. You can get him to drop these, but you can't pick them up. He also has Galsia's life bar icon.


Prototype
Final

The bar section of the level is quite different in the prototype, as it's a lot shorter, the final version made it longer and gives you a lot more enemies to fight.

The above is what each version looks like when you start this section. The prototype features railings at the top of the screen, these are in the final but you don't see them until later on in the level.



Prototype
Final

The lights work differently, in the prototype, they shine directly on the floor, but in the final, they don't. If you look in the background you can see a graphical glitch with some steps in the background, this was correct for the final.

The railings at the top of the screen have bricks behind them in the prototype, they don't in the final.



Prototype
Final

At the end of the bar, there is a Donovan enemy waiting for you in the prototype, but he has the name of Singer. It seems the devs knew what they wanted here, but hadn't go the sprites ready. For the final version, there is a female enemy waiting called Electra.

The boss won't run away straight away in the prototype, you can often fight Singer and he won't run off until you move far enough to the right. For the final, as soon as Electra is ready to fight, the boss will run.



Prototype
Final

The boss area looks quite different in the prototype. The building on the left is incomplete, the sprite is very obviously not finished yet. It also has a green door, but in the final, there's no door at all. The windows in the background have different designs between versions.

Another difference is that in the prototype, there's no rain. This was added for the final version.



Prototype
Final

At the end of the boss area, the fence is shorter in the prototype, plus it's green, for the final, they went for blue. The buildings in the background are also different.

The boss is incomplete in the prototype, he has all of his moves from the final version but his sprite often glitches out when he does some of them, such as his throw. He also uses Galsia's life bar icon. Beating the boss in the prototype will just have him re-spawn. In total you can beat him four times, then he won't re-spawn any more. There's nothing else you can do after that.


Prototype
Final

Now on to the sprite differences, starting with Max. His neutral stance is very different in the prototype.


Prototype
Final

His walking animation frames have him with his arms close to his sides in the prototype, this was changed for the final.



Prototype
Final

His neutral jump has him with his mouth really wide open, it's smaller in the final game.



Prototype
Final

I guess someone really, really hated Max's face, as an absolute ton of frames got edited for the final version. I won't list them all below as there are so many, but Max's sprite got changed the most out of the four main characters.

There are also some minor edits made to his pants on a lot of his sprites.



Prototype
Final


Prototype
Final


Prototype
Final


Prototype
Final

His spinning punch special attack lacks the blur effect on his hands in the prototype. His neck is also quite different and as usual, his mouth is different.



Prototype
Final

His thunder tackle special attack has some differences to his head.

Also, the final version added (presumably by accident) a very small line between his feet that is briefly displayed.



Prototype
Final

Axel's neutral jump attack is only a knee strike in the prototype, which is difficult to hit enemies with. The final added a frame to change this to a jumping high kick, which can hit twice and is a lot more useful.



Prototype
Final

Axel's blitz attack is a jumping uppercut, and it looks very similar to Sagat's tiger uppercut in Street Fighter II. For the final version, this move was changed to the grand upper, a much flashier attack where Axel strikes the opponent with a flaming fist, without leaving the ground.



Prototype
Final

Axel's first special attack is a hurricane kick in the prototype. He was given a completely different move for the final version, and like his blitz attack, it's a lot flashier: the dragon wing. He spins around with one of his fists on fire to hit any opponent near him.



Prototype
Final

Blaze's idle stance has less animation in the prototype, as her legs don't move. She also blinks, something she doesn't do in the final version.

In the prototype she'll run her hand through her hair after three cycles of her idle stance, compared to the seven cycles of the final version.


Prototype
Final

Her downward jump attack strangely has her do a throw in the prototype! You can't hit any enemies with this. For the final version, she does a chop instead.



Prototype
Final

Blaze's blitz attack is a quick double kick in the prototype. This move was changed to the hishousou zan for the final version, where she leaps forward and strikes enemies with her hands.


Prototype
Final

Another underwear edit was made to her getting up sprite, along with some minor pixel changes to one of her legs and hands.



Prototype
Final

Blaze' back attack in the prototype has her underwear quite visible. This was changed for the final version.


Prototype
Final (Japan & Europe)
Final (America)
Blaze's jump kick sprite is slightly different in the prototype, her underwear was altered for the final version. However, for the American version, the sprite was drastically altered so you could no longer see her underwear at all, and her arms were changed.

Oddly, an American ad for the game shows a screenshot of Blaze doing her original jump kick, but it was very tactically censored -click here to see it.


Prototype
Final

Skate's back attack (B+C together) has a different animation in the prototype, and he doesn't move back much at all when doing it. This makes it very difficult to hit enemies, so it was a good idea that the final version changed it.



Prototype
Final
The character life bar icons are different in the prototype, there aren't that many used but every single one of them was changed for the final version. Garcia's icon has a line through his face, which was removed for the final game.



Notes

Skate/Sammy doesn't have the ability to run yet. In the final version he can do this, and is the only character with this ability.

You can pick the same characters in two player mode, the final version has a cheat code to enable this feature.

Max is able to vault over enemies like the other characters, although the way he animates is very glitchy. Because of this, two of his throw moves can't be done, although the sprites for them can be seen in the animation test. In the final version he can't vault over enemies.

The way attacking a grabbed enemy works is different. For example with Axel, you need to just press attack to do his knee strikes, or forward + attack to do his headbut. This was reversed for the final version.