v eller ' s ▁T ales ▁chose ▁to ▁re build ▁a ▁Formula ▁One ▁game ▁they ▁were ▁developing ▁into ▁a ▁Son ic - brand ed ▁title . ▁Development ▁started ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁as ▁a ▁joint ▁project ▁between ▁S ega ' s ▁Son ic ▁Team ▁and ▁Tra v eller ' s ▁T ales . ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁Son ic ▁T T ▁( the ▁T T ▁standing ▁for ▁Tour ist ▁Tro phy ). ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁public ly ▁announced ▁as ▁" Ph ase ▁Two ▁of ▁Project ▁Son ic " ▁( with ▁" Ph ase ▁One " ▁being ▁Son ic ▁Jam ). ▁The ▁schedule ▁was ▁tight , ▁and ▁Tra v eller ' s ▁T ales ▁requested ▁more ▁freedom ▁than ▁they ▁had ▁with ▁Son ic ▁ 3 D ▁Bl ast . ▁ ▁Son ic ▁Team ▁designed ▁the ▁race ▁tracks ▁and ▁the ▁game ' s ▁general ▁flow , ▁and ▁Tra v eller ' s ▁T ales ▁were ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁implementation ▁and ▁programming . ▁Each ▁track ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁levels ▁from ▁previous ▁Son ic ▁games ▁such ▁as ▁Green ▁Hill ▁and ▁Cas ino ▁Night , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁tight ▁schedule ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁five . ▁Secret ▁areas ▁and ▁expl oration ▁phases ▁were ▁added ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁series ' ▁trad itions ▁( S onic ▁Team ▁also ▁wanted ▁a ▁cross ▁between ▁a ▁racing ▁game ▁and ▁a ▁platform ing ▁game ), ▁and ▁for ▁this ▁reason ▁a ▁map ▁was ▁developed . ▁S ega ▁of ▁Europe ▁producer ▁K ats ▁S ato ▁handled ▁communication ▁with