Spellcraft [SNES – Unreleased]

Spellcraft is an unreleased Super Nintendo conversion of the original Spellcraft RPG / Strategy Game that was released for the PC in 1992. This port was in development by Ybarra Productions / Ascii and as we can read on Wikipedia, it is very different than the PC version as it focuses on adventuring instead of strategy. A playable, almost complete ROM of Spellcraft SNES was somehow leaked online and it should be easily findable through Google. The game was probably cancelled for quality issues.

Thanks to Celine for the contribution! (Scan from Super Power issue #7 and #12)

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Mega Man X Command Mission [GC PS2 – Beta / Unused Stuff]

Mega Man X Command Mission (Rock Man X Command Mission in Japan) was released only a few months before Mega Man X8, yet it takes place arround 100 years AFTER the events of X8. Also of note, is that it’s the first Mega Man X Game NOT to follow the standard style, due to the fact of it being an RPG adventure. Below, you will see what appears to be a prototype build, and two beta builds, along with a few videos.

Demo Videos

There’s some unused dialoge between the characters, namely what Cinnamon says to you… that, and the fact that she’s even where she is doesn’t make much sense. The fight with Wild Jango starts VERY differently in the final, and although the battle area is right, how you get there, is WAY off.

Also, you go into battle with X, Zero, and Axl. In the final version, all you have at your side is Spider, but then, in this demo, almost everything is out of order, so I just assume it’s a demo from E3 or something, which would make sense. In the final, the voices and text are in english, instead of like in the videos. Also, these were uploaded to IGN on august 6th i think, at least a month before american release, and just after japanese release.

Here are a couple of Trailers of the game. One of which shows X using a slightly altered version of his Action Trigger, Charge Shot. The screen goes black upon firing, and the camera is behind the enemy. In the final, the charge shot attacks more than just one enemy, doesn’t go behind enemy/enemies, and the screen DOESN’T go dark.

Pictures

Prototype (?) version

In these, the most notable difference is that X is in his standard form. No special colors, just standard X. In the final, he looks MUCH different. And to those that have played the game themselves, notice the vendor for the shop just to the right of X? Vendor my eye, that’s an enemy!Also, the attack seen in the In Battle picture, is currently unknown. It appears to be a Final Strike. Also of note, the Battle HUD is different from next version’s, and also different from the final. And, take notice and compare the Battle HUD in this version, the the one in the next version. Something odd going on here.

Version 2 (beta)

Here can be seen a few differences from the final. Dialoge is different, battle HUD is different, and so is the map.

NOTICE THESE!

I wanted to do a special point out for the above pictures. Character mugshots are in the “turn” lineup, that aren’t even in the battle at the moment. Also, I could be wrong, but, I don’t think you can switch characters mid battle, and even if you could, how could it predict something that hasn’t been set yet?

My personal guess is that there was more to the battle system planned at this stage of development. Also of note, is that the Battle HUD is the EXACT SAME in all three pics, so at this point, it’s just as possible that the HUD is just an overlaying image. Look at the numbers used for the character stats even. they go in almost perfect sequence. I mean, X’s life energy and weapon energy put together, read 1234567, then zero’s reads 7890234, axl’s reads 3456456.

Version 3 (near final)

There’s not alot here that’s different from the final, but still of note, is the fact that the beta map is still in use. The final map, isn’t too much different than the beta map in either version, but one very noticable difference is the white lines on the right and bottom sides are gone in the final.

Now then. Like I said, if there’s something I missed, please let me know, or if there’s something i’m calling beta and isn’t, let me know that too. 

Sadness [Wii, WiiU- Cancelled]

Sadness is a cancelled horror game that was in development by Polish video game developer Nibris for the Wii. Frontline Studios had previously signed a deal to co-produce Sadness. However, as of March 17 2007, the companies parted ways due to “artistic differences”. Set in pre-WWI Eastern Europe, Sadness would have followed the story of Maria, a Victorian era aristocrat who has to protect her blind son Alexander after their train derails in the countryside. Their subsequent adventures were based on Slavic legends. [Info from Wikipedia]

After years of development issues, in February 2010 Sadness’ website was closed and the game was officially cancelled, probably because they never found a publisher interested in the project.

Some music tracks created for the game were leaked online, as we can read on Polish Music Blog:

Polish game music blog Gramuzyka has come into possession of thirteen unreleased tracks by composer Arkadiusz Reikowski from Sadness , proving there was actual work done on the game. It seems this music was to be included in a demo version of the game that never saw the light of day.

