Proto:Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES)/Apr 24, 1995 Prototype/Lawyers Return

This is a sub-page of Proto:Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES)/Apr 24, 1995 Prototype.

General Differences

Prototype	Final

Like Carnival Ride, Lawyers Return consists of a main level with multiple smaller subsections. In this case, Jim travelled downwards through each area with the use of an elevator. In the final, only the main level and the door chase section survived, and Jim travelled with a teleporter and a printing press.
Level 9A is missing in both the prototype and the final.
The music in this stage is "Tangerine" wherein the final it uses "Subterranean".
The Masked Lawyers don't exist in the prototype.
There are killer filing cabinets in this version of the stage, but they don't suck up paper or hurt Jim. The cabinets have a sleeker, dark grey form and don't pop their drawers out when jumping.
Collision of the paper floor is inconsistent with the graphics. The bottommost floor of the main level is broken.

Prototype	Final

The background includes an additional detail involving an abacus of an unknown character. This unknown character survives in the final as decoration for the printing presses. The Mean Machines Sega preview describes Jim fighting against a taxman. Whether it's referring to the unknown character or the Masked Lawyers is unclear.
The abacus is a sprite instead of a background object.

Prototype	Final

The gimmick involving the hamster wheel doesn't exist in the prototype. Instead, the mouse is already in the hamster wheel with an idle animation. Whipping or shooting near it causes the mouse to start running. In the final, the mouse is always running, and when Jim picks the hamster wheel up, the mouse freezes in place.
The contraption itself is vastly different and not connected to anything.

There are number ones littered throughout the stage for some reason. These ones shake then burst into multiple numbers. The numbers don't have any sort of interaction.

Prototype	Final

The main mode of transport was originally an elevator. There is no elevator here, so it's merely a pit. This was replaced by the printing press in the final.

Prototype	Final

The level is mostly unfinished. Everything after the first section with the filing cabinets is empty except for a floor at the very bottom.

Prototype	Final

The bottommost floor, however, resembles the section with the second hamster wheel. The final extends this part downwards to include the printing press.

To the very right of the bottommost floor is a large hole, presumably the planned exit to the next section. Jim dies if he falls here.

A small unused stage with an elevator shaft. The stage itself is locked horizontally and doesn't feature much else.

A small unused stage with an elevator shaft that also features the unknown character. This area is locked vertically and features a death pit.

Prototype	Final

Referred to as Level 9D in the prototype and Level 9B in the final.
A small room that's similar to "More Lawyers (B)". This stage is similar to the one in the final game where Jim chases a door to advance to the next stage. While the final version was more of a puzzle, the prototype is much more linear. It's possible that this was meant to be a test stage for the gimmick.
The door is very sensitive to Jim's movements and always starts running away. It does have a backing away animation, but the range for it to react is narrow.
The door doesn't turn around when Jim is behind it even in Map View Mode.
The leg coming out of the closet is a foot with a boot. The final version uses a bare foot instead. The design of the closet overall is different in comparison to the final.
Jim can't pick up the closet as it's part of the background and not an object.

Prototype	Final

When Jim enters the door, the game soft locks and doesn't advance to the next stage. Jim also closes the door in the prototype whereas the screen fades out as soon as Jim disappears from view in the final.