Some more details were translated by Olga from different Polish sources, such as Gry Online, My Nintendo & Gram:

– Started as a wii game, but the development moved to wiiU after Nibris was disbanned in 2010. It was picked up by two american development teams, HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games, who had „some part in making the original”. They wanted to keep the game close to the original vision, but the work was practically started from scratch, changing a lot of technical aspects.
– Maria’s (the protagonist) full name was Maria Lengyel
– The train derailment takes place „somewhere in eastern Europe”, but another source states it was specifically Ukraine.
– Aleks wasn’t blind from the start; he lost his eyesight in the derailment, which also caused him to suffer from narcolepsy, schizofrenia and nyktophobia (fear of darkness).
– Aleks’ behavior was supposed to get more and more unsettling as the game progresses
– The game’s visual style is described as „gothic” and „lacking in color”, using only shades of gray.
– Actual fights with monsters were rare; instead, the player would have to use stealth, exploration and „other actions” that would help in the protagonist’s survival.
– Wii version was 3D and made on the gamebryo engine, while the WiiU version was made in 2D on the unity engine.
– The WiiU version put greater Focus on puzzles and „RPG-esque elements”
– Maria Lengyel was a polish-hungarian aristocrat
– Maria was supposed to lose conciousnes after the derailment. When she wakes up, she sees men dressed in black killing off the other survivors. Her husband and two other children are dead, her third child, Aleksander, is missing. Grieving Maria goes to find her son.
– Apparently, there were multiple plot synopsises: One is the above one, the second one has Aleks losing his sight, and the third one stated that Aleks was Maria’s brother, not son.
– Frontline Studios based in Bydgoszcz was allegedly to co-produce the game
– Nibris apparently didn’t have a publisher chosen
– FOG studios from Kraków was responsible for marketing.
– Game was planned for the end of 2007, but was pushed to 2009. There were periodic updates about the development going well.
– The game was allegedly supposed to be featured on E3 2009
– After removal of the site, a part of the team started Bloober Team, while the rest of the team is coordinating the European Game Center (Europejskie centrum gier) in Kraków
– The train at the start was heading to Lvow
– Some sources say the game took place before WWI, but this source says it takes place during it.
– Everything was done with the wii remote, forsaking menus for a seamless experience
– There was a rumor that the music was to be composed by Piotr Rubik, a fameous polish composer.
– Aleksander was eight years old
– Cutscenes were planned, but its unclear if they were made on the game engine.
– NPCs that the player could talk to were planned.
– Eight endings were planned, each one with a different message. Player’s actions were judged, the most important were ones concerning Aleks, how the player treated him and took care of his physical and mental well-being.

Thanks to Unvaluablespace, UserdanteAndrew, Olga and Anonymous for the contributions!

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Zero Tolerance [Beta – Mega Drive / Genesis]

Zero Tolerance is a FPS developed in 1993 / 1994 by Technopop and published by Accolade in 1994 for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis. Zero Tolerance was a unique game in that there weren’t many FPS console games back then. Just like other Accolade games, Zero Tolerance came in a unique Accolade game cartridge. Zero Tolerance also supports a link cable where two Genesis systems can connect and play in the same game.

Let’s begin with a look at this image:

Sero Tolerance Beta

Here we have two beta / prototype cartridges, and a final copy of Zero Tolerance. I’ve gone through the early prototype and compiled as much beta material as I could find.

Differences between the final and beta / prototype versions are:

  • -There’s no music in the prototype. Sound effects are still present.
  • -Nearly all the logo’s at startup have been slightly changed.
  • -The options menu in the prototype has significantly less options.
  • -The characters between games are completely different.
  • -In the proto, you do not start with a weapon.
  • -There’s no text at the top of the screen when the map is displayed.
  • -The counter on the left, which tells you how many enemies remain on the level, is not functioning in the prototype.
  • -The name of each weapon and it’s number of bullets remaining, have swaped places.
  • -Some of the text on the wall is a different colour.
  • -The image on some doors is different.
  • -The robots on the High Rise Roof make a different sound.
  • -In the proto, when picking up a weapon it just says “WEAPON COLLECTED…” instead of the weapons name.

Technopop has released Zero Tolerance as freeware. This means you can download the Zero Tolerance Genesis rom legally and for free. A sequel, Beyond Zero Tolerance (or Zero Tolerance 2) was also in development by Technopop, but it was never finished.

Article, video and images by Cheaterdragon!

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Megalol noticed that in Sega Power magazine from september 1994 the screenshots in the game’s review are actually from a beta version. Infact, you can notice a couple of small differences in the HUD (name of the weapons in different place, ID card) and Level textures.

Beta Version:


Final Version:


Beta Version:


Final Version:

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Dragon Quest 7 (VII) [PSX – Beta]

Dragon Quest VII (Dragon Warrior 7 in USA) was originally announced for the 64DD in 1996, but one year later the development switched to Playstation and the game was finally released in 2000. Unfortunately, we don’t know much about the beta versions of DQ7, but thanks to a video from the V Jump festival in 1998  (check below), uploaded by Carnivol in his YT Channel, we can see that originally Keifer (the blonde character) had a different dress.

Also, in the V Jump 1999 Festival video the monsters (especially their animations), seem to look better than their counterparts in the final version. What do you think?

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Compare the beta battles to the final ones (video below @ 3:36)